Broken to Beloved Podcast

Broken to Beloved has been officially operating for just over a year now, and I'm proud of the way we've made a difference for thousands across the world. We've worked with individuals in 49 states and 55 countries. We've heard and held your stories, and offered practical tools to move toward healing and wholeness through our Summit, Cohort, Book Club, Podcast, Conference, and Gathering.

In this week's episode, learn about the vision we set last year, how we did, and what we're looking forward to.

You'll hear a few stories from some of you who have participated in our programs, and a few words from some old and new friends.

This Giving Tuesday, will you help us reach our goal of raising $10,000? We're looking for individuals to join us in monthly, annual, or one-time giving anywhere from $5 up to whatever you're able. We've already received gifts of $5 and $7 up to $500 and $1,000 and more!

I'm humbled and grateful for each of you, and thankful you're part of this community.

If you’d like to donate to support our work, you can give at our website today.

Get the full show notes and links here. 📄

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Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review. It would mean the world if you would leave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. They’ll help us share these conversations and resources with more people, and let us know how we can better serve you.
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Broken to Beloved is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to provide those wounded by spiritual abuse and religious trauma with practical resources moving toward healing and wholeness, and to provide pastors and church leaders with resources to grow in trauma awareness and implement safeguarding practices. Get more information or give a tax-free donation here.
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As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

We're continuing our series on what we value at Broken to Beloved. You can also listen to our previous values, Curiosity over Certainty and Goodness over Wickedness.

This week, I want to talk about how we want to view people.

We believe that all of humanity is created in the image of God, and is therefore crated with intention, purpose, and beauty. Beloved. We believe that we are created for community and for each other. If the Body of Christ is meant to fit together perfectly with each person purposefully made, then none of us can say to the other that we don’t fit or belong.

We will be a community that moves toward others, preferring proximity over polarization. We seek to see and understand others, hearing to listen and not to speak.

We will avoid a posture of othering and affirm and acknowledge our common humanity and the divine diversity. We will work to be good neighbors as the Samaritan was to the Jewish man.

We were made to be different on purpose, and we were made to be together. Community is part of our design, and it does harm to those around us when we dismiss, demean, and diminish anyone else because of something we call faith.

If it comes down to choosing to see and recognize someone’s humanity over what I believe to be true, I’m going to choose to see someone as Beloved, made in the image of God, and designed to be in community with me in some way.

How about you?

If you’d like to donate to support our work at Broken to Beloved, you can give at our website today.

Get the full show notes and links here. 📄

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Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube
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Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review. It would mean the world if you would leave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. They’ll help us share these conversations and resources with more people, and let us know how we can better serve you.
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Broken to Beloved is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to provide those wounded by spiritual abuse and religious trauma with practical resources moving toward healing and wholeness, and to provide pastors and church leaders with resources to grow in trauma awareness and implement safeguarding practices. Get more information or give a tax-free donation here.
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As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

This the second episode in a short series on our values. You can listen to our first shared value, "Curiosity over Certainty" in Episode 20 here.

By choosing goodness over wickedness, we affirm the original goodness of every human being and reject a theology that shames, demeans, and devalues. We choose a view of humanity rooted in Genesis 1, not Genesis 2. We reject a “worm theology” that declares our wretchedness and depravity, clinging instead to the truth of the gospel, freedom from condemnation in Christ, and our redemption to God.

Your default nature is not sinfulness, wickedness, and depravity. It is created for beauty, co-creation, and goodness.

“Though we are prone to sin and stray from God, it is important to remember that before original sin, we were clothed with original glory. God longs for humankind to experience the full restoration of our original glory, which we enjoyed at the beginning of creation.” (Ken Shigematsu, Now I Become Myself)

“Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the “Beloved.” Being the Beloved constitutes the core truth of our existence.” (Henri Nouwen, Life of the Beloved)

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Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
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Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review. It would mean the world if you would leave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. They’ll help us share these conversations and resources with more people, and let us know how we can better serve you.
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Broken to Beloved is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to provide those wounded by spiritual abuse and religious trauma with practical resources moving toward healing and wholeness, and to provide pastors and church leaders with resources to grow in trauma awareness and implement safeguarding practices. Get more information or give a tax-free donation here.
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As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

CW/TW: This episode includes references to some child physical abuse and to overtly Christian language.

How does our story and theology impact our identity? How do the stories we tell ourselves or are reminded of change the way we see ourselves? How much do they keep us from seeing and embracing our inherent belovedness?

In this week’s episode, I speak with Broken to Beloved board member Brett Deal about his own story and journey from brokenness to belovedness. We talk about following the example of Jesus in walking away from situations and relationships, and the significance of understanding our own stories.

When our unexamined stories are carried forward throughout our lives, how can we begin to understand their meaning? What kind of healing can we find when we address deeper wounds that exacerbate current ones?

Healing and wholeness can be found when we find places and people who offer safety, vulnerability, and an opportunity to be heard, believed, and known. We hope you find that here.

If you’d like to donate to support our work at Broken to Beloved, you can give at our website today.

