Faith Rehab

Steve McNitt, Heidi Brandt & CJ Mateo
  • 5.0 (8)
  • Spirituality

The Faith Rehab podcast brings real talk about church hurt, healing, and rebuilding faith. We are a safe place that exists to bring comfort and community to those who have been hurt by the imperfections of the church. We create a safe space for people to experience genuine Christian acceptance and community, no matter where they are on their journey. We help people repair their relationship with Jesus and His followers, if they can. We help people find hope and experience community wherever they are on their path. We talk openly about spiritual disappointment, church conflict, leadership failures, doubt, and the process of rebuilding trust. These conversations are not about attacking faith — they are about restoring it. We work to create a safe space to talk about church hurts and trauma without getting stuck there. We believe faith can survive questions. We believe healing takes time. And we believe honesty is healthier than pretending. We help people answer the “now what?” questions in their spiritual journey. We work to have people tell us, and inspire us, by talking about how they got through it and found their sanity. In short, we talk to real people and share real stories about: — What hurt?— What’s helped?— Where ya headed? Join us as we explore together, search together, scream together, cry together, and learn to live together as imperfect people. Join those of us who are just trying to be real, no matter what that looks like right now. Faith Rehab is about restoration, not rebellion. It is about transformation, not perfection. If you’ve ever felt spiritually confused, burned out, or unsure where you belong in church culture, this space is for you. Welcome to the conversation. www.faithrehabpodcast.comfaithrehabpodcast@gmail.com

  1. Sep 25

    Ep. 14 - Ruth’s Story; The Rabbi & Synagogue Let Her Down

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Faith Rehab Podcast we get to interview Ruth. Ruth is a mother of four and has been helping people in her community for decades. She is a therapist; she has worked in community mental health, she has worked a myriad of clients, including foster kids. She teaches parenting skills for really tough, dysfunctional families; she gives them a lot of tools and helps them to grow so that they can deal with difficult life situations, or high-needs kids, or both. She is a swim mom. She is an advocate for women’s sports, especially Water Polo. She has been coaching youth sports for 18 years.   Ruth grew up going to Synagogue and was told that the Rabbi goes and visits the sick, comforts the hurting, prays for people in need. When Ruth’s twins had medical issues and her family had financial issues, her hope was waning, and her Rabbi was nowhere to be found. She was hurt by being ignored by the Rabbi and many in her Synagogue community. She loves her faith, and her faith tradition, but was feeling alone.   She has great advice for Rabbis, Pastors, and Christian friends on how to interact with your Jewish friends. We think you will love Ruth and learn a lot in this episode.   Thank you for listening to Faith Rehab Podcast.  Real healing can come when we go from seeing the hurts of our past as the whole story of our lives and identity, to seeing that hurt as just a chapter in the story of our lives.  Faith Rehab is a podcast about church hurt, healing, and rebuilding faith. We create a safe space for honest conversations about spiritual disappointment, doubt, and the process of finding hope again—without pretending or having all the answers. Co-hosts: Steve McNitt, Heidi Brandt & CJ Mateo  Produced by: CJ Mateo Contact us at Faithrehabpodcast@gmail.com — we’d love to hear your story.

