Aydan has their dear friend as a guest for the first time, but definitely not the last. Matthew tells his story, and only scratches the surface as to their experience  with toxic religion. 

Jeff is the guest this week and he shares his experience growing up under similar conditions as I have described at times, but for reasons that are quite different than mine. 

As we have discussed on this podcast before, it is not exclusively religion that can be toxic or used to hurt people. It is the intention and the tools that are used inappropriately against people. 

Aydan, and their good friend Elizabeth, hang out and discuss the consequences of religious trauma on a psychological level. Elizabeth Swindell Hedlund, Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (#134408), brings professional and compassionate insight to the topics in this episode.

I apologize for the poor sound quality. Aydan's mic is very quiet throughout the entire episode. Listen carefully and you might hear something interesting....but no guarantees

It's the usual format for Tony and Aydan. They say they'll talk about New Year's Resolutions and then talk about anything but that.

Christi, Tony's sister, joins Aydan and Tony in this episode. She discusses her experience with toxic religion and the family dynamics it can create. It is difficult, sobering and hilarious! We would expect nothing less from the sister of Tony. 

Aydan and Tony waste no time in getting the laughs started. 

*I apologize for the audio quality in this one. There were some mic issues that I wasn't aware of until I was listening to the recording to edit. 

Aydan and Tony talk about some memories of their time in church, the challenges that anxiety from their religious trauma creates in making life choices now, and some hypocrisy and irony of many toxic religious organizations who claim they're behaving "like Jesus"

Things get emotional in this episode when Aydan, Emerson, and Tony talk about self care and unconditional love that comes from our own bodies

Annelise and Aydan discuss, among many other things, the concept of 1st thought and 2nd thought. Also, be warned...the word "moist" is used at some point in this episode!