About this episode

Sam Sellers and Elise Heerde discuss their experiences growing up in high-control faith environments and the impact of religious trauma.

Sam Sellers and Elise Heerde of Religious Trauma and Cults bring the receipts on growing up in high-control faith worlds, with Sam from the Brethren Christian Church, an independent off-shoot of the Exclusive Brethren, and Elise from the Pentecostal Church & New Apostolic Reformation. They talk about how those systems can start out feeling like belonging with a side of certainty, then slowly turn into “wait, this is weird” when obedience, fear, and authority start doing the heavy lifting. Sam shares how a strict, male-led church, predestination, and a not-so-subtle pressure to comply eventually collided with her own growing sense that the whole thing was, frankly, spiritually and emotionally bonkers. Elise gets into hell trauma, hearing-from-God hierarchy, and the painful realization that being told not to trust yourself is a pretty solid recipe for losing the plot. It’s a funny, sharp, and deeply honest conversation about religious trauma, queer identity, control, and the long road back to your own brain. Stay tuned for Part 2 of our conversation on Thursday. Follow Religious Trauma and Cults at religioustraumaandcults.com , Sam’s website and podcast at…

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