When Youth Group Taught You Fear, Not Faith

What happens when the faith that was supposed to save you becomes the thing you need saving from? Thomas Edmonds grew up in fear-based youth group culture. This is a conversation about navigating the messy middle of faith transition when the religion that raised you was built on control, not connection. About the transition anxiety of leaving behind everything you were taught and the major life changes that come with deconstructing fear-based faith. For anyone wondering what's left when you strip away the shame. Thomas shares what it's like to realize your faith was fear, how to rebuild belief without the scaffolding of punishment, and why starting over spiritually means grieving the community you lost. You'll hear about found family after leaving church family, boundaries with people still in the system, and the grief of losing certainty. In this episode: - Faith transition after fear-based Christianity - The anxiety of leaving the only faith you knew - Grief for the community you lost - Starting over spiritually from scratch - Fear as control in youth group culture - Found family vs. church family - Boundaries with people who can't accept your deconstruction - Navigating major life changes in belief and belonging If you're navigating an identity shift, reevaluating faith, or trying to make peace with your past without rewriting it, this episode offers language, perspective, and a way to stay grounded in the gray without overthinking what you "should" believe. Because healing doesn't require pretending it was all bad—or all good. Get Connected & Support the Show: - Listen to the companion podcast: It's Both- Guided Meditations for Anxiety, Emotional Regulation, & Real Life Transitions - Subscribe, rate, & review It's Both on Apple Podcasts - Join the Courageous Living Group Transformation - Sign up for Hungryroot and get $50 off your first box - It's Both on Instagram & Youtube