MindShift Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Surviving a Family Cult (with Vi La Bianca) Nov 29, 2019

Show notes

Vi La Bianca is the co-host of the ACA's "Secular Sexuality" and "Talk Heathen" shows. But she wasn't always an atheist...as it turns out, Vi grew up in a fundamentalist family cult.

In this episode, Vi and I make use of established models of cults by experts, and apply it to her life growing up. How can she describe her growing up experience as being part of a "family cult"? What is that, anyway, and how did it operate? And more importantly, how did she get out--and what does her life look like now, as an atheist, going forward?

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Bonus Episode - Take Back Your Life: Understanding How Cults Work (with Dr Janja Lalich) Nov 24, 2019

Show notes

After literally months of delays, rescheduling, etc., I have finally been able to track down the elusive Dr Janja Lalich for a great podcast interview!

Dr Lalich is not only a sociologist and a cult expert, she is also a cult survivor too. This places her in the unique position to be able to give incredible insights as to the inner workings of cult psychology, the person of the leader, why people stay in cults, and how to reconstruct one's identity after leaving the group behind.

If you're an ex-cultist, or have left any sort of group with undue influence, then this episode will be of great benefit to you.

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#carpethef***deim: Dying Out Loud (with Dave Warnock) Nov 15, 2019

Show notes

This week's guest is former evangelical pastor and now atheist, Dave Warnock. What's Dave's story? If you know anything about him at all, you'll know that he travels all over the country speaking on the topic of being an atheist...and facing death apart from religious dogma. A few years ago, Dave was diagnosed with ALS--a terminal illness. At best, he may have 3-5 years to live. But rather than turning his face to the wall, or cursing God for his disease, Dave is living life to the fullest...seizing the day...and helping thousands of other people face death with dignity, free from the constraints religion so often places upon us. Support Independent Media like MindShift Podcast on Patreon! MindShift Podcast Patreon Link Contact Details Follow Dave on Twitter @dwwarnock DaveOutLoud.com Follow Me On Twitter @MindShift2018 MindShift Podcast Blog

Special Episode: Love Never Shuns - Exposing the Watchtower Org (with Renee Cordeschi) Nov 13, 2019

Show notes

This special edition of MindShift Podcast features Renee Cordeschi, an ex-Jehovah's Witness and survivor of both domestic violence and sexual abuse as a member of the Watchtower organization. On the 22nd of November, 2019, in Melbourne, Australia, the Witnesses are holding a massive conference entitled "Love Never Fails." Renee, along with several hundred other ex-JWs, are planning to stage a peaceful protest entitled "Love Never Shuns." In this episode, Renee describes her own backstory in the org, points out the toxic and cultic teachings she experienced, and explains why it's important to shine the light on this org that has covered up so much serial sexual abusers within its ranks. Support MindShift Podcast on Patreon MindShift Podcast Patreon Link Contact Information Follow Renee on Twitter @reneecordeschi Renee's Facebook Page Link Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018 MindShift Podcast Blog Link

Bonus Episode: Exploring Dominion Theology Part 2 (with Dr Andr̕e Gagn̕̕̕e) Nov 10, 2019

Show notes

I've finally gotten back to this subject of dominion theology--and in my research, I've come across an expert on the subject: Dr Andr̕e Gagn̕̕̕e of Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Dr Gagn̕̕̕e and I provide a helpful overview of this important and timely subject, raising awareness of this incredibly pervasive teaching that has infiltrated large swathes of Christianity worldwide. Why should YOU care? Because one of the main aims of dominion theology is the Christian takeover of the world in order to install a theocracy--the rule of God, and Jesus, over the entire world...not to mention putting Christians in key positions of power, influence and authority over literally every sphere of society. Support MindShift Podcast on Patreon! MindShift Patreon Link Contact Information Dr Gagne's YouTube Channel Follow Dr Gagn̕̕̕e on Twitter @profagagne Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018 MindShift Podcast Blog

Exploring Religious Trauma Syndrome (with Laura Anderson) Nov 01, 2019

Show notes

If you've left fundamentalist religion behind, or a cult or any high-control group with undue influence, then you've likely suffered from RTS--religious trauma syndrome. This week's chat features a specialist who works with clients who suffer from RTS, psychotherapist Laura Anderson. Leaving religion behind is traumatic enough, as we have to deal with grief, loss, anger, feelings of betrayal, and the various abuses we may have suffered while in the system. But after walking away, many of us have to deal with the lingering effects of RTS, which is actually more akin to PTSD. Symptoms of RTS include triggering, sudden feelings of loss, anger, or control, to name a few. Identifying them, and secondly developing a helpful strategy of dealing with them when-not if--they occur, is the way forward in terms of reconstructing our identity post-religion. Support MindShift Podcast on Patreon! MindShift Patreon Page Contact Information Laura Anderson Website Promo Code for Resource: RELIGIOUSTRAUMA15 Follow Laura on Twitter @ms_elleanderson Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018 Like the MindShift Podcast Facebook Page MindShift Podcast Website and Blog link

Surviving Conversion Therapy (with Bill Prickett) Oct 19, 2019

Show notes

This week's guest is former evangelical pastor, and yet still remains a person of faith--Bill Prickett. Bill is currently the co-host of the Recovering From Religion podcast, and is speaking out about his time as a pastor--and survivor of evangelical "conversion therapy."

In conservative evangelical circles, coming out as gay is one of the most difficult journeys to navigate. They can't admit that you were born that way, or made that way by God--as in most evangelical's views, homosexuality is one of the worst sins people can engage in.

So in their view--God has a vested interest in making you straight again...and not only was Bill a victim of this system, as a pastor he promoted it for years. Find out more in this amazing interview!

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Suppressing My Sexuality to Fit In (with Brady Hardin) Oct 04, 2019

Show notes

This episode of MindShift podcast features a great conversation with Brady Hardin, the co-host of the Life After Podcast.

Brady tells an amazing story of how he struggled to suppress his sexuality as a young person growing up within evangelical Christianity, even to the point of getting married in order to present the world with a ‘normal’ image of a happy, adjusted heterosexual family.

Unfortunately, things didn’t stay that way…a lot of religious trauma and shunning later, Brady is now out and proudly telling his story–including being in a position to help many people who struggle with many of the issues we talk about in this episode.

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Question the Dogma (with Ex-Scientologist Jon Atack) Sep 20, 2019

Show notes

This week’s interview features ex-Scientologist and author, Jon Atack. Jon is the world’s foremost expert on the history of both Scientology as well as its founder, L. Ron Hubbard.

His bestselling book, Let’s Sell These People a Piece of Blue Sky, re-released just a few years ago, is considered the best-researched factual history of Scientology.

More importantly for our purposes, perhaps, is Jon’s more recent focus on helping people to recover from their cultic experiences–a topic that we get into toward the end of this insightful and wide-ranging discussion.

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Post-Mormon Mental Health (with Claudine Gallacher) Sep 06, 2019

Show notes

This week’s episode of MindShift podcast features a conversation with ex-Mormon Claudine Gallacher. Not only has she deconstructed her own Mormon faith and left the religion far behind, she currently helps those who have left the religion, as the founder of the Post-Mormon Mental Health organization.

In this helpful chat, we’ll move beyond simply hearing Claudine’s own backstory within the cult and her subsequent departure, we get into issues of her current situation–including coping with adult children who are still very much involved in the religion. Beyond that, we get into a “mini-counseling session” as we discuss what triggering is all about.

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Post-Mormon Mental Health Website

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