Spiritual Plastics Exposed: 5 Harmful Healers You Need to Watch Out For

“The Devil always appears as an angel of light to those who know no better. - Fr. Jose Francisco

Illustration By Mosheh Taffe, Ethereal Time Capsule

Some people don’t need to raise their voice to wreck you.

They’ll say all the right things—about healing, about boundaries, about nervous systems and triggers and “holding space.” They’ll have salt lamps and soft eyes. They'll hug you with intention. They'll use phrases like "I see you" and "that’s valid."

And still, when you walk away from them, your body knows something: You are not safe here.

But how can that be? They sounded safe. They acted enlightened. You wonder if maybe the problem is you. That you’re too sensitive. Or dramatic. Or broken.

Let me say this clearly:

You’re not too sensitive. You’re just not stupid.

You’ve just met a spiritual plastic. A person who’s mastered the language of spirituality but not the maturity of spirituality. Spiritual plastics are not monsters. They don’t have to be. Their danger is in the subtlety.

And it is one of the most confusing experiences your body and mind have.

Some of us carry shame for trusting a spiritual plastic—the kind of person who wore the costume of healing while quietly wounding us. The pain we caused ourselves by staying, believing, or doubting our gut can run deep. But pulling back the curtain is powerful. It not only sets the healing in motion, it gives us the language we need to recognize these patterns and walk away next time. After all, “if you can’t name it, you can’t claim it.”

Here are five types of Spiritual Plastics to watch out for—and walk away from.

1. The Performative Empaths

These people have mastered the art of “spiritual” public relations. They are incredibly giving but only when they have an audience. They curate their compassion to be seen, yet when things get messy or inconvenient, they disappear.

These individuals thrive on validation. They love being recognized as “the empath” or “the healer.” But when no one is watching, their empathy is nowhere to be found. They may cry and shed tears in front of you when you share your pain or struggle, making you feel so seen, as if nobody could understand you so deeply, but anything that you may need actually need from them like confidentiality, they will look at you like you are crazy, or become unexpectedly avoidant and dismissive.

With them, you’re not a person in pain—you’re a prop in their performance. Your story becomes a stage on which they prove their empathy to an audience, not a safe space for your healing. It’s less about your heart, and more about their image. You may be stunned to discover that intimate details you shared in confidence have somehow reached others—revealing that the same person who wept with you was also quietly betraying you.

2. The Namaste-Narcissists

Have you ever tried to share something vulnerable, only for someone to immediately launch into a monologue of spiritual wisdom, unsolicited advice, or their own experience? They want to sound enlightened and knowledgeable, but their listening skills are nowhere to be found.

They often quote spiritual teachers, throw out terms like “higher frequencies,” or spout words of wisdom they’ve picked up from books or podcasts, but the moment you share your pain, they’re too busy rehearsing their “expertise” to actually hear you. Or leave any space for your experience to stay your experience, free of their storyline.

These people rarely meet you in your pain; instead, they try to coach, fix, or direct you toward their version of “right” without ever truly listening to where you’re at. Their version of healing is one-size-fits-all, and if it doesn’t work for you, that’s your issue, not theirs.

3. The Unaccountables (aka Spiritual Gas-Lighters)

These are the people who claim to be all about healing and growth, but the second you try to hold them accountable for their actions, their true colors shine through. They are the ones who love to talk about spiritual growth—until you challenge their behaviour or set a boundary.

They talk a big game about healing, vulnerability, and truth, but when you call them out or make a request for healthier interactions, they flip the script. Suddenly, you're the one who's wrong. They'll say things like, "you are too sensitive" or "We just have different values," or worse, they’ll label you as toxic for needing a boundary.

Instead of seeing your honesty as an opportunity for growth, they see it as an attack. And when you refuse to let them trample over your boundaries, they will go off like a bomb—destroying your reputation in the process, making sure you’re the villain in the story. Their idea of healing is never about taking accountability for their own actions; it’s about making sure they remain untouchable.

4. The Bypassing Bombshells

These individuals are experts at floating above the hard stuff. They love to offer silver linings and spiritual platitudes, but when you need someone to sit with you in the discomfort of grief or pain, they’re already somewhere else—telling you to “look for the lesson” or “trust the process.”

When you’re struggling with something deeply personal, they rush to reframe your heartbreak as a cosmic lesson, pointing to divine timing or fate, and completely bypassing the depth of your emotions. Instead of feeling with you, they avoid the intensity of your vulnerability by trying to take you to a “better” space—immediately.

Their version of healing is like a nice, neat package with a bow on top: everything has a meaning, everything is a lesson, and everything happens for a reason. The problem? You don’t need a reason for your pain. You need space to feel, to mourn, to be present with your humanity.

They don’t want to deal with the messy parts of life, so they bypass them with a spiritual mantra that feels cold and dismissive, even if their words sound good on paper.

5. The Toxic Heroes (aka Fixers in Disguise)

These people are well-meaning, but their need to “fix” robs us of the sacred space we need to feel and unfold. They rush in with solutions, affirmations, or practical advice without ever truly holding space for the rawness of your experience.

They are uncomfortable with pain, and therefore, they can’t sit with it. They may throw out a quote, rush you into a mindset shift, or point to a “better” way of thinking, all in an attempt to avoid the messiness of real healing. They mean well—but in doing so, they deny you the space to process at your own pace.

Being in their presence often leaves you feeling like a problem to be solved, rather than a person to be held. They make you feel like you’re behind in your healing, like you need to catch up, or that you need to “get over” things before you’re ready.

Final Thoughts

Recognizing a spiritual plastic takes a special kind of wisdom—and a strength forged through experience. If you’re questioning whether someone in your life fits this mold, let this blog be both a mirror and a map. Spiritual plastics are often highly reactive to accountability, differing opinions, or your need for boundaries. Even something as simple as making your own decision can spark a cold war—or an all-out conflict. They may even weaponize "humility" to mask their power plays and position themselves as morally or spiritually superior.

But real soul-shelters?

They don’t leave you doubting your sanity. They don’t confuse you. They don’t replace your voice with their own, quietly and expertly.

And if you’ve ever walked away from someone and felt your body buzzing with grief, confusion, or a strange hollowness—trust that. You didn’t imagine it. Your body remembers what your mind worked overtime to excuse.

And if you’ve already done the brave and excruciating work of untangling yourself from a spiritual plastic, you are brilliant!

You’ve reclaimed your light, your authenticity, and your autonomy.

May your reclaimed light not only guide you home to yourself—but blaze a trail so unmistakably true, others can’t help but find their way too.

---

If you enjoyed this post, please share the wisdom!

You can share your insights in the comment section or you can reply directly to us at thebenevolentseries@gmail.com

We love you so much! ♡

---

See a typo or inaccuracy? Please contact us so we can fix it!