Get the full show notes and links here. 📄

Episode Resources and Links

• Support Broken to Beloved
• Episode 15 with Chuck DeGroat
• When to Walk Away by Gary Thomas on Bookshop | on Amazon
• Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys on Bookshop | on Amazon
• What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo on Bookshop | on Amazon
• Truth and Repair by Judith Herman on Bookshop | on Amazon

Guest Spotlight

Brett serves in Richmond, VA, at Eternity Church. Over the last 20 years, he has pastored churches in America and Africa, teaching and training new pastors, planting churches as well as revitalizing others recovering from spiritually abusive leadership. He

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Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
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Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review. It would mean the world if you would leave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. They’ll help us share these conversations and resources with more people, and let us know how we can better serve you.
—————
Broken to Beloved is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to provide those wounded by spiritual abuse and religious trauma with practical resources moving toward healing and wholeness, and to provide pastors and church leaders with resources to grow in trauma awareness and implement safeguarding practices. Get more information or give a tax-free donation here.
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As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Can you really ever know when you’ve experienced spiritual abuse by church leaders and organizations? Victims and survivors are so often manipulated and gaslit that they question their own memories and experiences.

This is the work Organizational Psychologist Lianna Chong is setting out to complete. Through her work with the Spiritually Abusive Leadership & Climate Survey, she is hoping to have quantifiable and scientifically validated research and hard data.

The survey measures areas like abuse of power, emotional manipulation and abuse, defend and attack (based on DARVO and gaslighting), and psychological safety.

This research will be completed in two rounds, with the first running from Nov–Dec 2024, and a second round in early 2025. The minimum goal is 300 completed surveys, with a full goal of 600.

Would you be willing to complete the survey? It’s all scaled multiple choice (strongly agree – strongly disagree), and takes about 10-15 minutes to complete. It’s fully anonymous (with a few demographic questions), and all online. You can complete it on your phone or computer.

[ take the Spiritually Abusive Leadership & Climate Survey ]

Get the full show notes and links here. 📄

Guest Spotlight 

Lianna is an organizational psychologist with experience in ministry and secular organizations. She is passionate about helping teams and leaders create environments where people can bring their best self to work. She provides training and consultation on compassion fatigue, burnout, organizational change, and psychological safety. Recently, Lianna has pivoted her focus to helping people recognize spiritually abusive leadership and promote healthier church cultures.

Lianna has a Master of Arts in Organizational Psychology, a Master of Theological Studies, and is a Certified Fearless Organization Scan (FOS) practitioner. In addition to consulting, she has served as Adjunct Faculty at William James College teaching quantitative and qualitative assessment.

Website | Substack | Instagram

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Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
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Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review. It would mean the world if you would leave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. They’ll help us share these conversations and resources with more people, and let us know how we can better serve you.
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Broken to Beloved is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to provide those wounded by spiritual abuse and religious trauma with practical resources moving toward healing and wholeness, and to provide pastors and church leaders with resources to grow in trauma awareness and implement safeguarding practices. Get more information or give a tax-free donation here.
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As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Deconstruction has become a polarized term in the past few years. Added to the arsenal of pastors and church leaders, it’s most often used to to dismiss or demean those who have walked away from their church, or to stoke fear into the hearts and spirits of those asking hard questions.

What was once a word meant to invite conversation or to indicate an desire to learn more and grow deeper has been weaponized.

There is little that it sexy about deconstruction. It’s difficult work, and requires courage and humility. And according to research, most who are deconstructing aren’t walking away from their faith, they’re on the way to deepening and strengthening it.

In this conversation with Scot McKnight and Tommy Phillips, we discuss why so many have left the church in search of the Jesus they hear talked about but don’t see in their own churches. We talk about why theology is a cover for leaving, individuating and spiritual formation, and much more.

Get the full show notes and links here. 📄

Guest Spotlight
Scot has been a professor of NT for more than four decades. He is the author of more than 90 books, including the award-winning The Jesus Creed as well as A Church Called TOV.

Tommy Preson Phillips is a pastor at Watermark Church in Tampa, FL. He is also a songwriter and recording artist with his band Preson Phillips. He holds an MA in NT from Northern Seminary. 

Scot: Website | Instagram | Twitter/X | Threads

Tommy: Substack | Instagram | Threads | Preson Phillips band

Get your copy of Invisible Jesus on Amazon | on Bookshop

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Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
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Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review. It would mean the world if you would leave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. They’ll help us share these conversations and resources with more people, and let us know how we can better serve you.
—————
Broken to Beloved is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to provide those wounded by spiritual abuse and religious trauma with practical resources moving toward healing and wholeness, and to provide pastors and church leaders with resources to grow in trauma awareness and implement safeguarding practices. Get more information or give a tax-free donation here.
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As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Here’s the first in a short series on our core values. They’re a work in progress, but I want to share them so you have an idea of our guiding principles.

This week, I’m starting with our desire to show curiosity over certainty.

How many times have we found ourselves in harm’s way for asking a question? How many times have you been met with absolutes, principles, or fundamental truths with no room for comment? Maybe you’ve felt dismissed or demeaned for questioning the way a doctrine seems out of line with the lived practices of many within the very body that professes it.

