Inner Light Companion podcast

Tamara Ridge

The Inner Light Companion is a soul-nourishing podcast for those healing from religious trauma, emotional burnout, or spiritual disconnection. Hosted by Tamara Ridge, a therapist turned spiritual guide, each episode offers gentle reflections, guided meditations, and tools to help you reconnect with your inner light and Divine truth. Come as you are—this is a space for quiet healing, sacred storytelling, and deep belonging. 

  1. FEB 17

    Ep. 30 - When Words Go Missing: Reclaiming Your Voice After Spiritual Silencing

    What if the reason you struggle to say what you really mean isn’t that you’re “bad at communication,” but that your voice was trained to disappear long before you ever opened your mouth? In this week’s Communication Intimacy episode, we explore what happens when words go missing—when you freeze, people‑please, or go quiet instead of saying what’s true—and how spiritual and relational silencing has shaped your nervous system’s relationship with your voice. You’ll hear how high‑control religion, abusive relationships, and “holy” expectations to keep the peace train us to equate silence with safety and honesty with danger—and why that pattern still shows up in your conversations today, even after you’ve left those systems. In this episode, we’ll explore: How childhood conditioning and high‑control religion slowly disconnect you from your own wordsThe subtle ways spiritual silencing shows up: forbidden topics, emotional censorship, “reverence” used as controlWhy your throat tightens, your heart races, or your mind goes blank when you try to speak honestlyA gentle nervous‑system practice for moments when your voice starts to shut downA spiritual reframe: the Divine does not require your silence to love youThree simple practices—Notice, Name, and Nest—to begin reclaiming your voice in everyday lifeThis is a Stories & Integration episode in the Communication Intimacy series, helping you connect the dots between your history of silencing and your present‑day communication struggles—so you can move from quiet compliance to honest, sacred expression with yourself, others, and the Divine.​ If this episode resonates, take a moment this week to write down one true sentence you spoke—or wished you had spoken. Notice how your body responds as you give those words a home on the page.​ If you’d like to share, you’re welcome to email me at tamara@innerlightcompanion.com or use the contact form at innerlightcompanion.com. Your story and your words are always welcome here. Go Deeper: Sacred Intimacy Snapshot Curious which of the 12 Sacred Intimacies are already strengths for you, and where Communication Intimacy might be asking for some gentle attention? Take the fre Send a text If your nervous system feels tired—and you’re longing for a deeper, more embodied connection with the Divine—I’d love to invite you to my free Sacred Intimacy Snapshot. In just a few minutes, you’ll discover which area of intimacy in your life is asking for care right now—and you’ll receive a gentle four-part mini-course to help you tend what’s next on your journey. You can take it at innerlightcompanion.com The Art House of Sacred Becoming is a body‑safe, archetypal art journey for spiritually attuned women longing for deeper becoming. No art skills required! Join the interest list and receive a free Wise Woman Journal Prompt at ArthouseofSacredBecoming.com. 🌿 The Inner Light Companion is hosted by Tamara Ridge, LMFT — guiding spiritually curious souls into deeper connection, intuitive healing, and divine remembrance. 💌 Connect with me: Website & Guest Submissions: www.innerlightcompanion.com Spiritual Counseling: www.guidinglightspiritualcounseling.com Instagram: @innerlightcompanion 🎧 Subscribe for weekly stories, tools & reflections to help you reconnect with your inner light. However you show up on this path, your story is sacred. Let’s walk it together. 💫

    29 min
  2. FEB 10

    Ep 29 - When Your Voice Goes Missing: 5 Communication Problems & How to Heal Them | Communication Intimacy #3

