Unmasking Coercive Control: A Survivor’s Journey Through a High-Demand Group and the Broader Societal Challenge

When most people reflect on life’s threats, becoming engulfed in a high-control organization is rarely the first thought. Yet, a significant, often underestimated, segment of the global population experiences psychological manipulation that can be as devastating as overt physical threats. Research by Castaño et al. (2022) suggests that approximately 1 percent of individuals worldwide become involved in groups characterized by psychological abuse, commonly referred to as cults. However, this figure is widely considered a substantial underestimate due to the inherent secrecy, profound hazards, and pervasive stigma associated with disclosure. Beyond these extreme manifestations, a considerably larger number of individuals find themselves entangled in coercive relationships, whether with an institution, a charismatic leader, or an abusive individual.

Survivors consistently report an initial unawareness of their circumstances, a testament to the intricate emotional manipulation embedded within the recruitment and retention processes, as highlighted by Garcia et al. (2025). Ashleigh Freckleton stands as one such survivor, now committed to shedding light on this insidious phenomenon.

A Personal Journey into a High-Control Environment

Eight years ago, Ashleigh embarked on a journey that began with a sincere desire for peace and self-improvement, leading her to join a yoga school. What started as a spiritual quest soon devolved into a harrowing experience, culminating in her feeling trapped overseas within what she now unequivocally identifies as a high-control group, or cult. The realization of her predicament dawned on her only as circumstances escalated into genuinely frightening territory. Today, Ashleigh is bravely sharing her story in "Twisted Yoga," a three-part documentary series available on AppleTV, with the explicit goal of educating the public and fostering greater awareness.

This article aims to delve deeper into Ashleigh’s experience, providing critical context and analysis around emotional exploitation, and offering insights into how individuals can better protect themselves from such insidious forms of manipulation.

The Crucible of Situational Vulnerability

Ashleigh’s entry into the organization occurred during a period she describes as "situational vulnerability." This concept is crucial to understanding how seemingly ordinary individuals can become entangled in high-control groups. "It was kind of the perfect storm," Ashleigh recounts. "I was in a transitional life phase—in my mid-20s, I’d just moved overseas, I’d been through a recent breakup, I was very spiritually open. I’d dabbled or explored a lot of different things, and I was just so curious. I really wanted to just engage in a yoga practice, and so with all of these kinds of factors combined, I was just really open, and that made me vulnerable to the school’s message."

This state of vulnerability is not a sign of weakness but rather a common human experience. Major life changes—such as relocating, relationship dissolution, career shifts, or bereavement—can disrupt an individual’s sense of stability and belonging. During such times, the natural human drive to seek connection, meaning, and purpose intensifies. Organizations, or individuals, adept at psychological manipulation often target those in these transitional phases, presenting themselves as providers of answers, community, or a path to self-improvement. Ashleigh’s desire for connection, meaning, and self-improvement, initially manifesting as a wish to practice yoga in India, became an entry point for a group that exploited these fundamental human needs.

The Insidious Mechanics of Control: Isolation, Secrecy, and Self-Doubt

Despite initial feelings of unease, Ashleigh, like many survivors, initially rationalized her doubts. "I often had doubts, but I saw them as my ego and challenges to overcome, questioning myself more than others. That led to more isolation due to secrecy." This internal narrative, often cultivated by high-control groups, is a hallmark of psychological manipulation. By reframing genuine concerns as personal failings or spiritual impediments, the group instills self-doubt and discourages critical thinking, effectively turning an individual’s internal compass against them.

The tactics employed by high-control environments typically include:

• Isolation: Gradually severing ties with external support networks—family, friends, previous communities—under the guise of fostering deeper commitment to the group or eliminating "negative influences."
• Secrecy: Encouraging or demanding that members keep group activities, teachings, or internal dynamics hidden from outsiders. This creates an "us vs. them" mentality and reinforces dependence on the group for information and validation.
• Infusions of Self-Doubt: Systematically undermining an individual’s self-esteem, critical thinking skills, and sense of personal agency. This is often achieved through constant criticism, demanding perfection, and attributing any failure or doubt to the individual’s lack of commitment or spiritual development.
• Unquestionable Leadership: Establishing an authoritarian structure where leaders are perceived as infallible, divinely inspired, or possessing unique wisdom, making any challenge to their authority unacceptable.

