Season 3 of Sunday School Dropouts is here, and this time it’s all about purity culture—its origins, its lasting impact, and the process of healing from it. After a summer break, the hosts return ready to unpack one of the most pervasive and misunderstood aspects of modern religion. This season features a range of guests, including therapists, coaches, and individuals from Catholic, Mormon, and evangelical backgrounds, as well as voices from the LGBTQ+ and wellness communities. Together, they explore how purity culture shapes identity, sexuality, and self-worth, and what it means to unlearn those lessons without losing one’s faith entirely.

Listeners are invited to be part of the conversation by sharing their stories or questions at sundayschooldropoutspod.com or via Instagram DMs—submissions can be anonymous and may even be featured in upcoming episodes. Through personal stories, the hosts and listeners reflect on purity rings, the “Virgin Lip Club,” and the lifelong effects of purity pledges. Therapists and guests discuss how purity culture can manifest as sexual pain, shame, or disconnection from one’s own body, and what healing looks like through embodied awareness and reclaiming autonomy.

Resources Mentioned:

• My Grandmother’s Hands by Resmaa Menakem – Healing racialized trauma through the body
• Damaged Goods by Diana E. Anderson – Purity culture and liberatory theology
• The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk – Understanding trauma and the body

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 

To begin working with Andrew as a coach, schedule your FREE inquiry call here

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

To work with Laura as a coach, therapist, consultant, or to inquire about other services, you can do so here

Hosts: 

Laura Anderson and Andrew Kerbs

Music by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji 

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