About this episode

Naomi Norton discusses her journey of leaving the Independent Fundamental Baptist world and the impact of religious trauma on mental health and personal autonomy.

In this episode, Naomi shares her journey of leaving the Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) world and navigating life after such a high-control environment. She talks openly about the emotional and psychological toll of religious trauma, including the difficulties of estrangement from family and the fear that comes with questioning deeply ingrained beliefs. The conversation highlights the importance of self-kindness, prioritising mental health, and reclaiming autonomy, while also exploring the opportunities for growth, empowerment, and building relationships on one’s own terms after leaving a strict religious system. Who Is Naomi? Naomi Norton is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Missouri and Kansas, an AAMFT-Approved Supervisor, and the founder of Hope for Healing Therapy in Kansas City. She holds a PhD in Family Therapy, with research focused on how white fundamentalist evangelical Christianity conceptualizes mental illness. Her work includes developing a White American Fundamentalist Evangelical Power and Control Wheel, inspired by the Duluth Model. Naomi has worked in the mental health field for nearly a decade across psychiatric hospitals, child welfare, and…

More episodes of Beyond The Surface

• When the Cracks Start to Show and Leaving the 2x2's · April 22, 2026 · 1h 5m
• Hillsong, Queerness, and Coming Home to Yourself · April 8, 2026 · 1h 20m
• Hollow Sunday: Confronting the Complexity of Easter Emotions · April 1, 2026 · 1h 28m
• Finding Freedom and Leaving the 2x2's · March 18, 2026 · 1h 12m
• Exploring Identity and Power: A Deep Dive into Wicked · March 11, 2026 · 1h 25m
• The Complexity of Spirituality and Embodiment Beyond Religion · March 4, 2026 · 1h 22m

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Beyond The Surface podcast page.