Intrepid Storytelling – Details, episodes & analysis

What happens when the "righteous" community you trust becomes the source of your deepest rejection?

 

In this intense and revealing Part 2, Deanna Powell continues the deep dive into her cousin Lacey Gallear’s life, a journey that moves from the rigid confines of a small-town California church to the high-stakes world of international "business" cults in Seattle. Lacey shares the heartbreaking moment her "naive" faith was shattered after she invited a gay friend to her church, only to witness his devastating rejection by a pastor she trusted. This pivotal red flag set the stage for a lifetime of questioning authority, even as Lacey found herself pulled into the "bright and shiny" allure of Pentecostal youth groups and high-pressure mission trips.

 

Chapters: 00:00 Unexpected Visitors and Preparation 01:06 The Journey of Storytelling 01:58 Faith, Acceptance, and Rejection 03:49 Personal Stories of Rejection 07:05 The Impact of Suffering 09:47 Mission Trips and Expectations 13:07 Disappointment in Service 15:55 Cultural Observations and Realities 18:46 Reflections on Guilt and Responsibility 22:09 Navigating Church Dynamics 24:59 Personal Growth and Independence 27:53 Family Dynamics and Recovery 32:34 Navigating Recovery: Personal Perspectives on Support Groups 36:26 Gardening Journey: Learning and Growth Through Nature 38:48 Unexpected Encounters: Meeting Martha Stewart 45:21 Influential Relationships: Mentorship and Personal Growth 50:18 The Allure of Amway: A Journey into Multi-Level Marketing 01:02:03 Cults and Control: The Dark Side of Amway 01:05:06 Personal Connections and Amway's Influence 01:11:21 The Fallout of Betrayal 01:15:31 Navigating Life After Divorce 01:22:31 The Struggles of Balancing Work and Amway 01:29:04 Exploring New Spiritual Paths 01:36:39 The Mars Hill Experience and Its Impact

 

Follow Lacey on.... FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/share/1KcubHXdVm/ SUBSTACK: https://laceygallear.substack.com/

 

Your support helps us keep telling meaningful stories. Donate here: https://buymeacoffee.com/intrepidstorytelling

 

🎧 Watch and listen on your favorite podcast app: YouTube | Facebook | PodBean | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeartRadio | Amazon Music

 

Your story matters. If you’d like to share it with us, email IntrepidStorytelling@gmail.com

 

#IntrepidStorytelling #LaceyGallear #Deconstruction #TrueStory #SurvivorStory #AmwayCult #ReligiousTrauma #MarsHill #MentalHealthPodcast #PodcastYouTube #StorytellingPodcast

What happens when the people meant to protect you are the ones you have to survive?

 

In this gripping episode of Intrepid Storytåelling, host Deanna Powell sits down with her cousin, Lacey Gallear, to uncover a childhood defined by high-stakes family drama and rigid religious structures. Lacey shares the shocking reality of her earliest years, a "double kidnapping" between parents that landed her on a family commune in Placerville. There, Lacey led a "Cinderella" existence, parentified at age eight to perform grueling housework and childcare under the shadow of a volatile stepmother who used creative, often mental, punishments to keep her in line.

 

From "walking on eggshells" to survive physical discipline to being told her own intuition was "of the flesh," Lacey’s journey is one of profound resilience. She speaks candidly about the moment her world fractured at age 15, when she was given an ultimatum to leave her father’s house forever. Moving to Seattle brought a new set of challenges: navigating her biological mother’s escalating alcoholism and seeking refuge in a Pentecostal youth group that offered hope but carried heavy new expectations.

 

The episode reaches a powerful cliffhanger as Lacey describes the beginning of her spiritual deconstruction. From questioning global suffering to witnessing a pastor’s heartbreaking rejection of a gay friend, Lacey explores the fractures that eventually led her away from fundamentalism. This is a raw look at the courage it takes to finally listen to your gut after a lifetime of being told to ignore it.

 

Chapters: 00:00 Trusting Intuition: A Journey of Self-Discovery 01:55 Childhood Memories: Family Dynamics and Early Life 09:53 Navigating Relationships: Stepmother and Sibling Responsibilities 20:11 Struggles with Identity: Religion and Self-Esteem 30:06 Adolescence: Challenges and Personal Growth 44:22 Navigating Family Dynamics and Responsibilities 51:36 Confrontation and Rebellion 58:30 Decisions and Consequences 01:02:54 Moving to a New Environment 01:09:20 Struggles with Parental Relationships 01:18:20 Finding Independence and Purpose 01:25:06 A Journey of Self-Discovery and Acceptance

 

Follow Lacey on... FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/share/1KcubHXdVm/ SUBSTACK: https://laceygallear.substack.com/

 

Your support helps us keep telling meaningful stories. Donate here: https://buymeacoffee.com/intrepidstorytelling

 

🎧 Watch and listen on your favorite podcast app: YouTube | Facebook | PodBean | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeartRadio | Amazon Music

 

Your story matters. If you’d like to share it with us, email IntrepidStorytelling@gmail.com

 

#IntrepidStorytelling #LaceyGallear #TrueStory #SurvivorStory #Deconstruction #ReligiousTrauma #MentalHealthPodcast #PodcastYouTube #StorytellingPodcast

What if the hardest seasons of your life were actually the blueprints for your greatest success?

