Raised by Women
Raised by Women is a storytelling podcast about how we become who we are and the legacy we carry forward.
Hosted by Willijah Dawson, each episode features real conversations with people from all walks of life about the women and experiences that shaped them. Mothers, grandmothers, mentors, caregivers and sometimes the absence of them all leave a mark.
Through honest reflection, the show explores family patterns, life transitions, identity, work, purpose, relationships, and the quiet moments that change us.
At its core, Raised by Women asks: Who are you becoming and what are you choosing to carry forward.
Raised by Women
Raised in a cult and choosing to raise my kids differently with Luna Westish
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What happens when you realize the beliefs, patterns, and survival instincts that shaped your life were never truly yours to begin with?
In this episode, I’m joined by Luna, writer and author of Meet Me at the Ruins, for a powerful conversation about growing up in a high-control religious environment, the long road of unconditioning, and what it means to rebuild identity after trauma.
Luna shares how discovering the public history of the group she was raised in changed the way she understood her childhood, her family, and herself. We talk about consent, agency, boundaries, parenting after harm, and the layered work of deciding what parts of you are rooted in truth and what parts were formed through fear, control, or survival.
This conversation is honest, thoughtful, and deeply human. It explores what healing can look like when there are no simple answers, no neat endings, and no perfect way to parent, recover, or move forward. It is also a conversation about legacy: how we choose not to pass certain patterns on, how we repair in real time, and how we learn to live with more integrity in our bodies, relationships, and homes.
If you’ve ever had to question the systems that raised you, untangle inherited beliefs, or choose a different path for the next generation, this episode will stay with you.
In this episode, we explore:
- growing up in a high-control religious environment
- family estrangement and the cost of naming harm
- parenting with consent and gentle boundaries
- healing through research, writing, and reflection
- body autonomy, identity, and inherited patterns
- what it means to build a different legacy
To connect with Luna:
- FB: https://www.facebook.com/lunawestish
- IG: https://www.instagram.com/lunawestish/
- TikTok: **Luna Westish (@lunawestish)**
- Luna’s Book: https://bookshop.org/a/115025/9798986371665
- Recommended book: The body is not an apology https://bookshop.org/a/115025/9781523090990
- Suggested books on cults: https://bookshop.org/shop/lunawestish
If this conversation stirred something in you, join the Inner Circle a private space for listeners and guests to stay connected and continue the reflection beyond the show