Healing from Religious Abuse with Anna LeBaron
In this episode of the Voice of Influence Podcast, host Andrea interviews Anna LeBaron, author and speaker, about her courageous journey of escaping the control and secrecy of her father’s infamous polygamist cult. Anna shares the intense personal and spiritual challenges she endured, including abandonment, child labor, and sexual grooming.
She discusses her memoir, ‘The Polygamist’s Daughter,’ and her participation in the Hulu docuseries ‘Daughters of the Cult.’ Anna recounts her ongoing healing journey facilitated by therapy and trauma-informed practices. She talks about the importance of confronting one’s past, repairing relationships, and the complexities of religious trauma. Anna also reveals her current academic pursuits and her hopes to teach seminary, writing her dissertation on spiritual formation intersected with religious trauma. This episode dives deep into personal growth, resilience, and the transformative power of sharing one’s story.
00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:19 Anna’s Background and Early Struggles
01:51 Journey of Healing and Overcoming Trauma
03:17 Writing the Memoir and Family Dynamics
08:03 Therapy and Personal Growth
17:48 Physical and Educational Transitions
19:35 Future Aspirations and Spiritual Formation
31:18 Leaving the Cult and Finding Agency
38:22 Family Relationships and Public Storytelling
45:52 Introduction to the Docu-Series
47:25 Dispelling Myths About Ervel’s Children
49:12 Psychological Impact of Cult Life
52:14 Personal Struggles and Mental Health
56:09 Overcoming Agoraphobia
01:06:34 Spiritual Abuse and Healing
01:16:02 Deconstruction and Faith
01:21:32 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Mentioned in this Episode:
The Polygamist’s Daughter, by Anna LeBaron
Voice of Influence Podcast episode 352 with Anna LeBaron and Ruth Wariner
Summary
Healing in Public: How Anna LeBaron Reclaimed Her Voice After Escaping a Cult
What happens when your entire childhood is shaped by fear, control, and spiritual manipulation—and yet you emerge as a powerful voice for healing, justice, and hope?
Anna LeBaron, author of The Polygamist’s Daughter and one of more than 50 children of infamous cult leader Ervil LeBaron, returns to the Voice of Influence Podcast to share how far she’s come since her first interview in 2017. Also featured in the docuseries Daughters of the Cult on Hulu, Anna reflects on everything from trauma healing and spiritual abuse to doctoral research and repairing family relationships.
This deeply moving episode is a must-listen for anyone who believes in the power of resilience, truth-telling, and using your voice to shape the future.
From Silence to Voice
“For a long time, I believed I had to wait until my mother died to tell my story… I felt responsible for her feelings of guilt.”
Anna speaks with raw honesty about the inner narratives that kept her quiet for years—including the haunting question: “Who am I to tell this story?”As the first of her siblings to publicly share her experience, Ana wrestled with minimizing her trauma—believing she had suffered the least.
But healing, she says, came through doing “the possible things” while leaving the impossible to God. With over a decade of trauma-informed therapy and relentless self-work, Anna found the courage to publish The Polygamist’s Daughter, a memoir that has touched thousands. “Every story matters,” she reminds us. “And mine does too.”
Healing Is Slow, But It Transforms
“I used to feel like I was going in circles. Now I see I’ve been growing in circles.”
Using the metaphor of the nautilus shell, Anna describes her healing journey not as a straight line, but as layered, spiraling growth. Each “chamber” of healing allowed her to access more of herself—including the parts hidden even from her own children.
This transformation hasn’t been without grief. She’s done deep repair work with her now-adult children and continues to explore how trauma shaped her identity, choices, and leadership. “I was a good enough mom,” she says, “but I’ve learned to do better.”
Her story invites all of us to reflect on how healing is both deeply personal and profoundly impactful.
Why She Told Her Story—and Why It Matters Now
“What we wanted to do through the docuseries was explain how brainwashing works… and show that none of us believe anymore.”
In the Hulu series Daughters of the Cult, Anna and her sister Celia help rewrite the public narrative about their family. For decades, the LeBaron name was synonymous with fear and manipulation. But Anna wants the world to know: that chapter is closed.
“There’s not a single one of my father’s children—imprisoned or free—who still believes he was a prophet,” Anna says. “We’ve all chosen to live lives we can be proud of.”
She also advocates for compassion: “I can’t speak for my siblings, but I can speak up for them.” Her story is not one of shame—it’s a call to see the humanity behind the headlines and the courage it takes to break generational cycles.
Anna’s journey is not just about survival—it’s about formation. Now earning her doctorate in spiritual formation and soul care, she’s researching how to support people recovering from spiritual abuse while maintaining life-giving faith.
She’s still doing the work. Still healing. Still showing up faithfully—step by step.
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