  2. Aug 25

    Ep. 13 - Deana Herd: The Secret That Cost Her Dad His Job

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Faith Rehab Podcast we get to interview Deana Herd. She is an executive coach and trainer who lives in Texas. She has trained Fortune 500 companies, municipalities, and individual executives. She confirms that people in Texas are different from everyone else, and they know it. She is a former elementary school teacher, a pastor’s kid, a former church staff member, and has a mother who was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Deana had a role in the church to protect the family image, and a role at home to compensate for what mom could not do. Her mom, dad, and the family coped with her mother’s bipolar, and mom had to be institutionalized 5 times; but the church family never knew. When the church found out about her mother’s bipolar, her father (the Pastor) was dismissed from his role at the church. From that, Deana learned that “God doesn't have a rule book on who belongs in the church.” Deana has spent her life trying to connect with her own feelings and helping others connect with theirs and transform into a healthier version of themselves. She knows her family had put her in certain roles, and has learned that we are more than the role we get from our family of origin, but that we have to it's move it from understanding in your head to really understanding that in your heart. She spent her childhood doing the things she thought she should. She is now learning and teaching to change that thinking. “I learned to stop shoulding on myself” Thank you for listening to this deeply rich conversation with our guest Deana Herd. Thank you for listening to Faith Rehab Podcast. Real healing can come when we go from seeing the hurts of our past as the whole story of our lives and identity, to seeing that hurt as just a chapter in the story of our lives. Faith Rehab is a podcast about church hurt, healing, and rebuilding faith. We create a safe space for honest conversations about spiritual disappointment, doubt, and the process of finding hope again—without pretending or having all the answers. Co-hosts: Steve McNitt, Heidi Brandt & CJ Mateo  Produced by: CJ Mateo Contact us at Faithrehabpodcast@gmail.com — we’d love to hear your story.

  3. Aug 18

    Ep. 12 - Boundaries in Church: You're Allowed to Say No

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Faith Rehab Podcast we talk about the topic of boundaries in relationships, and in church. We talk about why it is so difficult to have boundaries in a faith space that reminds us to give our all to God. To paraphrase Dr Henry Cloud: Just like a fence around your yard shows your property, where your property starts and stops, personal boundaries clarify ownership of your feelings, thoughts, behaviors, and choices. It's an interesting topic because so much of church hurt comes from people being asked to do things that they're not comfortable with or pressured to do things. We work through enmeshment, cultural pressures, and people-pleasing. We discuss having boundaries in areas of: the time and energy commitments, authority of church leaders and scripture, with information vs gossip, attendance at services and events, as well as financial  giving.  These topics come with high expectations, but we can have boundaries in those areas. We are all trying to be good stewards of our resources, but pressure can come on too strong. We get to hear about CJ’s quest to become a chess master, and we also learn about Heidi’s songwriting and she even sings a few bars. Tune in for all of this, and some practical tips on how to have better boundaries. Real healing can come when we go from seeing the hurts of our past as the whole story of our lives and identity, to seeing that hurt as just a chapter in the story of our lives. Faith Rehab is a podcast about church hurt, healing, and rebuilding faith. We create a safe space for honest conversations about spiritual disappointment, doubt, and the process of finding hope again—without pretending or having all the answers. Co-hosts: Steve McNitt, Heidi Brandt & CJ Mateo  Produced by: CJ Mateo Contact us at Faithrehabpodcast@gmail.com — we’d love to hear your story.

  4. Jul 27

    Ep. 11 – Elizabeth Priller: Ex-Jehovah's Witness, Still Chasing the Light

    Send us Fan Mail Elizabeth Priller’s story; Ever feel like you are the only in a room? In this episode of Faith Rehab Podcast we get to hear from Elizabeth. She is an award-winning nurse, author, former EMT, former law enforcement officer, trainer, mentor, and artist. She has been a nurse caring for patients “both at the beginning of life and at the end of life”. She has been a CASA worker, has worked with the Boys and Girls Club, she's been a part of the Black Girl Magic Educational Services. She has also done diversity roundtable. She grew up Jehovah’s Witness and with a voracious need to read and learn about science. She has very thoughtfully wrestled with the beliefs she was taught. He beliefs, her skin color, and her religion left her feeling like the only in many rooms. At an age where lots of young women give up on science and math, she doubled-down and propelled herself into a lifetime of study of science and service in the medical field. In so many areas of her life she spent “code switching” and being exhausted by the process of fitting in. Throughout her life people have tried to hold her down, which provided the fuel for her to go upwards. She shares her faith, her art, her desire for knowledge, she claimed to be president at age 5. Thank you for listening to Faith Rehab Podcast. Real healing can come when we go from seeing the hurts of our past as the whole story of our lives and identity, to seeing that hurt as just a chapter in the story of our lives. For more about Elizabeth Priller check out: Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethprillerstudio/ Check out her Website: https://www.elizabethpriller.com/ Faith Rehab is a podcast about church hurt, healing, and rebuilding faith. We create a safe space for honest conversations about spiritual disappointment, doubt, and the process of finding hope again—without pretending or having all the answers. Co-hosts: Steve McNitt, Heidi Brandt & CJ Mateo  Produced by: CJ Mateo Contact us at Faithrehabpodcast@gmail.com — we’d love to hear your story.

