Sunday School Dropouts

Today we are joined by Andrew Pledger to talk about the financial burden that going to a religious college/university can cause. We get into not only the cost of these institutions but the extended control they have over all aspects of someone’s life, even when it’s the time in life where you’re developmentally ready to have more freedom. Andrew shares his story with us about how he chose to go to Bob Jones University, what was required when he got there, the rules he had to follow and the financial consequences he had when he didn’t follow the rules. To follow Andrew or learn more about his work, go to: @andrewpledgerwrites on Instagram Check out his podcast series “Surviving Bob Jones University” wherever you listen to podcasts!All of Andrew’s links and projects can be found hereTo learn more about the support groups offered at the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery or to sign up, click hereThis podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com Hosts: Laura Anderson and Andrew KerbsMusic by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe and can be found at kevincrowe.co

In this conversation, Zach Anderson shares his journey of growing up in the Mormon Church, navigating his identity as a gay man, and the impact of high control religions on mental health and body image. He discusses his process of resigning from the church, the challenges of coming out, and how these experiences shaped his approach to nutrition coaching.The conversation also explores the intersections of purity culture, diet culture, and the nuances of intuitive eating, emphasizing the importance of self-acceptance and healing from trauma. In this conversation, Zach Anderson discusses the importance of nutrition, the impact of metabolic adaptation, and the psychological barriers many face regarding food.He emphasizes the need to break free from scarcity mindsets and perfectionism, particularly in the context of fundamentalist beliefs. The discussion also touches on the long-term effects of food restrictions and the importance of self-compassion in the journey of healing and growth. Zach shares insights on how to navigate rigidity in beliefs about food and body image, ultimately aiming to foster a healthier relationship with nutrition and oneself.Connect with Zach:IG: @motionsustainedWebsite: motionsustained.comFind out  more about working with Zach on his Kate Lyman webpageTo learn more about the support groups offered at the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery or to sign up, click hereThis podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com Hosts: Laura Anderson and Andrew KerbsMusic by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe and can be found at  kevincrowe.co

Now more than ever, many of us are having to navigate relationships with family members and friends who are grappling with choosing relationships with people over their belief/doctrines. Perhaps you are wrestling through that too? We are revisiting one of our favorite episodes with guests Beecher and April who share with us their own story of choosing relationship with each other over rigid theology and doctrine. Also, the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery is offering their spring support groups! Whether it’s learning boundaries, how to navigate family members, deconstructing common issues post-religion, healing from toxic religion, embodying pleasure and safety after high control religion, or getting in touch with your inner child, we have support for you! To learn more about the support groups offered at the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery or to sign up, click here This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com Hosts: Laura Anderson and Andrew KerbsMusic by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe and can be found at  www.kevincrowe.co

Today we are excited to have Dr. Celeste Holbrook on the podcast! Celeste is a sex educator, author, speaker, and sexologist with her own story of healing after purity culture. She uses her personal experiences to inspire her professional work and helps folks untangle the long-lasting, embodied impacts of the messages they were taught about their bodies, sex, and pleasure. Today we are talking about all the sex education your Sunday school teachers never taught you! Connect with Celeste!Website: www.drcelesteholbrook.com Instagram: @drcelesteholbrookThis podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com Hosts: Laura Anderson and Andrew KerbsMusic by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe and can be found at  www.kevincrowe.co

In this episode of Sunday School Dropouts, Rikki Herbst shares her journey of leaving the Orthodox Jewish community in New York. She reflects on growing up in a tightly knit, insular environment and the emotional challenges of stepping away. Drawing parallels to other religious exits—like evangelicalism—she explores the complexities of reclaiming autonomy and finding support. As a therapist, Rikki offers insights on religious trauma from both personal and professional perspectives.You’re listening to Sunday School DropoutsBoth of us grew up in high control religion and spent years trying to live up to the rules and standards until one day, we couldn’t do it anymore. We spent our lives aspiring to be true followers of God and all we got from it was religious trauma.So now, we’re taking our lived experiences along with our education, training, and work with clients to create this podcast–a podcast that goes beyond deconstruction and focuses on the unique aspects healing and recovery for folks coming out of high control religions, cults, fundamentalism, purity culture and those with religious trauma. Each episode we’ll be talking with other experts, mental health practitioners, coaches, advocates, therapists and folks who have survived fundamentalist systems, to learn from their experiences and offer resources and support for healing. This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.comAnd before we get started, it’s important for you to know that: The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and REcovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.We are not anti-religion but we are anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. We are two individuals using our academic backgrounds and training and personal experiences to provide a safe and supportive space for those recovering from fundamentalist groups and systems.If you’re interested in finding a trauma-informed practitioner, go to https://www.traumaresolutionandrecovery.com to schedule your free inquiry call with a practitioner of your choice.Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/traumaresolutionandrecoveryhttps://www.instagram.com/deconstruct_everythinghttps://www.instagram.com/drlauraeandersonYou can also find Laura at https://www.drlauraeanderson.com.

