Sunday School Dropouts – Details, episodes & analysis

We are thrilled to have Julia and Jeremiah (aka the Sexvangelicals) back on the podcast today to wrap up our Religious Trauma and the Elections mini-series. Today’s topic: Project 2025. If you haven’t heard about it or don’t know what, consider this your catch up course to all things related to Project 2025. And in our opinion, this project gets an “F”. Jeremiah and Julia explain various policies, the language used, the history behind why we got here and how it connects to Christian Nationalism. 

To Connect with the Sexvangelicals:

www.sexvangelicals.com 

Substack (Relationship 101): https://sexvangelicals.substack.com/

IG: @sexvangelicals

Resources mentioned in the pod:

Andra Watkins’ article: https://project2025istheocracy.substack.com/p/why-anti-abortion-laws-christian

Sexvangelicals’ first Project 2025 article: https://sexvangelicals.substack.com/p/what-does-the-republican-party-actually

Sexvangelicals’ second Project 2025 article: https://sexvangelicals.substack.com/p/what-is-a-family-according-to-the

Link to Project 2025 (the entire 900-pages!)

This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery 

The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.

The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. 

Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything 

Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com 

Hosts: 

Laura Anderson and Andrew Kerbs

Music by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji 

Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe and can be found at kevincrowe.co.

The Sunday School Dropouts are proving their dropout status today! We are talking about all things White Christian Nationalism, including the origins, impacts, and how to heal with Rev. Angela Denker. Angela is the author of “Red State Christians” and the forthcoming book “Disciples of White Jesus” where she writes about the growing phenomenon of White Christian Nationalism and its impact on a specific group of people: White men and boys. Throughout this conversation we begin to see  how this extremist approach began, why it thrives and even how to navigate relationships with people in our lives who live according to those values. 

Andrew and Laura also discuss the term ‘gaslighting’ and explain what it truly means–instead of how it’s talked about on social media and in pop culture–as a way to help people better organize and name what happened to them.

Join the Religious Trauma and the Elections Support Groups! Find out more and/or sign up here!

Books discussed today:

Angry White Men by Michael Kimmel

Connect with our Guest:

Rev. Angela Denker @denkerangela 

This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery 

The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.

The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. 

Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything 

Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com 

Hosts: 

Laura Anderson and Andrew Kerbs

Music by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji 

Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe

This is our final episode of season one and Andrew and Laura are back to talk about men and bears, lift up John MacArthur in prayer, to quite literally celebrate the United Methodist church’s repeal of their declaration that did not allow LGBTQ+ clergy members and more. We’ll also be reflecting on some of our favorite moments from the season and sharing about our summer episodes because you can’t have Sunday School Dropouts without Vacation Bible School! We’re dropping some hints about what’s to come in those episodes and talking a little bit about Season 2 which will start in the fall!

More than anything, we just want to say a big thank you to all of our fellow dropouts for supporting us! We have loved doing this podcast and are so excited for Vacation Bible School this summer and Season 2!

This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery 

The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.

The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. 

Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything 

Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com 

Hosts: 

Laura Anderson and Andrew Kerbs

Music by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji 

Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe and can be found at  www.kevincrowe.co

This week we will be talking to a notorious former pastor about their experience growing up inside high control religion, becoming a poster child for purity culture, being set up to take over for a large church and ultimately giving it all up, deconstructing his faith and leaving the church. If you grew up in evangelicalism, and likely even if you didn’t, you’re sure to be familiar with Joshua Harris, author of the wildly popular Christian dating, ahem, courting, book, I Kissed Dating Goodbye. He’s here to share with us about his time inside of high control religion, what opened his eyes to the unhealthy dynamics inside the church and his process of healing after leaving. It’s an episode that all of our younger selves never saw coming and definitely one you won’t want to miss! 

We’ll also be squeezing in some prayer requests as Andrew is back to lift up those “unspokens” and you may have heard Laura say a couple weeks ago that our last episode of season 1 would be after this episode, but fear not, we’ll be back in a couple weeks with a new episode and are excited to share the fun things we have coming in store for you this summer…because what’s a Sunday School Dropout without Vacation Bible School? 

This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery 

The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.

The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. 

Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything 

Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com 

Hosts: 

Laura Anderson and Andrew Kerbs

Music by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji 

Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe and can be found at  www.kevincrowe.co

How do you heal from religious trauma when you were both the victim and perpetrator of high control religion? Dan Miller joins us today to discuss his work with clients who are healing from religious trauma and adverse religious experiences that were in positions of ministry leadership, including the unpaid labor of volunteers (which many of us called: servants). In this episode we talk about some of the unique aspects of healing that former ministry leaders face, steps to re-build your life after leaving ministry positions, feeling burned out after volunteering, and building self-compassion. 

Guest: Dan Miller

Website: www.straightwhiteamericanjesus.com

Work with Dan: dan@traumaresolutionandrecovery.com

This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery 

The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.

The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. 

Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything 

Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com 

Hosts: 

Laura Anderson and Andrew Kerbs

Music by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji 

Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe and can be found at www.kevincrowe.co

We are excited to be talking today with April Ajoy and Beecher Reuning! They are sharing with the Sunday School Dropouts crew their story of growing up in fundamentalism and purity culture, meeting and getting married under those systems and then navigating their way through discarding those doctrines and theology to find their way into the relationship they have today. It’s an episode you won’t want to miss!

Religious Trauma + the Elections Course - use code ELECTIONS for $15 off

Guests: 

April Ajoy can be found on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @aprilajoy and on X at @aprilajoyr 

Beecher Reuning can be found Instagram, TikTok and X @hellobeecher and on Facebook @beecher 

Their podcast "The Non-Binary Marriage" can be found here.

