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Meldegroot
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Blame it on Mel
Celia LeBaron-PART 1
Celia LeBaron—Daughters of a CultThis episode is not just a story… it’s a reality most people wouldn’t survive.We’re diving into the terrifying world of the LeBaron polygamist cult, led by Ervil LeBaron and Joel LeBaron—where power, control, and so-called “revelation” justified manipulation, child marriage, and murder.From the doctrine of blood atonement to ordered killings, this is what happens when religion is weaponized.Inside this episode:* How Ervil took multi...
2026-04-24
1h 30
Blame it on Mel
Becky Bird: Parental Alienation & Emotional Abuse PART 2
What happens when you’re still alive… but your children are gone?In this raw, unfiltered episode of Blame It on Mel, we sit down with a mother who shares the unthinkable—being cut off from her own children. Not by distance. Not by death. But by lies, silence, control, and a patriarchy that shaped the narrative without her voice.We dive into the reality of parental alienation, religious control, emotional abuse, and what it actually looks like to deconstruct your life while everything around you is falling apart.This isn’t just a story about estrangement. It’s about: ...
2026-04-17
41 min
Blame it on Mel
Becky Bird: Parental Alienation & Emotional Abuse
What happens when you’re still alive… but your children are gone?In this raw, unfiltered episode of Blame It on Mel, we sit down with a mother who shares the unthinkable—being cut off from her own children. Not by distance. Not by death. But by lies, silence, control, and a patriarchy that shaped the narrative without her voice.We dive into the reality of parental alienation, religious control, emotional abuse, and what it actually looks like to deconstruct your life while everything around you is falling apart.This isn’t just a story...
2026-04-10
46 min
Blame it on Mel
Josh Benson Roasted My Religion… So I Put On the Temple Outfit Part 2
What happens when you hand religion to a comedian and say nothing is off limits?Comedian Josh Benson joins me to break down controversial beliefs-especially inside LDS / Mormon culture-from multiple heavens and becoming gods to temple rituals, sacred garments, and evolving doctrine.And yes… I even put on temple ceremony clothes for Josh’s entertainment 😳We also get into: • Fear-based vs. faith-based religion • Online backlash and “religious defenders” • What happens when you start questioning everythingThis episode is funny, bold, and com...
2026-03-27
53 min
Blame it on Mel
Josh Benson Roasted My Religion… So I Put On the Temple Outfit-Part 1
What happens when you hand religion to a comedian and say nothing is off limits?Comedian Josh Benson joins me to break down controversial beliefs-especially inside LDS / Mormon culture-from multiple heavens and becoming gods to temple rituals, sacred garments, and evolving doctrine.And yes… I even put on temple ceremony clothes for Josh’s entertainment 😳We also get into: • Fear-based vs. faith-based religion • Online backlash and “religious defenders” • What happens when you start questioning everythingThis episode is funny, bold, and completely unfiltered.Hot Topics...
2026-03-27
57 min
Blame it on Mel
Jeanette Griggs-When a Mormon Woman Falls in Love With Her Best Friend-Part 2
What happens when the life you were taught to live doesn’t match who you truly are?In this powerful episode of Blame It on Mel, Amazon #1 bestselling author Jeanette Griggs shares her deeply personal journey growing up in the LDS (Mormon) church, where she spent years believing something was wrong with her for having feelings for another woman.Jeanette did everything she was taught to do.She served faithfully, became a Relief Society President, confessed her feelings to her bishop, dated men, and tried to pray the feelings away.But when she fell in love with Molly, the co...
2026-03-20
1h 02
Blame it on Mel
Jeanette Griggs-When a Mormon Woman Falls in Love With Her Best Friend-Part 1
What happens when the life you were taught to live doesn’t match who you truly are?In this powerful episode of Blame It on Mel, Amazon #1 bestselling author Jeanette Griggs shares her deeply personal journey growing up in the LDS (Mormon) church, where she spent years believing something was wrong with her for having feelings for another woman.Jeanette did everything she was taught to do.She served faithfully, became a Relief Society President, confessed her feelings to her bishop, dated men, and tried to pray th...
