Tia LevingsEvery podcast appearance, updated as new ones drop

Tia Levings is the New York Times bestselling author of A Well-Trained Wife and her newest book, I Belong to Me . She survived a Christian patriarchy cult, escaped a near murder-suicide, was excommunicated for telling her own story, and spent 15 years in intensive trauma therapy doing the work to put herself back together. Now she's handing you the map to healing from religious trauma. In this episode, Tia and I dig into the real mechanics of religious trauma recovery: why your body refuses to believe you're safe even when your brain knows it, what "aftermath" actually means (it's an agricultural word, and it will change how you see your own devastation), why grief work is not optional, and what agency has to do with the entire trajectory of your healing. Key Takeaways: What does it actually mean to "belong to yourself" after religious trauma has dismantled your sense of identity from the inside out? Why trauma survivors often write, speak, and even think about themselves in the passive voice, and what that reveals about the agency that was quietly stolen from them What the agricultural origin of the word "aftermath" tells us about why the most painful, raw season of your healing is also the most generative Why anger and bitterness after religious trauma aren't signs that something is wrong with you, and what they're actually trying to show you How complex PTSD can keep a survivor locked in survival mode for years, making life-altering decisions in a state of ongoing shock without ever realizing it Get Tia’s books: A Well Trained Wife I Belong to Me Follow Tia everywhere on social media! Her handle is @tialevingswriter Get Today’s Free Resource: 📒 Take a free Emotional Abuse Assessment by going to emotionalabusequiz.com I will also send you my weekly Hope Letters for Christian women in emotionally and spiritually abusive marriages.

Media inquiries: https://www.sonsofpatriarchy.com/contact Patreon: patreon.com/sonsofpatriarchy Website: sonsofpatriarchy.com Email us: contact@sonsofpatriarchy.com I had the opportunity to sit down with Tia Levings to talk about her 2024 memoir, A Well-Trained Wife, her journey through the Patirarchy. Our second-to-last episode of Season 1, Tia's story weaves through every theme we have covered in this series. She made stops in the IBLP, Gothard, SBC, PCA, and CREC circles. She was controlled, manipulated, silenced, abused, and more. She was nearly sacrificed to the Patriarchy, on the altar of the cult. But she got out. May her story help you too. Buy Tia Levings' book here: A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy Follow Tia Levings on here: Decontrusting Fundamentalism Sons of Patriarchy is brought to you by Producer, Writer, Editor, and Host: Peter Bell Original Music, Sound Design, and Mixing: https://aaronfeeneymusic.com/ Assistant Producer: Examining Doug Wilson and Moscow Social Media: Sarah Bader Graphic Design: Anonymous Survivors FOR THE SURVIVORS.

Is “Biblical patriarchy” stripping women of their autonomy? We’re joined LIVE today with former “Fundamentalist Trad Wife” and author, Tia Levings, to discuss Pastor Dale Partridge’s dangerous, prescriptive opinions for young girls. Click here to watch on YouTube Watch the latest interview with Tia Watch our initial interview with Tia Pt 2 with Tia Find and support Tia! Order “I Belong to Me” (Book and website): https://tialevings.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/tialevingswriter/ Substack: https://tialevings.substack.com/ Linktree: http://linktr.ee/TiaLevings Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon **Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.** See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

