Women Beyond Faith
86 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 1 year ago - ★★★★★ - 32 ratingsIt’s our turn. We’re Speaking.For women who have walked away from faith, the challenges can be overwhelming. Finding how and where we fit into this crazy world can be tough.We matter. And our stories matter. And each and every time we tell a story the narrative shifts. We listen to other brave ass beauties who’ve walked comparable journeys and are reminded that we’re not alone. Here we are – It’s our turn. We’re Speaking. Speaking Up. Speaking Out. Even if our voices shake.We’re Speaking. By Women Beyond Faith.Finding Freedom on the Other Side. One story at a time.
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Episodes
Meet Carrie Part 2 --
October 10, 2022 16:00 - 55 minutes - 38 MBCarrie's back! Join us as she share's the rest of her journey up to present day. May her badassery inspire you! Carrie Doan is a pleasure coach, writer, and business strategist who is passionate about empowering women to rediscover their worth through practices of pleasure. She believes that every single part of us is deserving of love and actively works to reawaken the spirit to a life of abundance. When she's not tending to her children or seeking adventures around the world, she's bus...
Meet Carrie Part 1--
September 27, 2022 04:00 - 1 hour - 41.9 MBCarrie Doan is a pleasure coach, writer, and business strategist who is passionate about empowering women to rediscover their worth through practices of pleasure. She believes that every single part of us is deserving of love and actively works to reawaken the spirit to a life of abundance. When she's not tending to her children or seeking adventures around the world, she's busy hosting the "Clearly Connected Podcast" where she invites listeners to reimagine all the ways they can reconnec...
Meet Janice --
September 02, 2022 16:00 - 59 minutes - 41 MBJanice Selbie is a Registered Professional Counsellor and religious recovery consultant. She Divorced Religion after nearly 40 years in the Pentecostal (and briefly, Mennonite) denomination. After also divorcing her husband, Janice went back to school to become a counsellor and founded the Divorcing Religion Workshop, the Conference on Religious Trauma (aka CORT), and the Shameless Sexuality: Life After Purity Culture conference. Here's additional details regarding Janice's offerings: One...
Summertime Musings
August 23, 2022 23:00 - 39 minutes - 27 MBWork. Family. Vacations. Nude Beaches. Putting into practice the Speaking Up and Speaking Out. Support the show
Meet Alaine Part 2 --
June 21, 2022 20:00 - 1 hour - 43.4 MBAlaine is back! In this episode she shares the pain, isolation and wonder associated with deconstruction. It takes considerable courage to confront cognitive bias head on. Many of us, hoodwinked since childhood, become driven to discover the truth. We're so over the BS! We sprint forward – often times ignorant to the enormity of the fallout for doing so. Alaine carried on. She kept asking the questions and fought hard to find honest answers. Still working through the aftereffects of h...
Meet Alaine Part 2 --
June 21, 2022 20:00 - 1 hour - 43.4 MBAlaine is back! In this episode she shares the pain, isolation and wonder associated with deconstruction. It takes considerable courage to confront cognitive bias head on. Many of us, hoodwinked since childhood, become driven to discover the truth. We're so over the BS! We sprint forward – often times ignorant to the enormity of the fallout for doing so. Alaine carried on. She kept asking the questions and fought hard to find honest answers. Still working through the aftereffects of h...
Meet Alaine Part 1 —
June 03, 2022 11:00 - 1 hour - 52.3 MBAlaine is a Gen-X former evangelical raised in the Deep South who found out the hard way that the unconditional love of Jesus had more than a few conditions. When her world began to crumble following a difficult divorce, her strict, conservative family and Southern Baptist community were not there for her the way she expected. Their shunning pushed her to question all the beliefs she’d clung to her whole life. A support group for women of faith showed her how many verses in the Bibl...
Meet Bess Part 3 --
May 22, 2022 13:00 - 1 hour - 58.1 MBBess is back from rural Pennsylvania to share with us the rest of her story – at least up to current day Spring of 2022. In her mid 20s and wise beyond her years Bess talks university, working through anxiety and panic attacks, therapy, finding the love of her life, managing relationships with still believing family members, and finding community with other out of the box thinkers in her small town. Bess is an animal lover and her gentle, soft spoken connection with these non-humans offe...
