Survivor Voices is a powerful series amplifying the lived experiences of those who have endured trauma and found strength in healing. These are their stories; raw, real, and resilient.
Sharon Stopforth, a 51-year-old social worker from Calgary, Alberta, has built a life grounded in resilience, passion, and healing. Outside of her professional role as a trauma counselor, Sharon is a spirited car enthusiast. Her pride and joy is a blue 2018 Camaro Super Sport 2, which she enjoys racing on tracks, participating in car rallies, and cruising through the countryside. This summer, she plans to expand her skills further by learning the art of drifting; embracing both speed and freedom with open arms.
Yet beneath Sharon’s adventurous spirit lies a profound story of survival and recovery. For four years, Sharon was entrapped in a cult, exposed to mind control, manipulation, and deep psychological indoctrination. Leaving the cult was not only a physical departure but an emotional severance as well. The hardest part, she shares, was leaving behind her best friend, who remains within the group. The loss of that connection still weighs heavily on her heart.
Life Beyond the Cult
Following her departure, Sharon faced the profound aftermath of complex post-traumatic stress. She struggled with chronic anxiety, insomnia, social withdrawal, and persistent somatic symptoms, as her body remained locked in a perpetual fight-or-flight state. Healing would not be a simple journey, but Sharon approached it with the same determination she brings to the racetrack.
She credits a wide network of support for her recovery: her devoted husband, her sister, friends, and two key therapeutic relationships—her trauma therapist and her cult recovery therapist. Early in her healing, Sharon understood that addressing her symptoms of complex trauma was crucial. Working with professionals trained in touch therapy and somatic experiencing helped her begin releasing the physical memories stored in her body.
In her quest for deeper healing, Sharon immersed herself in education. She read extensively about cult dynamics, realizing that to fully understand her experience, she needed specialized support. Joining a survivor support group became a turning point. Hearing the stories of others who had lived through similar experiences provided an anchor of solidarity. “I didn’t feel alone anymore,” she says. “We were all the same.”
Completing the Walking Free workbook was another transformative moment. Sharon was stunned to recognize how all eight major mind control techniques had been present in her cult experience. Understanding these mechanisms helped her separate her identity from the manipulation she endured.
Resources such as the People Leave Cults support group, the guidance of her cult therapist Dr. Falconer, and podcasts like A Little Bit Culty and IndoctriNation became essential tools. She also found strength through documentaries like The Vow, Seduced, Holy Hell, and Going Clear, as well as the writings of experts such as Janja Lalich, Steve Hassan, Alexandra Stein, and others. Each resource added a new piece to the puzzle of her healing.
Through it all, Sharon discovered a powerful truth about herself: resilience runs deep in her spirit. “I refused to let this take me down,” she recalls. Even when misconceptions about cult survivors arose, such as the belief that only individuals with prior trauma are susceptible, Sharon found herself educating others, including her own trauma therapist.
“Anyone can be drawn into a cult,” she explains. “Even securely attached individuals. Cult dynamics disorganize the nervous system.”
Today, Sharon continues her healing journey. She remains committed to counseling, attends survivor support groups, and is gently returning to spiritual practices like meditation that once brought her peace. It has only been a year since her escape, but she moves forward with determination and hope.
Looking ahead, Sharon dreams of traveling the world, continuing to race her beloved Camaro, and even earning her pilot’s license. Professionally, she remains dedicated to her work as a trauma therapist, specializing in somatic therapy—a field she believes is revolutionary for healing trauma at its deepest roots.
For Sharon, survival is not just about escaping the past—it’s about reclaiming joy, purpose, and power in every corner of her life. Her journey stands as a testament to the strength it takes to heal—and the freedom that healing can bring.
Visit Sharon’s Website
Every survivor’s story is a testament to resilience, courage, and the power of truth. By sharing these lived experiences, we shine a light into the shadows, break the silence, and remind others that healing is possible. Survivor Voices exists to amplify these truths, because every voice matters, and every story has the power to change the world. Thank you for reading.
Each year, about 1,990 U.S. children die from abuse (5.5 every day). This petition calls on Congress to address this urgent crisis and protect our nation’s most vulnerable.
Discover more from Vennie Kocsis
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Vennie Kocsis 
One thought on “Survivor Voices: Sharon Stopforth”