This week, Mallory Hagan and Maggie Gehlsen-Burnett sit down with Tia Levings , bestselling author of A Well Trained Wife . You may remember Tia from her first appearance on Pretty Furious . Tia just released her second book, I Belong to Me, which continues her story of healing and recovery from high-control religion. On this episode, the trio dives into the coordinated machinery behind the war on women’s autonomy, including Christian patriarchy, the pronatalist movement, and the trad wife algorithm. In addition, Tia breaks down pastor Dale Partridge’s campaign to repeal the 19th Amendment and push women out of public life entirely. Tia also explains why the trad wife aesthetic, which is growing in popularity on social media, is so seductive. FOLLOW: * Follow us on Instagram * Follow us on TikTok * Follow us on Substack * Subscribe on YouTube * Spotify * Apple Podcasts * Be sure to ollow our parent network, The Siren This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit prettyfuriouspod.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, host Rachel Bernstein welcomes back author Tia Levings to discuss her new book, ' I Belong to Me: A Survivor’s Guide to Recovery and Hope After Religious Trauma.' Tia opens up about surviving church-sanctioned domestic abuse and the long, deliberately paced process of rebuilding selfhood after leaving Christian patriarchy. She and Rachel explore how reclaiming body awareness, personal boundaries, and the simple practice of "I statements" can counter indoctrination. The conversation moves through the disorientation and shock that follow leaving a high-control environment or cult, the heightened vulnerability to further exploitation, and the grief of being exiled from former communities. Tia and Rachel discuss how reframing language can reduce shame, and why relearning consent and the freedom to say "no" is central to recovery. They also examine "story wounds," the mistranslations used to uphold patriarchal systems, the lasting harms of religious patriarchy, and a nuanced understanding of forgiveness — one framed not as obligation, but as a release that becomes possible only after tending to the injury and refusing self-betrayal. This episode of IndoctriNation explores religious trauma, coercive control, spiritual abuse, fundamentalism recovery, and the path to reclaiming autonomy and identity after a high-control group. Tia’s Links Book: https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/belong-to-me-9781250374271/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tialevingswriter/ Linktree: https://linktr.ee/TiaLevings Connect with us on social media: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/indoctrination⁠⁠ Support IndoctriNation on Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes and more: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination⁠ Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link: https://www.paypal.biz/indoctriNATION Watch full video episodes of IndoctriNation here: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAi0T2hzH9dM029dkTfj635PzuXl67jS⁠⁠ Restart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation: https://a.co/d/1ssz4Rm Restart and Restore: Companion Notebook: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSCLTZN4 Download a Free Chapter from Restart and Restore: https://education.rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restart-and-restore-campaign Journal App: https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restore-journal-app.html Download Rachel’s Video Lectures and Webinars here: https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/videos.html IndoctriNation is edited by The Podcast Consultant: ⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com/about Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Send us Fan Mail What does it really take to build a writing career out of your hardest story and stay whole while doing it? In this episode, I sit down with author Tia Levings, whose memoir A Well-Trained Wife has become an increasingly timely reckoning with religious trauma, patriarchy, and survival. With her second book I Belong to Me just hitting shelves, Tia pulls back the curtain on navigating back-to-back book launches, genre-hopping with intention, and growing a 110,000-follower platform without burning out or exploiting your own pain. If you've ever wondered how to turn a cooked story into a sustainable career, this conversation is for you. Episode Highlights: 05:23 When Your Story Becomes the Work 13:11 The Cost of Visibility and Finding Regulation 24:25 Where Memoir and Self-Help Meet 35:12 Doing the Work Without Getting Stuck in It Resources for this Episode: Order I Belong To Me Get Your Free Human Design Report Register for Build an Author Platform that Aligns with Your Design and Nervous System Ditch Your Inner Critic Now Tia’s Bio: Tia Levings is The New York Times Bestselling author of A Well-Trained Wife, her memoir of escape from Christian Patriarchy. She writes about the realities of religious trauma, evangelical patriarchy, and the Trad wife life, decoding the fundamentalist influences in our news and culture. Her work and quotes have appeared in Teen Vogue, Salon, Newsweek , and the HuffingtonPost . She also appeared in the hit Amazon docu-series, Shiny Happy People. Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, she is mom to four incredible adults and likes to travel, hike, paint, and daydream. Find her on social media @TiaLevingsWriter. Her second book, I Belong to Me , releases May 5, 2026. Connect with Tia: Read Tia Levings, Writer on Substack ] Instagram: ⁠ @tialevingswriter⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: @tialevingswriter⁠⁠ Building Better Memoir Scenes: https://janefriedman.com/building-better-memoir-scenes-with-lisa-cooper-ellison/ Connect with your host, Lisa: Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/ Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

Tia Levings is talking to The Happily Never After about her escape from Christian fundamentalism, domestic abuse, and her journey to healing. She is the New York Times bestselling author of The Well-Trained Wife . Her new book I Belong to Me offers a first-hand account of overcoming deep indoctrination, psychological abuse, and building a new, authentic life. Tia talks about the links between her experiences and Christian nationalism, political power, and the fight to strip away women’s rights, all rooted in a strategic effort to uphold particular visions of control and dominance.You'll hear key insights on: The spiritual practices and pressure tactics that keep women obedient and unheard The high-control religious practices that silence questions about health, safety, and bodily autonomy How the “Quiverfull” movement aims to swell the ranks of white Christian supremacy The not-so-subtle ways legal and societal restrictions are aligned with religious agendas, threatening women’s freedom The healing journey from religious trauma to sovereignty, empowering survivors to break free and rebuild their lives Tia's work sheds light on the intersection of faith, trauma, and political power, sharing her journey in an effort to empower others. ABOUT TIA LEVINGS Tia Levings is the New York Times Bestselling author of A Well-Trained Wife , her memoir of escape from Christian Patriarchy. She writes about the realities of religious trauma, evangelical patriarchy, and the trad wife life, decoding the fundamentalist influences in our news and culture. Her work and quotes have appeared in Teen Vogue , Salon , Newsweek , and The Huffington Post . She also appeared in the hit Amazon docu-series, Shiny Happy People . Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, she is mom to four incredible adults and likes to travel, hike, paint, and daydream. Find her on social media @TiaLevingsWriter. Her second book, I Belong to Me , releases May 5, 2026. ABOUT THE HAPPILY NEVER AFTER The Happily Never After is a podcast that features stories of big endings that led to personal breakthroughs. While endings can hurt, they also provide opportunities to heal and grow, and sometimes, they even set us free. Endings can offer an opportunity to begin anew, in a better way, and that’s what we’re here to talk about. New episodes every Tuesday. Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @thatheathermcg⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on IG for related content and discussion. Read The Happily Never After on Substack at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thehappilyneverafter.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about Heather McG at ⁠⁠⁠www.heathermcg.com

