Latter Day Survivors

Samantha Sorensen is the author of "Nonconsentual Morality: A Silenced Woman's Voice From The Dark." In this episode she tells us her story of growing up within the LDS faith and facing abuse and sexual assault along with not getting the help she needed. She then discusses her breaking point and how she came to discover the perfect title for her book. We are grateful we chose to share her story with us!

"John" is an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He tells his story anonymously as he has experienced retaliation from church members and leaders when he has attempted to gain justice and promote change. John's story involves multiple periods of his life and experiences in the church. We are so honored to be trusted to share his story here.

Shaun Miskelly is a never-mo widower who previously told his late wife Amy's faith journey story and has now returned to tell his own struggles with Amy's family after her death. Moving to the USA to be with Amy meant that he had to sell many of his belongings and he trusted Amy's family to help him set up his bank accounts and purchase a home with Amy. His trust was misplaced resulting in further personal trauma by Amy's family after her death. 

Chris Davis, author of Worthy: The Memoir of an Ex-Mormon Lesbian, shares her experiences of abuse and continued trauma as a member of the Mormon church. She was a lifelong devout Mormon, who checked all the expected boxes: wife, mother, teacher, leader, follower, and believer until 2020 when she left her family and her church to fulfill her personal destiny as a gay woman and independent thinker. She remains close with her two adult children, one of whom is a believing member of the church, and the other who is a transgender man who has also left the church. She now lives quite happily in her home state of Maine and looks forward to a long and joyful life as her authentic self. She can be found online at www.chrisdavisproud.com (http://www.chrisdavisproud.com/), on most social media at @ChrisDavisProud, and on Facebook at @ChrisDavisPr0ud. The blog post titled "The Day I Stopped Believing" can be found at this link. (https://chrisdavisproud.com/blog/f/the-day-i-stopped-believing)

Celestine joined the LDS religion as a young adult after she was introduced to it by her first husband. After facing years of narcissistic, physical, and sexual abuse from him, she finally worked up the courage to leave. However, her ex-husband used her history of depression against her and was able to obtain full custody of their children. In this episode, Celestine tells her story of heartbreak, resilience, and hope.

https://www.latterdaysurvivors.org/podcast1/episode/d4881398/deep-thoughts-on-compulsory-heterosexuality-with-sarah-and-kindraIn this episode Sara and Kindra discuss our experiences with compulsory heterosexuality as former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 

Re-release After sharing his story intially, Kenny needed space and time to work on healing and therapy. The initial recording of his story was taken down at his request, and he opted to rerecord it when it would be healing for him. Kenny is a documentary film maker and activist for social change. His most recent film, Healing US, is set to release this week. Kenny shares his story about how he came to consciously identify what happened to him as a child, was rape. While listening to the Latter Day Survivors podcast, he recognized the significance of what happened to him, how it informed many of his life choices, and is learning how to manage the PTSD symptoms that followed when acknowledging and processing the trauma. 

Myndee shares her story of the decades-long trauma she suffered after giving up her baby for adoption through LDS Family Services. Her story includes themes of abuse, religious trauma, adoption trauma, and deception. Join us for an in-depth discussion into Myndee's healing journey.  A wife and mother of three daughters, Myndee also enjoys raising Rottweilers.    

Stacey Brown is an intuitive healer, certified reiki practitioner, podcast host, author, and spiritual mentor & coach. Her recently published book is titled, "Journey to Soul: Discovering the Gift of Surrender." Her story includes an upbringing in Mormonism and how an incredibly traumatic event caused her to reevaluate everything she knew and which set her on a path of self-discovery and spiritual awakening. You can follow Stacey on Instagram at @staceybrown555 and on her website at stacey-brown.com.

After Taylor Sundberg (30) was sexually assaulted as a teen, she turned to her bishop for help. Instead of finding help or resources, she faced church discipline and was blackmailed into silence. She shares her journey from the assault, the aftermath, and the realization she'd been blackmailed, to the unraveling of a toxic and dangerous belief system. This is far too common. Join us for this important discussion.

Ashley discovered clairaudient abilities when an ancestor came through with a message. The message he shared led her out of the church and helped her reclaim her life, her soul, and her health. The healing she has experienced has been so profound that she felt called to write a book. Ashley is an author, life coach, and budding medium. She feels passionately about the worth of souls. Her book is titled, "Always Worthy: Healing Generational Trauma in Mind, Body and Spirit."