At Broken to Beloved, we want to approach faith, relationships, and life with a sense of curiosity over certainty. With awe, wonder, and mystery. Certainty leaves no room for faith, which by its very nature is an un-knowing.

If you have questions about what you believe, why you believe it, or any number of other things, you’re welcome here. And we’re glad you’re here.

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Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review. It would mean the world if you would leave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. They’ll help us share these conversations and resources with more people, and let us know how we can better serve you.
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Broken to Beloved is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to provide those wounded by spiritual abuse and religious trauma with practical resources moving toward healing and wholeness, and to provide pastors and church leaders with resources to grow in trauma awareness and implement safeguarding practices. Get more information or give a tax-free donation here.
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As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Broken to Beloved is officially one year old!

This week, I’m taking a few minutes to reflect on what we’ve seen in the last year, and to provide a brief update on the podcast.

I can’t begin to tell you how incredibly grateful I am for each of you who listen. We’ve just hit 10,000 downloads, and have listeners in 49 states and 63 countries outside of the US!

This podcast wouldn’t exist without you in any meaningful way, and I’ve heard such kind and gracious feedback from many of you. If you’re willing, would you leave us a rating or review, or share with your friends?

If there’s a guest you’d like to hear from, send an email to [email protected] to let us know with “Podcast Guest Request” in the subject. I’m looking forward to wrapping up season one with the things we value, along with a few more guests and conversations.

Thank you again for being here. Here’s to moving toward healing and wholeness. Together.

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Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review. It would mean the world if you would leave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. They’ll help us share these conversations and resources with more people, and let us know how we can better serve you.
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Broken to Beloved is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to provide those wounded by spiritual abuse and religious trauma with practical resources moving toward healing and wholeness, and to provide pastors and church leaders with resources to grow in trauma awareness and implement safeguarding practices. Get more information or give a tax-free donation here.
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As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

CW: While not explicit, this episode will talk a lot about sex, sexual ethics, and beliefs around sex in and outside of marriage.

If you grew up in church in the 90s and through the 2000s, it’s highly likely you were brought up in purity culture. If you’re here, it’s likely you’ve found yourself deconstructing and disentangling your thoughts and beliefs around sex and sexuality ever since.

Dr. Camden Morgante has done the work of identifying 5 myths around purity culture, and we get to talk about each them, the harm they caused, and how we can work to reform and reconstruct a sexual ethic that allows us to find healthy and authentic ways of embracing and expressing ourselves within the bounds of our current beliefs.

Join us as we discuss overcoming shame, bringing our full and healthy selves into healthier relationships, navigating singleness and dating in (and out of) the church, and more.

Get the full show notes and links here. 📄

Episode Resources and Links

• Pure by Linda Klein on Bookshop | Amazon
• The Great Sex Rescue by Sheila Wray Gregiore on Bookshop | Amazon
• Episode 5 with Cait West

Guest Spotlight

Dr. Camden is a licensed psychologist with nearly 15 years of experience as a therapist and college professor. She owns a private therapy practice and is a writer, speaker, and coach on purity culture recovery, egalitarianism, and faith reconstruction. Her first book, Recovering from Purity Culture: Finding Freedom and Reclaiming a Healthier, Values-Based Sexual Ethic, publishes October 15 by Baker Books. Dr. Camden lives in Knoxville, Tennessee with her husband and their daughter and son.

Website | Instagram | Threads | Facebook | Substack

Recovering from Purity Culture on Bookshop | on Amazo

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Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review. It would mean the world if you would leave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. They’ll help us share these conversations and resources with more people, and let us know how we can better serve you.
—————
Broken to Beloved is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to provide those wounded by spiritual abuse and religious trauma with practical resources moving toward healing and wholeness, and to provide pastors and church leaders with resources to grow in trauma awareness and implement safeguarding practices. Get more information or give a tax-free donation here.
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As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Surprise! We have a little bonus episode to share from the personal experiences of a few cohort alumni.

If you’ve experienced spiritual abuse, religious trauma, or church hurt/harm and are looking for a safe place to gather and process, then the THROUGH Cohort is for you.

Over 8 weeks, we’ll work together to build trust, find a community of others who share stories like yours, provide safe and compassionate care, and equip you with foundational knowledge and practical tools to seeing and embracing your identity not as broken, but beloved.

Starting October 7, you'll get access to new video lessons in your library on Mondays for you to watch at your convenience. Then, we'll meet virtually on Thursdays or Fridays to discuss that topic at each cohort gathering.

Cost is $399 to join, and limited scholarships are available upon request. Seats are available on a first come, first serve basis, so go to brokentobeloved.org/through to apply today!

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Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
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Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review. It would mean the world if you would leave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. They’ll help us share these conversations and resources with more people, and let us know how we can better serve you.
—————
Broken to Beloved is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to provide those wounded by spiritual abuse and religious trauma with practical resources moving toward healing and wholeness, and to provide pastors and church leaders with resources to grow in trauma awareness and implement safeguarding practices. Get more information or give a tax-free donation here.
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As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

How many of us know someone who talk about holiness and righteousness, then in the same breath can be found cursing out their opposing political party or candidate?

