Episode Summary
In this episode, Cait bravely opens up about her upbringing within the Christian Patriarchy movement. Detailing its impact on her childhood and family dynamics. She sheds light on what it meant to be a stay-at-home daughter within the Quiverful movement and how it affected her mental health, leading to struggles with religious OCD and identity.
We delve into her delayed adolescence and highlights from her upbringing, reflecting on the complexities with both light and shade. Cait candidly discusses her personal relationship with God, shaped by authoritarian and masculine perceptions. She shares her journey of leaving her authoritative home through courtship and reintegrating into mainstream society, including her diagnosis of PTSD.
Cait recounts her transition away from the church and the process of building her own spirituality, influenced by newfound access to critical thinking during college. We explore her healing journey over the past 11 years, highlighting sources of joy and peace in her life today. Cait also discusses the experience of writing her memoir, "Rift: A Memoir of Breaking Away from Christian Patriarchy," and offers insightful advice to those beginning their own deconstruction journey.
More About Cait
Cait West is a writer and editor based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Her work has been published in The Revealer, Religion Dispatches, Fourth Genre, and Hawai`i Pacific Review, among others. As an advocate and a survivor of the Christian patriarchy movement, she serves on the editorial board for Tears of Eden, a non-profit providing resources for survivors of spiritual abuse, and co-hosts the podcast Survivors Discuss.
Her debut, Rift: A Memoir of Breaking Away from Christian Patriarchy, was published on April 30, 2024.
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Cait’s Website - https://www.caitwest.com/
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