Episodes
-
What is spiritual trauma? How is it different from religious trauma? And what can I do if I, or someone I know, experienced it?
In this episode, we delve into the complexities of spiritual trauma and the healing process. Hillary and I discuss the importance of understanding spirituality, the role of the body in healing, and the challenges of naming traumatic experiences. And, we'll close with a practical exercise as Hillary leads us through a breath practice.
Get the full show notes and links here. ๐
Guest Spotlight โจ
Dr. Hillary McBride is a registered psychologist, a researcher, and podcaster, with expertise that includes trauma, embodiment, psychedelic therapy, and the intersection of spirituality and mental health. Her books include Mothers, Daughters, and Body Image, the bestseller The Wisdom of Your Body: Practices for Embodied Living, and the 2025 release Holy Hurt. She was the senior editor of the textbook Embodiment and Eating Disorders: Theory, Research, Prevention, and Treatment, which was published in 2018.
She has been recognized by the American Psychological Association, and the Canadian Psychological Association for her research and clinical work. In addition to being a teaching faculty at the University of British Columbia, she is an ambassador for Sanctuary Mental Health, and the host of CBC's award winning podcast Other People's Problems. Hillary makes her home in the pacific northwest in British Columbia, Canada.
Website | Instagram | Threads
Links & Resources ๐
Holy Hurt: Understanding Spiritual Trauma and the Process of Healing by Hillary McBride | Amazon | BookshopThe Wisdom of Your Body by Hillary McBride | Amazon | BookshopSupport the show
โโโโโ
We need your help. Your gift of just $25 will make a big difference and help us continue this work. Donate today.
โโโโโ
Sign up to receive our weekly Podcast Newsletter with new episodes, updates, exclusive discounts, and more!
Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTubeLeave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. This all helps us to grow and continue providing quality content for you and our community of listeners.
โโโโโ
As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. -
In his Summit session, Christopher Stewart shares his profound journey of faith and life after disability, exploring themes of grief, healing, and the sacredness of the disabled experience. He reads his original psalms, reflecting on his struggles and insights learned from wrestling with God, and emphasizes the importance of processing emotions honestly before God. Christopher also highlights the societal perceptions of disability and the beautiful vocation that can arise from living with a disability.
You will hear Christopherโs story of a sudden and unexpected brain stem injury, and the many implications that have come from this life-changing event. He unpacks what he means by his disability being a vocation, becoming โthe least of theseโ in society, how the disabled can represent Christ in relationships, and invites disabled brothers and sistersโall of usโto explore this idea. Additionally, they discuss dignity and bodily autonomy for the disabled and bring light to the common harm of unwanted prayer or blaming disability on sin.
Get the full show notes and transcript here. ๐
Guest Spotlight โจ
Christopher was an able-bodied, recently ordained, visual artist and seminary student with a seemingly clear path before him. In July 2022, he survived a life-altering brain injury, which left him with multiple disabilities. In the time since then, through much prayer and processing, he has begun to see his disability as vocation. One of the ways he has been inspired to process his loss and disability is to borrow from the structure and language of the Psalms by composing a series of prayer poems called โDisabled Psalms.โ Through his writing, online ministry, and live recitation engagements, he hopes to raise awareness of the disabled experience and to give others in the disabled and able-bodied communities a way to process their own experiences through the intimate language of prayer.
Links & Resources ๐
Website | Instagram | YouTube | Patreon
Support the show
โโโโโ
We need your help. Your gift of just $25 will make a big difference and help us continue this work. Donate today.
โโโโโ
Sign up to receive our weekly Podcast Newsletter with new episodes, updates, exclusive discounts, and more!
Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTubeLeave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. This all helps us to grow and continue providing quality content for you and our community of listeners.
โโโโโ
As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. -
Missing episodes?
-
Weโre getting ready to celebrate one year of the Podcast and start Season 3 next week!
I canโt wait to share these incredible conversations with some of the guests you just heard like Monica DiCristina, Cara Meredith, David Gate, Megan Febuary, Becky Castle Miller, and lots more.
This season, weโre talking about finding ways to name our pain, better ways to read the Bible, working through our stories, learning about our feelings and emotions, learning different ways to parent after growing up in a shame and guilt-ridden evangelical culture, and so much more.
Weโre kicking things off next week with Dr. Hillary McBride and talking about her new book, Holy Hurt.
A huge thank you to our listeners who make this show possible through their financial support. You can support our work by becoming a donor today. Just head to brokentobeloved.org/support or click the link to donate in the show notes.
