The Divorcing Religion Podcast

Dawn Knoche Anthony - Mom of 9 who Divorced Religion Divorced: Fundamentalist Christianity CW: Domestic abuse, miscarriage Dawne Knoch Anthony was in an abusive marriage justified by religion. She got out and now gives back to the community to help others. A survivor of domestic abuse and religious trauma, Dawne has redefined her life with resilience and strength. After growing up in a conservativ...

The Margaret Atwood Episode Margaret Atwood is the author of more than 50 books of fiction, poetry, critical essays, and graphic novels. Her work has been published in more than 45 countries. The Testaments, her most recent novel, is a co-winner of the 2019 Booker Prize. It is the long awaited sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale, now an award-winning TV series. Margaret’s other works of fiction include...

Dorian Ortega - Dismantling Systems of Oppression Dorian A. Ortega is a licensed clinical professional counselor and founder of F.L.Y. Radical Therapy, LLC.  First Love Yourself (F.L.Y.) Radical Therapy is a therapeutic approach centering BIPOC and LGBTQIA+. It’s about loving yourself through collective social liberation awareness and healing with each other. F.L.Y. Radical Therapy is inspired by...

Philip Moss - Athletes in Action Exposed Divorced: Christianity CW: Child abuse, sex/purity culture Philip Moss grew up in a small midwestern ultra conservative farming community and Reformed Church tradition, after which he attended a conservative Christian College and then spent 7 years with the Campus Crusade for Christ (cult) as a basketball player for Athletes In Action, prior to obtaining hi...

Jeremy Low - Intense Christianity led to Intense Depression Divorced: Christianity and Navigators  CW: SUICIDAL IDEATION in the last half of show Jeremy Low began his search for friendship and purpose during his polytechnic days, and eventually found himself deeply committed to the Navigators , a Christian campus ministry run by a fundamentalist missionary from Korea. Over the next ten years, Jere...

Naomi Norton Ph. D, LCMFT, LMFT - White Evangelical Power and Control Divorced: White Evangelical Ideology Naomi Norton graduated from Northcentral University with her PhD in Family Therapy. Her dissertation focused on how the white fundamental evangelical culture makes meaning about mental illness. She has an active private practice, is an assistant professor at National University, and is a prog...

Kelly Hofer - From Hutterite to Heathen Divorced: Hutterite Christianity My guest today is fellow Canadian, Kelly Hofer, who is a visual content producer in Calgary, Alberta. Kelly grew up on a Hutterite colony in Manitoba. At age 19, Kelly made the difficult decision to leave his home on the colony due to his sexuality and to pursue art as a career. Kelly now works in the mediums of Photography,...

Yehudis Keller - Sockless Rebel Divorced: Ultra Orthodox Judaism My guest today is Yehudis Keller, who is a former member of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn, NY. Yehudis is currently a clinical psychology Ph. D. student in Cleveland, aiming to contribute to psychological research on the mechanisms of psychological adjustment after disaffiliation from high-cost religion, and to be a...

DJ Williams, PhD - Murder as a Leisure Activity Divorced: Mormonism CW: Suicide, homicide, frank descriptions of sex Today’s guest, Dr. DJ Williams, was raised Mormon. We met when he presented at a Center for Positive Sexuality session on the Threat of Mass Public Violence by “Incels.” Dr. Williams is a Professor at the Department of Sociology, Social Work, & Criminology at Idaho State Univers...

Sara Tasneem - Child Marriage Survivor Divorced: Sufi Cult + Child Marriage CW: CSA We will be discussing child marriage and forced marriage today, and all that goes along with it. My guest today is Sara Tasneem, who recently participated on our Child Marriage Panel at CORT2023. Sara is a survivor of forced child marriage who advocates publicly to end child marriage in the United States. Her story...

The Cult Sisters - Life in the Last Days Ministries Christian Cult Divorced: Last Days Ministries & Evangelical Christianity This is a CROSSOVER episode! Listen & subscribe to the Feet of Clay – Confessions of the Cult Sisters podcast for the other episode! My guests today were devotees of the late Christian musician - and cult leader - Keith Green. Sharon Madere (Bennett) and Tracey Phale...

Seth Showalter - Conversion Therapy Survivor Divorced: Southern Baptist Convention  CW: Conversion therapy discussion Seth Showalter is a LCSW from Columbia, MO, working as a clinical supervisor and therapist at Brave Counseling & Psychiatry in Columbia. Seth is also an author, with his newest book, Finally Free: A Surrender to Authenticity, scheduled for release in October of 2023. Today, Set...

