Forced Out: The Day Avalon Came to My House - Michael Passons (part 2)

"They showed up at my house and told me I was no longer in the group." In Part 2, Michael Passons reveals the failed "cure" that cost him his career and the 17-year battle to reclaim his life.

For nearly two decades, the official story was that Michael Passons left the multi-platinum group Avalon to "pursue other interests." Today, the silence ends.

In this conclusion to our interview, Michael takes us inside the room on June 30, 2003, detailing the unannounced "intervention" at his home that erased him from the band he helped build. He opens up about the industry ultimatum - "get cured or get out" - and the reality of the "reparative therapy" sessions that failed to change who he was, but succeeded in breaking his spirit.

But the trauma is only half the story. This episode is a masterclass in survival and healing. Michael shares how he navigated the "dark night of the soul" after being muzzled by NDAs and management , how he deconstructed the narrative that he was "broken," and how he finally made peace with the "boy in the mirror."

The truth was brutal, but the healing is beautiful.

Chapters & Timestamps:
00:00 - "The Cure Failed": The Chattanooga Therapy Sessions
04:15 - June 30, 2003: The Day Avalon Came to My House
12:30 - The Ultimatum: "Either He Goes or I Go"
18:45 - "Muzzled": The NDA and the 17-Year Silence
26:20 - The Erasure: Being "Thrown Off the Bus"
35:50 - Deconstructing the "Conservative Narrative"
48:10 - The Boy in the Mirror: Reclaiming Identity
56:00 - Message to the Industry: "We Are Not Broken"

About the Guest: Michael Passons is a founding member of the Grammy-nominated group Avalon. After being forced out of the group in 2003 due to his sexuality, Michael spent nearly two decades out of the public eye. Today, he is reclaiming his voice as an advocate for "Exvangelicals" and LGBTQ+ inclusion in faith spaces, sharing the untold story of the machinery that tried to erase him.

Recommended Next Watch:
Watch the beginning of the story here -    • The Michael Passons Story: Full Interview ...  
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🤝 Sponsor Spotlight – Bright Horse Counseling
We’d like to thank our episode sponsor Bright Horse Counseling, one of Nashville’s most respected therapy practices. Their clinicians specialize in trauma, PTSD, personality disorders, anxiety, addiction, maternal mental health, couples work and more. Bright Horse blends embodiment, insight and research‑backed modalities like DBT, EMDR and trauma‑informed yoga. They offer secure telehealth anywhere in Tennessee and have a no‑nonsense relational style.

Website: https://talktobrighthorse.com/
Phone: 615‑637‑7000
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