REST: Recovering from Spiritual Trauma

Send us Fan MailShe’s back! My daughter joins me again in this episode and we unpack our family’s story of regret around tithing. She gives us the perspective of a child growing up in a high control church culture, a perspective rarely if ever heard or heeded. We welcome all feedback. You can reach us at [email protected] us on Instagram and Facebook

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, the history of Christian tithing is fully explored and its Biblical claims examined. Statistics quoted in the episode come from The Religion Business, a 7-part investigative docuseries that exposes a growing problem in the nonprofit and religious sector—lack of transparency and oversight. Through investigative reporting and real-world cases, it reveals how well-meaning intentions can mask financial mismanagement, ethical lapses, and broken trust with donors and communities.The Religion Business websiteThe Religion Business InstagramThe Religion Business YouTubeWe welcome all feedback. You can reach us at [email protected]  

Send us Fan MailI’m back today with Mike Adams of the UnSunday Show. A former pastor, he left organized religion once he discovered just how free he really is in Jesus under the New Covenant. He now seeks to “unsunday” the modern church by sharing his story on his UnSunday Show podcast and YouTube channel. If you’ve ever wondered just what Christians should -and should not- be doing with Sunday or a Sabbath Day, you’ve come to the right place. The UnSunday Show websiteThe UnSunday Show InstagramThe UnSunday show TikTokThe UnSunday Show YouTube ChannelReach us at: [email protected]

Send us Fan MailOur guest for this episode is Theresa Garcia Robertson, one of 5 girls - now women- who were abused by a pastor or elder in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) and specifically the Presbytery of the Southeast (PSE). Her story first broke on the Sons of Patriarchy podcast which you can listen to here:Sons of Patriarchy episode Apple PodcastsSons of Patriarchy episode Spotify podcastsCaroline Garcia Osborne's (Theresa's younger sister and main victim of Boyd Miller) episode on Sons of PatriarchyNoelle Well's report on the Presbytery of the Southeast's meeting about the caseGoogle drive docs of all the case files pertaining to Boyd Miller & Covenant OPCAre you in the OPC, and need help? Contact: Presbyterian Advocacy CoalitionWe welcome all feedback. You can reach us at: [email protected]

Send us Fan MailOur guest for this episode is Brian Lee: pastor, coach, and speaker as well as a survivor of spiritual abuse and religious trauma. He has spent his time since leaving vocational ministry in 2021 working to provide recovery and resources for fellow victims and survivors via the creation of an online healing platform called Broken to Beloved. He hosts a multi-day virtual Annual Summit there to help survivors find paths through their healing journey, as well as ongoing cohorts of healing, a podcast, and online book club. Broken to Beloved websiteB2B Apple podcast B2B Spotify podcastB2B InstagramWe welcome all feedback. You can reach us at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailWelcome to Season 3! In this kickoff episode I welcome poet Brittany Hart as she shares excerpts from her new book, Surviving Wonderland: A Journey Beyond Control.  She is an author and poet who writes at the intersection of spiritual trauma, recovery, and the slow rebuilding of a liberated self. Her debut collection, Surviving Wonderland: A Journey Beyond Control, transforms her lived experience in a high-control religious group into art that speaks to anyone reclaiming their voice after harm. She now supports fellow survivors through creative writing, online guides, and spaces of gentle, grounded healing. Her journey has been as chaotic as Alice's fall down the rabbit hole. Brittany follows the White Rabbit of the IHOPKC movement into a spiritually traumatic world, making herself small in order to fit their prescribed formulas. You can follow her work here:InstagramSubstackBe sure to follow the NEW RE.S.T. Facebook page here as well as Instagram.As always, we welcome all feedback. Reach out to us at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailIn this episode I continue my conversation with the husband and wife grace team, Mike and Susan Adams, hosts of the podcasts The UnSunday Show and The Grace Café. In the last episode, they each shared their stories of how they met Jesus and why they started their podcasts. In this episode we focus our conversation on the covenants found in the Bible. We will be discussing the way certain churches have created a whole belief system called covenant theology. This system is an unbiblical way that they control believers by convincing them that they are bound to keep part of the Old Covenant law.You can find all of Mike and Susan's resources here: Grace Cafe Podcast websiteThe UnSunday Show websiteThe UnSunday Show InstagramThe UnSunday show TikTokThe UnSunday Show YouTube ChannelThe Grace Cafe YouTube ChannelReach us at: [email protected]

