Sunday School Dropouts

Andrew and Laura kick off the "Advanced Sex Ed" series — a deeper dive into topics first introduced in Season 3's purity culture episodes. This opening episode tackles the question: Does "sex addiction" actually exist? They walk through clinical diagnostic frameworks, the evangelical origins of the term, and why the language of addiction may do more harm than good. The conversation weaves together research, clinical experience, and personal history to reframe so-called sex addiction as an impulse control issue rooted in emotional dysregulation, trauma, and moral incongruence — not a clinical addiction.
Resources discussed in this episode: 
Please note: the resources and references listed below are comprised of all references discussed in this podcast episode. The mentioning of a resource does not imply the host’s agreement or endorsement with the resource. 
Andrew’s 2021 post
Facing the Shadows - Patrick Carnes
Every Man’s Battle - Stephen Arterburn, Fred Stoeker, Mike Yorkey
Grubbs, J. B., Perry, S. L., Wilt, J. A., & Reid, R. C. (2019). Pornography problems due to moral incongruence: An integrative model with a systematic review and meta-analysis. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 48(2), 397–415. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-018-1248-x⁠

This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery 
The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.
The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. 
Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @andrew_kerbs
To begin working with Andrew as a coach, schedule your FREE inquiry call here
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This week we continue our deep dive into How Fascism Works by Jason Stanley, covering chapters 6 through 10: Victimhood, Law and Order, Sexual Anxiety, Sodom and Gomorrah, and Arbeit Macht Frei. We explore how these dynamics connect to high-control religion, fundamentalism, and the current political landscape. Our goal is not to tell you who to vote for — it's an invitation toward curiosity, challenging yourself, and growth.
Not sure if you’re registered to vote? Or still need to register to vote? Click here! 
Don’t know where to vote? Click this link to find your polling location! 
Resources discussed in this episode: 
How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them by Jason Stanley
American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation by Jon Meacham
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
Disciples of White Jesus - The Radicalization of American Boyhood by Rev. Angela Denker
Ordinary Men by Christopher Browning

This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery 
The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.
The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. 
Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @andrew_kerbs
To begin working with Andrew as a coach, schedule your FREE inquiry call here
Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTo...

In the season 4 premiere, we dive into Jason Stanley's book How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them, covering chapters 1 through 5. We explore how the same dynamics many of us experienced in high-control religion — the mythic past, propaganda, anti-intellectualism, unreality, and hierarchy — show up in fascist political movements, and why recognizing the overlap matters right now.
Not sure if you’re registered to vote? Or still need to register to vote? Click here! 
Don’t know where to vote? Click this link to find your polling location! 
Resources discussed in this episode: 
How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them by Jason Stanley
American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation by Jon Meacham
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
Disciples of White Jesus - The Radicalization of American Boyhood by Rev. Angela Denker
Ordinary Men by Christopher Browning
This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery 
The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.
The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. 
Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @andrew_kerbs
To begin working with Andrew as a coach, schedule your FREE inquiry call here
Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTo...

Last week the post religious/faith deconstruction community was faced with a loss of a voice and advocate in Ryan (RL) Stollar. Ryan’s death has opened up conversations that go beyond just this moment and are causing people to reflect and reconsider grief, humanity, and the complexity of life. In today’s episode, Andrew and Laura discuss some of the themes they have observed in social media spaces, their coaching sessions, and between friends and colleagues.

While this episode will not be focusing on the specifics of Ryan’s death, we will be discussing sensitive topics such as suicide, coercive control and abuse, fundamentalism, and grief. We’ll be exploring moving beyond binary, fundamentalist thinking and moving into the gray, messy space of life, holding multiple realities, and acknowledging abuse and coercion without erasing the positive contributions of someone’s life.

If you or someone you know needs support, please consider reaching out to the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery (www.traumaresolutionandrecovery.com/available-practitioners) and schedule your FREE inquiry call with a practitioner(s) of your choice.

Laura also wrote a Substack article diving further into these dynamics; you can access that article at: www.drlauraeanderson.substack.com
This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery 
The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.
The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. 
Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @andrew_kerbs
To begin working with Andrew as a coach, schedule your FREE inquiry call here
Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com 
To work with Laura as a coach, therapist, consultant, or to inquire about other services, you can do so here
Hosts: 
Laura Anderson and Andrew Kerbs
Music by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji 
This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery 
The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.
The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. 
Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @andrew_kerbs
To begin working with Andrew as a coach, schedule your FREE inquiry call here
Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTo...

In this season finale of Sunday School Dropouts, Laura and Andrew look back on a landmark season dedicated to unpacking the pervasive and lingering effects of purity culture. Reflecting on what they learned, what surprised them, and where they find hope, Laura and andrew explore how these rigid teachings extend far beyond sexual ethics into daily struggles with body image, diet culture, adult friendships, and social media dynamics. A central focus of the episode examines the connection between neurodivergence and high-control religious systems, drawing on insights from their interview with Michelle Moseley to explain why individuals with ADHD or autism can be uniquely vulnerable to these environments. The discussion also ventures into how purity culture historically intersects with power, control, and racial eugenics, while analyzing the unexpected rise of the modern manosphere and red pill culture as a new evolution of these familiar, toxic frameworks.
The episode also tackles the deep personal work required to move past religious trauma, contrasting the intellectual act of deconstructing harmful beliefs with the arduous journey of somatic and emotional healing. Laura and Andrew discuss the protective impulse to completely burn bridges when escaping high-control environments, validating it as a necessary first response for survival rather than a reckless last resort. Highlighting a massive wave of listener feedback, including a notably strong resonance from the ex-LDS community, the conversation celebrates the collective power of shared stories. Ultimately, this finale bridges the gap between uncovering past harms and looking forward, offering listeners a compassionate roadmap for reclaiming their bodies, their boundaries, and their peace.
This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery 
The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.
The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. 
Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @andrew_kerbs
To begin working with Andrew as a coach, schedule your FREE inquiry call here
Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com 
To work with Laura as a coach, therapist, consultant, or to inquire about other services, you can do so here
Hosts: 
Laura Anderson and Andrew Kerbs
Music by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji 
This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery 
The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.
The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. 
Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @andrew_kerbs
To begin working with Andrew as a coach, schedule your FREE inquiry call here
Follow Laura on Instagram and TikTo...