Podcasts about purity culture

For decades, the church's answer to struggling marriages has been clear: pray more, submit more, give him what he needs. Sheila Wray Gregoire's research asked a different question: What if the advice itself is the problem?Drawing on a survey of 20,000 women, the largest ever done on Christian women's marital and sexual satisfaction, Sheila lays out what the data actually shows: a stark gap between men's and women's experiences, the quiet damage done by teaching women that sex is only his need, and why so many couples reach intercourse on their wedding night only to wonder if something is broken in her. She makes the case, gently but firmly, that if a teacher consistently produces bad fruit, the teacher's teaching deserves a second look.This is a rebroadcast of a 2021 conversation that remains one of the most meaningful in the show's history.Sheila Wray Gregoire is a researcher and author of The Great Sex Rescue.Support the showENGAGE THE RESTORING THE SOUL PODCAST:- Follow us on YouTube - Tweet us at @michaeljcusick and @PodcastRTS- Like us on Facebook- Follow us on Instagram & Twitter- Follow Michael on Twitter- Email us at info@restoringthesoul.com Thanks for listening!

Dannah Gresh unpacks the good and the bad aspects of the purity culture movement, speaking against legalism and shame without abandoning God’s design for sexuality. She shares about her experiences healing from sexual sin and equips women to live with sexual integrity. Receive a copy of And the Bride Wore White and an audio download of "The Good, Bad, and the Holy of Purity Culture" for your donation of any amount! Plus, receive member-exclusive benefits when you make a recurring gift today. Your monthly support helps families thrive. Get More Episode Resources If you enjoyed listening to Focus on the Family with Jim Daly, please give us your feedback.

Dannah Gresh takes a fresh look at purity culture. She'll critique the flawed messages some women receive, while urging them not to miss the beauty of God's design for intimacy. She shares her own story of healing from sin and shame while equipping you to live free, whole, and with sexual integrity. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/776/29?v=20251111

Dannah Gresh unpacks the good and the bad aspects of the purity culture movement, speaking against legalism and shame without abandoning God’s design for sexuality. She shares about her experiences healing from sexual sin and equips women to live with sexual integrity. Receive a copy of And the Bride Wore White and an audio download of "The Good, Bad, and the Holy of Purity Culture" for your donation of any amount! Plus, receive member-exclusive benefits when you make a recurring gift today. Your monthly support helps families thrive. Get More Episode Resources If you enjoyed listening to Focus on the Family with Jim Daly, please give us your feedback.

Dannah Gresh takes a fresh look at purity culture. She'll critique the flawed messages some women receive, while urging them not to miss the beauty of God's design for intimacy. She shares her own story of healing from sin and shame while equipping you to live free, whole, and with sexual integrity. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/776/29?v=20251111

Theology, love, and Howard Thurman are the focus of this conversation with my colleague, the Rev. Dr. Kathryn House.Link to the recording of Howard Thurman reading his work, “Meditations of the Heart,” part of the Howard Thurman Collection in the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center at Boston University Libraries https://digitallibrary.bu.edu/readings-meditations-heart-part-1-2Text referenced: Love at the Center: Unitarian Universalist Theologies, editor Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt https://uuabookstore.org/products/love-at-the-centerRev. Kathryn House, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor of Leadership Studies and Practical Theology and Chair of the Rev. Dr. Lee Barker Professorship of Leadership Studies at Meadville Lombard Theological School. She was previously Visiting Assistant Professor of Practical Theology and a Louisville Institute Postdoctoral Fellow at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. House received her BA in Religion from Duke University and her MDiv. and PhD in Theological Studies from Boston University School of Theology. House is ordained in the American Baptist Churches, USA and affiliated with the Alliance of Baptists.House is co-editor, with Dr. Sara Moslener, of "Purity Culture and its Discontents," a special issue of Theology and Sexuality. She has also contributed chapters to Trauma and Lived Religion: Transcending the Ordinary (Palgrave Macmillan) and Faithfully Feminist: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Feminists on Why We Stay (White Cloud Press), and her writing has been published in journals such as Perspectives in Religious Studies, Pastoral Psychology, and American Baptist Quarterly. Her current book project, an expansion of her dissertation, The Afterlife of White Evangelical Purity Culture: Wounds, Legacies, and Impacts, investigates the theological scaffolding of white evangelical purity culture and its continuing impact on American religious and political life.Her teaching and scholarship are generated at intersections of leadership studies, trauma-informed pastoral and spiritual care, and liberation theologies. She serves on the steering committee for the Ecclesial Practices Unit of the American Academy of Religion and on the Advisory Committee of the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion. She is also an active member of the National Association of Baptist Professors of Religion (NABPR) and NABPR Region-at-Large.__________________________Thank you for listening. Many Windows: Conversations on Ministry is a production of Meadville Lombard Theological School. Theme music is “Destination” by Justhea. This episode is produced by Jules Taylor.(Justhea: spoti.fi/2NycVfd and apple.co/3u51z2V)

If you grew up in church in the 90s or early 2000s, you probably received some confusing messages about sex and desire. This week, Juli and Hannah unpack how those messages shaped our understanding of sexuality and purity—and why so many Christians still struggle to say "yes, yes, yes" after years of "no, no, no." This conversation will remind you that God is not ashamed of your sexuality and invite you into healing, wholeness, and the truth about your sexuality. Co-host: Hannah Nitz   Become a monthly donor to Authentic Intimacy and get a FREE copy of the new 25 Questions You're Afraid to Ask About Love, Sex, and Intimacy. We'd love to hear your thoughts about this conversation. Leave us a rating and review.    Follow-up Resources: 25 Questions You're Afraid to Ask about Love, Sex, and Intimacy by Dr. Juli Slattery Passion Pursuit: What Kind of Love Are You Making? (A 10-Week Study Through the Song of Solomon) Hot Topic Kit: Building a Great Sex Life Java #608 Purity Culture, Shame & the Grace of God with Dannah Gresh What Do I Do With My Sexual Desires? (blog) Video Q&A: What's the difference between sexual purity and sexual integrity? Video Q&A: What's the purpose of my sexuality as a single?  Follow Hannah Nitz @hannahnitz  Follow Authentic Intimacy at @authenticintimacy  

What happens when you're raised to be a militant Christian nationalist Supreme Court justice, but you decide to actually study church history instead? This week, we are thrilled to welcome social media powerhouse, educator, and musician Monte Mader to the show! You probably know her from her viral videos expertly dismantling Christian nationalist talking points, but her story starts far from the internet spotlight. Monte shares her harrowing and fascinating journey of growing up on a remote cattle ranch in Wyoming, steeped in extreme patriarchal theology, purity culture, and doomsday rhetoric. What was it like being trained in apologetics from childhood, only to realize the history of the church didn't match the dogma she was force-fed? We dive into the terrifying realities of purity culture, the weaponization of biblical texts against women, and the intense backlash Monte faces online for refusing to submit or be silent. But it's not all doom and gloom! Amidst the doxxing and the hate mail, Monte shares why right now—as the mask of Christian nationalism slips completely off—is actually a time for profound, irrational hope. _____________________________________________ Want to see more of Monte? Follow her various socials at the following links: Her Website: https://montemader.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/montemader?igsh=bGUyY29lamtlNGhi Threads: https://www.threads.com/@montemader TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@montemader?_r=1&_t=ZP-971v8VHMsPv YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@UCMfoN9bDN77VAd83ZFvwShA Substack: https://substack.com/@UCMfoN9bDN77VAd83ZFvwShA ______________________________________________ For early access to an ad-free version of every episode of Data Over Dogma, exclusive content, and the opportunity to support our work, please consider becoming a monthly patron at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/DataOverDogma⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on the various social media places: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/DataOverDogmaPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://x.com/data_over_dogma https://www.instagram.com/dataoverdogmapod/ Have you ordered Dan McClellan's New York Times bestselling book ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Bible Says So⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ yet??? Buy at this link: https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/bible-says-so-9781250347466/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Purity culture is a system that tells women to carry the moral weight of male desire." How is that healthy or fair? Joni Menard, an occasional guest on The God Journey, helps other women discover how to live deeply loved by God. She joins Wayne and Kyle for a conversation about patriarchy, purity culture, and gender differences, and how our religious systems often negatively shape the way men and women see themselves, their bodies, their desires, and each other. Patriarchy wounds men as well as women, and shame distorts the beauty of human desire. This podcast covers vulnerability, privilege, parenting, and the long journey of learning to listen, honor, and love without fear or control. Podcast Notes: Sorry, there is no video version of this podcast. (Due to FB policy, this link is only good for thirty days from the date of posting.) A JUST LOVE Meet-up in Kansas City The post Joni shared Get your copy of Just Love The post Patriarchy, Purity Culture, and Wholeness (#1038) first appeared on The God Journey.

Send us Fan MailYou never signed a purity pledge. Maybe you never set foot in a church. But the rules got in anyway — through locker rooms, movies, the way women around you were talked about, the bodies that got shamed. And now they're in your bedroom, quietly wrecking everything.Today I'm talking with Erika Smith — award-winning sexuality educator, 25 years in the field, and creator of the Purity Culture Dropout program — about the specific ways purity culture shows up in men who consider themselves good allies. Men who want their partners to have orgasms. Men who are still, without knowing it, making it impossible for her to ask for what she wants.We get into:Why she can't tell you to stop — even when she wants toThe "good girl/bad girl" split that's killing your sex life right nowHow penis-centered sex became the default (and what it's costing both of you)The porn conversation that's destroying otherwise healthy relationshipsWhere to start if you want to actually change what's happening in your bedroomThis one's for the men who are trying. And the women who love them.Find Erika at: https://www.ericasmitheac.com/the-purity-culture-dropout-programJoin in my 365 Days of Orgasms Journey Here: https://talksexwithannette.com/365-days-of-orgasms/Watch 365 Days Playlist on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2D5TFyt2Q8&list=PL9sLRET3FJyVns_2_wXvOoGrBeHyU1DDp

In this season finale of Sunday School Dropouts, Laura and Andrew look back on a landmark season dedicated to unpacking the pervasive and lingering effects of purity culture. Reflecting on what they learned, what surprised them, and where they find hope, Laura and andrew explore how these rigid teachings extend far beyond sexual ethics into daily struggles with body image, diet culture, adult friendships, and social media dynamics. A central focus of the episode examines the connection between neurodivergence and high-control religious systems, drawing on insights from their interview with Michelle Moseley to explain why individuals with ADHD or autism can be uniquely vulnerable to these environments. The discussion also ventures into how purity culture historically intersects with power, control, and racial eugenics, while analyzing the unexpected rise of the modern manosphere and red pill culture as a new evolution of these familiar, toxic frameworks.The episode also tackles the deep personal work required to move past religious trauma, contrasting the intellectual act of deconstructing harmful beliefs with the arduous journey of somatic and emotional healing. Laura and Andrew discuss the protective impulse to completely burn bridges when escaping high-control environments, validating it as a necessary first response for survival rather than a reckless last resort. Highlighting a massive wave of listener feedback, including a notably strong resonance from the ex-LDS community, the conversation celebrates the collective power of shared stories. Ultimately, this finale bridges the gap between uncovering past harms and looking forward, offering listeners a compassionate roadmap for reclaiming their bodies, their boundaries, and their peace.This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @andrew_kerbsTo begin working with Andrew as a coach, schedule your FREE inquiry call hereFollow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com To work with Laura as a coach, therapist, consultant, or to inquire about other services, you can do so hereHosts: Laura Anderson and Andrew KerbsMusic by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji 

What if many of us learned more about avoiding sex than understanding it? In this episode of Married AF, we tackle one of the most controversial conversations in modern marriage, dating, and Christianity: purity culture. We unpack the viral statement, “She's told to cover up. He's never told to grow up,” and ask whether generations of people were handed shame instead of healthy relationship communication.We discuss how messages around sex, emotional intimacy, and love can shape marriage long after the wedding day. Some people grew up believing desire itself was bad. Others were taught that men simply cannot control themselves. We explore where those messages may have helped, where they may have caused damage, and how they continue affecting intimacy, marital issues, conflict resolution, and happiness inside relationships today.We also separate an important distinction: healthy boundaries are not the same thing as shame. Marriage advice often focuses on avoiding mistakes, but real marriage coaching should also teach connection, communication, emotional intimacy, and how couples can build a healthy understanding of sex within marriage.Whether you're newly married, dating, engaged, or have been married for decades, this conversation will challenge some assumptions and give practical support for building stronger relationship communication and deeper intimacy.In this episode:✔️ How purity culture shaped marriage expectations✔️ Why emotional intimacy affects physical intimacy✔️ The difference between boundaries and shame✔️ Marriage challenges couples rarely talk about✔️ Communication tools for healthier sex and connection✔️ Christian perspectives on love, marriage, and intimacy✔️ Practical marriage advice and supportMarriage is an adventure filled with challenges, growth, communication, conflict resolution, and learning how to love one another well. Sometimes the healthiest thing we can do is unlearn messages that were never helping us in the first place.

This video examines the tragic case of Kip Eliason, a 16-year-old who died by su*cide in 1982 after struggling with intense guilt and shame tied to teachings about s*xual morality within his religious upbringing.Kip's story has become a widely discussed example of how ordinary adolescent development—especially s*xual curiosity and masturbation—can be reframed as profound moral failure, leading to overwhelming psychological distress.This discussion is based on reporting and analysis found here:https://thoughtsonthingsandstuff.com/a-latter-day-tragedy-suicide-over-masturbation/In this episode, we explore:How purity-based moral teachings can intensify adolescent shameThe psychological impact of guilt-centered s*xual messagingHistorical religious rhetoric surrounding chastity and “virtue”How institutional messaging has evolved over timeThe broader question of responsibility when doctrine and mental health collideThe intent is not sensationalism, but reflection on how belief systems can unintentionally shape self-perception in vulnerable individuals.If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of self-harm, help is available. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 to reach the Su*cide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7.Please consider making a donation by joining our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/MormonNewsRoundup Email: kolob@mormonnewsroundup.org Website: https://mormonnewsroundup.org/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mormonnewsroundup Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mormon_news_roundup/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093511869924 X: https://twitter.com/NewsMormon New episodes LIVE every Sunday and Monday nights at 9:30PM ESTPlease like and subscribe and hit the notifications bell. Remember remember, no unhallowed hand can stop this podcast from progressing!The Mormon News Roundup is NOT affilated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Did the church get it wrong about sex, purity, and relationships? The answer might surprise you.

Michael Thornhill's book, The First, The Few and The Only, is available through the official book site and shop. The site describes Thornhill as an AfroCuban author, consultant, and recovering DEI practitioner whose work explores race, erasure, tokenism, and mixed identity in North America. Book / author links: https://www.thefirstthefewandtheonly.com/about Official book site: https://www.thefirstthefewandtheonly.com/shop Instagram: @thefirstthefewandtheonly Telling the Truth and Taking Your Story Seriously Michael “The first thing that comes to mind for the listeners is you need to take your story seriously enough to tell the truth. If you're going to write anything… you need to be honest. And if I remember your question correctly, to anyone who's the first, few, and the only, what that means is if you've ever been the only one with your face in the room, when you enter a room, you find yourself counting how many brown faces are there all the time at the church, on the school bus, in the youth group. If you've gotten so used to counting that you forget you're doing it, this book is for you.” “I wrote something called a mirror memoir and what that means to me is a phrase I coined to basically reflect what black and brown people do whenever they get together and discuss what's happened to them in a white world, that whether across lunch tables or whispered in hallways, you end up regurgitating something that happened to you and then next thing you know, the space between you becomes a mirror because you're kind of like, ‘Oh yeah, that happened to me too.'” “They feel well worn. They don't have their shock impact. There's not as much of a recoil and of course they feel old, but they also feel not polished in a sense of pedestal, but in a sense of a smooth rock that's been beat up by the waves against this cliff and they're like gems now. It just feels like something that's been well beaten down to the point of beauty and I feel it and yet it also feels good to name because it's like my body isn't the cage for it anymore.”   Well, first I guess I would have to believe that there was or is an actual political dialogue taking place that I could potentially be a part of. And honestly, I'm not sure that I believe that.

This week, Dannah Gresh shares the personal story behind And the Bride Wore White—one of a few books that launched conversations about purity, shame, grace, and redemption for an entire generation of Christian young people. Together, Juli and Dannah reflect on the wounds many women carry around sexuality, the beauty of God's forgiveness, and why purity was never meant to be about perfection.  Guest: Dannah Gresh Join an Authentic Intimacy Online Book Study!   Follow-up Resources: Pre-order And the Bride Wore White: Seven Truths to Living In Sexual Integrity No Matter Your Past by Dannah Gresh Q&A: How can I overcome the shame I experience as a result of purity culture?  Follow Dannah at @dannah_gresh Follow Authentic Intimacy at  @authenticintimacy  

Holy moly, The Hunting Wives is a spicy show! Lots of law breaking going on in this group of frenemies - drinking and driving, exhibitionism, and even murder! We chat about it ALL!Email us: KillerFunPodcast@gmail.comFollow us on Facebook: fb.me/KillerFunPodcastAll the Tweets, er, POSTS: https://x.com/KillerFunPodInstagram: killerfunpodcast