  5. Jul 8

    Ep. 10 – Ten Episodes! What We Have Learned So Far

    Send us Fan Mail This is our tenth episode of the Faith Rehab Podcast, where we talk about church hurt, healing, and rebuilding faith. We remind ourselves of our goals: “we exist to bring comfort and community to those who have been hurt by the imperfections of the church.” We have heard people’s stories, we have reflected on what has hurt, what has helped, and where they are headed now. We have celebrated that people continue to grow and change, no matter where they feel like they are headed. We remind people that we are committed to not naming individual pastors or churches, but to working through the hurts of individual people.  We talk about the role of the church in our lives; the good, the bad, and the ugly. CJ reminds us that “The church is meant for brokenness to go away over time and change to happen over time.”  The rituals may differ, the beliefs may differ, but many churches, even among the hurts, are helping people change to be more like Christ. That it is possible to move from filtering all spiritual experiences through our pain, to seeing a focused relationship with God and letting go of some pain, finding healing and joy again. Real healing can come when we go from seeing the hurt as the story of our lives, to seeing that hurt as a chapter in the story of our lives. Faith Rehab is a podcast about church hurt, healing, and rebuilding faith. We create a safe space for honest conversations about spiritual disappointment, doubt, and the process of finding hope again—without pretending or having all the answers. Co-hosts: Steve McNitt, Heidi Brandt & CJ Mateo  Produced by: CJ Mateo Contact us at Faithrehabpodcast@gmail.com — we’d love to hear your story.

  6. Jun 28

    Ep. 9 - Matthew Scott-Lee: The Part of Me the Church Wanted to Fix

    Send us Fan Mail Today’s episode is with Matthew Scott, a friend that Heidi has known from kindergarten. They met because they lived in cold weather, needed mittens and both used black socks for their hands. Matt grew up going to church and in a loving family. He has long known he was gay, but that was not accepted by his family or his church. Matt subjected himself to Conversion Therapy to try and align himself to the church’s beliefs and what he says “what ended up being probably 15 years of my life of trying to fight that reality of being gay”. Denying who he really is has caused him pain, family division, suicidal thoughts, and lots of church hurt. Heidi says Matt being gay “is the least interesting thing about you” and yet in church circles it raises the most eyebrows and most debate. We will explore why. He has a history of teaching and performing in the fine arts. He has a master’s degree, is a Licensed Professional Counselor and currently has a private counseling practice helping people deal with their issues, their relationships, and embracing their identities. You will hear that Matt is funny, compassionate, and in his words: “I have a very big heart for the underdog and really resonate with stories of people who feel somehow like an outsider, misunderstood.” His life stands as a monument to the need for us to love people for who they are, without looking at how we can change them. The Holy Spirit’s full-time job is to help us grow and transform. That job is taken; we don’t need to do it for others. The world is a better place with Matt in it. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the time with our friend Matt. For more of Matt check out his website: https://thegreenroom.clientsecure.me/#home Faith Rehab is a podcast about church hurt, healing, and rebuilding faith. We create a safe space for honest conversations about spiritual disappointment, doubt, and the process of finding hope again—without pretending or having all the answers. Co-hosts: Steve McNitt, Heidi Brandt & CJ Mateo  Produced by: CJ Mateo Contact us at Faithrehabpodcast@gmail.com — we’d love to hear your story.