 

In this deep-dive episode of Intrepid Storytelling, Deanna Powell welcomes Kendall Patterson, a holistic success mentor and "multi-passionate entrepreneur" who has navigated a life defined by radical shifts and remarkable survival. Kendall opens up about a childhood she describes as "colorful," which included being raised by a single father after being removed from her mother's care due to physical abuse. She shares the harrowing details of a mother she lost twice: first to the cycles of addiction and trauma, and later to a seven-month coma caused by a brutal assault that left her mother physically alive but mentally a stranger.

 

Today, Kendall has transmuted her pain into a mission to help others. By integrating tools like human design, astrology, and radical self-acknowledgment, she mentors women on how to break generational cycles and find their "holistic success." This conversation isn't just a recount of obstacles; it is a profound exploration of the belief that life happens for us, not to us. Kendall reminds us that while we cannot change our beginnings, we are fully capable of rewiring our future and becoming the person our "younger self" always needed.

 

Chapters here: 00:00 Navigating Childhood Trauma 05:45 The Journey of a Multi-Passionate Entrepreneur 12:00 The Impact of Maternal Relationships 18:02 Adolescence and Shifting Family Dynamics 24:14 Breaking Free from Toxic Relationships 30:05 Lessons Learned from Heartbreak and Healing 40:32 Understanding Boundaries and Solitude 46:17 Navigating Relationships and Personal Growth 51:43 The Impact of Trauma and Healing 01:00:41 Lessons Learned and Life Messages

 

Your support helps us keep telling meaningful stories. Donate here: https://buymeacoffee.com/intrepidstorytelling

 

🎧 Watch and listen on your favorite podcast app: YouTube | Facebook | PodBean | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeartRadio | Amazon Music

 

Your story matters. If you’d like to share it with us, email IntrepidStorytelling@gmail.com

 

#IntrepidStorytelling #KendallPatterson #TraumaHealing #HumanDesign #SuccessMentor #GenerationalWealth #StorytellingPodcast #PodcastYouTube #FacebookWatch

In this episode, a successful entrepreneur shares how losing his father fueled a journey from real estate and mortgage success to launching Off Leash’d, the pet-lover match app taking over phones everywhere. This is a raw conversation about loss, ambition, legacy, and why sometimes the biggest ideas come from the hardest seasons.

Terry's success story is one of family, loss, and grit—and leads to real estate wealth, mortgage mastery, and founding the viral pet match app Off Leash’d. We break down entrepreneurship, startup mindset, tech innovation, and how turning personal pain into purpose can build a brand, a business, and a movement pet lovers can’t get enough of.

CONTACT TERRY JAMES: OffLeash'd

 

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What is left of your life when the community you built and the faith you preached both disappear in an instant?

In this deeply honest episode of Intrepid Storytelling, Deanna Powell sits down with former pastor Ryan Meeks and his wife, Michelle. Ryan shares the raw reality of what happened when his evangelical church, Eastlake Community Church, imploded after he announced they would fully affirm the LGBTQIA+ community. The fallout was immediate and devastating—a wave of backlash, the loss of his livelihood, and the painful unraveling of a faith system that no longer felt like home.

Just as Ryan was beginning to navigate the debris of his deconstruction, life delivered another blow: a lymphoma cancer diagnosis. Facing his own mortality while still healing from spiritual trauma forced Ryan to look past religious doctrine and search for a deeper meaning. Together, Ryan and Michelle discuss the difficult journey of spiritual reconstruction, moving from the rigid certainty of the church to a more inclusive, fragile, and beautiful understanding of what it means to be alive.

This conversation is a powerful exploration of church hurt, LGBTQIA+ affirmation, and the search for hope after a religious "death." Ryan’s journey proves that even when the buildings fall and the old beliefs fade, love can remain the steady foundation for a new life. Whether you are questioning your own faith or facing an unexpected life crisis, this story is a reminder that while certainty may disappear, love is the point.

