Almost Awakened – Almost Awakened
by Brittney Hartley & Bill Reel · 174 episodes
ReligionSpirituality
Awake Enough To Question, Grounded Enough To Grow
Latest episodes
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34 min
Mormonism: A Narcissistic System: Why It’s Never Enough
What if the reason you felt like you were never enough… wasn’t you? In this episode, Teresa explores the striking parallels between narcissistic relationship dynamics and high-dema…
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1 h 15
Reclaiming the Forbidden: Sex, Power, and the Life Force Religion Suppressed
You were never broken. You were disconnected. In this unforgettable episode of Almost Awakened, we sit down with Kimberly Bryant — also known as Miss Bliss — a dominatrix and intim…
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1 h 09
Hive Mind or Human Freedom? The Ethics of Pluribus
What if humanity suddenly shared one mind? In this episode, Bill Reel and Britt Hartley dive into the provocative sci-fi film Pluribus and unpack the ethical, psychological, and ex…
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1 h 47
Stealing from Religion Without Losing Your Soul
What happens after you leave religion — but still feel a deep pull toward meaning, ritual, spirituality, or transcendence? In this conversation, Bill Reel and Britt Hartley sit dow…
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1 h 40
Reason & Religion: Austin DiValentino
What happens when reason starts questioning itself? In this episode of Almost Awakened, Britt Hartley and Bill Reel sit down with Austin DiValentino, creator of the rapidly growing…
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1 h 52
Rainn Wilson – Soul Boom
In this episode of Almost Awakened, we sit down with Rainn Wilson, best known to many as Dwight Schrute from The Office, for a wide-ranging conversation on spirituality, meaning, a…
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28 min
The Hardest Part of Leaving Religion: On Loss of Community
The Hardest Part of Leaving Religion: On Loss of Community Leaving religion often comes with a sense of relief, clarity, and freedom, but for many people, the hardest part isn’t th…
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33 min
I’m Not Ok Unless You’re Ok: Codependency & Mormonism
In this solo episode of the Almost Awakened Podcast, Teresa Hobbs explores codependency through a nervous-system and systems lens, with a specific focus on why high-demand religiou…
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1 h 06
Navigating Mixed-Faith Holidays Without Losing Your Mind (or Your Family)
Getting together with family during the holidays can be beautiful… or it can feel like stepping into a spiritual escape room you never signed up for. In this episode of Almost Awak…
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1 h 15
Purity Culture & Sexual Shame
Purity culture didn’t begin with religion, it began with control. In this episode, Teresa and Bill explore how ancient systems of ownership and inheritance evolved into moral laws…
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1 h 21
Shame as Control Unmasking the Manipulation
In this episode of Almost Awakened, we dig into the emotional weapon that too many of us have been shaped by—shame. Bill and Teresa break down how unhealthy systems—religious, fami…
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2 h 18
Fragilization: What Happens When We Over-Identify with Our Wounds
What happens when trauma awareness turns into over-protection, and healing gets stuck in the identity of what harmed us? In this episode of Almost Awakened, Teresa Hobbs and Bill R…
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2 h 04
Holy Boundaries or Holy Control? Learning What Safety Really Feels Like
In this episode of Almost Awakened, Bill and Teresa explore one of the most misunderstood aspects of emotional health, boundaries. We unpack what safe and unsafe boundaries look li…
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1 h 21
Holy Manipulation: Gaslighting in High-Demand Faiths
What happens when your church convinces you that your own memories, questions, and feelings can’t be trusted? In this episode of Almost Awakened, Bill Reel and Teresa Hobbs unpack…
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1 h 27
Opposing Viewpoints: Religious Apologists V. Critics
The Almost Awakened Podcast is planning out a “Opposing Viewpoints” series and in this first episode of our new Opposing Viewpoints series, Bill shares a recent confrontation he ha…
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46 min
Why You Can’t Sit Still: Mindfulness, Trauma, and the Nervous System
In this episode of the Almost Awakened Podcast, Bill Reel and Teresa Hobbs explore why stillness can feel so uncomfortable, especially for those recovering from religious trauma, c…
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1 h 09
From Obedience to Integrity [Part 2]
In this episode of Almost Awakened, Bill and Teresa explore the transformative shift from external obedience to internal integrity. What happens when we stop living by someone else…
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1 h 23
From Obedience to Integrity: Rebuilding Identity from the Inside Out PART 1
[Almost Awakened Ep: 191] What happens when obedience no longer defines you? In this episode, we explore the tender, disorienting, and ultimately liberating journey of shifting fro…
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1 h 56
What Healthy Relationships Do Differently !
Why do some relationships thrive after conflict while others crumble? What if conflict wasn’t the problem in your relationships—but the key to deeper connection? In this powerful e…
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1 h 48
The Mind & Body’s Connection to Religious Trauma
In this powerful episode, we explore the fascinating—and at times unsettling—truth that your body can carry pain, anxiety, and illness long after the danger is gone. Through bizarr…