What does it mean to own yourself after years of being told your body, voice, and choices belonged to someone else? Join us for a conversation with New York Times bestselling author Tia Levings as she unpacks the concept of autonomy as both a psychological milestone and a direct act of resistance against cult control. We talk about reclaiming autonomy in our minds, hearts, and bodies, how “should” is one of the most dangerous words in the recovery space, and how fundamentalism is a structure of thought that can show up along any spectrum. We explore the tension between silence as both safety and complicity, and how survivors can learn to wield their voice (and their quiet) with intention and autonomy. You’ll also hear about: What fundamentalism actually is at its core How to identify when a religious environment has become harmful How pressure to share your story can replicate religious coercion How religious indoctrination interrupts natural psychological development Why belonging should never require surrendering your individuality Guest Spotlight ✨ Tia Levings is the New York Times Bestselling author of A Well-Trained Wife , her memoir of escape from Christian Patriarchy. She writes about the realities of Christian fundamentalism, evangelical patriarchy, and religious trauma. Her work has appeared in Teen Vogue, Salon, the Huffington Post, and Newsweek. She also appeared in the hit Amazon docu-series, Shiny Happy People. Based in North Carolina, she is mom to four incredible adults and likes to travel, hike, paint, and daydream. Links & Resources 🔗 Website | Instagram | Substack I Belong to Me by Tia Levings | Amazon | Bookshop A Well-Trained Wife by Tia Levings | Amazon | Bookshop ————— We need your help. Your gift of just $25 will make a big difference and help us continue this work. Donate today . ————— Sign up to receive our weekly Podcast Newsletter with new episodes, updates, exclusive discounts, and more! Subscribe using your favorite podcast app: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube Leave us a rating and review on Apple or on Spotify . This all helps us to grow and continue providing quality content for you and our community of listeners. ————— As an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Freelance Writing Direct chats with Tia Levings about writing a memoir of escape, and how strong scenes, structure, and editorial choices turn personal experience into a powerful narrative. Tia Levings is the New York Times bestselling author of A Well-Trained Wife, a memoir about her escape from Christian patriarchy and high-control religious culture. She writes about religious trauma, evangelical influence, and the cultural forces shaping women's lives today. Her work has appeared in Teen Vogue , Salon , Newsweek , and The Huffington Post , and she was featured in the Shiny Happy People docuseries. Her next book, I Belong to Me, releases May 2026. In this episode, Estelle Erasmus and Tia Levings discuss: How to turn lived experience into a compelling, page-turning memoir Why choosing the right scenes matters more than including everything that happened The difference between situation and story, and how it shapes narrative drive How to weave research and cultural context into memoir without slowing the pace Writing about trauma while maintaining momentum and reader engagement The role of developmental editing in strengthening structure and emotional build How to create a memoir that resonates beyond your personal experience Why memoir is not a "parade of bad things," but a search for meaning and connection Crafting chapter endings that keep readers turning the page Building a platform and expanding your story into broader cultural impact Tia also shares how she broke free from a high-control environment, how visibility became a form of safety, and how storytelling can create both personal healing and collective awareness. Watch on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6kJKMI77Go Links & Resources: Follow Tia Levings on social media: @TiaLevingsWriterEstelle's website: https://estelleserasmus.com Watch Estelle's TEDx Talk How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpcWmjpzSIQ NEW Substack post: A Recap of the Editor-on-Call Event with Susan Dabbar of PROVOKEDmagazine. All the intel you need to get published there. https://estelleserasmus.substack.com/p/how-to-pitch-provokedmagazine-inside Subscribe for exclusive info and podcast clips: https://estelleserasmus.substack.com About Estelle Erasmus Estelle Erasmus is an NYU writing professor, former magazine editor-in-chief, TEDx speaker, and the author of Writing That Gets Noticed, named a Best Book for Writers by Poets & Writers. She is also the host of the award-winning podcast Freelance Writing Direct, where she shares insider strategies on craft, publishing, and building a writing career. Enjoying the show Follow, rate, and review Freelance Writing Direct on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and watc

