Butterflies and Bravery is a podcast created and hosted by two cult Survivors and best friends who were born into the notorious Children of God cult. Listen as Whisper and Jemima tell their stories of turning surviving into thriving, interview other Survivors, and straight talk all things cult, trauma, and religion recovery. Our episodes are guest-led, so anything can happen! Our conversations are real, raw and often NSFW. They may be triggering. But they will thrill and inspire you and give ...
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Send us a Text Message. The first in a series based on our ICSA presentation of some of the barriers faced by born in cult survivors and the struggles unique to us. In this episode we cover the ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) questionnaire and some of the ways it may relate to second or multi-generation survivors of cultic or high control group…
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Send us a Text Message. A little recap of our trip to Barcelona to speak at the International Cultic Studies Association yearly conference. Complete with sideline stories and daisy picking. Support the Show. Support The Show: https://paypal.me/bnbdonations?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US Visit our Website Follow us: Instagram Facebook Twitter…
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Send us a Text Message. Whisper and Jemima are on their way to present at ICSA 2024. Our panel consisting of a psychologist from Australia and your Butterflies and Bravery crew is speaking at the International Cultic Studies Association yearly conference. Listen as we share a little sneak peek of our presentation. Support the Show. Support The Show…
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We're Still Talking About Sex, But With Guests
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Send us a Text Message. Joined by the hosts of Sexvangelicals podcast, Julia Postema and Jeremiah Gibson who are both sex and couples therapists. They both grew up in religious communities with strictly controlled sexual beliefs. Our conversation covers topics like, sexual health and relational health and how much they affect each other, forced vul…
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It Was All About Submission (And Not the Fun Kind)
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Send us a Text Message. It was all about control. What was sexually perverted according to the Children of God cult? Whisper reads some passages from Lauren Hough's New York Times Bestseller, Leaving Isn't the Hardest Thing. Some very candid conversations about sex, bonded choice, and why maybe some of us are just now figuring out our sexuality ens…
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Send us a Text Message. Meet Em Thomas. Dog trainer, cult survivor and conversationalist extraordinaire. Listen as Em talks with Jemima and Whisper about some difficult but relatable topics. We discuss bodily autonomy, how cults used sex to control and so much more. Plus we announce the opening of our Threadless shop and exciting news for this summ…
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Send us a Text Message. Butterflies and Bravery first episode of the year with some statistics from 2023 as well as our usual banter, laughter and tears. A talk about the benefits of support groups as well as several other daisies that we pick along the way. Thank you all for listening! Support the Show. Support The Show: https://paypal.me/bnbdonat…
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Send us a Text Message. The Burapa swallow is one of the few birds in the world that builds its nest out of its own saliva. A self designed refuge. As survivors, we are that refuge for each other. Join us as we catch up with each other, Whisper explains what a ladder puller is and we talk about imposter syndrome. Support the Show. Support The Show:…
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Meet Faith Jones: Activist, Attorney and Author
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Send us a Text Message. In spite of being the granddaughter of the infamous cult leader, David Berg, Faith Jones managed to escape the clutches of the sex cult she was born into and found healing and success as a lawyer, activist, entrepreneur, and business advisor. In this episode, Jemima and Whisper speak with Faith Jones, author of the acclaimed…
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Send us a Text Message. Tabitha Chapman is not only a survivor of NXIVM and the founder of International Cult Awareness Month, she is a therapist, founder of Freedom Train Project and much more. Raised in Assemblies of God, Tabitha lived in socially acceptable abusive environments as a child. Last year she founded International Cult Awareness Month…
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When the World Didn't End with Guinevere Turner
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Send us a Text Message. If you’ve seen the epic films American Psycho, Chasing Amy or Dogma, you’ll probably recognize our amazing guest, Guinevere Turner. Guinevere has written, starred in, and/or directed 34 films to date! Now Guinevere has written a book, When the World Didn't End. In her book, she details some of her experiences growing up in t…
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We went to ISCA! And Lou-something-ville.
