Religion Rehab

I recently posted a question in a cult survivor's FB group, specifically asking: Now that you've got out of one cult, what is your strategy for making sure you don't get indoctrinated into another one?

There were some good answers, and some concerning answers.

In this episode, I share my 2 cents on the topic.

This episode is me reading a popular series of articles that I wrote some time ago.

Listen in as we explore the 7 principles of influence, how they were abused, and how we can wield influence ethically in our lives to cultivate greater levels of self-authorship and empowerment.

Financial intelligence is an area that many survivors of high-control religions struggle, after all - if you've been taught that the world is going to end "any day now" then what's the point of planning for the future! 

Kassidy is doing incredible work in bringing financial education and resources to survivors of harmful religions, so be sure to check out this interview and find her on FB or LinkedIn by simply searching for Kassidy Beckstein.

James Tripp is an incredible trainer and coach from the UK who has extensive experience in supporting people in rehabilitating and rebuilding their lives after living in immersive situations of challenge.  

If you are interested in gaining insights into practical psychology and behavioural change, be sure to check out James' YouTube Channel "James Tripp Chaos Wave" and dig into the Aladdin's cave of material he shares there.

Tune into this conversation with Wendi Renay who is doing incredible work in supporting survivors of religious abuse.

In this interview you will learn her story of how she personally navigated the process of waking up, leaving, and building a life outside the organisation, which has now brought her to the point of being able to give invaluable support and guidance to others who are in a similar position, including giving them a voice through her devOUT podcast.

Tune into this conversation with Asher Candor, a powerful voice in the exJW activism world and the first direct-action activist I've ever interviewed on our podcast!  You may recognise Asher from the recent VICE documentary, it was so great to be able to connect and dive deeper into many topics from personal experiences in and out of the org, the efforts and successes in his activism work, and how Asher has navigated the LGBTQ+ community.

Andrew T Austin is one of the most sought-after therapists in the UK and is renowned amongst therapeutic circles for creating Integral Eye Movement Therapy and the Metaphors of Movement system.

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In this conversation we explore:

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• The reason humans create cults for ourselves in the first place
• The challenges of adjusting to life after leaving or being ousted from a high-control group
• Dangers to be mindful of in our pursuit of certainty
• Resources to help you develop your psychological "immune system" and protect yourself from narcissistic individuals and groups
• The reality of magic and mysticism (it's not what we were told it is!)

Join me for a fascinating conversation where we explore some of Stewart Pearce's methods to help his clients make quantum leaps in emancipating themselves from the tyranny of high control structures, finding their voice and speaking their truth.

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Stewart also shares some intriguing insights on how this emancipation is being reflected in the current conversation about Harry & Meghan, and why this is relevant for us as ex-JWs.

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Stewart Pearce is a Master of Voice and Radiance Coach, who after a period of Acting in the 1970’s became a leading Global Voice Coach assisting Actors and Leading Personalities to be authentically magnetic in their communication process. Stewart has coached many eminent personalities such as Diana Princess of Wales, Dame Anita Roddick, Benazir Bhutto, Mo Mowlem, Baroness Margaret Thatcher, and the LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC BID. Currently he works throughout the international corporate market, dealing with many aspects of the presentation process including authentic communication, presence & vocal gravitas, persuasive presentation and The Voice of Change.

Sudin is on a fascinating journey as an exJW and a photographer, travelling the world and documenting the stories of other ex-witnesses to share our collective experiences with each other and with the world.

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Tune in to hear his story from being in the organisation and feeling lost, to leaving and finding himself and his passion.

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Check out his work on Instagram here ---> @sudinkcphotos

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If you want to know more about his photography & journalism project and to find out when he will be in your area of the world, email him here at:  Kc.sudin91@gmail.com

This week I interviewed the lovely Toma White, an image consultant and confidence coach for women who want to be their best selves.

In the episode we discuss how to deal with burnout from being spread too thin, how to find what is right for us as individuals, and how to rebuild our sense of self-love and deep, genuine confidence.

Tune into this vibrant conversation with Ida, a former JW and now successful businesswoman.

I loved this interview because we follow Ida's path of recovery and learn SO many key insights about the organisation and how to move forward and progress with power - even after experiencing severe mishandling of power.

Listen in, and if you enjoy our conversation please share it with others who may need to hear it too!

Love,

Jonam

Tune in and listen to my conversation with Rodney Allgood as we discuss the 5 phases of recovery after leaving the organisation.

In todays interview we speak with the charming Jamie Hui and reminisce over experiences from being raised in, to now being fully out of the witnesses and rebuilding our futures.

We discuss what it takes to work through the dark times and challenges that come from leaving a high control religion, finding your passions and building a well-rounded life.

Tune in, enjoy!

Adam is the guy senior executives call when life has turned to chaos and they need to make sense of it.  

Drawing upon his experience base of recovering from an extreme high control group, along the way building a career in behavioural change, we explore how you can build solid trust in yourself.

This episode is packed with practical, actionable skills, as well as important high level concepts - so tune in and enjoy!

Tune in and listen to a veritable treasure trove of insights, lessons and epiphanies as I chat with Steven Watters.

After leaving the organisation as a young man, Steven has been on many adventures and learnt many important lessons along the way, including redefining his own relationship with the concept of spirituality - something which we all had distorted to some degree during our time "inside".

I loved this conversation, and am looking forward to having him back on in the future!

In this episode I speak with Gary Alt, a former elder and bethelite, now an author, life coach, and musician.

We discuss the amazing journey of how he went from coping with the loss of EVERYTHING, to rebuilding and truly thriving and finding real, authentic joy in his life.

Find out more about Gary's work at https://openpathlifecoach.com/

In this episode I have a great conversation with Abigail Chandler, a former Jehovah's Witness and now business owner and yoga teacher!

We discuss the journey of going from zealously inside the org, to overcoming the challenges of leaving, dealing with the void of certainty after leaving the org, learning how to start afresh, and now living an authentic life characterised by unconditional love and gratitude.

Tune in, and enjoy - I had a blast recording this!

Tune in for this fantastic interview with Dr Ryan Lee, who combines the insights of a 10 year career working in therapy with his personal experience in a high control religious group - namely Jehovah's witnesses.

We discuss:

• The definition of a cult
• Processing emotions
• Dealing with the need to be right
• Learning to know who to trust
• How to find direction and purpose for one's future.

To find Dr Ryan, take this link to visit his website and book a free consultation:  https://www.drryanlee.com 

"Upon leaving Jehovah's Witnesses at the age of 18, I found myself alone in a world that the organization had ill-prepared me for. 

I found psychotherapy to be immensely helpful in rebuilding my life from the ground up, however, most therapists had little familiarity with the depth to which this kind of high-control religious conditioning penetrates the mind and soul. I often wished for someone who not only understood, but was equipped to help rewrite this unique brand of conditioning.

After earning my doctorate in clinical psychology and accumulating over ten years experience as a therapist, I am so happy to be able to offer that kind of specialized attention to others who have taken the courageous step of emancipating themselves from similar organizations."