Bishop Minimized Abuse

I remember getting the courage to talk to my bishop at 14. I had been sexual abused and physically abused for years by a parent and another family friend. After breaking down in his office, he told me that my case “wasn’t that bad,” because I seemed “mostly okay,” and approved two visits to an LDS therapist. After two visits, the therapist told me she works with cases much worse than mine and that I should be “grateful” I wasn’t as bad as some people. My bishop agreed that my case wasn’t as bad as others he worked with and so they sent me on my way. I felt numb. It wasn’t until years later, when I saw another LDS therapist because I was experiencing anxiety during grad school, and he echoed a similar sentiment, that I realized the problem wasn’t with me - it was with them. Their poor assessment that because I was “successful” in my marriage, academically and professionally, that I was somehow okay. Since then, I’ve seen non-LDS professionals to discuss my anxiety (not surprisingly stemming from years of abuse) and I’m grateful I broke away from the very broken LDS therapy system. I thought for years I was being too sensitive, until I had so much anxiety about going on the subway, or taking airplanes that I realized I needed real help, not assurances from LDS therapists that praying would make my anxiety go away.