How to treat your body like a sacred text - Emily Hedrick

Today I spoke with Emily Hedrick, who grew up in the Mennonite Church and became a Mennonite pastor, but ultimately deconverted as the truth claims of Christianity fell apart.
We discussed many topics based on her new book, How to Treat Your Body Like a Sacred Text, including:
• Leaving the confines of religion to rediscover the profound joy of creativity and unleash a new sense of personal freedom through music and exploration.
• Rewriting her life’s narrative as she courageously confronted harmful theological beliefs and reclaimed her story as one of healing and empowerment.
• Processing her experiences of spiritual abuse and transforming them into a powerful testament of resilience and recovery through reflective storytelling.
• Understanding how fear-based teachings shape attachment patterns, especially the unhealthy relational dynamics fostered by religious contexts.
• Embracing the body as a sacred text so that we can honor its wisdom and reclaim our physical and emotional connections.
• Overcoming the crushing weight of childhood body shame and discovering the transformative power of self-worth and authenticity.
• Finding healing through practices of relaxation and pleasure as she worked to rewire the body’s trauma responses and foster inner safety.
• Reclaiming her autonomy and creativity as she broke free from high-control religion and began to lead a life of artistic and emotional liberation.
• Understanding the essential role of grief in healing and embracing it as a sacred part of growth.
• Building spaces of connection and creating opportunities for individuals to share their stories, rediscover their voices, and reclaim their lives with courage and hope.
Many thanks to Emily for sharing her story and insights!
_________________________________________
Connect with Emily!
emilyhedrickco...
/ emilyhedrickcc
/ emilyhedrickcc
Emily's books on Amazon:
www.amazon.com...
Pre-Order her new book!
emilyhedrickco...
_________________________________________
Your support for my channel, Harmonic Atheist, is very needed and appreciated!
One-time donations:
PayPal: paypal.me/harmonictim
Venmo: @harmonicatheist
Zelle email: [e-mail]
GoFundMe: www.gofundme.c...
Monthly donations:
/ harmonicatheist
You can also "Join" the Harmonic Atheist YT channel to get access to perks, which will be coming soon:
/ @harmonicatheist
Thanks!
--Tim
_________________________________________
Want to create live streams like this? Check out StreamYard: streamyard.com...
(FYI - using that link does help support me )
_________________________________________
If you are facing emotional distress, please call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
_________________________________________
Ending music by Kazuya / Eyal Raz, "Friends"
artlist.io/roy...
• Friends
_________________________________________