24 episodes
Sunday School Dropouts Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery
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- Health & Fitness
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4.6 • 31 Ratings
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Sunday School Dropouts is a podcast hosted by trained therapists Dr. Laura Anderson and Andrew Kerbs.
Both Andrew and Laura grew up in high control religion and spent years trying to live up to the rules and standards until one day, they couldn’t do it anymore. They spent our lives aspiring to be true followers of God and all they got from it was religious trauma.
So now, they’re taking our lived experiences along with their education, training, and work with clients to create this podcast–a podcast that goes beyond deconstruction and focuses on the unique aspects healing and recovery for folks coming out of high control religions, cults, fundamentalism, purity culture and those with religious trauma.
Each episode they will be talking with other experts, mental health practitioners, coaches, advocates, therapists and folks who have survived fundamentalist systems, to learn from their experiences and offer resources and support for healing.
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Purity Culture Poster Child to Pastor to Black Sheep w/ Josh Harris
This week we will be talking to a notorious former pastor about their experience growing up inside high control religion, becoming a poster child for purity culture, being set up to take over for a large church and ultimately giving it all up, deconstructing his faith and leaving the church. If you grew up in evangelicalism, and likely even if you didn’t, you’re sure to be familiar with Joshua Harris, author of the wildly popular Christian dating, ahem, courting, book, I Kissed Dating Goodbye. He’s here to share with us about his time inside of high control religion, what opened his eyes to the unhealthy dynamics inside the church and his process of healing after leaving. It’s an episode that all of our younger selves never saw coming and definitely one you won’t want to miss!
We’ll also be squeezing in some prayer requests as Andrew is back to lift up those “unspokens” and you may have heard Laura say a couple weeks ago that our last episode of season 1 would be after this episode, but fear not, we’ll be back in a couple weeks with a new episode and are excited to share the fun things we have coming in store for you this summer…because what’s a Sunday School Dropout without Vacation Bible School?
This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery
The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.
The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups.
Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything
Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com
Hosts:
Laura Anderson and Andrew Kerbs
Music by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji
Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe and can be found at www.kevincrowe.co -
How to Heal when You’re the Victim and Perpetrator
How do you heal from religious trauma when you were both the victim and perpetrator of high control religion? Dan Miller joins us today to discuss his work with clients who are healing from religious trauma and adverse religious experiences that were in positions of ministry leadership, including the unpaid labor of volunteers (which many of us called: servants). In this episode we talk about some of the unique aspects of healing that former ministry leaders face, steps to re-build your life after leaving ministry positions, feeling burned out after volunteering, and building self-compassion.
Guest: Dan Miller
Website: www.straightwhiteamericanjesus.com
Work with Dan: dan@traumaresolutionandrecovery.com
This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery
The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.
The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups.
Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything
Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com
Hosts:
Laura Anderson and Andrew Kerbs
Music by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji
Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe and can be found at www.kevincrowe.co -
Choosing Relationship over Doctrine
We are excited to be talking today with April Ajoy and Beecher Reuning! They are sharing with the Sunday School Dropouts crew their story of growing up in fundamentalism and purity culture, meeting and getting married under those systems and then navigating their way through discarding those doctrines and theology to find their way into the relationship they have today. It’s an episode you won’t want to miss!
Religious Trauma + the Elections Course - use code ELECTIONS for $15 off
Guests:
April Ajoy can be found on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @aprilajoy and on X at @aprilajoyr
Beecher Reuning can be found Instagram, TikTok and X @hellobeecher and on Facebook @beecher
Their podcast "The Non-Binary Marriage" can be found here.
Buzzfeed article about April can be found here
This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery
The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.
The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups.
Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything
Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com
Hosts:
Laura Anderson and Andrew Kerbs
Music by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji
Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe and can be found at www.kevincrowe.co -
…when you don’t get what you’re promised from purity culture…
Today we are excited to have the Sexvangelicals, that is Julia Postema and Jeremiah Gibson, on our podcast! Julia and Jeremiah are licensed and AASECT certified psychotherapists who use their personal and professional lives and experience to work with relationships where at least one partner has been a part of high control religion, fundamentalism or purity culture.
Resources
Developmental Model - Ellen Bater
AASECT.org - finding a sex therapist
Six Steps for a structured question
Decide on specific topic - key word SPECIFIC! (Ex: what are my favorite places to be touched, to be kissed, preferences around initiation)
Agenda - (not rigid) what is the purpose of this conversation? Eg. understanding each other better, resolving conflict
Choose a time and location that will set you up for success (beginning and end) - try to make it outside the house
Set a timer based on the topic, level of vulnerability and your level of experience in these conversations
Stay on topic! Once you’ve decided what the topic is, write it on a sticky note or card what the topic is so you can refer to it later to help you stay on topic!