Get the full show notes and all links mentioned here. ๐
Guest Spotlight โจ
Brian Lee is a pastor, coach, and speaker. In his 20+ years of experience in vocational ministry, he experienced three instances of spiritual abuse and toxic leadership. After living with an identity of brokenness for too many years, he learned to recognize and embrace his belovedness.
In 2023, he founded Broken to Beloved, a nonprofit organization that exists to provide practical resources for recovery from and safeguarding against spiritual abuse and religious trauma.
He is a certified Trauma-Informed Coach (Centre for Healing) and holds a certification in Religious Trauma Studies from the Global Center for Religious Research.
Based in Richmond, VA, Brian loves to go on mini-adventures with his family, exploring their neighborhood, community, and city with his family. As a coffee snob and addict, he could always use another cup.
Links & Resources ๐
Website | Instagram | Substack
Support the show
โโโโโ
We need your help. Your gift of just $25 will make a big difference and help us continue this work. Donate today.
โโโโโ
Sign up to receive our weekly Podcast Newsletter with new episodes, updates, exclusive discounts, and more!
Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTubeLeave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. This all helps us to grow and continue providing quality content for you and our community of listeners.
โโโโโ
As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. -
This conversation is from our 2024 Annual Summit.
Get 30% OFF an All Access Pass from any of our Annual Summits now through the end of June. Use code PODCAST30 to take advantage of this offer today!
In this session, Brian, Geoff, and Cyd discuss the concept of embodied faith and the importance of integrating our bodies, emotions, and relationships in our spiritual lives. They explore the different attachment styles, including anxious, avoidant, and disorganized through the metaphor of landscapes and how they impact our relationships and faith.
Exploring the intersection of embodied faith, interpersonal neurobiology, attachment theory, and spiritual formation, Geoff and Cyd also discuss the importance of taking our bodies, emotions, and relationships seriously in the context of church life. They emphasize the integration of scientific research and spiritual practices to foster neuroplasticity and journey towards secure attachment. The goal is to create a church where people can openly share their attachment styles without shame and work towards healing and wholeness together.
Get the full show notes and links here. ๐
Guest Spotlight โจ
Geoff (PhD) is an author of multiple books, affiliate professor of theology at Northern Seminary.
Cyd is an author, spiritual director, and pastor. She is also a trauma-informed, Jesus-centered, integrative coach focused on embodied practices and building a secure attachment to God.
Together, they co-host the Attaching to God podcast, offering a neuroscience-informed spiritual formation and are the co-author of Does God Really Like Me? Discovering the God Who Wants to Be With You.
Links & Resources ๐
Embodied Faith website
Geoff websiteCyd websiteGeoff Twitter/XGeoff Facebook Embodied Faith podcastDoes God Really Like Me?Support the show
โโโโโ
We need your help. Your gift of just $25 will make a big difference and help us continue this work. Donate today.
โโโโโ
Sign up to receive our weekly Podcast Newsletter with new episodes, updates, exclusive discounts, and more!
Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTubeLeave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. This all helps us to grow and continue providing quality content for you and our community of listeners.
โโโโโ
As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. -
For the month of June, I'm re-airing some of our favorite episodes. This one originally aired on August 13, 2024.
TW/CW: references to sexual assault
Have you ever had Matthew 18 used against you?Far too often, the forgiveness passage in Matthew 18:15โ17 is weaponized against those who experience hurt and harm. Victims are forced to face their abusers, and there is no real reconciliation. The abuser walks away โforgivenโ and restored, and the abused walks away humiliated and put in their place.
Yes, forgiveness is important. And, forgiveness cannot be forced. It must be a freely made choice on our part.
This conversation isnโt about holding on to our offenses, grudges, or dismissing what happened to us. Itโs not about releasing our abusers from accountability or letting go of our desire for justice.
It is about the ways forgiveness has been weaponized and abused in the church. Itโs about having a truly biblical and scholarly understanding of how those passages are meant to be understood. Itโs about protecting ourselves from future manipulation and further abuse.
Join me and New Testament scholar Scot McKnight as we dive deep into the original language and nuance of this passage. Discover what it really says about interpersonal conflict and its role in cases of abuse or an imbalance of power. Learn about the role of repentance as implied in the original Greek, even when it doesnโt show up in our English Bibles.
Get the full show notes, links, and transcript here. ๐
Guest Spotlight โจ
Scot is a New Testament scholar who has written widely on the historical Jesus and Christian spirituality.