Erica Smith is an award-winning sexuality educator, advocate, and author from rural Pennsylvania, where she grew up casually Christian, went to public school, learned sex ed from a gym teacher, and somehow became the most responsible teenage sexual health nerd with birth control, condoms, spermicide, and library books before having sex for the first time. In this episode we talk about purity culture, religious sexual shame, high-control groups, Christian nationalism, marital consent, "duty sex," the pressure placed on both women and men in evangelical purity teachings, and why healing from purity culture is not just about learning sex ed, but reconnecting to your body, your signals, your autonomy, and your right to desire without fear. Join the live watch party on YouTube today, episode release day, at 5p PT / 8p ET: https://www.youtube.com/@birdsandbeesdontfck   Want to hear Reddit stories? Join the afterparty over on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/cw/birdsandbeesdontfck   FCK LIKE THE MOVIES Where to find Erica: Website: https://www.purityculturedropout.com Instagram / Threads: @ericasmitheducates Book: The Purity Culture Recovery Guide: Shame-Free Sex Ed You Deserve   Where to find Arielle: Instagram: @birdsandbeesdontfck TikTok: @birdsandbeesdontfck Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/cw/birdsandbeesdontfck   Like my cuffs AND my vibrator necklace? Me too. Get $15 Off Crave Pleasure Jewelry Here: https://lovecrave.com/arielle   Episode Cheat Sheet 00:37 Why purity culture impacts everyone regardless of religious upbringing 02:01 Reclaiming spiritual language, God, universe, source, and finding meaning outside of shame 03:35 Erica's rural Pennsylvania upbringing and not coming from purity culture or evangelical Christianity 06:52 Conservative Judaism, kosher, Shabbat, fear of God, and the god of religious sexual shame 10:13 Why controlling sex is the central power tool in high-control groups and cults 13:15 Twin Flames, New Age purity culture, divine feminine and masculine, and forced relationship roles 15:11 Non-monogamy, the one-person mythology, and not knowing ethical non-monogamy was an option 18:22 The pressure on children to save souls and why evangelical recruitment causes anxiety 20:15 AIDS education, high school sex ed, birth control, Cosmo handouts, and a raw egg as a fake baby 23:35 Family planning at 16, condoms, spermicide, Planned Parenthood, teen pregnancy, and pre-internet sex ed 26:03 Curiosity as the common thread among sex educators and talking explicitly with friends about sex 30:26 From women's studies to abortion clinic counselor, September 11th, anti-abortion terrorism, and fake anthrax 33:46 Seventeen years doing sex ed and HIV prevention with incarcerated youth in Philadelphia juvenile detention 35:09 Exvangelicals, deconstruction, the 2016 election, and the mass exodus from evangelical Christianity 39:28 Wedding night trauma, the flip-the-switch expectation, marital rape, duty sex, and long-term sexual dysfunction 43:09 Consent in marriage, the every-72-hours myth, Christian patriarchy, and denying women the right to say no 46:14 Rape culture, dissociation, blaming wives for husbands cheating, and the harm purity culture does to men 48:41 Duty sex, maintenance sex, intimacy dates, responsive desire, and why sex should never be expected 50:06 Men in purity culture, being taught you are a sex demon, bounce your eyes, and associating desire with disrespect 53:01 How purity culture silences body signals around consent, danger, hunger, and attraction — and somatic healing 56:08 Why purity culture is not a thing of the past, Christian nationalism, fascism, voting, and bodily autonomy 01:01:07 Where to find Erica Smith, The Purity Culture Recovery Guide, and purity culture recovery support groups

On today's episode of Sunday School Dropouts we will be talking to Cody Harman, a certified fitness coach and nutritionist! Cody shares his story of growing up within evangelicalism and purity culture being socialized female, coming out and transitioning. Cody's lets us in on his process of healing from the shame and harm that was caused by high control religion and offers encouragement and hope on the journey of healing. You can find Cody at the following places:• Instagram: @mrcoachcody_scoobyprep• TikTok: @mrcoachcody• Facebook: Cody Harman• Twitter: @mrcoachcodyYouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Codytalks11/featured• Website: www.codyharman.comThis podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com Music by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe

I talked with Tia Levings about what it's like to come out of a world that shaped you completely and what happens after you leave; not just the belief system, but the habits, the fears, the voice in your head that doesn't feel like yours.Her new book, I Belong to Me, is really about that part. Not just what happened to her, but how you put yourself back together after.We talked about complicity. About how you can't just blame the system forever. At some point you have to look at yourself and ask what you carried forward.We talked about grief too. Not just what you lost, but what never got to happen, and what it takes to become someone you can live with._____LINKShttps://tialevings.com/https://substack.com/@tialevingsI Belong to Me on Bookshop_____I have had the pleasure of talking to some of the leading authors, artists, activists, and change-makers of our time on this podcast, and I want to personally thank you for subscribing, listening, and sharing 100-plus episodes over 100,000 times.Please subscribe to this Podcast, In Conversation… with Frank Schaeffer, on your favorite platform, and to my Substack, It Has to Be Said. Thanks! Every subscription helps create, build, sustain and put voice to this movement for truth. Subscribe to It Has to Be Said. The Gospel of Zip will be released in print and on Amazon Kindle, and as a full video on YouTube and Substack that you can watch or listen to for free.Support the show_____In Conversation… with Frank Schaeffer is a production of the George Bailey Morality in Public Life Fellowship. It is hosted by Frank Schaeffer, author of The Gospel of Zip.Learn more at https://www.thegospelofzip.com/Follow Frank on Substack, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, and YouTube.https://frankschaeffer.substack.comhttps://www.facebook.com/frank.schaeffer.16https://twitter.com/Frank_Schaefferhttps://www.instagram.com/frank_schaeffer_arthttps://www.threads.net/@frank_schaeffer_arthttps://www.tiktok.com/@frank_schaefferhttps://www.youtube.com/c/FrankSchaefferYouTubeIn Conversation… with Frank Schaeffer Podcast

Danielle 1. On adults needing honesty before they can guide young people “But then that comes back to us and being able to honestly talk about our own experiences as kids and be far more honest about what that experience was. Be far more honest about the spectrums we probably all lie along or the ways we've felt confused or the way we've worked through maybe even contradictions in our own selves that don't feel like they fit and what tools have we used that are helpful, what tools have not worked for us… I think it's a new way of differentiating from us as parents to be able to explore something different.” 2. On colonization, sex, caste, and racial hierarchy in Mexican history “One thing I know about my history and a part of the complex and layered part of Mexican history is that when colonizers came over, the Spanish particularly, they would then send for their families or their wives, but they would also, part of the strategy along with the Catholicism and the Christianity that was brought, was having babies with Africans that were enslaved… part of the colonial atmosphere was to essentially make classes of people based on race. And so you have a Christian monogamous colonizer with this sent-for family also having… either Indigenous folks or Africans that have been enslaved… That was intentionally done through sex under the guise of monogamy.” 3. On anger, violence, and the body “We know how arousing anger is and regardless of your sexual orientation, in our bodies anger is so arousing… as they put certain categories of people into unacceptable other categories, they're literally arousing themselves… essentially getting off on the violent talk is what I think and feel… using the content of the United States and our military as a form of doing that just feels so deeply violating.” Rebecca 1. On sexuality and gender as communal, not only individual “Sometimes we can think about this conversation about sex and sexuality and gender and all of that as this sort of individual choice or this individual expression. But I think there's something to be learned from the idea that it can be very communal and very collective and in that way have communal and collective impact. And I think sometimes we don't take that into account in very real ways.” 2. On young people needing a bigger frame “I definitely have the experience with my two kids of just a general sentiment like the frame that you gave me is not big enough to hold all of the things that my world requires me to hold. It's not. I need a different frame. I need a bigger frame. I need some flexibility in the framing in order to engage the world that is in front of me… Sometimes I think the best thing that we can do as adults in that space is say okay and be willing to knock down some walls and get rid of some steel and put something flexible in that space so they can breathe a little bit and figure it out.” 3. On not confusing authentic monogamy with colonial violence “Does that invalidate monogamy? And my answer would be no, it doesn't… if you're running around intentionally creating babies with the Indigenous people that were there in the place where you have come to conquer, don't call yourself believing in monogamy because that's a boldfaced lie… Christian nationalism is not Christianity, it's something else. And part of what is infuriating to me is the hijacking of an idea or vocabulary or belief that in and of itself is fine and it gets hijacked and applied to something that is a gross perversion of what it was meant to be.” Jenny 1. On purity culture, abstinence-only education, and labels “So much of that… is a symptom of purity culture and the fact that we don't talk about sex. The abstinence-only generations since the '80s were we don't talk about sex. And it was sort of Nancy Reagan's idea of just say no was applied to sex. And so consent was not talked about. Sexuality was not talked about. Gender expression was not talked about. And it's not that those things didn't exist… The queer community has always been around.” 2. On labels as both liberating and limiting “Raphaela Fieo from Healing Exchange says labels can be liberating or they can be limiting. And I think it's important to hold both. For some people, labels are really, really important and for some people labels are like, I don't actually want you to try to define me or put me in a box.” 3. On settler sex and Christian nationalism “What would have to happen is the reckoning of white heteronormative Christian nationalism… Kim TallBear is an Indigenous polyamorous scholar who has this article called Making Love and Relations Beyond Settler Sex… they essentially critique a lot of the white sex-positive communities that don't acknowledge the privilege in white polyamory or sex-positive practices when it literally was gender and racial and familial relations often that were used to Christianize Indigenous communities across the globe.” 4. On monogamy, normativity, and honoring difference “Monogamy could be part of that expression and all of these other things also are part of that expression… getting out of this normative thinking of like, if this is the way I do it, this is the way everyone should do it. And rather, okay, this is the way that resonates with me. So if I stay with what feels like the truest expression of my relationship and sexuality now, can that also give me more capacity to honor the ways in which other people are living into theirs, even if it's vastly different than mine?”   Well, first I guess I would have to believe that there was or is an actual political dialogue taking place that I could potentially be a part of. And honestly, I'm not sure that I believe that.

