Episodes

It’s been almost 8 years, a whole lot of work, and here we are sitting at episode 200 of the Shunned Podcast. Episode 100 featured 100 things you need to know to heal from Jehovah’s Witnesses, and this episode will feature a lot of ways that the cult may have impacted you that you never thought about. If you watch or listen to this episode, I’ll be surprised if you don’t walk away with something to think about, if not many things, for your own life. We’re going to talk about how we relate to others as we navigate a post JW world but we’ll also discuss how we relate to Jehovah’s Witnesses. Then we’re going to talk about our relationship with self, and drop a lot of points for consideration. After that we’ll talk about the teachings and culture of Jehovah’s Witnesses and some of the more directly related impacts of their beliefs. And some might enjoy a bonus episode of my views that are often a bit unconventional on things like Norway, the ExJW community as a whole, violence and Jehovah’s Witnesses, and maybe a little interview of myself as well if they want.

I’m a cult recovery coach with my own lived experience as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and I’ve worked with hundreds and hundreds of individuals since 2019, often working with roughly 6 individuals daily in hour long sessions, diving into people’s lives, helping them to heal and move forward into a life that is reflective of who they are and who they want to be.

I also have three podcasts, This JW Life which is my story told in such a way as to help others process their own. We translated that into Spanish to help in that community where it’s known as Esta Vida Como Testigo De Jehovah. And This JW Life was also turned into a book called Becoming Jehovah, which is available to read for free online, links to everything mentioned here will be in the podcast or YouTube description. Today I’m the host of the Shunned Podcast where I help other people to tell their stories their way, which I’ve been doing since 2017 as one of the OG podcasters still out here doing their thing. My channels have been viewed, listened to, downloaded over 1.5 million times at this recording.

I have also developed an ExJW cart to take out to do street activism, and last year I went out to do a one man audio protest at a regional convention. I’ve also been privileged to speak at the University of Louisville in a psychology class, at the inaugural When Rights and Religions Collide conference, and I’ve done online and in person speaking for the International Cultic Studies Association. Oh, and I created fun trivia quiz website that I’ve been able to get active Jehovah’s Witnesses to interact with at JWTrivia.com that is in three languages and that introduces active Jws to new concepts if they take the simple quiz. I even ran a private Facebook group of ExJWs with a couple thousand members that was aimed at positivity and moving forward for a few years, and I’ve always been active in various Facebook groups and subreddits to try to offer a word of support or encouragement since I left Jehovah’s Witneses in 2015. In fact, we’re coming up on my 10th Shunniversary this September.

So when you listen to what I’m about to break down, these are my observations and lessons that you can take away from my experience in this community.

Support the show and get bonuses as well by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned

Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let’s talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach with a focus on cult recovery. Click HERE for more information.

Want more resources? Go to my other website exjwHelp.com

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah’s Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment.

Read my FREE online book, based on This JW Life, called Becoming Jehovah, in both English and Spanish by clicking here

An ExJW podcast and ExJW YouTube Channel

Life for Chelynn didn’t exactly get off to an auspicious start when her parents were marked as bad association in the congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses as they had her. While is is hard enough to grow up exposed to a cult, further losses only compounded the tough path that she would have to walk. Facing the loss of more than one man that she loved, and addiction to various substances beginning with meth in high school, Chelynn has had to fight for everything that she’s had. Today she fights, not just for herself, but for her little boy as well. The prize? A happy life for herself, a loving environment for her little boy, and to give him things that she never had.

Support the show and get bonuses as well by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned

Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let’s talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach with a focus on cult recovery. Click HERE for more information.

Want more resources? Go to my other website exjwHelp.com

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah’s Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment.

Read my FREE online book, based on This JW Life, called Becoming Jehovah, in both English and Spanish by clicking here

An ExJW podcast and ExJW YouTube Channel

It’s hard enough growing up different than everyone else because your family is in the cult of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Everyone wants to fit in, to belong, to feel seen and heard and validated. But what if you individually were singled out in the very isolated cult environment at the ripe age of 12 because of rumors started by children and carried out by adults? What if everyone labeled you as though you were demonized in some way over silly childhood games? What if you did the one thing that you thought you could do to get them to see you differently, and it didn’t work? This is the story of Alex.

