Rephonic
Artwork for Sunday School Dropouts
Purity Culture
Religious Trauma
Mental Health
Christian Nationalism
Trauma Recovery
High-Control Religion
High Control Religion
Trauma
Deconstruction
Masculinity
Sexuality
Job
Gender Roles
Sexual Health
Community Support
Christianity
Bodily Autonomy
Cults
Evangelicalism
Trauma Resolution

Sunday School Dropouts is a podcast hosted by trained therapists Dr. Laura Anderson and Andrew Kerbs. Both Andrew and Laura grew up in high control religion and spent years trying to live up to the rules and standards until one day, they couldn’t do it anymore. They spent our lives aspiring to be true followers of God and all they got from it was religious trauma.So now, they’re taking our lived e... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes90Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Mental HealthReligion & SpiritualityHealth & Fitness

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Artwork for Sunday School Dropouts

Latest Episodes

In this deep dive into the Hulu phenomenon The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, host Laura is joined by licensed marriage and family therapist Ashley Buckner to peel back the layers of drama and reveal the complex psychological machinery underneath. The... more

YouTube

In this episode of Sunday School Dropouts, Andrew and Laura deconstruct the complex intersection of high control religion and the controversial labels of sex and porn addiction. They explore how purity culture utilizes shame-based language and abstin... more

In this episode, Andrew is joined by writer and editor Halley Kim to explore the profound intersection of theology, patriarchy, and personal agency. As a former pastor’s wife within conservative Evangelicalism, Halley shares her journey of moving bey... more

YouTube

In this episode, we're joined by Nicole Clifton, a coach specializing in faith deconstruction, purity culture trauma, and chronic illness support. Nicole shares her personal journey navigating chronic pain for nearly 20 years while growing up in evan... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Halley Kim
Writer and editor; former pastor's wife in conservative evangelicalism; author and editor for Tears of Eden and Feminism and Religion
Halley Kim (writer/editor); Tears of Eden; Feminism and Religion
Episode: How Deconstructing POWER Healed My Marriage
Nicole Clifton
Coach specializing in faith deconstruction, healing from purity culture, religious trauma and LGBTQIA+ identity
Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery
Episode: When the Body Keeps the Faith: Purity Culture and Chronic Pain
Jeremiah Gibson
Certified sex therapist, psychotherapist, coach, and researcher; formerly part of Sex Vangelicals
Sex Vangelicals
Episode: Purity Test, Perfectionism, and Power in Relationships
Julia Postema
Certified sex therapist, psychotherapist, coach, and researcher
Sex Vangelicals
Episode: Purity Test, Perfectionism, and Power in Relationships
Ashley Buckner
Licensed marriage and family therapist and certified brain spotting practitioner, survivor and expert on Mormon purity culture
Ashley Buckner, ELMFT
Episode: Untangling Mormon Sexual Shame
Ashley Dunston
A writer and former evangelical whose work explores the intersections of purity culture and diet culture.
Episode: Purity Culture & Body Shaming
Brandon Robertson
Renowned pastor, author and public theologian
Independent, LGBTQ+ activist
Episode: Reclaiming Faith as a Queer Person
Michelle Moseley
A licensed clinical mental health counselor with expertise in supporting adults harmed by high-control religious settings.
Episode: Neurodivergence and Purity Culture
Tricia Wilkerson
Dedicated health and wellness coach, yoga teacher, and co-founder of the Aftermath Agency.
Aftermath Agency
Episode: Purity Culture, Diet Culture, and Body Image

Hosts

Dr. Laura Anderson
Co-host of Sunday School Dropouts; therapist and trauma-focused professional
Andrew Kerbs
Co-host of Sunday School Dropouts; therapist and educator

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 116 ratings
  • So helpful!

    After growing up in a highly conservative Christian household, school and church, I have a lot of CPTSD to unpack and I wasn’t sure where to start. This podcast has helped me significantly with identifying and understanding the religious trauma I’ve experienced. It feels so good to finally start releasing the shame I’ve been hanging onto since childhood!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    QuesoQueen422
    United States6 months ago
  • Somewhat helpful

    A couple of these episodes were incredibly helpful having left the lds church and now leaving a fundamentalist evangelical church. I want to say that upfront.

    However, It’s hard to trust the hosts when they start mocking stories in the Bible. Not thoughtful disagreement or seeking to understand a different meaning but like full on mocking.

