Alyson Thompson 6/4/26 Alyson Thompson 6/4/26

Why More Women Are Choosing Not to Marry or Have Children: Healing After High-Control Religion

Leaving high-control religion raises a question many women were trained never to ask: do I actually want this life? Is marriage really what I want? Do I actually want children? This post explores bodily autonomy, identity, and what it means to choose your own life after years of being told the choice was already made for you.

Alyson Thompson 1/26/26 Alyson Thompson 1/26/26

When the World Feels Like Too Much: Collective Trauma, the Nervous System, and Staying Human

For anyone feeling overwhelmed, unsettled, or quietly on edge right now, this post is for you. A reflection on current world events, and the need for language, context, and permission to rest without disconnecting from reality.

Alyson Thompson 10/29/25 Alyson Thompson 10/29/25

Purity Culture, Weddings, and the Weight of Belonging: The New York Times Reflections

When I was quoted in The New York Times, it reminded me how deeply purity culture and the patriarchy shapes our understanding of worth, belonging, and identity long after leaving high-control faith systems. This reflection explores the hidden weight of purity culture and what healing looks like when we begin to reclaim our stories.

Alyson Thompson 10/11/25 Alyson Thompson 10/11/25

When Prophets Die, and Violence Strikes: Holding Complexity in Mormon Transitions

Within hours, the Mormon world shifts— the prophet, Russell M. Nelson, dies, Dallin H. Oaks steps in as acting leader, and violence strikes a sacred space. In the wake of these events and General Conference, Mormons and ex-Mormons alike wrestle with faith, loyalty, grief, anger, and the weight of control. This reflection explores trauma, obedience, and what healing means after leaving the church.

Alyson Thompson 9/3/25 Alyson Thompson 9/3/25

When the Gatekeepers Die: Spiritual Abuse, Indoctrination, and Reclaiming Identity After Dobson and MacArthur

The recent deaths of James Dobson and John MacArthur mark the end of an era, and stir up complex emotions for many who grew up under their teachings. This post explores how indoctrination, spiritual abuse, and high-control religion shaped a generation, and what it means to reclaim your identity now that their voices are gone.

Alyson Thompson 8/7/25 Alyson Thompson 8/7/25

Indoctrination Part 3: Purity Culture and the Shame That Lingers

What if your worth was never meant to be defined by purity? This post explores how purity culture indoctrinates fear, shame, and disconnection from the body, especially for women, queer folks, and those raised in high-control religious systems. From modesty rules to emotional suppression, we unpack the deep wounds left behind, and what healing can look like when you begin to come home to yourself.

Alyson Thompson 6/30/25 Alyson Thompson 6/30/25

Indoctrination Part 2: When Gender Roles Become Gospel

Religious indoctrination often disguises gender roles as biblical truth, framing submission, silence, and self-sacrifice as spiritual virtues. This post unpacks how high-control religious systems shape ideas of biblical womanhood, Christian manhood, BIPOC identity, and queerness, and what healing can look like when you begin to question the script.

Alyson Thompson 6/20/25 Alyson Thompson 6/20/25

Indoctrination: How Control Is Baked Into the System

Indoctrination is often invisible while you're inside it. Only afterward do you start to see how deeply it shaped your thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors. This post explores how control gets baked into religious systems and how spiritual abuse and religious trauma can show up through teachings masked as truth.

Alyson Thompson 6/2/25 Alyson Thompson 6/2/25

Was It Spiritual Abuse? How to Recognize Religious Trauma and Begin to Heal

If you’ve ever asked “Was it spiritual abuse?”— you’re not alone. This post explores how religious trauma shows up, why it’s not just “church hurt,” and how healing can begin.

Alyson Thompson 5/19/25 Alyson Thompson 5/19/25

Leaving the LDS Church: Navigating Grief, Guilt, and Religious Trauma

Leaving the LDS Church can feel like losing your world. This post explores the grief, guilt, and religious trauma of faith transition, and how therapy can support healing.

Alyson Thompson 5/13/25 Alyson Thompson 5/13/25

Rebuilding Identity After Leaving a Cult or High-Control Group

Leaving a cult or high-control group can feel like losing yourself. This post explores how to rebuild identity, grieve what was lost, and reclaim your voice after religious trauma.

Alyson Thompson 5/8/25 Alyson Thompson 5/8/25

Jesus, the Restorer of Dignity: A Healing Reflection for Faith Deconstruction and Religious Trauma

The story of Jesus and the woman at the well reveals a radical kind of compassion— one that sees, stays, and restores dignity. For those healing from religious trauma, this story offers surprising hope.

Alyson Thompson 5/4/25 Alyson Thompson 5/4/25

Caring for Yourself After General Conference: Healing the Lingering Impact of LDS Messaging

General Conference can leave lingering emotional weight long after it ends for those leaving or questioning the LDS Church. This blog explores why and how to care for yourself with compassion.

Alyson Thompson 4/17/25 Alyson Thompson 4/17/25

Easter After Evangelicalism: Holding Grief and Beauty Following Religious Trauma

Easter can stir both tenderness and grief for those healing from religious trauma. This post explores what it means to honor loss, reclaim joy, and rediscover resurrection outside the walls of high-control religion.

Alyson Thompson 4/9/25 Alyson Thompson 4/9/25

Healing from Religious Trauma: How Lament Can Lead to Hope

Discover how the lenten season, lament, grief, and spiritual reflection can support healing from religious trauma and spiritual abuse. This post dives into reclaiming what’s sacred and finding hope after leaving or reimagining faith.

EXPLORE the BLOG