You-Tuber Payton Haws shares her harrowing story of repeated sexual abuse as well as her recent faith crisis journey. She is raw and honest in her story in hopes that it will help other survivors know that they are not alone.  One thing that isn't talked about enough is the fact that in many cases when someone is victimized, they are more likely to be victimized again. We need to put a voice to this. It's time to speak up and speak out to assist and empower survivors through their healing journey.

Deep thoughts - This is a departure from our normal format. Get a glimpse into the deep thought conversations hosts Kindra and Christina routinely engage in. They start out discussing ritual abuse, spiral down rabbit holes about many other topics and ultimately bring it back around. Don't miss this conversation filled with squirrels, twists, and turns!

Saige is an exmormon up-and-coming queer writer and director. Her current project is a short film called Girls Camp in which a young girl must make a choice between going against her community and identity she's always known or being her authentic self. Saige's goal is to connect to the nuances of the human experience through a mixture of comedy and drama in which she highlights her worldview and observations of the people around her.  https://girlscampfilm.wixsite.com/short?fbclid=PAAaZiVEY8Pfxq18AKCmdfX9GNdERsLyWkTj234izr3DzSkroUOJ9INdlxs88

Sarah shares her emotional story of stepping away from high demand religion through poetry and prose which she has compiled into her book "STRAY, A Journey In, Through, And Out Of Faith." She used poetry to process through grief, loss, doubt, self-healing, self-worth, inspiration and motivation through the lense of spirituality. Her journey, much like many of us leaving Mormonism, is riddled with the remorse of knowing her loved ones would likely blame themselves and also the liberation of spirituality on her own terms. She emphasizes that walking away and honoring her own healing journey should never be considered the "easy way out."

Jen is a survivor of both narcissistic and sexual abuse. She takes us on a journey of her childhood and adolescence through the lens of adulthood understanding. Sometimes we don't recognize the full magnitude of the trauma we faced until we are adults and in a safe place in our lives to remember. Healing is a never-ending journey but it's so worth it. Join us for this enlightening discussion!

Ginny Sparks grew up on the Navajo reservation in northern Arizona. She shares her difficult story of being placed in the Mormon Church's Indian Placement Program as a child and the abuse she suffered as a result. Her story also includes religious trauma, sexual abuse, and domestic violence. Ginny is a retired nurse and author.

Andrew Pledger is a religious trauma survivor raised in a fundamentalist Christian cult. He is LGBTQ+ and brings awareness to spiritual and religious abuse. He was expelled from Bob Jones University after a controversial interview with author Josh Harris. His experiences have inspired him to pursue psychology to help survivors. He is now a content creator, activist, writer, and religion recovery coach using social media to share his story and inspire others. 

Singer-songwriter Sister Teeth shares her story of growing up in a heavily Mormon populated community, how she and her family were ostracized by that community and how leaving it in her early adult years sparked her faith transition. She shares how she uses her music to process her traumas and connect with others around her. 

Shaun Miskelly is a never-mo widower that saw first-hand the faith journey of his wife, Amy. From depression and suicidal ideation, to discovering who she is at her core, to flourishing; he saw it all. In this episode he takes us on this journey and puts words to Amy's story.

Denise C. shares her story of multiple traumatic experiences, including the loss of loved ones and a difficult faith transition. Denise is also a survivor of child sexual abuse.

Irene is a singer, songwriter, mechanical engineer, exmormon, and owner of Irene's Entropy. She is the founder of The Identity Project; a collection of letters and art that explore the identity of women who are healing from religious trauma. Irene's journey takes the listener through her childhood sexual abuse and trauma, her LDS mission to Honduras, her break from Mormonism, her career in aerospace, and most importantly her passion for telling her story through music.   You can find Irene's album High Water on any streaming service, and are invited to visit her website to learn more about The Identity Project.   https://open.spotify.com/artist/3n0I0WyILDNu35WSGGVPv3   https://www.irenesentropy.com/   https://www.instagram.com/irenes.entropy/

Maria McNeeley shares her story about the struggles of being a black woman in the Mormon church. She was adopted through lds family services to her white parents. You can find and follow Maria at: https://westsidestorymariamaria.blogspot.com/ https://instagram.com/westsidestory_mariamaria?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=  

Max, is a 50 year old complex trauma survivor on a journey of healing.  Their abuse is layered, touching on important topics about science, culture, mental illness, stigmas, and especially the toxicity of religion. They tell the story of their childhood, including Max's cisterself Jill; an alternate identity. They explain their identity split, why Jill took the primary role, their survival coping mechanisms, and what happened to Jill. Their story is twisted and gnarly, tunneling deep into the roots of Mormonism and Christianity in America, and breaking apart the myths to reach into the marrow.  Why, are we here?  What is agency?  Who, is in control? Don't listen if you are not prepared to be altered; this one will change you.

