Cult Diaries – Details, episodes & analysis
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Apple Podcasts
🇬🇧 Great Britain - spirituality
24/05/2025#85
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See allScore global : 63%
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Breaking The Cycle: Giving My Kids the Freedom I Never Had
Season 1 · Episode 14
lundi 21 avril 2025 • Duration 36:43
Donovan Johnson left the Jehovah's Witnesses over 8 years ago, after losing his mother. She had confessed that she had questioned things for years, and told him before she passed. He then took that and began to awaken himself to the reality of the religion that he had been taught to believe. In today’s deeply personal episode of Cult Diaries, we’re talking about one of the most powerful forms of rebellion: choosing to live your life freely and giving your children the life you were never allowed to have.
For those of us raised in high-control religions, cults, or toxic systems, freedom wasn’t something we grew up with—it was something we had to fight for. Parenting after that kind of upbringing is layered with grief, healing, and conscious choice. It means unlearning everything you were taught about love, obedience, and worth—and replacing it with truth, softness, and sovereignty.
This episode is an invitation to all the cycle-breakers, the survivors, the mothers and fathers doing it differently. You may not have been raised in safety, but you’re creating it now. That matters. That’s revolutionary.
Connect with your host, Brooke Deanne here:
FacebookTake theEmotional Trauma Quiz to gain clarity on where you’re struggling, identify the hidden blocks keeping you from thriving, and learn how to begin rewriting your story.
The Healing Meditation Series: Three powerful guided hypnosis meditations created specifically for survivors of trauma and narcissistic abuse. These meditations are designed to help you regulate your nervous system, calm anxiety, and foster deep emotional healing—grab yours now and start your journey to inner peace!
My Book is finally here: Shattered, Broken, and Beautiful: Losing My Religion and Finding Faith
The Truth About Armageddon: Reclaiming Power From Apocalyptic Fear
Season 1 · Episode 13
lundi 14 avril 2025 • Duration 13:19
In this episode of Cult Diaries, we’re diving headfirst into one of the most emotionally loaded and deeply misunderstood doctrines in the Bible—Armageddon. If you grew up in a high-control religion or under the weight of end-times fear, this conversation is for you.
We’ll trace the historical origins of the Armageddon narrative—from its Jewish apocalyptic roots in books like Daniel and Enoch, to how it was reimagined in the Book of Revelation as a metaphor for spiritual resistance under Roman rule. You'll learn how early Christians viewed Rome as the Beast and Jesus as the Lamb, not as players in a literal battle, but as symbols of oppression vs. divine liberation (see Revelation 13, 17, 5, and 14).
Then we’ll break down how different religions and denominations interpret Armageddon today—from the fear-based literalism of Jehovah’s Witnesses and evangelical end-times prophecies, to the symbolic, ongoing inner battle embraced by many Catholics, Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists. Spoiler alert: it’s not about fire from the sky—it’s about awakening what’s been silenced inside of you.
This episode draws from biblical scholarship, historical context (including insights on Emperor Domitian and first-century persecution), and cross-religious interpretations. Sources include the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, scholarly commentary on Revelation, and interfaith studies on apocalyptic belief systems.
✨ Most importantly, we flip the script: maybe Armageddon isn’t an external war at all. Maybe the real battle is within—when you stop conforming, stop fearing, and start rising into your truth.
If you’ve ever felt paralyzed by end-times doctrine or been told your worth depends on your survival, this is your invitation to wake up, break free, and reclaim your power.In this episode of Cult Diaries, we’re diving headfirst into one of the most emotionally loaded and deeply misunderstood doctrines in the Bible—Armageddon. If you grew up in a high-control religion or under the weight of end-times fear, this conversation is for you.
We’ll trace the historical origins of the Armageddon narrative—from its Jewish apocalyptic roots in books like Daniel and Enoch, to how it was reimagined in the Book of Revelation as a metaphor for spiritual resistance under Roman rule. You'll learn how early Christians viewed Rome as the Beast and Jesus as the Lamb, not as players in a literal battle, but as symbols of oppression vs. divine liberation (see Revelation 13, 17, 5, and 14).
Then we’ll break down how different religions and denominations interpret Armageddon today—from the fear-based literalism of Jehovah’s Witnesses and evangelical end-times prophecies, to the symbolic, ongoing inner battle embraced by many Catholics, Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists. Spoiler alert: it’s not about fire from the sky—it’s about awakening what’s been silenced inside of you.
