Episodes
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So… yeah. It’s Pride Month.
And here I am, a straight, white, former church kid debating whether or not to even say anything. Because let’s be honest: the internet doesn’t need another straight guy weighing in on LGBTQ+ stuff like he’s doing anyone a favor. I didn’t want this to be some performative, “Look at me, I’m a good ally” thing. That’s not what I’m after. That’s never been the point of this podcast.
But I also don’t want to stay quiet.
I grew up in a church that had plenty to say about gay people, and none of it kind. I learned to hide. I learned to shrink. I learned to clip my wings and call it obedience. And I’ve seen what that kind of faith does to people who are just trying to be themselves. Especially kids.
So no, I’m not trying to center myself. I’m not part of the LGBTQ+ community. But I have been part of the silence. And honestly? I’m tired of pretending that’s somehow more respectful.
This episode isn’t polished. It’s not perfect. It’s not a mic drop or a manifesto.It’s just me sitting in the tension, saying something I probably should’ve said a long time ago.
Because out of all the hills I could die on…this isn’t one of them.
If any of this resonates with you, I’d love to hear from you. You can shoot me an email at @clemenzwithaz.
And if you want to support the show, keep it going you can head over to the gofundme here: https://gofund.me/7ebb0524, or grab something from the shop at clemenzwithaz.com (there’s some good stuff in there).
Also, if you haven’t already, do the whole like/rate/subscribe thingit seriously helps more than you know. And you can read more of what I’m writing over on clemenzwithaz.substack.com if you want to keep following along.
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What happens when your childhood faith is built in hotel ballrooms, conference centers, and synagogues that weren’t actually yours? In this episode, I take you back into the strange, sacred spaces where I grew up trying to worship, belong, and stay out of trouble (usually). From stuffing my pockets with leftover banquet snacks to watching Beavis and Butthead after Wednesday night devos, this is a story about wandering faith, borrowed spaces, and the building we almost bought—but thankfully didn’t. There’s no tidy lesson here. Just memories. A little sugar. And the quiet question that still lingers: What makes a place holy—when it was never really ours to begin with?
Thanks for listening to Clemenz With a "Z." If this episode made you laugh, remember, or feel a little less alone in your own story, I’d love it if you’d take a second to like, subscribe, rate, or leave a review—it helps more than you know.
If you want to support the show and keep these conversations going, you can head over to clemenzwithaz.com. You’ll find ways to give, grab some merch, you can also donate at https://gofund.me/7ebb0524, or check out the weekly Substack devotionals I’ve been writing. Every little bit helps fuel this work—and I’m grateful you’re here.
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Missing episodes?
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This episode started with a bench press, outside a church before a father's day service.Yep. That actually happened. But it’s not just about one pastor or one sermon, it’s about the weight men keep being told to carry. In The Weight Was Never Yours, I respond to a Father’s Day message built on fear, performance, and pressure, and explore how that kind of faith doesn’t free men, it breaks them. This is a call to let go of the false scripts, the macho theater, and the fragile strength dressed up as godliness. If you’ve ever felt like manhood was a test you were failing, this episode is for you. There’s a better way. A freer one. And it doesn’t start with a bench press,it starts with honesty.
If you’re a dad, a partner, a man in the middle of unlearning, or even if you’re just someone who’s been affected by the weight men are told to carry: I hope this gave you some language. Or maybe just a little relief. A crack in the armor where something softer can breathe.You don’t have to perform your way into worth. You don’t have to lead like a soldier to be holy. You don’t have to carry it alone.If this resonated, there’s more where that came from. You can find other episodes of Clemenz With a “Z” wherever you listen to podcasts. Or head over to my Substack for devotionals, reflections, and the kind of spiritual wrestling they never let us do in Sunday school.Want to reach out or share your story? You can always message me on Instagram @clemenzwithaz or send an email through my website, clemenzwithaz.com. And if you want to support this work, whether it’s a one-time tip at gofund.me/7ebb0524 buying a sticker at my website: clemenzwithaz.com, or just spreading the word there’s info for that on the site too.Until next time, Be soft where you used to be scared. Be honest where you used to hide. And be strong enough to rest.
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What does it mean to be a man in a world built by louder men?In this episode, I wrestle with the emotional weight so many of us carry: the silence, the shame, the inherited scripts we never asked for. Paying Off the Debt of Idiots? isn’t a lecture on masculinity; it’s a meditation. On what I’ve seen. On what I’ve felt. On what it means to speak honestly in a world that often punishes men for trying. From my years as a teacher to the quiet grief I’ve witnessed in boys and grown men alike, this one’s about making space,for tenderness, for feeling, for change. If you’ve ever felt caught between who you were told to be and who you really are, this one’s for you.
