What does healing look like after sexual abuse and how can the church respond with compassion instead of silence?
In this honest episode of the Collide Podcast, we sit down with Mary DeMuth to talk about sexual abuse, trauma, and the redemptive role the church can play in the healing journey. Mary shares from her own story as a survivor of childhood neglect and sexual abuse, offering thoughtful insight into how faith communities can enter sacred pain with humility, courage, and care. Whether you’re walking through personal healing, supporting a survivor, or longing to see the church become a safer place, this episode will remind you that restoration is possible and your story matters.
Meet Mary DeMuth
Mary is an author, speaker, and podcaster who is passionate about helping people live a re-storied life. A survivor herself, she has become a courageous advocate for abuse survivors while also calling the church to deeper empathy, accountability, and healing. Her work—including her recent book We Too—creates space for truth-telling, lament, and hope.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn
- Why silence around sexual abuse causes further harm—and how speaking truth brings healing
- How the church can respond to survivors with compassion, wisdom, and humility
- What it means to live a “re-storied” life after trauma
- Practical ways faith communities can support abuse survivors well
How This Episode Will Encourage You
If you’ve ever carried the weight of unspoken pain or wrestled with where God is in the aftermath of trauma, this episode will offer language, validation, and hope. You’ll be reminded that healing is not rushed, you are not alone, and God meets us tenderly in our deepest wounds.
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