    Have you ever nodded and smiled in a conversation while screaming something completely different inside? Or tried to pray, but the words felt hollow and performative? In this episode, we explore five major problems that Communication Intimacy solves—and the gentle, nervous-system-informed practices that can help you reclaim your authentic voice. What You'll Learn The 5 Problems Communication Intimacy Solves: You can't speak your truth without shutting downYou're hearing but not really listeningYour prayer life feels performative and emptyConflict sends you into freeze or fawnYou can't tell if you're hearing intuition or fearGentle Practices You Can Start Today: The 10-Minute Sacred Communication Practice that trains your nervous system through repetition, not breakthroughHow to create safety in your body before difficult conversations or prayerThe 24-hour pause to stop people-pleasing and honor your true preferencesSacred listening techniques that transform relationshipsHow to rebuild trust in your body's intuition through simple daily practice Why This Matters These aren't character flaws—they're nervous system adaptations to environments where authentic communication wasn't safe. If you grew up in high-control religion or experienced relational trauma, your body learned that speaking truth equals danger. The practices in this episode work because they help your nervous system learn a new truth: I can be honest and stay connectedI can listen without losing myselfI can disagree without being abandonedThe Divine can handle my real self This is Episode 3 in the Communication Intimacy series: Week 1: Definition & Why Communication Intimacy Matters NowWeek 2: Core Markers & How to Recognize Sacred ListeningWeek 3: Light Problems & Gentle Practices (this episode)Week 4: Stories & Integration (coming next week)Communication Intimacy is one of the 12 Sacred Intimacies—pathways to experiencing embodied spirituality and direct relationship with the Divine. Stay close to this work If today’s episode Send a text If your nervous system feels tired—and you’re longing for a deeper, more embodied connection with the Divine—I’d love to invite you to my free Sacred Intimacy Snapshot. In just a few minutes, you’ll discover which area of intimacy in your life is asking for care right now—and you’ll receive a gentle four-part mini-course to help you tend what’s next on your journey. You can take it at innerlightcompanion.com The Art House of Sacred Becoming is a body‑safe, archetypal art journey for spiritually attuned women longing for deeper becoming. No art skills required! Join the interest list and receive a free Wise Woman Journal Prompt at ArthouseofSacredBecoming.com. 🌿 The Inner Light Companion is hosted by Tamara Ridge, LMFT — guiding spiritually curious souls into deeper connection, intuitive healing, and divine remembrance. 💌 Connect with me: Website & Guest Submissions: www.innerlightcompanion.com Spiritual Counseling: www.guidinglightspiritualcounseling.com Instagram: @innerlightcompanion 🎧 Subscribe for weekly stories, tools & reflections to help you reconnect with your inner light. However you show up on this path, your story is sacred. Let’s walk it together. 💫

    33 min
  3. FEB 3

    Ep. 28 - Communication Intimacy - Week 2 - 7 Signs You're Truly Heard in Spiritual Conversations

    Have you ever shared something deeply spiritual and walked away feeling more alone than before? Most of us have never experienced truly sacred communication—we've performed, edited ourselves, or stayed silent to stay safe. In this episode, I'm walking you through the 7 core markers of communication intimacy: the signs that tell you "this is a conversation where my soul can breathe." You'll learn how to recognize when these markers are present—and what's missing when they're not. After 30 years as a therapist and spiritual counselor, I've discovered that true spiritual intimacy with the Divine requires honest communication with ourselves and others. You cannot hear your own inner guidance if you've never learned to speak your truth out loud. What You'll Discover: The 7 markers that show you're in a spiritually safe conversationWhy doubts are sacred evidence of seeking, not spiritual failureHow to identify and ask for your spiritual needs without feeling selfishA body-based practice to recognize safety vs. disconnection in conversationsWhy performing certainty keeps you from hearing your highest selfIncludes: Somatic grounding practice + journaling prompts for the week ahead Stay close to this work If today’s episode spoke to your heart and you’d like gentle support for your own sacred intimacy with the Divine, you’re welcome to join my Inner Light Companion email list. Each week I send a brief reflection, a simple spiritual practice, and a question to pray or journal with—so you can keep deepening your relationship with God in the middle of your real life.  Work with me 1:1 If you’re longing for a soul friend to walk beside you in this season—someone to hold quiet, sacred space as you heal spiritually, disentangle religious wounding, and learn to trust your own direct connection with the Divine—you can learn more about my 1:1 spiritual counseling sessions and inquire about working together through Guiding Light Spiritual Counseling. Send a text If your nervous system feels tired—and you’re longing for a deeper, more embodied connection with the Divine—I’d love to invite you to my free Sacred Intimacy Snapshot. In just a few minutes, you’ll discover which area of intimacy in your life is asking for care right now—and you’ll receive a gentle four-part mini-course to help you tend what’s next on your journey. You can take it at innerlightcompanion.com The Art House of Sacred Becoming is a body‑safe, archetypal art journey for spiritually attuned women longing for deeper becoming. No art skills required! Join the interest list and receive a free Wise Woman Journal Prompt at ArthouseofSacredBecoming.com. 🌿 The Inner Light Companion is hosted by Tamara Ridge, LMFT — guiding spiritually curious souls into deeper connection, intuitive healing, and divine remembrance. 💌 Connect with me: Website & Guest Submissions: www.innerlightcompanion.com Spiritual Counseling: www.guidinglightspiritualcounseling.com Instagram: @innerlightcompanion 🎧 Subscribe for weekly stories, tools & reflections to help you reconnect with your inner light. However you show up on this path, your story is sacred. Let’s walk it together. 💫