If you felt something while listening, if it stirred something up, if it made you uncomfortable, or maybe made you feel a little less alone I’d love to hear from you. You can reach out anytime at [email protected] or DM me on Instagram at @clemenzwithazpodcast.
And hey, if you’re a man listening to this and you’ve ever felt this tension, this ache, this minefield of trying to feel something without being punished for it… I see you. You’re not broken. You’re not weak. You’re just human. And you’re not alone.
If this episode meant something to you, please consider rating and reviewing the show it helps more people find these conversations, and maybe find themselves in them.
if you want to support the podcast in a tangible way, you can head to clemenzwithaz.com to grab some merch, or you can donate here at gofund.me/7ebb0524,
As always, I’m just a channel,I ain’t the source. But if this message moved through me in a way that helped you… then maybe that’s what I was here for.
Until next time Keep showing up. Keep staying open. And maybe, just maybe, keep making space for the next generation to speak before they have to heal.
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When the Thing Isn’t the Thing (But Still Shapes You) is one of the most personal stories I’ve shared on the podcast. It’s about my journey into teaching—a path I thought was my calling, my purpose, my thing. From college classrooms to student teaching to working in actual schools, I kept telling myself I was where I was supposed to be. I had poured years of my life, money, passion, and heart into becoming a teacher. But slowly, and then all at once, I started to realize something didn’t fit.
This episode is about that quiet unraveling. About being the only guy in rooms full of people who didn’t quite understand me. About trying to make space for creativity, empathy, and connection in a system that seemed more focused on test scores, tidy paperwork, and compliance. It’s about the burnout that comes when you keep trying to be something for everyone else while your own heart is begging you to stop. And it’s about the moment I had to ask: What if the thing I thought was “the thing”... just isn’t?
If you’ve ever held on too long, ignored the signs, or questioned whether walking away means you failed—this episode is for you. Because sometimes the most painful lessons are also the ones that shape us the most.
You can reach me at [email protected] or shoot me a DM on Instagram at the Clemenz With a Z podcast page.
If you’re enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to rate and review. It helps more people find their way to these conversations, and maybe find a little peace, too.
And if you’d like to support the show,you can donate at gofund.me/7ebb0524,or grab something meaningful from clemenzwithaz.comto help keep this space alive.
Peace!
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After sharing the story about my son’s pink sparkly Vans, I thought I was done talking about it—but turns out, I’m not. In this follow-up, I dive deeper into where all this fear around colors and self-expression really comes from. I talk about protection, insecurity, parenting, and the moments that still mess with me as a dad. And yeah, I bring up those pastors and dude bros who keep pushing the same tired messages. But more than anything, this is about choosing presence over fear, and building kids up from the inside. Especially with Father’s Day around the corner, it felt right to keep this conversation going.
If today’s conversation stirred something in you—whether you’re a parent, a former kid who got teased for wearing the wrong color, or someone just trying to unlearn the fear you were handed—just know you’re not alone.
These stories matter. Your story matters.
And I’m grateful you’re here, doing the work with me.
You can reach me at [email protected] or shoot me a DM on Instagram at the Clemenz With a Z podcast page.
If you’re enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to rate and review. It helps more people find their way to these conversations, and maybe find a little peace, too.
And if you’d like to support the show,you can donate at gofund.me/7ebb0524,or grab something meaningful from clemenzwithaz.comto help keep this space alive.
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In this episode, I’m reflecting on something that’s been stirring in me for a while—the idea that we’re not as important as we think we are. And that’s not a bad thing. I’m talking about the quiet, humbling truth that while we’re not the center of the universe, we’re still part of something much bigger and more beautiful. Drawing from contemplative spirituality, the natural world, and even the teachings of Jesus, I explore how true significance isn’t about standing above everything—it’s about finding our place within it. If you’ve ever felt like you had to be spectacular to be worthy, I hope this helps you breathe a little deeper and find your spot in the chorus.
If this episode stirred something in you—if it helped you feel less alone, more grounded, or even just a little more okay with not being the center of the universe—I’d love to hear that, too. You can reach me at [email protected] or DM me on Instagram at the Clemenz With a Z podcast page.
As always, if you enjoy the podcast, please rate and review—it helps others find these stories and this space.
