Welcome to Riverside With AJ!
About Andrew
Hi there—I’m Andrew Zimmermann. I’m a hospital chaplain, fly fisher, and spiritual companion living in the Mission Valley of Montana, where mountains and rivers are always within reach.
I write at the intersection of healing, spirituality, and human dignity—especially for those who have experienced harm or confusion in the name of religion. My work is shaped by years spent inside religious institutions and ministry schools, followed by the long, slow work of deconstructing what I was taught about God, self, and belonging.
I hold a Doctor of Ministry in Scripture, Spirituality, and Leadership, where my research focused on dignity, integrity, and the nervous system’s response to religious trauma. These themes now flow through nearly everything I write: how to listen to our body, how language wounds or heals, and how we can find peace after high-control religious environments.
Today, I serve as a hospital chaplain—accompanying people through loss, hope, and meaning-making. The river, much like the hospital, keeps teaching me about compassion and presence: how life keeps moving, even when everything feels still.
Why “Riverside”?
The riverside is where stories settle.
It’s a place to lay down what no longer serves us, to watch the current carry it away, and to remember that we are still whole.
This space exists for anyone who is:
Recovering from religious trauma or spiritual abuse
Seeking to reconnect with a gentler non-religious spirituality
Learning to trust their body’s wisdom again
Longing for stillness and meaning in a noisy, divided world
I write about the slow work of becoming human again.
What You Can Expect
When you subscribe, you’ll receive a new post about once a week: insights and research on religious trauma interspersed with stories of grief and healing, reflections on dignity and belonging, and insights from the spiritual care field.
⚠️ Trigger Warning - some essays explore religious trauma and spiritual abuse. Others wade quietly into questions of compassion, resilience, and what it means to be alive in these bodies of ours.
Community Commitments
This community honors the dignity of every person—especially those who have been excluded or silenced, including our LGBTQ+ siblings and all who have been told they don’t belong.
We hold space for honest reflection, shared curiosity, and respectful dialogue. Anyone who violates those boundaries will be removed and refunded—because safety and trust matter here.
Join Me by the River
You’re invited to sit beside the current—to read, reflect, and maybe even find some language for your own story.
Subscribe for free to receive posts in your inbox, or become a paid subscriber to support this work and make space for more writing, reflection, and healing.
Welcome to the Riverside.
