Kristel

“Those deemed “distorted”—usually husbands—were told to abandon their families to work on themselves. Alone. Jodi seemed to specialize in guiding wives to distance themselves from their husbands. Or kicking them out entirely. ConneXions language framed it as “inviting him to leave,” code for “I’m going to make you isolate yourself from everyone you know, except Jodi.” Shockingly, the husbands often went along with it, fully convinced that it was in the best interest of their families. It was like watching lemmings jump off a cliff.”
― Shari Franke, The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom

“I wanted to support my mother, despite the complex emotions I harbored toward her. Perhaps it was because I could empathize with the experience of holding resentment against one’s parents and grappling with unresolved childhood trauma. I instinctively understood that unaddressed pain often perpetuates cycles of hurt, passing from one generation to the next. I’d never thought about it before, that even those who present a flawless facade to the world, like my mother, might be struggling with deep-seated issues that remain hidden from view. How their polished exterior can serve as a mask, concealing the inner turmoil and unhealed wounds that continue to fester beneath the surface.”
― Shari Franke, The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom

“Cults are thought to prey on the vulnerable, the lost, the broken—but here’s the thing, they also can ensnare anyone who is simply a human searching for meaning.”
― Shari Franke, The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom

“But as I reflect on the many incongruities of my childhood, I can’t help but feel sadness for the baby girl who cried for her mother. Who wanted a different kind of love than the kind she received. A love that allows for vulnerability, for tears, for the full range of human emotion. A love that allows a child the freedom to feel.”
― Shari Franke, The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom