Best Eric Skwarczynski Podcasts (2024)

1
313: 5 Victims, 11 Felony Counts | Former North Valley Baptist Church Member Arrested 31:43

1d ago31:43

31:43

On November 13, 2020, I shared an episode of the Preacher Boys Podcast featuring Bruce Kennedy discussing his experiences at North Valley Baptist Church in Santa Clara, CA. On the episode, we discussed several scandals relating to this particular ministry, and one in particular was that of Norlan Macias - a former member of North Valley Baptist Chu…

1
312: Healing from Trauma is Not a One-Size-Fits-All Journey | Ashley Easter 18:38

6d ago18:38

18:38

Check out the Psycho-Therapy Podcast: https://rebrand.ly/psychotherapypodcast Check out Figuring It Out: https://www.youtube.com/@figuringitouttv/videos Welcome to the Preacher Boys Podcast! In this episode, we delve deep into the importance of inclusivity and diversity in the healing journey from trauma and abuse. My guest today is Ashley Easter, …

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311: Erica Smith, M. Ed | The Sex Educator Taking on Purity Culture 53:23

1M ago53:23

53:23

I’m so glad to welcome Erica Smith, M. Ed to today’s episode of the Preacher Boys Podcast. Erica is an experienced, award-winning, and internationally recognized sexuality educator whose main area of focus is sex education for people leaving high-control religions. Connect with her here: https://www.ericasmitheac.com/ ✖️✖️✖️ Support the Show: Patre…

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310: Ryan George | I Discovered My Father Was a Serial Predator 1:04:54

1M ago1:04:54

1:04:54

I highly encourage you to watch the past interview with Cathy that we referenced in the episode: https://youtu.be/DoPQVDE9c7k ✖️✖️✖️ Grab a copy of Ryan's book: https://amzn.to/45j7dl4 ✖️✖️✖️ BOOK DESCRIPTION: What would you do if you learned—from a podcast—that your dad (a pastor) was a serial sexual abuser? For Ryan George, this isn't a hypotheti…

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309: "Not Safe for Bill Gothard Headquarters" | Lindsey Williams 1:42:16

1M ago1:42:16

1:42:16

On June 2nd, 2023, the documentary series "Shiny Happy People" premiered on Amazon Prime. While the series' tagline promised to expose some Duggar family secrets, it ended up revealing much more, particularly the work and philosophy of Bill Gothard, the creator of the Institute in Basic Life Principles and the Advanced Training Institute. Gothard's…

1
S2E12: The Incarceration of Japanese America — with Scott Okamoto 1:59:46

2M ago1:59:46

1:59:46

To wrap up AAPI History Month, friend of the show Scott Okamoto joins Gail and Nate to share about his family's history during the years that Japanese Americans were incarcerated in concentration camps in the western part of the US and Canada. Also, as one of the hosts of the podcast Asians in Baseball, Scott needed to be tested on his knowledge of…

1
308: Surviving Abuse and Betrayal by the Southern Baptist Convention | Christa Brown 50:15

2M ago50:15

50:15

Purchase a copy of Baptistland: https://amzn.to/3R6MzP2 About the Book: It began with just wanting to tell the truth. But truth-telling has a way of snowballing. When Christa Brown first spoke out about the sexual abuse she endured in her Texas childhood church, she never imagined it would expose the ethical chasm at the core of the Southern Baptis…

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307: Escaping Christian Patriarchy | Cait West 57:43

2M ago57:43

57:43

Grab a copy of Cait's book, Rift: https://amzn.to/4dMIoBN Raised in the Christian patriarchy movement, Cait West was homeschooled and could only wear clothes her father deemed modest. She was five years old the first time she was told her swimsuit was too revealing and to go change. There would be no college in her future, no career. She was a stay…

1
306: Avoiding The Cult of Trauma | Joe Nucci 50:51

2M ago50:51

50:51

Joe Nucci is a psychotherapist and writer whose content contextualizes mental health misinformation, pop-psychology facts and fallacies, and culturally misconstrued ideas. Joe’s debut book will be released in 2025. ✖️✖️✖️ Support the Show: Patreon.com/PreacherBoys ✖️✖️✖️ If you or someone you know has experienced abuse, visit courage365.org/need-he…

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305: Surviving the Troubled Teen Industry and Becoming Unsilenced | Meg Appelgate 54:20

2M ago54:20

54:20

On today’s episode, I’m sitting down with Meg Applegate, the CEO of Unsilenced Project Inc., a non-profit on a mission to stop institutional child abuse by empowering self-advocates to promote lasting social change. At the age of 15, Meg was abducted by two strangers in the middle of the night from her California home and was told that “she was com…