Links & Resources ๐
The Second Testament: A New Testament Translation Bookshop.org | AmazonPIVOT Bookshop.org | AmazonA Church Called TOV Bookshop.org | Amazon
Website | Instagram | TwitterSupport the show
โโโโโ
We need your help. Your gift of just $25 will make a big difference and help us continue this work. Donate today.
โโโโโ
Sign up to receive our weekly Podcast Newsletter with new episodes, updates, exclusive discounts, and more!
Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTubeLeave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. This all helps us to grow and continue providing quality content for you and our community of listeners.
โโโโโ
As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. -
This conversation is from our 2024 Annual Summit.
Get 30% OFF an All Access Pass from any of our Annual Summits now through the end of June. Use code PODCAST30 to take advantage of this offer today!
In this session, Suzanne shares her surprise at the number of people willing to talk about trauma and her concern about the misuse of the term. She also highlights the subtle nature of religious manipulation and the need for acceptance and understanding among different denominations, emphasizing the importance of setting boundaries and finding healing in dealing with church antagonists. Suzanne suggests using all three centers of intelligence for productive thinking, feeling, and doing and discusses the significance of therapy and contemplative practice and the value of accountability and discernment through groups and clearness committees.
Get the full show notes and links here. ๐
Guest Spotlight โจ
As an internationally recognized Enneagram Master, Suzanne has conducted over 500 Enneagram workshops over the past 30 years to audiences all over the country, and is lovingly referred to as the โEnneagram godmother.โ
Suzanne received her B.S. in Social Sciences from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas where she also completed additional graduate work in the Schools of Sociology and Theology. She has served as a high school professor, the first womenโs basketball coach at SMU after Title IX, and as the founding Director of Shared Housing, a social service agency in Dallas.
She hosts The Enneagram Journey podcast and has authored 3 books, including The Road Back to You, The Path Between Us, and The Journey Toward Wholeness. She is also the series editor for an excellent devotional series for each of the nine types.
When she is not on the road teaching and lecturing, Suzanne is at home in Dallas, Texas with her husband Rev. Joseph Stabile, a United Methodist pastor with whom she co-founded Life in the Trinity Ministry and the Micah Center. She is the mother of four children and grandmother of nine.
Links & Resources ๐
Website | Life in theTrinity Ministry |
Support the show
โโโโโ
We need your help. Your gift of just $25 will make a big difference and help us continue this work. Donate today.
โโโโโ
Sign up to receive our weekly Podcast Newsletter with new episodes, updates, exclusive discounts, and more!
Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTubeLeave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. This all helps us to grow and continue providing quality content for you and our community of listeners.
โโโโโ
As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. -
For the month of June, I'm re-airing some of our favorite episodes. This one originally aired on September 24, 2024.
Trauma fundamentally disconnects us.
Broken to Beloved Conference (for pastors and church leaders)Broken to Beloved Gathering (for the wounded and their advocates)Episode 001: with Dr. Alison Cook
It can disconnect our brains from our bodies. It can sever relationships and entire communities. Those of us familiar with trauma know it can have a real impact on our faith or beliefs. It warps our understanding of others, our sense of safety, and even our own identity.
So how do we find connection again?
When we are alienated from ourselves, each other, and God, how do we find our way back home?
These are the questions that therapist and author Chuck DeGroat tackles in his latest book, Healing Whatโs Within. This is not a sequel or follow up to his previous When Narcissism Comes to Church, but rather a look at his own journey and process of dealing with his own trauma after spiritual abuse.
His deep knowledge and understanding of therapeutic work coupled with his experience as a minister, DeGroat offers incredibly practical tools for us to examine our own stories with curiosity and compassion and find our way back home to safety and security.
He reiterates our deepest message and hope, that we are indeed not just broken, but deeply Beloved.
Get the full show notes here. ๐
Episode Resources and LinksGuest Spotlight
Website | Instagram | Facebook
Healing Whatโs Within at Bookshop.org | on AmazonWhen Narcissism Comes to Church on Bookshop.org | on AmazonSupport the show
โโโโโ
We need your help. Your gift of just $25 will make a big difference and help us continue this work. Donate today.
โโโโโ
Sign up to receive our weekly Podcast Newsletter with new episodes, updates, exclusive discounts, and more!
Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTubeLeave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. This all helps us to grow and continue providing quality content for you and our community of listeners.
โโโโโ
As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. -
This conversation is from our 2025 Annual Summit.