2026-03-14
1h 08
Blame it on Mel
Can't Pray the Gay Away-Jamison Manwaring-PART 2
What happens when your last name is on a building at BYU-Idaho… and you’re gay?In this raw, unfiltered episode of Blame It on Mel, Jamison Manwaring opens up about growing up in a prominent LDS family, serving a mission, and silently battling the belief that being gay was something he could fix, pray away, or outgrow.Did he bargain with God?Did the mission help—or make the internal conflict worse?What happens when you realize you’re still gay… after doing everything the LDS church teaches is “right”?We talk about: • Mission culture and internalized shame • Suicidal thoughts and silent suffe...
2026-03-07
1h 12
Blame it on Mel
Can't Pray the Gay Away-Jamison Manwaring-PART 1
What happens when your last name is on a building at BYU-Idaho… and you’re gay?In this raw, unfiltered episode of Blame It on Mel, Jamison Manwaring opens up about growing up in a prominent LDS family, serving a mission, and silently battling the belief that being gay was something he could fix, pray away, or outgrow.Did he bargain with God?Did the mission help—or make the internal conflict worse?What happens when you realize you’re still gay… after doing everything the LDS ch...
2026-02-27
1h 12
Blame it on Mel
Silence Doesn’t Heal — It Protects Abusers | Michelle Dunn-PART 2
Michelle Dunn grew up in a deeply religious Mormon family where abuse was protected and silence was expected. For years, she carried a secret that was never hers to hold. As a child, she was abused by her grandfather — a respected bishop in the LDS church — who had also abused his own daughters, granddaughters, and countless others. He never faced jail time. The family kept it quiet.Until Michelle didn’t.In a moment of unimaginable courage, she exposed the truth at Thanksgiving as an adult, knowing he was still harming others. This episode is about...
2026-02-20
1h 17
Blame it on Mel
Silence Doesn’t Heal — It Protects Abusers | Michelle Dunn-PART 1
Michelle Dunn grew up in a deeply religious Mormon family where abuse was protected and silence was expected. For years, she carried a secret that was never hers to hold. As a child, she was abused by her grandfather — a respected bishop in the LDS church — who had also abused his own daughters, granddaughters, and countless others. He never faced jail time. The family kept it quiet.Until Michelle didn’t.In a moment of unimaginable courage, she exposed the truth at Thanksgiving as an adult, knowing he was still...
2026-02-13
1h 17
Blame it on Mel
Braadyn: When the Body Knows Before the Mind-Part 2
Trigger warning: This episode speaks about self harm and suicidal ideation. What happens when the life you were promised starts hurting your body?In this episode, Braadyn — creator, photographer, wife, mother, and survivor of religious conditioning — shares her story of growing up Mormon, internalizing the “temple dream,” and realizing that worth, happiness, and belonging were tied to obedience instead of choice.Her husband Bryce joins the conversation to share his perspective as a convert — entering the church without the lifelong conditioning she carried — and what it was like to witness the imbalanc...
2026-02-06
1h 14
Blame it on Mel
Braadyn: When the Body Knows Before the Mind-Part 1
Trigger warning: This episode speaks about self harm and suicidal ideation. What happens when the life you were promised starts hurting your body?In this episode, Braadyn — creator, photographer, wife, mother, and survivor of religious conditioning — shares her story of growing up Mormon, internalizing the “temple dream,” and realizing that worth, happiness, and belonging were tied to obedience instead of choice.Her husband Bryce joins the conversation to share his perspective as a convert — entering the church without the lifelong conditioning she carried — and what it was like to witness the imbalanc...
2026-01-30
1h 33
Blame it on Mel
Suzanne Hobbs: When a Bishop Chose Her Husband
After surviving an arranged marriage orchestrated by her bishop, Suzanne Hobbs refused to let that chapter define the rest of her life.Suzanne served a mission, returned home, and began pursuing her education and a career in broadcasting—only to be told by her bishop that she was setting a poor example for young women by choosing ambition over marriage and motherhood. He informed her that a man in the ward would be picking her up twice a week and that she would be married in the temple on Valentine’s Day. No consent. No d...