Send us Fan MailI’m thrilled to welcome guests Mike and Susan Adams, who self- identify as the husband and wife grace team. They are the creators and hosts of 2 podcasts: The UnSunday Show, which asks honest questions about the origin and validity of institutional church rules, traditions, and practices. They engage in conversations around the freedom we’ve been given apart from empty religious obligation. The other podcast is called The Grace Cafe, where they both share more about their own journey toward the full freedom that is ours in Christ under His new covenant of grace. Grace Cafe Podcast websiteThe UnSunday Show websiteThe UnSunday Show InstagramThe UnSunday show TikTokThe UnSunday Show YouTube ChannelThe Grace Cafe YouTube ChannelReach us at: [email protected]

Send us Fan MailIn this episode I’m joined again by my daughter as we discuss the interview I recently posted in S2E4 with Dr. Andrew Bauman, author of Safe Church: How to Guard Against Sexism and Abuse in Christian Communities. You can find all of Dr.Bauman’s resources here:Andrew's websiteFollow him on Facebookand here on InstagramBuy the Safe Church book hereOther abuse support:Outreach Inc- a resource to support spiritual abuse survivorsOPC Presbyterian Advocacy CoalitionPresbyterian Pew (PCA abuse support)The RE.S.T. podcast emailTo all our local listeners in the Charlotte, NC area: My husband and I are considering opening our home for weekly informal drop-ins. These would be spaces where we can continue the conversation around the issues in the podcast. If you would be interested, please send me an email ( above) and I will send you the details.

Send us Fan MailI’m thrilled to welcome to this episode Dr. Andrew Bauman. A therapist and author, he is Founder & Director of the Christian Counseling Center For Sexual Health & Trauma alongside his wife Dr. Christy Bauman.  Andrew is the author of 7 books including The Sexually Healthy Man,  Stumbling Toward Wholeness, and The Psychology of Porn. We will be discussing his newest book Safe Church, which is an honest look at how misogyny masquerades as biblical truth. It is meant to be a vital resource for pastors, church leaders, and anyone who wants to guard against sexism and abuse in Christian communities.Andrew's websiteFollow him on Facebookand here on InstagramBuy the Safe Church book hereReach us at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailMy daughter joins me again as we unpack the last episode where I interviewed Peter Bell of the Sons of Patriarchy podcast. We discuss how the exposure of abuse stories by the SOP resonated with our own experiences in that denomination. You can find all the offerings for abuse survivors by the Sons of Patriarchy here:Sons of Patriarchy Apple podcast Sons of Patriarchy YouTubeSons of Patriarchy InstagramSons of Patriarchy links to Google drive documents of OPC abuse casesPeter's emailOutreach Inc- a resource to support spiritual abuse survivorsOPC Presbyterian Advocacy CoalitionPresbyterian Pew ( PCA abuse support)We welcome all feedback. You can reach us at: The RE.S.T. podcast email

Send us Fan MailIn this episode I interview Peter Bell, creator of the Sons of Patriarchy podcast which is described as : “What happens when biblical patriarchy, christian nationalism, and a theology of authority and submission become the pillars of a movement? Scores of abuse stories in marriages, schools, churches, families, and more.”Sons of Patriarchy Apple podcast Sons of Patriarchy YouTubeSons of Patriarchy InstagramSons of Patriarchy links to Google drive documents of OPC abuse casesPeter's email:[email protected] Inc- a resource to support spiritual abuse survivorsOPC Presbyterian Advocacy CoalitionPresbyterian Pew ( PCA abuse support)Reach us at:  [email protected]

Send us Fan MailThis is the first episode of our second season. You’ll find the bulk of our story in the episodes of season one. I am joined again by my daughter on this kickoff episode as we reflect on season one and share the direction the podcast will take from here. We welcome all feedback and want to hear your stories. You can reach us at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailI'm going solo again in this episode, reviewing a book by Pastor Terran Williams called How God Sees Women: The End of Patriarchy. It explores the roots of Christian patriarchy and how culture- not the Bible- has formed much of the Church's opinions of women over the centuries. Here are the other links mentioned in this episode:The Danvers StatementInterview: What happens when a pastor sets out to prove complementarianism Instagram reel of a "scold's bridle"September book discussion in my home: The Making of Biblical Womanhood by Beth Allison Barr. Please connect with me at the email below if you would like to join in. As always, we welcome your comments. You can reach us [email protected]

