The Awakening Podcast

⚠️ Content Note: This episode includes discussion of high-control religious environments, spiritual manipulation, and unaccredited religious education. This week on The Awakening, Tamara and I sit down with Tyler Fulton — agnostic social worker, former charismatic, and a man who got the full MorningStar experience and lived to tell about it. Tyler's journey into the charismatic movement eventually...

⚠️ CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains detailed discussion of cult involvement, suicidal ideation, child abuse, stalking, and murder. Cassandra Blondheim's story is discussed in detail. Please take care of yourself as you listen. This episode may not be appropriate for all audiences. This week on The Awakening, Tamara and I sit down with Azraela — a survivor of Ernest Angley's Grace Cathedral c...

⚠️ CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains detailed discussion of childhood sexual abuse, physical abuse, religious abuse, rape, and systemic failure to protect children. Please take care of yourself as you listen. This episode may not be appropriate for all audiences. If you are a survivor in need of support: RAINN Hotline: 1-800-656-4673 | rainn.org Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-4...

⚠️ Content Note: This episode includes discussion of religious deconstruction, patriarchy, atheism, and the impact of harmful belief systems on relationships and community. This week on The Awakening, Tamara and I sit down with Kyle Butler — former pastor, current atheist, and someone who is refreshingly unafraid to say exactly what he thinks. Kyle's deconstruction took him all the way out of fait...

⚠️ Content Note: This episode includes discussion of conversion therapy, LGBTQIA+ religious harm, and trauma from high-control religious environments. Please care for yourself as you listen. This week on The Awakening, Tamara and I sit down with Samuel Nieves — conversion therapy survivor, advocate, and volunteer with the Conversion Therapy Survivor Network — for one of the most important conversa...

⚠️ Content Note: This episode includes discussion of religious deconstruction, end times theology, and evangelical culture. This week on The Awakening, Tamara and I sit down with Stuart Delony — author, satirist, podcaster, and the voice behind Snarky Faith — for a conversation that is equal parts hilarious and deeply honest. Stuart's book The Tribulation Survival Guide is exactly what it sounds l...

⚠️ Content Note: This episode includes discussion of Christian Nationalism, church harm, and religious deconstruction. This week on The Awakening, Tamara and I sit down with writer Adalyn Whitmore — a woman who grew up inside the Christian faith and has spent years doing the hard, honest work of sorting through what was harmful and what was holy. Adalyn hasn't walked away from faith entirely. She'...

⚠️ Content Note: This episode includes discussion of religious indoctrination, missionary culture, pastor's kid experience, and religious trauma. This week on The Awakening, Tamara and I sit down with Josh Foster — licensed mental health therapist, coach, and someone who knows from the inside out what it means to be shaped by an all-consuming religious system. Josh's story starts at age five, when...

Episode 33: From the Pulpit to Transition Shelia’s Journey Through Faith, Gender, and Freedom Content Note This episode includes discussion of religious deconstruction, gender identity, trans experience, leaving pastoral ministry, and spiritual harm. Please care for yourself as you listen. Episode Description This week on The Awakening, Tamara and I sit down with Sheila Chappelle — host of the Hur...

Episode 32: Deconstruction, Art and the Ministry of Honesty Content Note This episode includes discussion of religious deconstruction, spiritual harm, LGBTQIA+ religious trauma, and leaving high-control church environments. Episode Description This week on The Awakening, Tamara and I sit down with David Hayward — known around the world as The Naked Pastor — artist, author, and one of the most reco...

Episode 31: From Worship Stage to Authentic Voice Content Note This episode includes discussion of religious deconstruction, spiritual harm, and leaving high-control church environments. Episode Description This week on The Awakening , Tamara and I sit down with Joshua and Prez Colburn — artists, musicians, and voices in the deconstruction space. Joshua shares his experience as a former megachurch...

Episode 30: Grief, Deconstruction, and Healing Forward Content Note This episode includes discussion of grief, loss, traumatic brain injury, and religious deconstruction. Episode Description This week on The Awakening , Tamara and I sit down with author Kayna Chappell for a deeply moving and honest conversation about grief, faith, and what it means to rebuild after everything changes. Kayna shares...

pisode 29: Rebuilding Without Belief — Humanism After Deconstruction Content Note This episode includes discussion of religious deconstruction, loss of belief, and rebuilding identity after faith. Episode Description This week on The Awakening , Tamara and I sit down with Sean Davis, an American humanist and former Christian who has deconstructed his faith. Sean shares what it was like to walk awa...

