What’s up with those nice fur coats God gives Adam and Eve before they’re exiled from the Garden? Who was really cursed in the so-called curses He dishes out after the Fall? This week we’re back to the Genesis narrative, exploring what it means in the light of trauma, healing, and what it means to be human in a broken world.

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Ask us anything HERE. Send us your questions by Dec 13 and we’ll include them in the last episode of this season, airing December 23, 2025!

In this episode, we talk about:

* Winter blues

* The profound significance of the garments of skin (Genesis 3:21) for our lives, deaths, and healing

* Did women get leg hair before or after the Fall? A theological inquiry.

* The curses aka the punishments aka the consequences spelled out by a loving God.

* Introducing the fourfold fragmentation the Fall enacted: within ourselves (intra-personal); between us and one another (intra-personal); between humanity and creation; between humanity and God.

Resources and links mentioned:

* Jean Danielou, From Glory to Glory: Texts from Gregory of Nyssa’s Mystical Writings (St Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1979)

* Gregory of Nyssa, Catechetical Discourse, Popular Patristics Series (St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 2019)

* Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos, Life after Death (Birth of the Theotokos Monastery, 1996)

* Fr. Steven Freeman, Face to Face: Knowing God beyond Our Shame (Ancient Faith Publishing, 2023)

* All music featured on this podcast is used in accordance with Creative Commons licenses. For a full list of the tracks we use, visit https://recreationpodcast.substack.com/p/music-featured-in-our-episodes

Let’s Connect:

More about Nicole:

https://www.nicoleroccas.com

More about Eleni:

https://www.eleniopperwallcounselling.com/

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Disclaimer:This podcast is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for professional mental health care.

Re-Creation is a podcast about trauma, faith, and mental health from an Orthodox Christian perspective. Hosts Nicole Roccas, a trauma-informed coach and author, and Eleni Opperwall, a registered therapist, explore what it means to be human after trauma through honest and hopeful conversations. Drawing on Orthodox tradition, professional insights, and personal stories, they share reflections to support healing, wholeness, and spiritual growth.

Listen on Substack, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or RSS wherever you get podcasts.

Get full access to The Re-Creation Podcast at recreationpodcast.substack.com/subscribe