Get 30% OFF an All Access Pass from any of our Annual Summits now through the end of June. Use code PODCAST30 to take advantage of this offer today!
In this session, Pete shares how the investigative process works for all forms of abuse in spiritual contexts. He breaks down the process of how they investigate abuse reports and misconduct and the overall culture and health of the organization.
You will learn:
What happens when an abuse report is submitted.GRACEโs definition of different forms of abuse.How GRACE determines patterns of abuse.Next steps that you can do if you think youโve experienced spiritual abuse.Steps you can do if you have spiritually abused someone.Policies to look for that constitutes a safe church.Get the full show notes and books mentioned here. ๐
Guest Spotlight โจ
Pete Singer joined GRACE as the Executive Director on January 1, 2021 and passed away on May 1, 2025. He had 30 yearsโ experience working with trauma, abuse, and mental health in a variety of settings.
Pete completed his Masterโs in Social Work from the University of Minnesota, where he also received a Certificate in Trauma-Effective Leadership. He speaks nationally on trauma, trauma-informed practice, resilience, strengthening the parent-child relationship, and the role of the faith community in responding to child maltreatment.
Links & Resources ๐
Website | Instagram
Articles:
Toward a More Trauma-Informed Church: Equipping Faith Communities to Prevent and Respond to Abuse by Pete SingerCoordinating Pastoral Care of Survivors with Mental Health Providers by Pete SingerThe Use of Images During Forensic Interviews of Children Who Have Been Sexually Abused by PetSupport the show
โโโโโ
We need your help. Your gift of just $25 will make a big difference and help us continue this work. Donate today.
โโโโโ
Sign up to receive our weekly Podcast Newsletter with new episodes, updates, exclusive discounts, and more!
Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTubeLeave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. This all helps us to grow and continue providing quality content for you and our community of listeners.
โโโโโ
As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. -
For the month of June, I'm re-airing some of our favorite episodes. This one originally aired on July 2, 2024.
Have you ever wondered how to find your way back into healthy relationships after abuse and trauma? By providing clear steps to Name, Frame, and Brave our experiences, Dr. Alison Cook offers practical wisdom to move toward healing and wholeness.
We talk about the unique challenges of leaving toxic spaces and environments when they involve family or our livelihood, ways to set boundaries, and to remain curious to our internal world.
Get the full show notes, transcript, and more ๐
Episode Resources and Links
How to Walk Into A Room by Emily P. Freeman on Bookshop.org | on AmazonGrieve, Breathe, Receive by Steve Carter on Bookshop.org | on AmazonGuest Spotlight
Dr. Alison Cook is a therapist and host of the top-ranked The Best of You podcast. She is the author of I Shouldn't Feel This Way, the ECPA bestselling book The Best of You and coauthor of Boundaries for Your Soul. Widely recognized as an expert at the intersection of faith and psychology, Dr. Alison empowers individuals to heal from past wounds, develop a strong sense of self, forge healthy relaยญtionships, and experience a loving God who is for them.
Website | The Best of You Podcast | Instagram | Facebook
I Shouldnโt Feel this Way at Bookshop.org | on AmazonThe Best of You at Bookshop.org | on AmazonBoundaries For Your Soul at Bookshop.org | on AmazonSupport the show
โโโโโ
We need your help. Your gift of just $25 will make a big difference and help us continue this work. Donate today.
โโโโโ
Sign up to receive our weekly Podcast Newsletter with new episodes, updates, exclusive discounts, and more!
Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTubeLeave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. This all helps us to grow and continue providing quality content for you and our community of listeners.
โโโโโ
As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. -
In this final episode of Season 2, I'm "opening up my office," which is currently covered with my kids' toys and an interesting but good smell of fresh-cut peonies and coffee. Have a seat and get cozy as I share whatโs next for the Broken to Beloved podcast and respond to a few questions I received from the audience. During our break, you can look forward to tuning in to some of my favorite recap episodes and archives from this yearโs Summit. And before you know it, Season 3 will be here in five short weeks, starting off with our friend Dr. Hilary McBride, the author of Holy Hurt and The Wisdom of Your Body.
The questions I cover:
How can we discern when to go back to church?How can we reconcile the Old Testament God with the New Testament Jesus?Whatโs the extent and impact of sexual abuse in the church?How can reconciliation happen if the perpetrator feels they have done nothing wrong?Get the full show notes and books mentioned here. ๐
Guest Spotlight โจ
Brian Lee is a pastor, coach, and speaker. In his 20+ years of experience in vocational ministry, he experienced three instances of spiritual abuse and toxic leadership. After living with an identity of brokenness for too many years, he learned to recognize and embrace his belovedness.
