shunned

This episode features the story of Darby, a 32-year-old former Jehovah's Witness, detailing a life shaped by generational indoctrination, intense familial and organizational control, and the profound personal and...

This episode is the personal testimony of Micah, a 42-year-old former Jehovah's Witness, detailing his life within the organization, his subsequent departure, and his journey toward recovery and self-redefinition. Born...

I was very fortunate to be able to travel and record an episode of Jubilee along with other ExJWs and Ex-Scientologists as we discussed our lives and the groups we came from. Their YouTube channel was kind enough to...

In this episode, Ezzi details the intense familial and organizational pressure that led to her baptism at age 15, despite her not feeling ready or understanding the doctrine. A significant portion of the conversation...

In this episode we meet Lori, a 68-year-old woman who spent her formative years as a member of Jehovah's Witnesses. Her family was converted when she was five, immediately thrusting her into a high-control environment...

Rather than a new episode this week of the Shunned Podcast, you can find me being interviewed by the one and only Chris Shelton over on the Speaking Of Cults podcast/channel at the link below: Are you struggling in some...

Today we meet Jake, a 26-year-old former Jehovah's Witness. Jake discusses his upbringing in the religion, being a fourth-generation member on his mother's side and third-generation on his father's side, and the...

In this episode you'll meet Vicki as she shares her deeply personal experiences growing up as one of Jehovah's Witnesses and the profound impact it had on her life. Vicki recounts how her mother's fervent dedication to...

In this episode Dennise recounts her upbringing with a strong-willed mother who rigorously enforced cult doctrines, leading to a childhood filled with anxiety, emotional, and physical abuse. She details her early...

This episode explores Dianna's life, starting with her family's unconventional path into the faith, with her grandmother and later her mother and siblings becoming baptized, though her parents initially struggled with...

This episode is an interview with Alex, formerly one of Jehovah's Witnesses, who shares his deeply personal experience of being raised in the organization and the profound impact it had on his life. He details his...

This episode provides a powerful and heartbreaking account of growing up within the restrictive and often damaging environment of Jehovah's Witnesses. Carol Anne's story highlights the immense pressure of maintaining a...

Johanna was raised as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Her story encompasses a childhood marked by secret abuse, a home environment with a dangerous and alcoholic father, and what could be considered a shocking and early...

It's been almost 8 years, a whole lot of work, and here we are sitting at episode 200 of the Shunned Podcast. Episode 100 featured 100 things you need to know to heal from Jehovah's Witnesses, and this episode will...

Life for Chelynn didn't exactly get off to an auspicious start when her parents were marked as bad association in the congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses as they had her. While is is hard enough to grow up exposed to a...

It's hard enough growing up different than everyone else because your family is in the cult of Jehovah's Witnesses. Everyone wants to fit in, to belong, to feel seen and heard and validated. But what if you individually...

One of the highest goals for a young person that is one of Jehovah's Witnesses is to go to the Bethel headquarters located in New York, to work as a volunteer, serving their cult full time. But every person that goes...

As a young teen, Maxwell had a unique opportunity to get into a Korean pre-group for need-greating locally as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Although that didn't ultimately pan out, self-described "ultra zealot" Maxwell...

In this episode I, once one of Jehovah's Witnesses, interview Cass, a former Seventh Day Adventist. Both religions were born in the same time period, out of the same disappointments, and both are capable of creating...

Much like in the movie The Truman Show, young Tara was living a lie. In the 8th grade, at the age of 13, Tara would be told something by one of Jehovah's Witnesses in her English class that would rock her world...

Treated terribly by those that were supposed to protect and love her, Sam looked to things like baptism and being "The Bible Girl" at school to escape into serving a god that she was also seeking love from. She tried...

Dino, a Shunned Podcast veteran, came up with an idea to reach out to convention locations for Jehovah's Witnesses to challenge their messaging that is featured, at times, even on the campuses of institutions that they...

Thank you to all of the wonderful people that donated this year for our "day" of giving. Because so much is received, it takes more than a day, but we were able to do the following in September and October 2024. An...

Imagine feeling that you have to run away from your family, leaving them physically, so that you can hope to continue to have them in your life through the bond of a cult. For Jodi, this was a reality. She knew that if...

Young Kenesha knew from the time that she was a teacher's pet in school that she wanted to be "the good one". Growing up in a life that she hated as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, Kenesha continued trying to be "the good...