Blame it on Mel

Why do child sexual abuse cases end in reduced charges, probation, or prison treatment programs? In this episode of Blame It on Mel, I discuss Krew Zaugg, Candon Dahle, John Wiece, Johnny Whitaker, and Devin Willcoxon, examining Idaho plea deals, sentencing decisions, sex offender registration, and the impact on victims.

I talk about four cases sentenced by Judge Michael Whyte, including Zaugg’s rider sentence and Wiece’s case involving a 6-year-old girl. I also discuss former BYU baseball player Candon Dahle, whose separate case before Judge Steven Boyce ended in probation following a plea agreement.

Plus, I share conversations with people close to Krew Zaugg and Meriden about their relationship, marriage, and alleged financial promises from the Zaugg mom, alongside my opinions about family influence, victim harassment, and accountability.

An examination of Idaho’s criminal justice system, child sexual abuse cases, survivors’ experiences, and what happens after sentencing.

Sign the Petition: https://c.org/ycjMy2YfPk

Who gets to decide what happens to a woman’s body?

In this episode of Blame It on Mel, I sit down with Kerry Fuller to discuss Idaho Proposition 1, the Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act, Idaho’s abortion ban, and the real people affected by restrictions on reproductive healthcare.

I share my personal abortion story: at 19, I was able to access a legal abortion in Idaho. Now, women facing that same decision encounter a very different reality. We discuss the rise in Idaho abortion numbers despite state bans, the financial barriers to traveling out of state, and why access should never depend on whether someone can afford transportation, childcare, a hotel, or time away from work.

We also talk about pregnancy complications, pregnancies that cannot result in a surviving baby, and the devastating circumstances surrounding emergency abortion care and out-of-state medical transfers.  OBGYN doctors have left the state of Idaho because of the law.  For instance, the town that I live in has gone from six OBGYN physicians to one.

For me, being pro-choice is about freedom, bodily autonomy, and keeping deeply personal medical decisions between patients and their healthcare providers. This conversation goes beyond Republican or Democrat. You can personally oppose abortion and still believe another woman deserves the freedom to make her own decision.

Your religious beliefs can guide your choices. They should not dictate another woman’s healthcare. Choosing not to have an abortion is your right. I believe choosing to have one should be, too.

Listen for an honest conversation about Idaho Prop 1, abortion rights, reproductive freedom, women’s healthcare, religious freedom, and the separation of church and state.

Hot topics💋 Idaho Proposition 1 2026, Idaho abortion ban, Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act, personal abortion story, abortion at 19, abortion access, out-of-state abortion care, pregnancy complications, reproductive rights, pro-choice podcast, bodily autonomy, Blame It on Mel.

Why did I go to Burning Man-and what happened when I finally let myself experience it? In this episode of Blame It on Mel, I’m sharing my first Burning Man experience in Black Rock City: the freedom, the unexpected adventures, and what you need to know before going yourself.

I went from dressing modestly to embracing my sexy. I experienced things I never thought possible, learned to throw away the plan and go with the moment, and let go of things I’d been carrying through the Burning Man Temple burn.

For the first time in my life, I felt accepted exactly as I am. That acceptance came from strangers, and it changed how I saw myself.

And yes, we’re talking about the reality of life on the playa: horrible winds, relentless dust storms, and rain that felt like a welcome relief because it kept the dust down.

If you’re curious about Burning Man, preparing for your first Burning Man trip, or navigating modesty, self-expression, life after religion, and finding yourself, this episode is an honest look at what happens when you give yourself permission to explore.

🎧 Follow Blame It on Mel and share this episode with someone ready to live life on their own terms. Would you go to Burning Man?

Hot topics 💋 Burning Man, first Burning Man experience, Black Rock City, Burning Man tips, Burning Man preparation, life on the playa, Burning Man dust storms, Burning Man rain, Temple burn, radical self-expression, radical inclusion, leaving religion, life after Mormonism, religious deconstruction, modesty culture, embracing sexuality, body confidence, self-discovery, letting go, finding acceptance, Blame It on Mel

What happens when you burn the Mormon playbook… but your kids still remember the rules? 🔥

Katie, my very first podcast guest, is back on Blame It on Mel! One year later, we’re catching up on leaving Mormonism, personal growth, parenting, dating, and everything we’ve learned through our ups, downs, successes, and failures.

We get honest about raising kids in a small town where everyone has an opinion—and how hard it is for our kids to adjust when we want a different life than the one we taught them to follow. Sometimes we’re growing up right alongside them. Katie is dating while her oldest daughter is dating. Apparently, nobody gets to skip the awkward stage. 😂

And we talk Burning Man: how my first burn helped me evolve, how Katie’s years on the playa keep changing her, and why feeling accepted without judgment was such a breath of fresh air.

Leaving a high-control religion, rewriting the rules of motherhood, and rediscovering yourself doesn’t come with an instruction manual. So we’re talking about the messy parts, too.