Send us Fan Mail Tia Levings is back, and this time she's brought the book so many of you have been waiting for — I Belong to Me , a survivor's guide to recovery and hope after religious trauma, and the follow-up to her memoir A Well-Trained Wife . After thousands of women slid into her DMs asking how did you heal, how do I find myself again , Tia sat down and wrote the guide she wished she'd had. In this conversation, we get into what religious trauma actually is and why therapists are only now starting to name it, how spiritual bypassing uses faith language to invalidate your pain, and why the period right after you leave a high-control church or marriage is actually when you're most vulnerable — not most free. We also talk about why your voice and your sexuality are twin wounds that heal together, how to start building boundaries when you've never been allowed to have any, and why real recovery eventually means sitting with your own complicity — not to shame yourself, but to finally choose something different. If you've ever wondered was what I went through actually trauma, and can I actually heal from it — this episode is for you. TO SUPPORT US: Join our Patreon for as little as $5 a month to support our work (and get access to the book club!) And check out our Merch, or any of our courses ! Give to the Good Fruit Faith Initiative of the Bosko Foundation Join our email list! LINKS MENTIONED: I Belong to Me by Tia Levings — Release Date: May 5th — Pre-Order Now ! Listen to Tia's first episode with us on her book The Well Trained Wife Support the show Join Sheila at Bare Marriage.com ! Check out her books: The Great Sex Rescue She Deserves Better The Marriage You Want and the Study Guide The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex and The Good Guy's Guide to Great Sex And she has an Orgasm Course and a Libido course too! Check out all her courses, FREE resources, social media, books, and so much more at Sheila's LinkTree.

This week, I had the pleasure to interview returning guest Tia Levings about her new book I Belong To Me: A Survivor's Guide to Recovery and Hope After Religious Trauma . Tia explains that while her first memoir A Well-Trained Wife told the story of escaping an abusive marriage rooted in Christian patriarchy--and the teachings of figures like Bill Gothard and James Dobson--this new book is a self-help guide chronicling how she rebuilt herself over a decade of healing. We also explore the broader reach of Christian nationalism, including Doug Wilson's growing political influence through figures like Pete Hegseth, and how fundamentalist movements groom people for obedience and abuse through purity culture, corporal punishment, and high-control dynamics. Tia shares practical insights from her recovery journey, including EMDR, internal family systems therapy, somatic work, and grounding techniques. She emphasizes treating triggers as information rather than threats, the importance of tending to the "aftermath of shock" before making major life decisions, and how unhealed trauma can lead to "cult hopping" into new controlling relationships. She describes herself as "spiritually private," rejecting labels in favor of fluidity and self-discovery. The book is written for religious trauma survivors but has resonated widely with anyone leaving high-control environments. Tia is currently working on a third book called How to Leave Anything . Find Tia's book and also her writings on her site here! Join The Dismantling Doctrine Podcast Patreon Community Email me: dismantlingdoctrine@gmail.com

This week, I had the pleasure to interview returning guest Tia Levings about her new book I Belong To Me: A Survivor's Guide to Recovery and Hope After Religious Trauma . Tia explains that while her first memoir A Well-Trained Wife told the story of escaping an abusive marriage rooted in Christian patriarchy--and the teachings of figures like Bill Gothard and James Dobson--this new book is a self-help guide chronicling how she rebuilt herself over a decade of healing. We also explore the broader reach of Christian nationalism, including Doug Wilson's growing political influence through figures like Pete Hegseth, and how fundamentalist movements groom people for obedience and abuse through purity culture, corporal punishment, and high-control dynamics. Tia shares practical insights from her recovery journey, including EMDR, internal family systems therapy, somatic work, and grounding techniques. She emphasizes treating triggers as information rather than threats, the importance of tending to the "aftermath of shock" before making major life decisions, and how unhealed trauma can lead to "cult hopping" into new controlling relationships. She describes herself as "spiritually private," rejecting labels in favor of fluidity and self-discovery. The book is written for religious trauma survivors but has resonated widely with anyone leaving high-control environments. Tia is currently working on a third book called How to Leave Anything . Find Tia's book and also her writings on her site here! Join The Dismantling Doctrine Podcast Patreon Community Email me: dismantlingdoctrine@gmail.com

What does it mean to heal from trauma caused by the people, beliefs, and practices of your faith? And to rebuild a sense of self, when high-control religion said you shouldn’t have one? Today, we’re joined by New York Times bestselling author of A Well-Trained Wife , Tia Levings. Her harrowing experiences provided the blueprint for Tia’s raw and unfiltered memoir about religious trauma and the insidious trappings of Christian fundamentalism. This ideology, built around patriarchal men and submissive women, provides the same foundation of today’s right-wing conservatives, underpins the MAGA movement, and is the model for today’s trad wife. In this episode, we’ll dissect some of the teachings and practices designed to stifle female agency and independence, explore Tia’s mental health journey to healing, and how her trauma became her testimony for others. In her upcoming book, I Belong to Me , Tia dives even deeper with other survivors about the healing process that comes after surviving womanhood in high-control environments. Learn more about Tia Levings: Website Instagram Facebook Learn more about Dr. Patrice: Website LinkedIn Instagram