In 2023, he founded Broken to Beloved, a nonprofit organization that exists to provide practical resources for recovery from and safeguarding against spiritual abuse and religious trauma.
He is a certified Trauma-Informed Coach (Centre for Healing) and holds a certification in Religious Trauma Studies from the Global Center for Religious Research.
Based in Richmond, VA, Brian loves to go on mini-adventures with his family, exploring their neighborhood, community, and city with his family. As a coffee snob and addict, he could always use another cup.
Links & Resources ๐
Website | Instagram | Substack
Support the show
โโโโโ
We need your help. Your gift of just $25 will make a big difference and help us continue this work. Donate today.
โโโโโ
Sign up to receive our weekly Podcast Newsletter with new episodes, updates, exclusive discounts, and more!
Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTubeLeave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. This all helps us to grow and continue providing quality content for you and our community of listeners.
โโโโโ
As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. -
Very few victims of abuse seek out a lawyer for moneyโmost are looking for something else. They want safety, justice, and agency over an impossible situation.
In this episode, I speak to Melissa J. Hogan, attorney, advocate, and author in the field of trauma and abuse, about the legal options available for survivors. She shares where her passion for medical and spiritual trauma comes from, along with several practical tips about how to safely tell your story, collect evidence, and bring abuse to light. This is an excellent conversation for anyone wanting to know how attorneys can accompany you in your healing.
Get the full show notes and links here. ๐
Guest Spotlight โจ
Melissa is an attorney and advocate in the field of trauma and abuse, and co-author of the 2021 book, Afraid of the Doctor: Every Parentโs Guide to Preventing and Managing Medical Trauma. She received her J.D. with an emphasis in health law from the University of Pittsburgh and went on to clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, practice as a corporate/healthcare attorney, and teach legal writing and health care regulatory law.
In 2014, she founded and for many years led the nonprofit Project Alive, a research and advocacy foundation for Hunter syndrome, a rare genetic disease that affects her youngest son. In that season, she developed and patented patient outcome measures, consulted on clinical trial designs, was a featured speaker at industry and FDA conferences, and won numerous awards for her advocacy.
Links & Resources ๐
Website | Instagram | Substack | TikTok
Boz Law
Project Alive
Afraid of the Doctor by Meghan L. Marsac and Melissa J. Hogan on Bookshop | Amazon
Support the show
โโโโโ
We need your help. Your gift of just $25 will make a big difference and help us continue this work. Donate today.
โโโโโ
Sign up to receive our weekly Podcast Newsletter with new episodes, updates, exclusive discounts, and more!
Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTubeLeave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. This all helps us to grow and continue providing quality content for you and our community of listeners.
โโโโโ
As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. -
How do you restore a relationship with God after spiritual abuse?
It makes sense that you might struggle with the idea of being held and loved by God after experiencing spiritual abuse, or any other form of abuse, for that matter.
In this episode with Michael Cusick, author of Sacred Attachment: Escaping Spiritual Exhaustion and Trusting in Divine Love, helps us understand the safe love available through God and how we might go about receiving it.
We cover everything from dancing nuns to adult bookstore floors to the holiness of wholeness. Listen and learn about living in belovedness and allowing our brokenness to be the bridge that leads us there.
Get the full show notes and links here. ๐
Guest Spotlight โจ
Michael is a licensed professional therapist, spiritual director, speaker, and author. Having experienced the restoring touch of God in a deeply broken life and marriage, Michaelโs passion is to connect lifeโs broken realities with the reality of the gospel.
The founder and CEO at Restoring the Soul, Michael formerly served as an adjunct professor at Denver Seminary and full-time professor at Colorado Christian University. He holds an MA in Biblical Counseling from Colorado Christian University and an MA in Counseling Psychology from the College of Education at the University of Denver.
He lives with his wife Julianne in the foothills of Colorado where he enjoys the Rocky Mountains and a host of other outdoor activities with friends and family.
Links & Resources ๐
Website | YouTube | Instagram | Facebook
Sacred Attachment by Michael Cusick on Amazon | BookshopSupport the show
โโโโโ
We need your help. Your gift of just $25 will make a big difference and help us continue this work. Donate today.
โโโโโ
Sign up to receive our weekly Podcast Newsletter with new episodes, updates, exclusive discounts, and more!
Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTubeLeave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. This all helps us to grow and continue providing quality content for you and our community of listeners.
โโโโโ
As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. -
CW/TW: This episode is centered largely around the topic of Clergy Sexual Abuse (CSA) and its effects. Please be gentle with yourself. If it feels like too much at any point, please feel free to stop, take a break, or skip this episode altogether.
What happens when those in church leadership become the ones who harmโand the institution covers it up? Where does one go to hold these abusers accountable?
In this episode, I talk with Dr. David Pooler, professor, researcher, and therapist, who has spent over a decade studying adult clergy sexual abuse. We talk about his landmark study with staggering data and the failure of church institutions to offer care or accountability after abuse. Dr. Pooler also shares what healing can look like and offers powerful insights on institutional betrayal, grooming, consent, and how we must center survivors in our systems of justice.
Get the full show notes and links here. ๐
Guest Spotlight โจ
Dr. Pooler has more than 15 years of social work practice experience with several different populations including at-risk and abused children, adults with severe and persistent mental illness, persons with addictions, and homeless men. Dr. Pooler studies social workers and the organizational contexts in which social workers are employed. A primary focus of his research is studying how social workers find great joy in their work. He is interested in social work management and leadership. As an occupational social worker, Dr. Pooler is interested in assessing and developing interventions for social service organizations so that work environments are healthy, supportive, and just. He also has a strong interest in developing healthy congregations so that they can transform communities.
Dr. Pooler is married to Cheryl who is a lecturer in the Garland School of Social Work. Their two children were adopted from China; they are Josianne (2000) and Emilie (2003).
Links & Resources ๐
Website | Instagram Adult Clergy Sexual Abuse Advocacy and Research CollaborativeSupport the show
โโโโโ
We need your help. Your gift of just $25 will make a big difference and help us continue this work. Donate today.
โโโโโ
Sign up to receive our weekly Podcast Newsletter with new episodes, updates, exclusive discounts, and more!
Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTubeLeave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. This all helps us to grow and continue providing quality content for you and our community of listeners.
โโโโโ
As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. -
Ever wonder what itโs like to run a community solely focused on spiritual abuse?
From dealing with the regular stream of scandals and stories to the practicalities of managing the business, it helps to hear how others navigate this field. In this episode, I talk with my friend Amy Fritz, creator and host of the Untangled Faith podcast. We get really honest and a little bit vulnerable about our thought processes, how we make the decisions we do, and what we hope for our communities.
Listen to learn how we approach best practices and navigate this space with wisdom, grace, and compassion.
Get the full show notes and links here. ๐
Guest Spotlight โจ
Amy is the creator and host of the Untangled Faith podcast, where she invites her listeners to join her for conversations about what it's like to hold on to your Christian faith while untangling it from all the things that should have never been tied to faith in the first place. After several years of podcasting and connecting with individuals who have made difficult and beautiful decisions, and wrestled through what they believe Amy has discovered that her most important work is to offer encouragement, community, and space to folks in this "untangling" space.
Links & Resources ๐
Website | Instagram | Threads | BlueSky | Substack
Untangled Faith Podcast | Apple & SpotifyโResponding in Reactionary Timesโ on SubstackGet your own โBad Church Ladiesโ t-shirtPosture Shift MinistriesSupport the show
โโโโโ
We need your help. Your gift of just $25 will make a big difference and help us continue this work. Donate today.
โโโโโ
Sign up to receive our weekly Podcast Newsletter with new episodes, updates, exclusive discounts, and more!
Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTubeLeave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. This all helps us to grow and continue providing quality content for you and our community of listeners.
โโโโโ
As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. -
Many people who have read The Parable of the Sower interpret it as: You have to be the โgood soilโ, or else.
However, in my conversation with Jeff Chu, he reframes what good soil actually means and how itโs made. Pulling from his latest book, Good Soil: The Education of an Accidental Farmhand, Jeff guides us through a beautiful discussion on the theology of compost, returning to cultural roots, embracing diversity, being attentive to beauty, befriending the dark, and more. Perhaps even withered plants, thorns, and rock-laden soil can be used for our flourishing. I hope youโll listen.
