We’re talking with Krispin and D.L. Mayfield about their project over on Substack called Strongwilled.

James Dobson and Focus on the Family have impacted millions of people with their teachings about corporal punishment and breaking the will of children. Many of these children have grown up to speak out about how traumatic their upbringing was. What does the legacy of James Dobson mean for us as we live in a time of growing authoritarianism globally? We get into the nitty-gritty of authoritarian parenting, how we heal our nervous systems, and why we were so drawn to books about orphans when we were kids.

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Krispin and D.L. Mayfield are both products of the modern religious authoritarian parenting movement that has shaped millions and millions of evangelical Christians. Krispin is a therapist who specializes in working in religious trauma recovery and supporting neurodivergent clients. He wrote a book on attachment theory and Christianity in 2022 (and has since left the faith). He loves photography, music, and most anything creative. D.L. is the author of three books and a former freelance writer. They are a late-diagnosed autistic who currently has a special interest in exposing Christian authoritarianism and healing from high-control religion

Strongwilled on Substack: https://strongwilled.substack.com/

Cohosts:

Clare Heath-McIvor: kitkennedy.com

Shari A. Smith: shariasmith.com

Cait West: caitwest.com

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