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Send us a Text Message. In this episode, Whisper and Jemima recap their tripto Louisville, Kentucky to attend theICSA (International Cultic Studies Association) Conference. Thanks to the generosity of ourlisteners, not only did they learn awhole heckin’ lot, but theymade `amazing connections, plans for advocacywork with incredible people, they also…
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Send us a Text Message. The human brain seeks and recognizes patterns in our every day lives. Part of our survival instincts drive our brains to automatically see the negative patterns. Learning to recognize the beauty in every day life is starting to be recognized as a way to stimulate the polyvagal system, and it helps our brains to begin seeking…
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Send us a Text Message. Jo Lloyd Johnson's daughter changed everything, the moment their eyes met, Jo knew that she would be responsible for introducing the world to her child. What will she do if her world is not the world she wants for her child? “I spent most of my life trying to earn worth. But when I became a mother, I could not look at my chi…
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Send us a Text Message. Health issues are becoming more common as the born-into-a-cult groups get older, and many of us struggle to know how to approach self care after being raised like robot soldiers with zero regard for our selves. In this episode Whisper and Jemima talk about the importance of listening to our bodies and asking for help before …
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Send us a Text Message. We're checking in with the newest member of the bionic knee club and just three days out of knee replacement surgery Jemima brings us hospital stories, inspiration, laughs and a little "slam" poetry. This episode is sure to make you smile. Which is good, because our last episode probably didn't. Support the Show. Support The…
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Send us a Text Message. TRIGGER WARNING FOR THIS EPISODE: SA, CA, and victim blaming We're bringing the "Cult Cringe" again..... In this episode Whisper and Jemima read another publication that was required reading for all Children of God cult members, titled "Flirty Little Teens Beware". This publication was directed at us, the children, and place…
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Send us a Text Message. In this episode, we hear Sara Durham's story, from being born into a cult and raised under the crushing weight of extreme beliefs, through the cult imploding, beginning her healing journey and the work of “undoing”, to the beautiful place she is today. With encouragement, wit, and profound insights, Sara will cheer you on to…
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Victory Garden Sanctuary With Monique Ana
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Send us a Text Message. "None of us are safe until all of us are safe." -A bold and true statement from this episode’s guest, Monique Ana. Creating spaces where Survivors can experience different healing modalities is the mission at Victory Garden Sanctuary. Born and raised in the same Children of God cult, Monique is now putting everything she has…
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Send us a Text Message. Did you know that March was chosen as Women's History Month because it's the only month that came with instructions? (No, it's a mom joke.) For our first podcast of the month, we're keeping it on the lighter side of things so that we can continue recovering from last week's podcast. We chat about AI, diamond art and what's u…
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Send us a Text Message. In this episode, Whisper and Jemima read one of the most heinous publications the Children of God cult put out. A missive published in November of 1986 that was so despicable, cult members were told to burn it immediately after reading it. Plus, we’ve got some exciting news! Please listen with caution. This was not by any me…
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Send us a Text Message. An astounding Polaris Project study on needs of survivors of human trafficking had us asking if adults who were born into cults and those who were trafficked have similar needs. Join Whisper and her trusty sidekick Jemima as they discuss the study, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and the stigma surrounding "big stories"…
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Send us a Text Message. Hello, February! With jokes and laughs and cries we weave our way through a talk about human trafficking, survivor resources, exciting things going on in the ex-born in a cult arena, “Heaven’s girl”, and why it's an accomplishment to stick around for the brighter tomorrows we never thought would come. Plus, a surprise visit …
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Send us a Text Message. Our conversation with cult survivor Angela led us down several paths. Angela describes her experience in the Children of God as, "I didn't really have thoughts about did I or did I not believe, it just was." During our chat together we address things that many of us struggle with like body positivity issues, listening to our…