Support the show and get bonuses as well by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned

Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let’s talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach with a focus on cult recovery. Click HERE for more information.

Want more resources? Go to my other website exjwHelp.com

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah’s Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment.

Read my FREE online book, based on This JW Life, called Becoming Jehovah, in both English and Spanish by clicking here

An ExJW podcast and ExJW YouTube Channel

One of the highest goals for a young person that is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses is to go to the Bethel headquarters located in New York, to work as a volunteer, serving their cult full time. But every person that goes there has a life before they go there, a life there, and for most, a life after as well. KJ has taken the time to share his story, one that involves the depths of emotional despair, the harsh realities of the most revered place on earth for Jehovah’s Witnesses, and how he came to realize that “we’re all just drones, following along thoughtlessly, because we’re afraid”. KJ is no longer a drone but has chosen to take flight in his own life, charting his own course, even though it has cost him dearly inside the life he once knew.

Support the show and get bonuses as well by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned

Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let’s talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach with a focus on cult recovery. Click HERE for more information.

Want more resources? Go to my other website exjwHelp.com

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

The song that KJ chose to represent his journey is I Drink Wine by Adele

You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah’s Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment.

Read my FREE online book, based on This JW Life, called Becoming Jehovah, in both English and Spanish by clicking here

An ExJW podcast and ExJW YouTube Channel

As a young teen, Maxwell had a unique opportunity to get into a Korean pre-group for need-greating locally as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Although that didn’t ultimately pan out, self-described “ultra zealot” Maxwell was given yet another chance at just 17 years of age to start a Hindi group, which grew to over 30 individuals. Eventually he would learn Indian sign language and act as a need-greater over Zoom. But like so many, Maxwell knew that he ultimately couldn’t be what the cult wanted him to be. When the time was right he would come out to a friend and later to his family, but this story doesn’t end like you think it would.

Support the show and get bonuses as well by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned

Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let’s talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach with a focus on cult recovery. Click HERE for more information.

Want more resources? Go to my other website exjwHelp.com

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

The song that Maxwell chose to represent his journey is Easy On Me by Adele

You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah’s Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment.

Read my FREE online book, based on This JW Life, called Becoming Jehovah, in both English and Spanish by clicking here

An ExJW podcast and ExJW YouTube Channel

In this episode I, once one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, interview Cass, a former Seventh Day Adventist. Both religions were born in the same time period, out of the same disappointments, and both are capable of creating tremendously negative impacts in the lives and families of their adherents. Growing up with an atheist parent that she knew would die at Armageddon caused great pain. As you listen, you will hear so many stories that resonate with former Jehovah’s Witnesses. And in a particularly poignant moment, a young Cass is in a standoff with a young JW girl in school, both desperately trying to save the other from the same Armageddon, both upset that they can’t make an impact for the other.

Cass can be found online as an author at her website CLRowe.com

We mentioned the allegory of the cave by Plato, which can be observed on YouTube by clicking HERE

Support the show and get bonuses as well by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned

Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let’s talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach with a focus on cult recovery. Click HERE for more information.

Want more resources? Go to my other website exjwHelp.com

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah’s Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment.

Read my FREE online book, based on This JW Life, called Becoming Jehovah, in both English and Spanish by clicking here

An ExJW podcast and ExJW YouTube Channel

Much like in the movie The Truman Show, young Tara was living a lie. In the 8th grade, at the age of 13, Tara would be told something by one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in her English class that would rock her world. Learning her family secret would open her mind to wondering what else might not be as true as portrayed, and it would take great strength to untangle things that she once held as true while at the same time trying to figure out who she was and what she wanted for herself. A strong person that learned at an early age to think for herself out of necessity, Tara has forged ahead in search for truth, leaving behind what she once called “The Truth”.

Support the show and get bonuses as well by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned

Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let’s talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach with a focus on cult recovery. Click HERE for more information.

Want more resources? Go to my other website exjwHelp.com

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

The song that Tara chose to represent her journey is Damn It Feels Good To Be Me by Andy Grammer

You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah’s Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment.