I am so thrilled to be able to share this conversation with Tia Levings with you today because if you don't know her and her work, you need to! Tia Levings is the New York Times Bestselling author of A Well-Trained Wife, her memoir of escape from Christian Patriarchy. She writes about the realities of religious trauma and the Trad wife life, decoding the fundamentalist influences in our news and culture. Her work and quotes have appeared in Teen Vogue, Salon, the Huffington Post, and Newsweek. She also appeared in the hit Amazon docu-series, Shiny Happy People. Based in North Carolina, she is mom to four incredible adults and likes to travel, hike, paint, and daydream. Find her on social media @TiaLevingsWriter and Substack at DeconstructingFundamentalism.com. Her second book releases with St. Martin’s Essentials May 5, 2026. On this episode we talk about: Tia's incredible life story that led her to be doing the work she does today. How we see it playing out in religion, in our homes, in our own lives, in our country as a whole. What could cause a person to gravitate to fundamentalist thinking and things we can do in our lives to push back against and avoid that. Parallels between what she experienced in her religion and home and what we sometimes get sucked into in fitness and wellness spaces. The pipeline from wellness to getting red pilled and how it happens. How to embrace more both/and thinking when our own experiences (a religion, dieting, our identity, life in general) have impacted us so profoundly that we just want to scream "NO YOU'RE WRONG!". How to reconcile doing that when some people are just terrible people with harmful ideas. Simple daily practices to keep ourselves grounded in a both/and sort of reality in a world that is increasingly polarized. How to we show up in our relationships when our loved ones see things so differently than we do. Insider info she wants to share with people as someone who was in a high control religion and marriage and got out. What to do if you see yourself in her story. So many other important things! ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to Tia's Substack ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Tia on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Read Tia's book⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the Kettlebells & Chaos Challenge⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Work with me⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Recruited into the fundamentalist Quiverfull movement as a young wife, Tia Levings learned that being a good Christian meant following a list of additional life principles––a series of secret, special rules to obey. Being a godly and submissive wife in Christian Patriarchy included strict discipline, isolation, and an alternative lifestyle that appeared wholesome to outsiders. Women were to be silent, “keepers of the home.” Tia knew that to their neighbors her family was strange, but she also couldn’t risk exposing their secret lifestyle to police, doctors, teachers, or anyone outside of their church. Christians were called in scripture to be “in the world, not of it.” So, she hid in plain sight as years of abuse and pain followed. When Tia realized she was the only one who could protect her children from becoming the next generation of patriarchal men and submissive women, she began to resist and question how they lived. But in the patriarchy, a woman with opinions is in danger, and eventually, Tia faced an urgent and extreme choice: stay and face dire consequences or flee with her children. Told in a beautiful, honest, and sometimes harrowing voice, A Well-Trained Wife is an unforgettable and timely memoir about a woman’s race to save herself and her family and details the ways that extreme views can manifest in a marriage. Are you serious about deconstruction and asking bigger questions? If that’s the case, this book was created for you. As a former pastor, I made the mistake of deconstructing a bit and then trying to start something new, as I was trained to do. The problem with that approach is that I wasn’t ready to begin something new. I hadn’t delved deeply enough or asked enough questions. The first stage of

Amy is joined by author and anti-patriarchy activist Tia Levings to discuss her book A Well-Trained Wife , learning about life in a mega-church and how Christian fundamentalism is infiltrating our politics, plus unpacking the many complications that come from leaving a patriarchal community and faith. Donate to Breaking Down Patriarchy Tia Levings is a writer, creator, and content specialist. She shines light on the abuses of Christian fundamentalism to educate, validate, and empower those who feel smashed by the patriarchy to create something beautiful from pain, and because when she went through the hell of church-sanctioned violence, she felt alone, but wasn't. There are thousands of others out there. Her memoir, A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy came out in August, 2024.

What happens when the doctrines of faith and control intersect with a woman's autonomy? In this replay episode, I sat down with Tia Levings, author of the powerful memoir “A Well-Trained Wife,” and her story will leave you speechless. Tia dives deep into her experience growing up in and escaping from Christian fundamentalism and the trad wife movement— before it was even called that. We talk about how patriarchal control impacts women financially, emotionally, and physically, and how that same mindset influences the political movements we're seeing today. If you've ever wondered how personal freedom intersects with religion, politics, and financial independence, this is the episode for you. Tia’s links: Website: www.tialevings.com Tia’s book: A Well-Trained Wife To get more resources including any freebies mentioned in this episode, head to https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us Fan Mail Tia Levings joins the Writing Your Resilience Podcast to discuss her experience as a debut author, writing to heal without retraumatizing yourself, the gaslighting that happens in religion, and getting things off your chest and onto the page to educate others with your writing. As you listen to this episode, consider the following questions: What would you need to do to claim your story? What would tell you it has legs? What would you need to do to see it from a wider lens? If it is a really tough story, how would you care for yourself as you work on it? Tia is an author and guest expert who exposes the abuses in Christian Fundamentalism. She’s been quoted in Salon , the Huffington Post , and the New York Times and appeared in the hit Amazon docu-series, Shiny Happy People . Her memoir, A Well-Trained Wife , will be published August, 6, 2024 by St. Martin's Press. Online, Tia connects our current news headlines with high-control religious roots. Episode Highlights: Signals Your Project Has Legs How Writing Heals Gaslighting and Religion Finding the Wider Lens Understanding Your Boundaries Writing Without Retraumatizing Yourself Claiming Your Story Caring for the Soft Animal of Your Body Items mentioned in this episode: The Best Way to Deal with End-of_year Angst (Blog post on writing in a vacuum) Welcome to The Anti-Fundamentalist Shiny Happy People where to find it Shitty First Drafts by Anne Lamott Dr. Ramani On Gaslighting Plotting Your Novel with The Plot Clock Deep Work by Cal Newport Connect with Tia: Website: https://tialevings.com Tia’s Book: https://tialevings.com/book Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TiaLevingsWriter Facebook: https://facebook.com/TiaLevingsWriter Substack: https://tialevings.substack.com Building Better Memoir Scenes: https://janefriedman.com/building-better-memoir-scenes-with-lisa-cooper-ellison/ Connect with your host, Lisa: Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/ Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