Ashleigh’s experience vividly illustrates these dynamics: "Any kind of boundary you put up was your limitation," she explains. "It was seen as a signal that you were not spiritually evolved and needed to grow. So, it really affected my sense of self and my self-esteem. I was constantly feeling like I’m not good enough, I’m not evolved enough." This relentless degradation, coupled with an intense focus on a singular "truth" propagated by the group, eroded her sense of reality. By the time she returned to Australia, Ashleigh describes a profound sense of disorientation: "I actually felt like reality was melting around me… The scariest part for me was feeling like I didn’t have control of my own mind. It felt like my mind had been cut in two: There was lucid Ashleigh and then brainwashed Ashleigh." This fragmentation of identity and perception is a common and deeply distressing outcome of prolonged psychological abuse in cultic environments.

The Broader Landscape of Coercive Control

The tactics Ashleigh describes align closely with frameworks used by cult experts, such as the BITE Model developed by Steven Hassan. This model outlines four key areas of control:

• Behavior Control: Dictating how members should act, live, and interact.
• Information Control: Manipulating or withholding information, using propaganda, and discouraging access to outside sources.
• Thought Control: Indoctrinating members with the group’s ideology, suppressing critical thinking, and promoting "thought-stopping" techniques.
• Emotional Control: Manipulating emotions through guilt, fear, and praise, fostering dependency, and punishing expressions of individuality or doubt.

These mechanisms are not exclusive to spiritual cults. As Ashleigh rightly points out, "This stuff is everywhere. It’s not just in spiritual circles; it’s also in politics, in political movements, in group fitness, wellness industries, dare I say certain marketing schemes; it’s all around us." This underscores the urgent need for broader societal recognition of coercive control as a pervasive threat, irrespective of its specific context.

Climbing Out of the Well: The Long Road to Recovery

Recovering from such extreme trauma is a complex and arduous process. Ashleigh’s journey highlights the multi-faceted approach necessary for healing, involving support, family, professional therapy, and rigorous self-education. Physical distance from the controlling environment played a critical initial role, creating the space for her to begin disentangling herself from the group’s pervasive influence.

"I learned about cults, coercive control, logical fallacies, cognitive biases, and these psychological mechanisms, and I ended up studying psychology as well to try to make sense of what happened," Ashleigh explains. This intellectual engagement, combined with therapeutic intervention, allowed her to re-establish her grounding and reconstruct a coherent understanding of her experiences. Therapy provided a safe space to process the trauma, rebuild her sense of self, and challenge the ingrained negative thought patterns imposed by the group.

Ashleigh’s inherent strength and resilience were pivotal in her recovery. She vividly describes this inner fortitude: "It felt to me like I had been thrown to the bottom of a well, but I always had a rope attached to me." This metaphor speaks to an enduring core self that, despite immense pressure, never fully succumbed to the manipulation.

The healing process unfolded in stages. "There was a big process of having experiences and seeking something to believe in, experiences to validate that," she says, emphasizing the importance of re-engaging with the world and finding new sources of meaning and affirmation. "I also had therapy. I saw a counselor. Just moving forward with life, having friends, support networks, studying hobbies, passions, and interests. And then with time, things got so good that it feels like it’s really over there now and I’m over here." This narrative of incremental progress, rebuilding social connections, and rediscovering personal passions is common among survivors who successfully reclaim their lives.

Ashleigh’s commitment to her own healing journey extended to pursuing a degree in psychology. Today, she works as a provisional psychologist, dedicating her professional life to supporting others navigating their own paths to recovery from similar traumatic experiences. Her transition from survivor to professional advocate exemplifies the transformative power of resilience and purpose found in helping others.

