Episode Summary
In this episode, I chat with Sam about her journey from a non-Christian upbringing to finding herself immersed in Pentecostal spirituality at a young age. Despite feeling like she didn’t quite fit in, Sam became deeply involved in a mega-church, her intuition being used on the intercessory prayer team.
We explore the pressures Sam faced to conform within the church, including the problematic treatment of women. Sam shares her experience of burnout and the toll it took on her relationship with God, as well as the control and submission required for her church service, which affected her mental health.
After leaving the church and feeling isolated, Sam embarked on a journey of healing and rediscovery. She found solace in her intuition, previously attributed to the Holy Spirit, and recognised parallels between her church experiences and cult dynamics.
Now, as Sam reconstructs her identity, she finds joy and peace in new aspects of life. Finally, she offers heartfelt advice to those starting their own deconstruction journey.
My Thoughts
I just love when I get to share space with Sam, you can’t help but smile when talking to her and she shares her story in such a heartfelt and intuitive way. She has a kind heart and this shows in the way she speaks about pain she has experienced.
More About Sam
Sam is a self-confessed introvert and empath, who loves nothing more than good ache-in-the-belly laugh. But more than anything, she loves providing a safe counselling space for gentle souls- introverts, INFJ’s, empaths and neurodivergent people. This is her joy and passion, bringing hope and healing to the broken hearted. Sam first started Paper Crane of Hope as a community development project… Leaving paper cranes in her community to spread this message of hope and healing. It quickly evolved into what it is today- an online therapy space.
Connect with Us
- To find more out about Sam’s work – https://www.papercraneofhope.com/
- To connect to Sam on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/papercraneofhope/
- To connect with Host Sam on Instagram – @anchoredcounsellingservices
- Want to contact with Sam about the podcast or therapy? Use this contact form.