    35 min
  4. JAN 29 · BONUS

    Bonus Episode: What Is Spiritual Counseling? (And How It's Different from Therapy)

    For thirty years, I've worked as a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a secret: every time someone sat across from me, I knew that beneath their anxiety, depression, or relationship struggles was a deeper truth—that healing trauma removes obstacles between you and seeing yourself as you really are. And as those obstacles heal, you get closer to God. Today, I'm pulling back the curtain on spiritual counseling—what it is, how it's different from therapy, and why you might only need one session (or a few) to access your own divine resources and connection. If you've been curious about spiritual counseling, or if you're wondering whether it's right for you, this episode will help you understand this sacred work and how it might serve your spiritual journey. Spiritual Counseling Is For You If: ✅ You're feeling discouraged in your spiritual journey and need hope, inspiration, and practical strategies ✅ Organized religion's dogma doesn't meet your needs, and you're looking for a more personal spiritual path ✅ You believe you're "too far away from God" but you're ready to discover that's not true ✅ You want to develop your own direct connection with the Divine—no middleman, no gatekeepers ✅ You're ready to use tools like meditation, prayer, breathwork, and affirmations to transform your life ✅ You want guidance once or occasionally—not ongoing weekly therapy What I Bring to This Work: 30 years as a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist across three states39 years of healthcare experience helping people healTraining in Ananda Spiritual Counseling, rooted in Paramhansa Yogananda's teachingsMy own Kriya Yoga initiation and daily meditation practiceA framework of 12 Sacred Intimacies to help you experience direct, embodied spirituality Ready to Explore Spiritual Counseling? If this resonates with you, I'd love to work with you. Email me at tamara@innerlightcompanion.com and tell me a little about where you are in your spiritual journey. We'll set up a time to connect.  This isn't therapy. This isn't a long-term commitment. This is a sacred conversation between you, me, and the Divine—designed to help you access the wisdom, strength, and connection that's already within you. Connect With Me: 📧 Email: tamara@innerlightcompanion.com 🎙️ Podcast: https://innerlightcompanion.com/podcast-episodes 🌐 Website: https://guidinglightspiritualcounseling.com Su Send us a text If your nervous system feels tired—and you’re longing for a deeper, more embodied connection with the Divine—I’d love to invite you to my free Sacred Intimacy Snapshot. In just a few minutes, you’ll discover which area of intimacy in your life is asking for care right now—and you’ll receive a gentle four-part mini-course to help you tend what’s next on your journey. You can take it at innerlightcompanion.com 🌿 The Inner Light Companion is hosted by Tamara Ridge, LMFT — guiding spiritually curious souls into deeper connection, intuitive healing, and divine remembrance. 💌 Connect with me: Website & Guest Submissions: www.innerlightcompanion.com Spiritual Counseling: www.guidinglightspiritualcounseling.com Instagram: @innerlightcompanion 🎧 Subscribe for weekly stories, tools & reflections to help you reconnect with your inner light. However you show up on this path, your story is sacred. Let’s walk it together. 💫

