Prayed Upon

Breaking Free from Therapist Abuse

By: Amy Nordhues

Narrated by: Melissa Connell

Length: 7 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

I thought he was there to help me heal, but his office became my prison.

Much has been written about childhood sexual abuse, but what about the sexual abuse of adult women? Can adults be abused? Can adults be victims? The answer is yes. And the problem is rampant. Sadly, therapists abuse women, doctors abuse women, Christian leaders, bosses—in fact, wherever there is an imbalance of power, there is great potential for exploitation. One study showed that 12 percent of male therapists and three percent of female therapists have admitted to engaging in sexual activities with at least one patient. Another study revealed that you are more likely to be raped by your psychiatrist than you are the general public. Yet, abuse by therapists is rarely discussed.

When therapists abuse clients, the damage is staggering. Women who have suffered this horrific form of betrayal come out wondering...what happened? Was this abuse? Am I at fault? How did this happen?

Prayed Upon is the story of one woman’s escape from the abuse of a respected, churchgoing psychiatrist. Amy reaches out to Dr. Dolion for help with depression, but instead of providing healing, he leads her down a path of deception and betrayal. His office, which initially feels like a sanctuary, becomes a psychological prison, one from which Amy will have to fight to free herself. Prayed Upon, a true story, depicts Amy’s journey from victim to thriving child of God. Her brutal honesty provides an inside look at the warped beliefs that early abuse instills; beliefs that make adult victims vulnerable to sexual predators. Her story shines a light on the underreported sexual abuse of adults and ultimately the way victims can gain freedom from the bondage of shame that abuse leaves behind.

©2021 Amy Nordhues (P)2023 Amy Nordhues

Critic reviews

Next Generation Indie Awards Finalist for Inspirational Non-fiction

Winner of the Inspire Christian Writers' "Great Openings” Contest

Vivid and Profoundly Chilling

This author eloquently and succinctly brings you with her into the tangled web of her perpetrator. While you can feel the betrayal of the therapist, you’ll also get a front row seat to the spiritual betrayal of the community. As healing as it was to read this book on my own journey, I must caution you that it can be triggering because of the authors amazing ability to recreate her story through the art of words.

phenomenal!

such a sad but relatable story. abuse happens much more than we know. I'm sorry that this happened to Amy, but she saved so many by telling her story.
I love how the narrator chose different voices and even accents for the different characters

A very important book for women to hear

Very well written. So poignant I was transported to the therapy office as well as inside Amy's thoughts. The way she talked to herself with self-loathing and shut down her own gut instincts as a product of being taught that God had led her to this abusive man- that hit so close to home I had to take frequent breaks to breathe. The grooming, the religious and spiritual abuse, the sexual manipulation, it was all so horrific. It was explained so clearly that you can't NOT see all the exploitation. I highly recommend this book to victims of religious abuse, sexual abuse, and abuse by anyone in a position of power. Also to women who have spent their lives degrading themselves believing that was holy and "humble". It's not. It's terribly sad. If you're trying overcome your own abuse, indoctrination, or self-berating this book is for you.

Brave and honest

Amy does a fantastic job bringing the reader on the journey with her as she details her thoughts and wrestling with the inner critic along the way. She helps the reader understand even if they have not experienced abuse themselves. Powerful, honest, heartbreaking, infuriating, and hopeful all together.