I am so thrilled to be able to share this conversation with Tia Levings with you today because if you don't know her and her work, you need to! Tia Levings is the New York Times Bestselling author of A Well-Trained Wife, her memoir of escape from Christian Patriarchy. She writes about the realities of religious trauma and the Trad wife life, decoding the fundamentalist influences in our news and culture. Her work and quotes have appeared in Teen Vogue, Salon, the Huffington Post, and Newsweek. She also appeared in the hit Amazon docu-series, Shiny Happy People. Based in North Carolina, she is mom to four incredible adults and likes to travel, hike, paint, and daydream. Find her on social media @TiaLevingsWriter and Substack at DeconstructingFundamentalism.com. Her second book releases with St. Martin’s Essentials May 5, 2026. On this episode we talk about: Tia's incredible life story that led her to be doing the work she does today. How we see it playing out in religion, in our homes, in our own lives, in our country as a whole. What could cause a person to gravitate to fundamentalist thinking and things we can do in our lives to push back against and avoid that. Parallels between what she experienced in her religion and home and what we sometimes get sucked into in fitness and wellness spaces. The pipeline from wellness to getting red pilled and how it happens. How to embrace more both/and thinking when our own experiences (a religion, dieting, our identity, life in general) have impacted us so profoundly that we just want to scream "NO YOU'RE WRONG!". How to reconcile doing that when some people are just terrible people with harmful ideas. Simple daily practices to keep ourselves grounded in a both/and sort of reality in a world that is increasingly polarized. How to we show up in our relationships when our loved ones see things so differently than we do. Insider info she wants to share with people as someone who was in a high control religion and marriage and got out. What to do if you see yourself in her story. So many other important things! ⁠⁠Subscribe to Tia's Substack ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow Tia on Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Read Tia's book⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the Kettlebells & Chaos Challenge⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Work with me⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tia Levings is an author and advocate who writes and speaks about the realities of Christian fundamentalism, evangelical patriarchy, and religious trauma. Her memoir, A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy , was released on August 6, 2024. In her memoir, Levings recounts her journey into and out of the fundamentalist Quiverfull movement. Married at 19, she was indoctrinated into a belief system that emphasized strict discipline, isolation, and the submission of women as "keepers of the home." Her husband exerted extreme control over her life, dictating everything from her clothing to her daily activities, and subjected her to physical and sexual abuse—all sanctioned by their church. Levings details how she was taught to be more submissive and to accept abuse as part of her role. One night, when she realized she and her children wouldn't live, she fled. Levings' story sheds light on the hidden abuses within certain fundamentalist Christian communities and serves as a testament to resilience and the pursuit of freedom. Her work continues to educate and empower others who have experienced similar forms of religious trauma

370. How to Know if You’re in a Cult with Tia Levings (Pt. 2) Glennon, Amanda, and Abby welcome back Tia Levings for part two of this amazing conversation on her experience leaving a high control Christian Fundamentalist cult. Tia shares her experience leaving the church and her husband and offers advice for others in a similar situation. Discover: -The life-saving power of women sharing their stories—and why it threatens patriarchy -How she finally heard her own voice—and how you can find yours, too -Why people crave fundamentalism—and a solution they’re searching for -Tia’s life-saving advice for women escaping abuse or high-control groups More on Tia: Tia Levings is the New York Times Bestselling author of A Well-Trained Wife , her memoir of escape from Christian Patriarchy. She writes about the realities of Christian fundamentalism, evangelical patriarchy, and religious trauma. She also appeared in the hit Amazon docu-series, Shiny Happy People . Based in North Carolina, she is mom to four incredible adults and likes to travel, hike, paint, and daydream. Find her on social media @TiaLevingsWriter.