Get the full show notes and links here. ๐
Guest Spotlight โจ
Jeff Chu is an award-winning journalist and editor-at-large at Travel+Leisure. He is the author of Does Jesus Really Love Me? and the co-author, with the late Rachel Held Evans, of the New York Times bestseller Wholehearted Faith. Chu is a former Time staff writer and Fast Company editor whose work has also appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and Modern Farmer. In his weekly newsletter, โNotes of a Make-Believe Farmer,โ Chu writes about spirituality, gardening, food, travel, and culture. He lives with his husband, Tristan, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Links & Resources ๐
Website | Instagram | SubstackGood Soil by Jeff Chu Amazon | BookshopOthered by Jenai Auman Amazon | BookshopA Women's Lectionary for the Whole Church by Wil Gafney Amazon | BookshopSupport the show
โโโโโ
We need your help. Your gift of just $25 will make a big difference and help us continue this work. Donate today.
โโโโโ
Sign up to receive our weekly Podcast Newsletter with new episodes, updates, exclusive discounts, and more!
Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTubeLeave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. This all helps us to grow and continue providing quality content for you and our community of listeners.
โโโโโ
As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. -
Are there communities that support survivors of religious trauma without beingโฆreligious? Spiritual abuse doesnโt only happen in churches. It can happen anywhere and to anyone, but thereโs rarely space for all voices and experiences to be heard.
I recently spoke with the four founders of the newly launched Religious Trauma Network. These four are creating a place that proves you can have a community of healing without believing the same thingโand they want to help others find this for themselves.
In our conversation, they each share what led them into this career, how they met, and what the Religious Trauma Network is all about. My favorite part, though? They share what healing means and how it doesnโt have to look spiritual for it to be true.
Get the full show notes and links here. ๐
Guest Spotlight โจ
The Religious Trauma Networkโs mission is to offer comprehensive information, resources, and support for individuals recovering from religious trauma while raising awareness and equipping professionals and organizations to create safe, trauma-responsive spaces inside their faith or healing communities.
Website | Instagram | Facebook
Books/Films/Resources Mentioned:
Religious Trauma Network Blog (open to public submissions)Trauma in the Pews by Janyne McConnaughey on Amazon | BookshopWhat Lies Inside: Healing in the Face of Trauma film by Luke RennerSupport the show
โโโโโ
We need your help. Your gift of just $25 will make a big difference and help us continue this work. Donate today.
โโโโโ
Sign up to receive our weekly Podcast Newsletter with new episodes, updates, exclusive discounts, and more!
Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTubeLeave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. This all helps us to grow and continue providing quality content for you and our community of listeners.
โโโโโ
As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. -
When your true face has been hidden for so long, what is it like to finally reveal it?
In this episode, we dive into connection, community, relationships, and what happens when it all falls apart. How do you save face in the presence of such incredible loss?
We explore memory and story work, and how it helps us to unveil present realities by examining our history.
Join us for a more introspective trip into Aimee's path as a writer, mother, daughter, wife, and a woman caught in the crosshairs of church leadership.
Get the full show notes and links here. ๐
Guest Spotlight โจ
Aimee is an author, speaker, blogger, podcaster and former coffee shop owner. Aimee is the author of several books, including Saving Face, The Hope in Our Scars, Recovering from Biblical Manhood and Womanhood and Sexual Reformation. Her articles have appeared in First Things, Table Talk, Modern Reformation, By Faith, New Horizons, Ordained Servant, Harvest USA, and Credo Magazine and she has been interviewed and quoted in Christianity Today and The Atlantic.
Website | Instagram | Substack
Saving Face by Aimee Byrd on Amazon | BookshopOthered by Jenai Auman on Amazon | BookshopThe Critical Journey by Janet Hagberg & Robert Guelich on AmazonTill We Have Faces by CS Lewis on Amazon | BookshopSupport the show
โโโโโ
We need your help. Your gift of just $25 will make a big difference and help us continue this work. Donate today.
โโโโโ
Sign up to receive our weekly Podcast Newsletter with new episodes, updates, exclusive discounts, and more!
Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTubeLeave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. This all helps us to grow and continue providing quality content for you and our community of listeners.
โโโโโ
As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. -
CW: marriage and sex (not explicit)
If you grew up in the evangelical Christianity of the 80s and 90s like me, we likely hear or read much of the same marriage advice. What if it was bad advice?
Most of the popular marriage books are written by those with no relevant education or professional credentials and include no research, data, or peer-reviewed evidence for their claims.
Sheila Gregoire and her team are committed to work that is healthy, evidence-based, and biblical, and her latest book, co-written with her husband, Keith, is proof of that. Packed with data, research, graphs, and stories, this book debunks much of what we were taught with clear and correct information.
If you're looking for ways to improve your marriage without a side of guilt or shame, this may be the episode for you.
