Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 49 minutes ago
In marriages marked by abuse or betrayal, family researchers have been shocked to see that devout people of faith hang on longer than most people, trying harder—through prayer, fasting, pastoral advice, and self-blame. They cling to their church’s promises that God will heal their marriage. They beg for a miracle, but little or nothing improves over time.
Instead they develop PTSD symptoms, similar to the kinds experienced by combat soldiers in the military. Let's find out how this happens and how to heal from it.
Healing from Moral Injury: A Conversation with Rachel Kanter on Abuse, Betrayal, and Recovery
Gretchen Baskerville interviews researcher Rachel Kanter about moral injury in the context of abuse and interpersonal violence. They discuss how moral injury affects survivors of domestic abuse, especially those with strong religious backgrounds. Key topics include the impact of religious teachings on abuse victims, the challenges of leaving abusive relationships, and strategies for healing through therapy, support groups, and community. The conversation highlights the importance of trauma-informed care and rebuilding trust after experiencing betrayal and abuse.
Self-Test: Am I experiencing Moral Injury due to the betrayals of my spouse and religious leaders? lifesavingdivorce.com/moralinjury
REQUEST HER STUDY FREE at www.RachelLKanter.com. Then click on the ResearchGate button. Join ResearchGate for FREE (You’ll want to do this is you like research, because a lot of studies can be found here if you have joined.) Then click: Request Full-Text
Or email her at: rachel@rachellkanter.com
STUDIES ON 8-IN-10 CHILDREN OF DIVORCE turning out well, are compiled here: lifesavingdivorce.com/abuse-and-kids
QUOTES ON DIVORCE AND KIDS FROM THE TOP RESEARCHERS
See quotes from the top researchers of the past 30 years: lifesavingdivorce.com/wallerstein
THE MAJORITY OF CHRISTIANS ARE HAPPY AFTER DIVORCE. See multiple studies in this blog post lifesavingdivorce.com/happy
STUDIES SHOWING THAT PEOPLE OF FAITH STAY LONGER THAN MOST PEOPLE. Researchers in Study #1 below found something surprising about marriages that have highly destructive factors (abuse, drug or alcohol addiction, or infidelity): The innocent spouses in these highly destructive marriages often increase their efforts to save the marriage. That is, in the face of these very serious problems, the committed spouses continue to work to save the marriage—and are more likely to believe that divorce can be prevented if both of them “try harder.”
This paradox amazed the researchers. In other words, the more severe it was and the more hopeless it looked, the harder people tried. They weren’t looking for the easy way out.
Studies #2 and #3 below found that Christian abuse or infidelity victims stay longer than most people,
1. Alan J. Hawkins, Brian J. Willoughby, and William J. Doher ty, “Reasons for Divorce and Openness to Marital Reconciliation,” Journal of Divorce & Remarriage 53, no. 6 (2012): 453-463.
2. Michal Gilad,“In God’s Shadow: Unveiling the Hidden World of Domestic Violence Victims in Religious Communities,” Rutgers Journal of Law & Public Policy 11, no. 3 (Spring 2014);and
3. LeonieWestenberg, “‘When She Calls for Help’—Domestic Violence in Christian Families,” Social Science 6, (2017): 71.
ABOUT ME
Gretchen Baskerville is a Christian divorce recovery leader and researcher. Since 1998, she has worked in churches in the Los Angeles area. She helps heartbroken people find strength, courage, and healing. For more than 25 years she has worked with Christian women and men going through difficult, life-saving divorces, listening with compassion to those who have suffered from domestic violence, betrayal, infidelity, addicted partners, and emotional abuse.
Herself the survivor of a toxic marriage, she walked through her own lifesaving divorce and was a single mother for many years. Today she is happily remarried. She is a graduate of Wheaton College with a degree in Bible and Christian Education.
For more information:
Website and Blog: LifeSavingDivorce.com
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/lifesavingdivorce.bsky.social
Facebook facebook.com/lifesavingdivorce
Instagram instagram.com/gretchenbaskerville
You Tube youtube.com/@lifesavingdivorce
Twitter twitter.com/GGBaskerville
What's a Life-Saving Divorce? A Life-Saving Divorce is a divorce for serious reasons: a pattern of sexual immorality, physical violence, chronic emotional abuse, felony behavior, family-crushing addictions, or abandonment/neglect.