Brady Hardin - Sued by his Evangelical Mother Divorced: Christianity My friend Brady Hardin is a secular humanist, conversion therapy survivor, and queer parent living in St. Louis, MO, where he works in Marketing and Design. Brady’s evangelical mother has sued him and his ex-wife for grandparent visitation rights, even though they do not believe her to be an emotionally safe person for their son...

Tamara MC - Child Bride in the USA Divorced: Religious Cult My guest today is a freedom activist for girls and women worldwide. Dr. Tamara MC is a social scientist and linguist who explores how language is used to manipulate vulnerable populations. As a cult, child marriage, polygamy, and modern-day slavery survivor/advocate, themes in Dr. Tamara’s work explore coercive control, intergenerational...

Carol Merchasin - Sexual Misconduct by Spiritual Community Leaders CW: Discussion of sexual misconduct & abuse by cultic-type leaders As a former corporate investigator turned cult investigator, Carol Merchasin has worked to help uncover some of the hidden corruption at the heart of international spiritual movements. Her work shines a light on the failures of many spiritual centers and retreat...

Susanna Guarino - Religious Trauma in Relationships Divorced: Christian Fundamentalism Today’s guest is musician and therapist Susanna Guarino. Susanna is a licensed mental health counselor in private practice in NY specializing in religious trauma, spiritual abuse recovery, and couples’ therapy.  Susanna’s own parents met in a neo-puritanical Christian cult. She spent a lot of her childhood learn...

Uthman Khan - Overcoming Islamic Indoctrination Overcoming Islamic Indoctrination Divorced: Fundamentalist Islam Uthman Khan completed his traditional religious degree from an Islamic Madrasa in the UK. He also received his Master of Arts from Hartford International University in Islamic Studies, focussing on Muslim Christian Relations. Uthman is currently a PhD student of Sociocultural Anthropolo...

Mike Phillips - I Like Mike Divorced: Fundamentalist Christianity My guest today is former pastor and current sex and trauma therapist, Mike Phillips. Mike is a Twitter friend I’ve come to respect as a deeply compassionate and professional therapist. He currently specializes in using Internal Family Systems and EMDR therapies, and his focus for sex therapy is on BDSM, sexual dysfunction, sexual re...

Chris Johnson - The Atheist Book My guest today is New York-based photographer and filmmaker, Chris Johnson. I first heard of Chris through my friend and mentor, Dr. Marlene Winell, who was featured in his beautiful coffee table book A BETTER LIFE: 100 ATHEISTS SPEAK OUT ON JOY AND MEANING IN A WORLD WITHOUT GOD. In this episode, Chris shares what it was like to interview prominent atheists from a...

E.V. - From Moonie to Atheist Divorced: Unification Church My guest today is E.V., who left the Unification Church (aka The Moonies) after being a devoted member for 25 years. Her story is interesting and her liberation delightful. Support this podcast on Patreon (starting as low as $2/month) and get access to bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/janiceselbie Thanks to my newest patrons: Marie,...

I Was A Teenage Fundamentalist & Divorcing Religion Crossover Show Guests: IWATF hosts Brian & Troy Today’s show is a special audio-only crossover episode with my Aussie mates, Brian & Troy, hosts of the incredibly popular I Was A Teenage Fundamentalist podcast. Brian & Troy both were both megachurch leaders – until they saw the light. I love the work these guys are doing and I thi...

Ryan Hernandez - Escaping the Alliance of the Holy Family Cult Support this podcast on Patreon (starting as low as $2/month) and get access to bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/janiceselbie Thanks to my newest patrons: Lois, Hayley, and Amy. Every dollar helps. Recordings from the Shameless Sexuality: Life After Purity Culture conference now 50% off here https://www.religioustraumaconference....

Scott Okamoto - Asian American Apostate Support this podcast on Patreon (starting as low as $2/month) and get access to bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/janiceselbie Thanks to my newest patrons: Lois, Hayley, and Amy. Every dollar helps. Recordings from the Shameless Sexuality: Life After Purity Culture conference now 50% off here https://www.religioustraumaconference.org/register with disco...

Jessica Robin - Recovering from Islamic Oppression TW: Child abuse, religious abuse Today’s guest is Jessica Robin, a program creator and group facilitator with Free Hearts, Free Minds (FHFM) - the charity founded by CORT2021 speaker Yasmine Mohammed. FHFM focuses on former Muslims at risk of persecution or execution for what they think or who they love. Jessica has a bachelor of behavioural scien...

Brett Harper - Exposing the Troubled Teen Industry (TTI) Divorced: Baptist Christianity Trigger Warning: CSA, kidnapping, abuse Today’s guest is troubled teen industry survivor and activist Brett Harper. Having survived a Troubled Teen Industry program that left him with traumatic, life-long injuries and disabilities, Brett has made it is his purpose in life to raise awareness about child abuse in...