Becky is a survivor of narcissistic abuse in romantic relationships as well as religious trauma stemming from her membership in the Mormon church. As a single mother who has an educational background in psychology, much of her healing journey has centered around the changes that take place in the brain and what it means to heal as a woman post-Mormonism.  

Chelsea is a single mother who grew up in the Mormon church. After surviving domestic violence and experiencing a faith crisis, she left the religion of her upbringing and made a new life for herself. She shares her story of survival and discovering who she really is by learning to listen to her own intuition.

Meghann Mundt is a Certified Deliberate Cold Exposure Coach, two-time cancer survivor, and entrepreneur. She is a survivor of both sexual assault and religious trauma. Meghann shares her story of overcoming these traumas to find her true purpose in helping others to heal from their own physical ailments and traumatic experiences through deliberate cold exposure ice baths.

Andrea Isom, writer and finance professional shares her story about growing up in a Mormon community in the 1980s where she clashed with the patriarchy in general and Henry B. Eyring specifically. In the years since, Andrea has struggled with CPTSD, anxiety, and depression. She shares her story of the moment she was cornered and physically grabbed in a room full of adults to be admonished for her independent spirit while no one noticed and shares what that pivotal moment taught her about life.

Bonz O'Neal-Adams is a queer, disabled single parent of four amazing humans, a poly-artist, and SJW residing in South Provo. They are co-founder/sometimes participant of Rock Canyon Poets, and the founding artistic director of the short-lived non-profit, Upper Valley Ballet School in Rexburg. When not creating art in their city housing apartment, they presently volunteer in the kitchen at the Food & Care Coalition, donate blood every eight weeks, and hope that's giving back enough. Their dance school closed in the black. They wrote this bio.  

Amber Washington shares her story of surviving child sexual assault, rape, religious trauma, and her exit out of the Mormon church. Her forthcoming book, “(W)hole: My Journey to W,” which chronicles her survivor story, will be published in the fall.

Ava shares their unique story of being adopted into a Mormon family, their struggles with mental health disorders, and how the stigma around mental illness with in the culture of Mormonism exacerbated the issues.

Kenny's shares his story about how he recently came to consciously identify what happened to him as a child was rape. While listening to the Latter Day Survivors podcast, he recognized the significance of what happened to him, how it informed many of his life choices, and is learning how to manage the PTSD symptoms that followed when acknowledging and processing the trauma. Kenny is a documentary film maker and activist for social change. 

Ari tells her story of growing up with a narcissistic mother. She discusses religious trauma, how narcissism is taught and perpetuated within the church, and the price she paid to speak her truth.

Tom has been through hell as an abuse survivor himself and he is a fierce advocate for justice for other survivors of abuse especially children including his own. He sheds light on the efforts by the leadership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to silence victims and defend perpetrators in the legal system and in the media. Tom continues his efforts to secure justice for his own children and the other children abused by their perpetrator.

Kim shares her story of abuse, betrayal, gaslighting from ward members, and religious trauma. When speaking up for someone who was being abused, she expected the church leaders to do the right thing. Instead she learned the efforts involved in keeping survivors silent and protecting sexual predators by the leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

McKay tells his story about his mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He shares his experiences on his mission and how another missionary groomed and abused multiple missionary companions. He shares his insight about the culpability of the church leadership in unsafe coniditions for young missionaries.

Cody is the singer songwriter for the song we found on Epidemic Sound... we had no idea about his story and how well his song would fit with the purpose of our podcast. Cody tells his story about his song and his experiences growing up as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. (We had no idea he was a member when we found his song).

Spencer's story clearly shows the ways in which Mormons gaslight themselves and deny their own intuition by justifying blatant bigotry and racist behaviors in order to maintain a sense of belonging in the community. His story is one of many in which the church exploits membership in other countries.