Identifying Coercive Control: Essential Questions for Self-Assessment

The prevalence of coercive control across various societal domains makes it imperative for individuals to develop an awareness of its warning signs. "It’s really easy for us to look at someone and think ‘well that could never happen to me,’ but it could, and it often does on smaller scales," Ashleigh cautions. "So it is really important not to look at it and think it couldn’t happen to you because perhaps it already has."

While the original article mentions three questions, elaborating on these or providing a more comprehensive list of indicators can be profoundly helpful for self-assessment. Here are key areas to consider if you suspect you or someone you know might be in a high-control situation:

1. Freedom of Association and Communication:

   • Are you discouraged or prevented from spending time with friends or family outside the group/relationship?
   • Are your communications monitored or controlled (e.g., limits on phone calls, internet access)?
   • Do you feel you need permission to make significant life decisions (e.g., career, relationships, finances)?

2. Information Access and Critical Thinking:

   • Is there an emphasis on a single, infallible source of truth, often from a charismatic leader or the group’s doctrine?
   • Are you discouraged from seeking or believing information from outside sources (e.g., news, academic research, former members)?
   • Do you find yourself suppressing doubts or questions about the group/person’s teachings or actions for fear of judgment or reprisal?

3. Identity and Self-Worth:

   • Has your sense of self-worth become entirely dependent on your adherence to the group’s rules or the leader’s approval?
   • Do you constantly feel "not good enough" or that you need to strive harder to meet impossible standards?
   • Do you feel a loss of your personal identity, hobbies, or interests that pre-dated your involvement?

4. Financial and Time Commitment:

   • Are you pressured to donate significant amounts of money or assets to the group/person?
   • Is your time increasingly consumed by group activities, leaving little room for personal pursuits or external responsibilities?
   • Do you feel financially dependent on the group or leader?

5. Fear and Intimidation:

   • Do you fear negative consequences (e.g., spiritual damnation, social ostracization, personal failure) if you question or leave the group/relationship?
   • Is there a pervasive atmosphere of guilt, shame, or fear used to maintain compliance?
   • Have threats, subtle or overt, been made against you or your loved ones if you do not conform?

Implications and Future Directions

Ashleigh Freckleton’s story, amplified by the "Twisted Yoga" documentary, serves as a powerful testament to the insidious nature of coercive control and the remarkable capacity for human resilience. Her experience underscores several critical implications for society:

• Public Awareness: Increased media coverage and personal narratives are vital in demystifying cults and high-control groups, making the public more aware of the subtle signs of manipulation. This awareness can act as a crucial preventative measure.
• Mental Health Support: There is a significant need for specialized mental health services tailored to survivors of cults and coercive control. Traditional therapy may not always adequately address the unique psychological and social challenges faced by these individuals, including identity reconstruction, trauma processing, and rebuilding social networks.
• Legal Frameworks: Legal systems worldwide are increasingly grappling with how to address coercive control, particularly in domestic abuse contexts. Expanding these frameworks to encompass institutional or group-based psychological abuse presents a complex challenge but is essential for victim protection.
• Education: Integrating education about psychological manipulation, critical thinking, and healthy relationships into school curricula and public health campaigns could equip individuals with tools to resist undue influence.

Speaking with Ashleigh, one cannot help but be struck by her incredible strength of mind and clarity of insight. Her willingness to share such a deeply personal and traumatic experience for the benefit of others is a testament to her profound resilience and dedication to fostering a more informed and protected society. Her work, both through the documentary and as a provisional psychologist, offers a beacon of hope and practical guidance for those navigating similar journeys, reminding us all of the importance of vigilance, critical thinking, and the unwavering pursuit of autonomy.

To find a therapist, visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.

References

Castaño, A., Bélanger, J. J., & Moyano, M. (2022). Cult conversion from the perspective of families: Implications for prevention and psychological intervention. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 14(1), 148.

Garcia, Y., Dugger, S. M., & Greene, J. (2025). The Emotional Landscape of Cult Involvement from Recruitment to Disaffiliation: A Grounded Theory Study of Survivor Experiences to Inform Trauma Counseling. Trauma Counseling and Resilience, 2(2), 5.