Aftercare - sometimes these conversations can be going or vulnerable so how can you come back together with your partner *(e.g. a game, going out to eat, cuddling)
This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery
The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.
The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups.
Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything
Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com
Hosts:
Laura Anderson and Andrew Kerbs
Music by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji
Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe and can be found at www.kevincrowe.co -
Growing Up as a Woman in Purity Culture
We are thrilled today to be talking with Rachel Overvoll! Rachel herself grew up in purity culture and high control religion. We discuss her experiences inside purity culture, the impact of it and her healing journey. We then get into how Rachel has used her personal story to inspire her professional life as a Somatic Sex Coach who works with clients focusing on finding sexual freedom after purity culture.
We’ll also be answering a listener question and a special prayer partner guest will be joining us for this episode’s segment of prayer requests!
The Religious Trauma + Elections course is now available for sign up! Find out more information and register for the course here!
Resources from today
The Purity Myth by Jessica Valenti
Better Sex Through Mindfulness by Lori Brotto
Pleasure Activism by Adrian Maree Brown
She Comes First by Ian Kerner
Rachel Overvoll Somatic Sex Coach
@rachelovervoll on IG and TikTok
Find out more about the work Rachel does or book a session with her at: www.modernintimacy.com
This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery
The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.
The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups.
Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything
Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com
Hosts:
Laura Anderson and Andrew Kerbs
Music by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji
Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe and can be found at www.kevincrowe.co -
The Impact of Purity Culture on Women
We are thrilled to have with us today Dr. Tina Schermer Seller who is an author, researcher, professor, and psychotherapist specializing in the impacts of purity culture, shame resilience, gender, and sexuality. In this episode, Dr. Tina shares her research and how she came to realize the psychological and physiological impact of purity culture and how that shaped the direction of her work with clients, students, and her writing. In the episode, Dr. Tina shares an incredible definition of sexual shame (see below) that can help us understand the felt sense experience of purity culture! But before we talk to Dr. Tina, we have a vocabulary lesson on what are porn and sex addictions really and why religion is so quick to diagnoses people with them, and we’ll also be taking some prayer requests! This is an episode you won’t want to miss!
Dr. Tina’s definition of sexual shame (taken from the dissertation of Noel Clarke): Sexual shame is a visceral feeling of humiliation and disgust toward one’s own body and identity as a sexual being and a belief of being abnormal, inferior and unworthy. this feeling can be internalized but also manifests in interpersonal relationships having a negative impact on trust, communication, and physical and emotional intimacy. Sexual shame develops across the lifespan in interactions with interpersonal relationships, one’s culture and society, and subsequent critical self-appraisal (a continuous feedback loop). There is also a fear and uncertainty related to one’s power or right to make decisions, including safety decisions, related to sexual encounters, along with an internalized judgement toward one’s own sexual desire.
You can find Dr. Tina at:
Instagram: @drtinashameless
Facebook: @TinaSSellers
Twitter: @TinaSSellers
Website: https://www.tinaschermersellers.com
Psychedelic assisted psychotherapy: www.Inannarising.org
Dr. Tina’s Books:
Sex, God, and the Conservative Church
Shameless Parenting – Everything You Need to Raise Shame-free, Confident, Kids and Heal Your Shame Too
This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery
The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.
The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups.
Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything
Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com
Hosts:
Laura Anderson and Andrew Kerbs
Music by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji
Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe and can be found at www.kevincrowe.co
Customer Reviews
Exactly the Resource I Need
As someone with CPTSD from growing up in conservative fundamentalist evangelicalism, I have been struggling to find therapists who understand what I’ve been going through, but listening to Laura and Andrew makes me feel seen and validated. They speak to the exact topics I need to hear and give so much encouragement and hope. There’s no gate keeping, no secret trick up their sleeves, they’re just genuine people who are well educated in their field sharing information they know from their experiences in life and from working with clients. It’s honestly so powerful and has been so influential in my healing journey. And you better believe I’m reading “No Bad Parts” (y’all might as well order it now).
Much needed
I’m glad I found this podcast while sorting through my own religious trama. Overall it’s great and I would love to give it five stars.
After a couple of other episodes I jumped right to the Religious Trauma for Queer People episode when it dropped. This was my episode! Unfortunately I almost turned it off within minutes, after hearing Laura overly explain to all the straight people to hang in there and they might get something out of it. She revisits this encouragement later in the episode as well. As a queer person, it hit me Way wrong. Please, just give us this one episode, unapologetically. Our trauma is on a whole other scale, and maybe it’s okay if some people are uncomfortable.
I get that your intent came from a good place, but instead of making it inclusive for everyone, you made a queer person feel like once again that our very existence needed a disclaimer/warning to the “normal” people out there.
Thank you!
I left the church a long time ago, but just recently have been ready to grieve what I lost and not just be angry about how conservative evangelical Christianity damaged me. So glad to have trained professionals talking about this.