What happens when trauma awareness turns into over-protection, and healing gets stuck in the identity of what harmed us? In this episode of Almost Awakened, Teresa Hobbs and Bill Reel unpack the concept of fragilization; the process by which individuals and cultures become organized around avoiding discomfort in the name of safety. Drawing from their work supporting people through religious trauma, deconstruction, and nervous system healing, Teresa and Bill explore how the instinct to protect ourselves can sometimes keep us trapped in patterns of helplessness. They discuss how to honor pain without becoming fused with it, how validation can restore dignity without reinforcing dependency, and why resilience requires learning to tolerate life’s inevitable discomforts. They also explore: How “trauma bonding” can become a comfort zone The difference between co-regulation and dependence Why denial breeds fragility How true strength comes from integration, not suppression The cultural consequences of fragilization: polarization and loss of resilience This conversation invites nuance, compassion, and empowerment, recognizing that honoring the wound is essential, but staying in it can keep us small. For those healing from high-demand religions or systems of control, it’s a reminder that real freedom isn’t the absence of pain, it’s the ability to hold both safety and strength as we grow.

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Books Mentioned:
“The Expectation Effect” by David Robson – https://a.co/d/aRCk3wy
“The Coddling of the American Mind” by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt – https://www.thecoddling.com/buy

In this episode of Almost Awakened, Bill and Teresa explore one of the most misunderstood aspects of emotional health, boundaries. We unpack what safe and unsafe boundaries look like, how trauma and conditioning shape the ways we draw our lines, and why some “boundaries” are really just walls disguised as self-protection. You’ll learn how to identify when a boundary is rooted in fear versus self-respect, and how to create space for connection without sacrificing your safety or authenticity. If you’ve ever felt guilty for setting boundaries, or confused when someone else’s “boundary” felt more like a punishment, this conversation will help you untangle what’s actually going on beneath the surface.

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What happens when your church convinces you that your own memories, questions, and feelings can’t be trusted? In this episode of Almost Awakened, Bill Reel and Teresa Hobbs unpack the dark art of religious gaslighting — how high-demand faiths twist reality, dismiss legitimate concerns, and make believers doubt themselves under the guise of “God’s will.” We’ll explore: What gaslighting is and how it got its name Five real-world examples from Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Scientology, and more How leaders rewrite history, dismiss evidence, and blame the victim The deep psychological harm caused when faith makes you distrust your own perception Practical tools and therapeutic insights for healing from religious gaslighting If you’ve ever been told “you’re misremembering” or “your doubts are from the adversary,” this conversation will hit home. And if you’re working through the trauma of spiritual manipulation, we’ll share concrete steps to reclaim your reality, rebuild trust in yourself, and move forward with clarity.

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Join our Religious Transition support group  – https://www.monarchintegrativecoaching.com/circle

The Almost Awakened Podcast is planning out a “Opposing Viewpoints” series and in this first episode of our new Opposing Viewpoints series, Bill shares a recent confrontation he had with a Mormon apologist—an exchange where both sides walked away feeling the other had acted in bad faith. Together, Bill and Teresa unpack the experience, steelman the apologist’s position and motivations, and vulnerably explore Bill’s own thought process and responses in the moment. What happens when two people both believe they’re standing for truth, yet each feels misrepresented by the other? What drives these kinds of clashes, and what would it take to not only understand each other better, but to create more productive, respectful dialogue? Join us as we wrestle with the paradoxes of human interaction—where sincerity meets suspicion, conviction meets doubt, and the chance for deeper understanding lies in the tension between.

Please consider supporting the show – Almost Awakened | Mormon Discussion Inc. (Powered by Donorbox)

In this episode of the Almost Awakened Podcast, Bill Reel and Teresa Hobbs explore why stillness can feel so uncomfortable, especially for those recovering from religious trauma, chronic stress, and nervous system dysregulation. Teresa shares a powerful moment between them as a couple when a simple request for soothing touch opened the door to a deeper mindfulness and somatic tracking practice. Together, they talk about why so many of us are constantly moving, fixing, distracting, or bracing… and how mindfulness can help us gently be with our sensations rather than run from them. They discuss: The science behind mindfulness and why it heals. How early life stress and religious programming affect the nervous system. What it means to separate the “story” from the “sensation”. How mindfulness can repattern trauma responses and support nervous system regulation. Mindfulness as a form of re-parenting and building secure attachment. This episode is raw, vulnerable, and full of practical insight, especially for post-Mormons, ex-vangelicals, or anyone rebuilding safety in their body and relationships after trauma.

Teresa’s blog post on mindfulness: https://www.monarchintegrativecoaching.com/post/rewiring-for-connection-how-trauma-informed-mindfulness-rebuilds-the-inner-architecture-of-safety

Book on Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness: https://a.co/d/4tXisU2

Interested in trauma-informed coaching or somatic healing? Learn more at: https://www.monarchintegrativecoaching.com Whether you’re deconstructing religion, healing from chronic symptoms, or just trying to slow down… this episode offers a sacred tool to help you come home to yourself.

