A Thousand Tiny Paper Cuts: The Subtle, Insidious Nature of Spiritual Abuse and Life on the Other Side

"With her years of experience working with and advocating for survivors, Katherine Spearing is an important voice on the issue of spiritual abuse in the American evangelical church." -Cait West, author of Rift: A Memoir of Breaking Away from Christian Patriarchy

A Thousand Tiny Paper Cuts is a raw, arresting dive beneath the glossy surface of American evangelicalism, exposing the often-invisible damage of spiritual abuse. Drawing on her upbringing in the Christian Patriarchy Movement, her former role as a ministry leader, and her work founding the nonprofit Tears of Eden, Katherine Spearing offers an unflinching look at the wounds that religious institutions cause, which are impossible to ignore, and helps you name and understand them.

The book's title evokes the nature of these injuries, small, subtle, and nefarious, cuts that bleed out over a lifetime. With piercing insight and a voice both tender and fierce, Spearing unpacks power imbalances, spiritual gaslighting, and the silent corrosion of autonomy under abusive religious systems.

From the application of shame to the shattering of trust, she exposes what happens when faith is used as a weapon, and what it takes to walk away. With moments of wit, clarity, and deep compassion, this survivor-centered narrative doesn't just expose abuse; it provides a path toward a thriving life.

A Thousand Tiny Paper Cuts is essential reading for anyone deconstructing harmful faith, supporting survivors, or daring to imagine a life beyond the confines of religious control.