A free, one-off online support group for survivors of cults and high-control groups in Australia and New Zealand.

• When: Monday 14 December 2026, 6.30pm to 7.30pm AEDT / 8.30pm to 9.30pm NZDT

• Where: Online via Zoom

• How long: 60 minutes

• Cost: Free

• Spots: 20

Christmas is a strange time to be a survivor

• Some of us were taught that Christmas was wicked. Now we're adults who've never decorated a tree and have no idea what the rules are.

• Some of us had to perform joy every December, surrounded by people watching for any sign of doubt.

• Some of us have been shunned by parents, siblings or children, and the silence gets louder as the day gets closer.

• Some of us will sit across the table from family who are still inside and try to get through lunch.

People who've left non-religious groups can feel this too. A wellness community, political movement, business or self-improvement program can become your whole social world. When you leave, the people you'd normally spend December with often go as well.

Then there are the everyday bits. Someone at work asks about your Christmas plans. Someone else asks what your family traditions were. You might feel sad, furious, numb, relieved or all four before morning tea.

What happens in the group

Sam and Elise will open with a short welcome and group agreements. After that, it's open discussion for the rest of the 60 minutes, with no presentation or set topics.

You might talk about the person you miss, the lunch you're dreading, or what to say when people ask about your childhood. You might say nothing and simply hear from other people who understand.

Nobody will tell you how to feel about Christmas or what to believe. All beliefs are respected, and there's no persuading or debating.

You can love Christmas, hate it, skip it, or have no idea what you think of it yet.

Who can come

The group is for adults living in Australia or New Zealand. You're welcome if:

• you were born into a group or recruited into one

• your group was religious, or it wasn't

• you've left, or you're still inside

• you're still working out what happened to you

• you have a family member inside a group

• you're a practitioner attending as a survivor yourself

Before you register

This is a peer support group, and it isn't therapy or crisis support.

If you'd like ongoing support after Christmas, you can look at our support groups or find someone through our Practitioner Directory.

You'll get your Zoom link by email 24 hours before the group. Once all 20 spots are taken, you can add your name to the waitlist.