Hello Deconstructionists

Scott is a former English professor turned writer and podcaster. His first book, Asian American Apostate: Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University came out last year. Scott is also the host of the Chapel Probation podcast and a co-host of the Asians in Baseball podcast. Connect with Scott: Website: https://www.rscottokamoto.com/ | Axis Mundi Media: https://www.axismundi.us/a...

Cait West is a writer and editor based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She is the author of Rift: A Memoir of Breaking Away from Christian Patriarchy (Eerdmans). Her work has been published in The Revealer, Religion Dispatches, Fourth Genre and Hawai’i Pacific Review, among others. As an advocate and a survivor of the Christian patriarchy movement, she serves on the editorial board for Tears of Eden, a...

Erica Smith is an award winning sexuality educator and consultant with over 20 years of experience. Throughout her career, she has provided comprehensive sex education and advocacy to young women and LGBTQ+ youth in Philadelphia’s juvenile justice system, worked in abortion care, and supported HIV+ and transgender adolescents and their families. In 2019, she developed the Purity Culture Dropout™️...

Jess, a former Christian, is a host of the podcast You Can’t Get to Heaven in a Miniskirt. In her podcast, hosted with her best friend Sarah, they delve into the nuances of purity culture and shared experiences within Christianity. With over 20 years of friendship, their podcast explores the depths of their past in church-related activities, deconstructing aspects of their former faith while shari...

Sarah, a former Christian, is a host of the podcast You Can’t Get to Heaven in a Miniskirt. In her podcast, hosted with her best friend Jessica, they delve into the nuances of purity culture and shared experiences within Christianity. With over 20 years of friendship, their podcast explores the depths of their past in church-related activities, deconstructing aspects of their former faith while sh...

Angela is a faith deconstruction coach and host of The Deconstructing Faith Summit. She helps people break free from toxic religious culture & empowers them to recover from #churchhurt. She’s a firstborn, Enneagram 8, Gen Xer who loves to question everything. She holds a BA from Indiana Wesleyan and a Master’s in Leadership from Wesley Seminary. Her graduate research project focused on leaders...

Emily Maynard is a licensed therapist in southern California focusing on helping people heal from religious trauma and dysfunctional families. She loves reading books, baking, and swearing. Connect with Emily: Website: https://emilymaynardtherapy.com/ | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilymaynardlmft/ | Threads: https://www.threads.net/@emilymaynardlmft Connect with Maggie: Instagram: https:...

Welcome to our first Bonus Episode with Kate Harrigan, which I’ve decided to call an “Emery Board Episode.” Think, filing your nails with a glass of wine and throwing a little shade at the church. I’m channeling that painting your nails emoji we all love to use when we get a little sassy. My conversation with my sister was too much fun to cut off at the normal “just under an hour” mark, So I’m giv...

Kate (she/her) grew up in a fundamentalist, evangelical church. She did her best to make religion fit in her life, but after leaving high school, she began to explore and enjoy life outside of the church with less guilt and shame. She is now a professor of linguistics at William & Mary, where she helps her students learn how to think critically, a skill that helped her in her own journey out o...

Jeremy Schumacher is a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist with 15 years of experience in the mental health field. Jeremy has expertise in relationship counseling, religious trauma, and sports performance. While Jeremy spent much of his career in private practice, he has also worked in higher education as an instructor, a successful volleyball coach, and as a Director of Student Athlete Menta...

Jhenna is from the Philippines but now lives in Wellington, New Zealand. She is currently studying Sociology, Gender and Sexuality Studies, and intercultural communications. She is a huge cat lover and enjoys writing songs and chatting with people about deep things. Learn more about Amy's music: Website: ⁠https://www.amyazzara.com/⁠ ⁠ | Foray Music: ⁠https://www.foraymusic.com/⁠ | Instagram: ⁠...

Katie Kuntz-Wineland (she/her) is a queer, neurodivergent, post-denominational minister and the founder of @thebelongingtable . As someone whose identities and spiritual truths don’t fit neatly into boxes, Katie loves supporting others on their authentic, unboxed, and surprising journeys of self-acceptance, healing, liberation, and wholeness. Katie holds a B.A. in biblical studies and peace &...

Stacey is a recovering fundamentalist holding space for themself and others working to reclaim themselves from what religion taught them. They are a massage therapist and Rosen method bodywork practitioner. Stacey holds space for people who feel othered, especially queer folks, people who have undergone top surgery, and people working to heal from religious harm. Connect with Stacey: Instagram: ht...

Christina Carlson (she/they) is a career coach for passionate people who care about building a better world. They are also an international speaker, facilitator, and the host of the podcast Bitches, Witches, and Queers. Christina works with those who feel like they have had to hide who they are to belong, supporting them to create lives and careers with internal safety, community, belonging, and c...

Emilee Crowder is a therapist who works with clients experiencing religious trauma. She grew up in the Mormon church & feels eager to help others learn how to trust themselves, since reclaiming her authenticity & autonomy has been everything to her. Connect with Emilee: Website: https://www.therapywithemilee.com/ | Instagram: https://instagram.com/religious.trauma.with.emilee  and https://...

Kari Fillian is a trauma psychotherapist, trauma sensitive yoga facilitator, and a podcaster with a therapy practice on the traditional and ancestral unceded land of the Wampanoag People, also known as Sagamore Beach, Massachusetts. She specializes in using body-centered and nature-based practices to support folks who have experienced complex trauma, including religious abuse and spiritual trauma....

Hello Deconstructionists! This podcast is a place to collectively share our stories and experiences of leaving high control religion, along with what it’s been like for us to find new practices that help us feel good and confident in ourselves. The title is a greeting and an invitation to join the conversation, especially to those of you who thought you were alone on this journey. Welcome to this...