Meet Reagan Part 2 --
May 04, 2022 19:00 - 53 minutes - 36.7 MBReagan's back! In this conversation she talks specifics regarding the multiple small businesses she runs here in the Greater Cincinnati area. Reagan is a career coach, professional photographer, CEO of a Nature Preschool, blogger, AND does speaking engagements. Whew! That makes me tired just typing it all out!! Reagan continues to inspire me -- she's changing the world by being herself! Here's Reagan -- sharing more of her journey -- from evangelical homeschool kiddo to earth loving,...
Meet Reagan Part 1 --
March 25, 2022 22:00 - 1 hour - 46.3 MBReagan is a mom and owner of multiple small businesses here in the Greater Cincinnati area. She grew up in the church. She and her family frequented the same homeschool circles as my family. Her people played on the same homeschool sports teams as my people. Her sister actually dated one of my favorite human’s brother. We knew, and -- still know—a lot of the same people. I’m not sure how or when I was first introduced to Reagan’s Instagram page. I don’t think I realized at the time that she...
Leah & Bess talk Purity Culture --
March 16, 2022 20:00 - 1 hour - 44.4 MBTrigger warning: This episode contains material that may be difficult for some of our listeners to hear. Conversations cover porn, body shaming, Josh Harris, I Kissed Dating Goodbye, statutory rape, purity culture and abortion. #porn #bodyshaming #JoshuaHarris #JoshHarris #IKissedDatingGoodbye #statutoryrape #purityculture #abortion #sexuallycurious #shamed #dating #relationships #courting #courtship #exvangelical #boymeetsgirl #findingfreedom #onestoryatatime #speakingup #speakingou...
Meet Bess Part 1 --
March 03, 2022 16:00 - 1 hour - 53.7 MBBess is in her mid 20s. She lives in a small rural Pennsylvania town. As you'd expect, she's been surrounded by conservative christians as far as the eye can see for the entirety of her life. Raised in the church and educated in christian schools, Bess never fit in. Everyone around her was exactly the same – same beliefs, same hobbies, same skin color, same EVERYTHING! Sure, she made attempts to fit in, but as a young teen, Bess determined she could no longer pretend to be someone she ...
Responding -- Ask Me Anything with Leah
February 04, 2022 01:00 - 47 minutes - 32.5 MBResponding to your questions -- Leah talks work, Covid family relations, homeschool mama days and the kids subsequent trauma, as well as the movie Captain Fantastic with one of her crushes -- Viggo Mortensen. #WereSpeaking #SpeakUp #SpeakOut #FindingFreedom #OneStoryataTime #BraveAssBeauties #WomenBeyondFaith You can reach us at [email protected], Instagram or Facebook. New graphic by Dara Paul. Thanks, girlfriend! Special thanks to my personal assistant and editor @emmacather...
Meet Andrea B. Part 2 --
January 20, 2022 22:00 - 1 hour - 50.4 MBShe's back!! Catch the rest of Andrea's deconstruction story here at Andrea B. Part 2! Born the 4th of 5 children to strict young earth creationist parents in the Midwest, Andrea B. was at church every Sunday. At the age of 9, she began attending summer camp at Kanakuk (think “Jesus Camp” Documentary) in Branson, Missouri. Attempting to grow in faith, confidence, and Christian characterAndrea buckled down intensifying her commitment to the faith. Sold out for Jesus, Andrea was rebaptize...
Meet Andrea B. Part 1 --
January 05, 2022 22:00 - 1 hour - 45.5 MBBorn the 4th of 5 children to strict young earth creationist parents in the Midwest, Andrea B. was at church every Sunday. At the age of 9, she began attending summer camp at Kanakuk (think “Jesus Camp” Documentary) in Branson, Missouri. Attempting to grow in faith, confidence, and christian character Andrea buckled down intensifying her commitment to the faith. Sold out for Jesus, she was rebaptized. Attending purity retreats, See You at the Pole events and before school prayer study g...
