Ep. 74| Some People Didn’t Leave God…They Left Survival Mode ft. Lauren Michelle Jackson

Church hurt is complicated…

Because some people didn’t stop loving God.

They just stopped feeling safe in the spaces that introduced them to Him.

This week, I sat down with my cousin, licensed therapist Lauren Michelle Jackson, for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had on this podcast.

And this isn’t a church bashing episode.

This is a truth-telling episode.

Because if we’re honest…

A lot of people are carrying wounds they got in church while still trying to hold onto their faith.

We talk about the beauty of church…

The community.

The music.

The belonging.

The opportunities.

The things that shaped us.

But we also talk about the burden.

The pressure.

The performance.

The hidden struggles.

The silence.

The split identities.

The burnout.

The shame.

Because two things can be true:

Church can heal people…

And church can hurt people too.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Church hurt vs church trauma

• Why people stay in unhealthy church environments

• Loving God while needing space from church

• The pressure to perform holiness

• Mental health and over-spiritualizing everything

• Ministry burnout and grieving church spaces

• Sexuality, hiding, and split identity

• What happens when people suppress themselves for years

• Rebuilding trust spiritually

• What healthy faith can look like now

We also ask the hard questions:

What happens when honesty gets punished?

What does healing actually look like?

And can you rebuild faith after disappointment?

Because maybe faith was never supposed to require pretending.

Maybe healing starts when the performance ends.

If you’ve ever loved church and been hurt by it…

If you’ve ever left ministry, questioned faith, carried religious shame, or felt caught between God and your experience…

This episode is for you.

Subscribe for more conversations about faith, identity, healing, and living honestly.

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