For many of us, the disconnect of faith and politics (or is the over-connection?) has caused much tension and conflict. For some, it’s led to questioning our faith, deconstructing why we believe what we do, and leaving our churches.

Seeing signs declaring Jesus Saves from those who violently marched into the Capital building on January 6 was a moment of startling confusion and clarity for many. So what is Christian Nationalism? And what do we do with it?

Join me as I talk to expert Andrew Whitehead about his book, American Idolatry, why he chose to write it as a cis white man who claims faith in Christ. Hear how he responds to critics who may accuse him of liberalism or wokeness, and how and why he holds on to hope.

Get the full show notes and links here. 📄

Guest Spotlight
Andrew Whitehead is Professor of Sociology at Indiana University Indianapolis.

Whitehead is one of the foremost scholars of Christian nationalism in the United States. He is the author of American Idolatry: How Christian Nationalism Betrays the Gospel and Threatens the Church which was awarded the 2024 Gold Medal Book Award from Foreword Reviews and the 2024 Midwest Book Award. He is also the lead author of Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States.

Website | Substack | Instagram | X

Get your copy of American Idolatry at Bookshop.org | on Amazon

Listen to Andrew’s 4-part podcast on Christian Nationalism

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Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
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Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review. It would mean the world if you would leave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. They’ll help us share these conversations and resources with more people, and let us know how we can better serve you.
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Broken to Beloved is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to provide those wounded by spiritual abuse and religious trauma with practical resources moving toward healing and wholeness, and to provide pastors and church leaders with resources to grow in trauma awareness and implement safeguarding practices. Get more information or give a tax-free donation here.
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As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Trauma fundamentally disconnects us.

It can disconnect our brains from our bodies. It can sever relationships and entire communities. Those of us familiar with trauma know it can have a real impact on our faith or beliefs. It warps our understanding of others, our sense of safety, and even our own identity.

So how do we find connection again?

When we are alienated from ourselves, each other, and God, how do we find our way back home?

These are the questions that therapist and author Chuck DeGroat tackles in his latest book, Healing What’s Within. This is not a sequel or follow up to his previous When Narcissism Comes to Church, but rather a look at his own journey and process of dealing with his own trauma after spiritual abuse.

His deep knowledge and understanding of therapeutic work coupled with his experience as a minister, DeGroat offers incredibly practical tools for us to examine our own stories with curiosity and compassion and find our way back home to safety and security.

He reiterates our deepest message and hope, that we are indeed not just broken, but deeply Beloved.

Get the full show notes here. 📄

Episode Resources and Links

• Broken to Beloved Conference (for pastors and church leaders)
• Broken to Beloved Gathering (for the wounded and their advocates)
• Episode 001: with Dr. Alison Cook

Guest Spotlight

Website | Instagram | Facebook

• Healing What’s Within at Bookshop.org | on Amazon
• When Narcissism Comes to Church on Bookshop.org | on Amazon

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Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
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Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review. It would mean the world if you would leave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. They’ll help us share these conversations and resources with more people, and let us know how we can better serve you.
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Broken to Beloved is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to provide those wounded by spiritual abuse and religious trauma with practical resources moving toward healing and wholeness, and to provide pastors and church leaders with resources to grow in trauma awareness and implement safeguarding practices. Get more information or give a tax-free donation here.
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As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

In this short series, you’ll get to meet each of our board members. Listen to their stories and backgrounds, and why they chose to serve on the board and support the work at Broken to Beloved.

This week, I talk with therapist Kat Wilkins.

Get the full show notes here. 📝

Episode Resources and Links

• Broken to Beloved Book Club
• The Understory on Bookshop | on Amazon
• Episode 13 with Laura Barringer
• When Narcissism Comes to Church on Bookshop | on Amazon
• Redeeming Power on Bookshop | on Amazon
• This Too Shall Last on Bookshop | on Amazon
• Conference info and registration
• Gathering info and registration

Use promo code PODCAST10 to get 10% off registration!

Guest Spotlight

Website | Instagram

Kat's Story as told in:

• Bully Pulpit on Bookshop | on Amazon
• Untangled Faith podcast with Amy Fritz

Narcissistic Systems blog series part 1
Narcissistic Systems blog series part 2

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Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
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Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review. It would mean the world if you would leave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. They’ll help us share these conversations and resources with more people, and let us know how we can better serve you.
—————
Broken to Beloved is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to provide those wounded by spiritual abuse and religious trauma with practical resources moving toward healing and wholeness, and to provide pastors and church leaders with resources to grow in trauma awareness and implement safeguarding practices. Get more information or give a tax-free donation here.
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As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

In this short series, you’ll get to meet each of our board members.

Listen to their stories and backgrounds, and why they chose to serve on the board and support the work at Broken to Beloved.

This week, I talk with teacher and author Laura Barringer about her “real” work with Kindergartners, her path to becoming a reluctant author, and how that writing has changed her life today.

