The Plain People's Podcast

Underbelly survivor stories of abuse, struggle and triumph told by former Amish, Mennonite and Anabaptist members.

The Liberty Ridge Lawsuit 01/14/2022

The Liberty Ridge Lawsuit Renee Franchi and Nathanial Foote from Andreozzi & Foote are currently representing two former Mennonite men suing the Eastern PA Mennonite Church, Martin Nelson doing business as Liberty Ridge Farm. Together they sit down with Jasper to discuss labor trafficking, the Liberty Ridge case and how Amish and Mennonites are not above the law. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/21770882

Breaking Amish with Dawn Martin 06/08/2021

Breaking Amish with Dawn Martin From Groffdale Conference Mennonite to Black Bumper (Horning) to Breaking Amish season 5, Dawn has been on a momentous journey. We were fortunate to sit down and spend some time talking about what is real in the process of shooting reality tv and find out where she is today. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/19393634

Behind Blue Curtains with Lizzie Hershberger 06/01/2021

Behind Blue Curtains with Lizzie Hershberger Lizzie Hershberger is a former Swartzentruber Amish member, which is largest and most conservative subgroups of Old Order Amish. Her recent memoir titled Behind Blue Curtains was published this spring and she sits down with us to talk about what it is like to write, and walk within, your trauma story. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/19318304

Deb's Story, Pt 2 05/24/2021

Deb's Story, Pt 2 Last week we introduced you to the incredible Deb....also known as Moxie. This week we pick back up in the story and learn how Deb hiked the entire Appalachian Trail and the fierce tenacity that drove her to finish. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/19225592

Deb's Story, Part 1 05/18/2021

Deb's Story, Part 1 Deb, who fondly goes by Moxie, grew up in the Beachy Amish church, but never quite fit in. In this two part story series, she opens up about her great adventure of hiking the entire Appalachian Trail, and who she became along the way. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/19142243

A Grooming Case with Stephanie Krehbiel 05/11/2021

A Grooming Case with Stephanie Krehbiel In February of this year Mennonite Abuse Prevention published an investigation into the ''ministerial sexual misconduct" of co-pastor at Lorraine Avenue Mennonite Church, Tom Harder. Dr. Stephanie Krehbiel, executive director of IntoAccount.org prepared the analysis for MAP's post, and spoke with us about her findings. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/19056209

I Was Never A Good Girl with Anna Mae 05/04/2021

I Was Never A Good Girl with Anna Mae Following along from last week's conversation with Anna Mae, she and Jasper talk more about what it's like to be labeled a bad girl by the church, as well as the differences between their own church upbringings as ex-Amish and ex-Mennonite. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/18967067

Therapy, Trauma and Thriving with Anna Mae and Chris Hancock 04/26/2021

Therapy, Trauma and Thriving with Anna Mae and Chris Hancock Anna Mae grew up within the Old Order Amish community, where therapy was not even a concept. After leaving the church and wrestling with depression, she decided to Google for the "best therapist in Nashville", which lead her to Chris Hancock, LCSW, ACMHP. As the owner of Therapy Outside The Box, Chris opens up about his experience working with Anna Mae, and Anna Mae shares how therapy has helped her become the woman she is today. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/18870605

But I Must Go.... Austin's Story 04/19/2021

But I Must Go.... Austin's Story "This is where I spent most of my Sundays the past three years. This was my home. And I fully believed that I had to be here or I would go to hell. It was beautiful. It was spiritual. It was also misery. It was repressive. It was legalistic. And I am so proud to say that I am free now. Free to be me. Free to worship the way I choose. You never know true freedom until you've been constrained. I love you, Lincoln County Mennonite Church. And I wish you the best. But I must go." /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/18775082

Gaslighter, Gaslighter, Send Audrey On Over 04/12/2021

Gaslighter, Gaslighter, Send Audrey On Over In early 2019, shortly after sharing what we then believed to be the entirely of Audrey's horrific abuse story, the floodgates opened when it was discovered that her ex husband had brutally sexually assaulted her children for years. Through yet another battle of unbelievable odds, Audrey was back in court, but not with just her ex-husband, but her ex-father in law, an Amish Bishop. But whatever for? Surely not those letters so many of us tossed in the trash after we left our church. Or was it...... /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/18700199

Wife Swapping, A Marital Pastime with DeLite 04/06/2021

Wife Swapping, A Marital Pastime with DeLite Tighten your Hushpuppies and lay out the Sunday Pfaltzgraft, because we are back with a bang for our first episode of Season Five. DeLite sits down with Jasper and Marc and opens a can of worms by sharing her first hand experience with "wife swapping".... better known as non consensual swinging. Did you know the Plain People have their own phone sex line? Jasper didn't, but quickly posed the question...is this how young women are being trafficked? What do you think? /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/18614768

