Almost Awakened

Britt Hartley from No Nonsense Spirituality and Bill Reel from the Almost Awakened Podcast are teaming up again for a brand-new series built around honest, wide-open conversations on spirituality, atheism, psychology, consciousness, and whatever else grabs our curiosity in the moment. In this first episode, we jump from one fascinating question to the next. What is the nature of reality? Are we living in a simulation? What does an...

Purity culture didn’t begin with religion, it began with control. In this episode, Teresa and Bill explore how ancient systems of ownership and inheritance evolved into moral laws that still shape our relationship to the body, desire, and worth today. Even after leaving high-control faiths, the conditioning remains embodied, showing up as shame, numbness, fear of pleasure, self-policing, and confusion about intimacy. From a trauma...

In this episode of Almost Awakened, we dig into the emotional weapon that too many of us have been shaped by—shame. Bill and Teresa break down how unhealthy systems—religious, familial, and relational—use shame to keep people small, obedient, and disconnected from their true selves. We explore the difference between guilt and shame, unpack the mechanics of control, and call out the subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways shame is embedded...

What happens when trauma awareness turns into over-protection, and healing gets stuck in the identity of what harmed us? In this episode of Almost Awakened, Teresa Hobbs and Bill Reel unpack the concept of fragilization; the process by which individuals and cultures become organized around avoiding discomfort in the name of safety. Drawing from their work supporting people through religious trauma, deconstruction, and nervous syst...

In this episode of Almost Awakened, Bill and Teresa explore one of the most misunderstood aspects of emotional health, boundaries. We unpack what safe and unsafe boundaries look like, how trauma and conditioning shape the ways we draw our lines, and why some “boundaries” are really just walls disguised as self-protection. You’ll learn how to identify when a boundary is rooted in fear versus self-respect, and how to create space fo...

What happens when your church convinces you that your own memories, questions, and feelings can’t be trusted? In this episode of Almost Awakened, Bill Reel and Teresa Hobbs unpack the dark art of religious gaslighting — how high-demand faiths twist reality, dismiss legitimate concerns, and make believers doubt themselves under the guise of “God’s will.” We’ll explore: What gaslighting is and how it got its name Five real-world exa...

The Almost Awakened Podcast is planning out a “Opposing Viewpoints” series and in this first episode of our new Opposing Viewpoints series, Bill shares a recent confrontation he had with a Mormon apologist—an exchange where both sides walked away feeling the other had acted in bad faith. Together, Bill and Teresa unpack the experience, steelman the apologist’s position and motivations, and vulnerably explore Bill’s own...

In this episode of the Almost Awakened Podcast, Bill Reel and Teresa Hobbs explore why stillness can feel so uncomfortable, especially for those recovering from religious trauma, chronic stress, and nervous system dysregulation. Teresa shares a powerful moment between them as a couple when a simple request for soothing touch opened the door to a deeper mindfulness and somatic tracking practice. Together, they talk about why so man...

In this episode of Almost Awakened, Bill and Teresa explore the transformative shift from external obedience to internal integrity. What happens when we stop living by someone else’s rules and start listening to our own inner voice? The conversation dives into the psychology of control, the cost of compliance, and the courage it takes to choose authenticity. With humor, vulnerability, and practical insight, they unpack how we were...

[Almost Awakened Ep: 191] What happens when obedience no longer defines you? In this episode, we explore the tender, disorienting, and ultimately liberating journey of shifting from a life shaped by external authority to one grounded in inner truth. We unpack how high-demand systems condition us to equate obedience with worth—and how, once that structure falls away, we’re left with a terrifying silence that’s actually a blank canv...

Why do some relationships thrive after conflict while others crumble? What if conflict wasn’t the problem in your relationships—but the key to deeper connection? In this powerful episode of the Almost Awakened Podcast, Bill Reel and Terresa Hobbs dive into the vital but often misunderstood cycle of rupture and repair. From parenting to romantic relationships to friendships and even spiritual community, we explore how moments of di...

In this powerful episode, we explore the fascinating—and at times unsettling—truth that your body can carry pain, anxiety, and illness long after the danger is gone. Through bizarre medical stories and neuroscience-backed insights, we expose how the brain can misfire protective signals, trapping us in cycles of suffering with no clear physical cause. But we don’t stop at science. We take a hard look at how religious trauma—especia...

In this powerful and vulnerable episode, Teresa Hobbs opens up about her personal journey through years of chronic illness, unexplained symptoms, and deep emotional and physical collapse — and what it took to slowly find her way back to life.

From early signs of nervous system dysregulation to being dismissed by doctors, chasing countless integrative and alternative healing paths, and finally hitting a wall that forced her to l...

Why does the world feel so divided—and why is it so hard to stay curious when we disagree? In this episode of Almost Awakened, we unpack the hidden forces driving today’s polarization. From ancient survival wiring to cognitive biases to trauma-shaped perception, we explore how our brains are glitching in a modern world built to trigger fear and certainty. We also dive into how media algorithms hijack our nervous systems, and why o...

What happens when the very thing that was supposed to save you ends up breaking you? In this deeply personal episode of Almost Awakened, Bill and Teresa dive into the hidden wounds left by high-demand religions and spiritual systems. From shame-laced teachings to fear-based obedience, they unpack the symptoms of religious trauma and explore what healing actually looks like.

With raw honesty and a touch of dark humor, they share...

You’ve heard the word ‘trauma’—but do you really know what it means? In this powerful and eye-opening episode, we break down the truth about trauma: not just the dramatic events, but the subtle, often invisible wounds that live in our bodies, shape our behavior, and distort how we see the world.

We explore:
*What trauma actually is (hint: it’s not the event itself)?
*Why trauma is more common than most people think?...

Ep. 184 | Almost Awakened In this episode we explore how nervous system dysregulation affects your health, relationships, emotions, and identity—and how understanding this system can radically change the way you live and heal. Welcome to the reboot of the Almost Awakened Podcast—where big awakenings meet real-life healing. Bill Reel is joined by his new co-host, trauma coach Teresa Hobbs, and they are kicking things off with a dee...

In this episode of Almost Awakened, Bill shares his two month dive into relationship research. From John & Julie Gottman to Jordan Peterson

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