Alissa's Awake

Are Jehovah's Witnesses a cult? It's one of the most common questions asked about the organization and in this video, we're taking an honest, evidence based look at the answer. Instead of relying on stereotypes or opinions, I compare Jehovah's Witnesses to the BITE Model, a framework developed by ‪@drstevenhassan‬ to identify characteristics of high-control groups and undue influence. We'll examin...

Today I had the privilege of sitting down with Eva who shares her incredible journey from being recruited into Jehovah's Witnesses in post-Soviet Latvia to eventually escaping after more than 20 years inside the organization. She was only 15 years old when she was baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. What followed was years of judgment, conditional love, and being permanently labeled for choice...

Today I had the privilege of sitting down with Gina as she shares one of the most heartbreaking stories. Gina devoted her life to her faith and raising her twin daughters. But after being disfellowshipped, everything changed. What followed was years of fear, manipulation, false accusations, CPS investigations, family betrayal, and a custody battle that ultimately separated her from her children. D...

Today I had the privilege of sitting down with Chelsey as she courageously shares her personal journey. Born and raised in the Jehovah's Witnesses she questioned her faith at a young age, and ultimately walked away before adulthood. From being treated as "bad association" by her own family, to being scrutinized by elders, pressured into harmful relationships, and blamed for speaking up about abuse...

Today I had the privilege of sitting down with Hannah and Alexis, two best friends whose lives were deeply impacted by their time in the organization. They experienced significant trauma, including abuse and assault, and witnessed firsthand how harmful behavior can be hidden within the religion. Everything changed when Hannah was disfellowshipped, leaving Alexis with the painful expectation of shu...

Today I had the privilege of sitting down with Denise as she courageously shares her personal journey. I interviewed her daughter Audrey and now she's ready to share her side of the story. Denise shares how she found Jehovah’s Witnesses later in life while searching for the truth. She, her husband, and their young daughters fully embraced the religion and built their lives around it. Everything ch...

Today I had the privilege of sitting down with Zaiga as she courageously shares her personal journey. She opens up about how she found the Jehovah's Witnesses in Latvia as a teenager and while her life as one wasn't long, she had years of dealing with the impact those teachings had on her. Despite being disfellowshipped for over 10 years, it took an ex-elder meeting up with her to help her see thi...

Today I had the privilege of sitting down with Ashley as she courageously shares her personal journey. She opens up about how life as one of Jehovah's Witnesses left her feeling deeply depressed, emotionally hollow, and struggling to find herself. She also witnessed firsthand the devastating way the organization handled CSA allegations and tragically lost a childhood friend as a result. Now, Ashle...

Today I had the privilege of sitting down with Desiree as she shares her personal journey. She shares what it was like feeling like she didn’t belong from a very young age, yet continuing to play a role to keep family and friends happy. After one Google search, everything changed. The beliefs she had always questioned came crashing down when she discovered information about Raymond Franz and his b...

Today I had the privilege of sitting down with Bobbie as she shares her deeply personal journey. She discusses what it was like being a child during 1975, including the fear that was deeply engrained in her. To her experience with injustices within the congregation, from being reproved for her own SA to the mishandling of CSA. She discusses how ignoring her intuition kept her trapped in the organi...

Today I had the privilege of sitting down with Jasmin as she shares her deeply personal journey. Born and raised as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jasmin experienced the pain of losing her father to shunning after he left the organization and tried to gently challenge her beliefs. She devoted her life to the religion, pioneering and eventually serving as a need greater, which led her to Cambodia, lea...

In this powerful episode, Roxanne ‪ shares her raw and deeply personal story of growing up in a high-control religious environment and the lasting impact it had on her life. Born into the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Roxanne opens up about childhood trauma, abuse she endured, and the pressure to suppress her identity from a young age. After leaving the organization, she found herself navigating a world sh...

In this powerful episode, Beata shares her journey as a Jehovah’s Witness, from her upbringing in Poland to her eventual move to Australia. She opens up about her early spiritual experiences, deep commitment to the organization, and the doubts that slowly began to surface. Beata reflects on both the positive and difficult aspects of life inside the Jehovah’s Witness community, including the challe...

Today I had the privilege of sitting down with Carolina as she shares her story of how she was indoctrinated from a baby without her own parents ever being Jehovah's Witnesses. Though she was never baptized she discusses the manipulation, control, and indoctrination she experienced from a young age, the long-term effects on her mental health, and the importance of setting boundaries. She wanted to...

Today I had the privilege of sitting down with Deanna for ‪@CultToFreedom‬ she shares of how she lost everything but has since completely rebuilt her life. Raised as a fifth-generation Jehovah’s Witness, Deanna was deeply involved in the organization from a young age. From helping build the Mexico Bethel facility, to being a need greater in Dominican Republic, she was heavily involved and fully be...

Today I had the privilege of sitting down with Audrey as she shares her powerful and deeply personal story about growing up as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and the journey that eventually led her to question the organization she was raised to trust. Audrey’s family was first introduced to the religion after a simple knock on the door from Jehovah’s Witnesses, a moment that would ultimately shape the...

Today, I had the honor of sitting down with Ardys to share her powerful and deeply personal story. Introduced to the organization at a young age, Ardys always had a sincere love for God. As a teenager, she faced an unplanned pregnancy that led to a marriage she wasn’t ready for, setting the stage for years of emotional and spiritual struggles. For a long time, she found herself going in and out of...

Today, I had the honor of sitting down with Sherry to hear her powerful story. From a traumatic childhood to joining the Jehovah’s Witnesses at just 14 years old. She endured unimaginable trauma and witnessed firsthand how abuse victims were handled within the organization. But her story doesn’t end there. After walking away, Sherry made the brave decision to stop living from a place of victimhood...

Today I spoke with Eva, who has been out for 22 years. She shared how her 16-year-old son’s disfellowshipping became the turning point that pushed her to seriously question everything. When an elder told her she was asking too many questions, she walked out of the Kingdom Hall and never returned. She explained that her doubts began as early as 8 years old. As a teenager, she watched 1975 come and...

Today I sat down with Summer for a long overdue catch up. I first interviewed her last year, and in this conversation she opens up about where she is now on her healing journey, what’s helped her along the way, and how she’s learning to truly live life out loud. Summer also talks about her recently released book, The Children of Mother Gaia, a cult horror novel inspired by her knowledge of growing...

This week, I sat down with Paulina who spent years playing the role of the perfect Jehovah's Witness, all while try to plan her escape. Her story sheds light on not only how hard it truly is to leave, but on how outward appearances don't always show what the person is internally going through.

New light was leaked early and as of Friday March 20 it was confirmed via a Governing Body update. This one got me fired up! I sincerely hope more people continue to open their eyes and wake up in the cult that is, Jehovah's Witnesses.

Every year around this time, thousands of former Jehovah’s Witnesses receive the same message: “Are you coming to the Memorial this year?” For many ex-JWs, that invitation isn’t just a simple question, it’s often filled with pressure, guilt, and emotional expectations from family still inside the organization. On this episode, I talk about why saying “no” to the Jehovah’s Witness Memorial can be o...

During this conversation, I sat down with Sandra to share her raw and honest journey. She wasn’t born into the religion, she joined in her twenties, after being raised Catholic. Over the next 20 years, she endured deeply painful and challenging experiences. Her story sheds light not only on the misogyny that is rampant within the organization, but also on how easily a woman can become trapped in a...

In this conversation Phey discusses life growing up Jehovah's Witness, how she had doubts creep in around 15 and what her life looked like after she asked to be disfellowshipped to finally break free. She talks a lot about deconstructing and rebuilding her life, and how others can do the same.