The Mind & Body’s Connection to Religious Trauma

Almost Awakened

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 bizarre medical stories and neuroscience-backed insights, we expose how the brain can misfire protective signals, trapping us in cycles of suffering with no clear physical cause. But we don’t stop at science. We take a hard look at how religious trauma—especially from high-demand systems like Mormonism—can sabotage the nervous system, teaching us to fear our own instincts and stay hypervigilant in the name of obedience. From chronic pain to panic attacks to unexplained sickness, we reveal how trauma—spiritual or otherwise—can become embedded in the body… and how healing is possible. If you’ve ever wondered why you still feel unsafe, even when you’re “out,” or why your symptoms don’t match your diagnosis—this is the episode that connects the dots.