• That Blood Transfusion Saved My Mother | The Doctrine That Almost Cost Her Life
    May 26 2026

    send us an email to myhiddenstruggles@gmail.com

    In this emotional final episode, Dr. Felicia Blakeney shares the terrifying medical emergency that nearly claimed her mother’s life — and the decision that changed everything.

    This conversation explores:

    • the Jehovah’s Witness blood transfusion doctrine
    • fear, guilt, and medical pressure
    • family conflict during a medical crisis
    • emotional trauma surrounding life-saving decisions
    • how one blood transfusion ultimately saved her mother’s life


    Behind every doctrine are real families forced to navigate impossible emotional situations.

    This is a powerful and deeply human conversation about survival, love, fear, and the emotional aftermath of high-control religious teachings.

    ▶️ This is Part 4 of the Dr. Felicia Blakeney interview series on Hidden Struggles.

    #BloodTransfusion #ExJW #JehovahsWitnesses #HiddenStruggles #ReligiousTrauma

    Support the show

    Show More Show Less
    12 mins
  • Jehovah's Witnesses: The Hidden Dangers of Field Service
    May 26 2026

    send us an email to myhiddenstruggles@gmail.com

    Door-to-door ministry is often presented as peaceful and spiritually uplifting, but for many families there are also real concerns involving safety, fear, and vulnerability.

    In this short but powerful segment, Dr. Felicia Blakeney reflects on the growing fear she experienced watching her aging mother continue field service despite dangerous encounters and unpredictable situations.

    This episode explores:

    • safety concerns surrounding field service
    • elderly Jehovah’s Witnesses in door-to-door ministry
    • emotional pressure to remain spiritually active
    • dangerous encounters during ministry work
    • a daughter’s perspective on protecting her mother


    ▶️ This is Part 3 of the Dr. Felicia Blakeney interview series on Hidden Struggles.

    #FieldService #JehovahsWitnesses #ExJW #HiddenStruggles #ReligiousTrauma

    Support the show

    Show More Show Less
    3 mins
  • They Treated Her Like She Didn’t Exist | The Cruel Reality of Disfellowshipping
    May 26 2026

    send us an email to myhiddenstruggles@gmail.com

    In Part 2 of this Hidden Struggles interview series, Dr. Felicia Blakeney shares painful experiences involving disfellowshipping, family division, and the emotional damage caused by religious shunning.

    This conversation explores:

    • public humiliation inside family settings
    • conditional love and emotional distance
    • how shunning affects entire families
    • the psychological impact of religious control
    • the moment Dr. Blakeney finally spoke up


    For many people, disfellowshipping is not just a religious policy — it becomes a deeply personal emotional wound that can affect relationships for decades.

    ▶️ This is Part 2 of the Dr. Felicia Blakeney interview series on Hidden Struggles.

    #Disfellowshipping #ExJW #HiddenStruggles #JehovahsWitnesses #ReligiousTrauma

    Support the show

    Show More Show Less
    9 mins
  • Growing Up Jehovah's Witness: I Knew Something Was Wrong
    May 26 2026

    send us an email to myhiddenstruggles@gmail.com

    Dr. Felicia Blakeney joins Hidden Struggles for a deeply layered conversation about growing up around Jehovah’s Witness culture while also being exposed to very different beliefs and perspectives at home.

    In this first episode, she lays the foundation of her story by reflecting on:

    • the emotional atmosphere inside the Kingdom Hall
    • the fear surrounding the 1975 Armageddon prediction
    • critical thinking and education
    • growing up between multiple belief systems
    • why something never fully felt right to her, even as a child


    This interview series explores religion, family dynamics, emotional survival, and the long-term psychological impact of high-control belief systems.

    ▶️ This is Part 1 of a special multi-part Hidden Struggles interview series with Dr. Felicia Blakeney.


    Support the show

    Show More Show Less
    22 mins
  • Ray's Story - He Was an Ordained Minister… But Never Believed
    Feb 28 2026

    send us an email to myhiddenstruggles@gmail.com

    #HiddenStruggles #LifeAfterChurch #ReligiousTrauma #FaithDeconstruction #LeavingReligion #SpiritualRecovery #QuestioningBelief #ExReligious #HighControlGroups #ReligiousIndoctrination

    What happens when someone rises to leadership inside a church—but never truly believes?

    In Part Two of this conversation, Ray opens up about becoming an ordained minister at just 21 years old while privately questioning belief, doctrine, and authority. He wasn’t there for faith—he was there for community, structure, and survival.

