Divorcing Religion
Hosted by Divorcing Religion
A former fundamentalist interviews experts on healing from religious trauma and deconstructing high-control beliefs about power, sex, and identity.
This show is an educational and supportive resource for people recovering from high-control religious environments. It functions as both an interview platform for leading experts on cults and trauma, and as a public archive for presentations from the host's 'Shameless Sexuality' conference. The content is direct, academic, and centered on providing tools and understanding for survivors.
“The show's blend of formats is unique, moving between deep-dive, peer-level interviews with academics and recordings of conference presentations where the host acts as a moderator. This provides both theoretical understanding and practical, community-focused discussions.”
Who hosts this show
Hosted by Janice Selbie, a Religious Trauma Consultant (RTC) and former fundamentalist Christian. The podcast serves as a resource for those leaving high-control religions, featuring interviews with authors, researchers, and advocates on topics of deconstruction, trauma, and personal empowerment. Selbie draws on her own experience of leaving a pastor-husband and a deeply religious life to guide conversations about rebuilding life on new terms.
Credentials & credits
- Master Practitioner in Clinical Counselling (MPCC)
- Registered Professional Counsellor (RPC)
- Religious Trauma Consultant (RTC)
- Author, "Divorcing Religion: A Memoir and Survival Handbook"
- Founder, Conference on Religious Trauma (CORT)
- Founder, Shameless Sexuality: Life After Purity Culture Conference
Other ventures
- Shameless Sexuality: Life After Purity Culture Conference
- Conference on Religious Trauma (CORT)
- Divorcing Religion Workshop
- Sex & Power Podcast
- Religious trauma counselling/coaching practice
What kind of podcast
- Country
- Canada
- Region
- north america
When new episodes drop
- 01SS2025 Glenda JordanJun 23, 2026 · 1h 00m
- 02Dr. Janja Lalich: Exploitation of Women In CultsMay 29, 2026 · 56 min
- 03SS2025 Darrel RayApr 28, 2026 · 1h 52m
- 04Shameless Sexuality 2025: Tessi Muskrat - Voices from the BedroomApr 8, 2026 · 53 min
- 05Sex & Power: SAMMY - Satire, Apostasy, and the Power of Haram DoodlesApr 7, 2026 · 51 min
- 06Sex & Power: Katherine Spearing - Healing After Spiritual AbuseMar 25, 2026 · 57 min
- 07Melissa Duge Spiers - HOLY DISOBEDIENCE: GOOD GIRL GONE WILDMar 11, 2026 · 1h 05m
- 08Shameless Sexuality 2025: Mike Phillips - The Mechanism of Sexual ShameMar 9, 2026 · 58 min
Notable episodes
- 01Dr. Janja Lalich: Exploitation of Women In Cults
A deep-dive with a world-renowned cult expert, it clearly defines the show's academic rigor and focus on systemic control rather than just individual belief.
- 02SS2025 Darrel Ray
Exemplifies the 'Shameless Sexuality' conference format and the show's direct, unapologetic approach to deconstructing religious shame around topics like masturbation and porn.
- 03Shameless Sexuality 2025: Tessi Muskrat - Voices from the Bedroom
Highlights the show's commitment to new research, featuring a doctoral student presenting data-driven findings on healing from purity culture.
What you'll be asked on this show
Janice Selbie employs a dual-mode interview style depending on the format. In one-on-one conversations, she establishes a knowledgeable, peer-to-peer rapport, often using recent news events to launch into deeper theoretical discussions with her expert guests. She allows guests ample time to explain complex concepts without interruption. In the conference recordings, her role shifts to that of a moderator; she provides a warm, detailed introduction for the speaker and then fields questions from the audience during the Q&A portion, sometimes adding her own brief commentary for context.
The show alternates between two primary formats. One is a long-form, conversational interview with an expert guest, where Janice Selbie engages as a knowledgeable peer. The other is a recording of a live conference presentation, where she introduces the speaker and facilitates an audience Q&A session afterward.
Questions Divorcing Religion keeps coming back to
12 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when Divorcing Religion reaches for it.
origin
1- Q.01
“When did you personally decide to [change your path/try this life], coming from purity culture?”