Meet Laura, Pt 2 04/29/2020

Meet Laura, Pt 2 Laura shares her experience adjusting to life outside of her family and where she is today. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/14201138

Meet Laura, Pt 1 04/28/2020

Meet Laura, Pt 1 Laura is a therapist specializing in trauma therapy that is inspired from her time within an independent Mennonite church. In this episode we discuss her family's struggle with mental health while fitting into the plain culture. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/14186582

Meet Michelle, Pt 2 04/11/2020

Meet Michelle, Pt 2 Michelle shares her experience within the strict Elmo Stoll community, the struggles with a mentally ill father, spousal rape and life after the church. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/13942823

Meet Michelle, Pt 1 04/10/2020

Meet Michelle, Pt 1 Michelle found herself at a young age suddenly joining into a Hutterite community when her parents decided to for-go the quiet suburban lifestyle. Not satisfied with the community, her family then continued to pursue various cults, finally ending up at the Elmo Stoll community in Cookeville, Tn. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/13940273

Meet Josh Pt 2 03/05/2020

Meet Josh Pt 2 We pick up with Josh explaining the details behind the Mennonite and Amish facility, Fresh Start and find out where he is today. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/13418378

Meet Josh, Pt 1 03/04/2020

Meet Josh, Pt 1 Adopted into a Mennonite family after years in the foster care system, Josh shares his story of growing up and becoming a counselor at a men's facility known as Fresh Start in Indiana. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/13416218

Meet Misty Pt 2 02/27/2020

Meet Misty Pt 2 Misty Griffin made national news in 2019 when her story of survival went viral. Her memoir, Tears of the Silenced, opens readers eyes to the amount of betrayal and abuse Misty and her sister endured at the hands of those who should have protected them. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/13320278

Meet Misty, Pt 1 02/26/2020

Meet Misty, Pt 1 Misty Griffin made national news in 2019 when her story of survival went viral. Her memoir, Tears of the Silenced, opens readers eyes to the amount of betrayal and abuse Misty and her sister endured at the hands of those who should have protected them. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/13315355

Meet Clara and Jimmy Pt 2 02/19/2020

Meet Clara and Jimmy Pt 2 In 2011 Clara and Jimmy Hinton were struck with life altering news when they discovered Clara's husband and Jimmy's father was accused of sexually abusing two of Jimmy's sisters. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/13222142

Meet Clara & Jimmy 02/19/2020

Meet Clara & Jimmy In 2011 Clara and Jimmy Hinton were struck with life altering news when they discovered Clara's husband and Jimmy's father was accused of sexually abusing two of Jimmy's sisters. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/13221476

Meet Peter Pt2 11/07/2019

Meet Peter Pt2 We pick back up with Peter and he discusses where he is today after leaving the Mennonite Church. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/11950355

Meet Peter, Pt 1 11/07/2019

Meet Peter, Pt 1 Peter is a former illustrator for Rod and Staff Publishing Co based out of Crockett KY. Peter's illustrations touched almost every Mennonite home and he recollects his days drawing for church approved material. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/11941004

Meet Elam Pt 2 11/03/2019

Meet Elam Pt 2 We pick up with Elam Zook and discuss the bigger questions of how we can create change within the churches. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/11883806

Meet Elam Pt 1 10/28/2019

Meet Elam Pt 1 Has recent Amish history created Amish identity, and is it closely tied to an extreme privilege bestowed on them by the US government? Elam opens up about engagement within the culture, or lack thereof. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/11814689

Meet Oriana 10/20/2019

Meet Oriana In this episode Oriana opens up about her family's trek from California and the cults they were in, to the Charity Christian Fellowship Church in PA. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/11712677

Meet Michele, Pt 2 10/09/2019

Meet Michele, Pt 2 We pick up with Michele, a former Mennonite woman and hear how her family is divided today. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/11584403

Meet Michele, Pt 1 10/09/2019

Meet Michele, Pt 1 You can't spell piety without pie, and in this episode Michele opens up about her metamorphosis from being a homeschool mother into a member of the Nationwide Mennonite Church in northern CA. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/11569772

Wisconsin v Yoder, Pt 2 07/08/2019

Wisconsin v Yoder, Pt 2 Torah Bontrager from the Amish Heritage Foundation sits down with Jasper and discusses the need for overturning Wisconsin V. Yoder to bring a fair education to The Plain People. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/10442105

Wisconsin V. Yoder with Torah B. 07/08/2019

Wisconsin V. Yoder with Torah B. Torah Bontrager from the Amish Heritage Foundation sits down with Jasper and discusses the need for overturning Wisconsin V. Yoder to bring a fair education to The Plain People. /episode/index/show/theplainpeoplespodcast/id/10441817

The Plain People's Podcast

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