  7. Jun 14

    Ep. 8 - Truls Neal - You're Not Black Enough: Church, Race & Grace

    Send us Fan Mail On this episode of Faith Rehab Podcast we get to hear from Truls Neal, a career Probation Officer, manager, and Director. He is an accomplished leader, a husband, a father, and a friend. He is the son of a white Norwegian mother and an African American Military father. He has a twin, a wife, and two daughters. When people hear his name and hear that his mother is Norwegian, they expect him to be a blond-haired, blue-eyed man. Truls is more melanated than that and describes himself as “coffee with a little bit of cream” in his complexion. He also reminds us that “None of us are what people expect people to be.” So true! We follow how his ethnic and racial makeup have affected him from the restrictions of where he could live as a child, through his poor treatment in churches. Through his journey he will remind us of God’s intent in dealing with those that are different from us: “I don't want to be about race relations. I want to be about grace relations because I think that's what Jesus calls me to.” In his grace, he teaches all of us what it means to be a child of God. He also tells us about his life mission, “Build community.” We think we can all learn something more about that; and wouldn’t we all be better off if we were building community. Faith Rehab is a podcast about church hurt, healing, and rebuilding faith. We create a safe space for honest conversations about spiritual disappointment, doubt, and the process of finding hope again—without pretending or having all the answers. Co-hosts: Steve McNitt, Heidi Brandt & CJ Mateo  Produced by: CJ Mateo Contact us at Faithrehabpodcast@gmail.com — we’d love to hear your story.

  8. Jun 3

    Ep. 7 - Grace's Story — Missions, Domestic Abuse, and the Church

    Send us Fan Mail Before you listen: This episode touches on abuse. If anything you hear today resonates with you, resources are available. Two we recommend — Flying Free Now ( www.flyingfreenow.com ), a resource built specifically for Christian women, and the National Domestic Violence Hotline . For the hotline please call 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788, free and confidential, 24/7. What happens when the church sends a family to the mission field — and the real danger is inside the home? In this episode, we sit down with Grace (not her real name) — a Christian woman, a missionary, and domestic abuse survivor — to hear her story of surviving abuse within a Christian marriage, and what healing has actually looked like on the other side. We talk about the moments nobody warned her about — the isolation, the spiritual manipulation, the way faith was used as a tool for control. We talk about what the church got right, what it got terribly wrong, and what she wishes someone had said to her sooner. We break down the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation — because they are not the same thing — and why the church’s tendency to conflate the two has kept so many survivors stuck, silent, and unsafe. If you’ve ever experienced religious abuse, spiritual manipulation, toxic marriage dynamics, or felt like the church chose the abuser over you — please listen and share this episode to anyone in mind. Grace also drops some unexpectedly solid parenting advice. Be blessed everyone! Faith Rehab is a podcast about church hurt, healing, and rebuilding faith. We create a safe space for honest conversations about spiritual disappointment, doubt, and the process of finding hope again—without pretending or having all the answers. Co-hosts: Steve McNitt, Heidi Brandt & CJ Mateo  Produced by: CJ Mateo Contact us at Faithrehabpodcast@gmail.com — we’d love to hear your story.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

The Faith Rehab podcast brings real talk about church hurt, healing, and rebuilding faith. We are a safe place that exists to bring comfort and community to those who have been hurt by the imperfections of the church. We create a safe space for people to experience genuine Christian acceptance and community, no matter where they are on their journey. We help people repair their relationship with Jesus and His followers, if they can. We help people find hope and experience community wherever they are on their path. We talk openly about spiritual disappointment, church conflict, leadership failures, doubt, and the process of rebuilding trust. These conversations are not about attacking faith — they are about restoring it. We work to create a safe space to talk about church hurts and trauma without getting stuck there. We believe faith can survive questions. We believe healing takes time. And we believe honesty is healthier than pretending. We help people answer the “now what?” questions in their spiritual journey. We work to have people tell us, and inspire us, by talking about how they got through it and found their sanity. In short, we talk to real people and share real stories about: — What hurt?— What’s helped?— Where ya headed? Join us as we explore together, search together, scream together, cry together, and learn to live together as imperfect people. Join those of us who are just trying to be real, no matter what that looks like right now. Faith Rehab is about restoration, not rebellion. It is about transformation, not perfection. If you’ve ever felt spiritually confused, burned out, or unsure where you belong in church culture, this space is for you. Welcome to the conversation. www.faithrehabpodcast.comfaithrehabpodcast@gmail.com

Information

  • Creator
    Steve McNitt, Heidi Brandt & CJ Mateo
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 © 2026 Faith Rehab
  • Show Website
    Faith Rehab