High Control Groups
Maybe you joined a group because you were looking for community. Or a way to provide financially for your family. Or for spiritual healing. Or maybe you were born into it and you didn’t have a choice.
But something didn’t feel quite right and you found that no one appreciated your curiosity, and no one wanted to answer your questions. You were told that if something didn’t work right or make sense, that it was your fault - that you weren’t trying hard enough or seeing clearly. But still, that little feeling inside of you grew and now you’re wondering what happened.
High Control Groups is a term used to describe organizations, religions, and social groups that exert a significant level of control and influence over their members. These groups typically require a high degree of commitment, conformity, and obedience from their members.
High Control Groups can include the following:
-
Religion
-
Multi-Level Marketing (MLM)
-
Wellness / Spirituality Groups
-
Work environments
-
Family systems
You may be part of a High Control Group if you’ve experienced the following:
-
Being told to blindly follow a central leader who claims special knowledge.
-
Required to adopt a strict belief system that matches the group's ideology.
-
Isolated from friends and family outside the group to maintain influence and limit exposure to differing opinions.
-
Asked to recruit others and promised benefits for doing so.
-
Required to make a significant financial commitment and provide unpaid labor.
-
Blamed if unable to meet certain expectations.
-
Initially showered with praise and love, which then fades over time.
-
Expected to follow strict rules; disobedience can lead to sanctions or expulsion.
​
Let's follow that seed of doubt and see where it leads. Maybe you want to leave the group, maybe you've left, or maybe you want to figure out how to stay in the group but feel more in control over your commitments.
I won't sway you in any direction, I'm here to help you navigate and determine what feels right to you.
​