Meet Andrea B. Part 1 --
January 05, 2022 22:00 - 1 hour - 45.5 MBBorn the 4th of 5 children to strict young earth creationist parents in the Midwest, Andrea B. was at church every Sunday. At the age of 9, she began attending summer camp at Kanakuk (think “Jesus Camp” Documentary) in Branson, Missouri. Attempting to grow in faith, confidence, and christian character Andrea buckled down intensifying her commitment to the faith. Sold out for Jesus, she was rebaptized. Attending purity retreats, See You at the Pole events and before school prayer study g...
Meet Alyssa --
December 18, 2021 22:00 - 1 hour - 53.6 MBAlyssa is a 27 year old spouse & momma of two who is still adjusting to the freedom of "life on the other side" after recently deconstructing her beliefs from the Evangelical Church. After her parents divorced at the age of 8, she and her two brothers were primarily raised by their mom in Wichita, Kansas in a very right-winged conservative household. She currently lives in the Kansas City area, but is hoping to move down south at some point next year. She has been working tirelessly throu...
Meet Deconversion Therapy's Bonnie and Karen -
December 07, 2021 23:00 - 1 hour - 52.8 MBDeconversion Therapy is a comedy podcast about religion. Bonnie and Karen punch up at charlatans like Jim Bakker or Jerry Falwell Jr. They don't discuss real trauma rather they point listeners to other spaces for that. They have fun with old church memories and cover recent and past scandals and debacles. They've been at it for 3 years now! Growing up in the Southern Baptist church in South Florida Bonnie and Karen "met" when we they 1 year old (1969 or 70!). Both became Christians. Bonnie...
Meet Kimberly The Exvangelical Parent --
November 30, 2021 15:00 - 1 hour - 44 MBKimberly Poovey is the founder of The Exvangelical Parent, a community of misfits, questioners, and wanderers, sharing our stories and navigating ethics, morality, and spirituality in parenting. We come from a wide variety of backgrounds and religious traditions, but we are all on a journey of deconstructing, reconstructing, and decolonizing our faith, (or lack thereof.) We aspire to raise good humans without religious baggage who will make the world a better, more just, and more loving pla...
Meet Justice Renee Part 2 --
November 16, 2021 16:00 - 1 hour - 52.5 MBJustice Renée, born trans-female, raised in Young Earth Fundamentalism was taught through shame to hate her trans identity. As a preteen, Justice dedicated her life to Jesus and dove heavily into ministry. Steeped in fundamentalist culture it was not until 2019 when she opened up to her partner about her gender issues. Recently transitioned (woohoo!!), Justice is using her talents to amplify marginalized voices and improve the "Din of Conversation". She's challenging herself to deal with...
Meet Justice Renee --
November 11, 2021 23:00 - 1 hour - 51.6 MBJustice Renée, born trans-female, was raised in a Fundamentalist Evangelical Home. Her father was a leader in the Young Earth/Creation Science movement in Utah and surrounding states through the 1980s and 90s. She was taught through shame to hate her trans identity. In her preteens, Justice dedicated her life to Jesus and began ministry work with her church, AWANA, and CEF and gave her first evangelistic message at 13. She went on to get Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies with a Missio...
Update
October 31, 2021 23:00 - 23 minutes - 16.1 MBSpeak your truth, Leah, even if your voice shakes. We matter. Our stories matter. And our voices need to be heard. #speakup #speakout #werespeaking #imspeaking #ourturn #exvangelical Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=8739294)
Update
October 31, 2021 23:00 - 23 minutes - 16.1 MBSpeak your truth, Leah, even if your voice shakes. We matter. Our stories matter. And our voices need to be heard. #speakup #speakout #werespeaking #imspeaking #ourturn #exvangelical Support the show
Meet Delta —
August 27, 2021 13:00 - 40 minutes - 28.1 MBHey friends! Leah's back with an update and honest appraisal of the current state of affairs in which we find ourselves. She talks contracting COVID, extended family discord, fundie antivax friends, mental health struggles in the time of pandemic and more. Leah references Alan Alda (who played Dr. Hawkeye Pierce on TV's MASH back in the 70s & early 80s) and his advocacy to train STEM and medical professionals to communicate clearly and vividly. Here's a few links to a some of his resource...