    9 min
  5. JAN 27

    Ep. 27 - Communication Intimacy - Week 1: Definition & Why It Matters Now

    For the last 14 weeks, we've been deconstructing—naming what high-control religion stole from you. Today, we're turning a corner. We're moving from what was stolen into what you can build. Welcome to Communication Intimacy—the sacred art of listening deeply to God, to yourself, and to others, and speaking your truth with courage and authentic expression. This is the bridge between deconstruction and reconstruction. Because you cannot communicate authentically until you've named what silenced you. But you also cannot stay in the naming forever. In This Episode, You'll Discover: Why Communication Intimacy is the perfect bridge from the Sacred Freedoms series into the Sacred Intimacies frameworkThe definition of Communication Intimacy and why it matters right now in your journeyThe two streams of Communication Intimacy: Vertical (with the Divine) and Horizontal (with yourself and others)How high-control religion trained you to apologize before speaking, soften your opinions, and wait for permissionWhy your voice doesn't come back overnight—and how to reclaim it deliberately and sacredlyThe difference between performing holiness and having honest, sacred conversation with GodHow learning to listen to God transforms every other conversation in your lifeWhat it means to speak from your soul instead of from survival Key Quote: "Communication Intimacy is the capacity to listen deeply to the Divine, to yourself, and to others—and to speak your authentic truth with courage, clarity, and compassion." This Month's Focus: We're spending four weeks exploring Communication Intimacy: Week 1 (This Episode): Definition & Why It Matters NowWeek 2: Core Markers & RecognitionWeek 3: Light Problems & Gentle PracticesWeek 4: Stories & Integration Reflection Question: When was the last time you spoke your truth without apologizing, softening, or waiting for permission? How did it feel in your body? Email me your answer at tamara@innerlightcompanion.com—I read every message and I'd love to hear from you. Work with me 1:1 If you’re longing for a soul f Send a text If your nervous system feels tired—and you’re longing for a deeper, more embodied connection with the Divine—I’d love to invite you to my free Sacred Intimacy Snapshot. In just a few minutes, you’ll discover which area of intimacy in your life is asking for care right now—and you’ll receive a gentle four-part mini-course to help you tend what’s next on your journey. You can take it at innerlightcompanion.com The Art House of Sacred Becoming is a body‑safe, archetypal art journey for spiritually attuned women longing for deeper becoming. No art skills required! Join the interest list and receive a free Wise Woman Journal Prompt at ArthouseofSacredBecoming.com. 🌿 The Inner Light Companion is hosted by Tamara Ridge, LMFT — guiding spiritually curious souls into deeper connection, intuitive healing, and divine remembrance. 💌 Connect with me: Website & Guest Submissions: www.innerlightcompanion.com Spiritual Counseling: www.guidinglightspiritualcounseling.com Instagram: @innerlightcompanion 🎧 Subscribe for weekly stories, tools & reflections to help you reconnect with your inner light. However you show up on this path, your story is sacred. Let’s walk it together. 💫

    41 min
  6. JAN 20

    Ep. 26 - Bonus: Reclaiming Sacred Freedoms - Freedom from Exploitation: How High‑Control Religion Uses Your Money, Body, and Safety

