Broken to Beloved Podcast

After spiritual abuse, how do you separate the voice of Jesus from the voices that harmed you? 

In this conversation with theologian and pastor A.J. Swoboda, we explore why slowing down — not speeding up — is the key to rebuilding a durable, honest faith after spiritual harm.

How do you trust truth again when it's been weaponized against you? This conversation explores how we can learn to trust truth again when it's been we...

So I’ve deconstructed. What now?

In her latest book, “To Rebehold the Stars,” author and professor Tiffany Yecke Brooks guides us into a hopeful path of reconstruction. Drawing on Dante, psychology, and spiritual formation, she invites us to reimagine faith with wonder, curiosity, and courage after spiritual abuse or disillusionment.

Explore how naming experiences creates categories for healing and helps form a new, life-giving spiri...

In this episode, neighbor and author Shannan Martin shares her “counterweights” practice—how we move forward by carrying life’s heaviness with equal measures of rest, joy, and community. Together, we explore how to navigate the burdens we carry and the importance of community, grief, and hope.

Shannan shares why we often can’t set our burdens down (and how privilege shapes who can), how grief is a counterweight to loss, and how nami...

Have you ever heard people using a word that sounds important and like something you should already know about?

Misogyny can feel like one of those words, and this week, we’re talking with author and journalist Dorothy Greco about her newest book, For the Love of Women. She expands the definition of misogyny beyond “hatred of women,” explores how it permeates everyday life—including the church—while offering a path toward healing an...

We’re back for Season 4 of the podcast next week!

I can’t wait to share these conversations with some of the incredible guests you just heard like Tiffany Brooks, Dorothy Greco, Shannan Martin, and lots more.

A huge thank you to our listeners who make this show possible through their financial support. You can support our work by becoming a donor today. Just head to brokentobeloved.org/support or click the link to donate in the show ...

That's a wrap on Season 3 of the podcast!

We're so grateful for each of you taking the time to listen and engage with our episodes, and I hope you've found these conversations to be helpful and hope-filled.

We'll be back next year after the Annual Summit (January 26–29) with new episodes. Until then, it'll be pretty quiet around here as we prepare for the Summit. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss ne...

Were you raised (and maybe harmed) in a Christian household that did parenting "by the book?"

Maybe you were a parent who was looking for resources to parent "the right way," Regardless of intent, research and time have shown the harmful impact of Christian parenting books and the myths they perpetuated. 

In this conversation, we dive into the very real and lived effects on generations of children and adults, and ...

Is there a link between the rise of megachurches, Christian Nationalism, and spiritual abuse?

In this conversation with journalist and author Scott Latta, he exposes surprising findings from his research on how "successful" evangelical churches are driving much of the Christian Nationalism and abuse reported today. After interviewing survivors of spiritual abuse in America's megachurches, lawyers, and advocates, he re...

Do you feel broken beyond repair and just want life to be...better?

In this episode with Ian Morgan Cron, we talk about the use of the 12 steps—not just for managing common addictions, but for general well-being. You'll enjoy his perspective as a priest, author, and psychotherapist, as he emphasizes the importance of finding wholeness through making amends, releasing shame, and pursuing post-traumatic growth. Let's dive in...

Are you looking for practical ways to heal from spiritual trauma?

In this episode with Dr. Arielle Schwartz, a licensed psychologist, you'll learn how to regulate, rebalance, and rewire your nervous system without having to relive your trauma. After spiritual abuse, it's common to feel on edge, in high alert, or entirely shut down. She explains why this happens and how to connect with our bodies again through breath, co-re...

Have you ever needed a hug but got a spiritual platitude instead?

In this episode, we discuss spiritual bypassing—what it is, how to identify it, and what to do when we’ve experienced it. I am joined by Peridot "Peri" Gilbert-Reed, Ph.D., a Licensed Professional Counselor and Registered Play Therapist. She has conducted extensive research on spiritual bypassing and shares her findings with us, along with several examples o...

Why does Broken to Beloved exist? And what difference does it make?

Over the last 2 years since we were founded as an organization, we've worked to provide quality resources for you to move toward healing and wholeness. And through programs like our Annual Summit, Cohorts, Book Club, and this Podcast, we've seen over 60,000 of you engage with us!

Thank you.

Thank you for being here, for your time, and for trusting us to cont...

How do you find hope when there are a million reasons to worry?

In this episode, Sara shows us ways to recognize and calm our anxieties around our bodies, churches, and politics. We talk through her latest book, Nervous Systems, which is full of spiritual practices for those seeking personal and collective peace. If you have been taught negative connotations around your anxiety, in this conversation, Sara helps reframe and...

What if your anxiety and depression aren't going away any time soon?

Many have been taught that depression means you're broken, that sadness is a lack of faith, or that anxiety is a sign of weakness. This can feel hopeless, especially when the strongest prayers and medicine don't cure your condition. In this conversation with Justin McRoberts, we explore the concept of wholeness and challenge the idea that health is t...

Has it become clear how deeply you've been hurt?

Spiritual abuse can be so subtle, you don't even know that it's happened...until it's too late. In this episode, I talk with Katherine about her freshly launched book, A Thousand Tiny Paper Cuts, and how to find life on the other side of spiritual abuse. We talk about the systems where religious control can be found, the process of leaving fundamentalist spaces, ho...

How can you know what to expect from Broken to Beloved?

Have you ever wondered how we make decisions or what guides our thought process? Have you wanted to know if you'll ever fit in or belong in this community?

In this week's episode, I hope to clear all of that up for you by telling you about our seven Core Values, all gathered in one place.

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Hey, it's Brian with a few short updates for you about this fall.

We've made the difficult decision to cancel our Gathering for this year, and to steward our time, energy, and resources into our most impactful programs.

If you registered, you should already have received an email about next steps. If you have not received an email, please reach out to us at info@brokentobeloved.org.

Applications for the THROUGH Cohort are no...

Has spiritual abuse caused you to feel like you've lost part of your identity?

One of the most common things I hear from the spiritual abuse community is that they feel like they don't know who they are anymore. Without organized religion, a sense of community, and all of the structures that once held you up, it's easy to feel lost or inherently broken. However, on this episode, Hunter Mobley, Enneagram teacher and au...

Is healing from spiritual abuse actually possible?

The worst part of spiritual abuse is that it attempts to destroy your personhood, sense of safety with others, and imagination of a good God. It can feel like you are broken beyond repair. However, in this episode, Rachael Clinton Chen shares that healing is not only possible, but your faith, hope, and love can stay intact in spite of immense spiritual harm. She talks to us about th...