    We talk about:

    Playing a role inside religion without believing the script
    Researching belief systems without fear
    How indoctrination impacts marriages, friendships, and mental health
    Why guilt is often weaponized against people who question
    The difference between belief, participation, and authenticity

    This episode creates space for people who stayed quiet, blended in, or felt pressured to believe what never fully made sense.

    📌 Watch Part One here: https://youtu.be/phsquWtejWg
    📌 Connect with Ray: https://www.youtube.com/@RayTheEx-HOJ

    Hidden Struggles is a safe space for honest conversations about belief, identity, and life after control.

    Support the show

    Show More Show Less
    46 mins
  • When “Headship” Turns Dangerous (EXJW Survivor Story)
    Feb 28 2026

    send us an email to myhiddenstruggles@gmail.com

    Jada's YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@UCsFKdyJwjygw0qZ9abQSEGA
    Website - https://awakentofreedom.ca/

    After years of emotional and spiritual abuse, Jada finally found the courage to walk away—from her controlling Jehovah’s Witness husband and from the belief system that told her she couldn’t.

    In this powerful continuation of her story, Jada shares the turning point that changed everything—and how she rebuilt her confidence, freedom, and life beyond the Watchtower’s control.

    💬 Have you ever had to start over after leaving a controlling person or group? Share your story below—you never know who it might help.

    🔔 Please like, share, and subscribe for more stories of healing, resilience, and life after high-control religion on Hidden Struggles.

    #ExJW #HiddenStruggles #LadyCee #JWMarriage #JWAbuse #ReligiousTrauma #FaithDeconstruction #JWWomen #CultSurvivor #FreedomStory #EscapingAbuse #WatchtowerControl #DomesticAbuseAwareness #WomenEmpowerment #SurvivorStories #LifeAfterReligion

    Support the show

    Show More Show Less
    28 mins
  • Choosing Her Own Life (After Jehovah’s Witnesses)
    Feb 28 2026

    send us an email to myhiddenstruggles@gmail.com

    #ExJW #HiddenStruggles #LadyCee #JWMarriage #JehovahsWitness #ReligiousTrauma #FaithDeconstruction #JWWomen #CultSurvivor #EscapingControl #WatchtowerRules #freedomstory

    Visit Jada's YouTube channel to view some of her activism work
    👇
    YouTube - www.youtube.com/@AwakentoFreedom
    Website - https://awakentofreedom.ca/

    Jada grew up inside the strict world of Jehovah’s Witnesses — where every choice was controlled, every dream had limits, and even love came with conditions.

    Desperate to live life on her own terms, she tried to elope with her childhood boyfriend to escape Watchtower rules.
    But when the plan collapsed, Jada was forced back into judgment and control that would shape her future in ways she never expected.

    💬 Have you ever felt trapped by a system that told you who to be, what to believe, or who to love? Share your thoughts below — your story matters here.

    🎥 Next Episode: How Jada Escaped Her Abusive Jehovah’s Witness Marriage

    🔔 Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more stories of courage, healing, and freedom on Hidden Struggles.

    Support the show

    Show More Show Less
    22 mins
  • Waking Up From Jehovah’s Witness Control
    Feb 28 2026

    send us an email to myhiddenstruggles@gmail.com

    #exjw #exjwstories #exjwcommunity #exjwomen #jehovahswitnesses #hiddenstruggles #ladycee #cultrecovery #highcontrolreligion #religioustrauma #healingjourney

    If you missed it:

    Part One - The Silent Struggles of Jehovah's Witness Women
    👉 https://youtu.be/WGAttmTGpVA
    Part Two - Jehovahs Witness Elders Questioned Her Career
    👉 https://youtu.be/iZADwQTVn8U
    Part Three - Jehovah's Witnesses: The Car They Didn't Want Her to Buy
    👉 https://youtu.be/ebJpFgssC18

    In this final part of my conversation with Crystalyn, we talk about the moment that completely changed everything—the moment she knew she could never go back. But her story doesn’t end there. Her awakening sparked something powerful in her family too, opening the door for clarity, healing, and a brand-new path forward.

    This episode closes out our four-part series, and if you’re joining us here for the first time, be sure to check the description for links to Parts One, Two, and Three so you can watch the full story from the beginning.

    Thank you for being part of these conversations. Your support, your comments, and your shared experiences make Hidden Struggles what it is.

    See you in the next episode.

    Support the show

    Show More Show Less
    35 mins