Black Religious Trauma Recovery Network

You just joined the group? New to the Black Religious Trauma Recovery Support Group or curious about what we do? This monthly gathering is a relaxed, low-pressure opportunity to learn more about our community before attending a regular support group meeting.

During our time together, you'll learn about the origins and purpose of the group, who the group is for, what you can expect during our support group meetings, the types of topics we explore, and the values that guide our community. There will also be time to ask questions and learn more about whether this space may be right for you.

You are not required to share your personal story or discuss your religious trauma experiences. You are welcome to simply come, listen, learn, and ask questions.

Whether you've recently found the group, have been a Meetup member for a while but haven't attended yet, or simply want to know more before joining us for a support group meeting, this gathering is for you.

Come as you are, learn more, and decide for yourself if and when you're ready to attend.
This space is for Black Survivors who have been impacted by religious and spiritual abuse, high-demand groups, and/or cults. It is also for Black individuals who are supporting loved ones who have similar experiences.

* You are not required to attend this event in order to attend other events sponsored by the Black Religious Trauma Recovery Network.

With Care,
Black Religious Trauma Recovery Network

Manipulation is rarely obvious.

Most high-control groups don't begin with fear, intimidation, or control. They often begin with warmth, belonging, purpose, certainty, and community. Over time, however, subtle tactics can gradually influence the way people think, feel, relate to others, and make decisions—often without them realizing it.
In this support group, we'll explore some of the most common manipulation tactics used within cults and other high-control environments.

Together, we'll discuss topics such as love bombing, gaslighting, fear, guilt, shame, emotional dependency, isolation, information control, thought reform, and the gradual erosion of personal autonomy.
We'll also examine how these tactics may uniquely appear within Black religious and spiritual communities, where culture, faith, family, and community can sometimes be used to reinforce unhealthy patterns of control.

Most importantly, this gathering is designed to replace self-blame with understanding. Recognizing these tactics can help survivors make sense of their experiences, rebuild trust in themselves, and strengthen their ability to recognize manipulation in future relationships and communities.

Whether you're processing your own experiences or hoping to better understand how high-control groups operate, you'll find a compassionate, culturally responsive space to learn, reflect, ask questions, and connect with other Black survivors on their healing journey.

Looking forward to seeing you on 9/10/26 @7pm EST

With Care,
Black Religious Trauma Recovery Network

What is it really like to live inside a cult or high-control group?

For many Black survivors, life inside a cult or high-control religious or spiritual community wasn't always dramatic or obvious. It often looked like deep commitment, faithful service, close-knit community, and a sincere desire to honor God, family, or one's spiritual path. Yet beneath the surface, many survivors were quietly navigating fear, pressure, confusion, shame, and the gradual loss of their own voice.

In this support group, we'll explore the everyday realities of life inside cultic environments and how high-control groups can slowly reshape the way people think, relate, believe, and see themselves. Together, we'll discuss topics such as identity, belonging, obedience, perfectionism, free labor, isolation, surveillance, emotional exhaustion, fear of leaving, and the subtle ways personal autonomy can be diminished over time.

Whether you're processing your own experiences or hoping to better understand how high-control groups operate, you'll find a compassionate, culturally responsive space to learn, reflect, ask questions, and connect with other Black survivors on their healing journey.

Looking forward to seeing you on 09/24/26 @7pm EST

Why didn't they just leave?”
From the outside, leaving a cult or high-control environment may seem simple: recognize that something is wrong, walk away, and move on.
But for many survivors, leaving is anything but simple.

By the time someone begins questioning the group, their relationships, family, friendships, identity, beliefs, spirituality, finances, sense of purpose, and community may all be deeply connected to it.

Leaving may mean more than walking away from an organization. It may mean losing relationships, questioning everything you were taught to believe, facing fears about what will happen if you leave, and rebuilding a life outside of the community that once defined it.

During this support group, we'll explore the emotional, psychological, spiritual, relational, cultural, and practical barriers that can make leaving a cult incredibly difficult—especially for Black survivors whose religious, family, and cultural communities may be deeply intertwined.

Together, we'll challenge the question:
“Why didn't they just leave?”
and replace it with a more compassionate and informed question:

### What might this person have had to lose in order to leave?

We'll talk about fear, belonging, family, faith, identity, community, dependency, grief, and the complicated process of breaking away from a high-control environment.

As always, you are welcome to share, listen, reflect, ask questions, or simply be present. You are never required to share your story.

*This support group is exclusively for Black survivors of religious trauma, spiritual abuse, cults, and high-control religious or spiritual environments.
Hosted by the Black Religious Trauma Recovery Network