Guest Spotlight โจ
Sheila is an author, podcaster, and researcher into evangelicalism and sex. The founder of BareMarriage.com, together with her team she has surveyed over 32,000 people for her books The Great Sex Rescue, She Deserves Better and her latest book, The Marriage You Want. Her goal is to change the evangelical conversation about sex to be healthy, evidence-based, and rooted in Christ. A graduate of Queen's University, she's married to her husband Keith, a pediatrician, who writes and speaks with her.
Links & Resources ๐
Website | Instagram
The Marriage You Want on Amazon | BookshopSupport the show
โโโโโ
We need your help. Your gift of just $25 will make a big difference and help us continue this work. Donate today.
โโโโโ
Sign up to receive our weekly Podcast Newsletter with new episodes, updates, exclusive discounts, and more!
Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTubeLeave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. This all helps us to grow and continue providing quality content for you and our community of listeners.
โโโโโ
As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. -
How can the Church transform from a place of harm to a sanctuary of healing and truth? How do we learn to recognize the wolves among the sheep when it's hard to tell the difference? How can anyone hold on to faith and find hope after witnessing so much trauma?
From recognizing a real-life parable of an observing how a body that does not follow its head is very sick, to systems that preserve themselves instead of obeying Christ, Dr. Langberg addresses these questions and much more. We also get into the complexities of forgiveness and repentance, the transformative power of facing our own brokenness, and the courage required to speak truth to power.
What can I say? It's Diane Langbergโwe should just all take some time to listen and learn from her years of expertise and wisdom. Join me?
Get the full show notes and links here. ๐
Guest Spotlight โจ
Dr. Diane Langberg is a globally recognized psychologist with 53 years of clinical experience working with trauma patients. She has trained caregivers from six continents in responding to trauma and to the abuse of power. For 29 years she directed her own practice in Jenkintown PA .
She is the author of several books, including, When the Church Harms God's People: Becoming Faith Communities that Resist Abuse, Pursue Truth, and Care for the Wounded and Redeeming Power: Understanding Authority and Abuse in the Church.
Dr. Langberg is the recipient of the Distinguished Alumna Achievements from Taylor University, the American Association of Christian Counselors Caregiver Award, The Distinguished Presidentโs award, and the Philadelphia Council of Clergyโs Christian Service Award.
Links & Resources ๐
Website | Instagram | YouTube | X/Twitter
When the Church Harms God's People on Amazon | BookshopRedeeming Power on Amazon | BookshopSupport the show
โโโโโ
We need your help. Your gift of just $25 will make a big difference and help us continue this work. Donate today.
โโโโโ
Sign up to receive our weekly Podcast Newsletter with new episodes, updates, exclusive discounts, and more!
Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTubeLeave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. This all helps us to grow and continue providing quality content for you and our community of listeners.
โโโโโ
As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. -
How have harmful religious teachings about gender reinforced sexism and silenced women's voices in Christian communities? Dr. Andrew Bauman discusses his extensive research on the impact of sexism and abuse on women in churches, challenging misinterpretations of biblical texts that have been used to justify inequality.
Bauman shares insights from his book Safe Church, exploring different forms of sexism, the weaponization of forgiveness, and how churches often fail abuse victims through "cheap grace." Drawing from interviews with over 2,800 women, he reveals how Christian leaders frequently gaslight and silence those who experience harm rather than holding perpetrators accountable.
Moving beyond criticism to offer a path forward, we emphasize the importance of ethical leadership, personal healing work, and creating genuinely safe church environments.
Get the full show notes and links here. ๐
Guest Spotlight โจ
Founder & Director of the Christian Counseling Center: For Sexual Health & Trauma (CCC), Dr. Andrew J. Bauman is a therapist with a Doctorate from Northeastern University. His dissertation was on studying the impact of sexism and abuse on women in the Protestant Church. Andrew is the author of seven books, including his newest book, SAFE CHURCH: How to Guard Against Sexism & Abuse in Christian Communities.
Website | Instagram | Facebook
Safe Church on Amazon | BookshopLinks & Resources ๐
Christian Counseling CenterEpisode 7: Forced Forgiveness with Scot McKnightSupport the show
โโโโโ
We need your help. Your gift of just $25 will make a big difference and help us continue this work. Donate today.
โโโโโ
Sign up to receive our weekly Podcast Newsletter with new episodes, updates, exclusive discounts, and more!
Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTubeLeave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. This all helps us to grow and continue providing quality content for you and our community of listeners.
โโโโโ
As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. - Show more
