Beyond The Surface

Samantha Sellers
  • 5,0 (3)
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Welcome to Beyond the Surface, where being seen means being understood. Here, we explore the ups and downs of exploring and sometimes losing faith and community, and the healing power of shared stories. This is a safe space to connect, share, and find support in our common experiences of religious trauma and leaving fundamental communities. Join us as we build a community of understanding and connection. Host - Sam Sellers; Therapist specialising in Religious Trauma & Cult Recovery Links: Website - www.anchoredcounsellingservices.com.au Facebook - www.facebook.com/anchoredcounsellingservices Instagram - www.instagram.com/anchoredcounsellingservices

  1. Hillsong, Queerness, and Coming Home to Yourself

    8 DE ABR.

    Hillsong, Queerness, and Coming Home to Yourself

    Andrew joins Sam for a conversation that is as honest as it is moving, reflecting on his journey out of a fundamentalist environment and the particular complexity of navigating that path as a queer person. Together they explore the painful dissonance between the safety and belonging religious communities can offer and the alienation that can follow when your identity no longer fits the mould and what it takes to begin rebuilding from that place. Andrew speaks to the role therapy and genuine human connection have played in reclaiming his sense of self, and the two dig into grief not as something to push through, but as a teacher in its own right. It's a rich, layered conversation that gently challenges listeners to consider what spirituality, healing, and self-acceptance might look like when they're finally on your own terms. Who Is Andrew? ANDREW SLOAN is a practising psychotherapist and leadership coach, working with people across diverse communities, multiple industries and unique businesses and circumstances. He is a Gallup® Certified CliftonStrengths® Coach and a Registered Clinical member of the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA). Andrew is a self-confessed lifelong work in progress, constantly being reshaped by new learnings and practices, as well as the wisdom of others. He is on his journey toward a better world, one small change at a time. Andrew is based in Sydney, Australia, on Gadigal Country. Connect You can connect with Andrew via his website & his Instagram You can find out more about Sam on her website - www.anchoredcounsellingservices.com.auTo connect with Sam on Instagram - @anchoredcounsellingservicesWant to contact with Sam about the podcast or therapy? Use this contact form.Also check out The Religious Trauma Collective

    1h 20min
  2. Hollow Sunday: Confronting the Complexity of Easter Emotions

    1 DE ABR.

    Hollow Sunday: Confronting the Complexity of Easter Emotions

    Easter is supposed to be a time of joy and renewal, but for many who've experienced religious trauma, it can bring up something far more complicated. In this episode, Sam and Elise set aside the conventional Easter narrative to sit with the harder, quieter feelings this time of year can stir up, drawing on their own experiences to explore how themes of suffering, sacrifice, and mandated celebration leave lasting marks on identity and self-perception. From the emotional whiplash between Good Friday's grief and Easter Sunday's compulsory joy, to the internal pressure of feeling like you're doing the holiday "wrong," they create an honest space for the feelings that so often go unspoken. This isn't an episode about how to cope; it's an invitation to simply acknowledge where you are, and a reminder that if Easter feels more like a weight than a celebration, you are far from alone in that. Connect With Us Connect with Elise via her website - https://www.eliseheerde.com/ and over on Instagram You can find out more about Sam on her website - www.anchoredcounsellingservices.com.auTo connect with Sam on Instagram - @anchoredcounsellingservicesWant to contact with Sam about the podcast or therapy? Use this contact form.Also check out The Religious Trauma Collective