My Book: "The Life-Saving Divorce: Hope for People Leaving Destructive Relationships"
Paperback or eBook: amzn.to/3CCBsnr
AUDIOBOOK: amzn.to/4f52Mh4
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
In marriages marked by abuse or betrayal, family researchers have been shocked to see that devout people of faith hang on longer than most people, trying harder—through prayer, fasting, pastoral advice, and self-blame. They cling to their church’s promises that God will heal their marriage. They beg for a miracle, but little or nothing improves over time.
Instead they develop PTSD symptoms, similar to the kinds experienced by combat soldiers in the military. Let's find out how this happens and how to heal from it.
Healing from Moral Injury: A Conversation with Rachel Kanter on Abuse, Betrayal, and Recovery
Gretchen Baskerville interviews researcher Rachel Kanter about moral injury in the context of abuse and interpersonal violence. They discuss how moral injury affects survivors of domestic abuse, especially those with strong religious backgrounds. Key topics include the impact of religious teachings on abuse victims, the challenges of leaving abusive relationships, and strategies for healing through therapy, support groups, and community. The conversation highlights the importance of trauma-informed care and rebuilding trust after experiencing betrayal and abuse.
Self-Test: Am I experiencing Moral Injury due to the betrayals of my spouse and religious leaders? lifesavingdivorce.com/moralinjury
REQUEST HER STUDY FREE at www.RachelLKanter.com. Then click on the ResearchGate button. Join ResearchGate for FREE (You’ll want to do this is you like research, because a lot of studies can be found here if you have joined.) Then click: Request Full-Text
Or email her at: rachel@rachellkanter.com
STUDIES ON 8-IN-10 CHILDREN OF DIVORCE turning out well, are compiled here: lifesavingdivorce.com/abuse-and-kids
QUOTES ON DIVORCE AND KIDS FROM THE TOP RESEARCHERS
See quotes from the top researchers of the past 30 years: lifesavingdivorce.com/wallerstein
THE MAJORITY OF CHRISTIANS ARE HAPPY AFTER DIVORCE. See multiple studies in this blog post lifesavingdivorce.com/happy
STUDIES SHOWING THAT PEOPLE OF FAITH STAY LONGER THAN MOST PEOPLE. Researchers in Study #1 below found something surprising about marriages that have highly destructive factors (abuse, drug or alcohol addiction, or infidelity): The innocent spouses in these highly destructive marriages often increase their efforts to save the marriage. That is, in the face of these very serious problems, the committed spouses continue to work to save the marriage—and are more likely to believe that divorce can be prevented if both of them “try harder.”
This paradox amazed the researchers. In other words, the more severe it was and the more hopeless it looked, the harder people tried. They weren’t looking for the easy way out.
Studies #2 and #3 below found that Christian abuse or infidelity victims stay longer than most people,
1. Alan J. Hawkins, Brian J. Willoughby, and William J. Doher ty, “Reasons for Divorce and Openness to Marital Reconciliation,” Journal of Divorce & Remarriage 53, no. 6 (2012): 453-463.
2. Michal Gilad,“In God’s Shadow: Unveiling the Hidden World of Domestic Violence Victims in Religious Communities,” Rutgers Journal of Law & Public Policy 11, no. 3 (Spring 2014);and
3. LeonieWestenberg, “‘When She Calls for Help’—Domestic Violence in Christian Families,” Social Science 6, (2017): 71.
ABOUT ME
Gretchen Baskerville is a Christian divorce recovery leader and researcher. Since 1998, she has worked in churches in the Los Angeles area. She helps heartbroken people find strength, courage, and healing. For more than 25 years she has worked with Christian women and men going through difficult, life-saving divorces, listening with compassion to those who have suffered from domestic violence, betrayal, infidelity, addicted partners, and emotional abuse.
Herself the survivor of a toxic marriage, she walked through her own lifesaving divorce and was a single mother for many years. Today she is happily remarried. She is a graduate of Wheaton College with a degree in Bible and Christian Education.
For more information:
Website and Blog: LifeSavingDivorce.com
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/lifesavingdivorce.bsky.social
Facebook facebook.com/lifesavingdivorce
Instagram instagram.com/gretchenbaskerville
You Tube youtube.com/@lifesavingdivorce
Twitter twitter.com/GGBaskerville
What's a Life-Saving Divorce? A Life-Saving Divorce is a divorce for serious reasons: a pattern of sexual immorality, physical violence, chronic emotional abuse, felony behavior, family-crushing addictions, or abandonment/neglect.
My Book: "The Life-Saving Divorce: Hope for People Leaving Destructive Relationships"
Paperback or eBook: amzn.to/3CCBsnr
AUDIOBOOK: amzn.to/4f52Mh4
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