And don’t forget: I’m just a channel. I ain’t the source.
If you’d like to support the podcast financially, you can follow this link: https://gofund.me/7ebb0524
Or head to clemenzwithaz.com and grab a sticker or something cool from the shop—every little bit helps keep this going, and I’m truly grateful for it.
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In this episode of Clemenz With a Z, I’m doing something I haven’t done in a while: I’m talking about the good. Specifically, I’m sharing about the camp I grew up going to "The Swamp". This was the one place in my time in the church that truly felt like a safe space. A place where I was seen and heard, where I could be my weird, creative self without fear. This story isn’t just about camp—it’s about the power of being seen, the impact of adults who show up for kids, and the importance of creating those pockets of light in a world that can feel so dark. I hope you’ll sit with me as I unpack it, and maybe find a little bit of light and hope for yourself along the way.
Thank you for your support of Clemenz With a Z. Your support and your willingness to sit with these stories means the world to me—it helps keep these important conversations going. If you’re a member, were a member, or know someone who was part of the ICOC or ICC and you’d like to share your story, I’d love to hear from you. You can reach out at [email protected] or send me a DM on Instagram.
And as always—if this episode resonated with you, please consider leaving a rating or a review. It helps more people find these conversations.
If you’d like to support the podcast financially, you can follow this link: https://gofund.me/7ebb0524
Or head to clemenzwithaz.com and grab a sticker or something cool from the shop—every little bit helps keep this going, and I’m truly grateful for it.
Until next time—remember: there is light, even in the dark places. And sometimes, it starts with one person showing up and saying, “I see you.” Peace.
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This episode starts with a viral Instagram reel that’s been stuck in my head for days. In it, a pastor watches a video of a mom sharing how her son—just four or five years old—picked out a pink backpack. You hear the dad in the background, upset about it, saying he needs something more “boyish.” The pastor looks at the camera and says, “This is why we need dads.”But what does that really mean?Because when I hear that line, I don’t just hear a statement—I hear an old, familiar fear. A fear I’ve felt myself. A fear that showed up one day in a shoe store, when my own son reached for a pair of pink sparkly Vans and I almost steered him away.In this episode, I’m wrestling with that fear—the one that tells us to shrink, to hide, to protect our kids from the world instead of protecting what’s good in them. I’m talking about what color really means, how it’s never just about a backpack or a pair of shoes, and what kind of dad I actually want to be.It’s a conversation about masculinity, shame, freedom—and the healing we’re still called to do.
If today’s conversation stirred something in you—whether you’re a parent, a former kid who got teased for wearing the wrong color, or someone just trying to unlearn the fear you were handed—just know you’re not alone.
These stories matter. Your story matters.
And I’m grateful you’re here, doing the work with me.
You can reach me at [email protected] or shoot me a DM on Instagram at the Clemenz With a Z podcast page.
If you’re enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to rate and review. It helps more people find their way to these conversations, and maybe find a little peace, too.
And if you’d like to support the show,you can donate at gofund.me/7ebb0524,or grab something meaningful from clemenzwithaz.comto help keep this space alive.
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In this episode of Clemenz With a Z, I take a hard look at how fear-based faith and the obsession with the afterlife can steal the present from us—how it turns life into a constant performance instead of a real, lived experience. Using a gut-punch line from Frank Turner—“If you’re all about the destination, then take a fucking flight”—I unpack how Jesus’ own teachings and presence call us back to the moment, to the street, to the beauty of now. This isn’t about throwing away faith—it’s about reclaiming it from the systems that make it all about tomorrow, so we can finally start living today.
Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Clemenz With a Z. If this stirred something in you—if you’re beginning to question the constant striving, the obsession with the afterlife, or the idea that you have to earn your worth—I just want you to know: you're not alone.
I’ve been there. And I’m still here, learning what it means to stop performing and start being.To believe that maybe presence is the point.That maybe the Kingdom really is already within us.
If you're a member, were a member, or know someone who was part of the ICOC or ICC and wants to share your story—especially around what it felt like to live under all that pressure—please reach out. You can email me at gofund.me/7ebb0524,or grab something meaningful from clemenzwithaz.comto help keep this space alive.
Until next time, take care of yourself.Slow down.Be here.And remember:I’m just a channel. I ain’t the source.
Peace.
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This is a symbolic story about the faith I inherited—what it gave me, what it took from me, and the weight it carried. Told through the metaphor of a backpack, it reflects the journey of growing up believing I had everything I needed, only to discover that much of what I was carrying wasn’t mine to begin with.
