Sara J. Giles, MSW, LCSW
Specialized Therapy for adults recovering from cults and religious trauma - in NC, TX, CA & NY.
It’s Time to Re-Write Your Story
Therapy to Help You Recover, Reclaim Yourself, and Move Forward
When you’ve left a high control religious community - what you’re going through is real. The confusion, the doubt and second guessing, the raw grief — and none of it is an overreaction.
It’s common to be left asking:
What did I do wrong? Did I bring this on myself?
Why do I feel so lost? Who am I now?
Have I disappointed God, the people or the cause I once devoted my life to?
At Renaître, I support people untangling from high-control religion, cultic dynamics, and spiritual abuse. Together, we make sense of what happened, give language to your experience, and tend to the losses — whether that was your identity, community, or family.
I work with those who have left — or are quietly preparing to leave — controlling evangelical or religious environments, including LDS/Mormon traditions, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Quaker, Amish / Plain, Scientology, Pentecostal or Holiness, and other high-demand systems.
Many of my clients have been cast aside by the communities they trusted—facing shunning, betrayal, control, abuse, and painful separation from loved ones. Your story is layered, and you deserve support from an experienced therapist who genuinely understands this terrain.
Wherever you are in your process, you don’t have to rebuild alone — your story, your voice, and your future are worth protecting.
Meet Your Therapist
Sara J. Giles, MSW, LCSW, BCD
Hi, I’m Sara — a licensed therapist, former U.S. Navy mental health provider, and someone who understands religious and spiritual trauma deeply on both a clinical and personal level. I was raised in a rural town (in the ‘bible belt’), within a high-control, evangelical group and made the difficult decision to leave, despite incredible pressure to stay - and facing serious consequences for leaving. From that lived experience, I know just how disorienting, painful, and profoundly freeing it can be to step away from a belief system that once felt absolute.
I work with clients who are untangling themselves from high-control groups and spiritually abusive environments, guiding them through the immense grief, relational wounds, and identity confusion that emerge in the aftermath. My approach centers on helping people find their way back to themselves — with clarity, confidence, and a renewed sense of what is possible for their lives. I’m here to help you begin the meaningful work of getting to know — and becoming — your real self.
Focus Areas
Heal Your Religious Trauma with Highly Personalized Individual Therapy
Get Support from Others on Your Same Path with Groups
Take Advantage of Maintenance Care throughout the Recovery Process
Serving Clients Across Texas, North Carolina, California, and New York
Here’s what we’ll work on together:
Building a rock-solid relationship with yourself—one that makes it easier to spot (and walk away from) exploitative and manipulative organizations and groups who’ve proven they don’t have your best interest(s) in mind.
Learning how to set reasonable boundaries that feel good and actually stick.
Ending the cycle of chasing approval from people (still trapped in the cult) who’ve shown you they can’t give what you’re asking for.
Recognize the signs of direct or covert attempts to pull you back in.
Letting go of the ‘people-pleaser’ role, and finally becoming the main character in your own life. It is your human right to live freely and authentically.
Prioritizing your mental and emotional health, without apology.
Feeling lighter, clearer, and more hopeful about the life you deserve—not just the life you’ve settled for. There is hope on the horizon. “Hope is the thing with feathers - that perches in the soul…” - Emily Dickinson
When you stop shrinking yourself to stay connected to the wrong people, everything shifts - Your self-worth. Your relationships. Your mental health. Your energy. Your physical health. Even your career.
If you're ready to stop second-guessing yourself, to break free from entrapment and start living authentically —this work is waiting for you.
Therapy That Meets You Where You Are
All sessions are held virtually, giving you the flexibility to access support from the comfort and privacy of your own space.
Whether you're at home, in your car, or on your lunch break, therapy can fit into your life—no commute required. I am licensed to work with clients located in Texas, North Carolina, California, and New York.
Ready to get started?
Leaving an abusive and coercive group is both incredibly courageous and overwhelming. Reaching out for support can feel intimidating — and yet, it’s often the first step toward real healing.
If you feel a pull toward beginning this work, I invite you to reach out. Click below to schedule a free phone consultation so we can explore whether we’re the right fit.