Get the full show notes here. 📝

Episode Resources and Links

• Episode 7: Forced Forgiveness: Misinterpreting Matthew 18  with Dr. Scot McKnight
• Broken to Beloved Conference info and registration
• Broken to Beloved Gathering info and registration

Use promo code PODCAST10 to get 10% off your in person or live stream ticket today! Offer expires Friday, 9/13.

Guest Spotlight

Laura is a full-time teacher, a part-time writer and speaker, and she is coauthor of A Church Called Tov as well as Pivot: The Priorities, Practices and Powers That Can Transform Your Church Into a Tov Culture. She previously co-authored the children's version of The Jesus Creed and wrote a teacher's guide to accompany the book. A graduate of Wheaton College, she resides in the suburbs of Chicago with her husband Mark and their three beagles.

Website | Instagram

• A Church Called Tov on Bookshop.org | on Amazon
• Pivot on Bookshop.org | on Amazon

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Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
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Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review. It would mean the world if you would leave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. They’ll help us share these conversations and resources with more people, and let us know how we can better serve you.
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Broken to Beloved is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to provide those wounded by spiritual abuse and religious trauma with practical resources moving toward healing and wholeness, and to provide pastors and church leaders with resources to grow in trauma awareness and implement safeguarding practices. Get more information or give a tax-free donation here.
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As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

If you’ve experienced any amount of spiritual abuse or religious trauma, you know just how confusing, painful and isolating it can be. It can be hard to put into words just how devastating the impact spiritual abuse can have on an individual and family.

If you’ve had to leave your faith group for any reason, you know what it feels like to lose your community, friendships, and sometimes employment, insurance, spiritual mentors and maybe even a piece of your own identity.

If this sounds like your story or the story of someone you know and care for, I’m inviting you to join us for the first ever Broken to Beloved Gathering. It’s designed for those wounded by the church and their advocates who want to find a safe and welcoming place to discover community and find care and guidance toward embracing your belovedness.

You’ll meet others who have experienced spiritual abuse and religious trauma and discover that you are truly not alone.

I’m thrilled and honored to have therapist and bestselling author Aundi Kolber as our featured speaker. She’ll be sharing from her wisdom and experience around the effects of trauma on our bodies, and what we can do to find a way forward. You can hear a preview of her session in episode 10 of the podcast.

Don't miss this opportunity to attend the first Broken to Beloved Gathering on Friday, September 27.

Go to brokentobeloved.org/gathering and use promo code PODCAST10 to get 10% off your in person or live stream tickets today. Offer expires Friday, 9/13.

Join us as we move toward healing and wholeness. Together. I hope to see you soon.

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Subscribe using your favorite podcast app:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube
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Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review. It would mean the world if you would leave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. They’ll help us share these conversations and resources with more people, and let us know how we can better serve you.
—————
Broken to Beloved is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to provide those wounded by spiritual abuse and religious trauma with practical resources moving toward healing and wholeness, and to provide pastors and church leaders with resources to grow in trauma awareness and implement safeguarding practices. Get more information or give a tax-free donation here.
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As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Being a pastor or leader in ministry can feel like an impossible job at times. The job includes not just spiritual direction and discipleship, but management, finances, counseling, and lots more. As if that wasn’t enough, the people in your care often feel an individual entitlement to your time and attention, and rarely understand the scope of the work in front of you. 

Add to that the explosion of awareness around spiritual abuse and the many stories and scandals in recent years, and it’s no wonder that those in church leadership are skittish around the terms abuse and trauma. Not to mention that most of us weren’t trained to deal with this in seminary or school. .

How can we best care for those in our congregations who have experienced religious trauma and spiritual abuse? How can we safeguard our own churches and ministries so that we are not (unknowingly) perpetuating harm or abuse?

If you're a pastor or church leader, you're invited to the Broken to Beloved Conference on Thursday, September 26.

You'll hear from pastor and author Steve Carter as he tell us how to build safe and trustworthy spaces. You’ll also hear from attachment experts Geoff and Cyd Holsclaw. You can hear a preview of both their sessions on episodes 8 and 9 of the podcast.

Go to brokentobeloved.org/conference and use promo code PODCAST10 to get 10% off your in person or live stream tickets today. Offer expires Friday, 9/13.

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Broken to Beloved is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to provide those wounded by spiritual abuse and religious trauma with practical resources moving toward healing and wholeness, and to provide pastors and church leaders with resources to grow in trauma awareness and implement safeguarding practices. Get more information or give a tax-free donation here.
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Most of us are familiar with fight, flight, and freeze. "Fawn" may be a newer one for many of us. I first learned about the fawn response from Aundi’s incredible book, Try Softer. She describes it as “becoming whatever the abuser or potential threat needs to see from you to see that you are not threatening.”

I immediately knew it was one of my primary trauma responses, and it shocked me to look back and see just how often I’d done it. And I felt shame for it.

Aundi graciously offers a new and kinder way to see it.

We talk about what it looks like to be survivor-centered in our work, reframing our fawn response, and moving toward internal integration and wholeness.

If you want to know what it looks like to heal after harm, this episode’s for you.