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304: Therapist Reacts to John MacArthur's Take on PTSD, ADHD, and OCD 9:13

2M ago9:13

9:13

Joe Nucci is a psychotherapist with thousands of hours of experience working with psychological and personal development issues. He specializes in treating anxiety, depression, complex trauma, couples, families, and adult children of dysfunctional families. I wanted to share this 8-minute sneak peek of our full interview – which will be released on…

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303: Why I SHUT DOWN the Preacher Boys Facebook Group for Two Weeks 17:37

2M ago17:37

17:37

In today's episode, I discuss why I shut down the Preacher Boys Facebook group for two weeks and what I hope changes. ✖️✖️✖️ Support the Show: Patreon.com/PreacherBoys ✖️✖️✖️ If you or someone you know has experienced abuse, visit courage365.org/need-help ✖️✖️✖️ CONNECT WITH THE SHOW: preacherboyspodcast.com https://www.youtube.com/@PreacherBoys ht…

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302: Getting Educated About Abuse | Ashley Easter 24:30

3M ago24:30

24:30

Ashley Easter is a passionate advocate committed to guiding individuals toward liberation and empowerment. With an unwavering dedication to helping others break free from abuse and oppression, Ashley channels her energy into creating a space where individuals can unlock their full potential. Driven by a profound belief in the possibility of a life …

1
301: Did You Know a "Christian Flag" Exists? 16:18

3M ago16:18

16:18

Magic Mind made this episode possible! Get 20% off your first order of Magic Mind by visiting MagicMind.com/PreacherBoys and using the discount code PREACHERBOYS20 ✖️✖️✖️ If you or someone you know has experienced abuse, visit courage365.org/need-help ✖️✖️✖️ CONNECT WITH THE SHOW: preacherboyspodcast.com https://www.youtube.com/@PreacherBoys https:…

1
300th Episode of the Preacher Boys Podcast! 33:01

3M ago33:01

33:01

Today is the 300th episode of the Preacher Boys Podcast, and a lot has happened since episode one… The podcast journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. From taking a seat with Chris Hansen to joining forces with Paris Hilton in protest to my appearance on TV in Let Us Prey: A Ministry of Scandals, the show has opened doors I never could hav…

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299: When Law and Order: SVU Did a Duggar Episode 12:21

3M ago12:21

12:21

Over its impressive 26-season run, Law and Order: SVU has consistently mirrored real-life events in its gripping fictional storylines. From the Chris Brown domestic abuse case to the Casey Anthony investigation and the Michael Jackson allegations, the show has always stayed on top of the headlines. It should come as no surprise that, in 2015, SVU a…

1
298: Adverse Religious Experiences Explained | Dr. Laura Anderson 1:11:33

3M ago1:11:33

1:11:33

Dr. Laura Anderson is a psychotherapist, trauma resolution coach and consultant, writer and educator specializing in complex and developmental trauma, dynamics of power and control and religious trauma based out of Nashville, TN. ✖️✖️✖️ Resources Mentioned: – When Religion Hurts You: https://amzn.to/3TQgdso – Sexual Healing: https://amzn.to/3Q1RcK2…

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297: Olivia Plath's Teen Vogue Interview | An Ex-Fundamentalist Reacts 58:08

3M ago58:08

58:08

Olivia Plath -- who entered public awareness through the TLC reality series Welcome to Plathville – recently sat down for an interview with Vogue Magazine. The article, Olivia Plath on Christian Fundamentalism, Welcome to Plathville, and Deconstructing, spoke to me personally as a former fundamentalist. I wanted to share a video reacting to the art…

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296: Scott M. Coley | Exposing the Propaganda of the Religious Right 56:00

3M ago56:00

56:00

Scott Coley exposes the inner workings of the religious right’s propaganda—and how Christians can resist it. Good evangelical Christians are Republican. It seems like it’s always been this way. That means the propaganda is working. Scott Coley trains a critical eye on the fusion of evangelicalism and right-wing politics in Ministers of Propaganda. …

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295: 13-Year-Old Victim "Would Be Lucky" | Asa Akira Defends Statutory Rape in Resurfaced Clip 25:48

3M ago25:48

25:48

I came across a video on Instagram recently of famous pornstar Asa Akira, who eventually became Pornhub’s Ambassador and host of the Pornhub Podcast in 2018. This clip was from a 2012 episode of her original podcast, DVDASA, which she co-hosted with actor and artist David Choe, who you might recognize from the hit Netflix series Beef. It’s admitted…