This week we are excited to be joined by Dr. Eric Sprankle (@drsprankle on Instagram). Dr. Sprankle is a clinical psychologist and professor of human sexuality and author of the recently released: “DIY: The Wonderfully Weird History and Science of Masturbation”. He’s joining us today to talk about what a porn addiction *actually* is (hint, it’s not what religion teaches us!), our innate sexuality, and how it’s the messages around sexuality, porn, and masturbation that creates the guilt, shame, and other negative responses…not the acts themselves. It’s a great episode for all of those post-purity culture folks who weren’t taught about healthy sexuality and sexual development! Connect with Dr. Eric SprankleWebsite: https://www.drsprankle.com/ Social Media: @drsprankle Buy his new book! DIY: The Wonderfully Weird History and Science of MasturbationThis podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com Hosts: Laura Anderson and Andrew KerbsMusic by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe and can be found at  kevincrowe.co

In this episode, Melissa Duge Spiers shares her journey of growing up in a Seventh-day Adventist family, her experiences of rebellion, and the challenges she faced when leaving the church. She discusses the unique aspects of Adventism, the impact it had on her identity, and the process of deconstructing her beliefs. Melissa emphasizes the importance of finding joy and freedom after leaving a high-control environment and the need for support systems for those transitioning out of similar backgrounds. In this conversation, Melissa Duge Spiers and Andrew Kerbs explore the complexities of deconstructing from the Adventist faith, discussing themes of social isolation, the impact of self-supporting schools, and the church's missionary zeal. They delve into the ethical implications of Adventist outreach, connections to controversial groups like the Branch Davidians, and the painful yet necessary process of deconstruction. The conversation also touches on the importance of therapy and support in recovery, culminating in Melissa's journey of writing a memoir about her experiences.Follow Melissa https://www.instagram.com/the.glory.wholeThis podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com Hosts: Laura Anderson and Andrew KerbsMusic by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe and can be found at  www.kevincrowe.co

Who else had the verse “children, obey your parents unto the Lord” said to them? Maybe as a way to justify behavior? Or assert control? Or maybe you still feel the need to obey your parents even if you are an adult (and with your own children!) On today’s episode of Sunday School Dropouts we’ll be talking about the parent-child dynamic within high control religion–the way it impacts a child and how that impact lingers on into adulthood. Whether it’s the way you navigate relationships today or your sense of confidence in the world, how you interacted with your parents as a child impacts you today. And when you add high control religion on top of it, there is an even bigger impact! We’re excited that Megan Von Fricken, who is, herself, a Sunday School Dropout, will be joining us today to talk about this from a clinical perspective and will share some ways that people can begin healing from this dynamic. And also, if you’re a practitioner who works with clients coming out of high control groups, fundamentalism, and cults and want to get more training so you can more meaningfully support your clients, check out Laura’s Religious Trauma Practitioner Cohort. Applications are now being accepted; limited spots available!To get in touch with Megan: IG: @religious.harm.recovery www.religiousharmrecovery.comThis podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com Hosts: Laura Anderson and Andrew KerbsMusic by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe and can be found at  www.kevincrowe.co

We are excited to be joined by author and adventurer, Ryan George! Ryan recently wrote and published the book “Hurt and Healed by the Church” which details his life as a pastor’s kid whose father was a pastor in the Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) church. Ryan’s story is unique in that his father engaged of multiple acts of clergy sexual abuse with children. But instead of keeping that story ‘in the dark’, Ryan has supported his father’s victims, brought the truth into the light, and has created a life for himself opposite of his father’s path. To follow Ryan’s work or purchase his book, check out the links: Ryan’s books: www.booksbyryan.comFind Ryan on Instagram: @ryplane Ryan’s blog: www.Explorience.orgThis podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com Hosts: Laura Anderson and Andrew KerbsMusic by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe and can be found at  kevincrowe.co

The Sunday School Dropouts are joined today by Dr. Hillary McBride! Hillary is here to help us wrap up our touchstone topics episodes with an amazing conversation about spiritual abuse and trauma. Is it the same as religious abuse? Better or worse? What are the impacts and how do you heal? We talk about all that and more with Hillary. Also, you won’t want to miss Laura and Andrew’s “ins” and “outs” for the year and their reflections on new year’s resolutions when they were both religious!Connect with HillaryWebsite: www.hillarylmcbride.comInstagram/Threads: @hillaryliannamcbride Buy Holy HurtThis podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com Hosts: Laura Anderson and Andrew KerbsMusic by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe and can be found at kevincrowe.co.