Get the full show notes here. 📄

Episode Resources and Links

• Broken to Beloved Conference info and registration
• Broken to Beloved Gathering info and registration

 Use promo code PODCAST10 to get 10% off your in person or live stream ticket today! Offer expires Friday, 9/13.

Guest Spotlight

Aundi is a licensed professional counselor and the best selling author of the critically acclaimed Try Softer™, Try Softer™ Guided Journey and her newest offerings: Strong like Water and Strong like Water Guided Journey.

She has received additional training in her specialization of trauma- and body-centered therapies and is passionate about the integration of faith and psychology.

As a survivor of trauma, Aundi brings hard-won knowledge about the work of change, the power of redemption, and the beauty of experiencing God with us in our pain.

Website | Instagram

• Try Softer
• Try Softer Guided Journey
• Strong Like Water
• Strong Like Water Guided Journey

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Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review. It would mean the world if you would leave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. They’ll help us share these conversations and resources with more people, and let us know how we can better serve you.
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Broken to Beloved is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to provide those wounded by spiritual abuse and religious trauma with practical resources moving toward healing and wholeness, and to provide pastors and church leaders with resources to grow in trauma awareness and implement safeguarding practices. Get more information or give a tax-free donation here.
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Have you heard of Attachment Theory? Have you ever found yourself lost in the language and terminology? Have you wondered if your less-than-perfect childhood and history of abuse or trauma means you're stuck in a specific style

Geoff and Cyd Holsclaw offer simple, easy to understand language around the concept of Attachment using the visual landscapes of the Pasture, Jungle, Desert, and War Zone. By laying a foundation of joy, Geoff and Cyd explain how our capacity for intimacy and independence can help us move us toward more healthy and whole relationships.

They also share a preview of their "Repairing Distorted Defaults" session at the upcoming Broken to Beloved Conference on September 26.

If you've longed for more secure relationships and a better understanding of your interior landscape, this episode's for you.

Get the full show notes here. 📄

Episode Resources and Links

• Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud and John Townsend at Bookshop.org | on Amazon
• Episode 001: Navigating Toxic System and Maintaining Agency with Dr. Alison Cook
• Broken to Beloved Conference info and registration
• Broken to Beloved Gathering info and registration

Guest Spotlight

Geoff (PhD) is an author of multiple books, affiliate professor of theology at Northern Seminary.

Cyd is an author, spiritual director, and pastor. She is also a trauma-informed, Jesus-centered, integrative coach focused on embodied practices and building a secure attachment to God.

Together, they co-host the Attached to God podcast, offering a neuroscience-informed spiritual formation and are the co-author of Does God Really Like Me? Discovering the God Who Wants to Be With You.

Website | Cyd’s website | Geoff’s Instagram | Geoff’s Facebook

Does God Really Like Me? on

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Broken to Beloved is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to provide those wounded by spiritual abuse and religious trauma with practical resources moving toward healing and wholeness, and to provide pastors and church leaders with resources to grow in trauma awareness and implement safeguarding practices. Get more information or give a tax-free donation here.
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What do you do when you’ve given your life to a cause and calling, to have only to find yourself walking away?

Steve Carter was named as one of two successors to Bill Hybels at Willow Creek Community Church. When the allegations against Hybels broke national news, it all changed. Ultimately, Steve sided with the women who told their stories and resigned his position in protest.

In this week’s conversation, Steve shares about that decision, and how he made choices to pursue integrity, and to allow his own grief to shape, but not define him. He also shares his personal litmus test for recognizing when he is drifting from living with integrity, and how he recognizes living as his full, whole self with integrity.

Plus, we tease his session topic on “Building a Safe and Trustworthy Church” at the upcoming Broken to Beloved Conference on September 26.

Get the full show notes here. 📄

Episode Resources and Links

• As Long As You Need by JS Park: at Bookshop.org | on Amazon
• Broken to Beloved Podcast: Episode 1: Navigating Toxic Systems and Maintaining Agency with Dr. Alison Cook
• I Shouldn't Feel This Way by Dr. Alison Cook: at Bookshop.org | on Amazon
• Continued Conversation with Heather Gargis
• Broken to Beloved Conference info and registration
• Broken to Beloved Gathering info and registration

Guest Spotlight 

Website | Instagram | X/Twitter | Substack

Grieve, Breathe, Receive on Bookshop.org | on Amazon

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Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review. It would mean the world if you would leave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. They’ll help us share these conversations and resources with more people, and let us know how we can better serve you.
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Broken to Beloved is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to provide those wounded by spiritual abuse and religious trauma with practical resources moving toward healing and wholeness, and to provide pastors and church leaders with resources to grow in trauma awareness and implement safeguarding practices. Get more information or give a tax-free donation here.
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TW/CW: references to sexual assault

Have you ever had Matthew 18 used against you?

Far too often, the forgiveness passage in Matthew 18:15–17 is weaponized against those who experience hurt and harm. Victims are forced to face their abusers, and there is no real reconciliation. The abuser walks away “forgiven” and restored, and the abused walks away humiliated and put in their place.

