The Reconstructing

Katie Grace

The Reconstructing podcast explores what happens when the beliefs, relationships, identities, and systems we once built our lives around no longer fit— and we begin the brave, messy work of reconstructing from the ground up. Hosted by author Katie Grace, the podcast focuses on religious trauma, deconstruction & reconstruction, complex & familial trauma, identity, queer coming-out journeys, reparenting ourselves, breaking generational cycles, parenting while healing, and the countless ways we can learn to trust ourselves again. Katie’s role is simple: to amplify stories. Her own, and yours. Through honest conversations and deeply human stories, The Reconstructing seeks to create a community where people can feel safe, seen, & soothed— where nothing has to be figured out perfectly, and where asking questions can be part of healing. Because we don't need someone to tell us who we are. Sometimes we just need someone to help us hear ourselves.

Episodes

  1. 23h ago

    Nervous System Healing & Reconnecting With Yourself amidst Religious Deconstruction | Allison Rose

    What happens when you've questioned your religious beliefs, but you still feel trapped by fear, anxiety, people-pleasing, and the pressure to get everything right? How do you reconnect with your body, discover what you actually want, and build a life beyond the rules you were raised to follow? In Episode 4 of The Reconstructing, host Katie Grace sits down with Allison Rose, a spiritual integration coach, speaker, writer, and host of the Recovering Radical podcast. Allison helps people move beyond the intellectual work of religious deconstruction through body-first coaching, nervous system education, and embodiment practices that support reconnection with themselves. Raised in evangelical Christianity and drawn into increasingly radical charismatic and Pentecostal environments as a teenager, Allison spent years trying to do everything “right.” She shares how religious OCD, chronic illness, fear-based teachings, and the pressure to prove her faith shaped her life— and how her experiences of suffering, isolation, and institutional abandonment eventually led her to question the systems she'd trusted. Connect with Allison Rose: Find Allison on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube at @real_allison_rose. Find more of her resources, like the Permission Experiment, here: https://allisonrose.kit.com/links Continue the conversation with Katie Grace: Visit https://thekatiegrace.com to learn more about The Reconstructing and join The Table— a virtual community for people questioning their belief systems, healing from fear-based or high-control religious environments, and figuring out what comes next. The Table offers a space for thoughtful conversation, community, and a monthly book club exploring themes of deconstruction, healing, and reconstruction. You don't have to replace one set of rules with another. You don't have to know exactly who you're becoming before you begin. You are allowed to be curious. You are allowed to experiment. You are allowed to discover what feels like you. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Allison Rose's story and work 05:18 The beginning of deconstruction and questioning faith 06:38 Finding meaninglessness and creating connection 07:33 Rapid mental and physical health improvements 08:55 Reevaluating belief and community after deconstruction 10:43 The harm of high-control religious environments 13:23 The responsibility of leaders and neurodivergence in faith communities 15:32 The role of embodiment and sensory awareness in healing 20:01 Embracing authentic belief and identity 22:17 The layered complexity of deconstruction and harm 24:41 The importance of storytelling and community support 25:49 From despair to embodied joy and connection 33:56 Moving from head knowledge to embodied living 41:19 Living erotically and sensually in life 43:26 Authentic relationships and letting go of false connections 46:03 The pitfalls of high-control environments and cult-like dynamics 48:23 The importance of diverse perspectives and critical thinking 49:18 Resources and community support for deconstruction and healing 50:18 Allison's coaching offerings and group programs 53:33 Closing thoughts and invitation to community support keywords: religious trauma, deconstruction, embodiment, nervous system, healing, faith, community, authenticity, spiritual growth, religious OCD

  2. Oct 20

    What Makes a Cult? Religious Trauma, Coercive Control & Rebuilding Self-Trust | Elise Heerde

