Molly sits down with Christi Byerly, MCC, founder and CEO of Awaken Coach Institute, to explore how religious trauma, fear-based theology, and high-control faith systems shape a child’s identity, sense of worth, and ability to trust. Christi shares her personal story of growing up in a strict fundamentalist Christian environment where obedience, hierarchy, and punishment were normalized – and how that upbringing led to depression, anxiety, and lifelong confusion about goodness, desire, and love.

Together, Molly and Christi unpack the invisible ways spiritual abuse fractures a compassionate person’s inner world, how fear becomes a first language, and why so many survivors struggle with boundaries, self-trust, and worthiness well into adulthood.

This is an episode about waking up from fear and waking into love – reclaiming your voice, your body, your desires, and your right to a spacious, grounded, joyful life.

Molly and Christi discuss:

• how hierarchies and obedience-based teachings shape a child’s developing brain.


• why compassionate people are more vulnerable to spiritual abuse.


• how fear-based theology disconnects us from our intuition, emotions, and desires.


• why self-care feels wrong for survivors of fundamentalism.


• what it means to move from hierarchy and fear into love and equality.


• the spiritual (and beautifully human) process of awakening.

*****

Today’s Guest:

Christi is the CEO and founder of Awaken Coach Institute, an ICF-accredited coach training school that is, at its heart, a school of love. Awaken Coach Institute trains coaches, healers, helpers, and compassionate humans to listen deeply, grow spiritually, and awaken to their own inner wisdom. Christi has helped shape the journeys of hundreds of coaches and clients. Explore free classes, group programs, Q&A calls, book updates, and Christi's upcoming 2026 Spain retreat at: https://www.awakencoachinstitute.com/.

*****

For boundaries resources for compassionate people, find Molly at: www.boundaried.com.

Step into a 30-day Guided Boundaries Journey with Molly at: www.boundaried.com/path.

Pre-order Molly's new book, The Great All.

Thanks for listening to We Are the Compassionate Revolution! If you love the show, please help support it (at no cost) so we can reach more compassionate souls like you: Follow or subscribe wherever you listen, rate it five stars, or write a happy review. See you next week and remember: Love is the way!