Read my FREE online book, based on This JW Life, called Becoming Jehovah, in both English and Spanish by clicking here

An ExJW podcast and ExJW YouTube Channel

Treated terribly by those that were supposed to protect and love her, Sam looked to things like baptism and being “The Bible Girl” at school to escape into serving a god that she was also seeking love from. She tried desperately, even seeing herself as “Jephthah’s daughter”, trying to dedicate herself to Jehovah, nearly meeting a similar fate. Ultimately the congregation would take away everything that she wanted and leave her searching for identity in a marriage that mirrored the rest of the abuse that she had suffered at the hands of others that claimed to love her as well. In a desperately haunting moment she faced the end of everything, not knowing that it would work out a new beginning for her, one that she has seized as she has fought for survival.

Support the show and get bonuses as well by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned

Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let’s talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach with a focus on cult recovery. Click HERE for more information.

Want more resources? Go to my other website exjwHelp.com

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

The song that Sam chose to represent her journey is Horseshoe Crab by Slothrust.

You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah’s Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment.

Read my FREE online book, based on This JW Life, called Becoming Jehovah, in both English and Spanish by clicking here

An ExJW podcast and ExJW YouTube Channel

Dino, a Shunned Podcast veteran, came up with an idea to reach out to convention locations for Jehovah’s Witnesses to challenge their messaging that is featured, at times, even on the campuses of institutions that they condemn. You will learn who to contact and we’re even including a downloadable sample letter/email that you can use directly. This is something that anyone can do from the comfort of their own home to get involved in activism. At a minimum this is an educational campaign, but it could have impact that creates real tangible change as well.

You can find more activism options, and an email that you can literally copy and paste for this project, at the following link (this project is at the bottom of the page): https://exjwhelp.com/exjw-activism/

Dino’s family was featured on episode 146 here:
https://youtu.be/pY8uJ4WSjp4?si=y9_wg95oPJ_uWuGP

Dino told his individual story on episode 90 here:
https://youtu.be/ffa1yxXVaMU?si=pZeKE2qdnaHKMCxm

Support the show and get bonuses as well by donating to the cause on our Patreon page, Patreon.com/shunned

Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let’s talk. I have affordable programs to help as a certified life coach with a focus on cult recovery. Click HERE for more information.

Want more resources? Go to my other website exjwHelp.com

Leave us a review on iTunes

Find shunned podcast on Youtube, including new VIDcasts here.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

You can listen to the Shunned Podcast Spotify playlist here for all of the songs chosen by guests of the show.

This podcast was made possible by my original podcast This JW Life. You can find it on any podcast app. It is a 9 part series about life as Jehovah’s Witnesses designed to help you understand how it worked in one comprehensive story and to help you process your own if you came from that environment.

Read my FREE online book, based on This JW Life, called Becoming Jehovah, in both English and Spanish by clicking here

An ExJW podcast and ExJW YouTube Channel

Thank you to all of the wonderful people that donated this year for our “day” of giving. Because so much is received, it takes more than a day, but we were able to do the following in September and October 2024. An accounting is below, and mirrored in the video:

Amount Raised – $1525 plus $10 for $1535, explained in video (Thank you soooo much to all of you that gave generously!)

Accounting: $40 – Meal for Facebook group admin and pimo $105 – Pimo first birthday $40 – Tip at Mexican restaurant $200 – Bookkeeping marketing and business $500 – College scholarship $250 – Baby shower for ExJW couple $200 – First Christmas number one $200 – First Christmas number two

Total – $1535

We paid for all fees incurred for the collection and distribution of all monies, so the amounts are full amounts.

Professional one on one Cult Recovery Coaching services, helpful videos and articles, more information about ExJwHelp Day itself, and other resources can be found at: https://exjwhelp.com/

Find Bell’s Bookkeeping at the following link: https://bellsbookkeeping.net/

Are you struggling in some area of life? Feeling stuck? Struggling with perfectionism, building a social network, codependency, or feeling like you’re not enough? Need an accountability partner or some encouragement? Need to talk to someone that understands cult life? Reach out and let’s talk. I have affordable programs to help as a Cult Recovery Coach. I work with many ex-JWs, along with ex-other groups, and your average person that has never been in a cult that wants better things in their life. Find out more here: https://storyworkscoaching.com

Please consider supporting the show’s Patreon if you appreciate the time that goes into producing these stories at: https://patreon.com/shunned

An ExJW podcast and an ExJW YouTube channel