Ep.80 – Bully Backlash & Tinderbox Truths: Speaking Up When It Matters Most | Solo Episode

Welcome to a brand new chapter in the ‘cult’ure series. We'll be moving away from the wellness world and onto broader culture war topics in the coming weeks. To kick things off, Candice is showing up solo. Opening with an anecdote about an awkward interpersonal interaction from a few weeks ago, she then continues in the vein of storytelling, pulling from the pages of her unpublished memoir. Through a series of intimate flashbacks, she...

Ep.79 – The Flying Monkey ‘High Road’ & Sugar-Coated Shame | 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 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 describes a high-demand...

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.  Listen to excerpts from recent discussions: On activism, diet 'cult'ure, & self-care >> Aimee Van Ausdall shares about her...

Patreon Preview – Spiritual Capitalism: The Trouble w/ Turning Meaning Into Money | Solo Sample

This week’s Patreon Preview features an excerpt from a solo episode in the Subject To Change series with Candice, released exclusively on TDP Patreon. The following clip is from a 47-minute episode entitled Spiritual Capitalism: The Trouble w/ Turning Meaning Into Money. If you like what you hear in this sample clip, you can access the full-length episode on Patreon - which touches upon the following topics:An important reminder not to...

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 subtle...

Ep.76 – When Did I Start Hating My Body? ‘Snapshots From The Body Image Brink’ | Susan McCulley

This week, we’re keeping our finger on the pulse of diet ‘cult’ure. Our guest is a former affiliate of 'the Org' and a valued contributor in the Deconstructing Dogma series over on Patreon. Susan McCulley recently joined Candice for heart-to-heart, and we’re sharing the first half of the convo here on the main feed. In 2016, Susan wrote a powerful essay about the double-life she was living as a holistic fitness instructor touting ‘body...

Patreon Preview – Origin Stories: Healing From Complex Trauma w/ Stacy Parish

Deconstructing Dogma is a video bonus series hosted exclusively on Patreon. Patrons of The Deeper Pulse have unlimited access to these weekly extras in exchange for their support of the podcast. Patreon donations help keep the main feed of this pod ad-free.This week’s Patreon Preview features excerpts from DD #50 with Stacy Parish. Stacy was on the main feed back in March 2023, and she's back to share about how complex trauma shaped her...

Ep.75 – Our Bodies & Our Biases: Where We Get It Wrong & Why | Tara Wike – Part 2 of 2

We’re back with the second half of our conversation with Tara Wike. (If you missed Part 1, you'll wanna circle back and start there). In the lead-in, Candice reads from listener comments & lays the foundation for Part 2. Picking up where we left off last week, Tara shares how changing her ‘visual diet’ is expanding her definition of beauty; and also, the culty collateral damage done when we critique our bodies publicly. This leads into...

Ep.74 – Breaking Free From Diet ‘Cult’ure & Embracing Health At Every Size | Tara Wike – Part 1 of 2

Plans have changed and the ‘cult’ure series isn’t wrapping just yet! Back after another long break, Candice shares why she’s decided to keep at it; then she lays the foundation for this week’s convo. Originally recorded as a Patreon bonus, Candice and wingwoman, Tracy Stamper, welcome special guest Tara Wike to the pod for a two-part deconstruction of diet ‘cult’ure. In Part 1, Tara shares a bit about her personal background, time...

Ep.73 – P.S. Frenemies, Spirit Barbie, Law of Attraction, Intimacy vs. Intensity, & ‘Org’ Extra | Deconstructing Dogma w/ Special Guests

The 'cult'ure series is scheduled to wrap next week. In the meantime, here's another Patreon Sampler & sneak peek at the Deconstructing Dogma bonus series that will be streaming through the new year over on Patreon. There are currently 40+ bonus episodes available to patrons of the pod, and this sampler features some of our favorite moments from recent releases. In this Patreon Sampler, you'll hear excerpts from: Frenemies: The Not-So-Fringe...