You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist

David Teachout is a licensed therapist specializing in religious abuse, as well as the host of Humanity’s Values podcast and author of Journeys of a Spiritual Atheist. In today’s episode, we explore: what differentiates a religion from a cult? According to David, there’s no clear distinction, but much of it comes down to mind control. How do people who have been indoctrinated into mistrusting their own minds and senses learn to regain trust in their inner guidance? And how does a fervent obsession with moral purity obscure well-intentioned people from recognizing true injustice?

Show Notes

David Teachout is a licensed therapist specializing in religious abuse, as well as the host of Humanity’s Values podcast and author of Journeys of a Spiritual Atheist. In today’s episode, we explore: what differentiates a religion from a cult? According to David, there’s no clear distinction, but much of it comes down to mind control. How do people who have been indoctrinated into mistrusting their own minds and senses learn to regain trust in their inner guidance? And how does a fervent obsession with moral purity obscure well-intentioned people from recognizing true injustice?

David Teachout is a mental health therapist and photographer, focused on and teaching how creativity intersects with mental flexibility in working through the inevitable difficulties in life. David grew up as a Christian fundamentalist, attending a bible college and receiving a bachelor’s in theology and psychology. During his studies there, David de-converted and has been on a journey of appreciating the many faces of humanity. David has a master’s in both forensic psychology and counseling psychology, and is currently at work on a doctorate in clinical psychology. David has been actively working within the field of psychology as therapist, social worker, advocate, and subject-matter-expert, for over fifteen years. In his spare time, David enjoys reading a copious amount, both fiction and non-fiction, exploring perspective through photography, and maintains a blog at www.lifeweavings.com and a podcast at www.humanitysvalues.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @lifeweavings.

In this episode several books were mentioned. You can find each of these in my bookshop or by following the Amazon affiliate links below. A small portion of each purchase helps support the show.


David Teachout’s own book: Journeys of a Spiritual Atheist

John McWhorter - Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America

Steven Hassan - Freedom of Mind: Helping Loved Ones Leave Controlling People, Cults and Beliefs

Katherine Schulz - Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error

Francis Fukuyama - Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment

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What is You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist?

A podcast at the intersection of psychology and culture that intimately explores the human experience and critiques the counseling profession. Your host, Stephanie Winn, distills wisdom gained from her practice as a family therapist and coach while pivoting towards questions of how to apply a practical understanding of psychology to the novel dilemmas of the 21st century, from political polarization to medical malpractice.

What does ethical mental health care look like in a normless age, as our moral compasses spin in search of true north? How can therapists treat patients under pressure to affirm everything from the notion of "gender identity" to assisted suicide?

Primarily a long-form interview podcast, Stephanie invites unorthodox, free-thinking guests from many walks of life, including counselors, social workers, medical professionals, writers, researchers, and people with unique lived experience, such as detransitioners.

Curious about many things, Stephanie’s interdisciplinary psychological lens investigates challenging social issues and inspires transformation in the self, relationships, and society. She is known for bringing calm warmth to painful subjects, and astute perceptiveness to ethically complex issues. Pick up a torch to illuminate the dark night and join us on this journey through the inner wilderness.

You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist ranks in the top 1% globally according to ListenNotes. New episodes are released every Monday. Three and a half years after the show's inception in May of 2022, Stephanie became a Christian, representing the crystallization of moral, spiritual, and existential views she had been openly grappling with along with her audience and guests. Newer episodes (#188 forward) may sometimes reflect a Christian understanding, interwoven with and applied to the same issues the podcast has always addressed. The podcast remains diverse and continues to feature guests from all viewpoints.