Deconstructing Mamas

After eight seasons, countless conversations, and a whole lot of laughter, tears, unraveling, and becoming, we are releasing our final episode of the Deconstructing Mamas podcast. This one is different. Instead of one long conversation, we’re weaving together short, meaningful snippets from every season — tiny heartbeats that capture the essence of what this journey has been for us and for so many...

In this powerful and honest conversation, Esther and Liz sit down with returning guest and friend Dr. Glenn Siepert — author, artist, and creator of The What If Project. Together, they explore: ✨ What it feels like when faith unravels… again Glenn shares the disorienting (and strangely hopeful) experience of realizing that the beliefs that once felt solid no longer hold up — and how returning to...

In this third-to-last episode of Deconstructing Mamas, we talk about one of the biggest questions we’ve been asked over the past four years: What does community look like now, after everything we’ve lost? For so many of us, the communities we left behind were built around sameness — shared beliefs, shared behaviors, shared expectations. Belonging depended on staying inside the lines, and when we s...

We sat down with Rev. Benjamin Cremer , writer, pastor, and creator of Into the Gray , to talk about what it looks like to hold sacred anger with open hands. This conversation stretched from “What if I’m wrong?” to “How do we keep from passing our pain along?” We talked about retributive vs. restorative justice, how lament can heal our nervous systems, and why gentleness might just be the most rad...

In this vulnerable and deeply human conversation, Esther and Lizz open up about the long, complicated process of learning to trust their emotions — after being raised in systems that taught them not to. They talk about what it means to rebuild emotional safety after high-control religion, where feelings were often dismissed as sinful, deceptive, or dangerous. Together, they explore how learning to...

Licensed psychologist and author Dr. Camden Morgante joins us to explore the “middle path” from DBT and how it reshapes faith, nervous-system healing, sexuality, and parenting after high-control religion. We talk about spiritual bypassing versus true healing, pendulation in EMDR, setting wise boundaries, and cultivating a values-based sexual ethic. The middle path costs something. It also grows de...

In this week’s episode, Lizz and Esther talk about the in-between —that blurry stretch between certainty and freedom. We talk about control and compassion, about nervous systems that don’t need theology as much as safety, and about finding community outside the old walls of church. We don’t have tidy answers (we’ve tried those before). But we do have a few anchors for the fog. Anchors for the In-B...

We sat down with Shelly Robinson , founder of Raising Yourself , for a conversation about parenting on two levels at once. It’s packed with wisdom, humor, humility, and practical tools for those messy moments when your nervous system wants to hijack the show. 👇 Here’s what you’ll find inside 👇 Certified wellness coach and Raising Yourself founder Shelly Robinson returns to talk about parenting t...

In this week’s episode, we dive straight into the heart of fear-based parenting — where it comes from, how it still shows up, and how we begin to choose something different. We ask ourselves the questions we wish someone had asked us years ago: What were we taught — explicitly or implicitly — about what made someone a “godly” or “good” parent? How did those teachings shape how we viewed our kids —...

If you’ve ever stepped away from high-control religion, you know there’s a cost. Sometimes it’s obvious—the loss of community, relationships, or even belonging in your own family.  Other times, it’s invisible—the quiet grief of realizing the certainty you once clung to has slipped away, leaving you feeling untethered. This week on the podcast, we’re digging into that cost—naming the wounds, tellin...

Welcome to Season Eight! This is the beginning of the final season of our podcast! This week, the two of us are chatting through these questions: 1. What’s one word or image that comes to mind when you think about this podcast’s beginning? 2. What was the ache or question we were carrying that made us want to start this show? 3. Can you remember a moment early on when you thought, “Yes, this matte...

Our episode this week is with our own Lizz Enns Petters, mom of two, author and podcast hostess. Our conversation is full of laughter, seriousness and our decision to have permission to explore our faith, along with Lizz's latest accomplishment of being published in a new children's Bible called God's Stories as Told by God's Children . We chat through these questions: 1. You r...

“There's a misconception that once you leave religion, you magically learn everything you missed about relationships and sex” - The Sexvangelicals Our episode this week is with Jeremiah Gibson and Julia Postema, sex and relationship therapists, coaching and podcast hosts specializing in recovery from high-control religion as it relates to relationships and sexual intimacy. Our conversation is...

