Over the summer I came across a series of articles on Substack titled, A Proverbial Naked Bike Ride Through Steubenville, Ohio. The author, Lindsay Tsohantaridis, talked about abuse of power and systemic cultures of abuse within the Franciscan University of Steubenville and wider charismatic community. I found her writing to be insightful and extensively researched. Lindsay was able to put words to experiences that are really hard to put words to and provided principles and examples that can be applied to any system and subculture within Catholicism. So I was thrilled why she agreed to be on the podcast.
Lindsay Younce Tsohantaridis was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest as an evangelical Quaker. At 19, she became Catholic then earned a BA in English and Masters in Teaching from George Fox University. She worked briefly as an actress on stage and film, portraying St Therese of Lisieux in the independent Catholic film Therese, then taught high school English and Drama. She currently lives in Steubenville, Ohio with her husband and seven children, and has scribbled off to the side for the past twenty years, submitting poetry and non-fiction here and there before starting her Substack.
Also, I just opened up registration for my next spiritual abuse workshop. This is an online workshop focused on recognizing, preventing, and responding to spiritual abuse in the Catholic Church.
This workshop is for:
Individuals trying to better understand their experiences of spiritual abuse in the Church
Clergy and lay leaders interested in safeguarding their communities from spiritual abuse and abuse of conscience
Therapists or spiritual directors working with clients who have been spiritually abused
This workshop will help you:
Recognize and prevent spiritual abuse and abuse of conscience in the Church
Know the symptoms of spiritual abuse, religious trauma, and moral injury
Better understand and respond to abusive systems in the Church
This is a live online workshop that meets in a small group over the course of five weeks, beginning on October 26.
Visit for here more details:
https://www.catholicthirdspace.com/p/spiritual-abuse-workshop-november
LINKS:
A Proverbial Naked Bike Ride Through Steubenville, Ohio (Part 1)
https://lindsaytso.substack.com/p/a-proverbial-naked-bike-ride-through
Lindsay’s Substack
https://substack.com/@lindsaytso
Spiritual Abuse Workshop
https://www.catholicthirdspace.com/p/spiritual-abuse-workshop-november
ABOUT THIRD SPACE: Third Space is the podcast for those who see the beauty of Catholicism, as well as the ugliness, who have experienced real harm AND real grace in the Church. Every episode I will have conversations with guests about the good and the bad in the Church—avoiding easy answers or black & white fundamentalism—in order to hold on to all that is true.
SUPPORT THIS SHOW: Please consider becoming a paid subscriber. All of your support directly helps my family and allows me to continue working on projects like this podcast, the newsletter, as well as resources about spiritual abuse in the Catholic Church.
www.catholicthirdspace.com
LIVING SOLIDARITY: Living Solidarity upholds the infinite dignity of every person by addressing the reality of spiritual abuse and abuse of conscience in the Catholic Church. Living Solidarity helps to build a Church of integrity and solidarity by accompanying survivors of spiritual abuse with trauma-informed life coaching; equipping Church leaders and institutions to confront systemic harm; and creating resources grounded in psychological research and the Church’s Social Teaching. Visit livingsolidarity.com to learn more, to connect with Paul, to schedule individual life coaching, or to invite Paul to speak or consult with your community, parish, seminary, or diocese.
ABOUT THE HOST: Paul Fahey is currently a professional counselor, retreat leader, and the host of the Third Space podcast. He provides counseling for those who have been spiritually abused and creates resources for Church leaders to better safeguard their communities against all forms of abuse. He previously worked for eight years as the Director of Religious Education at a Catholic parish. Paul Fahey lives in Michigan with his wife, Kristina, and their five kids.