In this episode, Tia Levings returns to talk about her new book I Belong to Me - a guide to healing and recovery after high-control religion and other controlling environments. Tia walks through what she calls the steps before the steps: the audacity, the centrality, the willingness to want something different before you're even ready to name what happened to you. We talk about why language can free you and trap you at the same time, how cult-hopping happens and why, what developmental stages get stolen in high-control systems, and how somatic and body-based modalities opened up healing that talk therapy alone couldn't reach. This is a grounded, honest conversation about what it looks like to start to become the protagonist of your own story.Tia Levings is the New York Times Bestselling author of A Well-Trained Wife, her memoir of escape from Christian Patriarchy and I Belong to Me: A Survivor's Guide to Recovery and Hope after Religious Trauma. She writes about the realities of religious trauma, evangelical patriarchy, and the Trad wife life, decoding the fundamentalist influences in our news and culture. Her work and quotes have appeared in Teen Vogue, Salon, Newsweek, and the HuffingtonPost. She is an experienced interviewee, speaker, and podcast guest, and has appeared in the hit Amazon docu-series, Shiny Happy People. Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, she is mom to four incredible adults and likes to travel, hike, paint, and daydream. Find her on social media @TiaLevingsWriter.Tia's Book:I Belong to MeTia's Recommendation:Heart the LoverEverything in ColorConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@shiftingculturepodcast.comGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, Bluesky or YouTubeSupport the podcast and the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link below NEW PODCAST: American Evangelicals - A History PodcastA thoughtful, deep dive into one of the most talked-about movements in American history.Support the show

I used to think holiness meant learning how to want less — less food, less attention, less desire. Less me.Today we're sitting down with Anna Rollins, author of Famished: On Food, Sex, and Growing Up as a Good Girl, to talk about something many of us have felt but didn't have language for — how purity culture and diet culture quietly taught us the same message: good girls make themselves smaller.We talk about the hidden scripts we absorbed in church and culture, the exhaustion of trying to control our bodies to feel safe, and the moment everything starts to unravel.What if your hunger isn't something to fix, but something to listen to?This episode is an invitation to stop striving, to notice where fatigue is giving you feedback, and to begin reclaiming your God-given appetite — for rest, nourishment, connection, and joy.To connect with Anna, head over to https://www.annajrollins.com or @annajrollins on IG!Get Anna's book, Famished here: https://amzn.to/45l5oFA Submit a question for “Ask Han” here: https://forms.gle/qWGxyy9M5Q5N2tMz9 SUPPORT BY WORDS: https://buymeacoffee.com/bywordsMy favorite Bible studies + devotionals - HANNAHHUGHES10  for 10% off: https://thedailygraceco.com?dt_id=300773 CONNECT:hello@thehannahhughes.comhttps://www.instagram.com/thehannahhughes 

It’s part 2 of our conversation with author and speaker, Dannah Gresh. 25 years ago she wrote And the Bride Wore White. At the time, there was a move in the evangelical world that embraced purity culture. How were people hurt by that purity message? We’ll also welcome, from Mama Bear Apologetics, Amy Davison. Don’t miss the discussion on Chris Fabry Live. Featured resource:And the Bride Wore White by Dannah Gresh May thank you gift:Powerful Self-Talk from the Psalms by Jon Gauger Chris Fabry Live is listener-supported. To support the program, click here.Become a Back Fence Partner: https://moodyradio.org/donateto/chrisfabrylive/partnersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been 25 years since Dannah Gresh penned a powerful book titled, And the Bride Wore White. Dannah returns to talk about what she got right all those years ago, AND what she has re-thought. The power of that book was her own story, her vulnerability about living with sexual integrity no matter your past. Don’t miss a conversation with Dannah Gresh on Chris Fabry Live. Featured resource:And the Bride Wore White by Dannah Gresh May thank you gift:Powerful Self-Talk from the Psalms by Jon Gauger Chris Fabry Live is listener-supported. To support the program, click here.Become a Back Fence Partner: https://moodyradio.org/donateto/chrisfabrylive/partnersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of the Natasha Helfer Podcast, Michelle Mower joins to discuss how the Mormon purity culture affects men. Michelle Mower, LPC, LMFT, CST,  is a therapist, coach, educator, and certified sex therapist who helps adults understand what's actually going on in their sexuality and relationships. Her work focuses on the erotic mind; how thoughts, desire, and personal history shape the way people experience intimacy. She works with individuals and couples who feel confused, disconnected, or at odds with their own desire, helping them move out of self-questioning and into clarity. Her approach is direct, grounded, and focused on making sense of experiences that often feel hard to explain, even to yourself. Michelle is completing her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision, where her research examines sexual shame in men raised in the Mormon faith and the long-term impact of religious sexual conditioning on identity and desire. She is known for saying the things people are already thinking but haven't been able to put into words, bringing clarity to conversations about sex and relationships that are often avoided or oversimplified. Her work challenges the idea that something is wrong with you and instead focuses on understanding what hasn't been explained yet. You can find out more about her work on her website:  https://www.michelle-mower.com/ Or here: https://www.expansecounselingcenter.com/ Go here to read her dissertation (see podcast notes and resources): https://www.natashahelfer.com/the-natasha-helfer-podcast/episode137   To help keep this podcast going, please consider donating at natashahelfer.com and share this episode. To watch the video of this podcast, you can subscribe to Natasha's channel on Youtube and follow her professional Facebook page at natashahelfer LCMFT, CST-S. You can find all her cool resources at natashahelfer.com.  The information shared on this program is informational and should not be considered therapy. This podcast addresses many topics around mental health and sexuality and may not be suitable for minors. Some topics may elicit a trigger or emotional response so please care for yourself accordingly. The views, thoughts and opinions expressed by our guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or feelings of Natasha Helfer or the Natasha Helfer Podcast. We provide a platform for open and diverse discussions, and it is important to recognize that different perspectives may be shared. We encourage our listeners to engage in critical thinking and form their own opinions. The intro and outro music for these episodes is by Otter Creek. Thank you for listening. And remember: Symmetry is now offering Ketamine services. To find out more, go to symcounseling.com/ketamine-services. There are also several upcoming workshops. Visit natashahelfer.com or symcounseling.com to find out more.

Reuben Johnson is one half of FlyDuo, a husband-and-wife team behind the pleasure-forward platform SexTech n' Chill, originally from the suburbs of Boston where growing up in a strict religious environment meant sex education was mostly abstinence, shame and silence. In this episode we talk about purity culture, abstinence-only sex education and how religious messaging around sex can leave people completely unprepared for real intimacy. We get into the science behind pleasure, why nervous system regulation matters in the bedroom, the myth of "think about baseball" when people struggle with performance anxiety, and how honest conversations about sex can actually help protect people from harm. We also talk about building a pleasure-centered relationship, the work Reuben and his wife are doing with SexTech n' Chill, and why comprehensive sex education is still so controversial in the United States. Want more? Catch bonus Reddit story reactions, private chats and more on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/cw/birdsandbeesdontfck Get my Yes / No / Maybe List  or Fck Like The Movies full course _________________________________________________ Where to find Reuben: SexTech n' Chill: https://sextechnchill.com FlyDuo: https://xoflyduo.com Instagram: @sextechnchill  YouTube: @SexTechNChill   Where to find Arielle: Instagram: @birdsandbeesdontfck TikTok: @birdsandbeesdontfck Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/birdsandbeesdontfck Join the live watch party on YouTube today, episode release day, at 5p PT / 8p ET: https://www.youtube.com/@birdsandbeesdontfck Love jewelry that doubles as a vibrator?  Me too! Get $15 Off Crave Pleasure Jewelry Here:  https://lovecrave.com/arielle   Episode Cheat Sheet 02:10 Museum of Sex panel and meeting other sex educators 04:02 Consent, body language and what animals teach us about boundaries 08:36 Trauma responses, fawning and reading nonverbal cues 11:05 Nervous system regulation, anxiety and grounding techniques 15:02 Communication, emotional safety and better sex 19:11 Performance anxiety and why "think about baseball" is terrible sex advice 22:05 Vulnerability, trust and sexual confidence in relationships 24:40 Growing up in Boston and avoiding sex education conversations 26:40 Religious purity culture and sexual shame 29:10 The first real sex education class in high school 31:03 Condoms, lube and the basics abstinence-only programs skip 33:28 Why abstinence-only sex education leaves people unprepared 34:15 Dr. Joycelyn Elders and the fight for comprehensive sex education 36:01 Why pleasure and eroticism challenge systems of control 41:00 Social media censorship and the fight for online sex education 46:54 Porn history, kink and the evolution of sexuality 52:20 Wedding night sex after purity culture 55:50 Building Sex Tech & Chill and pleasure-centered relationships