What’s one rule you taught your kids that you no longer believe yourself? 👇

Hot topics💋 Leaving Mormonism • Ex-Mormon Women • Religious Deconstruction • Life After Mormonism • High-Control Religion • Burning Man • Self-Discovery • Personal Growth • Parenting After Religion • Small-Town Parenting • Mom Guilt • Dating After Mormonism • Mother-Daughter Dating • Breaking Generational Patterns • Reinventing Yourself • Blame It on Mel Podcast

Parents are told they’re sending their child somewhere safe to heal. But what happens when someone who worked inside says the system itself may be causing harm?

In this episode of Blame It on Mel, I sit down with Sarah Serrato, a former Behavioral Tech at Copper Hills Youth Center. Sarah says she was fired after questioning treatment practices and advocating for the kids in her care.

She shares what she says she personally witnessed inside the facility—from chronic understaffing and monitored phone calls to medication practices, restraints, lack of privacy, and serious allegations involving resident safety.

We also discuss the troubled teen industry in Utah, Paris Hilton’s highly publicized experience at Provo Canyon School, and why parents sending children hundreds of miles from home may have little visibility into what happens behind locked doors.

Sarah is speaking publicly about what she says she witnessed—and why she ultimately decided she could no longer stay silent.

This episode contains allegations and personal accounts that may not have been independently verified. Copper Hills Youth Center and other parties discussed may dispute some of the claims presented.

John Moyer wrote some of the most recognizable movies in Mormon culture, including The Singles Ward, The RM, and Mormons and Mobsters. Now John and his wife, Rachelle, have taken their Mormon deconstruction and turned it into something completely different: 20 original songs for their new project, Joseph Smith Presents: Ex-Mormon the Musical.

In this episode of Blame It on Mel, John and Rachelle share what happened when the people who once helped make Mormon culture funny began questioning the religion behind it.

We get into:

• Behind the scenes of The Singles Ward, The RM, and Mormons and Mobsters

• What Mormon movies revealed about LDS culture• Why joking about Mormon culture was acceptable—but questioning doctrine was off limits

• John and Rachelle’s journey out of Mormonism

• The emotional reality of deconstructing a lifelong belief system

• Religious guilt, judgment, mental health, and relationships after leaving

• Using humor as a way to process religious trauma

• Rebuilding their identities and spirituality outside organized religion

• Exploring astrology and spirituality after Mormonism

• How John and Rachelle created 20 songs for Joseph Smith Presents: Ex-Mormon the Musical

• How AI and technology became part of their creative process

• Turning some of the most painful parts of deconstruction into comedy, music, and storytelling

Their new musical project takes the things you weren't supposed to question and puts them into songs—using humor to explore Mormon history, culture, belief, deconstruction, and life on the other side.

Find the music and learn more about Joseph Smith Presents: Ex-Mormon the Musical at JosephSmith.com.

This conversation isn't simply about why John and Rachelle left Mormonism. It's about what happens when you finally give yourself permission to examine the story you've been given—and then start writing your own music about it.

If you grew up Mormon, did you watch The Singles Ward, The RM, or Mormons and Mobsters? And what Mormon experience deserves its own song?

Subscribe to Blame It on Mel for conversations about Mormonism, deconstruction, religious culture, cults, trauma, healing, humor, and rebuilding life on your own terms.

The Mormon script tells women to obey first, question later, and call it faith. Audra Phelps reveals what happens when you finally step back, see the conditioning clearly, and realize the life you built was never fully yours. After 13 years overseas and a decade of questioning, Audra shares the deeply personal story behind leaving the church, from growing up in a high-pressure CES family in Southern California to getting kicked out of BYU, marrying young, and slowly unraveling the beliefs that shaped her identity as a wife, mother, and woman.We break down the moments that changed everything: the dehumanizing experience of needing church approval to feed her kids, the panic attacks that pushed her to question her life, and the shock of seeing the 2015 exclusion policy for children of gay parents and finally saying, “I am not Mormon.” Audra also opens up about the role of travel, different religions, and raising children outside the Mormon script. You’ll discover how she rebuilt her identity through NLP, emotional regulation, and a family mission statement, plus the practical questions every former Mormon mom wrestles with - marriage, parenting, perfectionism, boundaries, alcohol, garments, and what it means to choose your own values instead of inheriting them. This conversation is for anyone untangling Mormon conditioning, rebuilding after faith deconstruction, or trying to parent and partner without the pressure of a church-defined template. Audra’s story is honest, sharp, and unexpectedly hopeful - proof that you can leave the rules behind and still build a meaningful, peaceful life.Audra Phelps is a former school director and current coach for ex-Mormon moms. Through her Reclaimed program, her masterclass, and one-on-one coaching, she helps women reconnect with themselves, trust their own judgment, and create a life that feels aligned.Perfect for former Mormons, questioning members, and anyone ready to stop living for everyone else and start living on their own terms.