At first, the backpack made me feel safe. Certain. Part of something bigger. But as I got older, it began to hurt—physically, emotionally, spiritually. The tools stopped working. The answers didn’t fit. And yet, I kept carrying it, because I was told I had to.
This piece is about the quiet moment when that changed. When I set it down. When I looked inside. When I finally asked: What have I been carrying all this time?
For anyone who’s ever inherited belief, identity, or expectation without being asked—this is for you.
If this story stirred something in you—if you’ve ever felt the weight of something you didn’t choose,if you’ve ever questioned what you were handed and wondered what was really yours—just know:you’re not alone.
I carried it too.For a long time.And I’m still learning what to let go of, what to hold on to,and how to walk with my own breath in my lungs.
If you want to reach out, share your story, or just connect,you can email me at gofund.me/7ebb0524,or grab something meaningful from clemenzwithaz.comto help keep this space alive.
Until next time—set it down if you need to.Breathe deep.And remember:you get to choose what you carry now.
Peace.
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In this episode of Clemenz With a Z, I sit down with Emma for a powerful conversation in the We Were in a Cult? series. Emma was born into the ICOC—raised as a Kingdom Kid by parents who helped plant churches overseas and in the U.S. For her, the church wasn’t something she joined; it was the world she inherited. We talk about what it means to grow up in a high-control religious environment, how deeply it shapes your sense of identity and worth, and the long, painful process of untangling truth from fear. Emma’s story is honest, reflective, and deeply relatable for anyone who has ever questioned the system they were raised in. This episode is for the ones still processing, still healing, and still learning how to trust their own voice again.
If you are a member, were a member, or know someone who was a member of the ICOC or ICC and would like to share your story about life in and out of the church, I’d love to hear from you. Together, we can continue exploring the question, “We were in a cult?”—and perhaps find some healing along the way. You can reach me via email at [email protected], or send me a DM on Instagram at the Clemenz With a Z podcast page.
As always, if you enjoy the podcast, please rate and review—it helps more people find these stories. And don’t forget: I’m just a channel, I ain’t the source.
If you’d like to support the podcast financially please follow this link: https://gofund.me/7ebb0524
Also—if you’d like to support the podcast financially, you can head over to clemenzwithaz.com and grab a sticker or something cool from the shop. Every little bit helps keep this going, and I’m so grateful for it.
Until next time, take care of yourself, stay grateful, and keep growing. Peace!
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Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion of sexual trauma, spiritual manipulation, family dynamics, and feelings of violation. Please listen with care.
In this powerful and honest conversation, I sit down with Ari, host of The Disallusioned Podcast. Ari shares her journey through two different high-control religious environments—growing up in a strict evangelical space and later becoming involved in a cult as an adult. We talk about the lasting impact of spiritual control, what it takes to walk away, and the ongoing work of healing and reclaiming your story. This episode is not easy, but it is real—and I’m so grateful to Ariel for her vulnerability and strength in telling it. Be sure to check out more of her story and the important work she’s doing over on The DisallusionedPodcast, available wherever you get your podcasts
Huge thanks to Ari for joining me and sharing so openly. If you want to hear more of her story, be sure to check out her podcast, The Disallusioned Podcast, available wherever you get your podcasts. She’s doing some powerful work over there, and I’m honored to have had her here.
If you are a member, were a member, or know someone who was a member of the ICOC or ICC and would like to share your story about life in and out of the church, I’d love to hear from you. Together, we can continue exploring the question, “We were in a cult?”—and maybe, just maybe, find some healing along the way. You can reach me via email at [email protected] or send me a DM on Instagram at the Clemenz With a Z podcast page.
As always, if you enjoy the podcast, please rate and review—it helps more people find these stories. And don’t forget: I’m just a channel, I ain’t the source.
If you want to support the show financially, follow this link: https://gofund.me/7ebb0524. or snag something cool from clemenzwithaz.com to help keep the fire lit.
Until next time, take care of yourself, stay grateful, and keep growing. Peace.
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There’s a verse in Luke where Jesus says, “The kingdom of God is within you.” I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. Not because it’s complicated, but because it’s so simple—and somehow, still so hard to believe. This episode is about that struggle. About what it means to stop chasing something you already have. I talk about rest, about the creation story, about what I learned from The BEMA Podcast, and about why so many of us—including me—still feel like we have to prove our worth to God, to others, and to ourselves. If you’ve ever felt like you’re not enough, like you’ve missed something, or like you’re just tired of the hustle—this one’s for you.