Yes, forgiveness is important. And, forgiveness cannot be forced. It must be a freely made choice on our part.

This conversation isn’t about holding on to our offenses, grudges, or dismissing what happened to us. It’s not about releasing our abusers from accountability or letting go of our desire for justice.

It is about the ways forgiveness has been weaponized and abused in the church. It’s about having a truly biblical and scholarly understanding of how those passages are meant to be understood. It’s about protecting ourselves from future manipulation and further abuse.

Join me and New Testament scholar Scot McKnight as we dive deep into the original language and nuance of this passage. Discover what it really says about interpersonal conflict and its role in cases of abuse or an imbalance of power. Learn about the role of repentance as implied in the original Greek, even when it doesn’t show up in our English Bibles.

Get the full show notes here.
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Episode Resources and Links

• That Sounds Fun podcast Episode 494: Dr. Scot McKnight on When You Feel Like Your Church Is Falling Apart
• That Sounds Fun podcast Episode 879: The Gospel of Matthew with Dr. Scot McKnight

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Guest Spotlight
Website  |  Instagram  |  Twitter

The Second Testament: A New Testament Translation at Bookshop.org | on Amazon
PIVOT at Bookshop.org | on

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Broken to Beloved is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to provide those wounded by spiritual abuse and religious trauma with practical resources moving toward healing and wholeness, and to provide pastors and church leaders with resources to grow in trauma awareness and implement safeguarding practices. Get more information or give a tax-free donation here.
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Episode 5: Finding Liberation and Reclaiming Agency Through a New Story with Cait West

"By giving voice to the cognitive dissonance required to be a woman under the patriarchy, you robbed it of its power." — Barbie

What does it take to break free from a life controlled by religious patriarchy? Cait shares her journey of awakening to the abuse and control she experienced growing up, and the long and courageous process of reclaiming her agency and voice.

Throughout the conversation, Cait discusses the challenges of writing about trauma, the importance of therapy in her healing journey, and her approach to portraying complex family dynamics with grace. She also reflects on the nature of liberation, both personal and collective, and how she maintains boundaries to avoid falling back into harmful patterns. If you’re looking for insights into the power of storytelling, the ongoing work of healing, and the pursuit of freedom from oppressive systems, this one’s for you.

🔗 link to full Show Notes and transcript
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Guest Spotlight

Cait  is a writer and editor based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Her work has been published in The Revealer, Religion Dispatches, Fourth Genre and Hawai`i Pacific Review, among others. As an advocate and a survivor of the Christian patriarchy movement, she serves on the editorial board for Tears of Eden, a nonprofit providing resources for survivors of spiritual abuse, and co-hosts the Survivors Discuss podcast.

Website | Substack | Instagram | TikTok

Get RIFT: Breaking Away from Christian Patriarchy at Bookshop.org | on Amazon
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Subscribe for free and never miss out on these conversations with old and new friends like Tim Whitaker, Laura Barringer, Scot McKnight, Chuck DeGroat and many others.

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Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review. It would mean the world if you would leave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. They’ll help us share these conversations and resources with more people, and let us know how we can better serve you.
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Broken to Beloved is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to provide those wounded by spiritual abuse and religious trauma with practical resources moving toward healing and wholeness, and to provide pastors and church leaders with resources to grow in trauma awareness and implement safeguarding practices. Get more information or give a tax-free donation here.
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CW/TW: depression, suicidal ideation

According to chaplain J.S. Park, people are ready for the conversation around grief and loss. Since you're here, I'm going to assume you're one of them.

I feel like I’ve been swimming in the waters of grief, loss, and lament for years now, and this conversation was a breath of fresh air after feeling like I was drowning in denial and dismissal.

We talk about what it’s like swimming in those deep waters for extended periods of time, the effect it can have on us and those around us, and how to keep going when things can seem hopeless.

🔗 link to full Show Notes and transcript
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Episode Resources and Links:
The Noonday Demon by Andrew Solomon
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Guest Spotlight:
Website  |  Instagram  |  Twitter
Get As Long As You Need: Permission to Grieve at Bookshop.org  |  on Amazon
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Subscribe for free and never miss out on these conversations with old and new friends like Cait West, Tim Whitaker, Laura Barringer, Scot McKnight, and many others.

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Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review. It would mean the world if you would leave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. They’ll help us share these conversations and resources with more people, and let us know how we can better serve you.
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Broken to Beloved is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to provide those wounded by spiritual abuse and religious trauma with practical resources moving toward healing and wholeness, and to provide pastors and church leaders with resources to grow in trauma awareness and implement safeguarding practices. Get more information or give a tax-free donation here.
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Have you ever felt pushed to the margins of a community? Made to feel like you don’t quite belong? Whether it’s for your politics, sexual identity, faith (or lack of it), or for naming bad behavior, we are made to feel “othered” for a wide variety of reasons.

In this week’s episode, artist and author Jenai Auman talks about her experience of being othered, and how she chose to name her experience and find a way forward. We talk about her new book, why and how it was written, and about reclaiming spaces for ourselves.