2026-01-23
1h 52
Blame it on Mel
Escaping Polygamy: Amanda Rae’s Story Inside Mormon Fundamentalism (Part 2)
Amanda grew up inside a modern polygamist group rooted in early Mormon fundamentalism — where obedience meant survival, purity culture controlled bodies, and questioning authority came at a devastating cost.In Part 1 of this raw and unfiltered conversation, Amanda exposes what life was really like inside polygamy and a high-control religious system. She shares the truth about her family structure, including discovering that her father was married to his own half-sister — and that she was being pressured to marry her first cousin as part of the order’s expectations.This episode covers:• Polygamy and its roots in early LDS / Mormon fundamen...
2026-01-15
2h 14
Blame it on Mel
Escaping Polygamy: Amanda Rae’s Story Inside Mormon Fundamentalism (Part 1)
Amanda grew up inside a modern polygamist group rooted in early Mormon fundamentalism — where obedience meant survival, purity culture controlled bodies, and questioning authority came at a devastating cost.In Part 1 of this raw and unfiltered conversation, Amanda exposes what life was really like inside polygamy and a high-control religious system. She shares the truth about her family structure, including discovering that her father was married to his own half-sister — and that she was being pressured to marry her first cousin as part of the order’s expectations.This episod...
2026-01-09
1h 20
Blame it on Mel
Heather Conger: Obedience Over Desire-Part 2
Heather did everything right… according to the Mormon (LDS) church.She grew up Mormon, followed all the rules, attended BYU-Idaho, internalized purity culture, and married at just 19 years old—partly because waiting to have sex wasn’t an option she could survive in that system. The night before her temple sealing, she cried and begged God to stop the marriage. He didn’t.Heather went on to have four kids with a man she wasn’t sexually attracted to, stayed faithful to the rules she was taught, and slowly realized that obedience wasn’t the same as happ...
2025-12-27
1h 12
Blame it on Mel
Heather Conger: Obedience Over Desire
Heather did everything right… according to the Mormon (LDS) church.She grew up Mormon, followed all the rules, attended BYU-Idaho, internalized purity culture, and married at just 19 years old—partly because waiting to have sex wasn’t an option she could survive in that system. The night before her temple sealing, she cried and begged God to stop the marriage. He didn’t.Heather went on to have four kids with a man she wasn’t sexually attracted to, stayed faithful to the rules she was taught, and slowly realized that obedience wasn’t the same as happ...
2025-12-19
58 min
Blame it on Mel
Jen Turner: Her Story Of Being Groomed, Shamed & Excommunicated Through Mormon Marriage PART 2
This week on Blame It On Mel, we sit down for part two with Jen Turner, whose entire relationship history was shaped—and shattered—by Mormon culture. From being groomed by a missionary at 16, to bishops blaming her for her husband’s abusive violence that almost took her life, to being excommunicated after reporting sexual abuse, her story exposes the patterns the LDS/Mormon Church works hard to hide.She experienced grooming, purity culture, bishopric abuse, spiritual manipulation, and the double standards that punish women while protecting men in authority. She was told her “sins” ruined her future, pressured into marri...
2025-12-11
1h 04
Blame it on Mel
Jenn Turner: Her Story Of Being Groomed, Shamed & Excommunicated Through Mormon Marriage Part 1
This week on Blame It On Mel, we sit down with Jen Turner, whose entire relationship history was shaped—and shattered—by Mormon culture. From being groomed by a missionary at 16, to bishops blaming her for her husband’s abusive violence that almost took her life, to being excommunicated after reporting sexual abuse, her story exposes the patterns the LDS/Mormon Church works hard to hide.She experienced grooming, purity culture, bishopric abuse, spiritual manipulation, and the double standards that punish women while protecting men in authority. She was told her “sins” ruined her future, pressured into marriages...
2025-12-04
1h 00
Blame it on Mel
Not Everyone Deserves a Seat at Your Thanksgiving Table
This Thanksgiving episode is your annual reminder that peace is a privilege—and not everyone qualifies. Today I’m talking about closing your circle, protecting your energy, and why the loudest people talking ABOUT you are always the ones who’ve never spoken TO you.We’re unpacking jealousy, insecurity, fake friends, family drama, and the wild expectation that you should keep making room for people who wouldn’t even bring a dish.If someone has spent all year tearing you down, gossiping, twisting stories, or projecting their own misery ont...