If this episode stirred something in you—if you’re wrestling with what it means to stop striving, to come home to yourself, to believe you’re already enough— just know you’re not alone.
I’m right here, walking it too.
If you want to reach out, share your story, or just connect, you can find me at [email protected], or DM me on Instagram at the Clemenz With a Z podcast page.
If you enjoyed this conversation, it would mean a lot if you’d rate and review the show—it helps other people find their way here too.
If you want to support the show financially, follow this link: https://gofund.me/7ebb0524. or snag something cool from clemenzwithaz.com to help keep the fire lit.
Until next time— breathe deep, trust the quiet, and remember: the kingdom is already within you.
Peace.
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For a long time, I thought the Bible was supposed to fix everything. It was the answer key. The rulebook. The voice of God, clear and final. That’s how it was taught to me in the ICOC—the International Churches of Christ—where the Bible wasn’t just important, it was everything. We studied it, memorized it, submitted to it. It was presented as perfect, literal, inerrant—and if your life didn’t match up with it, you were the problem. But what happens when you start to question the way you've been taught to read it? What happens when the Bible becomes less of a guide and more of a god? In this episode of This Was Supposed to Be the Place, I dive into the idolatry of the Bible—how we elevate it, weaponize it, and often miss the deeper point it was always trying to make. I’m not a scholar. I’m not a theologian. I’m just someone who lived it, who got burned by it, and who’s trying to come back to it with softer eyes. This isn’t about throwing the Bible out. It’s about taking it off the pedestal and asking what kind of relationship we were actually meant to have with it.
If this resonated, if you’ve got thoughts, pushback, or your own story—I’d love to hear from you. You can email me at [email protected] or send a DM on Instagram at @clemenzwithaz.
If you want to support the show financially, follow this link: https://gofund.me/7ebb0524. or snag something cool from clemenzwithaz.com to help keep the fire lit.
And as always: I’m just a channel. I ain’t the source.
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In this episode of Clemenz With a Z, I take you inside a sermon that hit me sideways — one of those messages that sounds “biblical” on the surface, but leaves your gut twisted underneath. The pastor said men and women are “equal… but not equivalent,” and that women were designed by God to be helpers while men hold headship. And that’s where everything started to unravel. I share how that message clashed with not only my lived experience — as a former elementary school teacher, a husband, and a dad — but also with the marriage I’m in, the family I’m raising, and the partnership I watched my parents model. This episode isn’t about rebellion — it’s about relationship. It’s about pulling back the curtain on so-called “God-designed roles,” and asking what happens when we stop chasing hierarchy and start building love, mutuality, and something real.
Your support keeps these honest conversations going. If you’re new here, or if you’ve been riding with me for a while—thank you. Please take a second to rate, review, and share the podcast if it spoke to you. It helps more people find these stories and moments of reflection.
If you want to support the show financially, follow this link: https://gofund.me/7ebb0524. or snag something cool from clemenzwithaz.com to help keep the fire lit.
And as always— I’m just a channel. I ain’t the source.
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This episode is another part of the We Were in a Cult? series here on the Clemenz With a "Z" Podcast. I sit down with Eugene, who joined me all the way from Russia to share his story of life inside—and beyond—the International Churches of Christ. In this series, I sit down with former members of the ICOC and ICC to listen to their stories, make sense of what we experienced, and hopefully find some healing along the way. Eugene was a freshman in Saint Petersburg in the early 90s when he first encountered the ICOC. What followed was a years-long journey of devotion, disillusionment, and ultimately, healing. Despite the distance, Eugene’s experience mirrors so many of the same patterns we’ve heard throughout this series: control disguised as discipleship, fear wrapped in love, and the long, quiet work of reclaiming your sense of self after leaving a high-control group. This conversation is a powerful reminder that the impact of the ICOC wasn’t confined to one country—it was global. And so is the healing.
If you are a member, were a member, or know someone who was a member of the ICOC or ICC and would like to share your story about life in and out of the church, I’d love to hear from you. Together, we can continue exploring the question, “We were in a cult?”—and perhaps find some healing along the way. You can reach me via email at [email protected], or send me a DM on Instagram at the Clemenz With a Z podcast page.
As always, if you enjoy the podcast, please rate and review—it helps more people find these stories. And don’t forget: I’m just a channel, I ain’t the source.