This episode draws from biblical scholarship, historical context (including insights on Emperor Domitian and first-century persecution), and cross-religious interpretations. Sources include the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, scholarly commentary on Revelation, and interfaith studies on apocalyptic belief systems.
Most importantly, we flip the script: maybe Armageddon isn’t an external war at all. Maybe the real battle is within—when you stop conforming, stop fearing, and start rising into your truth.
If you’ve ever felt paralyzed by end-times doctrine or been told your worth depends on your survival, this is your invitation to wake up, break free, and reclaim your power.
Connect with your host, Brooke Deanne here:
My Book is finally here: Shattered, Broken, and Beautiful: Losing My Religion and Finding Faith
Healing After Intimate Partner Trauma
Season 1 · Episode 6
lundi 3 février 2025 • Duration 26:29
Beth Brunk is a Sexual Betrayal Trauma Coach, and was a part of the Baptist Brethren Church. She broke free in 2007, and has been on a different path of healing. After enduring 23 years of intimate partner betrayal, including abuse, pornography addiction, and devastating trauma, Beth longed for peace.
The pain she carried from her wedding night and throughout her marriage left her desperate for relief. While Beth doesn’t believe full healing is possible in this life, she is committed to breaking generational strongholds and embracing the healing process. Through daily work, she has found freedom from swirling thoughts and physical pain, reclaiming her energy and stepping into a life of abundance and hope.
Connect with your host, Brooke Deanne here:
Facebook Take the Emotional Trauma Quiz to gain clarity on where you’re struggling, identify the hidden blocks keeping you from thriving, and learn how to begin rewriting your story.
The Healing Meditation Series: Three powerful guided hypnosis meditations created specifically for survivors of trauma and narcissistic abuse. These meditations are designed to help you regulate your nervous system, calm anxiety, and foster deep emotional healing—grab yours now and start your journey to inner peace!
Connect with Beth here:
WebsiteBooking Link for Betrayal Trauma Consult CallInstagram
From the NFL to Cult Control: A Wife's Journey of Faith
Season 1 · Episode 4
lundi 27 janvier 2025 • Duration 32:58
In this gripping episode of Cult Diaries, we delve into the story of a woman whose life took an unexpected turn after 16 years of marriage and raising eight children. Her outspoken Christian husband, a former NFL player, left their family to follow a Black Hebrew Israelites-inspired teaching through Straitway Ministries.
Drawing parallels between the search for belonging and purpose in professional sports and the dynamics of high-control groups, she shares her unique insights into how cults can fill the void left by the pro sports world. Through her experience and the stories of other pro-athlete wives, this episode uncovers the deep psychological and spiritual impact of such transitions.
At the heart of her story is a lesson in faith: how anchoring her identity as a daughter of God gave her the strength to endure, relinquish the need to fight, and trust in a power greater than herself. This is a testament to resilience, faith, and the power of finding purpose beyond the chaos.
Join us for a powerful and inspiring conversation about identity, faith, and navigating the complexities of life after cult involvement.
Connect with your host, Brooke Kekos here:
Facebook Take the Emotional Trauma Quiz to gain clarity on where you’re struggling, identify the hidden blocks keeping you from thriving, and learn how to begin rewriting your story.
The Healing Meditation Series: Three powerful guided hypnosis meditations created specifically for survivors of trauma and narcissistic abuse. These meditations are designed to help you regulate your nervous system, calm anxiety, and foster deep emotional healing—grab yours now and start your journey to inner peace!
Connect with Eileen here:
Rewriting a Pre-Written Life
Season 1 · Episode 3
lundi 20 janvier 2025 • Duration 29:23
In this powerful episode of Cult Diaries, we hear the story of Hannah Marie Sol who grew up homeschooled in a Christian religious community, where faith dictated every aspect of her life. By 19, she was engaged to a church leader, but a moment of panic made her realize her entire life path had been decided for her. Breaking off the engagement, leaving the church, and walking away from her friends, family, and identity was the start of a deeply transformative journey.
This episode explores her process of self-reflection, the anger and resentment she faced after leaving, and how she eventually found the strength to let go of those emotions. She shares the challenges and breakthroughs of being honest about her beliefs with her family in the years that followed, offering valuable lessons about self-discovery, forgiveness, and authenticity.
If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to rewrite your story and reclaim your life, this episode is a must-listen.
Key takeaways: Go and write a letter to yourself why you left the religion. This could be how you create your path going forward.
