The relationship of a church member to their pastor is one of sacred trust. When a minister crosses over the line to form a sexual relationship with a church member or other person who has come to seek their help, a profound betrayal of the helping relationship occurs. Often the person seeking the help feels at fault or guilty that the relationship turned toward intimacy, and does not fully understand that it is the responsibility of the clergy person/pastor to maintain the boundaries in a spiritual relationship. Most often, a person has sought clergy help at a time in their lives when they are vulnerable, making the confused boundaries in the relationship even more painful. When a person experiences this kind of boundaries infraction themselves, or even in someone that they care about deeply, it can fracture trust in church, religion, clergy and even God, in a painful and lasting way. It is important if you have experienced abuse as a child or an adult by a clergy person to get the help you need to heal the complex feelings and issues raised by such a violation of sacred trust. All CPC Counselors work with those who have experienced clergy abuse. Meet our counselors and see who might be the best fit for you at Counselors or call our Referral Coordinator at (703) 903-9696 ext. 290 for a recommendation.