DD#59 – Buzzkill: Dogma, Magical Thinking, & ‘Cult’ Vibes – How They Make or Break Us

In this week's episode of Deconstructing Dogma, I'm coming to you solo with a metaphysical buzzkill - as I dissect dogma, magical thinking, and how they shape our perceptions of the world and of one another. I offer up some personal stories - a few of which I've shared before - to illustrate what I (we?) often mean when we say something looks, feels, or sounds 'culty.' And I celebrate how, at times, magical thinking can be...

TDP Encore & An Update on ‘Brain Yoga’ (aka My First Cult)

This week's release features an excerpt from the episode that I recorded but didn't release last November; you might remember is as the one that was supposed to wrap the 'cult'ure series. I pulled it at the last minute & I'm still sitting on the bulk of the content (for reasons that I won't go into here). Pulled from the intro to that episode, I share a story about a recent run-in with my first-ever cult, Dahnhak (aka 'Dahn Yoga' aka 'Brain...

Ep.79 – The Flying Monkey ‘High Road’ & Sugar-Coated Shame | DD #52 | Candice & Tracy

Beginning next week, we'll be shifting the conversation here on the main feed away from wellness 'cult'ure convos. But first, back in early February, Candice invited Tracy Stamper to record a last-minute Deconstructing Dogma release for Patreon, and it soon after became one of this pod's most downloaded bonus episodes to date. Flying monkey is a term popularized in cult recovery spaces.  Borrowed from the storyline of the Wizard of Oz, it...

Ep.78 – P.S. Paper Tigers, Embodied Activism, Spiritual Gaslighting, & A Whistleblower ‘Reality’ Check | Special Guests

Welcome to another Patreon Sampler. Over a dozen conversations have dropped while Candice has been on break from the main feed (that's here), and there are currently 60+ ‘cult’ure series related bonus episodes now streaming over on Patreon. Episode #78 features some of the best moments from recent releases. On activism, diet 'cult'ure, & self-care >> Aimee Van Ausdall shares about her very-public exit from ‘the Org’, how she's...

DD#55 – ‘Spiritual’ Self-Sacrifice: A Cautionary Tale & Cult-Hopping Heads Up! w/ Noa Kadman

You won't want to miss this week's bonus conversation! Noa Kadman spent years investing time & money in the 'Org' brand, but eventually stopped teaching to go all-in on a new practice; one created by a former 'Org' training duo who broke away to do their own thing. The story she shares here is a cautionary tale for students and facilitators alike. If we don't take time to do the real-deal work of recovery, history is likely to repeat itself....

STC | Spiritual Capitalism: The Trouble w/ Turning Meaning Into Money

It's been one helluva week. Despite how I've been feeling (the tenderhearted impulse to cut-and-run) yesterday I recorded another unscripted solo episode. In the first few minutes, I share why it is that I/we keep on keepin' on. And I speak to the responsibility that we all share when it comes to safeguarding this work & our shared spaces of cult recovery. 0:00 - Update & important message to all patrons of the pod. 7:45 - Why it's so...

DD#52 | The Flying Monkey ‘High Road’ & Sugar-Coated Shame

Welcome to a conversation that we haven't been ready to have until now; but on a topic that we've been VERY actively navigating behind the scenes since the launch of the 'cult'ure series. PUSHBACK. Today we're sharing our honest take on what happens when folks choose to step away from 'the Org' and then loyalists harass them through phone calls, private DMs, and/or public posts throwing shade. We've been taking 'the high road' around it all -...

Ep.77 – Spiritual & Religious Abuse: Raising Awareness & Supporting Black Survivors | Nikki G 

January is Spiritual Abuse Awareness Month, and this week Candice welcomes a very special guest. Nikki G is a Certified Trauma Recovery Coach, co-host of the Surviving The Black Church podcast, and a vocal advocate for spiritual and religious abuse survivors. Nikki shares briefly about her personal history growing up in a narcissistic family system, time spent in five different cults, and her personal path of healing. She speaks about the...

DD#47 – Disturbing The ‘Peace’: Sharing Stories That Impact Others (How We Walk The Line)

Next week, we'll be featuring another guest convo here. It's an insightful two-parter & we really can't wait to share it with you! In the meantime... Have you been wondering what happened with Episode #74? 🤷‍♀️ Why I deleted it right before it was scheduled to drop? If so, you'll wanna check out this week’s episode of Deconstructing Dogma. We recorded dd #47 on November 14th, when I was still in the writing/production phase on...

DD#44 – ‘Off Ramp’ (Cognitive Dissonance: What is it, REALLY?)

As promised, we going to keep dropping extras here on Patreon. And if you're new to the platform, be sure to circle back & check out the DD episode line-up pinned to the top of the Patreon main page that outlines the 40+ earlier episodes you currently have to choose from.Here's the haps this week:dd #44 - 'Off Ramp' >> Cognitive Dissonance: What It Is & Why It's Such A ThingMy guests & I have been dropping the term cognitive...