Prisoner of Patriarchal Presbyterian Pedagogy: Alia’s Story

CC image courtesy of Pixabay, Bilder_meines_Lebens. HA note: The author’s name has been changed to ensure anonymity. “Alia” is a pseudonym. I grew up in the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America. It was a small denomination, and I hope it’s getting smaller. In the RPCNA, only preachers and elders could be part of the governing body of the church: and

Looking For A Future: Jane’s Story

Tomorrow I take my final exam for my first semester of nursing school.

I am one day away from finishing the first leg of something I almost never started. I am also one day away from maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Instructors, friends, classmates, and my therapist all say they knew I could do it.

Depression Presented by Suzanne Davidson

The worst part of being depressed isn’t the numbness, it’s the lies that depression makes you tell yourself.

It tells you that your best friend on earth hates you. It tells you that if you were to confide in someone that they wouldn’t care. It tells you that you are the biggest disgrace to ever walk the face of the planet. You might reject these lies for a while but eventually you start to believe them.

Gathering Your Tools for Healing

CC image courtesy of Flickr, Neil Conway. Editorial note: The following is reprinted with permission from Eleanor Skelton’s blog. It was originally published as a guest post in a series on March 6, 2016. Alyssa is the writer of this post.  Alyssa grew up Independent Fundamental Baptist and was homeschooled throughout her K-12 education.  She currently is in a graduate program to earn

Bird Set Free: Avia’s Story

Content warning: Victim blaming, child abuse, body shaming, and religious shaming of mental illness Editorial note: The author’s name has been changed to ensure anonymity. “Avia” is a pseudonym.  There are a few incidents in my life that pushed me to leave home. Clipped wings, I was a broken thing… When I was nineteen years old, I fell into a

When the Bible Wasn’t Enough: Sage Lynn’s Story

After we left, I remember looking at the sky and being so relieved that I was out of the psych ward–yet so terrified because inside I didn’t know if the worldview I so stoutly defended was really enough to keep me alive.

When Demons Are Real

My parents believed demonic possession was real, and not just a thing of the past.

You Can Probably Guess What the Founder of “Biblical Counseling” Said About Domestic Violence

If you think Jay E. Adams handles depression poorly, just wait until you see how he handles domestic violence.

How I Became a Disillusioned Homeschooler: Elisheba’s Story

“I used to be a good homeschooler. I used to be a good Christian. I used to be a model daughter. Then something happened.”

What About Toxic Parents?

HA Note: The following is reprinted with permission from Michelle Hill’s blog Notes From A Homeschooler. It was originally published on April 10, 2015 and has been slightly modified for HA. From my research and own personal experience with homeschoolers, I’ve come to realize that there’s a link between homeschooling and toxic, or over-controlling, parents. This control is all too apparent in the