Send us Fan MailWe wrap up our conversation with Cait West, author of RIFT:  A Memoir of Breaking Away from Christian Patriarchy. Cait's InstagramCait's FacebookCait's websiteBelow you'll find resources Cait suggests for engaging in a healing journey from spiritual trauma:Tears of EdenSurvivors Discuss podcastFor those interested in exploring the transition of Old Covenant to New:My Instagram page @All.Things.NewWe welcome all feedback and comments. You can always reach us at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailWe are honored to be joined by Cait West, author of RIFT: A Memoir of Breaking Away from Christian Patriarchy. My daughter and I dialog with her about the book and the story behind it, as well as our shared connection to the same high control denomination where we encountered harm. You can find RIFT hereCait's InstagramCait's FacebookCait's websiteAs always, we welcome your comments and feedback. You can reach us at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailIn this episode we continue with part 2 of our book review of the new memoir by Cait West called RIFT. We pick up with discussing the views both in the book and in our former congregation around singleness, courtship, and marriage.If you are needing resources related to mental health and/or spiritual trauma, find links below that have been personally helpful to us:RIFT by Cait WestPodcast: The Place We Find OurselvesPodcast: The Allender CenterBook: A Church Called TovBook: When Narcissism Comes to ChurchAs always, you can reach us with your comments and feedback at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailIn this episode we discuss a new spiritual trauma memoir called RIFT.  The author grew up in the same denomination that we left and therefore we each find her book insightful and relatable.  RIFT by Cait West purchasing linkCait's Instagram pageAs always, we welcome your feedback and comments. You can reach us at [email protected].

Send us Fan MailI'm going solo in this episode, sharing the story of my life that led me to join a high control religious (HCR) community. Our stories always lead the way and to attune to them and their power over our choices is to gain clarity.Here are the links mentioned in this episode:Rift by Cait WestAll.Things.New Instagram pageAs always, we welcome your comments and feedback at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailThis is the final installment of my conversation with a former member of the same church we left. In the past two episodes she has shared some of the reasons they were attracted to the church in the first place as well as  aspects of her childhood story of religious trauma that she was beginning to see in this church’s culture.In this last chapter my guest shares the final red flags and events that drove them to leave the congregation.  As always, we welcome your comments and feedback: [email protected]

Send us Fan MailIn this episode I continue my conversation with another former member of the same church community we left.  She shares in particular how she suffered under religious trauma as a child in a patriarchal home and how it both impacted and clarified her experience in this rigid faith community.Here are links to the resources mentioned in the episode:⁠Cultivating Kids, Enriching Parents⁠⁠Thy Rod and Staff They Comfort Me⁠⁠Facebook page⁠⁠Instagram page⁠⁠ Instagram page⁠⁠Instagram page⁠If you have comments or questions, we'd love to hear from you: [email protected]

Send us Fan MailIn this episode I am joined by a guest who was also a member of the same high- control church. She shares her family's attraction to the community in the first place and what were some of the initial red flags that ultimately led to their departure. This episode does discuss spanking and other sensitive topics so may not be appropriate for small children. Link mentioned in episode:G.R.A.C.E.: Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment

Send us Fan MailIn this episode we discuss the uncomfortable feeling of cognitive dissonance we experienced in our high control religious culture. Intense self doubt and feelings of confusion characterized many of our years there as the black-and-white teaching collided with what our gut was telling us. We had a choice to make, and it wasn't easy. As always we love to hear from our listeners and invite those who have had similar experiences to join us a guest on future episodes. You can reach us at [email protected]

Send us Fan MailIn this episode we discuss the roles of men and women in the church as well as the presence of patriarchy. As always, we welcome your comments and feedback at: [email protected]

Send us Fan MailIn this episode we pick up where we left off from Episode 4 discussing Education & Homeschooling (Part 1) . The perspective of a child raised in a high control church culture is again insightful, rare, and essential. We would love to hear your stories of being homeschooled, good or bad. You can contact us  at: [email protected] 

Send us Fan MailIn this episode we will be discussing how our church's high control culture affected how families educated their children.  The perspective of a child growing up in this environment is particularly critical to know, as it is often overlooked when considering educational choices.  We will continue this story in Part 2 ~Episode 5.We would love to hear your stories of growing up under the influence of homeschooling. You can reach us by email :  [email protected]

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, we discuss the format of our church's Sunday services, Sunday School, and style of worship music from the  perspective of a child-  one that is often overlooked and dismissed.  

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, we discuss the immense struggle our family faced surrounding the way our church  viewed Sundays.Here are links mentioned in the episode for further exploration of this topic:Instagram pageThe Sabbath Debate on YouTubeA helpful book entitled From Sabbath to Lord's Day

Send us Fan MailIn this first episode, we share an overview of our experience in a high control church culture. We begin to focus in on some of the definitive experiences that began to reveal themselves as potentially damaging. *Correction: In the podcast it was incorrectly stated that the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF)  mentions bookending the Lord's Day; it should be clarified that this was simply the teaching & practice of our particular church.  Also, it was stated incorrectly that membership vows were taken directly to uphold the WCF; it was rather to "submit to the government of the church" and its doctrine, which was founded on the WCF.