A few months ago I caught up with author Tia Levings to discuss her new book, A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy . Tia is perhaps best known for her viral TikTok video, "Fundy Baby Voice"--and she knows what she's talking about. A product of the Bill Gothard "cult without walls," Tia was raised in the "modesty culture" and taught what it meant to be a "well-trained wife"--the so-called tradwife tradition so familiar to the Christian patriarchy and Quiverfull cultures. But after experiencing severe cognitive dissonance when comparing how she was raised versus how she was expected to raise her own children, Tia began to question--and ultimately escaped--this cult-like environment. Tia's Book Now Available on Amazon! Join The Dismantling Doctrine Patreon Community Follow me on X @MindShift2018

A few months ago I caught up with author Tia Levings to discuss her new book, A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy . Tia is perhaps best known for her viral TikTok video, "Fundy Baby Voice"--and she knows what she's talking about. A product of the Bill Gothard "cult without walls," Tia was raised in the "modesty culture" and taught what it meant to be a "well-trained wife"--the so-called tradwife tradition so familiar to the Christian patriarchy and Quiverfull cultures. But after experiencing severe cognitive dissonance when comparing how she was raised versus how she was expected to raise her own children, Tia began to question--and ultimately escaped--this cult-like environment. Tia's Book Now Available on Amazon! Join The Dismantling Doctrine Patreon Community Follow me on X @MindShift2018

Tia Levings was trapped in a high-control religion, experiencing church-sanctioned domestic abuse at the hands of her husband. Her only relief was the Trapdoor Society online message boards where she could discuss big ideas about education and human development. Years later, she barely escaped with her and her kids’ lives. Tia joins us today for an emotional, deeply meaningful episode where we discuss our intertwined stories and her new memoir, “A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy.” Resources: Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention. Don’t miss Fall Class Registration. Full class descriptions here . Check out the Brave Writer Book Shop for Tia’s book and all other books mentioned on our podcast Learn more at TiaLevings.com Follow Tia on Instagram: @tialevings Subscribe to Tia’s Substack, “ The AntiFundamentalist ” Watch “ Shiny Happy People ” on Amazon Prime Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more! Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684 Connect with Julie: Instagram: @juliebravewriter Threads: @juliebravewriter Twitter: @bravewriter Facebook: facebook.com/bravewriter Connect with Melissa: Website: melissawiley.com Substack: melissawiley.substack.com Instagram: @melissawileybooks Twitter: @melissawiley Produced by NOVA Media

What will the future really look like under Project 2025? Tia Levings escaped an abusive marriage and has since transformed her life through years of trauma therapy. With her new book, A Well-Trained Wife, she's shedding light on the dangers of the Christian patriarchy and its insidious infiltration into American politics. Complacency is not an option. Whether you're a die-hard feminist or just beginning to question patriarchal norms, Tia Levings’ story is a powerful testament to resilience and the necessity of taking action. Buy A Well Trained Wife today ! Subscribe to Tia's Newsletter here . Subscribe to the Over the Influence Newsletter here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Send us Fan Mail She went to a flagship SBC church. She wasn’t supposed to get sucked into fundamentalism. But Tia ended up being stuck in an abusive marriage, trying to fix things by following advice from Gothard and more. It made her sick. It made her hopeless. But finally she realized, no one else is going to rescue us. I have to do this for me and the kids. And she did. Her story is riveting, touching, and relevant. Listen to a Well-Trained Wife! Our Sponsor: It's the Bible that lets girls see themselves in the story! The Kingdom Girls Bible from Zonderkidz--with profiles of all the women in the Bible (including many you may not have heard of!). It's an awesome Bible for girls 8-12--or for you too! To Support Us: Join our Patreon for as little as $5 a month to support our work For tax deductible donations in the U.S., support Good Fruit Faith Initiative through the Bosko Foundation And check out our Merch , or any of our courses ! About Tia Levings: Tia’s book, The Well-Trained Wife Find Tia on Instagram and Substack (as The Anti-Fundamentalist ) Things Mentioned in the Podcast: Tia's reel on Fundie Baby Voice The Dallas area pastors who have had to resign Support the show Join Sheila at Bare Marriage.com ! Check out her books: The Great Sex Rescue She Deserves Better The Marriage You Want and the Study Guide The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex and The Good Guy's Guide to Great Sex And she has an Orgasm Course and a Libido course too! Check out all her courses, FREE resources, social media, books, and so much more at Sheila's LinkTree.

