This Thanksgiving episode is your annual reminder that peace is a privilege—and not everyone qualifies. Today I’m talking about closing your circle, protecting your energy, and why the loudest people talking ABOUT you are always the ones who’ve never spoken TO you.

We’re unpacking jealousy, insecurity, fake friends, family drama, and the wild expectation that you should keep making room for people who wouldn’t even bring a dish.

If someone has spent all year tearing you down, gossiping, twisting stories, or projecting their own misery onto your life… then sweetie, they don’t get a seat at your table. Gratitude doesn’t require self-sacrifice. Boundaries are a blessing. And choosing WHO eats with you is one of the most powerful acts of self-love you’ll ever make.

In this episode:

• How to protect your peace during the holidays

• Why insecure people attack those doing better

• When to tighten your circle and stop giving access

• The psychology behind gossip + projection

• The freedom of choosing your table intentionally

This Thanksgiving, serve the turkey—but carve out the toxicity.

✨ Listen, laugh, heal, and reclaim your table.

💋hot topics: thanksgiving boundaries, toxic family, fake friends, gossip, insecure people, holiday peace, circle of friends, self-worth, healing, women empowerment, Blame It On Mel, exmormon podcast, personal growth, relationship dynamics, holiday mental health.

In Part Two of this two-episode series, therapist Ashley joins me to break down the psychology of growing up in a high-control religion and what religious trauma really looks like beneath the surface. We dig into the emotional patterns so many former Mormons carry — the fear-based decision making, worthiness culture, obedience conditioning, purity rules, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and the constant pressure to “be good enough.”Ashley explains how trauma can come not just from dramatic events, but from long-term spiritual pressure, guilt, shame, and the way institutions shape your identity, relationships, and sense of self. We talk about why leaving the church feels like losing an entire world, why the body holds spiritual fear for years, and how to start recognizing the beliefs you never chose but were taught to internalize.This episode lays the foundation for Part Two, where we go deeper into the most sensitive and harmful aspects of Mormon culture — including bishop interviews with minors and how inappropriate questions about sexuality can cause lasting emotional damage.If you’ve ever wondered “Was that trauma?”, “Why do I still feel guilty?” or “Why is leaving Mormonism so hard?” — this episode is your starting point.Hot Topics💋religious trauma, Mormon trauma, exmormon podcast, LDS church, Mormon therapy, high-control religion, cult recovery, spiritual abuse, deconstruction, healing after religion, leaving Mormonism, bishop interviews, purity culture, religious guilt, LDS trauma, therapist explains, faith crisis, exmormon stories, recovering from religion, mental health, trauma therapy, Blame It On Mel

In Part One of this two-episode series, therapist Ashley joins me to break down the psychology of growing up in a high-control religion and what religious trauma really looks like beneath the surface. We dig into the emotional patterns so many former Mormons carry — the fear-based decision making, worthiness culture, obedience conditioning, purity rules, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and the constant pressure to “be good enough.”

Ashley explains how trauma can come not just from dramatic events, but from long-term spiritual pressure, guilt, shame, and the way institutions shape your identity, relationships, and sense of self. We talk about why leaving the church feels like losing an entire world, why the body holds spiritual fear for years, and how to start recognizing the beliefs you never chose but were taught to internalize.

This episode lays the foundation for Part Two, where we go deeper into the most sensitive and harmful aspects of Mormon culture — including bishop interviews with minors and how inappropriate questions about sexuality can cause lasting emotional damage.

If you’ve ever wondered “Was that trauma?”, “Why do I still feel guilty?” or “Why is leaving Mormonism so hard?” — this episode is your starting point.

Hot Topics💋

religious trauma, Mormon trauma, exmormon podcast, LDS church, Mormon therapy, high-control religion, cult recovery, spiritual abuse, deconstruction, healing after religion, leaving Mormonism, bishop interviews, purity culture, religious guilt, LDS trauma, therapist explains, faith crisis, exmormon stories, recovering from religion, mental health, trauma therapy, Blame It On Mel

Think your kid isn’t getting recruited because of politics or bad luck? Think again. Coaches don’t recruit parents—they recruit players. If you’re texting every week, shagging balls at practice, hanging around every huddle, or buying the coach beers, you’re that parent. In this episode, Mel breaks down how to actually get recruited, what college coaches are really looking for, and how to let your athlete take control of their own journey.

💋Hot topics: college recruiting, sports parenting, athlete exposure, club sports, youth sports, helicopter parents, athlete mindset, coaches, D1

At 18, my husband was an All-American water polo player recruited by UCLA and top Division 1 programs. But in Mormon culture, college dreams get replaced by mission calls.

Instead of dorms and D1 competition, he spent two years in Nova Scotia, Canada as an LDS missionary—baptizing strangers in freezing water and wondering how faith could cost so much.

When he came home, everything had changed: the scholarship was gone, the body was gone, and the dream was gone. Then he found out why he wasn't sent out North America. His mom had secretly edited his mission papers—adding “asthma” and “severe allergies” so he’d be sent stateside instead of abroad.

This episode dives into:

🔹 Mormon missions and pressure on teenage boys

🔹 Religious control vs personal choice

🔹 Faith crisis and the cost of obedience

🔹 How religion can shape and steal identity

🔹 Parent guilt, lost opportunities, and healing

It’s faith, family, and fallout — with shots of truth, no chaser.