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Send us a Text Message. Welcome 2023! In our first episode of the year we share some stats from last year, talk about things we've learned and tell some stories too. We hope you enjoy this episode and we're glad you're here to live another day. Support the Show. Support The Show: https://paypal.me/bnbdonations?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US Visit our …
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Send us a Text Message. We had the privilege of being guests on another podcast, Critical and Thinking with Ty Barnett and Ian Harris. Join us as we chat more in depth about some of the topics covered, and a few other tangents. Butterflies and Bravery wishes you all a happy Thanksgiving week. This time of year can be difficult for many of us, so we…
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Send us a Text Message. Sometimes a whisper can be louder than a roar. Join us this week as we chat about what's been going on in our worlds. Jemima talks about a fall at work and what that might mean for her in the near future. Then Whisper tells us how she learned that humility can look very differently than we may think. We close this episode wi…
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Send us a Text Message. Attention Deficit Hacks, Building Back Better and Connections If it’s living with CPTSD or living with ADHD, we need our little life hacks. Whisper found an ADHD helpline…tweet. It’s a Twitter thread. In a shorter, light-hearted episode, we catch up with each other and talk about what’s coming up for the podcast and remind o…
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Send us a Text Message. Note to cult leaders: Maybe read the whole Bible verse before starting a new belief system? Jemima and Whisper talk a little about everything (again) in this episode, including the correlation--that Whisper doesn't pronounce correctly (again)--between Human Trafficking, Domestic Violence and cult life. Parenting, The Scarlet…
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Send us a Text Message. Lisa Kendall, founder of Counter Cult Coalition, joins us again to talk about the latest news with the federal statute of limitations being lifted on civil lawsuits relating to allegations of child sexual abuse and federal crimes harming children. Raising awareness about cults and the needs of those born into a cult is a mis…
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Send us a Text Message. SUBJECT WARNING: UNALIVING YOURSELF When we sat down together to talk about upcoming plans and new projects, our conversation quickly shifted, because it was the struggles that so many of our ex-cult community have been facing that sat heavy on our minds. We had to talk about what could be done to help our community not feel…
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Send us a Text Message. After last weeks very somber episode, we thought it would be nice to do something a little lighter this week. Whisper and Jemima share stories about THC and other gummies, some funny sex stories and a whole lot more. We hope you laugh your ass off like we did! Support the Show. Support The Show: https://paypal.me/bnbdonation…
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Send us a Text Message. SUBJECT WARNING-UNALIVING YOURSELF Having been born prisoners of our parents war, an all too familiar tragedy we face in our communities is ongoing and constant suicides. Whisper and Jemima both share some of their personal experiences of having been to the darkest of places, the place where you want to cease to exist. We ta…
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Send us a Text Message. Janice Selbie was born into fundamentalist Pentecostal Christianity. She was steeped in the church from birth. Eventually her need for authenticity, outweighed her need for acceptance. Today, a trained therapist, she aids others in their escape from the clutches of fundamentalist religion. She also recently hosted a conferen…
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Send us a Text Message. Beth Matenaer went from adopted to "a troubled teen" sent off into the mountains of California. Attempting escape, Beth hiked 50 miles to civilization in the middle of the night. Hear the rest of her story as we interview Beth, now a trained trauma therapist working with cult survivors and drug and alcohol addiction. Along w…
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Send us a Text Message. Growing up in a cult or a high control or coercive atmosphere can sometimes leave your inner child needing reparenting. What is reparenting anyhow? Tonight we talk about what that means for both of us, and remind ourselves that it can look different at all the stages of our journey, and how a little change in perspective can…
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We Even Coordinated Outfits For This Episode
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Send us a Text Message. In this episode, a t-shirt that read, "Life leads you down many paths, but my favorite one leads to the mountains" started off the conversation, and it did lead us down many paths. We start in Jamaica, plus hear updates from "Aunt Jemima's" life and some exciting possibilities coming her way. Other paths included understandi…
