The Divorcing Religion Podcast

Епизоде

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  Lilia Tarawa 13.07.2026 49мин

  Guest: LILIA TARAWA The Politics of Purity: Sex and Power in Closed Communities Lilia Tarawa was born and raised in the isolated Christian fundamentalist cult of Gloriavale in New Zealand, a place where every aspect of life, from clothing to relationships to sexuality, was tightly controlled. In her powerful TEDx Talk: I grew up in a cult. It was heaven – and hell, and in her book Daughter of Gloriavale, she shares what it took to break free. Upon leaving, Lilia began the complex and painf...
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  Shame Sex Attraction: Dr. Lucas Wilson on the Sex & Power Podcast 10.06.2026 1ч 4мин

  Sex & Power Podcast Guest: Dr. Lucas Wilson Title: Shame Sex Attraction My guest today is Dr. Lucas Wilson, who is a Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Toronto. His research centers on White Christian nationalism, with a focus on gender and sexuality; specifically on conservative Christian homophobia and transphobia. Dr. Wilson’s book Shame-Sex Attraction: Survivors' Stories of Conversion Therapyis an eye-opening look at the disturbing and dehumanizing practices Queer people have ...
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  Sex & Power with Sammy: Satire, Apostasy, and the Power of Haram Doodles 31.05.2026 50мин

  Sex & Power Podcast Guest: Sammy, Haram Doodles My guest today is ex-Muslim atheist, artist, and activist Sammy, the creator behind Haram Doodles. Raised in the U.S. as a first-generation South Asian Muslim, Sammy left Islam over a decade ago. In her words, she left “because I’m a woman.” In this episode, Sammy shares what it was like growing up with strict religious expectations for girls, and how creating Haram Doodles became her way of exposing double standards and telling the stories...
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  Sex & Power with Dr. Janja Lalich: Exploitation of Women in Cults 31.05.2026 55мин

  Dr. Janja Lalich on The Sex & Power Podcast Guest: Dr. Janja Lalich Title: Exploitation of Women in Cults Host: Janice Selbie, MPCC Warning: This episode discusses SA and coercion in cults Dr. Janja Lalich is one of the world’s leading authorities on cults, coercive control, and authoritarian influence. A sociologist, researcher, and cult survivor herself, Dr. Lalich has spent decades exposing how high-control groups operate beneath the surface of belief, belonging, and power. She...
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  Sex & Power: Katherine Spearing - Healing After Spiritual Abuse 25.03.2026 56мин

  Katherine Spearing has spent years listening to the stories most churches would rather stay silent about. As the founder of Tears of Eden, she works directly with survivors of spiritual abuse, helping people untangle trauma, reclaim autonomy, and rebuild trust in themselves after systems of faith have caused harm. Her work centers on the lived realities of abuse, power, and control inside religious spaces—and what it actually takes to heal on the other side. A Certified Trauma Recovery Practi...
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  Melissa Duge Spiers - HOLY DISOBEDIENCE: GOOD GIRL GONE WILD 11.03.2026 1ч 5мин

  FIND JANICE: Janice Selbie's best-selling book, Divorcing Religion: A Memoir and Survival Handbook, is available here: https://amzn.to/4mnDxuo Religious Trauma Survivor Support Groups happen online Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5pm Pacific/8pm Eastern. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with others for support: https://www.divorcing-religion.com/services Need help on your journey of healing from Religious Trauma? Book a free 20-minute consultation with Janice here: https://www.divorcing-re...
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  Sex & Power: Chris Tompkins - The Truth About Shame: Chris Tompkins on Love, Liberation, and LGBTQ Resilience 02.03.2026 51мин

  Sex & Power: Chris Tompkins - The Truth About Shame: Chris Tompkins on Love, Liberation, and LGBTQ Resilience Chris Tompkins is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist who specializes in working with adult gay men. He is also the author of the APA award-winning book Raising LGBTQ Allies: A Parent’s Guide to Changing the Messages from the Playground. Chris has a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University, with a specialization in LGBTQ Affirmative Psychology. In addit...
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  Sex & Power: Clara Ritger - When Success is Killing You: Clara Ritger on Meditation, Mortality, and Meaning 11.02.2026 56мин