Tia Levings joins Let’s Talk Memoir for a conversation about her escape from Christian patriarchy and what she’s experienced firsthand with Christian nationalism and the Religious Right, why her story is a warning and is becoming more relevant by the day, the disempowerment and isolation of living in high control situations, trauma therapy, not exhausting readers with too much reality, comprehensive legal reviews, privacy and safety issues, composite characters, maintaining a big social media platforms as well as healthy boundaries, and her her path to publishing A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy. Also in this episode: -writing 13 drafts -working with Lisa Cooper Ellison and Jane Friedman -the querying process Books mentioned in this episode: The Situation and the Story by Vivan Gornick Seven Drafts: Self-Edit Like a Pro From Blank Page to Book by Allison K. Williams On Writing by Stephen King Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler Tia Levings is a writer and content creator who educates on the abuses of Christian fundamentalism. She recently appeared in the Amazon docuseries, Shiny Happy People. Her memoir A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy, releases with St. Martin’s Press in August of 2024. Connect with Tia: Website: https://tialevings.com Get her book: https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/well-trained-wife-9781250288288/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tialevingswriter/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tialevingswriter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TiaLevingsWriter — Ronit’s writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer’s Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts’ 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories. She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and lives in Seattle with her family where she teaches memoir workshops and is working on her next book. More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com Sign up for monthly podcast and writing updates: https://bit.ly/33nyTKd Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank Newsletter sign-up: https://ronitplank.com/#signup Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://twitter.com/RonitPlank https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank Background photo credit: Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash Headshot photo credit: Sarah Anne Photography Theme music: Isaac Joel, Dead Moll’s Fingers

Are you interested in writing a memoir? Then this episode is especially for you! We're excited to have Tia Levings @tialevingsswriter, author of the upcoming book A Well Trained Wife, as our guest for Sexvangelicals this week. Tia talks with us about: Hero's Journey Not Exploiting Your Own Story Babies and Resilience The Nuance in Deconstruction Finding Light in the Dark Honoring Our Instincts Slowing Down Write the Book The Books of Deconstruction Check out Episode #65 Banned Books: A Well Trained Wife, with Tia Levings, part 2 of 2 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Show notes and transcript are on the SV website.

Send us Fan Mail Tia Levings joins the Writing Your Resilience Podcast to discuss her experience as a debut author, writing to heal without retraumatizing yourself, the gaslighting that happens in religion, and getting things off your chest and onto the page to educate others with your writing. As you listen to this episode, consider the following questions: What would you need to do to claim your story? What would tell you it has legs? What would you need to do to see it from a wider lens? If it is a really tough story, how would you care for yourself as you work on it? Tia is an author and guest expert who exposes the abuses in Christian Fundamentalism. She’s been quoted in Salon, the Huffington Post, and the New York Times and appeared in the hit Amazon docu-series, Shiny Happy People. Her memoir, A Well-Trained Wife, will be published August, 6, 2024 by St. Martin's Press. Online, Tia connects our current news headlines with high-control religious roots. Find her work @TiaLevingsWriter on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, and through her Substack, The Anti-Fundamentalist. Episode Highlights: 10:00 Signals Your Project Has Legs 15:00: How Writing Heals 17:00 Gaslighting and Religion 20:00 Finding the Wider Lens 25:00 Understanding Your Boundaries 28:00 Writing Without Retraumatizing Yourself 35:00 Claiming Your Story 39:00 Caring for the Soft Animal of Your Body Items mentioned in this episode: The Best Way to Deal with End-of_year Angst (Blog post on writing in a vacuum) Welcome to The Anti-Fundamentalist (Post where Tia holds her book) Shiny Happy People where to find it Shitty First Drafts by Anne Lamott Dr. Ramani On Gaslighting Plotting Your Novel with The Plot Clock Deep Work by Cal Newport Connect with Tia: Website: https://tialevings.com Tia’s Book: https://tialevings.com/book Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TiaLevingsWriter Facebook: https://facebook.com/TiaLevingsWriter Substack: https://tialevings.substack.com Connect with your host, Lisa: Get Your Free Copy of Write More, Fret Less: https://lisacooperellison.com/newsletter-subscribe/ Website: https://lisacooperellison.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisacooperellison/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UColPDzpoQlVktIv7-f7ObRg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisacooperellison/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-ellison-b5483840/ Sign up for Create Your Memoir’s Beat Sheet: https://janefriedman.com/craft-your-memoirs-beat-sheet-with-lisa-cooper-ellison/ Produced by Espresso Podcast Production: https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com Building Better Memoir Scenes: https://janefriedman.com/building-better-memoir-scenes-with-lisa-cooper-ellison/ Connect with your host, Lisa: Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/ Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

Tia Levings was recruited into a Christian fundamentalist movement as a young wife. She quickly learned that being a godly and submissive wife in the Christian patriarchy included strict discipline and isolation, and required women to be silent keepers of the home. Years of pain and abuse followed. After becoming a mother, Tia realized that she was the only one who could protect her children from becoming the next generation of patriarchal men and submissive women. That's when she fled with her children. One of the things Tia says a lot that really gets to me is that if we continue to ignore the messages that the fundamental evangelical Christian community are sending out to us, then we're just plunging this country right into the near future of the book The Handmaid's Tale. Tia was a trad wife and today she is an independent woman living the kind of life she always dreamed about. She has written wisely about the inhumanity of trad wife life and why it is not something to be celebrated with beautiful images on social media. All of this is documented in Tia's new book, A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape From Christian Patriarchy and on her Substack, The Anti-Fundamentalist . You can also follow Tia on Instagram here . She is a delight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices