In this blog post, former worker Sheralee Jensen explores how learning more about intergenerational trauma helped her understand the complex effects of harm within the ministry and the faith community. It is, as she writes, a lens that has helped her begin to understand her experience and to heal. As part of my healing journey, I’ve found it helpful to view trauma and harm in the faith community, and in the ministry I was part of, through the lens of inter-generational trauma

With deep gratitude but also sadness, we are announcing that as of Apr 15, Paul Svendsen has stepped away from his treasurer and bookkeeper roles for personal reasons. We are deeply grateful to Paul for his immense contribution in helping to launch Bridges & Balm and serving as our financial officer for the last 2 ½ years. We are thankful that Paul will continue to be available to Bridges & Balm in an advisory role. Bridges & Balm is in the process of conducting a search for

This is the sixth post in a mental health series of posts by Lisa Gray. Lisa is a Marriage and Family Therapist with background in the meeting fellowship, and we are honored to have her perspectives featured here on our blog. One of the most confusing things for me growing up was constantly being told “we are a joyful people,” but then looking around and seeing no smiles on anyone’s face. And then, in testimonies, there were often thoughts shared like: “I’m unworthy” or “I’m

Hello to our treasured Bridges & Balm community! In this post, we summarize our 2025 financial and assistance metrics, review our current financial status, outline our new initiatives and provide some BoD updates. First, thank you for your incredible care for survivors and former workers through your emotional and financial support. Your support for them over the past two years has been truly overwhelming, and it’s amazing that we are now beginning our third year of operatio

If you spent time in the work, you carry a kind of knowledge that’s hard to explain to people who haven’t lived it. You know the language, the pressures, the complicated love, the camaraderie, the grief, the humor, the loyalty, the disorientation and the rebuilding. And you also know that no two stories are the same. If you’d like to write and share your experiences, we’d love to hear from you. What we’re looking for Posts can be short (500–900 words) or longer if the story n

This is the fifth post in a mental health series of posts by Lisa Gray. Lisa is a Marriage and Family Therapist with background in the meeting fellowship, and we are honored to have her perspectives featured here on our blog. One of the things that I noticed when I left the meetings was my startling lack of discernment capabilities. This isn’t unique to meeting culture, but it is a hallmark of high-control religions or groups where developing discernment is not encouraged. D

By Sheralee Jensen This is the third post in a series written for workers transitioning back into civilian life. Sheralee Jensen reflects on her time in the work and the impacts those experiences continue to have on her life. When I was seventeen and living with my parents, having no savings, car, or job was normal. Finding myself in the same situation at age fifty-one was terrifying. That’s the reality for workers leaving the work. We have lost decades of earning capacity, o

Hello to our wonderful Bridges & Balm community! Thank you all for your continued generosity, trust, and unwavering care for those who are vulnerable. Because of you, we’ve been able to provide hope and healing where it’s needed most. As we enter our second holiday season here at Bridges & Balm, we are reminded that a time of year filled with gift-giving, family, and reflection for many of us can also be an especially challenging time for those facing financial and emotional

With this blog post, we are sharing the creative work of Rhonda Nichols. This poem reflects the deep grief of someone who has sacrificed everything for a spiritual sisterhood, only to face loneliness, betrayal, and bodily breakdown, all while holding on to faith and the hope of healing. It’s the sisterhood she grieves A kinship only known by those who have given up everything Compelled by a calling, a struggle Sometimes bullied, stung by words expressed in secret Living in

This is the fourth post in a “mental health monthly” blog post series by Lisa Gray. Lisa is a Marriage and Family Therapist with...

Howard and Lynda Carnew are about halfway through their journey on the Camino de Santiago trail. For the Carnews, this walk is about...

This fall, Howard and Lynda Carnew are putting on their walking shoes and heading out on the Camino de Santiago trail, a historic...

This is the third in a series of blog posts designed to help workers moving back into civilian life. The first post in this series...

We want to express our deepest gratitude to the Bridges & Balm donors, supporters, and volunteers for your incredible generosity and care...

This is the third post in a “mental health monthly” blog post series by Lisa Gray. Lisa is a Marriage and Family Therapist with...

Periodically, we will use this space to provide updates on partner organizations who are walking beside us in this work. This Partner...

Mental Health Monthly: What is the Best Way to Heal from Spiritual Abuse? This is the second post in a “mental health monthly” blog post...

Hello Bridges & Balm community! Thank you for your incredible care for the vulnerable through your support. Spring is in the air (for us...

This is the second in a series of blog posts written for workers transitioning back into civilian life. Beginning a college degree can...

This is the first post in a “mental health monthly” blog post series by Lisa Gray. Lisa is a Marriage and Family Therapist with...