Alana Maiello is an award winning documentary film director and producer. She is finishing up production on a documentary entitled, “Chewed Gum” which exposes the inordinately high rates of sexual assault and domestic violence in the state of Utah. Alana is herself a survivor of sexual assault and is using her experience to help other survivors find their voices and heal.

Christina grew up in the Mormon church in Hawaii in the 1980's. Loss, trauma, and abandonment issues in childhood were exacerbated by religious trauma and indoctrination. These things would go on to inform much of her life and affect her relationships, marriage, parenting, and self worth. She is also a survivor of childbirth trauma and actively works to help other women understand and heal from their traumatic childbirth experiences.

Meghan began her journey out of the LDS/Mormon church after her abuse was mishandled and she was gaslighted on multiple levels of authority when it was reported. What happens when a priesthood holder who also happens to be a mental health counselor and a volleyball coach in multiple positions of trust is believed and protected by their clergy? MORE VICTIMS HAPPEN! 

Toby grew up in the typical Mormon family with the usual unreasonable expectations of each child to conform to damaging cultural norms of purity, worthiness, outward shows of perfection, submission to the patriarchy, rejection of self...  As mormon youth we are told exactly who we are, where we are going, and where we belong.  When parents are kept so busy serving the Lord, their children, marriages, and self are neglected. No one talks about the verbal, emotional, spiritual, physical, and sexual abuse. If we dont talk about it then it isnt really happening, right?   

Katherine shares her story of how enduring abuse from family members with narcissistic behaviors caused  harm to her beliefs about herself and relationships with other people and how it informed major decisions in her life. 

https://protecteverychild.com/read-the-stories/ Sam's journey did not begin with survivors in mind yet his efforts have gained the support & validation of survivors. Many survivors stepped forward & shared their stories with Sam and the "Protect Every Child" movement. Often they have found that not only is it healing to share their story, but their story validates & heals other survivors. The LDS Church has no sense of urgency to reflect on & change its dangerous and inappropriate interview practices no matter how many members & exmembers point out the issues. They will have to be forced to change by societal pressures &/or law enforcement. Why do religious organizations blatantly lack accountability? Hypocricy is learned well in the LDS church.  

Rebecca's story shares the deep psychological and emotional effects of intergenerational trauma and religious trauma. When the person we are told we are and/or must be, is in direct conflict with the person we actually are or would otherwise choose to be, self loathing and self shaming become a daily routine. Rebecca is a courageous human with a beautiful soul and a new perspective on life after leaving Mormonism.

Esther's story defines the purpose of our podcast. She did her duty as a good little Mormon girl, a perfect young wife and mother in the church. She sacrificed her own freedom to protect her young daughters and also 16 of her cousins.  She was both a victim and protector as she survived many encounters of child abuse. Abuse affects her life from so many different angles.

Do you ever wish you could eavesdrop on a behind the scenes conversation between Kindra and Dayna? Well, now is your chance.  We discuss the break between season 1 and season 2 of the Latter Day Survivors Podcast. We talk about our plans moving forward and our reflections on the previous season.  How has the podcast affected our lives and how have we processed the previous epispodes with the challenging topic of CSA.  What challenges were expected and unexpected? How do we see the podcast moving forward?   

Go behind the veil of polygamy under the rule of Warren Jeffs with Brenda's brave story of survival and escape from religious indoctrination and unrighteous dominion

The only way to make child sexual abuse stop is to make it safe for children and survivors to speak up and tell their stories. Billy Dinkel is a survivor and he speaks publicly to bring attention to how child sexual assault victims are shamed, silenced, and manipulated into keeping their perpetrator's secrets. He is an excellent advocate for survivors and has given many survivors the courage to also start talking about their abuse.

Sara is sharing her story for the first time from start to finish on this podcast episode. Like many survivors, she has told bits and pieces, but there's always parts that we don't reveal and hold close to us. I hope our listeners grasp how profound this is for Sara! Imagine how much courage this takes. When she found our podcast, she knew that she wanted to add her voice to the others. Speaking out and normalizing these conversations is exactly what she wanted to do as well.  Sara also isn't "out" as an exMormon yet! Her faith transition is still very fresh and unfolding. Join us as Sara shares her story.

Our guest for this episode, "Denise" shares her story of abuse. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints misogyny and patriarchy are common and defended. The church is still against the Equal Rights Amendment and expects its members to fall in line with this shared belief including the unwritten but widely understood expectation to vote against it. This belief and expectation encourages "unrighteous dominion."