Ex-Homeschoolers Club

This week on The Ex-Homeschoolers Club, I'm diving into Part 2 of I Kissed Dating Goodbye by Joshua Harris, tackling the chapters that aim to define "true Christian love" and promote the gift of singleness.

As a former homeschooler who grew up immersed in purity culture, I bring my personal experience and critical reflection to the table. We unpack the book's problematic teachings around sex, self-love, gender rol...

Hey, it’s Jacob Gooden, and this week on the Ex-Homeschoolers Club, I’m joined by the thoughtful and artistic Marsh—the youngest guest to date and a recent escapee from the world of homeschooling. We dive into their story of growing up homeschooled in rural Oklahoma, using the ACE (Accelerated Christian Education) curriculum, and being raised by their grandmother in a deeply religious environment. Marsh opens up about the challenge...

I read "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" by Joshua Harris—so you don’t have to. This is Part 1 of a multi-episode series where I unpack the book’s harmful messages, its connection to purity culture, and its deep roots in the Christian homeschooling world. From courtship myths to repressed sexuality and emotional confusion, I explore how this 1997 “dating manual” shaped a generation—and how Harris himself eventually walked it all ...

This week, I sit down with Charlie Monroe, a licensed therapist and former youth pastor, to explore the complexities of growing up homeschooled in a large, religious family. Charlie shares his K-12 rural homeschool experience, the emotional toll of isolation, and the transition into college and career. We discuss the impact of evangelicalism, rigorous religious curricula, and emotional enmeshment in homeschool families. As a therap...

This conversation dives into the highs, lows, and hard truths of RB's journey through homeschooling, patriarchal systems, and his path to healing. We discuss his early education in Pennsylvania, the move to Kansas, and the gendered disparities in educational investment he witnessed as the oldest of five siblings. RB opens up about the unintended privileges he received, his culture shock entering college and the workforce, and h...

Join the Newsletter for the latest Ex-Homeschooler News: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/subscribeIf you’re an ex-homeschooler with a story to tell—this episode is your invitation to share it. Today I’m breaking down everything you need to know about becoming a guest on the show. Whether your homeschooling experience was amazing, traumatic, or somewhere in between, your voice matters here. In this episode, I walk you through the kind ...

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In this powerful follow-up episode of The Ex-Homeschoolers Club, Alyssa Gaona is back for a raw, insightful conversation about her personal experiences with autism and neurodivergence. While her first appearance focused on the wild realities of growing up homeschooled, this episode takes a deeper dive into how her undiagnosed autism s...

On today's show I'm joined by Mia Brooks, a longtime family friend. We dive into Mia's unique homeschool upbringing as the youngest of several siblings, her early leap into community college at age 14, and her reflective journey as a neurodivergent adult. From a less structured homeschool experience to discovering her ADHD as an adult, Mia shares candidly about burnout, creativity, and finding her voice through music.

If you're a f...

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In this episode of, I sit down with comedian Jeremy Alder to unpack his wild and winding journey from fundamentalist Christian homeschooling in rural Texas to releasing his debut stand-up comedy album, Almost a Grown Man. Jeremy shares what it was like to be one of the only homeschoolers in South Texas during the 1980s, his early curriculum of B...

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In this episode of The Ex-Homeschoolers Club, I'm reflecting on a decade of being homeschooled and dive into three specific areas I would approach differently if I had the chance to go back. While I appreciate much of what my parents did, this episode explores critical reflections on my understanding of government, religious curriculu...

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I can't believe it's been over 7 years... on today's podcast I reconnect with my longtime friend Katrin McGoogan (formerly Frantz). We dive deep into our shared homeschooling past, her experience navigating adulthood and motherhood, and her recent ADHD diagnosis. Katrin opens up about what it was like growing up in a highly cr...

Join the Newsletter for the latest Ex-Homeschooler News: https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/subscribe

In this solo episode I'm taking a deep dive into the definition of an "ex-homeschooler." Is it someone who has left homeschooling behind with negative feelings, or simply anyone who has experienced it? I'm sharing my personal journey—hiding my homeschool background in college, rediscovering its impact on my identity, and launching this po...

Today I'm sitting down with Korbs to explore his unconventional path from homeschooling to navigating life beyond structured education. We discuss the quirks of homeschool culture, how it shaped his worldview, and the challenges of transitioning into traditional social and professional settings.

Korbs shares his experiences adapting to new environments, the lessons he’s learned, and his perspectives on what homeschooling did (and d...

In this episode of The Ex-Homeschoolers Club, I sit down with Jenève, host of Homeschooled, a podcast exploring alumni experiences. We discuss our eerily similar homeschooling journeys, from big families and unconventional education styles to the chaos of homeschool theater and religious mime performances. Jenève shares her transition from stage management to business, the realities of navigating life post-homeschooling, and the im...

In this episode I’m sitting down with Dr. Chez Leeby and Stephanie Boye, hosts of 7 on Sundays, a podcast focused on sex, relationships, and mental health for young adults. We dive into the challenges of relationships, loneliness, and navigating connection in today's world. From the impact of homeschooling, social media, pornography, and dopamine addiction, to actionable steps for fostering real, meaningful connections—we cover it ...

In this solo episode of I'm diving into the book When Religion Hurts You by Laura E. Anderson. This book explores the psychological effects of high-control religious environments and offers insights into healing from religious trauma. Inspired by my own deconstruction journey, I unpack key concepts from the book, including the nervous system’s response to fear, different types of grief, and the challenge of rebuilding self-trust. I...

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In this episode of The Ex-Homeschoolers Club, I sit down with my longtime friend, Aaron MacDonald, to talk about his homeschool experience, the unique quirks of growing up in a religious homeschooling community, and how ...

I'm always striving to make this show better and I want to hear from you. If you've got a few minutes, would you mind answering a few questions? ⁠https://exhsclub.beehiiv.com/forms/ecd981ec-ed4e-4b22-a15d-ae3b2858c757⁠

On this weeks Ex-Homeschoolers Club, we welcome Ruth Brooks, a former homeschooler turned homeschool mom of four, to explore her unique educational journey. From hiding from truant officers in the early ...

WE ARE LAUNCHING A BOOK CLUB!!!

That's right the Ex-Homeschoolers Book Club is going live.

Our first book is going to be “When Religion Hurts You” by Dr. Laura E Anderson

Link to our Fable Book Club: https://fable.co/club/ex-homeschoolers-book-club-with-jacob-gooden-585330795145?invite=d05c4720-2e57-471a-ad97-dfe8a5026688

Grab your copy of “When Religion Hurts You”: https://drlauraeanderson.com/book

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