Episodes

With four years of long-form personal stories from ten different cults and over 615,000 individual listens and views across many platforms, Shunned has become something more than I ever dreamed. Between the Cult Recovery Coaching Services that I offer, the Facebook support group, the Shunned Recovery Project online meetups, and all of these interviews, there is much to be learned. So for number 100, in this episode I take you through 100 things that could help change your life in some meaningful way as you recover from the cult of Jehovah’s Witnesses. If you’re from another cult you will likely find many things that can apply to you too, and if you’ve never been in a cult but you’d like to live a happier life, there is something for you in here as well.

The new theme song for Shunned is Save Myself by Jane and the Boy.

Support the show 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. Click HERE for more information.

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

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

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 or on YouTube. 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.

Music provided by Jane and the Boy, entitled Save Myself.

Often when we grow up we are given roles to play in life. Whether we pick these up by observing the adults around us or we pick them up in our response to those same people, it isn’t unusual to find ourselves repeating patterns from our past. Chelsea’s story is one of living in confusion and eventually becoming strong enough to break out of the roles given to her by her family and the cult of Jehovah’s Witnesses. (With love to Levi, may he rest in peace.)

The song that Chelsea chose to represent her journey is Walk by Foo Fighters. She also chose the song My Hero by Foo Fighters for Levi.

Support the show 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. Click HERE for more information.

Support Chelsea by leaving her a comment HERE

Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

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 or on YouTube. 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.

Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE.

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.

Trigger Warning: This episode contains frank discussions of sexual abuse and suicide.

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of taking items like broken pottery and repairing the cracks with gold. It is an acknowledgement of the scars that a piece has as part of its history. Drew has some scars, but he’s not afraid to be vulnerable and talk about his life. From involvement with the cult of Jehovah’s Witnesses to many situations in life that could have broken him irreparably, Drew has picked up the pieces and made something out of them over and over again with his heart of gold.

The song that Drew chose to represent his journey is Escape by Metallica.

Support the show 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. Click HERE for more information.

Support Drew by leaving him a comment HERE

Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

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 or on YouTube. 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.

Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE.

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.

Join in on the inaugural Ex-JW Help Day event on September 2 2021 by performing random acts of kindness in your community. For more information see:

https://exjwhelp.com/index.php/exjwhelpday/

“The only reason I got baptized was…….I wanted to save my ass.”

The cult of Jehovah’s Witnesses promote fear of death at the hands of their genocidal god. Unfortunately for Raene, from the time she was molested at the age of seven by someone in her congregation, she would spend her days trying to save herself in many ways. Saving herself from that violent god. Saving herself from the people around her that would never listen to a young girl that seemingly knew more than the adults around her. Raene had to save herself in more ways than the one that came up and prompted her baptism into this cult.

The song that Raene chose to represent her journey is Under The Table by Fiona Apple.

Support the show 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. Click HERE for more information.

Support Raene by leaving her a comment HERE

Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

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 or on YouTube. 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.

Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE.

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.

“So I can never change my mind. I can never leave. And I remember having the thought that I am trapped. That was the first time I realized that you can’t just leave, ever, for any reason.”

Jake, known on YouTube and other platforms as AltWorldly, had to face a harsh realization that as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses you can’t just leave. It has been referred to as a “captive organization” at times because, like most cults, there is no easy way out without losing things that may matter deeply to you. Married to an active Witness that he loves dearly, his journey to awakening was fraught with many perils, including a life threatening moment that forced him to face down one of Jehovah’s Witnesses’ most controversial and destructive beliefs.

You can follow the AltWorldly channel on YouTube by CLICKING HERE.

The song that Jake chose to represent his journey is Harmony Hall by Vampire Weekend.

Support the show 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. Click HERE for more information.

Support Jake by leaving him a comment HERE

Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

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 or on YouTube. 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.

Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE.

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.

“Honestly I just always felt horrible about going, it never felt like this was my calling or this was where I needed to be. It was quite the opposite actually.”

Baptized at 15 as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christina knew that this really wasn’t the place for her but did what she needed to do in order to get by. When her life took twists and turns over the years, she would at one point find herself living with her father and stepmother in strange circumstances. Medications were pushed on her, they would refuse to use the same dishes as her or share a bathroom with her, and of course shunning came into the relationship as well.

The song that Christina chose to represent her story is Beautiful Pain by Eminem.

Support the show 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. Click HERE for more information.

Support Christina by leaving her a comment HERE

Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

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 or on YouTube. 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.

Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE.

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.

“It’s all F.E.A.R. They have that over your head with everything. Fear of Armageddon, fear of being shunned, fear of not doing enough, and at that age of 11, 12, 13, fear of being persecuted was so big……..From 2 or three up to 10 or 11 years old, life was fun, just being a kid….but once we were in it, life became scary.”

Justin’s life changed when his family was introduced to the cult of Jehovah’s Witnesses. A happy and carefree life suddenly became entrenched in the fear that the cult held over their head. One by one Justin’s family would leave the cult until he was the last man standing, and he had some tough choices to make as he faced some of those fears to find freedom once again.

The song that Justin chose to represent his story is New Person, Same Old Mistakes by Tame Impala.

Support the show 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. Click HERE for more information.

Support Justin by leaving him a comment HERE

Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

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 or on YouTube. 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.

Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE.

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.

Raised by a mother that wasn’t truly one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in practice but that still made her children live a JW lifestyle, Za’kaeda had trouble fitting in. When her mother finally got serious about “The Truth”, she had a rare opportunity to make her mom proud as her mom asked her to study, and she obliged. Za’kaeda’s story is one of trying hard to be someone she wasn’t for people that didn’t truly appreciate it only to be shunned in the end and then told by elders in her congregation not to dare trying to talk to her mother because this is already hard enough on her. The perpetual victimhood of Jehovah’s Witnesses came to the fore and this story has a very interesting twist at the end.

The song that Za’kaeda chose to represent her story is How To Save A Life by The Fray.

Support the show 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. Click HERE for more information.

Support Za’kaeda by leaving her a comment HERE

Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

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 or on YouTube. 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.

Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE.

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.

“I remember my husband saying ‘you are a sex addict’ but I’m not. I just waited 21 years of my life for this thing and I thought it was going to happen because I did everything right and it’s not happening and I don’t know why.” Sex is something that is repressed and shamed anyway, but what if you married someone that was trying to be someone that they weren’t? In Brandi’s story we’ll learn the impact that the cult of Jehovah’s Witnesses can have on the sexual expression of individuals and the complications put upon it by the demands of a cult that doesn’t allow people to be who they are.

The song that Brandi chose to represent her story is You Don’t Own Me by SAYGRACE.

Support the show 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. Click HERE for more information.

Support Brandi by leaving her a comment HERE

Want more resources or to participate in the Shunned Recovery Project that I mentioned? Go to my new website exjwHelp.com

Join our Shunned Podcast Facebook group HERE

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 or on YouTube. 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.

Follow my new podcast called LouisvilleOne at LouisvilleOne.org or look it up on a podcast app. You can watch the live videos on the YouTube channel HERE.

Music by Fair Voyeur entitled “No Hell Yet”.