Send us a text

Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of religious trauma and self-harm.

One of the most important pillars of a good community is being able to show up as your whole self, being welcomed and accepted as such. But for many of us, it takes time to find this type of community for ourselves, and we go through a lot of heartache in the process. Today’s guest, Reverend Robert Arnáu, is no stranger to this journey and joins us to share his story of surviving conversion therapy and religious trauma to finding true belonging in an affirming spiritual community. Episode 8 of Connection from Here is about healing and authenticity beyond religious trauma.

Rev. Robert Daniel Arnáu is a queer, neurodivergent spiritual director, coach, and minister based in Massachusetts. Raised in the Bronx by his fierce Puerto Rican abuela and Nuyorican mother, he is a survivor of conversion therapy and now offers trauma-informed spiritual direction and coaching for LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC/Latiné individuals healing from religious trauma. Ordained through the Metropolitan Community Churches, he currently serves as a minister with The Faith Community in Atlanta, GA. His spiritual path is expansive and deeply rooted in liberation, blending non-Christian-nationalist Christianity with secular Buddhism, reiki, tarot, and ecumenical mysticism. At the core of his work is a belief in the sacredness of bodies, stories, and chosen family. Rob is the author of Sabor Zen, a pocket prayer book inspired by Buddhist precepts and infused with cultural soul—a gentle yet grounded invitation into mindful and embodied living. His approach bridges the mystical and the practical, offering clarity, compassion, and a fierce commitment to justice and healing in every space he enters.

Topics covered:

• The warmth– and the wounds– of being raised in a conservative church as a queer person.
• Rob recounts his experience surviving conversion therapy, illustrating the deep psychological and spiritual scars it can leave.
• The search for community beyond traditional spaces and how Rob found acceptance and healing within an LGBTQ+ affirming church.
• How our wounds can become sources of wisdom and how reclaiming our narrative can become an inspiration to others on similar journeys.

Your need for connection is real, natural, and important. As Rob’s story powerfully reveals, the path to wholeness is often found in safe, affirming community, where every part of you is welcome.

Watch the episode on YouTube here!

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast, telling us what you found insightful!

Learn more about HopeBase at https://www.gethopebase.com/ and our community at https://hopebasecommunity.mn.co/

Connect with Robert:

Website

Sabor Zen, a pocket prayer book inspired by Buddhist precepts and

flavored with cultural soul

Sacred & Salty Newsletter (Substack)

Spiritual Directors International Profile

Stay Connected:

Get

Join the HopeBase Community!

A caring, inclusive community for those seeking real connection, thoughtful conversations, & support.

Start your free trial today at: https://hopebasecommunity.mn.co/plans/1524592?bundle_token=33729f35dfaaa9fea5bc9fc3fdde4a68&utm_source=manual

Send us a text

True belonging isn’t just about being surrounded by people and fitting the mold– it’s about being seen and valued for who we truly are, imperfections and all. Today’s guest discovered this enlightenment when she embraced her voice, shared her story, and found community along the way. This week on the podcast, Mary Hoefler joins us for a vulnerable and empowering conversation about belonging, authenticity, and the power of telling your story. Episode 7 of Connection from Here is about how storytelling fosters authentic community and empathy.

After finding herself on stage during an expanded state of consciousness, Mary Hoefler decided that it was about time to get writing and start talking. She found herself on The Moth stage for the first time in July of 2023 and never looked back. A 2025 Moth Grand Slam winner and a six-time StorySlam winner, Mary has also been showing up at venues all over Chicago to tell her truth. In her stories, she shares with bravery and vulnerability what it is like to feel invisible at her age and her lifelong journey of wanting to be seen and picked. Although storytelling is clearly in her DNA, it doesn’t pay the bills, so Mary spends her days as a psychotherapist, encouraging clients to find their voice, get loud, and share their own stories without any edits…because why edit who we are?!!

Topics covered:

• The complex dynamics of being raised in an immigrant community, where survival and conformity were values, but true belonging and individuality were harder to find.
• Using storytelling as a tool to reclaim one’s identity and connect with others in an authentic way.
• The difference between “fitting in” and truly finding belonging by showing up as our true, messy selves.
• Insights into finding and building community as an adult, embracing solitude, and holding space for others’ unique stories.

Watch the episode on YouTube here!

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast, telling us what you found insightful!

Learn more about HopeBase at https://www.gethopebase.com/ and our community at https://hopebasecommunity.mn.co/

Connect with Mary:

Psychology Today | Mary Hoefler

The Moth Stories:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1RKJl_72bxPmcSKAhNYGe_7krfbfOSYOR

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1d61g9kWucRUUaVtaGM3MsPYVUlXvZrBL/view

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QQf70imBXDW6HXYRfDuPmgwS87OITjyU/view

Stay Connected:

GetHopeBase.com

HopeBase Instagram

YouTube

Join the HopeBase Community

Join the HopeBase Community!

A caring, inclusive community for those seeking real connection, thoughtful conversations, & support.

Start your free trial today at: https://hopebasecommunity.mn.co/plans/1524592?bundle_token=33729f35dfaaa9fea5bc9fc3fdde4a68&utm_source=manual

Send us a text

We talk often on the podcast about how, long ago, community was built based on geography. Now that this is no longer the case, it’s up to us to get creative about how we find – and sometimes build – the communities we are a part of. Renowned author, humorist, and climate activist Andrew Boyd joins the podcast this week to explore how community, ritual, and a willingness to hold both grief and hope can help us navigate change, loss, and activism in powerful, life-affirming ways. Episode 6 of Connection from Here is about finding belonging through chosen family, rituals, and activism!

Andrew Boyd is an author, humorist, and climate activist. He is currently CEO - the “Chief Existential Officer” - of the Climate Clock, a global campaign he co-founded that melds art, science, technology, and grassroots organizing to get the world to #ActInTime. He also co-created the grief-storytelling ritual the Climate Ribbon, co-founded the progressive netroots powerhouse Other98%, and led the 2000s-era satirical campaign “Billionaires for Bush, which has recently evolved into “Trillionaires for Trump”. Andrew's most recent book is I Want a Better Catastrophe: Navigating the Climate Crisis with Grief, Hope and Gallows Humor (New Society Press, 20203). His other books include Beautiful Trouble: A Toolbox for Revolution; Daily Afflictions and Life’s Little Deconstruction Book

Topics covered:

• Community is not always a given; oftentimes, we have to invent community for ourselves.
• Ways in which Andrew reinvigorates friendships and builds connection through rituals.
• Unpacking the concept of “chosen family” and how deep bonds and support can be formed outside of biological ties.
• The intersection of art, activism, and community through projects like The Climate Ribbon, which helps communities collectively process grief and commit to action.

Andrew’s story is a beautiful reminder that connection isn’t a given—it’s something we co-create with intention, ritual, and vulnerability.

Watch the episode on YouTube here!

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast, telling us what you found insightful!

Learn more about HopeBase at https://www.gethopebase.com/

Other Ways to Connect with Andrew:

AndrewBoyd.com

The Tragic Optimist (Substack)

We shall not be overwhelmed (Substack)

Latke Vodka Babka

Join the HopeBase Community!

A caring, inclusive community for those seeking real connection, thoughtful conversations, & support.

Start your free trial today at: https://hopebasecommunity.mn.co/plans/1524592?bundle_token=33729f35dfaaa9fea5bc9fc3fdde4a68&utm_source=manual