Learn how to reclaim your autonomy and agency. Hear the ways creating and fostering beauty help to mend our fractures. Make space to welcome yourself and the othered.

🔗 link to full Show Notes and transcript

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Guest Spotlight
Website  |  Instagram

• Othered at Bookshop.org | on Amazon

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Don’t Miss the Next Episode!
Subscribe for free and never miss out on these conversations with old and new friends like JS Park, Cait West, Tim Whitaker, Laura Barringer, Chuck DeGroat and many others. Is there a guest you’d like to hear from? Let us know!

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Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review. It would mean the world if you would leave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. They’ll help us share these conversations and resources with more people, and let us know how we can better serve you.
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Broken to Beloved is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to provide those wounded by spiritual abuse and religious trauma with practical resources moving toward healing and wholeness, and to provide pastors and church leaders with resources to grow in trauma awareness and implement safeguarding practices. Get more information or give a tax-free donation here.
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Episode 2: Embracing Death and the Hope of Wholeness with Lore Wilbert

Death is not always the end. In fact, it’s often a beginning and the doorway to a resurrection. Brian and Lore share the importance of embracing both death and life, the connection to nature, finding peace in the present moment, and navigating change and transformation. They also touch on the significance of liminal spaces and the process of shedding old layers to make way for new growth and discuss themes of grief, healing, and finding beauty in brokenness.

🔗 link to full Show Notes and transcript
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Episode Resources and Links:

• "Centering Prayer" by Andrew Peterson on Sanctuary Songs by Porter’s Gate
• How to Walk Into A Room by Emily P. Freeman
• "To Think of the Life of a Man" by Wendell Berry
• "Heavy" by Mary Oliver

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Guest Spotlight:

Website (Substack) | Instagram

Get The Understory  on Amazon | at Bookshop.org
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Don’t Miss the Next Episode!

Subscribe for free and never miss out on these conversations with old and new friends like Jenai Auman, Cait West, Tim Whitaker, Laura Barringer, Scot McKnight, and many others.

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Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review. It would mean the world if you would leave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. They’ll help us share these conversations and resources with more people, and let us know how we can better serve you.
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Broken to Beloved is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to provide those wounded by spiritual abuse and religious trauma with practical resources moving toward healing and wholeness, and to provide pastors and church leaders with resources to grow in trauma awareness and implement safeguarding practices. Get more information or give a tax-free donation here.
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Have you ever wondered how to find your way back into healthy relationships after abuse and trauma? By providing clear steps to Name, Frame, and Brave our experiences, Dr. Alison Cook offers practical wisdom to move toward healing and wholeness.
We talk about the unique challenges of leaving toxic spaces and environments when they involve family or our livelihood, ways to set boundaries, and to remain curious to our internal world.

🔗 link to full Show Notes and transcript

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Episode Resources and Links
How to Walk Into A Room by Emily P. Freeman on Bookshop.org | on Amazon
Grieve, Breathe, Receive by Steve Carter on Bookshop.org | on Amazon
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Guest Spotlight

Website  |  The Best of You Podcast  |  Instagram  |  Facebook

• Get I Shouldn’t Feel this Way at Bookshop.org | on Amazon
• Get The Best of You at Bookshop.org | on Amazon
• Get Boundaries For Your Soul at Bookshop.org | on Amazon

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Don’t Miss the Next Episode!
Subscribe for free and never miss out on these conversations with old and new friends like Cait West, Tim Whitaker, Laura Barringer, Scot McKnight, Chuck DeGroat and many others. Is there a guest you’d like to hear from? Let us know!

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Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review. It would mean the world if you would leave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. They’ll help us share these conversations and resources with more people, and let us know how we can better serve you.
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Broken to Beloved is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to provide those wounded by spiritual abuse and religious trauma with practical resources moving toward healing and wholeness, and to provide pastors and church leaders with resources to grow in trauma awareness and implement safeguarding practices. Get more information or give a tax-free donation here.
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The Broken to Beloved Podcast officially launches NEXT WEEK!

Join us this season for weekly episodes each Tuesday, starting July 2. Our first guests include Lore Wilbert, JS Park, Jenai Auman, Tim Whitaker, Cait West, and many more.
 
My hope for this podcast is to provide practical resources through compassionate conversations to grow in trauma awareness, set up safeguarding practices to prevent or avoid future trauma, and move toward healing and wholeness.

We’ll be kicking things off with episode one with the one and only Dr. Alison Cook, therapist, host of the top-ranked The Best of You podcast, and author o
f several books, including her latest, I Shouldn’t Feel This Way.

Subscribe and follow the show so you don’t miss an episode. Join us as we move toward healing and wholeness. Together. I’ll see you soon.

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Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review. It would mean the world if you would leave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify. They’ll help us share these conversations and resources with more people, and let us know how we can better serve you.
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Broken to Beloved is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to provide those wounded by spiritual abuse and religious trauma with practical resources moving toward healing and wholeness, and to provide pastors and church leaders with resources to grow in trauma awareness and implement safeguarding practices. Get more information or give a tax-free donation here.
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