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294: Dr. Steven Hassan | "It’s Your Mind, Only You Should Control It" 57:54

4M ago57:54

57:54

Today on the show, Eric Skwarczynski is joined by Dr. Steven Hassan. Dr. Hassan is a licensed mental health professional, a recognized expert on cults and undue influence, and possesses professional experience both in the US and abroad. His work encompasses various areas, including consultation, coaching, public speaking, media appearances, activis…

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293: John Wilkerson Showed His True Colors | ft. April Avila and Kathy Durbin 1:25:56

4M ago1:25:56

1:25:56

Eric Skwarczynski sits down with friends, survivors, and fellow Let Us Prey: A Ministry of Scandals cast members Kathy Durbin and April Avila to discuss John Wilkerson, the pastor of First Baptist Church of Hammond. ✖️✖️✖️ Links Mentioned: Wilkerson's Original Statement About the Doc/Protest: https://youtu.be/B9ErrUtJsWg Jack Trieber Cover-Up: http…

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292: Shelly Snow Pordea | Exposing Truth Through Fiction 58:54

4M ago58:54

58:54

Shelly Snow Pordea is a dynamic figure, renowned as a speaker, publishing consultant, and author of the captivating Tracing Time trilogy. This trilogy, a compelling narrative of women navigating the complexities of life while endeavoring to protect themselves and their loved ones, has consistently ranked among the top one hundred Time Travel Romanc…

1
291: Bob Jones University EXPOSED in New Podcast Series 38:47

4M ago38:47

38:47

Andrew Pledger talks about his work exposing the dark history of Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC, through his new podcast, Beyond BJU. ✖️✖️✖️ If you or someone you know has experienced abuse, visit courage365.org/need-help ✖️✖️✖️ CONNECT WITH THE SHOW: preacherboyspodcast.com https://www.youtube.com/@PreacherBoys https://www.facebook.com/pre…

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290: Christina Cheetham | Abuse and Cover-up at North Valley Baptist Church 1:04:31

4M ago1:04:31

1:04:31

First coverage of the lawsuit: https://youtu.be/I6laSC_E3ZY Multiple sources close to North Valley Baptist Church in Santa Clara, California, stated that after the evening service on Wednesday, March 13, the livestream was shut off. After the livestream ended, Pastor Jack Trieber and his staff informed the church body in the auditorium that they ha…

1
289: When Andrew Tate is Worshipped, Society Needs Better Value Systems 17:58

4M ago17:58

17:58

Full transcript: https://preacherboys.substack.com/p/when-andrew-tate-is-worshipped-society Despite the arrests, Tate’s followers remain as loyal as ever - claiming that these arrests are just attempts by “the matrix” to silence them. As with any cultish following, perceived persecution tends to encourage rather than weaken. How has the former figh…

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288: Former North Valley Baptist Church Youth Pastor Sued for Sexual Abuse of Two Minors 11:51

4M ago11:51

11:51

Link to full transcript: https://open.substack.com/pub/preacherboys/p/former-north-valley-baptist-church?r=15p355&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web ✖️✖️✖️ If you or someone you know has experienced abuse, visit courage365.org/need-help ✖️✖️✖️ CONNECT WITH THE SHOW: preacherboyspodcast.com https://www.youtube.com/@PreacherBoys https://www.facebook.co…

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287: Took a DNA Test, Turns Out I’m 100% Mormon | Shelise Ann Sola 1:04:13

4M ago1:04:13

1:04:13

Shelise Ann Sola was born and raised in Utah with a long ancestry in Mormonism. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was the only way to the highest level of heaven and she eagerly accepted the challenge. An unfortunate turn of events led her to feeling worthless, small, dirty and unloved. It was in those moments of desperate solitude, …

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286: Defending Democracy From Its Christian Enemies | David Gushee 58:34

5M ago58:34

58:34

Purchase a copy of Defending Democracy From Its Christian Enemies: https://amzn.to/3OS1Zps About David Gushee: Rev. Prof. Dr. David P. Gushee (PhD, Union Theological Seminary, New York) is Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics at Mercer University, and Chair of Christian Social Ethics at Vrije Universiteit (“Free University”) Amste…

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285: NC Pastor Says Rapist Should Go Free if the Victim Wore Shorts 17:04

5M ago17:04

17:04

Support the podcast on Patreon.com/PreacherBoys ✖️✖️✖️ A sermon clip posted by "BadSermons" on X, featured Pastor Bobby Leonard, Pastor of Bible Baptist Tabernacle in Monroe, North Carolina saying, "You’ll find more women with shorts than pants and dresses combined. If you dress like that and you get raped, and I’m on the jury, he's gonna go free."…