PURCHASE RYAN'S BOOK HERE: https://amzn.to/40d50FT

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction and Early Doubts About Faith

01:22 - Formative Years: Faith, Youth Group, and Purity Culture

02:22 - The Growing 'Doubt Basket' and Questioning Core Beliefs

03:35 - Building East Lake Community Church: Growth and Radical Inclusion

05:22 - Personal Crisis: Cancer, Burnout, and Final Deconstruction

06:17 - Embracing Embodiment, Nature, and a Life Message of Love

Your support helps us keep telling meaningful stories. Donate here: https://buymeacoffee.com/intrepidstorytelling

🎧 Watch and listen on your favorite podcast app: YouTube | Facebook | PodBean | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeartRadio | Amazon Music

Your story matters. If you’d like to share it with us, email IntrepidStorytelling@gmail.com

#IntrepidStorytelling #RyanMeeks #FaithDeconstruction #LGBTQIAAffirmation #ReligiousTrauma #InclusiveChristianity #CancerSurvivor #PodcastYouTube #FacebookWatch #StorytellingPodcast

They bought a house in Bothell, Washington… and something else came with it. In this true paranormal podcast episode, a couple reveals the unexplained events, ghostly encounters, and haunting experiences that turned everyday life into a constant state of unease. If you love real haunted house stories, Pacific Northwest paranormal activity, and true ghost encounters—this episode will stay with you long after the final word.

PURCHASE KEITH'S BOOK HERE: https://amzn.to/4rxmI2O

 

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In this transformative episode, Shelise Ann Sola, host of the popular podcast and YouTube show Cults to Consciousness, opens up about her deeply personal faith transition and deconstruction from LDS Mormonism. Raised in a devout Mormon household and immersed in the cultural expectations of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Shelise spent years following rules, suppressing doubts, and striving to be the “perfect” member.

But beneath the surface, questions were growing—questions about doctrine, identity, purity culture, patriarchy, and the pressure to conform within a high-demand religious system. Shelise shares what it was really like to confront her faith crisis, unlearn fear-based teachings, navigate relationships during deconstruction, and rediscover her authentic self outside the LDS church.

This conversation dives into:

• Religious trauma and recovery

• Purity culture in Mormonism

• Undoing indoctrination and reclaiming identity

• Life after leaving high-control religion

• Healing, empowerment, and conscious living

If you’re navigating your own faith transition, curious about the realities of Mormon deconstruction, or simply love powerful stories of courage and awakening, this episode is for you.

Follow Cults To Consciousness on YouTube: PLEASE SUBSCRIBE! https://www.youtube.com/@CultstoConsciousness

 

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This is a real-life comeback story you won’t forget. Once trapped in addiction and felony convictions, she hit rock bottom and checked herself into the Salvation Army—then did the work to completely transform her life. In this episode, we explore addiction recovery, life after prison, and how she defied the odds to become one of the most successful real estate agents in Seattle. If you believe in second chances, personal growth, and unstoppable resilience, this episode is for you.

 

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This is a shorter episode from the Intrepid Storytelling live event.

On February 6, 2023, Alicia Brown’s life was forever transformed when a ruptured brain aneurysm and stroke during surgery stole her ability to speak, write, spell, and function. In this powerful episode of Intrepid Storytelling, Alicia opens up about the month she spent in the hospital relearning the basics of life, from opening her left eye to taking her first steps toward independence again. Through pain, humility, and isolation, she discovered an unshakable resilience and a will to fight she never knew existed.

Join us as Alicia shares her inspirational recovery story—a testament to courage, hope, and the power of perseverance in the face of unimaginable loss.

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This gripping episode is Part 3 of a series that was started by Leila Culberson, who's story was told in Part 1 and Part 2 - Surviving The Unthinkable: A Mother's True Story Of Betrayal, Abuse, Fentanyl Loss, the Courage to Heal and Take Action. If you haven't listened to those episodes yet, head there first and come here for Part 3, Cash Nimmer-Culberson's True Story.

For years, one man controlled the story. And for years, everyone believed him.

Behind closed doors, he was sexually abusing his children — a father exploiting power, silence, and fear. In public, he was spinning lies, manipulating perception, and rewriting history while his victims were left unheard and unprotected.

Until now.

In this episode, a teenage survivor speaks publicly for the first time about childhood sexual abuse, family betrayal, and the devastating impact of gaslighting when the abuser is believed and the children are not. He shares what it was like growing up in a home where truth was punished, silence was enforced, and manipulation masked itself as authority.

This is not a polished story. It is not easy to hear. And it is not meant to be comfortable.

It is the reality of what happens when abuse goes unchecked — and what it takes to reclaim your voice after years of being erased.

This episode is about:

• Childhood sexual, physical & emotional abuse by a parent

• The psychological damage of manipulation and gaslighting

• The courage it takes to speak when the world already chose a side

• Breaking generational cycles of abuse

• Telling the truth when it costs you everything

This is not his father’s story anymore. This is the truth — told by the person who lived it.