Welcome to indoctrination, a weekly conversation series about protecting yourself from systems of control.

I'm your host, Rachel Bernstein.

Hi, everybody. Today on the show, we have Lauren Hunter. She also left Christian science,

and I say also because the last three episodes,

I interviewed a woman named Ellie, who had been raised in Christian science and left and talked

about her challenges upon leaving and adjusting to the world outside and dealing with

some physical issues that she was having

and not knowing how to address them because they weren't supposed to be addressed in Christian

science and the body isn't real and aches and pains are not real.

And by talking about them, you're making them real.

Lauren Hunter actually wrote a book called Leaving Christian

Science. And it's very interesting to hear her talk and also to talk about something else

that is a challenge for people who leave this group. Not only can you not talk about what is

plaguing you physically, but you don't have the language for feelings, emotions.

How do you go on to do therapy?

How do you go on to become a therapist?

How do you go on to address how you're feeling at any given moment if those feelings aren't real?

Or by talking about them, you're making them real.

So then you need to not talk about it and that will make them go away. I mean, that's sort of contrary to how therapy works and how

people are able to get the help that they need. So I am excited for you to hear another person talking about their experience with Christian

Science from a different perspective.

Here's Lauren now.

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