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284: Building a Supportive Community | Ashley Easter 44:06

5M ago44:06

44:06

Eric Skwarczynski sits down with Ashley Easter, the founder of Courage365, to discuss how survivors can build healthy community. ✖️✖️✖️ LINKS MENTIONED: Let Us Prey Q&A: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/let-us-prey-a-survivor-forum-tickets-824504313597?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff…

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283: The Election Cycle and Religious Trauma | Dr. Laura Anderson 38:13

5M ago38:13

38:13

Support the podcast on Patreon.com/PreacherBoys ✖️✖️✖️ Dr. Laura Anderson is a psychotherapist, trauma resolution coach and consultant, writer and educator specializing in complex and developmental trauma, dynamics of power and control and religious trauma based out of Nashville, TN. On this episode we are diving in to the 2024 election cycle. We w…

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S2E11: Beyond Abortion: The Need for Reproductive Justice — with Kimberly Mutcherson 1:38:44

5M ago1:38:44

1:38:44

Professor of Law Kimberly Mutcherson joins Gail and Nate to discuss the history of abortion access in the US, the current landscape of women's healthcare, and the need for reproductive justice in the pro-choice conversation. Professor Mutcherson was the former co-host of the Anthem-Award-winning podcast—The Power of Attorney—which is produced by Ru…

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S2B01: Ash Valentine's Day - Too Much Love Will Kill You (or Those You Love) 1:02:22

5M ago1:02:22

1:02:22

Happy Valentine's Day! On today's episode, Gail and Nate talk about what happens when you love everyone and everything else more than God. Oh, and be sure to check out the Content Warning event taking place in Portland this weekend! Tickets are available at contentwarningevent.com. If you're looking for support for religious trauma survivors, check…

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282: The Trauma of Purity Culture | Dr. Laura Anderson 17:40

5M ago17:40

17:40

UNLOCK my full conversation with Dr. Laura Anderson on Adverse Religious Experiences: https://www.patreon.com/posts/5-common-adverse-97677702 Purchase a copy of When Religion Hurts: https://amzn.to/3uBgoiT About When Religion Hurts: Religious trauma is something that happens far more often than most people realize. But religious trauma is trauma. I…

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281: Angela J. Herrington | Deconstructing Your Faith without Losing Yourself 51:32

6M ago51:32

51:32

Purchase a copy of Deconstructing Your Faith Without Losing Yourself here*: https://amzn.to/49afVTU Angela is a faith deconstruction coach and host of The Deconstructing Faith Summit who helps people break free from toxic religious culture & empowers them to recover from #churchhurt. She has led online ministries for a decade, enjoys working with c…

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280: Bible Teacher Jared Kobernat Sentenced to Four Years in Prison 3:58

6M ago3:58

3:58

Jared Kobernat went to school at West Coast Baptist College in Lancaster, CA before becoming a staff member at First Baptist School in Plattsmouth, NE – a ministry of First Baptist Church. According to the First Baptist School website, they are a “K-12 educational institution” that recently added a pre-school. Jared Kobernat was ordained by the chu…

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279: Alice Greczyn | When God Becomes Chaos 1:16:15

6M ago1:16:15

1:16:15

Purchase a copy of Wayward here*: https://amzn.to/499MuB3 When Alice Greczyn's parents felt called by God to exchange worldly employment for heavenly provision, they followed their faith into homelessness with five children and a cat in tow. Homeschooled and avowed never to kiss a man until her wedding day, Alice had plans to escape the instability…

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S2E10: My Cult Was in a Documentary, Part 3 — with Eric Skwarczynski 1:44:50

6M ago1:44:50

1:44:50

In the third part of our miniseries, "My Cult Was in a Documentary," Eric Skwarczynski joins the show to talk about his work investigating the Independent Fundamental Baptists and about the Max/Investigation Discovery docuseries Let Us Prey: A Ministry of Scandals. Eric's Links: Instagram | @preacherboysdoc Preacher Boys podcast | website Film Scho…

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278: Sadie Carpenter | We Shall All Be Groomed 1:18:30

6M ago1:18:30

1:18:30

✖️✖️✖️ CONNECT WITH THE SHOW: - preacherboyspodcast.com - https://www.facebook.com/preacherboysdoc/ - https://twitter.com/preacherboysdoc - https://www.instagram.com/preacherboysdoc/ To connect with a community that shares the Preacher Boys Podcast's mission to expose abuse in the IFB, join the OFFICIAL Preacher Boys Facebook Group: https://www.fac…