Host asks this to ground the guest's expertise in their personal journey of deconstruction.
process
3- Q.01
“How do cult leaders use sexuality and intimacy as tools of domination?”
A direct, thematic question to establish the mechanics of control discussed in the episode.
- Q.02
“Can you explain your concept of 'bounded choice' and how it relates to consent?”
Used to have an expert guest define a key theoretical concept from their own research.
- Q.03
“How are practical matters like STIs and STDs navigated in polyamorous relationships?”
This is a frequently relayed audience question addressing health and safety concerns.
controversy
4- Q.01
“Do you see a connection between sexual repression in churches and the epidemic of sexual assault?”
This question links religious doctrine directly to harmful, real-world consequences.
- Q.02
“If exploitation is structural, what does accountability for leaders actually look like?”
Pushes beyond theory to explore practical justice and consequences for perpetrators.
- Q.03
“Is the 'higher power' concept in Sex Addicts Anonymous just religious BS or a coping mechanism?”
A skeptical question challenging the underpinnings of a well-known recovery program.
- Q.04
“You mentioned 'unicorn hunting' negatively. Can you elaborate on why that is?”
Asks the guest to clarify jargon and explore ethical nuances within a subculture.
personal
2- Q.01
“Was there anything particularly surprising to you in your research?”
A way to elicit the guest's personal reflections and takeaways from their own work.
- Q.02
“Did you raise your children in a sex-positive environment and what do they think of your work?”
This question explores how a guest applies their public philosophies in their private life.
advice
1- Q.01
“How can people protect themselves and create more awareness about cults?”
Moves the conversation towards actionable advice for the listener.
future
1- Q.01
“How can people find you and your work?”
A standard closing question to direct the audience to the guest's resources.
Signature segments
- · Recordings from the 'Shameless Sexuality' conference
- · Interviews with academics and authors
- · Tagline: "Real talk at the intersections of sex, power, oppression, and liberation."
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically academics, authors, psychologists, and founders of organizations specializing in cults, coercive control, religious trauma, and sexuality. Many, like Dr. Janja Lalich and Dr. Darrel Ray, are leading authorities in their respective fields.
- Glenda Jordanon SS2025 Glenda Jordan
- Dr. Janja Lalichon Dr. Janja Lalich: Exploitation of Women In Cults
- Dr. Darrel Rayon SS2025 Darrel Ray
- Tessi Muskraton Shameless Sexuality 2025: Tessi Muskrat - Voices from the Bedroom
- Sammy (Haram Doodles)on Sex & Power: SAMMY - Satire, Apostasy, and the Power of Haram Doodles
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
Sponsors are highly aligned with the show's niche, including other podcasts on sexuality and religion, therapy services, and coaching for those leaving religion. Examples include Recovering from Religion and the Savage Lovecast.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch Divorcing Religion
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People also ask
- What is the host's real name and background?
- The host is Janice Selbie, a Master Practitioner in Clinical Counselling who was formerly a devout fundamentalist Christian for 40 years before leaving the faith.
- What is the format of the show?
- The show primarily features two formats: long-form interviews with experts on religious trauma and cults, and recordings of presentations from the 'Shameless Sexuality: Life After Purity Culture' conference that Janice organizes.
- Is this podcast still active?
- Yes, the podcast is active, releasing episodes on a regular basis.
- Who is this podcast for?
- It's for anyone healing from religious trauma, deconstructing their faith, or leaving a high-control group. It is also a resource for therapists and coaches in the field.
- What is the 'Shameless Sexuality' conference?
- It is an online conference founded by Janice Selbie that features experts on sexuality and religious trauma to educate clinicians and empower survivors of Purity Culture.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The podcast is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other major podcast platforms.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Divorcing Religion Official Websitedivorcing-religion.com
- [02]About Janice Selbiedivorcing-religion.com
- [03]The Divorcing Religion Podcastdivorcing-religion.com
- [04]Shameless Sexuality Conferenceshamelesssexuality.com
- [05]Janice Selbie, Author Pagedivorcing-religion.com
- [06]Divorcing Religion YouTube Channelyoutube.com
- [07]The Divorcing Religion Podcast on Podchaserpodchaser.com
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