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Send us a Text Message. We’ve all faced times in our lives when we get shaken, but sometimes we find ourselves facing times where it feels like nothing’s letting up. And just like a soda bottle, that constant shaking is building pressure with each jolt. If we don’t let some of that out in a controlled escape, things start to go boom. Whisper gets v…
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Send us a Text Message. How do you fit a life like ours into a single chapter? Whisper makes a run at doing just that with her chapter in "Dare to Express", a collaboration book coming out in September. A handful of amazing women were invited to write a chapter about their lives, and Whisper was one of them. Jemima and Whisper read this beautifully…
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Rebuild and Thrive by Amanda Moon Ellevis
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Send us a Text Message. Amanda Moon Ellevis is a survivor of trafficking and sexual exploitation. Her heart for the exploited stems from her unique vulnerabilities as a young musician in the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as her experience being homeless. Now she’s helping others through her newly released book, “Rebuild and Thrive” a guide to ass…
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Send us a Text Message. This week we have a short episode as Whisper and Jemima touch base to talk about their week and what’s been happening in their corner of the world. Whisper’s little fur baby is having some health issues, and Jemima and Whisper talk more about taking care of the pets they’ve loved and lost. Support the Show. Support The Show:…
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COG-TFI Survivors: The fight for justice in the aftermath of a destructive cult
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Send us a Text Message. In our first ever two-guest episode we talk with two of the founders of the COG-TFI Survivors movement. Their mission is to spread awareness and bring justice to the survivors of the extremist cult, the Children of God. To expose their crimes, and appeal to authorities to take action against COG-TFI leaders and abusers. We h…
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Send us a Text Message. Sometimes we all need a little reminder that we’ve got this. In this episode, Whisper and Jemima share some affirmations that can give us that reminder. And in their signature fashion, throw in a little bit of everything as they wander around things off topic, catch up on their week and spend time laughing at themselves. So …
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Send us a Text Message. "Grief does not change you. It reveals you.” -- John Green Grief and loss are things that we all face at some point in our life. But when losses come one after another, we can end up in grief overload. Melissa found herself facing this, having lost her mother and two brothers in a short period of time. But where many might h…
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Send us a Text Message. This episode, come join us as we welcome Pride month, and chat about random things, including the definition of PTSD, CPTSD and Moral Injury. Plus, we have some laughs as we discuss sexuality, jack hammers and carousels, caves, headlamps and rage rooms. We hope you’ll enjoy spending the evening with us! - Whisper & Jemima ht…
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Send us a Text Message. Born into a fundamentalist Christian home, Tammie Willis knew coercion and control from a very young age. Kept busy with religious activities, school and church all day, she had little time for anything else. Leaving religion and deconstructing the trauma that she had experienced may have been easier if her life wasn't struc…
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Send us a Text Message. Andrew Pledger was born in a fundamentalist Christian home. He was home schooled and fully immersed in religion from a very young age. When he began to question things in his teen years, he came to some conclusions that didn't quite line up with what he had been taught. He broke free from his religion and came out to the wor…
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Send us a Text Message. Ashlee was only 16 when she met him. What appeared at first to be a fairytale romance, became a web of control growing over her life. The short-lived joy of a fancy car and new clothes came crashing down. Once things turned bloody, she knew she had to escape. Before it was too late. Ashlee's dramatic story became one of tran…
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Send us a Text Message. We are officially one year old! And what a year it's been! We have been honored with the presence of so many survivors, heard stories that made us laugh and cry, and we've shared them with the world. Whisper and Jemima talk about some of the things that have surprised them the most about being podcasters, as well as some of …
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Send us a Text Message. In the second half of our two-part interview with Deb Donner, we learn even more details about daily life for kids in The Wesleyan Community compound, and where it all is today. Plus we pick some daisies about growing up in cults, finding purpose, family relationships, and figuring out life outside the cult. Support the Show…
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