Meet Julie Part 2 --
May 25, 2021 23:00 - 49 minutes - 33.9 MBShe's back for more!!! We here at WBF are lucky to have Julie, aka Cornflower Girl, back to continue the conversation! She and I get hung up on our distinct versions of homeschooling (child-directed learning) and many of the casualties of evangelicalism. Pretty sure you're going to find the conversation pretty damn engaging!! Julie is a late diagnosed autistic who has amassed a sizable TikTok following for her relatable PTSD/neurodivergent and Exvangelical content. A writer and armchair ...
Meet Rachael -- Part 2
May 25, 2021 23:00 - 1 hour - 42.2 MBRachael is back!! This recently deconverted beautiful mama of two sweet boys, wife, therapist, sometimes poet, and fierce advocate for those recovering from trauma continues her story. We talk stepping-stones leading to her deconstruction including Pete Enns (I'd never heard of him before!), the Liturgists Podcast and Bart Ehrman. Rachael believes in LOVE and imperfectly lives by that principle. Follow her work on Instagram @smallwords_bigstories or www.rcpstherapy.com Support the show
Meet Rachael Part 1 -
April 28, 2021 13:00 - 54 minutes - 37.7 MBRachael is a recently deconverted mama of two sweet boys, a wife, a therapist, a sometimes poet, and a fierce advocate for those recovering from trauma. Rachael believes in LOVE and imperfectly lives by that principle. Follow her work on Instagram @smallwords_bigstories or www.rcpstherapy.com Support the show
Meet Charisse -- The Existential Ginger
April 21, 2021 00:00 - 1 hour - 43.2 MBCharisse, born and raised in northern Utah, was a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka Mormonism) until 2017. An abrupt divorce plunged her head-first into an existential crisis, leading her to walk away from the LDS faith and community. Leaving religion changed everything for Charisse - how she looked at herself and others -- she contemplated her very existence. She's been working on healing and navigating the religious trauma associated with those ye...
Meet Joy Part 2 --
April 09, 2021 19:00 - 1 hour - 44.6 MBHere's the rest of the story Joy's story! A 59-year-old mother of six , Joy's an elementary school teacher and former fundamentalist, pentecostal Christian currently residing in the Pacific Northwest. Joy spent over 5 decades loving Jesus with her whole heart, mind, and strength. She taught her children to do the same. Her oldest, at about age 19 or 20, came home from a year abroad declaring she was no longer a Christian. This devastating news forced Joy on a search for answers that c...
Meet Julie - Part 1
March 22, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 43.7 MBJulie aka Cornflower Girl is a late diagnosed autistic who’s amassed a sizable TikTok following for her relatable PTSD/neurodivergent and Exvangelical content. A writer and armchair philosopher, she lives in North Carolina with her husband, Phil and 2 neurodivergent kiddos. You can find Julie at www.musingsfromthecornflower.com OR on her IG handle or Tik Tok @@cornflowergrl Support the show
Meet Joy -- Part 1
February 23, 2021 14:00 - 1 hour - 47.3 MBMeet Joy Hopper. She is a 59-year-old mother of six. An elementary teacher. And -- a former fundamentalist, pentecostal Christian who resides in the Pacific Northwest. Joy spent over 5 decades loving Jesus with her whole heart, mind, and strength. She taught her children to do the same. Her oldest, at about age 19 or 20, came home from a year abroad declaring she was no longer a Christian. This devastating news forced Joy on a search for answers that could help win her eldest back to...
Uncertainty
February 10, 2021 23:00 - 57 minutes - 39.2 MB"It’s so important that we take the time to check in with ourselves, especially when our relationship to the future brings a certain kind of weariness." YWA Is 2021 shaping up to be better than 2020?? Is anyone else struggling with Uncertainty? Yoga for Uncertainty https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLlFSWgK2y4 Braver Angels https://braverangels.org Useful Idiots Podcast https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/useful-idiots-trump-reign-taibbi-podcast-1115406/ Unregistered ...
Meet Wendy -
December 21, 2020 02:00 - 1 hour - 71.1 MBWendy grew up in a conservative right-winged home with an Evangelical Christian mother and Atheist father. The church she attended with her mother and brother was a Missionary Church. Wendy's life included submission, obedience and following rules, with guilt and shame as an integral part of her mindset. After attending a 1-room church school for 7 years (A.C.E. – Accelerated Christian Education curriculum), she was able to attend a more “normal” Christian school for the rest of her high sc...
