Recapping Season 1 of Surviving the Black Church Podcast

Black Religious Trauma Survivor Speaks with Adrian Taylor

Black men are not supposed to talk about being hurt. Especially not by the church. In this episode of Surviving the Black Church, Adrian Taylor breaks that silence. As a Black man who grew up in the Black church, endured spiritual abuse from church leadership, and wrestled with the weight of religious trauma alongside the expectations of Black masculinity, his story puts a face on a conversation that too many Black men have had to carry alone. This one is for every Black man who knew something was wrong — and was told that saying so made him less of a man, less of a believer, or less of both. Surviving the Black Church — because your story doesn't end there.

LGBTQ+, Queerness, QTBIPOC and the Black Church with Dr. Nikiya Pruitt

For Black LGBTQ+ people, the church is often the first place they learn that who they are is wrong. And the harm that follows can last a lifetime. In this episode of Surviving the Black Church, we sit down with Nikiya Pruitt — licensed clinical social worker — for an honest conversation about queerness, QTBIPOC identity, and the Black church. Drawing on her clinical work with some of the most marginalized communities at the intersection of race, faith, and sexuality, Nikiya helps us understand what religious trauma looks like for queer Black people — and what real healing requires. This one is for the ones the church told didn't belong — and everyone who is still finding their way back to themselves. Surviving the Black Church — because your story doesn't end there.

Sanctification and Holiness Culture in the Black Community with Dr. Desiree Robinson

In many Black church spaces, holiness isn't just a doctrine — it's a culture of control. And the psychological toll it takes on Black people runs deeper than most are willing to admit. In this episode of Surviving the Black Church, we sit down with Dr. Desiree Robinson — therapist and integrative practitioner specializing in faith, trauma, and intimate wellness — for an honest clinical conversation about what sanctification and holiness culture actually do to Black people who are raised inside them. From shame-based theology to suppressed identity, Dr. Robinson helps us name what so many survivors have felt but never had words for. This one is for everyone who performed holiness to belong — and is still trying to find their way back to themselves. Surviving the Black Church — because your story doesn't end there. Sonnet 4.6

Black Non-Believers in the Black Community with Mandisa Thomas

What does it cost Black people to stop believing — in a community where faith is woven into identity, family, and belonging? In this episode of Surviving the Black Church, we sit down with Mandisa Thomas — founder and president of Black Nonbelievers, Inc. and co-recipient of the 2020 Harvard Humanist of the Year award — for a frank conversation about non-belief in the Black community. From the stigma of leaving faith to being shunned by family, Mandisa has spent over a decade creating space for Black people who are done pretending — and building community on the other side of belief. This one is for the doubters, the done, and everyone quietly asking questions they've been afraid to say out loud. Surviving the Black Church — because your story doesn't end there.

Black Religious Trauma Survivor Speaks with Ebony Brice

Some stories need to be told because someone else is living them in silence right now. In this episode of Surviving the Black Church, Ebony Brice steps forward to share her experience as a Black religious trauma survivor — from growing up in the Black church, to enduring spiritual abuse at the hands of church leadership, to finding her voice on the other side of it all. No credentials. No platform. Just a survivor telling her truth — and in doing so, giving language to what so many others have been carrying alone. This one is for everyone who knew something was wrong but was told to pray through it and keep quiet. Surviving the Black Church — because your story doesn't end there.