Connect with your host, Brooke Deanne here:
Facebook Take the Emotional Trauma Quiz to gain clarity on where you’re struggling, identify the hidden blocks keeping you from thriving, and learn how to begin rewriting your story.
The Healing Meditation Series: Three powerful guided hypnosis meditations created specifically for survivors of trauma and narcissistic abuse. These meditations are designed to help you regulate your nervous system, calm anxiety, and foster deep emotional healing—grab yours now and start your journey to inner peace!
Connect with Hannah here:
How To Spot A Cult
Season 1 · Episode 2
lundi 13 janvier 2025 • Duration 27:21
In this eye-opening episode, we explore the subtle yet powerful tactics cults and high-control groups use to manipulate and trap individuals. Drawing from my personal experience as an ex-Jehovah’s Witness, I shed light on how these strategies show up within religious systems and beyond. From love bombing and isolation to emotional control and thought manipulation, we unpack the red flags that reveal cult-like behavior and the insidious tactics used to enforce loyalty.
But it’s not just about identifying the dangers—we also highlight the green flags of healthy communities, helping you discern safe spaces from toxic ones. Whether it’s a religious group, self-help movement, or any high-demand organization, no one is immune to cult influence.
Through personal insights and actionable tools this episode equips you to spot a cult and reclaim your autonomy. Join me as I share my journey and empower you to break free from harmful programming and live authentically.
Connect with your host, Brooke Deanne here:
Facebook Take the Emotional Trauma Quiz to gain clarity on where you’re struggling, identify the hidden blocks keeping you from thriving, and learn how to begin rewriting your story.
The Healing Meditation Series: Three powerful guided hypnosis meditations created specifically for survivors of trauma and narcissistic abuse. These meditations are designed to help you regulate your nervous system, calm anxiety, and foster deep emotional healing—grab yours now and start your journey to inner peace!
Breaking Free from the Jehovah's Witness Religion
Season 1 · Episode 1
lundi 6 janvier 2025 • Duration 35:23
In this debut episode of Cult Diaries, I share my deeply personal journey of growing up as a Jehovah's Witness and the life-altering decision to break free from its constraints. From the fear-driven teachings to the strict rules that governed every aspect of my life, I’ll take you behind the scenes of what it truly means to live within the Jehovah's Witness faith.
I’ll reveal the emotional toll of leaving behind not just a religion, but an entire community, and the courage it took to step into the unknown. This episode is a raw, unfiltered look at my path to reclaiming my identity, rebuilding my life, and discovering the freedom to be authentically me. Whether you're curious about life inside this religion or seeking inspiration for your own healing and transformation, this episode is for you.
Connect with your host, Brooke Deanne here:
Facebook Take the Emotional Trauma Quiz to gain clarity on where you’re struggling, identify the hidden blocks keeping you from thriving, and learn how to begin rewriting your story.
The Healing Meditation Series: Three powerful guided hypnosis meditations created specifically for survivors of trauma and narcissistic abuse. These meditations are designed to help you regulate your nervous system, calm anxiety, and foster deep emotional healing—grab yours now and start your journey to inner peace!
The Cost of Leaving Jehovah’s Witnesses
Season 1 · Episode 12
lundi 31 mars 2025 • Duration 41:29
Born into a fourth-generation Jehovah’s Witness family, today's guest grew up deeply entrenched in the faith, striving to be the perfect believer while secretly battling feelings of inadequacy and doubt. Like many, she followed the path laid out for her—getting baptized at 13, pioneering, and building a life by Jehovah’s Witness standards.
But when her husband voiced his doubts, everything changed. What started as a simple Google search led to a life-altering discovery that shattered the foundation of her faith. She uncovered the hidden truths about the organization, its cover-ups, and its real dealings—and in a single moment, everything she believed came crashing down.
The hardest part? Choosing truth over family.
In this episode, she shares:
⚡ The mental and emotional turmoil of deconstructing a lifelong belief system
⚡ How the fear of losing family kept her trapped longer than she wanted
⚡ The moment everything changed after uncovering hidden truths
⚡ The agonizing decision to leave, knowing it meant complete shunning
⚡ How she and her husband fought for their kids' freedom from indoctrination
⚡ Her healing journey and why she now speaks out against high-control groups
If you've ever struggled with religious trauma, deconstructing faith, or the fear of losing everything just for choosing yourself, this episode will speak directly to your soul.
💡 Trigger warning: This episode discusses themes of religious trauma, family estrangement, and mental health.
🎧 Listen now and share this with someone who needs to hear they are not alone.
