Today we’re flipping the script and Heather is chatting with Zinnia! Zinnia shares her story of growing up as an undiagnosed neurodivergent child and being bullied during her childhood inside and outside of the ecclesia. The first half of this episode is a bit heavy as Zinnia discusses how her environment contributed to severe depression and how growing up in a high control environment among other factors may have groomed her for domestic violence in her relationships. However, things took a turn for the better when Zinnia chose to leave the group, shut down their harassment, reported perpetrators to the police. She also reclaimed her life and her voice by changing her name, moving out on her own, creating a new environment where she could thrive in secular friendships and relationships, and connecting with other ex-Christadelphians in the Facebook community. She also shares her story of living in a haunted apartment, explains why she is skeptical of Christadelphians claiming that they’ll report the criminal activity of other Christadelphians, and about the circumstances that led her to create this podcast. 

This episode was also released alongside Episode 13 on Spiritualism due to some overlapping themes and topics. We hope you enjoy this podcast double feature! See you in 2025!

Thank you to Heather for editing this episode!

Listener Discretion Advised. TW: sexual assault, abuse, neglect, domestic violence, eating disorders, self-harm, bullying, depression, profanity

Resources:

Vibe Music: 

If I die young Pt 2 by Kimberly Perry

And

The Wolves by Madeline Edwards

On Leaving Cults & High Control Groups:

Take Back Your Life: Recovering from Cults and Abusive Relationships by Janja Lalich

Unfollow: A Memoir of Loving and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church by Megan Phelps-Roper

The Sound of Gravel: A Memoir by Ruth Wariner

Educated by Tara Westover

Pure: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Shamed a Generation of Women and How I Broke Free by Linda Kay Klein

Chocolat by Joanne Harris (Okay, this one is more of a role model for living outside religious influence & not bending to that pressure)

Quarter Life Crisis Netflix special, Taylor Tomlinson 

The Holy Bible: The Best Damned Version by Steve Ebling 

Instagram: religious.harm.recovery 

On Sexual Assault:

Know My Name by Chanel Miller

On Childhood Trauma & Relationships:

Recovering from Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay Gibson (And Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents)

Running on Empty: Overcome your Childhood Emotional Neglect by Jonice Webb (Sequel: Running on Empty No More)

The Journey from Abandonment to Healing by Susan Anderson

Healing Your Aloneness: Finding Love and Wholeness Through Your Inner Child by Erika Chopich and Margaret Paul

Attached by Amir Levine and Rachel Heller

The Emotionally Absent Mother: A Guide to Self-Healing and Getting the Love You Missed by Jasmin Lee Cori 

Mothers Who Can’t Love: A Healing Guide for Daughters by Susan Forward

When the Body Says No by Gabor Mate

On Embracing Neurodivergence, Masking, and Susceptibility to Abuse:

Hayley Honeyman Ted Talk “Unmasking ADHD”

⁠https://youtu.be/fRUkPHnltuI?si=foRFIm5fEK2NumuO⁠

On the impact of growing up undiagnosed Neurodivergent:

⁠https://medium.com/@nikkibutler_autisticjoyologist/the-negative-narrative-and-the-impact-on-being-autistic-adhd-61ce7d4c1d6b⁠

And 

⁠https://medium.com/@nikkibutler_autisticjoyologist/bullying-and-autism-adhd-the-shocking-truth-dc9383d5d7b8⁠

Feminism & Politics: 

Rage becomes her: The Power of Women's Anger by Soraya Chemaly

On Healing through Humor:

⁠https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-humor-can-help-you-get-through-hard-times/⁠

On the Paranormal:

Life with the Afterlife: 13 Truths I Learned About Ghosts by Amy Bruni 

Do Dead People Watch You Shower? By Concetta Bertoldi

“Ecclesia Safe” Initiative:

⁠https://tidings.ecclesiasafe.org/resources-for-elders/ecclesiasafe-consultation-group-engagement/⁠

⁠https://tidings.ecclesiasafe.org/⁠

⁠https://tidings.org/articles/caring-for-the-vulnerable/⁠