Meet Wendy -
December 21, 2020 02:00 - 1 hour - 71.1 MBWendy grew up in a conservative right-winged home with an Evangelical Christian mother and Atheist father. The church she attended with her mother and brother was a Missionary Church. Wendy's life included submission, obedience and following rules, with guilt and shame as an integral part of her mindset. After attending a 1-room church school for 7 years (A.C.E. – Accelerated Christian Education curriculum), she was able to attend a more “normal” Christian school for the rest of her high sc...
Meet Skylar —
November 22, 2020 14:00 - 1 hour - 47.9 MBSkylar Camp is an angry feminist who lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her two young kids, who describe themselves as her best friends. They have one cat and three nearly-dead plants. She writes creative non-fiction that mostly focuses on deconverting from Evangelical Christianity. You can connect with Skylar on Instagram @skylarcampwrites. Support the show
Meet Jessica Part 2 -
October 04, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 63.5 MBI know you've been clamoring for more of Jessica's beauty and badassery! You're in luck! Here's more of her story! #findingfreedom #onestoryatatime #womenspeakup #womenspeakout #dysautonomia #eosinophilicesophagitis #chronicillness #deconvert #emptythepews #exvangelical #psalm34:14 Jessica grew up swimming in christian fundamentalism. Despite the christian education, life at home was hard -- raised by a single dad and an abusive bipolar manic depressive mother who was in and out of ...
Meet Jessica Part 1 --
September 24, 2020 14:00 - 1 hour - 55 MBJessica grew up swimming in christian fundamentalism. Despite the christian education, life at home was hard -- raised by a single dad and an abusive bipolar manic depressive mother who was in and out of her life. A revolving door of blended families, domestic violence, sexual assault, neglect, and mental and emotional abuse were the norm. The christian schools grounded her and offered structure and stability. She found an identity and safe space to find refuge from the instability at ho...
We're back!!
September 10, 2020 13:00 - 34 minutes - 23.6 MBWhew! It's been a hot minute since we've chatted. Here's a brief update of what's been going on over the last few months recorded at a lovely riverside cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Interviews with badass women starting back up in the very near future. You can get in touch with us on FB and Instagram @WomenBeyondFaith. Or via email at [email protected]. Support the show
Meet Bethany Part 2 --
July 23, 2020 14:00 - 1 hour - 57 MBWe welcome back Bethany, 26 years old, married mom of two, to the Women Beyond Faith podcast! In this episode the conversation moves to pornography, marital relationships, working through tough stuff, isolation, misguided christian counsel, sex in marriage after receiving the Purity Culture narrative, pregnancy, parenting during deconversion, forgiveness, second chances, secular higher ed institutions, finding freedom, autonomy as women, and working hard to become the best version of onesel...
Meet Bethany Part 1 —
June 29, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 53.8 MBFormer conservative homeschooled good girl turns into outspoken liberal feminist. Bethany, 26 years old, is a married mom of two young boys. Currently enrolled in college with a 4.0 GPA, Bethany also loves painting, yoga, music, movies and reading. After rejecting the faith she was raised in, she's now embracing the beauty within. Bethany has found a peace filled freedom this side of faith. We talk Purity Culture, homeschooling, failing to fit in to the christian cultural norms, giving...
In the time of Pandemic — Voices from Cincinnati June 2020
June 10, 2020 00:00 - 23 minutes - 15.8 MBHere's an opportunity to meet a few of the phenomenal women in my local circle; Kellie, Jillian & Dara. They briefly talk life under quarantine. Prompts were provided to get the conversation started -- if they so chose. We've attempted to keep it apolitical (for the most part). No bashing. No shaming. And do our best to rise above all of that negativity and offer some positive energy to the world. Basically - we wanted to know how women are surviving the pandemic this side of faith? ...
