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Born into a Cult. Then Married a Narcissist. Is Coercive Control Stealing Your Life?

June 8, 2026

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Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
Born into a Cult. Then Married a Narcissist. Is Coercive Control Stealing Your Life?
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Were you born into a cult — or did you unknowingly marry one? 

If you've ever felt trapped, controlled, and unable to trust your own reality — whether in a religion, a family system, or a relationship — you may have been living inside a cult of two. 

Narcissistic abuse operates through the same coercive control and psychological manipulation that keep cult members from ever questioning their reality. 

Brooke Deanne, trauma healing mentor and author of Shattered, Broken and Beautiful, joins Dr. Kerry to share her remarkable survivor's story: 36 years inside a high-control religious cult, followed by 17 years married to a narcissist. Discover the chilling similarities between coercive control in relationships and cult indoctrination that make narcissistic abuse so hard to name. 

Coercive control doesn't always look like abuse — sometimes it looks like devotion, duty, and belonging. 

PODCAST EXTRA — EXCLUSIVE SEGMENT  

Find the exclusive second segment and weekly newsletter here: https://substack.com/@breakingfreenarcabuse  

🔹 If you've been in a narcissistic relationship, how do you finally release the shame? In this members-only bonus, discover Brooke Deanna’s full healing steps.

BROOKE DEANNA is a Trauma Healing Mentor, Rapid Transformational Therapist (RTT), and NLP Practitioner empowering female survivors of abuse and trauma to reclaim their lives by rewriting their stories via a holistic approach to access new levels of mind, body, and spirit integration. After overcoming her history of abuse as an ex-Jehovah’s Witness and toxic relationships, Brooke brings profound insight to her work as an advocate against religious abuse and domestic violence. 

Submit your question to be answered on air here!

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Follow Dr. Kerry!

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D, a retired psychologist & author, is an expert on cultivating healthy relationships and deconstructing narcissism. 

As an Amazon affiliate, commission is earned from qualifying purchases.

This podcast/video is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute therapy, counseling, or professional mental health advice. If you are in crisis, please call 911 or your local emergency number.

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