I Left the Church: Talking With My Former Youth Minister about Mental Health

Former youth minister (and current Catholic) Ashley Kiefer joins me to talk about the messy overlap of faith, OCD, and scrupulosity. We trace her journey from professional Catholic youth worker to licensed therapist, why quoting the catechism at every problem stopped working, and how therapy forced her to learn actual listening instead of spiritual “fixing.”

We dig into what scrupulosity really is, how it shows up as a subtype of OCD, why sermons that end with “just trust God more” don’t work, and how online Catholic culture and “rad trad” spaces can quietly supercharge religious anxiety. Ashley shares practical steps for discerning when it’s time to see a therapist, how to find scrupulosity-literate help, and why dealing with OCD is not a betrayal of your faith.

00:00 Ashley’s Journey from Youth Ministry to Therapy
04:21 Discussing Mental Health in Youth Ministry
07:34 Transitioning to a Career in Therapy
10:40 The Role of Faith in Therapy
25:59 Scrupulosity and OCD
29:52 Addressing Misconceptions and Scrupulosity
35:45 Understanding Intrusive Thoughts
39:24 Scrupulosity in Catholicism
56:15 Seeking Help and Resources

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