"I kept waiting to feel like myself again. What I didn't understand was that the self I was waiting for had never really been allowed to exist."
M., left 2019High-control religious groupInvolved for eleven years
Stories & community
You are not alone in this.
These are the voices of people who have been where you are. Their stories are shared with permission, in their own words, in the hope that someone else might feel a little less alone.
All stories are shared with the permission of the contributor. Names and identifying details have been changed where requested. If you would like to share your own story, please reach out through our contact page.
"The hardest part wasn't leaving. It was learning to trust my own perception of reality."
D., left 2021New Age wellness communityInvolved for four years
"My family is still inside. That's the part of the story I'm still living."
R., left 2017Political extremist groupInvolved for seven years
"I spent years thinking I was the problem. Therapy helped me understand I had been systematically taught to believe that."
T., left 2023High-control therapy groupInvolved for two years
Your voice
Share your story.
If you have left a high-control group and would like to share your experience — anonymously or with attribution — we would be honoured to hear from you. Stories are reviewed before publication and you retain full control over what is shared and how.
A note on community.
Life After The Light is a space, not a platform. We don't have a forum or a social feed — by design. What we offer instead is connection through shared experience: these stories, our resources, and the ability to reach out directly.
If you are looking for peer support, our contact page is the place to start. We can point you toward communities and groups that may be a good fit for where you are in your recovery.