The One Who Went From Born-Again Christian to Agnostic Atheist

Beyond The Surface

In this episode of Beyond the Surface, Sallyann shares how her family’s shift from Roman Catholicism to born-again Christianity in 1970s Ireland sparked both connection and conflict, ultimately leading her to question long-held beliefs. She recounts a six-year relationship overshadowed by a controlling religious community, a move to Australia in search of healing, and the personal upheaval of deconstructing her faith and marriage. Embracing atheism and agnosticism, Sally-Ann illustrates the transformative power of choosing curiosity over certainty, reminding us that forging one’s own identity can bring both freedom and self-discovery.

Who Is Sallyann?

Born into a Catholic family in Ireland, and then becoming a ‘born again Christian’ and moving to a Pentecostal church, Sallyann was serious about her faith and her commitment to God. It wasn’t until she started studying Psychology and Counselling in her late 30s that she began having doubts and questioning her faith. After several years of ‘seeking God’, reading and researching, and talking to other Christians including church leaders, she found that she could no longer call herself a Christian. Sallyann is now a therapist working in Perth, Western Australia, specialising in supporting people who are questioning their faith, or who are leaving or have left a high control religion or cult. Having experienced spiritual abuse and engaging in her own therapy to recover from religious trauma, she now has a sense of freedom and peace that she never had as a religious person.

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• You can connect with Sallyann via her Website, Facebook or LinkedIn

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