What if leaving your faith meant losing everyone you'd ever loved? CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains themes of childhood abuse, physical punishment, sexual trauma and coercive control. If you or someone you know needs immediate assistance, call 000. For confidential 24/7 crisis support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au. Support is also available through Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or at beyondblue.org.au. A special bonus series for How I Survived listeners! We’re bringing you some of the best stories of survival from Marie Claire's podcast, You’re Gonna Want To Hear This. From extraordinary stories of survival and resilience to raw, intimate conversations about style, substance and the moments that change us, these are the stories you’ll be thinking about long after you’ve finished listening. If you love How I Survived, you’re gonna to want to hear this. And if you like what you hear, head over to You’re Gonna Want To Hear This wherever you listen to or watch your podcasts. Find, follow, subscribe or hit the + on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube, and you’ll get a brand-new episode in your feed every Thursday morning. What if leaving your faith meant losing everyone you'd ever loved? This week on You're Gonna Want To Hear This, Marie Claire Australia Editor Georgie McCourt speaks with author Bek Condello about her extraordinary journey out of one of Australia's most controlling Pentecostal churches. Raised inside the Geelong Revival Centre, Bek grew up believing the outside world was dangerous. Every aspect of life, from education and friendships to marriage and work was dictated by church leaders. Curiosity was discouraged, obedience was demanded, and fear shaped almost every decision. In this deeply personal conversation, Bek reflects on the childhood she now recognises as abusive, the lasting impact of religious trauma and the heartbreaking reality that leaving meant losing her family, community and identity. She also opens up about purity culture, consent, body shame, marrying to escape one form of control only to enter another, and the years it took to trust herself and build a life on her own terms. Today, Bek has transformed unimaginable loss into purpose. As the state of Victoria investigates high-control religious groups, she explains why sharing her story has become about much more than personal healing... it's about helping others recognise coercion, reclaim their autonomy and know they're not alone. This episode covers: Growing up inside the Geelong Revival Centre How high-control religions shape identity Religious trauma and childhood abuse The psychological impact of fear-based faith Purity culture, consent and bodily autonomy Escaping a controlling church Rebuilding life after leaving a cult Learning to trust yourself again Why leaving is a process, not a single moment Bek's advocacy for survivors of coercive religious groups Can You Handle a Girl Like Me? by Bek Condello is available from mid-July. Stay up to date with Marie Claire Australia on Instagram 🎧 Listen to You're Gonna Want to Hear This and follow us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify 👀 Watch and subscribe to You're Gonna Want to Hear This on YouTube 📺 for full episodes and clips. Credits: Host Georgie McCourt Edited by Leah Porges Head of Vodcasting Rachel Fountain With thanks to our amazing team at Marie Claire Learn More: You're Gonna Want to Hear This is a production of Marie Claire and Are Media. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
