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What does it take to make the church a safer place for women’s voices?

This week Dr. Alison is joined by husband-and-wife therapists Dr. Christy Bauman and Dr. Andrew Bauman, who are doing groundbreaking work at the intersection of women’s stories, embodiment, and spiritual safety.

Together, they offer both prophetic challenge and practical hope for how we can build healthier faith communities.

In the first half of the episode, Christy takes us into the sacred rites of passage women experience, highlighting women’s voices in the Bible. In the second half, Andrew shares from his extensive research, offering a vision for safe churches where power is shared, voices are honored, and healing is possible.

Together, Christy and Andrew model what’s possible when men and women work side by side for change. 

You’ll learn:

• The six symbolic rites of passage women experience over a lifetime—and why reclaiming them matters

• How Christy helps women see their bodies as sacred places of dignity and spiritual depth

• The results of their research with 2,800+ women who work in church settings

• A vision for churches where power is shared and women’s voices are truly honored 

A note of care: This episode includes sensitive topics such as pornography, domestic violence, and harm related to women’s bodies. Please listen gently and step away if you need to.

Learn more from Christy and Andrew:

📕 Christy Bauman’s Book: Her Rites: Women’s Rites of Passage, A Sacred Journey for Mind, Body, and Soul

📕 Andrew Bauman’s Book: Safe Church: How to Guard Against Sexism and Abuse in the Church

📥Free Resources from Christy: 

• Body Map PDF

• Theology of the Womb Video Course (use code: TOTWcomp)

Learn more about their work at the Christian Counseling Center for Sexual Health & Trauma

Related episodes you might like:

Episode 48: Loving Your Body as a Spiritual Practice, Why the Flesh Isn't the Body, and 3 Heresies We Kind of Believe

Episode 11: How to Start Loving Your Body with Christy Meeks

Episode 126: Restoring Wonder & Play in Intimacy - Navigating Sexual Brokenness, Safety, and Vulnerability with Therapist Sam Jolman

📖 Find a full transcript and list of resources from this episode here

💬 Got a question? Call 307-429-2525 and leave a message for a future episode.

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Editing by Giulia Hjort

Sound engineering by Kelly Kramarik

Music by Andy Luiten

While Dr. Cook is a counselor, the content of this podcast and any of the products provided by Dr. Cook are not specific counseling advice nor are they a substitute for individual counseling. The content and products provided on this podcast are for informational purposes only.‍

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