    In this episode, Tamara names how high‑control religion—especially in its LDS expression—turns money, sexuality, and safety into tools of control, all in the name of obedience and love of the gospel. She weaves together whistleblower reports on LDS finances, mental‑health statements on worthiness interviews, and domestic‑violence research on strangulation risk to show that what many were taught was “faithfulness” was, in fact, systematic exploitation.​ You’ll hear about: Economic exploitation:Tithing as a de‑facto requirement for worthiness and temple access, taught to be paid before rent, food, or medical bills. ​​The Bishop’s Storehouse as “help” that actually reinforces dependency and keeps financial control in the bishop’s hands.How this wires your nervous system to associate money with danger, shame, and power—even long after leaving.​Sexual exploitation:Worthiness interviews where untrained bishops ask minors explicit sexual questions in closed‑door settings, documented in thousands of accounts and challenged by clinicians in the Mormon Mental Health Association. ​​Why this is best understood as spiritual sexual abuse, especially for children already carrying sexual‑abuse trauma.​Physical exploitation:How patriarchal teachings and “eternal marriage” messaging keep women in unsafe relationships, even when strangulation—a major homicide predictor—is present.​Tamara’s own stories from abusive marriages, and how religious authority figures told her to return and “work on it” instead of prioritizing safety.Tamara then introduces Dr. Steven Hassan’s BITE Model (Behavior, Information, Thought, Emotional control) to show that this isn’t just “imperfect people”—it’s a high‑control system that owns every part of life. ​ Finally, she offers gentle, nervous‑system‑aware practices to begin reclaiming: Your money (small “sovereignty” steps and new money scripts)Your body and sexuality (simple somatic affirmations: “This body is mine. My sexuality is mine.”)Your safety (naming strangulation as a lethal red flag, and honoring leaving as sacred stewardship)Your inner authority (a daily journaling question: “What do I know, deep down, that I’vSend a text If your nervous system feels tired—and you’re longing for a deeper, more embodied connection with the Divine—I’d love to invite you to my free Sacred Intimacy Snapshot. In just a few minutes, you’ll discover which area of intimacy in your life is asking for care right now—and you’ll receive a gentle four-part mini-course to help you tend what’s next on your journey. You can take it at innerlightcompanion.com The Art House of Sacred Becoming is a body‑safe, archetypal art journey for spiritually attuned women longing for deeper becoming. No art skills required! Join the interest list and receive a free Wise Woman Journal Prompt at ArthouseofSacredBecoming.com. 🌿 The Inner Light Companion is hosted by Tamara Ridge, LMFT — guiding spiritually curious souls into deeper connection, intuitive healing, and divine remembrance. 💌 Connect with me: Website & Guest Submissions: www.innerlightcompanion.com Spiritual Counseling: www.guidinglightspiritualcounseling.com Instagram: @innerlightcompanion 🎧 Subscribe for weekly stories, tools & reflections to help you reconnect with your inner light. However you show up on this path, your story is sacred. Let’s walk it together. 💫

    40 min
  7. JAN 13

    Ep. 25 - Bonus #13 Reclaiming Your Sacred Freedoms - Freedom of Identity & Self‑Development: Reclaiming Your Right to Become Who You Really Are

    In this bonus episode of the Reclaiming Your Sacred Freedoms series, Tamara names one of the most invisible forms of religious abuse: the theft of identity and the right to grow into who you really are. She shares how high‑control Mormonism shaped her personality, choices, and life path—from marriage and motherhood to callings and clothing—until there was no space left for the 18‑year‑old artist who first discovered she could draw. For 41 years, her love of art was diverted into the “Plan of Happiness,” and her sense of self was measured against worthiness, obedience, and group expectations. In this episode, you’ll hear: The art story: discovering drawing at 18, feeling “this is me,” and then burying that spark for decades to be the “righteous Mormon woman.”How group pressure chose her first marriage at 23, and how “temple‑married Mormon woman” became more real than her right to be unharmed.Leaving the Church and walking straight into a nine‑year abusive marriage, repeating the pattern of handing identity and authority to someone else.The 10‑year spiritual blackout after leaving Mormonism—feeling outside the reach of God and not knowing who she was without the role of “faithful member.”Early acts of rebellion and autonomy: tattoos, piercings, tank tops, coffee, and paint‑by‑number kits as first steps toward meeting herself.Choosing Yogananda and Kriya Yoga as the first spiritual path she selected because it resonated with her inner experience, not because it was approved.A before‑and‑after moment with her current partner, who said, “You MUST put yourself first,” modeling what autonomy‑honoring love looks like.Tamara then offers gentle, trauma‑informed practices to begin reclaiming your freedom of identity and self‑development—giving yourself permission not to know who you are yet, making small autonomous decisions, journaling your “borrowed” vs. “authentic” identity, and finding at least one safe relationship where you don’t have to perform. Stay close to this work If today’s episode spoke to your heart and you’d like gentle support for your own sacred intimacy with the Divine, you’re welcome to join my Inner Light Companion email list. Each week I send a brief r Send a text If your nervous system feels tired—and you’re longing for a deeper, more embodied connection with the Divine—I’d love to invite you to my free Sacred Intimacy Snapshot. In just a few minutes, you’ll discover which area of intimacy in your life is asking for care right now—and you’ll receive a gentle four-part mini-course to help you tend what’s next on your journey. You can take it at innerlightcompanion.com The Art House of Sacred Becoming is a body‑safe, archetypal art journey for spiritually attuned women longing for deeper becoming. No art skills required! Join the interest list and receive a free Wise Woman Journal Prompt at ArthouseofSacredBecoming.com. 🌿 The Inner Light Companion is hosted by Tamara Ridge, LMFT — guiding spiritually curious souls into deeper connection, intuitive healing, and divine remembrance. 💌 Connect with me: Website & Guest Submissions: www.innerlightcompanion.com Spiritual Counseling: www.guidinglightspiritualcounseling.com Instagram: @innerlightcompanion 🎧 Subscribe for weekly stories, tools & reflections to help you reconnect with your inner light. However you show up on this path, your story is sacred. Let’s walk it together. 💫