2025-11-27
11 min
Blame it on Mel
Inside Mormon Trauma: A Therapist's Perspective--Part Two
In Part Two of this two-episode series, therapist Ashley joins me to break down the psychology of growing up in a high-control religion and what religious trauma really looks like beneath the surface. We dig into the emotional patterns so many former Mormons carry — the fear-based decision making, worthiness culture, obedience conditioning, purity rules, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and the constant pressure to “be good enough.”Ashley explains how trauma can come not just from dramatic events, but from long-term spiritual pressure, guilt, shame, and the way institutions shape your identity, relationships, and sense of self. We talk about why leaving the ch...
2025-11-20
54 min
Blame it on Mel
Inside Mormon Trauma: A Therapist's Perspective--Part One
In Part One of this two-episode series, therapist Ashley joins me to break down the psychology of growing up in a high-control religion and what religious trauma really looks like beneath the surface. We dig into the emotional patterns so many former Mormons carry — the fear-based decision making, worthiness culture, obedience conditioning, purity rules, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and the constant pressure to “be good enough.”Ashley explains how trauma can come not just from dramatic events, but from long-term spiritual pressure, guilt, shame, and the way institutions shape your identity, relationships, and sense of self. We tal...
2025-11-13
46 min
Blame it on Mel
College Recruiting
Think your kid isn’t getting recruited because of politics or bad luck? Think again. Coaches don’t recruit parents—they recruit players. If you’re texting every week, shagging balls at practice, hanging around every huddle, or buying the coach beers, you’re that parent. In this episode, Mel breaks down how to actually get recruited, what college coaches are really looking for, and how to let your athlete take control of their own journey.💋Hot topics: college recruiting, sports parenting, athlete exposure, club sports, youth sports, helicopter parents, athlete mindset, coaches, D1
2025-11-06
58 min
Blame it on Mel
From All-American to Elder: The Mission That Killed the Dream
At 18, my husband was an All-American water polo player recruited by UCLA and top Division 1 programs. But in Mormon culture, college dreams get replaced by mission calls.Instead of dorms and D1 competition, he spent two years in Nova Scotia, Canada as an LDS missionary—baptizing strangers in freezing water and wondering how faith could cost so much.When he came home, everything had changed: the scholarship was gone, the body was gone, and the dream was gone. Then he found out why he wasn't sent out North America. His mom had secretly edited his mi...
2025-10-30
1h 16
Blame it on Mel
Sister Wife to Solo Wife-Part 2
Okay, real talk—what makes someone sign up to be the second wife? This isn’t Sister Wives—it’s Amy’s real life, complete with faith, polygamy, infertility, and way too many feelings.Amy opens up about her time in a polygamist marriage, life inside Mormon fundamentalism (FLDS), and what happens when you realize the “forever family plan” comes with fine print. We talk PCOS, infertility, IVF, miscarriages,faith shifts, and the art of going from sister wife to solo queen without losing your sense of humor. Now Amy’s rewriting the playbook—teaching fertility awareness, owning her story...
2025-10-23
1h 20
Blame it on Mel
Sister Wife to Solo Wife -PART 1
Okay, real talk—what makes someone sign up to be the second wife? This isn’t Sister Wives—it’s Amy’s real life, complete with faith, polygamy, infertility, and way too many feelings.Amy opens up about her time in a polygamist marriage, life inside Mormon fundamentalism (FLDS), and what happens when you realize the “forever family plan” comes with fine print. We talk PCOS, infertility, IVF, miscarriages,faith shifts, and the art of going from sister wife to solo queen without losing your sense of humor. Now Amy’s rewriting the playbook—teaching fertility awareness, owning her story...
2025-10-16
48 min
Blame it on Mel
Frankly Speaking: Pastors Kid Gone Rogue
Frank grew up as a pastor’s kid — no drinking, no swearing, no sex until marriage. Fast-forward to now: he’s a Marine veteran who drinks, swears, and lives unapologetically real.From holding high school track records to serving in the U.S. Marines, to watching his wife battle cancer and lose her chance at motherhood, Frank’s story is one of faith, loss, grit, and growth.We dig into men’s mental health, faith deconstruction, and how trauma reshapes identity. Plus, he opens up about his Flinders cocktail, weight los...
