Speaking Out: Podcasting, Visibility & the Impact of Telling Our Stories

As a fellow podcaster, Sam sits down with Sarah Steel, Brian McDowell, and Troy Waller to explore the power of storytelling in the religious trauma and cult recovery space.

We talk about why podcasting is such an important medium for sharing these stories, the impact it has on both storytellers and listeners, and the responsibility that comes with holding heavy narratives. Sarah shares how she navigates telling stories of cults without sensationalism and what it’s like approaching this work without lived experience, while Brian and Troy reflect on their journey from anonymity to visibility in the podcasting space.

Together, we unpack the landscape of fundamentalism in Australia, the influence of the US on Australian churches, and the common threads of religious harm across different contexts. We also dive into the emotional weight of this work, how each of us cares for ourselves while holding these stories, and our hopes for the impact of our podcasts over time.

We acknowledge the Indigenous people of the lands we have recorded on. Our speakers and hosts are located on Aboriginal Country all across the lands now called Australia and Maori lands across Aoteoroa. We pay our respect to Indigenous elders who are custodians of these lands and extend that respect to any Indigenous people attending our event.