Unbound with Kristin

Unbound with Kristin Skating. Astrology. Sovereignty. ⛸️🌙
Unlearning control & purity culture. Religious cult survivor. Reclaiming my life out loud. 🔥
You are allowed to exist fully.

05/18/2026

Things my younger self would’ve thought were sinful — Part 3.

Growing up in the IFB church, we were taught that humans were naturally sinful, wicked, and evil. Because of that, receiving compliments could be seen as “prideful.” If someone complimented you, you were expected to redirect the praise back to God instead of simply accepting kindness.

Even giving compliments often came with conditions — not praising the person themselves, but “God working through them.”

As an adult, I’ve realized how deeply this impacted my ability to receive love, affirmation, and kindness without guilt. Giving compliments now feels healing and beautiful… but receiving them still feels uncomfortable sometimes because of how deeply those teachings were wired into me.

Religious trauma can show up in ways people don’t even realize. Sometimes healing starts with something as small as learning to simply say: “thank you.” ✨

05/17/2026

Part 2 of my series: things my younger self would have thought were sinful because of how I was raised in IFB/fundamentalist culture.

For my 40th birthday, I bought the purple dress, sparkly tights, and heels I always would’ve been too afraid to wear growing up. Then I went dancing at a gay club with people I love.

And honestly? It felt freeing.

Growing up, I was taught to diminish myself. Don’t draw attention. Don’t be “too much.” Don’t seek the spotlight. But standing in that space — laughing, dancing, being complimented, feeling seen — healed something in me.

What’s funny is… my younger self probably would’ve called it scandalous.
But she also loved performing and being seen. I was a solo figure skater after all. So I think somewhere deep down, she would’ve smiled too.

Reclaiming your life after religious trauma sometimes looks profound.
And sometimes it looks like sparkly tights under club lights realizing you were never meant to stay small. ✨

05/15/2026

Part 1 of a series about the things my younger self would have believed were sinful because of the environment I was raised in.

Growing up IFB, I was taught that my role as a woman was to be a “help meet” — to support a husband’s dreams, career, calling, and success. My own ambitions were never centered. My value was tied to how well I could serve others.

But stepping into the workforce changed me.
Starting as a front desk clerk and eventually working my way into executive leadership in hospitality gave me something I had never truly been allowed to develop before: a voice. Confidence. Autonomy.

As people respected my ideas, leadership, and decisions, I slowly began seeing myself differently. Not as someone meant to stay small, quiet, and supportive from the background — but as someone capable of building a meaningful life of her own.

Leaving religious conditioning as a woman is complicated because you’re not just rebuilding beliefs… you’re rebuilding permission to exist fully as yourself.

And honestly? Younger me probably would have thought this version of me was sinful.
But I think she’d also be in awe of her.

05/09/2026

Mother’s Day is beautiful for many people… but for some of us, it carries grief too.

I grew up believing I was “too much.” Too bright. Too emotional. Too loud. Too noticeable. Instead of being protected and encouraged, I was taught to shrink myself so others could shine more comfortably.

One of the hardest decisions I ever made was choosing my own healing over maintaining a relationship that continually hurt me. And becoming a mother myself only deepened that pain—because I now understand firsthand that real love doesn’t disappear when a child is expressive, emotional, different, or struggling.

To those navigating estrangement, grief, complicated family dynamics, or mourning the mother you needed but didn’t have… I see you.

Whether you’re a mom to children, pets, nieces, nephews, friends, or simply someone who nurtures others with love—Happy Mother’s Day. May tomorrow hold gentleness, kindness, and reminders that you are worthy of being loved exactly as you are. 💜✨

05/06/2026

One of the core teachings I grew up hearing from the pulpit was that children are born with a “will” that is sinful, rebellious, and not from God — and that it was a parent’s job to break that will by any means necessary.

Physical punishment was often praised as a way to force obedience. Having opinions, fighting back, expressing individuality, or making choices for yourself were treated as signs of rebellion instead of normal human development.

When you spend your childhood being taught that your voice, emotions, instincts, and identity are dangerous… what happens when you become an adult?

You’re left trying to gather the pieces of yourself back together.

This is why speaking about religious trauma matters. So much happens behind closed doors in environments that appear “godly” from the outside.





05/04/2026

Can’t wait for this episode to air! ✨ Unholier Podcast

05/04/2026

Within a matter of hours, I went from being a passionate figure skater to walking away from the one place that felt like home.

At a summer youth camp, after hours of intense preaching, yelling, and being told we were sinful, evil, and needed to “die to ourselves,” I was convinced that my dream was wrong. That loving something so deeply meant I was choosing myself over God.

So I gave it up.

After 11 years of dedication—falling, getting back up, living on the ice 6–7 days a week—I walked away as a shell of who I was.

This is what religious trauma can do. It doesn’t just change your behavior… it disconnects you from your identity.

And then as adults, we’re left with the quiet, heavy work of finding our way back.

This is part of my story of reclaiming what was never meant to be taken from me.





05/02/2026

When I was 10 years old, I went to an IFB summer camp that was supposed to “strengthen my faith.”

Instead, it taught me to fear myself.

I remember standing around a bonfire holding CDs—music I loved, artists like Britney Spears—and instead of just being a kid, I stood up and spoke about how I was “convicted.” How we needed to rebuke the devil. How even music was a tool to control us.

And then I broke those CDs… and threw them into the fire.

Looking back, that moment wasn’t devotion—it was indoctrination.

We weren’t taught how to think—we were taught what to reject.
We weren’t guided—we were reshaped.

Those camps would go late into the night, hours of preaching designed to make you feel sinful, wicked, and wrong for simply being an individual.

And when you left…
you weren’t more yourself.

You were less.

This is what religious trauma can look like—especially for children who just wanted to be good.






05/02/2026

Guys, this convo was so fun! Can’t wait for this to air!

Address

Fishers, IN

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Unbound with Kristin posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category