Find Audra at https://mamaaudra.com

What happens when the beliefs that shaped your entire identity no longer align with your lived experience?

In this powerful episode of Blame It on Mel, Amy shares her deeply personal journey of joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a convert, rising into leadership, and ultimately finding the courage to walk away. Together, we explore the emotional, psychological, and cultural impact of high-demand religion, religious trauma, and the long road to healing.

Amy opens up about the love-bombing she experienced as a new convert, the pressure to conform, temple experiences that left her feeling unworthy, and the heartbreak of discovering church history and doctrines that challenged everything she believed. She also shares how therapy, self-reflection, and reclaiming her own voice helped her rebuild a life grounded in authenticity rather than fear.

This conversation isn’t about attacking faith—it’s about giving space to one woman’s lived experience, asking difficult questions, and encouraging honest dialogue around religious trauma, identity, and healing.

In this episode, we discuss:

Growing up outside Mormonism and converting as a young adult

Love-bombing, belonging, and the pressure to conform

Temple experiences and feelings of shame and unworthiness

Church culture, leadership, and personal experiences of spiritual abuse

The emotional impact of losing her brother and navigating grief within the church

Discovering difficult aspects of LDS history and early church teachings

Religious trauma, therapy, and the healing process

Rebuilding identity after leaving a high-demand religion

Learning self-worth beyond religious expectations

Finding freedom, authenticity, and hope after Mormonism

Every story deserves to be heard. Whether you’re an active member, someone who has left a high-demand religion, or simply curious about the experiences of others, this episode offers an honest conversation about faith, loss, resilience, and healing.

Hot Topics💋

Mormonism • LDS Church • Religious Trauma • Faith Deconstruction • Ex-Mormon • Temple Worthiness • Spiritual Abuse • High-Demand Religion • Church History • Polygamy • CES Letter • Mental Health • Therapy • Brainspotting • Healing from Religion • Identity • Shame • Self-Worth • Cult Recovery • Leaving the LDS Church • Women in Mormonism • Blame It on Mel

What happens when a returned missionary, temple-married seminary teacher, and Church employee starts reading the very documents meant to defend the LDS Church—and discovers they raise more questions than answers?

In this episode of Blame It on Mel, we sit down with a former LDS seminary teacher who dedicated his life to teaching Mormon doctrine before eventually leaving his career, rebuilding his life, and becoming a certified sex therapist.

We discuss what it’s like to teach the Gospel Topics Essays, the CES Letter, and church history from the inside, what finally changed his mind, and why purity culture continues to impact marriages long after people leave high-demand religion.

We also dive into:

Life as a returned missionary and temple marriage

Teaching seminary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Gospel Topics Essays vs. the CES Letter

Church history that surprised even a church educator

Losing a church career after faith deconstruction

Religious trauma and sexual shame

Mormon purity culture and its impact on intimacy

Why so many LDS couples struggle with sex—even after marriage

Healing after leaving Mormonism

What healthy sexuality actually looks like

The biggest myths former Mormons believe about sex

Rebuilding relationships after faith transitions

Whether you’re an active Latter-day Saint, questioning your faith, navigating a mixed-faith marriage, or recovering from religious trauma, this conversation offers compassion, insight, and practical tools for healing.

Subscribe to Blame It on Mel for honest conversations about Mormonism, deconstruction, purity culture, relationships, and rebuilding life after high-control religion.

https://www.fullercounselinggroup.com/

Mariama grew up a Black Mormon in the UK. Served a mission. Defended the LDS Church.

Then she started asking questions.

This week on Blame It On Mel, Mariama shares her journey out of Mormonism after reading the CES Letter, the trauma from having a racist mission trainer, confronting the Church’s history of racism, and realizing that many of the explanations she was given as a Black member caused lasting harm.

We discuss Mormon racism, the priesthood and temple ban on Black members, teachings of church doctrine about becoming “white and delightsome,” Church accountability, and why she believes racism in the LDS Church is not just history—it’s still affecting members today because it has never been fully addressed or apologized for.

Mariama also shares her concerns about the LDS Church’s rapid growth in Africa, including missionary efforts in Nigeria, the role of tithing in impoverished communities, and whether potential converts are being given the full history of Black Mormon racism before joining.

We also discuss a troubling experience after she requested no contact from the Church. Despite asking Bishops not to contact her minor child directly, missionaries continued showing up and asking to speak with her young child. The question remains: in what world is it appropriate for adult strangers to seek access to a minor after a parent has explicitly revoked permission?

Silence doesn’t heal. The historical doctrine and mistreatment still shapes families, culture, and the lived experience of Black members.

🎙️ HOT TOPICS:

• Black Mormons

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• CES Letter

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• Ex-Mormon stories

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• Mormon Church in Africa

• Nigeria missionary work

• Tithing controversy

• Faith crisis

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• Contacting minor children

• Parent consent

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• John Dehlin

• Leaving Mormonism