''Without women we don’t have Jesus. We don’t have Christianity. We don’t have any of it.” (Claire K. McKeever-Burgett) Our episode this week is with Claire K. McKeever-Burgett, mom of two and author of Blessed are the Women: Naming and Reclaiming Women's Stories from the Gospels. Our conversation is full of wisdom, both fierce and tender, and the reclamation of the divine feminine...

'''Diligent study is precisely what got us here." Jamin Coller Our episode this week is with Jamin Coller, dad of six, podcaster and author of Dear Evangelicals . Our conversation is passionate, funny and so very eye-opening. We chat through these questions: 1.   Your book, Dear Evangelicals , frames deconstruction not as rebellion, but as a painful act of integrity after &quot...

'''Our job as parents is not to make other people comfortable with how we raise our kids, Our job is to make sure our kids grow up in a family where they’re comfortable being exactly who they are.'' Shelly Robinson Our episode this week is with Rachel Pinto-Martin, founder of Self Love, Healthy Boundaries Coaching, mom of two, former Mormon and fierce Queer ally and advoca...

"Where did we ever get the notion that in order for children to behave better, they first have to feel worse?"  Our episode this week is with Wendy Snyder, founder of Fresh Start Family, mom of two teens, podcaster and certified positive (or as she likes to call it), powerful parenting coach. On this episode, we talk with Wendy about what it means to be an empowered parent and how can we...

"In the end, Jesus proved that forgiveness is more powerful than punches and kicks.  And in the end, love wins over hate." - Jared Neusch and Connor Shram in their book: Jesus vs. the Bad Guys Our episode this week is with two dads, one a corn hole champion and Biblical scholar (Dr. Jared Neusch) and the other a comedian and change-maker (Connor Shram), both authors of a new book perfect...

You don’t have to the answers to why Jesus died to talk about Easter with your kids. (Sarah Swartzendruber) Our episode this week is with our resident Children's Pastor, childhood development expert, mom to two and Bible scholar, Sarah Swartzendruber. On this episode, we talk with Sarah about reimagining the Easter story by diving into atonement theories and practical ways we can talk about i...

The worst thing we ever did is pretend God isn’t the easiest thing in this Universe available to every soul in every breath. (Chelan Harkin) Our episode this week is with Chelan Harkin, mama to two and mystical poet extraordinaire. On this episode, we talk with Chelan about growing up in the Baha'i faith, the courage it takes to question what you've been told all your life, how our faith...

With regard to the question, “Do you believe in God?” I do not care much about your answer. But if I were to ask the last five people with whom you’ve interacted if you were kind, about those answers I care very much. (Rabbi Brian Zachary Mayer) Our episode this week is with Rabbi Brian Zachary Mayer, dad, author of the brilliant book, Highly Unorthodox Gospel, (also known as HUG), French Horn pla...

Doubt is another word for imagination. (Liz Charlotte Grant) Our episode this week is with Liz Charlotte Grant, mom, author of the new brilliant book, Knock at the Sky: Seeking God in Genesis After Losing Faith in the Bible , artist and lover of the Bible. On this episode, we talk with Liz about all things related to seeking God through Scripture even as our faith continues to evolve.  We chat thr...

What we're learning is that God is comfortable with questions. In fact, our questions are often where God want to meet us. (Erin Hicks Moon) Our episode this week is with Erin Hicks Moon, mom, author of the new brilliant book, I've Got Questions, Zac Efron apologist (it's a thing y'all), and self-proclaimed Bible-nerd. On this episode, we talk with Erin about all things related...

"Purity culture presents a false dichotomy: restraint or chaos.  The real alternative?  Sexual empowerment - the freedom to experience intimacy on your own meaningful terms." (Joshua Harris) Our episode this week is with Joshua Harris, former pastor and the author of I Kissed Dating Goodbye , released at the height of purity culture, and currently on an highly sacred, evolving spiritual...

"When our faith shifts, sometimes stories that once felt magical like Christmas feel complicated. We can still feel empowered by the magical parts of the story while leaving room for age appropriate theology and curiosity with the story." (Sarah Swartzendruber) Our episode this week is with Sarah Swartzendruber, Sarah is a mama, pastor, kid's faith curriculum creator (Zippee) and co...