  Clara Ritger spent her 20s building a successful media career — producing for U.S. national media such as NBC, WSJ, and TLC — while secretly battling chronic illness and burnout. A ruptured appendix, major abdominal surgery, and skin cancer forced her to reevaluate everything. In this episode, Clara shares how she burned it all down, why rest and healing are radical acts, and what she’s learned about choosing alignment over performance. FIND CLARA: Clara Ritger is a writer, trauma-informed me...
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  The Sex & Power Podcast: Truth-telling that liberates with Mike Steve Collins 28.01.2026 1ч

  The Sex & Power Podcast: Truth-telling that liberates with Mike Steve Collins: The Anti-Civil Rights Movement Mike Collins is the author of The Anti-Civil Rights Movement: Affirmative Action as Wedge and Weapon (University Press of Kansas, 2024), Understanding Etheridge Knight, updated edition (University of South Carolina Press, 2023), and The Traveling Queen (poems, Sheep Meadow Press, 2013). His essays have appeared in Harper’s Magazine, The Oxford American, The Cambridge Companion to...
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  S&P Podcast: Detra Denise - Ashes and Embers: How Detra Denise Turned Pain into Power PART 2 14.01.2026 57мин

  Detra Denise - Ashes and Embers: How Detra Denise Turned Pain into Power PART 2 In this episode, Detra shares what it was like to go from obscurity to fame after being featured in a 15-part series in the Humans of New York. She also opens up about being offered protection by the gents of the Harlem Cigar Room, and what kept her moving forward instead of giving up. DETRA’S LINKS: http://www.detrasstory.com/ https://www.instagram.com/onewomannyc1?igsh=MWl2cDB2ZWptYmRlMA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr ...
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  S&P Podcast: Detra Denise - Ashes and Embers: How Detra Denise Turned Pain into Power PART 1 07.01.2026 1ч 6мин

  Detra Denise - Ashes and Embers: How Detra Denise Turned Pain into Power PART 1 Content Warning: CSA, suicidality, familial estrangement My guest today is Detra Denise, a former pastor's wife who dared to change her life in unimaginable ways. After leaving her toxic marriage, Detra moved to New York City to start over. Thanks to both her love of connecting with people and her musical and storytelling skills, Detra built an exciting and meaningful new life for herself—and was featured in...
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  S&P Podcast: Kiki Negress - The Uppity Negress 26.12.2025 1ч 29мин

  This week on the Sex & Power Podcast, I'll be speaking with Kiki Negress, The Uppity Negress. Kiki Bryant is known across platforms as the Uppity Negress: a brilliant, incisive voice on race, feminism, religion, and culture. She is also an entrepreneur and creator. In this episode, Kiki shares about the painful childhood that helped shape her bold, intersectional style of truth-telling. Join us to learn what she wishes white feminists would understand about allyship and power dynamics, an...
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  Jennie Gage - Life, Take Two! 17.12.2025 1ч 12мин

  Jennie Gage - Life, Take Two! Divorced: Mormonism TW: Suicide attempt Jennie Gage is a writer, creator, and former Christian nationalist and Mormon trad wifey turned outspoken advocate for justice, compassion, and community. Through her YouTube channel and “Life, Take Two” podcast, she blends personal story with sharp cultural critique, exposing harmful systems while lifting up the people they fail. Jennie’s work is raw, honest, and deeply human — a voice for anyone rebuilding their life, rec...
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  Melody Post - House of Yahweh Cult 26.11.2025 1ч 5мин