What happens after you leave purity culture… but still feel disconnected from your body?Josh sits down with Dr. Kimberly Rose Pendleton, a coach and researcher focused on healing religious and sexual trauma, to explore what she calls “pleasure-based healing.” Together, they talk about how shame shapes our relationship to our bodies, why so many people feel numb or disconnected from desire, and what it looks like to reconnect with what feels good in a healthy, grounded way.This is a conversation about reclaiming pleasure, questioning old narratives, and finding a more honest path toward intimacy and wholeness.Website: www.kimberlyrosependleton.com Instagram: @drkimberlyrosependletonTikTok: @drkimberlyroseFacebook: @drkimberlyrose

In this candid and high-energy episode of The Partnership Podcast, Lauren and Trey dive into a listener-requested topic: the "Slut Era." They explore how a season of recreational sex can actually serve as a vital foundation for long-term relational health, especially for those deconstructing from Purity Culture.Drawing on the work of David Schnarch (Intimacy and Desire), they tackle the provocative idea that "fucking" is a distinct and necessary biological and psychological experience that often gets lost in the "nurturing" context of marriage.Lauren and Trey reflect on their own seasons of recreational sex and what those experiences provided them. They discuss:- How casual sex allows you to discover your own preferences and "erotic imagination" without the weight of a partner's expectations.- Why "fucking for fucking's sake" can be a powerful tool for reclaiming bodily agency after years of religious indoctrination.- The danger of entering long-term partnership before you've established a solid, flexible self-identity.Following Schnarch's definitions, the duo explores the psychological difference between "nurturing" sex and "fucking." They discuss:- Why the person you love most can often be the hardest person to have raw, uninhibited sex with.- How maintaining your own sense of self-worth (and not relying on your spouse to validate it) is the key to maintaining erotic fire.- Why trying to be a "good" or "service-oriented" spouse often kills the very desire you're trying to cultivate.Lauren and Trey get real about the effort required to keep a sexual connection vibrant after years together. They share:- The importance of knowing what you actually like, versus what you think you should like.- Why a healthy level of individuation, staying two separate people, is required for true sexual chemistry.- How to move away from "transactional" sex and back into a space of playful, embodied exploration.Is your long-term partnership feeling more like a "roommate" situation?If you are ready to reclaim your erotic sovereignty and move past the scripts of "good spouse" behavior, Lauren offers a trauma-informed approach to sexual and relational growth.Request your free 15-minute consult at sexedforyou.com/freeconsult.About ThemLauren and Trey are partners living in Central Virginia, where Lauren owns and operates Sex Ed for You. She provides comprehensive sexuality education and embodied coaching to individuals, partners, and parents.Through a biopsychosocial approach, Sex Ed for You works to restore positive and respectful approaches to sexuality and sexual relationships, while increasing the possibility of pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination, and violence (World Health Organization).Sexual health is fundamental to the overall health and well-being of individuals, couples, and families, as well as to the social and economic development of communities and countries (World Health Organization). When individuals are blocked from sexual health, they are often stunted in their ability to develop sensual play, embodied connection, and enjoyment.Learn More & ConnectLearn more about Sex Ed for You: ⁠https://www.sexedforyou.com⁠Schedule a FREE CONSULT with Lauren: ⁠https://www.sexedforyou.com/freeconsult⁠Learn more about partnered communication and relational education on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/sex_ed_for_you/⁠Subscribe to the YouTube channel for conversations about sex, partnership, communication, and love: ⁠https://youtube.com/@thepartnershippodcast⁠Important RemindersThis is not a “how to” podcast, but rather a “how they” podcast. Lauren and Trey share personal experiences, perspectives, and reflections, inviting listeners to learn from what resonates, question what doesn't, and decide what feels aligned for their own lives.Lauren is not a therapist. She is a Certified Holistic Sexuality Educator and Embodied Intimacy and Relationship Coach.

What happens when the community meant to protect you becomes the source of your deepest wounds? In Episode 302, Barrett is joined by Heather Foy (and Tamara) of The Awakening Podcast for a powerful discussion on escaping religious trauma and the systemic harm often found within organized faiths.Heather shares her personal journey of deconstruction—the complex, often painful process of dismantling long-held beliefs to find an authentic self. The conversation pulls no punches, diving into the damaging reality of purity culture, the struggle of leaving high-control religious groups, and the "shame threads" that often persist long after leaving. Whether you are currently navigating your own deconstruction or seeking to understand the impact of religious abuse on mental health, this episode offers a roadmap for "healing loudly" and reclaiming autonomy through community and therapy.Key Topics: #ReligiousTrauma #Deconstruction #PurityCulture #HeatherFoy #TheAwakeningPodcast #HighControlGroups #HealingJourney #ReligiousAbuseSurvivor #AllAboutNothingPodcastThe Awakening Podcast | EpisodesThe Awakening Podcast | FacebookBarrett Gruber | LinktreeThe All About Nothing: Podcast | LinktreeClick here for Episode Show Notes!As always, "The All About Nothing: Podcast" is owned and distributed by BIG Media LLC!Check out our network of fantastic podcasts!Click Here to see available advertising packages!Click Here for information on the "Fair Use Copyright Notice" for this podcast.Mentioned in this episode:BIG Media Copyright 2026BIG Media LLCZJZ DesignsCheck out the 4th of July Heart Designs for this Independence Day! Visit zjzdesigns.com!ZJZ DesignsEverplay Summer 2026Summer Leagues are registering now for the Summer 2026 leagues including Kickball, Softball, Bowling, Soccer, Pickleball and more! Visit everplaysocial.com for details and registration!Everplay Sports & Social League

Purity culture is actually the worst. Support Belief It Or Not Created by Trevor Poelman Produced and Edited by Jamie Carlisle Produced by Michael Mongiardi Art by Joel Jackson Music by Devon Hyland Special Thanks to The Sonar Network Visit https://www.beliefitornot.com/ Email enquiries to Trevor.Poelman@BeliefItOrNot.com Follow Belief It Or Not: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beliefitornot Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beliefitornotpodcast/ BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/beliefitornot.bsky.social TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@beliefitornot Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/beliefitornot Brought to you By: The Sonar Network https://thesonarnetwork.com/

Grab a copy of Holy Disobedience: Sex, Sin, and Secrets in the Biggest Church No One Knows: https://amzn.to/4s0pygnAs an Amazon associate, a small portion of every purchase made through this link helps support this podcast!✖️✖️✖️Melissa Duge Spiers is an award-winning essayist, screenwriter, and advocate for topics of religious and narcissistic abuse, utilizing her online platforms (TikTok and Instagram: “The Glory Whole”). Her memoir Holy Disobedience won the 2021 Book Pipeline Unpublished Nonfiction Manuscript prize, with excerpts featured in The Huffington Post. Melissa's writing appears in magazines nationwide, and she's a contributor to Take the Fruit: An Anthology of Religious Trauma. Also a runner, cheese lover, and life-long vintage collector, Melissa holds a B.A. in English Literature from Barnard College at Columbia University and is based in California.✖️✖️✖️About Holy Disobedience:“Spiers's writing is propulsive and intelligent.” —Tia Levings, author of the New York Times bestselling A Well-Trained WifeHoly Disobedience is a gripping, unflinching story by Melissa Duge Spiers about growing up in the shadow of control, silence, and secrets within the strict, fundamentalist Seventh-day Adventist Church. When Melissa learns that her father, a respected pastor, was a serial child predator shielded by the church, her world implodes. But this revelation is only the beginning.From being beaten for resisting a childhood home perm to seducing a forbidden public-school athlete to reclaim her autonomy, Melissa's early years were shaped by repression, shame, and indoctrination. Her escape from high-control religion launched her into a life of risk: Wall Street jobs, New York nightclubs, Hollywood hookups, and a series of abusive relationships. And yet, in these extremes, she was searching. Through self-reflection and finding her voice, and through an unexpected friendship with her father's first victim, Melissa slowly reconstructs the self she was never allowed to know.Holy Disobedience is not just a survivor's tale. It's a story of fierce honesty, radical freedom, and the beautiful mess of becoming whole.✖️✖️✖️Support the Show: Patreon.com/PreacherBoys✖️✖️✖️If you or someone you know has experienced abuse, visit courage365.org/need-help✖️✖️✖️CONNECT WITH THE SHOW:preacherboyspodcast.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@PreacherBoyshttps://www.facebook.com/preacherboysdoc/https://twitter.com/preacherboysdochttps://www.instagram.com/preacherboyspodhttps://www.tiktok.com/@preacherboyspodTo connect with a community that shares the Preacher Boys Podcast's mission to expose abuse in the IFB, join the OFFICIAL Preacher Boys Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1403898676438188/✖️✖️✖️The content presented in this video is for informational and educational purposes only. All individuals and entities discussed are presumed innocent until proven guilty through due legal process. The views and opinions expressed are those of the speakers.✖️✖️✖️Music by Lou Ridley — “Bible Belt” | Used with permission under license.This episode is sponsored by/brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/PreacherBoys and get on your way to being your best self.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/preacher-boys-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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In this episode, we're joined by Nicole Clifton, a coach specializing in faith deconstruction, purity culture trauma, and chronic illness support. Nicole shares her personal journey navigating chronic pain for nearly 20 years while growing up in evangelical Christianity. We explore the often-overlooked connection between purity culture and chronic health conditions, discussing how high-control religious environments create constant hypervigilance and stress that can manifest as long-term physical symptoms. Nicole explains how messages about ignoring bodily signals, maintaining perfectionism, and living in perpetual fear of making mistakes kept her disconnected from her body's wisdom for years.The conversation dives into practical healing approaches for those dealing with both religious trauma and chronic illness. Nicole emphasizes the importance of self-compassion, body neutrality (rather than toxic positivity), and learning to tune into bodily signals without judgment. We discuss how shame operates as both an emotional and physiological state, the value of acceptance-based approaches for chronic pain, and why rebuilding trust with your body is essential after years of being taught it's dangerous or sinful. Nicole offers hope through her own transformation—from viewing her body as "defective" and a "liability" to recognizing it as resilient and deserving of care and compassion.Website: CTRR BioSocial Media: @nicoleclifton_inyourcornerAnything else (e.g. book title and link) Resources discussed in this episode: What Doesn't Kill You by Tessa MillerThis podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. Follow Andrew on Instagram @andrew_kerbsFollow Andrew's post-SDA account @lifeafteradventismFollow Andrew's account on neurodivergence and high control religion @divergent.faith Join Andrew's Substack (Kerb Your Enthusiasm) www.andrewkerbs.substack.com To begin working with Andrew as a coach, schedule your FREE inquiry call hereFollow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com Join Laura's Substack (Therapy in the Headlines) www.drlauraeanderson.substack.com To work with Laura as a coach, therapist, consultant, or to inquire about other services, you can do so hereHosts: Laura Anderson and A

In this raw and timely episode of The Partnership Podcast, Lauren and Trey move beyond their usual "how-they" dynamic to tackle a growing digital crisis: the "Manosphere." After watching the Louis Theroux documentary on Netflix, Trey requested a total redo of their original recording. Why? Because viewing this content through the lens of a 41-year-old man is one thing, but viewing it through the eyes of a 12-year-old boy is another entirely.Trey opens up about his initial reaction; dismissing influencers like Andrew Tate, Myron, and HS Ticky Tocky as "shock jocks" or a "farce" designed to sell trading platforms and casino codes. However, after Lauren challenged him to consider his 12-year-old brother and the youth basketball players he coaches, Trey's perspective shifted from professional skepticism to a protector mode fueled by anger.The couple deconstructs the Red Pill ideology, exposing it as a dangerous blend of "new" Purity Culture and financial exploitation. They discuss:As an Embodied Intimacy Coach, Lauren points out the wild nightmare of seeing religious indoctrination rebranded for a digital age. They explore the dangerous rhetoric of "claiming" women and the "shock value" tactics used to monetize misogyny. Lauren shares her alarm at the real-world danger this poses to female bodies and why it is vital for men like Trey to find their voice and speak up against it.While they reject the Manosphere's solutions, Lauren and Trey acknowledge the very real hunger for belonging that drives young men to these spaces.Is your value system being defined by an algorithm?Whether you are deconstructing your own religious past or trying to navigate these conversations with the teenagers in your life, Lauren offers a trauma-informed, relational approach to building a life of integrity.Request a free 15-minute consult or ask for resource recommendations at sexedforyou.com/freeconsult.About ThemLauren and Trey are partners living in Central Virginia, where Lauren owns and operates Sex Ed for You. She provides comprehensive sexuality education and embodied coaching to individuals, partners, and parents.Through a biopsychosocial approach, Sex Ed for You works to restore positive and respectful approaches to sexuality and sexual relationships, while increasing the possibility of pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination, and violence (World Health Organization).Sexual health is fundamental to the overall health and well-being of individuals, couples, and families, as well as to the social and economic development of communities and countries (World Health Organization). When individuals are blocked from sexual health, they are often stunted in their ability to develop sensual play, embodied connection, and enjoyment.Learn More & ConnectLearn more about Sex Ed for You: ⁠https://www.sexedforyou.com⁠Schedule a FREE CONSULT with Lauren: ⁠https://www.sexedforyou.com/freeconsult⁠Learn more about partnered communication and relational education on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/sex_ed_for_you/⁠Subscribe to the YouTube channel for conversations about sex, partnership, communication, and love: ⁠https://youtube.com/@thepartnershippodcast⁠Important RemindersThis is not a “how to” podcast, but rather a “how they” podcast. Lauren and Trey share personal experiences, perspectives, and reflections, inviting listeners to learn from what resonates, question what doesn't, and decide what feels aligned for their own lives.Lauren is not a therapist. She is a Certified Holistic Sexuality Educator and Embodied Intimacy and Relationship Coach.

Season 5: Episode 32Erica Smith is an award winning sexuality educator and consultant with 25 years of experience. She developed the Purity Culture Dropout™️ Program to help people learn all of the sex education that they missed growing up in purity culture- sex ed that is accurate, queer inclusive, trauma informed, compassionate, and comprehensive. She has since worked with hundreds of people to help them learn about healthy sexuality after high control religion and was named one of the Most Influential LGBTQ+ Leaders in 2025 by The Philadelphia Gay News. Throughout her career, she has provided comprehensive sex education and advocacy to young women and LGBTQ+ youth in Philadelphia's juvenile justice system, worked in abortion care, and supported HIV positive youth, transgender adolescents, and their families. Erica is the author of The Purity Culture Recovery Guide: The Shame-Free Sex Ed You Deserve.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Everything Numa⁠Erica Smith Website | Instagram |Threads

Download your free copy of What the Church Actually Says About Sex and Marriage right hereIn this episode of Reclaiming Catholic Intimacy, Ellen Holloway and Kathleen Chovanes talk about what purity culture actually got right and where it really hurt us. They share how all those fear-based messages about sex can stick with you into marriage and make it hard to relax and actually enjoy intimacy. Honestly, it's one of those episodes where you're like, oh…that's why this still feels weird for me. ___________________________________Did we mention a book on this week's episode? Click here for our recommended books!Reach out at instagram.com/ellenholloway_/ or email us at info@vinesinfullbloom.com

In this episode, I discuss with psychologist Kristy Money:Her experience growing up in a mormon community surrounded by purity culture and the difficulties of making the “switch” to sexuality and pleasureSexual shame Mind/body connection Ideas for where you can start if you sense you could use some guidance Kristy Money, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist, feminist advocate, and expert in women's sexual health. She has written widely on trauma, consent, and purity culture in outlets like the Salt Lake Tribune and Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and has been featured in The New York Times, HuffPost, and The Guardian. Her podcast work—Healthy Mormon Journeys and Mormon Transitions—each garnered over 500,000 downloads in their first year, and her guest episodes on Mormon Stories remain among its most listened-to. Drawing on her academic training and personal experience with anorgasmia, Kristy offers compassionate, research-backed tools to help women reconnect with their erotic selves. Her voice resonates deeply with women navigating post-religious identity, sexual healing, and embodied self-discovery. She's the founder of Hill Country Neuropsychology and lives in Texas with her husband and five children.HOW TO CONTACT KRISTYWebsite: www.kristymoney.comTHANK YOU TO THIS EPISODE SPONSORSRC Health:  Use the link below for a discount at checkout!https://srchealth.com/?ref=PELVICFLOORPROJECTThanks for joining me! Here is where you can find out how to work with me:  www.pelvicfloorprojectspace.com/mel@pelvicfloorprojectspace.comSupport the show

In this episode of The Partnership Podcast, Lauren and Trey dive deep into the transformative power of The Wheel of Consent® following Trey's recent experience at the "Like a Pro" workshop. They move beyond the basics of "no means no" to explore the nuanced artistry of giving and receiving, and how understanding these four quadrants can dismantle years of sexual obligation and shadow dynamics.Fresh off his second workshop, Trey shares the profound shifts that occur when we separate who is doing from who it is for. They discuss the common struggle many face, especially those raised in restrictive environments, with the "Shadow of Service" and the "Shadow of Taking." Lauren reflects on how her own "Warrior Queen" energy and professional drive sometimes clash with the need for true receptivity, while Trey explores the vulnerability required to make a "True Request" without an agenda.The conversation gets raw as they explore how Purity Culture and incomplete sexual education plant "weeds" in our sexual gardens. They discuss:Integrating the work of David Schnarch, Lauren and Trey model what it looks like to stand in a Solid Flexible Self. They discuss the importance of staying in your own skin during intimacy, ensuring that pleasure is a restoration of agency rather than a performance. Trey shares how his growth in relational intelligence has shifted their dynamic from one of "keeping up" to one of genuine curiosity and "trustworthy touch."Lauren, as an Embodied Intimacy and Relationship Coach, emphasizes that better sex heals the world because it requires us to be fully present and accountable. They discuss the "Alphabet Rule" (Arousal before Desire) and why understanding Responsive Desire is key for partners who feel like they are "stumbling through" their physical connection.Whether you're a purity culture survivor or simply looking to deepen your connection, Lauren offers a trauma-informed, biopsychosocial approach to intimacy. Move past the "caveman theory" of routine and into a partnership defined by mutual pleasure and radical honesty.Request your free 15-minute consult at sexedforyou.com/freeconsult.About ThemLauren and Trey are partners living in Central Virginia, where Lauren owns and operates Sex Ed for You. She provides comprehensive sexuality education and embodied coaching to individuals, partners, and parents.Through a biopsychosocial approach, Sex Ed for You works to restore positive and respectful approaches to sexuality and sexual relationships, while increasing the possibility of pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination, and violence (World Health Organization).Sexual health is fundamental to the overall health and well-being of individuals, couples, and families, as well as to the social and economic development of communities and countries (World Health Organization). When individuals are blocked from sexual health, they are often stunted in their ability to develop sensual play, embodied connection, and enjoyment.Learn More & ConnectLearn more about Sex Ed for You: ⁠https://www.sexedforyou.com⁠Schedule a FREE CONSULT with Lauren: ⁠https://www.sexedforyou.com/freeconsult⁠Learn more about partnered communication and relational education on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/sex_ed_for_you/⁠Subscribe to the YouTube channel for conversations about sex, partnership, communication, and love: ⁠https://youtube.com/@thepartnershippodcast⁠Important RemindersThis is not a “how to” podcast, but rather a “how they” podcast. Lauren and Trey share personal experiences, perspectives, and reflections, inviting listeners to learn from what resonates, question what doesn't, and decide what feels aligned for their own lives.Lauren is not a therapist. She is a Certified Holistic Sexuality Educator and Embodied Intimacy and Relationship Coach.