    While I totally understand the anger and resentment I think if it was more respectful and sounded like they were actually curious over trying to mock whatev... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    markasores
    United States10 months ago
  • Fantastic And informative

    I love this podcast. I accidentally discovered it while listening to some podcast on somatic experiencing and they detailed the approach in an episode. Such a really important topic and I think today more so than ever!! I’m a therapist myself and I treat people with religious trauma and I think this is an absolutely fantastic podcast. Look forward to more episodes. Keep up the great work!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Lkwgofsu
    United Statesa year ago
  • Ehh 🤷🏻‍♀️

    I initially found Sunday School Dropouts with Dr. Laura Anderson helpful in the early stages of my deconstruction journey. The podcast tackles critical topics, and Dr. Anderson does provide some insightful critiques of evangelicalism. However, as time went on, I noticed significant flaws in the rhetoric that completely undermined its credibility.

    Her approach to conservative ideologies is alarmingly biased, often leaning on misrepresentations, out-of-context claims, and sweeping generalizations... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    FitnessPro6520
    United Statesa year ago
  • Really Enjoy this Show & Looking Forward to Season 2

    So glad I found you. Left organized religion years ago. But am drawn to your experiences as survivors of fundamentalism and cultish influence. Looking forward to season 2. Keep up the good work. Laura, please consider tamping down your use of “yeah” when acknowledging what your co-host and guests are saying. Hearing it repeatedly is distracting. Thanks for all you do!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mama TCR
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate the trauma-informed, educational approach to religious deconstruction and healing.
Some listeners desire more nuanced discussion of scripture and theology and have criticized perceived bias in episodes.
Guests are often clinicians or survivors providing practical tools for recovery.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How Deconstructing POWER Healed My Marriage
Q: What role did pluralism in belief and a more expansive view of spirituality play in healing?
Normalizing diverse beliefs for their children and embracing a guidance model that respects individual conscience helped reduce coercive control and supported healthier spiritual development for the family.
How Deconstructing POWER Healed My Marriage
Q: What was it like to begin deconstructing as a pastor's wife, given the expectations and power dynamics?
It was a painful but necessary process where questioning inequality and roles led to a mutual reevaluation of their relationship and professional paths, eventually enabling a move toward a shared, non-hierarchical partnership and healthier boundaries.
Purity Test, Perfectionism, and Power in Relationships
Q: What are some concrete ways to start healing from purity culture in relationships and move toward a values-based, embodied consent approach?
Emphasize repair over forgiveness, articulate needs and boundaries without shame, practice curiosity about one's own needs, and use a three-part framework (commitment, possibilities, consequences) to reconstruct authentic connection.
Purity Test, Perfectionism, and Power in Relationships
Q: Every time I talk about sex and therapy, I freeze or dissociate. Is that normal?
Experts frame it as a normal trauma response indicating safety signals in the nervous system; the path forward is to work with body-based modalities and a therapist to help re-anchor in safety while exploring what the body is communicating.
Untangling Mormon Sexual Shame
Q: What makes Mormon purity culture distinct from other purity cultures?
Ashley explains that while core ideas are similar (avoidance of sexual impurity and emphasis on modesty), Mormon purity culture has a unique generational trauma component, early and systematic questioning in temples, and a belief in afterlife penalties tied to polygamy concepts, which intensify the policing of women and the secrecy around sexual topics.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Sunday School Dropouts

What is Sunday School Dropouts about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Relatable, therapeutically informed discussions about healing from high-control religious environments, purity culture, and religious trauma. Episodes feature clinicians, researchers, and survivors sharing clinical insights, practical healing strategies, and personal narratives to help listeners understand body autonomy, sexual ethics, and healthy relationships after leaving fundamentalist frameworks. Noteworthy are in-depth conversations with guests who bring both professional expertise and lived experience, including discussions of Mormon purity culture, neurodivergence, and the transition from rigid beliefs toward embodiment and autonomy. The show often ties clinical concepts to real-world healing resources and community support, making ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Sunday School Dropouts?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Sunday School Dropouts:

1. The Tim & April Show
2. The New Evangelicals Podcast
3. Data Over Dogma
4. Zero to Well-Read
5. Straight White American Jesus

How many episodes of Sunday School Dropouts are there?

Sunday School Dropouts launched 3 years ago and published 90 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Sunday School Dropouts?

Recent guests on Sunday School Dropouts include:

1. Halley Kim
2. Nicole Clifton
3. Jeremiah Gibson
4. Julia Postema
5. Ashley Buckner
6. Ashley Dunston
7. Brandon Robertson
8. Michelle Moseley

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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