Buzzfeed article about April can be found here

This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery 

The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.

The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. 

Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything 

Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com 

Hosts: 

Laura Anderson and Andrew Kerbs

Music by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji 

Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe and can be found at  www.kevincrowe.co

Today we are excited to have the Sexvangelicals, that is Julia Postema and Jeremiah Gibson, on our podcast! Julia and Jeremiah are licensed and AASECT certified psychotherapists who use their personal and professional lives and experience to work with relationships where at least one partner has been a part of high control religion, fundamentalism or purity culture. 

Resources

Developmental Model - Ellen Bater

AASECT.org - finding a sex therapist

Six Steps for a structured question

1. Decide on specific topic - key word SPECIFIC! (Ex: what are my favorite places to be touched, to be kissed, preferences around initiation)

2. Agenda - (not rigid) what  is the purpose of this conversation? Eg. understanding each other better, resolving conflict

3. Choose a time and location that will set you up for success (beginning and end) - try to make it outside the house

4. Set a timer based on the topic, level of vulnerability and your level of experience in these conversations

5. Stay on topic! Once you’ve decided what the topic is, write it on a sticky note or card what the topic is so you can refer to it later to help you stay on topic!

6. Aftercare - sometimes these conversations can be going or vulnerable so how can you come back together with your partner *(e.g. a game, going out to eat, cuddling)
   

This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery 

The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.

The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. 

Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything 

Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com 

Hosts: 

Laura Anderson and Andrew Kerbs

Music by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji 

Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe and can be found at  www.kevincrowe.co

We are thrilled today to be talking with Rachel Overvoll! Rachel herself grew up in purity culture and high control religion. We discuss her experiences inside purity culture, the impact of it and her healing journey. We then get into how Rachel has used her personal story to inspire her professional life as a Somatic Sex Coach who works with clients focusing on finding sexual freedom after purity culture. 

We’ll also be answering a listener question and a special prayer partner guest will be joining us for this episode’s segment of prayer requests!

The Religious Trauma + Elections course is now available for sign up! Find out more information and register for the course here!

Resources from today

The Purity Myth by Jessica Valenti

Better Sex Through Mindfulness by Lori Brotto

Pleasure Activism by Adrian Maree Brown

She Comes First by Ian Kerner

Rachel Overvoll Somatic Sex Coach

@rachelovervoll on IG and TikTok

Find out more about the work Rachel does or book a session with her at: www.modernintimacy.com

This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery 

The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.

The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. 

Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything 

Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com 

Hosts: 

Laura Anderson and Andrew Kerbs

Music by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji 

Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe and can be found at  www.kevincrowe.co

We are thrilled to have with us today Dr. Tina Schermer Seller who is an author, researcher, professor, and psychotherapist specializing in the impacts of purity culture, shame resilience, gender, and sexuality. In this episode, Dr. Tina shares her research and how she came to realize the psychological and physiological impact of purity culture and how that shaped the direction of her work with clients, students, and her writing. In the episode, Dr. Tina shares an incredible definition of sexual shame (see below) that can help us understand the felt sense experience of purity culture! But before we talk to Dr. Tina, we have a vocabulary lesson on what are porn and sex addictions really and why religion is so quick to diagnoses people with them, and we’ll also be taking some prayer requests! This is an episode you won’t want to miss!

Dr. Tina’s definition of sexual shame (taken from the dissertation of Noel Clarke): Sexual shame is a visceral feeling of humiliation and disgust toward one’s own body and identity as a sexual being and a belief of being abnormal, inferior and unworthy. this feeling can be internalized but also manifests in interpersonal relationships having a negative impact on trust, communication, and physical and emotional intimacy. Sexual shame develops across the lifespan in interactions with interpersonal relationships, one’s culture and society, and subsequent critical self-appraisal (a continuous feedback loop). There is also a fear and uncertainty related to one’s power or right to make decisions, including safety decisions, related to sexual encounters, along with an internalized judgement toward one’s own sexual desire. 

You can find Dr. Tina at: 

Instagram: @drtinashameless  

Facebook: @TinaSSellers 

Twitter: @TinaSSellers
Website: https://www.tinaschermersellers.com

Psychedelic assisted psychotherapy: www.Inannarising.org 

Dr. Tina’s Books:
Sex, God, and the Conservative Church

Shameless Parenting – Everything You Need to Raise Shame-free, Confident, Kids and Heal Your Shame Too

This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery 

The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.

The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. 

Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything 

Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com 

Hosts: 

Laura Anderson and Andrew Kerbs

Music by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji 

Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe and can be found at  www.kevincrowe.co

We’re back with another episode from our purity culture mini-series! This week’s guest is RC Curtwright (@deconstructing_exjw on Instagram) who grew up in the Jehovah’s Witness organization and was a poster child of purity culture. In our conversation RC shares some of the long term impacts, mental health issues and shame that he and  many other men experienced as a result of purity culture. Before we get into our conversation, Laura answers a listener question and shares a little bit about being a church leader and teaching adolescents about purity culture, thereby having a front row seat to the lived experiences of men and boys. This is an episode you won’t want to miss! 

Resources mentioned by RC

Healing CPTSD by Pete Walker

Mating in Captivity by Esther Perel

This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery 

The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.

The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. 

Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything 

Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com 

Hosts: 

Laura Anderson and Andrew Kerbs

Music by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji 

Editing and Production by Kevin Crowe and can be found at  www.kevincrowe.co