    1h 12m
  8. JAN 6

    Ep. 24 - Teachings from the Masters: Spirituality That Can’t Be Bought

    This episode is a deep breath after the heaviness of the Religious Freedoms series. Tamara turns toward the timeless teachings of the masters—Paramahansa Yogananda, the Bhagavad Gita, and Patanjali—to offer core spiritual principles that don’t require permission, performance, or perfection. ​ You’ll explore: Why the second coming of Christ is an inner awakening of Christ Consciousness, not a physical returnHow high‑control religion trains you to believe “spirituality is a transaction”—and why spirituality actually can’t be bought with tithing, service, or sacrificeThe four big lies: you are a sinner, spirituality is pay‑to‑play, spiritual experiences need institutional approval, and meditation is dangerous—plus their impact on your nervous systemHow meditation and action together create direct contact with the Divine, and why your intuition can become a better therapist than any you could hireWhat Yogananda’s view of superconsciousness reveals about your own capacity for direct knowing, peace, and inner light ​Tamara also guides you through a grounding practice—breath, affirmation, and a simple prayer—to help you feel the light within your own body and begin rebuilding trust in your intuition. If you’re ready to step out of fear‑based, transactional religion and into a living, daily spirituality that honors your agency and inner wisdom, this episode will meet you right where you are. Stay close to this work If today’s episode spoke to your heart and you’d like gentle support for your own sacred intimacy with the Divine, you’re welcome to join my Inner Light Companion email list. Each week I send a brief reflection, a simple spiritual practice, and a question to pray or journal with—so you can keep deepening your relationship with God in the middle of your real life.  Work with me 1:1 If you’re longing for a soul friend to walk beside you in this season—someone to hold quiet, sacred space as you heal spiritually, disentangle religious wounding, and learn to trust your own direct connection with the Divine—you can learn more about my 1:1 spiritual counseling sessions and inquire about working together through Send a text If your nervous system feels tired—and you’re longing for a deeper, more embodied connection with the Divine—I’d love to invite you to my free Sacred Intimacy Snapshot. In just a few minutes, you’ll discover which area of intimacy in your life is asking for care right now—and you’ll receive a gentle four-part mini-course to help you tend what’s next on your journey. You can take it at innerlightcompanion.com The Art House of Sacred Becoming is a body‑safe, archetypal art journey for spiritually attuned women longing for deeper becoming. No art skills required! Join the interest list and receive a free Wise Woman Journal Prompt at ArthouseofSacredBecoming.com. 🌿 The Inner Light Companion is hosted by Tamara Ridge, LMFT — guiding spiritually curious souls into deeper connection, intuitive healing, and divine remembrance. 💌 Connect with me: Website & Guest Submissions: www.innerlightcompanion.com Spiritual Counseling: www.guidinglightspiritualcounseling.com Instagram: @innerlightcompanion 🎧 Subscribe for weekly stories, tools & reflections to help you reconnect with your inner light. However you show up on this path, your story is sacred. Let’s walk it together. 💫

    42 min

Trailer

About

The Inner Light Companion is a soul-nourishing podcast for those healing from religious trauma, emotional burnout, or spiritual disconnection. Hosted by Tamara Ridge, a therapist turned spiritual guide, each episode offers gentle reflections, guided meditations, and tools to help you reconnect with your inner light and Divine truth. Come as you are—this is a space for quiet healing, sacred storytelling, and deep belonging.