Any spiritual group that causes someone to fear for their safety—physically, mentally, or emotionally—cannot possibly be healthy. That might sound obvious at first, but in high control environments, what feels obvious from the outside becomes deeply confusing from within. In conversations about coercive control, we often compare high control groups to unhealthy intimate relationships. The parallels are not just helpful—they’re essential for understanding what’s really happ

You thought leaving would bring relief. More freedom. More space to breathe. Maybe even a sense of peace. Instead… there’s guilt. A constant, nagging, heavy feeling that you’ve done something wrong — even if you can’t logically explain why. If this is you, you’re not broken. And you’re definitely not alone. What you’re feeling makes sense when we understand how high-control or fear-based religious environments shape the brain, the nervous system, and your sense of self. L

Recently, The Catholic Weekly published an article claiming that the Victorian Inquiry into Cult Recruitment might threaten religious freedom. Their framing of issues immediately raised red flags — because when someone starts arguing about definitions instead of behaviours, it’s usually a sign they’re trying to divert attention from accountability.

If you’ve ever come out of a relationship with a narcissist — whether a parent, partner, boss, or cult leader — you may find yourself...

When people see my cult ranking system, they sometimes assume it’s a trauma scale. It’s not. My rubric doesn’t measure the emotional pain a group causes—though many do cause immense suffering. Instead, it measures coercive control: the tactics groups use to limit a person’s agency, autonomy, and freedom.

This parliamentary inquiry into coercive control in religious groups, follows years of advocacy by victim-survivors and researchers, and will have a particular focus on recruitment and retention. At the heart of the investigation lies the troubling reality that not all spiritual communities are safe havens; some are meticulously orchestrated systems of psychological domination and oppressive manipulation that masquerades as faith.

Explore the dark reality of cultic exploitation: Volunteer Labour and Spiritual Justifications for Abuse.