Compassionate Reframes for Spiritual Bypassing

A gentle guide to support shifts in your language

Many of us have heard it. Some of us have said it. Everything happens for a reason. Look at the silver lining. This experience is a lesson from the universe.

What we might not know is that these words can be unintentionally harmful at best, and strategically re-traumatizing at worst.

But there are other ways. Ways to hold space, listen deeply & meet people in their pain while connecting with our own nervous system.

⋒ A deep dive into spiritual bypassing, including why we might turn to this language

⋒ 13 reflective journaling prompts to unpack spiritual bypassing phrases

⋒ 13 definitions of spiritual bypassing phrases

⋒ A primer on gentle somatic inquiry

⋒ Alternative language to spiritual bypassing phrases

⋒ 62 pages you can print or easily type into digitally

This guide includes:

If you are a healing practitioner, this guide might help you unpack and reframe language to use with clients that is more supportive of their experience.

If you are a human who finds yourself rushing in with advice or feel-good phrases and struggles to find the right words, this workbook might be in service to your relationships.

If you are someone who has been harmed by spiritual bypassing phrases, you might find comfort in these pages, as well as space to reflect on your experiences and validation for the harm you’ve experienced.

Hi, I’m Jess (she/they)!

I am a healing practitioner who has been bristled by bypassing language at many a training.

I am a trauma-informed bodyworker and survivor who has been told: “you needed this for your healing.”

I am fired up about making waves in the healing community, and am honored to present this workbook to you. Whether you are a practitioner looking for support in using kinder language, or you are someone who has been harmed by spiritual bypassing.

Thank you for being here. Let’s begin.

What readers are saying

  • “It has helped me to gain a deeper understanding of spiritual bypassing and how to hold a safer container of space for others in my work.” — Samantha G.

  • “This offering gave me more confidence to tell my loved ones that sometimes telling me to “stay positive” is unhelpful and that I just need to vent about how awful my circumstances are.” — Anonymous

  • “The guide is beautifully presented, easy to follow and has helped me personally and in my role as a youth worker. It has helped me to recognize thoughts and feelings on a much deeper level.” — Amanda T.

Grab your copy of this guide, and begin your journey towards more compassionate language.