2025-10-09
1h 19
Blame it on Mel
Mini Chaos: Friendship Audit💥
Blamers — stay ‘til the end for the extras… that’s where the real tea spills.This week, I walked into dinner with friends and walked out with “f*** you,” “f*** off,” and a full-blown friendship audit. Boundaries were set, receipts were pulled, and I learned exactly who’s sitting at my table — and who’s not.But the chaos didn’t stop there. My son’s been raising havoc, my daughter tore her ACL and meniscus, and just like that, her D1 basketball dream of playing as a freshman was gone. Parenting throug...
2025-10-07
29 min
Blame it on Mel
When Implants Attack: Tawny’s Survival Story
Tawny opens up about her fight with Breast Implant Illness (BII) — from the first red flags doctors ignored to the $17,000 explant surgery that finally gave her life back.We talk about women’s health, body image, and the moment she realized healing meant taking her power back. If you’ve ever battled chronic fatigue, unexplained symptoms, or regret after cosmetic surgery, this episode is for you.Raw, funny, and unfiltered, this story dives into self-acceptance, female empowerment, and trusting your body when the medical world doesn’t. Because you’re always...
2025-09-30
1h 04
Blame it on Mel
Mormon Ken Barbie: Mormon Q&A
Diet Coke, cheating, and celestial loopholes — welcome to Mormon Ken Barbie.In this episode, I sit down with my husband — a returned missionary, bishopric member, Young Men’s President, seminary grad, and Eagle Scout — for an unfiltered dive into Mormon culture, temple life, and church leadership.We tackle the questions you’ve always wanted answered:• What are the 3 kingdoms of heaven?• What’s the church’s stance on LGBTQ+ members?• How does Jesus actually fit into the Mormon church?It’s raw, funny, a...
2025-09-23
59 min
Blame it on Mel
Peptides, Orgasms, Vaccines & the Secrets Doctors Hide-Dr. Craig Flinders
Your doctor says your labs are “normal,” but you still feel off.In this episode, we dive into the truth about hormones, peptides, stem cells, and all the wellness hacks traditional medicine doesn’t want you talking about. From testosterone therapy and thyroid balance to semaglutide injections, the O-shot, and yes—amazing orgasms—this is your unfiltered guide to taking your health, hormones, and sex life back.We talk about women’s health, hormone replacement therapy, anti-aging, sexual wellness, and what doctors often overlook when your body’s screaming that something...
2025-09-16
1h 00
Blame it on Mel
Katie Burned the Mormon Playbook🔥
Katie never fit the mold of the “typical Mormon housewife” — and this episode proves she never tried to. From temple marriage and infertility struggles to religious pressure, sexual double standards, and the quiet expectations that break women down, Katie’s story flips the script on faith and femininity.She put her husband through dental school, worked to support their family, and once he became a dentist, he told her it was time to “know your role” as a Mormon housewife and stay home with the kids. That moment became her breaking point.
2025-09-09
1h 42
Blame it on Mel
Trailer
I was the picture-perfect Mormon housewife — temple marriage, five kids, and a husband in the bishopric.But behind the façade were secrets, scandals, and cover-ups I was told to protect in the name of faith. Until I didn’t.I gave the bishop the middle finger, lit a match, and walked away from the perfect Mormon life everyone thought I had. I really am to blame — and I’ll take all the blame.This is the unfiltered story of a woman breaking free from reli...
2025-09-03
01 min
Blame it on Mel
Trailer
I was the picture-perfect Mormon housewife — temple marriage, five kids, and a husband in the bishopric.But behind the façade were secrets, scandals, and cover-ups I was told to protect in the name of faith. Until I didn’t.I gave the bishop the middle finger, lit a match, and walked away from the perfect Mormon life everyone thought I had. I really am to blame — and I’ll take all the blame.This is the unfiltered story of a woman breaking free from reli...
2025-09-01
00 min