    1h 28min
  3. From Obedience to Autonomy and Life Beyond Fundamentalism

    25 DE MAR.

    From Obedience to Autonomy and Life Beyond Fundamentalism

    In this episode, Naomi shares her journey of leaving the Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) world and navigating life after such a high-control environment. She talks openly about the emotional and psychological toll of religious trauma, including the difficulties of estrangement from family and the fear that comes with questioning deeply ingrained beliefs. The conversation highlights the importance of self-kindness, prioritising mental health, and reclaiming autonomy, while also exploring the opportunities for growth, empowerment, and building relationships on one’s own terms after leaving a strict religious system. Who Is Naomi? Naomi Norton is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Missouri and Kansas, an AAMFT-Approved Supervisor, and the founder of Hope for Healing Therapy in Kansas City. She holds a PhD in Family Therapy, with research focused on how white fundamentalist evangelical Christianity conceptualizes mental illness. Her work includes developing a White American Fundamentalist Evangelical Power and Control Wheel, inspired by the Duluth Model. Naomi has worked in the mental health field for nearly a decade across psychiatric hospitals, child welfare, and intensive in-home therapy. She specializes in working with individuals and families impacted by religious trauma, spiritual abuse, faith deconstruction, and complex mental health concerns. She is trained in DBT and EMDR and is deeply committed to helping people heal from harmful religious systems while reclaiming their identity, autonomy, and sense of safety. Connect Find out more about Naomi via her website - https://www.hopeforhealingllc.org/You can also find her over on Facebook You can find out more about Sam on her website - www.anchoredcounsellingservices.com.auTo connect with Sam on Instagram - @anchoredcounsellingservicesWant to contact with Sam about the podcast or therapy? Use this contact form.Also check out The Religious Trauma Collective

    1h 19min
  4. Finding Freedom and Leaving the 2x2's

    18 DE MAR.

    Finding Freedom and Leaving the 2x2's

    In this episode, Tristan shares what it was like growing up in the 2x2's, a high-control religious group that shaped much of his early life. He reflects on the strange mix of freedom and restriction in his childhood, and the confusion that can come from trying to make sense of both the good memories and the harmful parts of that upbringing. Tristan talks about the lingering impact of indoctrination, while also acknowledging the ways his experiences helped him navigate life outside the group once he left. It’s a thoughtful conversation about holding complexity, making sense of a religious past, and the importance of talking openly about these stories so people don’t have to process them alone. Who Is Tristan? Former 2x2 cult member (NZ). On a mission to understand and educate on religious trauma, religious abuse, coercive control, high control groups and navigating mental health. Connect With Us Find Tristan over on Youtube, Instagram & FacebookYou can find out more about Sam on her website - www.anchoredcounsellingservices.com.auTo connect with Sam on Instagram - @anchoredcounsellingservicesWant to contact with Sam about the podcast or therapy? Use this contact form.Also check out The Religious Trauma Collective

    1h 12min
  5. Exploring Identity and Power: A Deep Dive into Wicked

    11 DE MAR.

    Exploring Identity and Power: A Deep Dive into Wicked

    This solo episode is basically me unapologetically loving Wicked and unpacking why it hits so hard for anyone who’s left a high-control religion. I talk about my deep connection to Elphaba; the “problem,” the scapegoat, the one who won’t stay small and how her story mirrors the experience of choosing authenticity over belonging. We explore the grief and liberation that come with being cast as the villain for stepping outside the system, and why that narrative feels painfully familiar for so many of us. I also spend time with Glinda, because it’s never that simple. She represents the ache of staying, the love tangled up with fear, loyalty, image, and the cost of not leaving. Through Wicked, I reflect on propaganda, scapegoating, and the way systems decide who is “good” and who is “wicked.” It’s theatre kid energy meets religious trauma processing and honestly, it makes sense of more than it probably should. Connect You can find out more about Sam on her website - www.anchoredcounsellingservices.com.auTo connect with Sam on Instagram - @anchoredcounsellingservicesWant to contact with Sam about the podcast or therapy? Use this contact form.Also check out The Religious Trauma Collective