🎙️ Blame It on Mel — stories of religious trauma, faith deconstruction, parenting, and rebuilding your identity after leaving the Mormon church.

Okay, real talk—what makes someone sign up to be the second wife? This isn’t Sister Wives—it’s Amy’s real life, complete with faith, polygamy, infertility, and way too many feelings.

Amy opens up about her time in a polygamist marriage, life inside Mormon fundamentalism (FLDS), and what happens when you realize the “forever family plan” comes with fine print. We talk PCOS, infertility, IVF, miscarriages,faith shifts, and the art of going from sister wife to solo queen without losing your sense of humor. Now Amy’s rewriting the playbook—teaching fertility awareness, owning her story, and reminding every woman that your worth isn’t measured in kids, callings, or baking casserole for people who judge you.

Connect and learn more from Amy below:

https://www.wisdomtreeholistic.com/home

https://open.spotify.com/show/5uvHlge2dsadvxQ90hkv0r?si=f8f07198dcc64c71

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-2-fertility-wisdom-series-amys-fertility-journey/id1773097600?i=1000672374548

💋Topics: polygamy, Mormon, Apostolic United Brethren, sister wife, second wife, infertility, PCOS, fertility awareness, LDS, faith transition, religious trauma, ex-Mormon, women empowerment, secret lives of Mormon wives, feminist podcast, healing journey, cult recovery, fundamentalist, FLDS, equality for women, suppress women, self worth

Okay, real talk—what makes someone sign up to be the second wife? This isn’t Sister Wives—it’s Amy’s real life, complete with faith, polygamy, infertility, and way too many feelings.

Amy opens up about her time in a polygamist marriage, life inside Mormon fundamentalism (FLDS), and what happens when you realize the “forever family plan” comes with fine print. We talk PCOS, infertility, IVF, miscarriages,faith shifts, and the art of going from sister wife to solo queen without losing your sense of humor. Now Amy’s rewriting the playbook—teaching fertility awareness, owning her story, and reminding every woman that your worth isn’t measured in kids, callings, or baking casserole for people who judge you.

Connect and learn more from Amy below:

https://www.wisdomtreeholistic.com/home

https://open.spotify.com/show/5uvHlge2dsadvxQ90hkv0r?si=f8f07198dcc64c71

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-2-fertility-wisdom-series-amys-fertility-journey/id1773097600?i=1000672374548

💋Topics: polygamy, Mormon, Apostolic United Brethren, sister wife, second wife, infertility, PCOS, fertility awareness, LDS, faith transition, religious trauma, ex-Mormon, women empowerment, secret lives of Mormon wives, feminist podcast, healing journey, cult recovery, fundamentalist, FLDS, equality for women, suppress women, self worth

Frank grew up as a pastor’s kid — no drinking, no swearing, no sex until marriage. Fast-forward to now: he’s a Marine veteran who drinks, swears, and lives unapologetically real.

From holding high school track records to serving in the U.S. Marines, to watching his wife battle cancer and lose her chance at motherhood, Frank’s story is one of faith, loss, grit, and growth.

We dig into men’s mental health, faith deconstruction, and how trauma reshapes identity. Plus, he opens up about his Flinders cocktail, weight loss journey, and what it really means to find yourself after following all the “rules.”

🎧 Hit follow for more real stories about faith, marriage, health, healing, and finding freedom after religion.

💋 Topics: faith, Marines, pastor’s kid life, men’s mental health, cancer survivor spouse, Flinders cocktail, personal growth, resilience, marriage, testosterone, hormone levels, religion, and self-discovery.

Blamers — stay ‘til the end for the extras… that’s where the real tea spills.

This week, I walked into dinner with friends and walked out with “f*** you,” “f*** off,” and a full-blown friendship audit. Boundaries were set, receipts were pulled, and I learned exactly who’s sitting at my table — and who’s not.

But the chaos didn’t stop there. My son’s been raising havoc, my daughter tore her ACL and meniscus, and just like that, her D1 basketball dream of playing as a freshman was gone. Parenting through pain hits different — especially when you’re holding it together for everyone else.

I also open up about questioning my faith in the Mormon church, business rivalries that turned personal, and medical record privacy violations that crossed serious lines. From toxic friendships and blurred business boundaries to learning who stays silent when you’re at your lowest — this one’s raw, messy, and real.

🎧 Hit follow — because the truth, the tears, and the tea don’t stop here.

💋 Hot Topics: friendship breakup, motherhood, parenting teens, ACL injury recovery, D1 athlete dreams, ex-Mormon stories, business boundaries, betrayal, medical privacy, gaslighting, toxic friends, emotional healing, faith deconstruction, and family chaos.

Tawny opens up about her fight with Breast Implant Illness (BII) — from the first red flags doctors ignored to the $17,000 explant surgery that finally gave her life back.

We talk about women’s health, body image, and the moment she realized healing meant taking her power back. If you’ve ever battled chronic fatigue, unexplained symptoms, or regret after cosmetic surgery, this episode is for you.

Raw, funny, and unfiltered, this story dives into self-acceptance, female empowerment, and trusting your body when the medical world doesn’t. Because you’re always worth more than a cup size.

💋 Topics: Breast Implant Illness, explant recovery, women’s health, chronic illness, body image, plastic-surgery truth, female empowerment, self-love, healing, and real talk with Blame It on Mel.