Donovan Johnson left the Jehovah's Witnesses over 8 years ago, after losing his mother. She had confessed that she had questioned things for years, and told him before she passed. He then took that and began to awaken himself to the reality of the religion that he had been taught to believe. In today’s deeply personal episode of Cult Diaries, we’re talking about one of the most powerful forms of rebellion: choosing to live your life freely and giving your children the life you were never allowed to have.

For those of us raised in high-control religions, cults, or toxic systems, freedom wasn’t something we grew up with—it was something we had to fight for. Parenting after that kind of upbringing is layered with grief, healing, and conscious choice. It means unlearning everything you were taught about love, obedience, and worth—and replacing it with truth, softness, and sovereignty.

This episode is an invitation to all the cycle-breakers, the survivors, the mothers and fathers doing it differently. You may not have been raised in safety, but you’re creating it now. That matters. That’s revolutionary.

Connect with your host, Brooke Deanne here:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tik Tok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Take the⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Emotional Trauma Quiz⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to gain clarity on where you’re struggling, identify the hidden blocks keeping you from thriving, and learn how to begin rewriting your story.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Healing Meditation Series⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: Three powerful guided hypnosis meditations created specifically for survivors of trauma and narcissistic abuse. These meditations are designed to help you regulate your nervous system, calm anxiety, and foster deep emotional healing—grab yours now and start your journey to inner peace!

My Book is finally here: Shattered, Broken, and Beautiful: Losing My Religion and Finding Faith

⁠Grab your copy!