    1h 25min
  6. The Complexity of Spirituality and Embodiment Beyond Religion

    4 DE MAR.

    The Complexity of Spirituality and Embodiment Beyond Religion

    In this episode, Sam chats with Katie about what it actually looks like to rebuild life after religious trauma, especially coming out of a strict Catholic environment. Katie shares how growing up in rigid faith shaped her identity, leaving her stuck in perfectionism, people-pleasing, and constantly second-guessing herself. Together, they unpack the idea of redefining spirituality outside organised religion; shifting it from rules and performance into something personal, embodied, and genuinely life-giving. The conversation also gets practical, exploring small ways people can reconnect with themselves through hobbies, rituals, and everyday choices, reminding listeners that recovery isn’t about having it all figured out; it’s about slowly learning to trust your own voice again. Who Is Katie? Katie Krier is a Spiritual Wellness Coach who helps people rebuild identity and personal sovereignty after religion. Her work supports those disentangling from religious conditioning and learning to live from their own inner authority. Connect with us Katies website - https://katiemkrier.com/start-hereConnect via Facebook, LinkedIn & Instagram You can find out more about Sam on her website - www.anchoredcounsellingservices.com.auTo connect with Sam on Instagram - @anchoredcounsellingservicesWant to contact with Sam about the podcast or therapy? Use this contact form.Also check out The Religious Trauma Collective

    1h 22min
  7. Life After Leaving Faith And Losing Your Community Overnight

    25 DE FEV.

    Life After Leaving Faith And Losing Your Community Overnight

    For the 100th story episode, the roles flip a little as Sam steps into the guest seat and hands the hosting mic over to Matt, creating space to share more of her own lived experience of religious trauma. Together, they reflect on the complicated grief that comes with leaving high-control faith communities, not just losing beliefs, but losing belonging, identity, and sometimes entire support systems through shunning and judgment. The conversation moves through the emotional weight of trying to re-enter those spaces, the loneliness that can follow choosing authenticity, and the slow process of finding connection again with people who truly understand. At its heart, this milestone episode is about loss, resilience, and what it looks like to rebuild a sense of home after everything familiar falls away. Connect With Us You can find Matt over at https://mgacounselling.com.au/ or on Facebook You can find out more about Sam on her website - www.anchoredcounsellingservices.com.auTo connect with Sam on Instagram - @anchoredcounsellingservicesWant to contact with Sam about the podcast or therapy? Use this contact form.Also check out The Religious Trauma Collective

    1h 8min
  8. Freedom from Fundamentalism after Four Decades

    18 DE FEV.

    Freedom from Fundamentalism after Four Decades

    Stacy shares her long and complicated relationship with fundamentalism and evangelical Christianity, starting with a childhood shaped by strict values rather than overt religiosity, and moving into a born-again faith she found as a teenager while searching for belonging. What initially felt like connection and purpose slowly became transactional, where her worth was measured by how much she served, showed up, and stayed in line. She talks openly about the mental health toll of living under constant religious expectation, and the quiet ways doubt began to creep in long before she felt able to name it. The unraveling accelerated through experiences of betrayal in her church and the broader disruptions of COVID, forcing her to reckon with a faith that was no longer sustainable. This episode is about listening to that inner knowing, grieving what’s lost, and finding the courage to choose yourself when the system you trusted starts to fall apart. Who Is Stacy? Stacy is a 64 year old woman who grew up in the 60’s and 70’s with a fundamental non religious upbringing who then got involved at 19 with fundamental evangelical Christianity and stayed for 40 years! Left it all 3 years ago. Connect Connect with Stacy over on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/stacy_singledecker/ You can find out more about Sam on her website - www.anchoredcounsellingservices.com.auTo connect with Sam on Instagram - @anchoredcounsellingservicesWant to contact with Sam about the podcast or therapy? Use this contact form.Also check out The Religious Trauma Collective

    1h 7min
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Sobre

Welcome to Beyond the Surface, where being seen means being understood. Here, we explore the ups and downs of exploring and sometimes losing faith and community, and the healing power of shared stories. This is a safe space to connect, share, and find support in our common experiences of religious trauma and leaving fundamental communities. Join us as we build a community of understanding and connection. Host - Sam Sellers; Therapist specialising in Religious Trauma & Cult Recovery Links: Website - www.anchoredcounsellingservices.com.au Facebook - www.facebook.com/anchoredcounsellingservices Instagram - www.instagram.com/anchoredcounsellingservices

Informações

  • Criado por
    Samantha Sellers
  • Anos de atividade
    2024 - 2026
  • Episódios
    120
  • Classificação
    Explícito
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Samantha Sellers
  • Site do podcast
    Beyond The Surface

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