Connect with your host, Brooke Deanne here:
Take theEmotional Trauma Quiz to gain clarity on where you’re struggling, identify the hidden blocks keeping you from thriving, and learn how to begin rewriting your story.
The Healing Meditation Series: Three powerful guided hypnosis meditations created specifically for survivors of trauma and narcissistic abuse. These meditations are designed to help you regulate your nervous system, calm anxiety, and foster deep emotional healing—grab yours now and start your journey to inner peace!
Connect with Alissa here:Tik Tok
Breaking Free From The Jehovah's Witness Religion Part 2
Season 1 · Episode 11
lundi 24 mars 2025 • Duration 37:42
Leaving a high-control religion is more than just walking away—it’s unraveling years of subconscious programming, fear-based conditioning, and deep psychological ties that still shape your thoughts, emotions, and decisions. In this episode, I share Part 2 of my journey—the moment I finally left Jehovah’s Witnesses for good, the devastating loss of my marriage and identity, and the painful truth I uncovered about the organization’s hidden abuse scandals and doctrinal contradictions. But beyond the heartbreak came clarity—a chance to rewrite my story, heal from religious trauma, and help others do the same.
This episode isn’t just about deconstructing faith; it’s about the psychological impact of religious indoctrination, trauma bonding, and the fear that keeps so many trapped. Healing after leaving a cult-like religion means confronting cognitive dissonance, reprogramming your nervous system, and reclaiming the parts of yourself you were forced to suppress. If you’ve ever felt the weight of religious trauma, struggled with guilt for questioning your faith, or are seeking validation for your journey—you are not alone, and you are not broken. Tune in as we expose the illusions, break free from fear, and step into the freedom that was always meant to be ours.
Connect with your host, Brooke Deanne here:
FacebookTake theEmotional Trauma Quiz to gain clarity on where you’re struggling, identify the hidden blocks keeping you from thriving, and learn how to begin rewriting your story.
The Healing Meditation Series: Three powerful guided hypnosis meditations created specifically for survivors of trauma and narcissistic abuse. These meditations are designed to help you regulate your nervous system, calm anxiety, and foster deep emotional healing—grab yours now and start your journey to inner peace!
When Faith Becomes a Weapon: Surviving Spiritual Manipulation & Domestic Abuse
Season 1 · Episode 10
lundi 17 mars 2025 • Duration 51:52
What happens when faith is weaponized against you? When the very institution meant to protect and guide you becomes the foundation of your abuse?
In this gripping and raw podcast, Anna Marie Lopes shares her journey of surviving the dangerous intersection of spiritual manipulation and domestic violence within the church. At just 18, she was drawn into a world where biblical principles were twisted to control me. By 19, she was married to a youth pastor—a man who used his position of power to justify verbal, mental, physical, sexual, financial, and spiritual abuse. For six years, she endured unimaginable cruelty while being told she was fulfilling my role as a “good Christian wife.”
But the most shocking part? Her abuser wasn’t just a pastor—he was grooming a minor and having an affair, yet he remains in the pulpit to this day, protected by a system that refuses to hold him accountable. Even her own mother, a survivor herself, sided with him—forcing her to navigate betrayal, isolation, and the painful realization that abusers thrive in spaces designed to hide them.
This podcast is a call to break the silence. It’s a deep dive into the realities of religious abuse, the insidious ways narcissists manipulate faith, and the resilience it takes to break free. If you’ve ever questioned how predators continue to thrive in positions of power—or if you’re a survivor searching for validation, healing, and hope—this is for you.
You are not alone. And together, we’re shattering the illusions, reclaiming our voices, and exposing the truth.
🎙️ Subscribe now and join the conversation. It’s time to unmask the wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Connect with your host, Brooke Deanne here:
FacebookTake theEmotional Trauma Quiz to gain clarity on where you’re struggling, identify the hidden blocks keeping you from thriving, and learn how to begin rewriting your story.
The Healing Meditation Series: Three powerful guided hypnosis meditations created specifically for survivors of trauma and narcissistic abuse. These meditations are designed to help you regulate your nervous system, calm anxiety, and foster deep emotional healing—grab yours now and start your journey to inner peace!
Connect with Anna Marie here:
Free Resources:
1. Free reclamationprintable cards & wallpapers for listeners by Brave & Free
2.Healing & CPTSD Community Hub where I host the domestic abuse support circle every month + other free events, resources and inclusive space for trauma survivors to connect, share, and heal
3. Book "Twisted Scriptures"
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