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Mission
Our Mission is to provide HOPE for those affected by coercion.
Hope is what keeps us moving against problems that often feel too big for any one person.
Merch
People Leave Cults Shirt
This shirt is a reminder: People leave cults every day.
This unique design celebrates the strength it takes to step through the door and into a new chapter — a reminder that growth, freedom, and community wait on the other side.
People Leave Cults provides accessible low cost services for survivors. Every purchase helps us continue to provide education, resources, and hope for survivors and families impacted by coercive control and cults.
Consulting Services
Meet Ashlen
Founder and Cult Intervention Specialist
Hi! My name is Ashlen Hilliard, and I'm a Cult Intervention Specialist. I founded People Leave Cults because I'm deeply committed to helping individuals and families affected by coercive groups.
My approach is comprehensive, drawing on my academic expertise, professional background, and my personal dedication.
I hold an MSc in the Psychology of Coercive Control, and I conducted the first exploratory quantitative research on reproductive coercion within cultic groups, which was published in the International Journal of Coercion, Abuse, and Manipulation.
My experience has included providing direct support within polygamist communities as a case manager, organizing international conferences for professionals in the cult field, and facilitating local support groups for survivors. As an advocate, I've been fortunate to share my insights with major media outlets, and I'm also an Executive Producer on an upcoming film focused on this crucial topic.
Building community is also essential to me. I actively volunteer as an organizer of the Spiritual Abuse Forum for Education in Portland, Oregon and have organized local survivor conferences. I'm also a certified Peer Support Specialist with the Oregon Health Authority.
My vision is to enhance the resources and opportunities available in the cult recovery field. I believe that my personal experiences and professional experience allow me to offer compassionate, non-coercive support to those who need it.
![🎨 New video resource available for survivors and helping professionals!
🔗 LINK IN BIO TO ACCESS
Cult Recovery, Complex Trauma, and Art Therapy: A Comprehensive Approach
Presented at the American Art Therapy Association’s (AATA) 2024 Virtual Conference [Clinical Settings Track].
Presented by Ashlen Hilliard MSc, PSS; Dr. Erin Falconer PhD, MSc, LMSW; Natalee Bigger Stockdale MA, ATR-BC, LPCC, NCC
This presentation delves into the intersection of cult recovery, complex trauma, and the innovative application of art therapy as a transformative modality for survivors. Coercive control, a subtle yet insidious form of abuse, often leaves survivors grappling with complex trauma, a multifaceted and enduring aftermath that challenges traditional therapeutic approaches
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#cultpsychology #cultsurvivors #cultrecovery #cult #complextrauma #aata2024 #arttherapy](https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.75761-15/474654668_17998041995738180_1638663123846663924_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiRkVFRC5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=JsQD-0UmGkwQ7kNvwEhL0Ug&_nc_oc=Adm7ngO4SOi_7sm7BWMmxQkom3Pg7YFsnTN7pOzpAmNGwIULwox83R0m2uuVy2nxkB8&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=FqvbZudLBJLTT9iCNUw3wQ&oh=00_Afi91M5XvF-A7xL6U0kAtqX78NaSjP4XOTM_w6IdmvcFCA&oe=6916D9DF)
