Hey Ex-Homies!

It’s your guy, Jacob Gooden.

This is my first crack at a newsletter and I appreciate your patience as I learn the ropes.

The goal with this newsletter is to keep you guys up to date with the Ex-Homeschoolers Club. That could be new podcast episodes, book recommendations, podcasts that homeschoolers have guested on, and whatever cool stuff is happening in the community.

This week on the podcast, I dived into When Religion Hurts You by Laura E. Anderson—a powerful book on healing from religious trauma. I shared my personal experiences with faith deconstruction, the impact of high-control religion on my mental health, and the struggle to rebuild trust and compassion in myself.

In this episode, I covered:

✔️ The nervous system & religious trauma – Why high-control religions keep us in a constant state of fear
✔️ Grieving life after religion – Understanding the different types of grief when leaving faith
✔️ Rebuilding self-trust & setting boundaries – Breaking free from religious conditioning and learning self-compassion
✔️ The good in religion – Processing the loss of positive aspects like community and structure

If you haven’t enjoyed this week episode, you can find it here:

If you’d rather listen, check it out on Spotify or Apple

Did you know we have a Reddit?

Yes, that’s right! I pulled the trigger and started a subreddit for all us ex-homies.

If that’s something you’re into, you can check it out here: https://www.reddit.com/r/exhomeschoolersclub/

Help me build this community out to best serve you guys.

Ok, I think that’s everything!

Thanks for the support and until next week,

Peace & Love

Jacob G