Today on Honoring the Journey, we have a powerful conversation with Josh Harris, author of "I Kissed Dating Goodbye," as he shares his journey of reckoning with the impact of purity culture. Harris openly discusses how he came to recognize the harm caused by his influential book after years of hearing stories from people affected by its teachings, ultimately leading him to unpublish it and apologize publicly. The conversation explores the difficult process of deconstructing deeply held beliefs, navigating church leadership failures and sexual abuse mishandling, his own marriage ending, and stepping away from evangelicalism. We reflect on the challenges of leaving rigid certainty for authentic faith, the importance of self-compassion during deconstruction, the dangers of algorithmic rage and groupthink, and the freedom that comes from holding beliefs with open hands rather than dogmatic certainty, emphasizing that healing and growth are possible even after significant mistakes. Find and follow Josh on Instagram! Honoring the Journey is hosted, produced and edited by Leslie Nease and the artwork for the show is also created by Leslie Nease.Pick up Leslie's new book, Honoring the Journey: The Deconstruction of Sister Christian here.Interested in working with Leslie as your Life/Faith Transitions Coach? Check out her website and learn more about what she offers! https://www.leslieneasecoaching.comIf you'd like to be a part of the Honoring the Journey Team on Substack, click here! You can find her work and also support her financially if you desire.Would you like to leave a voicemail for Leslie? Click here!If you are looking for community as you deconstruct or just a place to go and enjoy the company of people who are seekers, learners and who are looking to connect with the Divine without religious baggage, please join the Private Facebook Community! Leslie is very passionate about connection and community, so if that sounds like you, please come join us! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Grab a copy of Erica's book here: https://amzn.to/47cN56uPrefer to listen on Audible? Get a free Premium Plus trial here: https://www.amazon.com/hz/audible/mlp(As an Amazon associate, I receive a small commission on purchases made through the links on this channel. Thanks for making this show possible!)✖️✖️✖️Support the Show: Patreon.com/PreacherBoys✖️✖️✖️CONNECT WITH THE SHOW:preacherboyspodcast.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@PreacherBoyshttps://www.facebook.com/preacherboysdoc/https://twitter.com/preacherboysdochttps://www.instagram.com/preacherboyspodhttps://www.tiktok.com/@preacherboyspodTo connect with a community that shares the Preacher Boys Podcast's mission to expose abuse in the IFB, join the OFFICIAL Preacher Boys Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1403898676438188/✖️✖️✖️The content presented in this video is for informational and educational purposes only. All individuals and entities discussed are presumed innocent until proven guilty through due legal process. The views and opinions expressed are those of the speakers.✖️✖️✖️Music by Lou Ridley — “Bible Belt” | Used with permission under license.✖️✖️✖️As an Amazon associate I receive a small commission from purchases made on this site.This episode is sponsored by/brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/PreacherBoys and get on your way to being your best self.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/preacher-boys-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

n this special episode, we discuss the charges filed against former 19 Kids and Counting/Counting On star Joseph Duggar. Duggar is accused of committing Lewd and Lascivious Behavior, involving unlawful sexual activity with a minor. He has been taken into custody. The alleged molestation occurred some time in 2020. In this episode we discuss everything that we currently know, everything we don't know, the circumstances of the abuse, and then we answer listener questions.This episode contains discussions of child sexual abuse as well as discussion of Joseph's brother Josh's 2021 trial and conviction for possession of CSAM. This episode is not appropriate for children.Nowhere in this episode do we speculate about the identity of the victim, and we will not allow comments that do.Facebook post from Bay County Sheriff's Officehttps://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EoDDDy9qY/Reddit post with pictures of Joe and Kendra at Panama City Beach dated to October 11https://www.reddit.com/r/DuggarsSnark/comments/1rxk6ty/my_parents_2020_beach_vacation/Oxford University article about genetic predisposition to being an abuserhttps://www.psych.ox.ac.uk/news/sex-offending-genes-more-important-than-family-environment02:00 - Joe Duggar has been arrested 02:54 - Welcome to our show 03:10 - CW for CSA and CSAM discussion 04:20 - Consider joining our Patreon! 05:00 - BCSO Facebook Post 06:50 - Poor Kendra 07:53 - What is Joe charged with? 08:36 - What is a Life Felony? 09:46 - Joe's Apology 11:35 - Purity Pledge 12:34 - Will there be a trial? 17:48 - Thank you to our Patrons! 19:17 - What is the timeline? 20:04 - Raid on the Duggar car lot 20:45 - Counting the Cost by Jill Duggar Dillard 22:26 - Holy Disruptor by Amy Duggar King 24:20 - Jim Bob lied to the family 24:55 - Reddit Pictures on the beach 25:30 - Who was in Panama City Beach? 27:40 - Apologies to the victim's father? 28:15 - Homeland Security and US Marshals 31:27 - Kendra was pregnant 31:50 - Why did Joe Apologize? 32:50 - You are your father's property 34:20 - Did Kendra know? 35:12 - Will Kendra stay or go? 35:30 - Sadie's angry rant 37:43 - Question 1: Have we seen signs from Joe? Joe/Kendra age gap 38:54 - Sadie attended the wedding of a child bride 41:15 - Question 2: How does this keep happening in this family? 42:46 - Women are property, like livestock 44:50 - Limiting access and adding accountability prevents abuse 47:07 - Question 3: We know nothing about the victim or their family 48:11 - Question 4: Did this follow the same pattern as Josh's cover-up? 49:40 - Questions 5 and 6, Social media and Can Kendra Leave because Joe admitted his crime? 52:01 - Question 7: Purity Culture 52:42 - Question 8: Will this change fundie culture? 54:14 - Question 9: Genetics and Grandpa Duggar 55:35 - If there is a trial we will cover it!Subscribe to Leaving Eden Podcast on YouTube!https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ4q94gAnsoW2jME4SvVrrQJoin our Patreon for extended, uncensored, and ad-free versions of most of our episodes, as well as other patron perks and bonus content!https://www.patreon.com/LeavingEdenPodcastJoin our Facebook group to join in the discussion with other fans!https://www.facebook.com/groups/edenexodusJoin our subreddit! Reddit.com/r/EdenExodusBluesky:@leavingedenpodcast.bsky.social@hellyeahsadie.bsky.social@gavihacohen.bsky.socialInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/leavingedenpodcast/https://www.instagram.com/sadiecarpentermusic/https://www.instagram.com/gavrielhacohen/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first half of a compelling two-part series, Andrew and Laura are joined by sex therapists and researchers Julia Postema and Jeremiah Gibson to unpack the enduring grip of purity culture. Moving beyond simple deconstruction, the conversation explores how high-control religious environments leave lasting "body memories" that manifest as sexual pain, orgasm gaps, and anxious attachment patterns decades later. From the political "Industrial Complex" of the 1990s to the modern-day "manosphere" and wellness culture, Julia and Jeremiah blend clinical data with raw personal vulnerability to illustrate why cognitive shifts aren't always enough to heal the nervous system. This episode is an essential look at the journey from performance-based morality to a values-based, embodied sexuality.Share your purity culture stories with us by leaving a voicemail or sending your story to us!Guest Info: www.sexvangelicals.com Substack (Relationship 101): https://sexvangelicals.substack.com/IG: @sexvangelicalsResources discussed in this episode: The Great Sex Rescue by Sheila GregorieMatthew Bodie bookThis podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. Follow Andrew on Instagram @andrew_kerbsFollow Andrew's post-SDA account @lifeafteradventismFollow Andrew's account on neurodivergence and high control religion @divergent.faith Join Andrew's Substack (Kerb Your Enthusiasm) www.andrewkerbs.substack.com To begin working with Andrew as a coach, schedule your FREE inquiry call hereFollow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com Join Laura's Substack (Therapy in the Headlines) www.drlauraeanderson.substack.com To work with Laura as a coach, therapist, consultant, or to inquire about other services, you can do so hereHosts: Laura Anderson and Andrew KerbsMusic by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji 

I am so excited to bring you this interview with Dr. Kimberly Rose Pendleton. Dr. Kimberly Rose Pendleton is a speaker, teacher, and the founder of UNCOVER, a global movement for pleasure based healing and women's liberation. With a PhD in Women's Studies and Intimacy, she helps women reclaim their power and heal from the conditioning of purity culture. You can find her sharing her mission for unapologetic freedomIn this episode we talk about pleasure as a spiritual path!Kim is one of the incredible leaders in The Embodied Feminine Leadership Revolution event! You can join us here: https://themagneticwoman.com/eventFollow Kim here: Instagram @drkimberlyrosependleton and TikTok @drkimberlyrose!