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Contact Us: Bill Reel: [email protected]
Teresa Hobbs: [email protected]

In this episode of Almost Awakened, Bill and Teresa explore the transformative shift from external obedience to internal integrity. What happens when we stop living by someone else’s rules and start listening to our own inner voice? The conversation dives into the psychology of control, the cost of compliance, and the courage it takes to choose authenticity. With humor, vulnerability, and practical insight, they unpack how we were conditioned to equate obedience with virtue—and how reclaiming our autonomy is the path to real wholeness. If you’ve ever felt like your strings no longer fit, this one’s for you. [Almost Awakened: 192]

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[Almost Awakened Ep: 191] What happens when obedience no longer defines you? In this episode, we explore the tender, disorienting, and ultimately liberating journey of shifting from a life shaped by external authority to one grounded in inner truth. We unpack how high-demand systems condition us to equate obedience with worth—and how, once that structure falls away, we’re left with a terrifying silence that’s actually a blank canvas.

Together, we examine what integrity really means—not moral perfection, but alignment between who you are and how you live. With honesty, vulnerability, and practical insight, we guide you through the void, the rebuilding, and the quiet bravery of living in congruence with yourself—especially when it costs you belonging.

This isn’t a call to rebellion. It’s an invitation to return to yourself.

Help support Bill Reel & Teresa Hobbs in creating Awakened Resources and Content

DONATE VIA DONORBOX! https://donorbox.org/almost-awakened-2

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Contact Bill Reel or Teresa Hobbs[email protected]

Why do some relationships thrive after conflict while others crumble? What if conflict wasn’t the problem in your relationships—but the key to deeper connection? In this powerful episode of the Almost Awakened Podcast, Bill Reel and Terresa Hobbs dive into the vital but often misunderstood cycle of rupture and repair. From parenting to romantic relationships to friendships and even spiritual community, we explore how moments of disconnection can either erode trust—or, when repaired with care, build unshakable emotional safety. You’ll learn why healthy relationships aren’t rupture-free, how our nervous systems respond during conflict, and what real repair looks like. We also share personal stories, practical tools, and science-backed insights to help you show up more authentically and courageously in every relationship. Whether you’re navigating challenges in a romantic partnership, friendship, or family bond, this conversation is for you.

00:00 – What Is Rupture & Repair? 06:00 – Attachment Theory: It’s Not About Perfection 10:30 – Secure Attachment Only Requires 30% Attunement 13:00 – Can Adults Shift Attachment Styles? (Earned Secure Attachment) 19:00 – Common Causes of Rupture 27:00 – The Role of the Nervous System in Rupture 39:00 – Taking Responsibility Without Shame 48:00 – Why Most People Avoid Repair (and What It Costs) 51:00 – Spiritual & Religious Ruptures in Family Systems 56:30 – Grieving the Relationship That Was 1:03:30 – Healthiest Way to Bring Up a Rupture 1:17:40 – Can Every Rupture Be Repaired? Not Always 1:19:30 – Real-Life Example: When Repair Fails 1:34:44 – Repair Checklist Recap 1:39:50 – Bill & Terresa Share a Repair Example: Laundry Soap & Grace 1:50:15 – Self-Rupture and Inner Repair 1:53:00 – Final Reflections: You Don’t Have to Be Perfect to Be Safe

Support the Almost Awakened Podcast and help us create more conscious content!
Donate via DonorBox: https://donorbox.org/almost-awakened-2
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Follow Us: Instagram: @mormondiscussion @monarchintegrativecoaching
Visit Our Website: https://almostawakened.org https://www.monarchintegrativecoaching.com
Contact Us: Bill Reel: [email protected] Teresa Hobbs: [email protected]

In this powerful episode, we explore the fascinating—and at times unsettling—truth that your body can carry pain, anxiety, and illness long after the danger is gone. Through bizarre medical stories and neuroscience-backed insights, we expose how the brain can misfire protective signals, trapping us in cycles of suffering with no clear physical cause. But we don’t stop at science. We take a hard look at how religious trauma—especially from high-demand systems like Mormonism—can sabotage the nervous system, teaching us to fear our own instincts and stay hypervigilant in the name of obedience. From chronic pain to panic attacks to unexplained sickness, we reveal how trauma—spiritual or otherwise—can become embedded in the body… and how healing is possible. If you’ve ever wondered why you still feel unsafe, even when you’re “out,” or why your symptoms don’t match your diagnosis—this is the episode that connects the dots.

In this powerful and vulnerable episode, Teresa Hobbs opens up about her personal journey through years of chronic illness, unexplained symptoms, and deep emotional and physical collapse — and what it took to slowly find her way back to life.

From early signs of nervous system dysregulation to being dismissed by doctors, chasing countless integrative and alternative healing paths, and finally hitting a wall that forced her to leave everything behind — this is the full story. For the first time, Teresa shares how trauma, stress, and disconnection from self, played a role in her decline, and how she began the slow, gentle work of re-regulating her nervous system and learning how to truly heal.

This episode is not about education or theory — it’s about lived experience. It’s raw, real, and deeply human.

If you’ve ever felt like your body is failing you, if you’re lost in your symptoms and afraid that things may never change, this story is for you.

Resources Mentioned in the Episode

Learn more or inquire about coaching with Teresa at:
      www.monarchintegrativecoaching.com

Support the Almost Awakened Podcast and help us create more conscious content!

Donate via DonorBox: https://donorbox.org/almost-awakened-2

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Listen on Your Favorite Podcast Apps:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast…

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Follow Us:

Instagram: @mormondiscussion

                   @monarchintegrativecoaching

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Visit Our Website: MormonDiscussions.org

Contact Us:

Bill Reel: [email protected]

Teresa Hobbs: [email protected]