The Real Testimony

In the premiere episode of Just ONE Person, host Lisa Bloom introduces us to a remarkable woman Stephanie Michelle-hairstylist, musician, and survivor. What began as a simple haircut appointment turned int a deep friendship and the start of a powerful journey.

Stephanie shares vivid memories of her early childhood in rural Texas-complete with homemade Halloween costumes, switch-picking discipline, and the unconditional love of her grandparents, Mimi and PopPop. But at age 7, her life changed drastically when her father became a pastor and moved the family to Louisiana. The shift brought new pressures, religious expectations, and the beginnings of trauma that would shape the rest of her life.

This episode sets the state for a season of courage, healing, and hope as Stephanie begins to unravel her past-with raw honesty and strength.

Stephanie shares the harrowing realities of her early childhood as the daughter of Pentecostal pastors whose faith demanded an impossible standard of perfection. Under the guise of godliness, her parents subjected her to relentless physical and emotional abuse, using their religious beliefs to justify their actions. Stephanie recounts how her curiosity, creativity, and individuality were deemed rebellious sins, leading to punishments that left her bruised, bloodied, and broken.

This episode delves into the psychological weight of religious manipulation, the isolation of a child silenced by fear, and the resilience it takes to survive in a world where love and violence coexisted.

Amidst the pain, Stephanie reflects on the hope she found in fleeting moments of kindness and connection—small lifelines that kept her holding on. Through her story, we examine the blurred lines between faith and fanaticism, and the unyielding strength of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable suffering.