A proposal in Congress that would impact the abortion pill. A Senate candidate from Texas has some strange theological ideas. The good and bad side of purity culture. And should Christians be connoisseurs of today's art?    Segment 1 – Proposed Mifepristone Ban; The Bible According to Talarico  Hawley proposes bans on mifepristone  A Kind Heretic is Still a Heretic  David French article  Breakpoint article on Talerico  Segment 2 – Purity Culture  A New Purity Culture – First Things  Segment 3 – The State of Conservative Art  First Things article  BBC report  Segment 4 - Questions and Comments   

Natasha is joined by Jennifer Aull on this episode of the Natasha Helfer Podcast. They discuss the male experience with purity culture. Jennifer is passionate about empowering people to live their fullest lives. This dedication has been lived out through some of her personal and professional experiences. Jennifer brings with her a wealth of life experience. Along with her marriage and family therapy practice, Jennifer serves as a pastor at the Greenpoint Reformed Church. She has also worked as a chaplain in both hospital and hospice settings. These experiences have taught her that life can be a journey toward greater awareness and spiritual growth and that such awareness can bring about deep joy and fulfillment. Jennifer enjoys working with clients to help them author an authentic life by examining their most challenging past experiences. By creating a warm, safe, nonjudgmental environment, she encourages clients to assess those elements that are limiting them. Through short-term, solution-focused therapy and deeper relational techniques, Jennifer guides clients to find the relationships they long for. Jennifer is experienced in working with a wide variety of people, regardless of religions, genders, cultures, life circumstances, and sexual orientations. Jennifer is a licensed marriage and family therapist who completed her master's degree in marriage and family therapy at Hofstra University. She also received a bachelor's degree in English literature from San Francisco State University. After working for several years as a technology specialist for several investment banks, Jennifer attended Union Theological Seminary, where she received a Master of Divinity Degree. She is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and a member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy. Jennifer is a certified Prepare/Enrich premarital counselor with ten years of experience helping couples prepare for greater levels of commitment. She is an AASECT certified sex therapist. She has taught as an adjunct professor at Hebrew Union College, Long Island University Brooklyn, Syracuse University and Widener University.  She is expected to complete her PhD in Clinical Sexology from Modern Sex Therapy Institutes in March 2025.  Her dissertation focuses on the impact of purity culture messaging on male sexuality. She is available for both individual and couples therapy.   To help keep this podcast going, please consider donating at natashahelfer.com and share this episode. To watch the video of this podcast, you can subscribe to Natasha's channel on Youtube and follow her professional Facebook page at natashahelfer LCMFT, CST-S. You can find all her cool resources at natashahelfer.com.  The information shared on this program is informational and should not be considered therapy. This podcast addresses many topics around mental health and sexuality and may not be suitable for minors. Some topics may elicit a trigger or emotional response so please care for yourself accordingly. The views, thoughts and opinions expressed by our guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or feelings of Natasha Helfer or the Natasha Helfer Podcast. We provide a platform for open and diverse discussions, and it is important to recognize that different perspectives may be shared. We encourage our listeners to engage in critical thinking and form their own opinions. The intro and outro music for these episodes is by Otter Creek. Thank you for listening. And remember: Symmetry is now offering Ketamine services. To find out more, go to symcounseling.com/ketamine-services. There are also several upcoming workshops. Visit natashahelfer.com or symcounseling.com to find out more.

Send a textWhat if the reason so many women struggle with desire, arousal, and orgasm has nothing to do with their bodies—and everything to do with what they were taught before they even wanted to be sexual? In this episode, Rebecca and I pull together research and real-life stories to trace a thread that runs from how we raise our daughters, to what happens on the wedding night, to why so many women are secretly faking it.THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:To Heal or Harm: Scripture's Use as Poison or Medicine for Abuse Survivors by Dr. Steven Tracy. How to refute it when Bible verses are weaponized!TO SUPPORT US: Join our Patreon for as little as $5 a month to support our work (and get access to the book club!)And check out our Merch, or any of our courses!Give to the Good Fruit Faith Initiative of the Bosko FoundationJoin our email list!LINKS MENTIONED: Our Orgasm Course and Boost Your Libido CourseLove and Respect Docu-SeriesResearch Paper: "Sexual Passion in Adolescence: Examining Its Transmission Through Mothers"Research Paper: "Do Women Withhold Honest Sexual Communication When They Believe Their Partner's Manhood Is Threatened?"Instagram Thread by Ally Jolie (somatic psychologist, UK)Podcast episode on men projecting sexual attention-seeking onto girlsSupport the showJoin Sheila at Bare Marriage.com!Check out her books: The Great Sex Rescue She Deserves Better The Marriage You Want and the Study Guide The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex and The Good Guy's Guide to Great Sex And she has an Orgasm Course and a Libido course too!Check out all her courses, FREE resources, social media, books, and so much more at Sheila's LinkTree.

When Latter-day Saints hear the phrase "Purity Culture," they may associate it more with evangelical churches than with our own. LDS talks and lessons focus on words like virtue, modesty, morality, and chastity to describe our ideals. But regardless of the specific words used, the messages are the same. Therapist C.A. Larson points out, "Purity culture is a moral control system that ties worth to sexual behavior, especially for women. [...] Purity culture in the LDS Church is institutional, enforced through interviews, modesty rules, and silence around consent." In Episode 253, Cynthia and Susan welcome C.A. back to ALSSI for a discussion about Purity Culture: what it is, its psychological and emotional impacts, and its systemic connection to sexual abuse. It's a conversation that makes space for grief and anger, and identifies healing paths. C.A. explains, "Healing is not about becoming more sexual or less sexual. It is about embracing our agency...relearning consent, trusting bodily signals, separating worth from obedience, reclaiming choice, going slowly and allowing ambivalence. You don't owe your body to doctrine, and you don't owe your healing to anyone else's timeline."CW: sexual abuse

Send a textAnna Rollins grew up as the kind of girl who took her faith seriously — and that's exactly why it hurt her so much. In this conversation, Anna and I dig into her memoir Famished: On Food, Sex, and Growing Up as a Good Girl, where she traces how purity culture's messages about desire, self-denial, and the body quietly fueled decades of disordered eating, compulsive exercise, and sexual pain. What strikes me most is that Anna's parents were loving, her church wasn't overtly abusive — and yet the cumulative message she absorbed was shrink yourself.  I think this conversation is going to resonate deeply with so many of you.THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:To Heal or Harm: Scripture's Use as Poison or Medicine for Abuse Survivors by Dr. Steven Tracy. How to refute it when Bible verses are weaponized! https://amzn.to/4rSYkZuTO SUPPORT US: Join our Patreon for as little as $5 a month to support our workAnd check out our Merch, or any of our courses!Give to the Good Fruit Faith Initiative of the Bosko FoundationJoin our email list!LINKS MENTIONED: Get Anna Rollins' book FamishedFollow Anna on SubstackWatch our Love & Respect Docuseries The Portuguese version of The Great Sex RescueThe Chinese version of The Great Sex RescueThe Spanish version of The Good Girl's Guide to Great SexSupport the showJoin Sheila at Bare Marriage.com!Check out her books: The Great Sex Rescue She Deserves Better The Marriage You Want and the Study Guide The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex and The Good Guy's Guide to Great Sex And she has an Orgasm Course and a Libido course too!Check out all her courses, FREE resources, social media, books, and so much more at Sheila's LinkTree.

How should Christians handle conflict in the church? Why do Jesus and Paul call us to pursue peace and bear with one another? Pastor Adriel Sanchez and Aaron Simon discuss church hurt, respond to influencers addressing religious trauma, and explore how to pursue reconciliation within the church. PARTNER WITH US - https://solamedia.org/partner/?sc=AS2502V When you become a partner today, you'll receive two remarkable books as our thanks: Rediscovering the Holy Spirit by Dr. Michael Horton and Praying with Jesus by Pastor Adriel Sanchez. We believe these books can guide you into a clearer understanding of the Spirit's work and a richer prayer life. FOLLOW US YouTube | Instagram | X/Twitter | Facebook | Newsletter WHO WE ARE Sola is home to White Horse Inn, Core Christianity, Modern Reformation, and Theo Global. Our mission is to serve today's global church by producing resources for reformation grounded in the historic Christian faith. Our vision is to see reformation in hearts, homes, and churches around the world. Learn more: https://solamedia.org/