Un-holier Than Thou Podcast

BONUS EPISODE: Kickin’ It Solo - Single Parents Don’t Need Saving, They Need Support.

In this very first solo bonus episode, I’m opening up about my experience navigating single parenthood — the exhaustion, the survival mode, the judgment, and the strength it took to keep going when life felt impossibly heavy. This episode isn’t just for single parents. It’s also for the families, friends, partners, and support systems surrounding them. Because single parents don’t need saving — they need support. And the truth is, the village matters more than people realize. I talk candidly about what it looked like to raise my child while healing, coparenting after abuse, carrying the mental load alone, and learning that asking for help is not weakness. I also share a message for anyone currently in the trenches of single parenthood: this season will not last forever. If you’ve ever felt unseen, overwhelmed, judged, or like you were carrying everything on your own — this conversation is for you. #singlemotherhood #narcissisticabuse  #familycourt  #spiritualabuse  #traumarecovery  #unholierpodcast #ToxicRelationships #singlemotherhood  https://www.buzzsprout.com/2448874/episodes/19009657 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2448874/episodes/19048669 Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2448874/support]

Why Your Church Called Your Anxiety "Demonic" (And Why They Lied) Ann Russo

If you’ve ever been told your depression was a "lack of faith," or that your boundary-setting was "rebellion," this episode is for you. In this powerful episode of the Unholier Podcast, we sit down with therapist and author Ann Russo to unpack the deep, often invisible scars of religious trauma. Far from just being "dramatic," religious trauma is a calculated form of conditioning. High-control belief systems are systematically designed to override your identity, value obedience over intuition, and frame legitimate mental health struggles as spiritual failures. Ann breaks down why religious trauma is an ongoing system rather than a single event, and how it manifests as nervous system dysregulation, chronic self-doubt, and fractured relationships. We also dive into the dark side of high-control churches—including how they weaponize mental health by labeling trauma responses as "demonic" to maintain control. But healing is possible. Anne introduces her groundbreaking Religious Trauma Treatment Model (RTTM), a structured approach focused on somatic healing, nervous system regulation, and rebuilding your autonomy on your own terms. Whether you choose to stay, leave, or rebuild your faith entirely, this conversation offers practical steps to reclaim your boundaries and honor your evolving self. ✨ About Our Guest: Ann Russo is a licensed therapist, author, and creator of the Religious Trauma Treatment Model (RTTM), dedicated to helping survivors heal from high-control environments and reclaim their autonomy. #ReligiousTrauma #Deconstruction #ExEvangelical #ChurchTrauma #MentalHealthMatters #ReligiousTraumaSyndrome #SpiritualAbuse #UnholierPodcast #TherapyTok #NervousSystemHealing https://tally.so/r/nPKdOd [https://tally.so/r/nPKdOd] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2448874/support]

The Tithing Trap: A Former Pentecostal Minister Exposes Church Control

What happens when a man dedicated to protecting the community and preaching the Word starts to see the cracks in the foundation? In this episode of the Unholier Podcast, we sit down with Shawn Towers, a former police officer and Pentecostal preacher who walked away from a lifetime of faith to reclaim his cognitive autonomy. Shawn opens up about the high cost of questioning doctrine—from the social sting of shunning to the internal battle against lifelong indoctrination. We dive deep into the contradictions of the Trinity, the "abuse patterns" found in traditional Gospel dynamics, and the psychological grip of tithing and church leadership. Shawn shares how education and critical thinking became his tools for liberation, leading him to author The Unlearning Lab and Stop Tithing. If you’ve ever felt like you weren't allowed to ask "why," or if you're navigating your own journey out of organized religion, this conversation is for you. #Deconstruction #ExPentecostal #ReligiousTrauma #UnholierPodcast #ShawnTowers #FaithTransition #ChurchCritique #Atheism #FreedomOfThought https://stan.store/knowledgeoverfaith Shawn Towers (@know_ledgeoverfaith)Instagram · know_ledgeoverfaith8.5K+ followers https://www.tiktok.com/@mannanite?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc Shawn TowersYouTube · Shawn Towers610+ followers Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2448874/support]

Unholier Podcast: Cocktails & Confessions 🍹✨

Is it a sin or just a Sunday? Grab a drink and pull up a chair as we deconstruct the "holy" chaos of the Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) movement. This week, we’re joined by fellow escapee Kristin Watson for a much-needed palate cleanser. From the absurdity of "modest" fashion to the absolute terror of a tent meeting, we’re spilling the tea (and the gin) on everything our pastors warned us about. What’s Inside the Episode: * The IFB Girl Starter Pack: We’re breaking down the "godly" wardrobe—from the dreaded culottes and empire-waist jumpers to the paradox of chunky platform shoes. * Purity Culture Paranoia: Tampon shame, the "toilet seat pregnancy" myth, and the infamous toothpaste analogy. If it was designed to make you feel broken, we’re laughing at it now. * Wild Altar Calls: Remember the screaming preachers and the "Holy Ghost" water-throwing? We recount the most unhinged tent meetings and public call-outs we ever witnessed. * The "Scandalous" Now: What would our younger selves think of our agnosticism, our voices, and our cleavage? (Spoiler: They’d be terrified; we’re thrilled.) * The Deconstruction Drinking Game: We’re sipping our way through the trauma, processing our views on Hell, and reclaiming our self-worth from a system that tried to bury it. Why You Need to Listen: If you’ve ever felt the sting of religious legalism or the weight of a "modesty" lecture, this episode is your permission slip to laugh. We’re moving past the fear and embracing a life of grace, questioning, and genuine freedom. #ReligiousTrauma #IFB #Fundie #Deconstruction #PurityCulture #Exvangelical #CultRecovery #TraumaHealing #ModestyCulture #Fundamentalism #ChurchTrauma #Therapy #SpiritualDeconstruction Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2448874/support]

The Truth About "Rapture Practice": Paula Yost on Why You’re Still Stuck in Survival Mode

**Is Your Nervous System Stuck in Survival Mode? | The Trauma of "Rapture Practice" & Purity Culture** Did you grow up "practicing" for the Rapture? Do you still feel a spike of panic when you can’t find your parents, or feel a deep-seated shame about your body that you just can't shake?  In this powerful episode of the **Un Holier Podcast**, we sit down with mental health professional Paula Yost to deconstruct the hidden scars left by evangelical and charismatic Christian environments. We’re diving deep into the science of **Religious Trauma Syndrome** and why your "anxiety" might actually be a physiological response to years of fear-based teaching. ### **In This Episode, We Discuss:** * **The "Rapture Practice" Phenomenon:** How being told you could be "left behind" at any moment floods a child's brain with cortisol, rewiring the nervous system for chronic anxiety. * **The Dark Side of Purity Culture:** Why tying a person's worth to sexual "purity" destroys autonomy, ruins consent, and creates long-term sexual dysfunction. * **The Cortisol Connection:** Paula breaks down the clinical impact of fear-based theology on the developing brain—leading to lifelong struggles with rumination and depression. * **Church Hypocrisy & Power Abuse:** Identifying the patterns of boundary violations and the systemic harm done to the LGBTQ+ community, including the devastating reality of conversion therapy. * **The Road to Deconstruction:** How to reclaim your identity, set healthy boundaries, and find authentic support after leaving a high-control religious environment. **If you found this video helpful, please Like, Subscribe, and share your story in the comments. You are not alone, and healing is possible.** #religioustrauma  #deconstruction  #purityculture  #rapture  #mentalhealthmatters  #nervoussystemhealing  #UnHolierPodcast #churchtrauma   #Exvangelical Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2448874/support]