  Melody Post - House of Yahweh Cult Divorced: Christianity CW: Mention of suicide and trafficking Melody Post was a member of the House of Yahweh Cult from 1989 to 1994. At age 18, she was married to the cult leader's son and gave birth to a child within the group, assisted only by midwives, having not seen a doctor throughout her pregnancy. She left in 1994 when the leader, her father-in-law, introduced polygamy into the teachings after being caught cheating on his wife. In this episode, Mel...
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  Elyse Bouvier - Unfolding Faith Film 12.11.2025 56мин

  Elyse Bouvier - Unfolding Faith Film Divorced: Christianity Today, Canadian filmmaker Elyse Bouvier joins me to talk about her journey out of Christianity, and how it became the topic of her film Unfolding Faith, which will be released online for free streaming by The NFB – National Film Board – in Canada this month. Here’s a short synopsis of Elyse’s film, which will resonate with many of you: Calgary photographer and filmmaker Elyse Bouvier reflects on how giving up her faith reshaped...
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  Dr. Pavna K. Sodhi (Part2) - Navigating Internalized Racism in 3rd-Generation Punjabi-Sikh Immigrants 05.11.2025 57мин

  Dr. Pavna K. Sodhi (Part2) - Navigating Internalized Racism in 3rd-Generation Punjabi-Sikh Immigrants Welcome to Part 2 of my interview with Dr. Pavna K. Sodhi. Dr. Sodhi joins me again to share her knowledge about Punjabi-Sikh teachings, values, practices, and experiences. Today, we discuss internalized racism and how it can force 3rd-generation Punjabi-Sikh Immigrants to divorce religion. Dr. Sodhi shares her personal experiences as a 2nd-generation Punjabi-Sikh Immigrant and the cha...
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  Dr. Sarah Farrell - Shattering Into a Whole 22.10.2025 58мин

  Dr. Sarah Farrell - Shattering Into a Whole Divorced: Christian Fundamentalism Sarah M. Farrell, PhD, MSW, LICSW is a researcher, academic, and clinical social worker (who sometimes fancies herself a stand-up comedian). She has over a decade of clinical practice experience with diverse clientele. Having grown up in a deeply insular religious group practicing evangelical fundamentalism, she focuses both on seeking empirical knowledge and shedding light on stories that have been held back...
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  Lacey Bond - From Bible Study to Sex Ed, Part 2 08.10.2025 1ч 3мин

  Lacey Bond - From Bible Study to Sex Ed, Part 2 Divorced: Christianity CW: Frank discussion about sex Lacey Bond (IntimacyLacey) is a Certified Sex, Relationship, and Intimacy Coach and sex/kink educator based in Los Angeles. She's dedicated to helping people heal from Purity Culture, growing healthy relationships with other people and developing awesome, shame-free sexuality. Today, Lacey educates us about sexuality spectrums, consent and coercion, and kinksploration for the purity sur...
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  Timmy Joe Gibson - Former Tongue Talkin, Holy Rollin, Bible Thumper 01.10.2025 58мин

  Timmy Joe Gibson - Former Tongue Talkin, Holy Rollin, Bible Thumper Divorced: Christianity Timmy Gibson, is a former fundamental evangelical Bible thumping tongue-talking Holy Ghost Rollin Pastor. After graduating Bible College, Timmy spent 30 years teaching and preaching the Bible, with his main message being that the only way to escape the eternal flames of Hell was to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Ironically, this “pursuit of truth” led him away from Christianity, which he n...
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  Lacey Bond - From Bible Study to Sex Ed, Part 1 24.09.2025 55мин

  Lacey Bond - From Bible Study to Sex Ed, Part 1 Divorced: Christianity CW: Frank discussion about sex Lacey Bond (IntimacyLacey) is a Certified Sex, Relationship, and Intimacy Coach and sex/kink educator based in Los Angeles. She's dedicated to helping people heal from Purity Culture, growing healthy relationships with other people and developing awesome, shame-free sexuality. Lacey lived the quintessential Purity Culture Experience (raised in the Evangelical church and youth group, Bib...