    What makes a group a cult? How can you recognize religious trauma and coercive control when they're disguised as love, faith, protection, or belonging? And how do you learn to trust yourself again after years of being told what to believe, how to live, and who to be? In Episode 3 of The Reconstructing, host Katie Grace sits down with Elise Heerde, a mental health practitioner, certified coach, author of Holy Hell, Saved So Hard I Needed Therapy, and co-founder of Religious Trauma and Cults. Drawing on her own experience in high-control Pentecostal Christianity and her professional work supporting survivors, Elise explores the complicated process of recognizing harm, leaving controlling environments, and rebuilding a life beyond fear. Together, Katie and Elise unpack what distinguishes a cult or high-control group from a religious environment that may cause harm. Elise explains why beliefs alone aren't the defining factor—and why it's more useful to examine patterns of coercive control, including isolation, monitoring, regulation of everyday life, and punishment for stepping out of line. They also discuss why harmful control can exist within seemingly mainstream religious communities, why survivors get to choose the language that best describes their own experiences, and why no one should have to prove that their trauma was “bad enough” to deserve support. Elise offers practical guidance for rebuilding self-trust through curiosity, compassion, and small, low-stakes decisions. She explains why your nervous system may continue responding with fear or urgency even after your beliefs have changed, how to make room for uncertainty without rushing toward new answers, and why emotions can be treated as information rather than something to suppress or judge. Connect with Elise Heerde: Website: https://www.eliseheerde.com/ Instagram: @EliseHeerde Religious Trauma and Cults — practitioner directory, resources, and training: https://religioustraumaandcults.com Continue the conversation with Katie Grace: Visit https://thekatiegrace.com to learn more about her memoir, "Spirit of Fear", The Reconstructing podcast, and to join The Table, a virtual community for people questioning belief systems, healing from fear-based or high-control environments, and figuring out what comes next. You are allowed to question. You are allowed to take your time. And you are allowed to build a life that feels like your own. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the episode and guest 00:59 Guest Elise Heerde shares her background and journey 04:00 Understanding the long tail of coercive control 08:12 What makes a group cultic or high control 13:04 Mainstream churches and the potential for coercion 17:01 Recognizing and naming religious and cult trauma 21:56 Framing harm as love and control as protection 25:54 Betrayal blindness and dependency on harmful systems 30:08 Rewiring the nervous system and managing triggers 35:05 Leading with curiosity and compassion in healing 41:00 Building self-trust through small decisions 45:59 The importance of patience and understanding in recovery 50:09 Resources and support for survivors and practitioners keywords: religious trauma, cult recovery, coercive control, high control groups, spiritual abuse, trauma healing, cult dynamics, mental health support, recovery strategies, faith deconstruction

  3. Oct 20

    What is Religious Trauma, CPTSD & Healing After High-Control Religion | Dr. Laura E. Anderson

    What is religious trauma, how does it affect us, and what does healing actually look like? In Episode 2 of The Reconstructing, host Katie Grace sits down with Dr. Laura E. Anderson, co-founder of the Religious Trauma Institute and founder of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery, to explore the lasting effects of high-control religion and the process of healing from religious trauma. Drawing from her personal experience growing up in evangelical Christianity and her professional work supporting trauma survivors, Dr. Laura breaks down the differences between adverse religious experiences, religious trauma, PTSD, and complex PTSD (CPTSD). She explains how prolonged fear and control can shape our nervous systems, identities, relationships, and sense of safety—and why symptoms sometimes become more noticeable after we begin to leave those environments. Together, Katie and Dr. Laura explore why intellectual deconstruction alone may not resolve the effects of trauma, the importance of approaches that address both the brain and body, and how grief is an essential part of recognizing what we lost, what we needed, and who we had to become to survive. Most importantly, Dr. Laura reminds us that healing doesn't require abandoning our faith, adopting someone else's beliefs, or rushing to figure everything out. It asks us to move slowly, build a sense of safety, reconnect with our own autonomy, and make room for joy along the way. Note: this conversation is educational and isn't a substitute for individualized mental health care. Connect with Dr. Laura Anderson: Websites: https://traumaresolutionandrecovery.com and https://drlauraeanderson.com/links Instagram: @drlauraeanderson Continue the conversation with Katie Grace: Visit https://thekatiegrace.com to learn more about her memoir, "Spirit of Fear", The Reconstructing podcast, and to find your seat at The Table—a virtual community for people questioning belief systems, healing from fear-based or high-control environments, and figuring out what comes next. You don't have to untangle everything today. You have time to heal, to grieve, to explore, and to build a life that feels like your own. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Religious Trauma and Dr. Laura Anderson 04:09 Dr. Anderson's Background and Work in Religious Trauma 08:37 Understanding Adverse Religious Experiences and Trauma 12:32 Differences Between PTSD and CPTSD 18:16 Research History of CPTSD and Religious Trauma 27:32 Personal Journey and Healing from Religious Trauma 35:38 Neuroscience of Trauma and Healing Strategies 43:27 Healing Modalities and Self-Compassion in Recovery 52:25 Resources, Support, and Moving Forward keywords: religious trauma, CPTSD, faith deconstruction, trauma recovery, mental health, spiritual abuse, healing journey

