Flying Free from Spiritual and Emotional Abuse: A Conversation with Natalie Hoffman

In this powerful and enlightening episode, I sit down with Natalie Hoffman, author of All the Scary Little Gods, to discuss her journey of deconstructing from emotional and spiritual abuse, and helping others do the same. We explore the deep work of deprogramming from rigid belief systems and aligning your faith with your core values. Natalie Hoffman shares insights on alleviating shame tied to mental health and faith, and how writing from and for your parts can facilitate profound healing. Together, we dive into the impacts of spiritual abuse, the challenge of being excommunicated by your church and family for questioning religious institutions, and the lies that rigid beliefs instill—such as the idea that faith and God are confined to a church. Natalie Hoffman offers hope and wisdom for overcoming the fear and shame perpetuated by these systems, and the courage it takes to speak out, especially as a woman. We also explore the transformative power of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, including empathetic witnessing, solo parts work, and how to use these tools for healing, emotional intelligence, and reclaiming your spirituality. This episode is for anyone questioning their faith, seeking to break free from fear-based religious programming, or searching for a deeper connection to their true self and spiritual beliefs. _______________________ Topics Discussed: Natalie’s book, All the Scary Little Gods Helping women with spiritual and emotional abuse in religious contexts Deprogramming and deconstructing from rigid belief systems Aligning faith with core values and personal resonance Alleviating shame connected to mental health and faith Writing from parts to connect with parts The power of empathetic witnessing in IFS therapy Solo parts work for healing and emotional intelligence Impacts of spiritual abuse on mental health Being excommunicated by a church or family for questioning beliefs Fear and shame created by rigid religious programming The lie that God and faith are confined to a church Letting go of fear instilled by religious teachings Speaking out and reclaiming your voice as a woman Tune in for an inspiring and thought-provoking conversation that will challenge you to explore, heal, and redefine your relationship with faith and spirituality. ___________________ Natalie Hoffman is the author of Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage and All the Scary Little Gods, as well as the host of the Flying Free podcast. A mother, grandmother, educator, and passionate advocate, Natalie is dedicated to empowering women of faith in abusive homes and religious communities. Through her Flying Free Sisterhood program, Natalie provides education, support, and mentorship, helping women discover their voices, embrace their gifts, and make adult choices for their spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being. Listeners can connect with Natalie and access resources on her website at www.flyingfreenow.com. By signing up on her homepage, you'll receive a free chapter of her book Is It Me? and its companion workbook. This chapter is designed to help assess whether you're in an emotionally abusive relationship—an often confusing experience for many victims. Discover more about Natalie’s work and her mission to inspire healing and freedom for women of faith. ____________________ Want to work with Natalie? Contact her below   Website: https://www.ndwellnessservices.com/   Contact: https://www.ndwellnessservices.com/contact    Instagram: @nataliedeering _____________________________   Donate to the podcast Here!    Interested in sponsoring an episode of the podcast? Upgrade your business and let more people know about your amazing services or products by reaching hundreds to thousands of people by sponsoring an episode for only $100!  Please email [email protected] for more information.  Thank you for the support!    *Please support the podcast by following, rating, and leaving a review*