In the time of Pandemic — Voices from Cincinnati June 2020
June 10, 2020 00:00 - 23 minutes - 15.8 MBHere's an opportunity to meet a few of the phenomenal women in my local circle; Kellie, Jillian & Dara. They briefly talk life under quarantine. Prompts were provided to get the conversation started -- if they so chose. We've attempted to keep it apolitical (for the most part). No bashing. No shaming. And do our best to rise above all of that negativity and offer some positive energy to the world. Basically - we wanted to know how women are surviving the pandemic this side of faith? ...
Meet Dana Part 1 --
May 29, 2020 01:00 - 1 hour - 42.7 MBMeet Dana, a former missionary who took evangelicalism as far as she could. She grew up in a baptist church and family in California. Homeschooled for 6 years, she dedicated her youth to saving non-believers from the torment of “hell”. To prepare for full time ministry, she attended the New Tribes and Moody Bible Institutes and earned degrees in Biblical Studies and Linguistics. Dana fully left Christianity shortly after her final mission trip in Thailand in 2010 after concluding that mis...
Meet Melissa Part 2 --
May 15, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 46.5 MBFormer fundie Proverbs 31 homeschool mama, Melissa, just graduated with a degree in Women's Studies. She has an expansive resume; author, childbirth educator, doula, belly dancer, mom to 5 and grandma to 8 (just to name a few). Searching at the tender age of 17 for the best way to raise her baby, Melissa found church. Today at 50, Melissa's unabashed ambition to be a life long learner and question everything led her in to uncharted territories. This perpetual hunger for knowledge and un...
Meet Melissa Part 1 —
April 29, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 60 MBFormer fundie Proverbs 31 homeschool mama, Melissa, graduates this May with a degree in Women's Studies. She has an expansive resume; author, childbirth educator, doula, belly dancer, mom to 5 and grandma to 8 (just to name a few). Searching at the tender age of 17 for the best way to raise her baby, Melissa found church. Today at 50, Melissa's unabashed ambition to be a life long learner and question everything led her in to uncharted territories. This perpetual hunger for knowledge an...
In the time of Pandemic - April 2020
April 14, 2020 15:00 - 43 minutes - 30 MBSo we've had a hard time knowing how to move forward with the WBF podcast during this time of crisis. We finally came up with what we believe to be is a not so terrible idea -- and -- we're hoping it helps in some way to keep us connected during this time of pandemic. We invited people to offer a 5, 10 or even 15 minute update of what life is looking like at their house. Some daily quarantine prompts were provided to get the conversation started. And, we encouraged those with kiddos to try...
In the time of Pandemic - Part 1
April 14, 2020 15:00 - 43 minutes - 30 MBSo we've had a hard time knowing how to move forward with the WBF podcast during this time of crisis. We finally came up with what we believe to be is a not so terrible idea -- and -- we're hoping it helps in some way to keep us connected during this time of pandemic. We invited people to offer a 5, 10 or even 15 minute update of what life is looking like at their house. Some daily quarantine prompts were provided to get the conversation started. And, we encouraged those with kiddos to try...
Meet April Part 2 --
March 09, 2020 02:00 - 54 minutes - 37.8 MBShe's back!! Join us for more of April's Journey as we talk managing unequally yoked marriage, parenting this side of faith, adoption, her incredible mom and dad -- #heroes. I actually had the extreme privilege of asking April a few lively questions from the Proust Questionnaire. If you didn't fall in love with April last episode, you're surely going to do so today. Lace up those running shoes (or not), grab those headphones (or not), and pull up Meet April Part 2 on your favorite podc...
Meet April Part I -
February 22, 2020 01:00 - 1 hour - 50.8 MBApril, maker of cult charts, was born in a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama. Raised in a Southern Baptist home, April took the teachings preached from the pulpit more seriously than did her parents. April believes the doctrine of Hell, was the primary catalyst of her nervous breakdown shortly after 9/11. April is married with 3 children. Support the show
Meet April Part I -
February 22, 2020 01:00 - 1 hour - 50.8 MBApril, maker of cult charts, was born in a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama. Raised in a Southern Baptist home, April took the teachings preached from the pulpit more seriously than did her parents. April believes the doctrine of Hell, was the primary catalyst of her nervous breakdown shortly after 9/11. April is married with 3 children. Support the show