Episode 28: From Doctrine to Divine Mother — A Spiritual Awakening Content Note This episode includes discussion of religious deconstruction, spiritual awakening, and shifting belief systems. Episode Description This week on The Awakening , Tamara and I sit down with Takisha Purcell, author of Understanding The Truth About God: Written in the Hearts of Men . Takisha shares her story of growing up...

Episode 27: Crucifying the Bible and Reclaiming Your Voice Content Note This episode includes discussion of religious deconstruction, spiritual harm, and leaving high-control belief systems. Episode Description This week on The Awakening , Tamara and I sit down with Deborah Grace , author of Crucifying the Bible . Deborah shares her personal journey of deconstruction — what led her to begin questi...

Episode 26: Humanism from the Heart Content Note This episode includes discussion of humanism, life after religion, and building meaning through compassion and connection. Episode Description This week on The Awakening , Tamara and I sit down with Steve Ghikadis , author of Humanism from the Heart . Unlike many of our guests, Steve was not raised within religion. Instead, he was raised as a free t...

Episode 25: Humanism, Community, and Life Beyond Religion Content Note This episode includes discussion of religious deconstruction, secular identity, and rebuilding meaning outside of faith. Episode Description This week on The Awakening , Tamara and we sit down with Shawn Towers , an American Humanist who is actively working to support and uplift others through education, advocacy, and humanitar...

Episode 24: Exposing Sex, Sin, and Secrets in the Seventh day Adventist Church Content Note This episode includes discussion of religious abuse, sexual misconduct, institutional cover ups, and spiritual harm. Episode Description This week on The Awakening , Tamara and I have the honor of sitting down with Melissa Duge Spiers , author of Holy Disobedience . Melissa joins us to talk about the devast...

Episode 22: Accountability in the Age of Patriarchy Content Note This episode includes discussion of current events, systemic patriarchy, power structures, and accountability. Episode Description This week on The Awakening , Tamara and I sit down for a timely and honest conversation about current events, accountability, and the ways patriarchy continues to be upheld in our culture. We unpack how s...

Episode 21: When Labels No Longer Fit Content Note This episode includes discussion of addiction, recovery, religious identity, and healing after spiritual harm. Episode Description This week on The Awakening , Tamara and I sit down with Courtney , who shares her deeply personal journey through faith, identity, and recovery. Courtney talks about growing up within Catholicism , later finding hersel...

Leaving the Pews: One Woman's Journey to Healing and Authenticity Content Note This episode includes discussion of religious upbringing, identity suppression, and recovery from faith-based harm. Episode Description This week on The Awakening, Tamara and I are joined by Cat, a guest who shares what it was like to grow up as a pastor's child, always watched, always expected to be the picture of perf...

Escaping Evangelicalism and Finding Freedom Content Note This episode includes discussion of religious control, identity suppression, and recovery from faith-based harm. Episode Description This week on The Awakening , Tamara and I are joined by Sebastian , a guest from the UK who shares his journey out of a deeply conservative evangelical upbringing and into a life rooted in authenticity and heal...

Deconstruction in Real Time Content Note This episode discusses early-stage deconstruction, identity disruption, and the emotional impact of leaving high-control religious belief systems. Episode Description This week on The Awakening , Tamara and I are joined by Reckless , a guest who is only four months into their deconstruction journey . Rather than looking back with years of distance, this con...

Surviving Conversion Therapy and Choosing Life Content Warning This episode includes discussion of religious trauma, conversion therapy, coercion, emotional abuse, and threats of electroshock therapy. Listener discretion is strongly advised. Episode Description This week on The Awakening , Tamara and I sit down with Zachary Heath , a survivor of religious abuse whose story is both harrowing and de...

Episode 17 — Healing the Body, Reclaiming the Self Content Note: This episode discusses trauma, nervous system responses, and embodied healing . While not graphic, the conversation may resonate deeply with survivors of abuse or religious trauma. Episode Description In Episode 17, we are joined by Jeffrey Shearer (Jeff) , a trauma therapist who helps us explore what trauma really is, how it impacts...