If you’d like to support the podcast financially please follow this link: https://gofund.me/7ebb0524
Also—if you’d like to support the podcast financially, you can head over to clemenzwithaz.com and grab a sticker or something cool from the shop. Every little bit helps keep this going, and I’m so grateful for it.
Until next time, take care of yourself, stay grateful, and keep growing. Peace!
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Lately, I felt this deep pull to get away—not to escape life, but to find something underneath all the noise. So I packed up and took my first solo trip to a cabin that’s been in my wife’s family for generations, tucked right up against a river. No Wi-Fi. No distractions. Just silence, cold water, firewood, and whatever was waiting for me in the quiet. In this episode, I share what it was like to face my nerves, to find stillness in the middle of fear, and to reconnect with something I didn’t know I’d been missing. There’s a bald eagle involved. There’s a soap-in-the-river moment. There’s a whole lot of wrestling with what it means to "find your wild." And maybe, just maybe, an invitation for you to find yours too.
Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Clemenz With a Z. If this episode stirred something in you—if you’ve been feeling the pull toward stillness, space, or your own version of the wild—I hope you’ll listen to that. Even if it’s just five minutes of quiet today. Start there.
Your support keeps these honest conversations going. If you’re new here, or if you’ve been riding with me for a while—thank you. Please take a second to rate, review, and share the podcast if it spoke to you. It helps more people find these stories and moments of reflection.
If you want to support the show financially, follow this link: https://gofund.me/7ebb0524. or snag something cool from clemenzwithaz.com to help keep the fire lit.
And as always— I’m just a channel. I ain’t the source.
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In this episode of Clemenz With a Z, I sit down once again with Alan Allard for a deeper, more honest conversation about the hard work of healing after religious trauma.If you caught our first conversation (EP 126: A Story of Healing with Alan Allard), you know how much insight Alan brings — and this time, we dive even deeper into what it really takes to rebuild your life, your beliefs, and your sense of self after high-control religion.
We talk about everything from the danger of certainty, to how toxic beliefs can trap us in shame and self-doubt long after we leave the system. Alan also shares the three core keys he believes are essential for moving from surviving to truly thriving — and why real healing isn’t about finding the "right" answers, but about learning how to trust yourself again.
Alan Allard is a former psychotherapist and an expert in happiness, human performance, and how to empower agency and well-being after trauma, abuse, and adversity. He works with individuals, couples, churches, and organizations who want to thrive.To find out more about Alan's work and get his contact information, visit: www.alanallard.com
Whether you're just starting your journey or you've been walking it for a while, I hope this conversation encourages you to keep going — and reminds you: you're not broken. You're rebuilding.
If you are a member, were a member, or know someone who was a member of the ICOC or ICC and would like to share your story about life in and out of the church, I’d love to hear from you. Together, we can keep exploring the question, “We were in a cult?” — and maybe find a little more healing along the way. You can reach out to me by email at [email protected], or send me a DM on Instagram at the Clemenz With a Z podcast page.
As always, if you enjoy the podcast, please rate and review — it really does help more people find these stories. And don’t forget: I’m just a channel. I ain’t the source.
If you want to support the show financially, follow this link: https://gofund.me/7ebb0524. Or — if you want to grab a sticker or something cool from the shop, head over to clemenzwithaz.com. Every little bit helps keep this going, and I’m seriously so grateful.
Until next time — be gentle with yourself, stay open, and remember: you’re not broken. You're rebuilding. Take care. Stay grateful. Keep growing. Peace.
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What happens when the people who preach love don’t live it—and the ones you least expect to show up with kindness, do? In this episode, I tell the story of two backstage coffee gigs—one at a major Christian music festival, the other at the Warped Tour—and the surprising lessons they taught me about generosity, humility, and the quiet kind of gospel that doesn’t need a spotlight. It’s not about bashing anyone. It’s about wrestling with expectations, letting people be human, and learning to find sacred moments in the places we never thought to look.
Thanks for tuning in to Clemenz With a Z. If this one hit something real in you—if you've ever felt let down by the people or places you thought were supposed to be holy—I hope you know you’re not alone.
Maybe the real gospel is quieter than we were taught. Maybe it’s just presence, eye contact, kindness—no strings attached.
If you want to support the show, follow this link: https://gofund.me/7ebb0524or head on over to clemenzwithaz.com—grab a sticker, share an episode, or leave a review wherever you listen. And as always… tip your baristas. They’re watching.
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