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[BONUS EPISODE] Kentucky Pastor and Hair Stylist Exposed for Predatory Behavior 6:26

6M ago6:26

6:26

The Associate Pastor at Bethel Independent Baptist Church and co-founder of the Cowan and Co. Salon in Glasgow, KY has been exposed for sending inappropriate messages and photos to multiple women – including at least one under 18 years old. Read article: https://open.substack.com/pub/preacherboys/p/pastor-and-hair-stylist-exposed-for?r=15p355&utm_c…

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277: Common Red Flags in IFB Churches 12:03

6M ago12:03

12:03

In this clip from my guest appearance on the Bible Uncut and Unfiltered Podcast, I discuss some of the common structural issues within IFB churches that make them far more susceptible to abuse cases happening. Join us in this eye-opening excerpt from The Bible Uncut and Unfiltered Podcast, where we delve into common red flags found in Independent F…

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S2E09: On Leaving BJU and Klandamentalism — with Dr. Camille Lewis 1:34:45

6M ago1:34:45

1:34:45

Dr. Camille Lewis joins Gail and Nate to share her story of growing up in the IFB, her life at Bob Jones University, the controversies that forced her to leave, and her ongoing work analyzing and reporting on BJU and the larger world of fundamentalism. Read Dr. Lewis' story of leaving BJU here. Follow Dr. Lewis' ongoing reporting and analysis of BJ…

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276: Lydia Joy Launderville | My Bitterness is a Gift 1:03:34

6M ago1:03:34

1:03:34

Lydia Joy Launderville was born and raised in the Independent Fundamental Baptist movement until leaving at the age of 21. More than half a decade later, she continues to speak about those beginning years, what life in the Church was like, her decision to leave her only community and fundamentalist faith behind in order to find safety, freedom, hap…

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275: Amanda Householder | Filming Let Us Prey, Shutting Down Circle of Hope, and Discussing the SICCA Act 44:07

7M ago44:07

44:07

I initially interviewed Amanda Householder on June 10, 2020. During our conversation, she revealed that a staggering number of "troubled teen homes" existed across the United States. Despite purporting to assist at-risk youth, these facilities often functioned as unregulated prisons, particularly those with a faith-based orientation, enjoying even …

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S2E08: My Cult Was in a Documentary, Part 2 — with Jessica Goforth 1:37:26

6M ago1:37:26

1:37:26

Our good friend Jessica Goforth joins us to talk about her reactions to the Amazon Prime series Shiny Happy People, which exposes some of the abuses in the Christian cult known as IBLP or ATI. Jessica is the host of the podcast Leaving the Village, where she shares her own story of surviving IBLP and interviews others who have also escaped the cult…

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274: Nadine Macaluso | Run Like Hell 49:44

7M ago49:44

49:44

PRE-ORDER RUN LIKE HELL NOW*: https://amzn.to/48bWM2N At age twenty-two, Nadine married Jordan Belfort, the nefarious stockbroker portrayed in the Hollywood blockbuster The Wolf of Wall Street. Their marriage began as a fairytale, but once they were bonded, Jordan’s ”mask” began to slip, and acts of infidelity, narcissistic abuse, insatiable greed,…

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273: Hillary McBride, PhD | Navigating Disembodiment and Trauma 54:15

7M ago54:15

54:15

Purchase a copy of Practices for Embodied Living: https://amzn.to/3RU7DJz In The Wisdom of Your Body, clinical psychologist and award-winning researcher Hillary McBride explored the ways many of us inherit a broken understanding of the body and offered a more compassionate, healthy, and holistic perspective on embodied life. In this follow-up book,…

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S2E07: We're Back! An Update on Life, Thoughts on Current Events, and the Deconstruction World 1:49:44

7M ago1:49:44

1:49:44

Nate and Gail return for an update on life. We discuss weddings (especially the problems with evangelical ones), current events, Palestine and Israel (briefly), meeting people you've made friends with online, building new community after leaving toxic spaces, how to not fall into previous traps that people often take out of evangelicalism into thei…

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272: Sarah Stankorb | Author of Disobedient Women 51:59

7M ago51:59

51:59

Purchase a copy of Disobedient Women*: https://amzn.to/3uRkS4Q Listen with a free trial of Audible*: https://amzn.to/3Ret8Dq Journalist Sarah Stankorb outlines how access to the internet—its networks, freedom of expression, and resources for deeply researching and reporting on powerful church figures—allowed women to begin dismantling the false aut…

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