Hope Restored is a community for individuals who are healing from experiences of religious abuse, high control religion, or other forms of religious pressure.
Hope Restored began after many individuals endured religious abuse and manipulation through a biblical counseling crisis center titled Vision of Hope under Faith Church of Lafayette, Indiana. After many years of being silenced by the crisis center, survivors formed an online Facebook group to share their stories and find support and validation for what they endured.
From this group, Hope Restored was born and expanded into a community for survivors coming from all forms of religious abuse, organizations, cults, or groups. Here, we foster an inclusive space that invites survivors to share their stories, share their passions, promote survivor-owned businesses and merchandise, find resources, and thrive in community.
MEET THE ADMIN TEAM
Abigail Degnan
Abigail Degnan is a full time writer and editor with a passion and calling for helping victims of religious abuse deconstruct from thought reform and reconstruct through safe community and support. After interning at Vision of Hope from 2020-21, she witnessed the many ways religion can be used to coerce, manipulate, and abuse. She underwent her own deconstruction from the practices she learned there, and over the course of years reconstructed based on her own beliefs. During her reconstruction, she came to true faith in God for the first time and has enjoyed sharing her experience with others and how to separate oneself from toxic religious practices to decide your own beliefs and morals. She fully supports all individuals of all backgrounds and orientations in their journeys, whether that involves faith in God or not, and she spends much of her time listening to the stories of others to provide encouragement and validation. Abigail is receiving training from cult/high control religion recovery specialists, and she holds a master’s degree and doctoral work in English.
Rachel Longshore
Rachel Longshore is a tattoo artist, wifey, and dog mom to the most beautiful golden retriever, Naya. She was an intern at Vision of Hope from July 2020-February 2021, a part-time staff member from February 2021-November 2021, and a full-time staff member as the Fundraising Coordinator and Counselor from November 2021-October 2023. Rachel has always wanted to help other people in whatever challenges they are facing which led her to get her Bachelor’s in Psychology. After Vision of Hope she worked as a foster care case manager who advocated for the welfare and safety of children. In her free time, Rachel enjoys reading, all forms of art, going to the beach, and spending time with her husband and dog (@nayathegolden18).
Elayna Barnova
Elayna Barnova is an advocate who is pursuing her Masters Degree at the University of Kentucky. Elayna uses her social platforms to advocate on a variety of issues including human trafficking, child abuse, mental health, and spiritual abuse. She was a resident 3 different times at Vision of Hope from 2015 through 2018. As a resident Elayna experienced first hand the control and coercion used at Vision of Hope. Vision of Hope was one of her experiences of spiritual abuse and control, but through associations in “fundamental” Baptist churches and parental spiritual abuse, Elayna advocates for awareness of religious control privately and corporately. Outside of advocating for abuse survivors and her own healing journey, Elayna enjoys spending time with friends, reading, and being outside.
What’s with our logo?
Our logo symbolizes a pattern that happens in religious abuse – the silencing of victims. Many churches and religious leaders shun those who speak out, and victims are left with their lips sealed shut out of fear that they’ll be retaliated against.
Hope Restored battles against this pattern by offering a safe space to voice your experiences and to find support in holding abusers accountable. The image of lips breaking free from stitches, as flowers and growth and light emerges, symbolizes the courageous step and fight in telling your story and finding like-minded community.