  4. Oct 20

    Leaving the Jehovah’s Witnesses: Religious Trauma & Finding Yourself Again | Elizabeth Hill

    What happens when the belief system that shaped your entire world no longer fits? In this first episode of The Reconstructing, host Katie Grace sits down with Elizabeth B. Hill, author, coach, and founder of Green Heart Living Press, to explore her experience growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness, leaving a high-control religion, and rebuilding her sense of identity, spirituality, and self-worth. Elizabeth shares how fear shaped her childhood, how leaving the religion upended her sense of self, and how decades of healing helped her rediscover her voice, reconnect with her spirituality, and find work that truly aligns with who she is. Together, Katie and Elizabeth explore religious trauma, the lasting effects of high-control environments, and the ongoing process of learning who we are beyond the beliefs and expectations we inherited. Because leaving a belief system is only the beginning. What comes next is the work of reconstructing a life that feels like your own. Connect with Elizabeth B. Hill: https://greenheartliving.com Looking for support and community? Visit https://thekatiegrace.com to learn more about The Reconstructing and find your seat at The Table, a virtual community for people questioning belief systems, healing from fear-based environments, and figuring out what comes next. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and episode overview 02:22 How Elizabeth and Katie connected through shared stories 06:32 Elizabeth's childhood in Jehovah's Witnesses 08:34 Life as a full-time pioneer and the impact of high control 11:07 The mental breakdown and leaving the religion 13:51 Juxtaposition of childhood before and after age eight 17:26 Family dynamics and perceptions of faith 21:08 Fear and anxiety in childhood and adolescence 30:24 The mental health crisis and leaving the high control environment 36:28 Rebuilding identity through books, meditation, and community 43:24 Healing, spiritual connection, and coming home to oneself 49:30 Elizabeth's work in publishing and storytelling 56:40 The ongoing journey of healing and self-discovery 01:00:21 Invitation to community and final thoughts keywords: religious trauma, deconstruction, healing, storytelling, memoir, high control religion, spiritual awakening, mental health, personal growth

  5. Trailer

    The Reconstructing: Trailer

    What happens when the things you’ve always believed… stop making sense? When the identity you built, the community you belonged to, or the life you thought you wanted no longer feels like yours? You can spend a lifetime tearing things down. But what happens after that? How do you figure out what to keep, what to let go of, and what to build in its place? The Reconstructing podcast aims to explore just that...

  • 1 Trailer
    4 Episodes

Trailer

About

The Reconstructing podcast explores what happens when the beliefs, relationships, identities, and systems we once built our lives around no longer fit— and we begin the brave, messy work of reconstructing from the ground up. Hosted by author Katie Grace, the podcast focuses on religious trauma, deconstruction & reconstruction, complex & familial trauma, identity, queer coming-out journeys, reparenting ourselves, breaking generational cycles, parenting while healing, and the countless ways we can learn to trust ourselves again. Katie’s role is simple: to amplify stories. Her own, and yours. Through honest conversations and deeply human stories, The Reconstructing seeks to create a community where people can feel safe, seen, & soothed— where nothing has to be figured out perfectly, and where asking questions can be part of healing. Because we don't need someone to tell us who we are. Sometimes we just need someone to help us hear ourselves.

Information

  • Creator
    Katie Grace
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    5
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Katie Grace