Mixed Faith, Betrayal, and the Pressure to Endure

Mixed Faith, Betrayal, and the Pressure to Endure

In this month’s listener Q&A, Ashley responds to questions about mixed-faith marriage, relationship betrayal, confusing mental health diagnoses, career uncertainty, and the hidden pressures many people carry after growing up in high-demand religious environments. Topics discussed include: • Navigating a mixed-faith marriage while raising children • Processing betrayal and rebuilding trust after discovering secret online behavior • Why trauma can sometimes be mistaken for multiple different diagnoses • The pressure to endlessly serve, sacrifice, and “endure” in Mormon culture • Learning to tolerate uncertainty when the future feels overwhelming • Finding compassion for yourself when life isn’t unfolding according to plan As always, this podcast is intended for education and reflection and is not a substitute for therapy. Take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and remember that healing rarely requires having all the answers.

Baptism and Hard Conversations

In this episode, Ashley explores the complex intersection of personal grief and major life transitions, starting with the passing of her grandmother and the unique challenges of navigating a traditional Mormon funeral after leaving the faith. She shares an update on her move into a new home, reflecting on the process of finally feeling grounded in Utah and the importance of finding community. These personal stories set the stage for a deeper look at how we hold space for ourselves when life feels dysregulating and how we can offer ourselves grace during seasons of significant change.The rest of the conversation focuses on listener submissions regarding the intense pressure surrounding childhood baptism and mixed faith parenting. Ashley discusses how to handle family expectations when choosing not to follow traditional milestones and offers clinical perspective on what is developmentally appropriate for children. She addresses the nuances of raising kids with a partner who has different beliefs and emphasizes that the goal of parenting is not perfection but the ability to repair and connect. The episode concludes with a look at the long term effects of marrying young and a reminder that you are not alone in navigating these complicated dynamics. Follow me on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/ashleyb_therapy⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/ashleyb_therapy]Link for submissions: ⁠https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1dXCjsH8gf8O4NvmcTvNnFeKQm7NgE5uwm1vqqKdjHSs/edit [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1dXCjsH8gf8O4NvmcTvNnFeKQm7NgE5uwm1vqqKdjHSs/edit]

Mormon Missions and the Nervous System

In this episode of In Session, Ashley Buckner, LCSW, dives deep into the neurophysiological impact of LDS missions and the long-term effects of religious conditioning. Ashley explores the developmental vulnerability of eighteen-year-olds entering high-pressure missionary environments, highlighting how strict power dynamics and rigid rules can foster lasting trauma. Beyond systemic critiques, the conversation offers a supportive space for those navigating the "post-Mormon" landscape, including reflections on the psychological weight of General Conference and the curious fascination apologists hold for ex-member narratives. The heart of the episode centers on real-life listener submissions, ranging from the anxiety of a sibling’s mission call to the lingering regret over career paths sacrificed for religious service. Ashley introduces vital therapeutic concepts like flashback states and body-based healing, explaining that because trauma lives in the nervous system, talking about it isn’t always the best path to recovery. Listeners will walk away with practical grounding techniques—such as color walks and the five-senses exercise—and a reinforced sense of permission to set firm boundaries with religious figures as they reclaim their intuition from years of conditioning. Follow me on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/ashleyb_therapy⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/ashleyb_therapy]Link for submissions: ⁠https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1dXCjsH8gf8O4NvmcTvNnFeKQm7NgE5uwm1vqqKdjHSs/edit [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1dXCjsH8gf8O4NvmcTvNnFeKQm7NgE5uwm1vqqKdjHSs/edit]

Anger, Betrayal, and Choosing Yourself

In this episode of In Session with Ashley B, Ashley Buckner returns with a candid reflection on perfectionism, religious trauma, and what it means to show up authentically even when it feels messy. She opens up about the anxiety that resurfaced after launching the podcast again and how old patterns rooted in Mormonism and religious trauma can quietly reappear. From there, the episode moves into powerful listener submissions, including questions about anger after faith deconstruction, navigating a parent’s cancer diagnosis while building your own life, divorce and betrayal after leaving the church, feeling triggered by active members, fear around group therapy, and the grief of losing a belief system once held with your whole heart.Throughout the episode, Ashley invites listeners to get curious rather than judgmental about their emotions. She reframes anger as something to be befriended rather than eliminated, explores how trauma responses can show up after leaving high control religion, and validates the deep grief and integrity struggles that often accompany faith transitions.With compassion and nuance, she reminds listeners that healing is rarely black and white. Whether wrestling with guilt, resentment, betrayal, or activation around believing family members, Ashley encourages intentional inner work, self-trust, and giving yourself permission to live authentically, even when it feels uncomfortable. Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleyb_therapy [https://www.instagram.com/ashleyb_therapy]Link for submissions: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1dXCjsH8gf8O4NvmcTvNnFeKQm7NgE5uwm1vqqKdjHSs/edit [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1dXCjsH8gf8O4NvmcTvNnFeKQm7NgE5uwm1vqqKdjHSs/edit]

New Name. Same Heart.

Welcome to the relaunch of my podcast, formerly known as Sunflower Movement. In this first episode of In Session with Ashley B, I introduce the new format for the show and what I’m creating moving forward a listener-driven space for honest conversations about trauma, healing, faith, and the nervous system. This episode is part personal update, part reflection, and part response to anonymous listener submissions that dive into some deeply vulnerable and important topics. I share why I decided to rebrand the podcast, what the new monthly rhythm will look like, and a few personal updates, including my recent reconciliation with my father after a period of estrangement and the impact brain spotting therapy has had on healing generational trauma. From there, I respond to listener questions and stories that explore female rage and bodily autonomy after purity culture, navigating mixed-faith marriages, and having hard conversations about belief without conflict. I also reflect on unlearning the idea that obedience equals love, processing different views of eternal families outside of LDS temple doctrine, learning self-differentiation after religious conditioning, and gently reconnecting with sexuality and sensuality after years of suppression. My hope with this episode and this new season of the podcast is to offer a space where complexity is welcome, curiosity is encouraged, and healing feels possible.Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleyb_therapyLink for submissions: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1dXCjsH8gf8O4NvmcTvNnFeKQm7NgE5uwm1vqqKdjHSs/edit