From the Inside: Survivor and Former Worker (aka Minister) Break the Silence on the 2x2 Cult Livestream June 3rd at 12 Noon PDT
Kelly Thompson “, Ex2x2 Survivor, in conversation with Jared Snyder, Ex2x2 Worker
TNWWY exists to advocate for the recognition and full access to the original wholeness that is our birthright, no matter what we have faced. This space is here to deconstruct everything that stands in the way.
On Tuesday, June 3 at 12 noon PDT, I’ll be joined live by —4th generation born and raised, a former worker (minister) who spent 21 years inside the 2x2 church before leaving in the fall of 2023.
All of us are shaped by some form of indoctrination—religious, familial, cultural. It lives between the false self and who we really are. That’s why recovery (from anything) matters.
This livestream is for anyone reclaiming their life.
Join us June 3rd
HOW TO JOIN THE LIVESTREAM:
https://open.substack.com/live-stream/29457?
I’m a third-generation survivor, born and raised in the Two by Twos—a secretive, century-old cult that began in Ireland and operated in silence for generations.
You can read part of my story here:
💥 Exposed on Hulu: The Secrets of the 2x2 Church
In 2023, one of the most secretive and insular religious groups in the world—the Two by Twos—was exposed in a national scandal.
A head worker was found dead in a motel room.
On his devices: pornography and evidence of sexual abuse involving members of the church.
That event triggered a national reckoning, culminating in this documentary: 📺 Watch: IMPACT x Nightline – The Secrets of the 2x2 Church
This livestream continues that conversation—from the inside.
We’ll talk about:
Growing up in extreme fundamentalism
The cost of waking up and walking away
The long, winding road of recovery from spiritual abuse
How to reclaim your story, your voice, your self
This isn’t just about one group—it’s about the universal work of leaving the lie and learning to live again.
It’s about reclaiming your story, your voice, and your life after being shaped by silence and fear.
It’s about recognizing and deconstructing the conditioning that shaped you—for good or ill.
And while our conditioning was extreme, we are all in the process of uncovering the beliefs that formed us—
to connect with our deeper self and true nature,
to find liberation from the cage language can be,
and to invent our own poetics.
I’d love for you to join us. Bring your questions, your doubts, your curiosity. You’ll find the livestream link right here:
Bring your questions. Bring your truth.
You are not alone. I can’t wait to share space with you.
HOW TO JOIN THE LIVESTREAM:
You’ll receive an email from me at 12 noon PDT on Tuesday, June 3rd, letting you know that the livestream has begun so you can join us.
Important:
Viewers will need the Substack iOS or Android appto watch the live video.
When I go live, subscribers can join in several ways through the app:
By clicking the push notification or email notification
From your reading queue, where the livestream will automatically appear
Directly from my publication page under the Notes section
You will NOT be on camera — I can’t see you — but I can see your name when you join and your live chat comments.
The chat moves fast, and while I may not catch everything while talking with Shavaun, I’ll read as much as I can.
If you don't see the email right at noon, just open your Substack app and check the Notes section — the livestream will be there.
SUBMIT QUESTIONS EARLY (Optional):
Subscribers are welcome to submit questions or reflections ahead of time by replying to this post.
While this is not a formal Q&A session, I’ll try to weave in themes and questions where possible during the conversation and leave some room for questions at the end as well.
Important Content Note:
This livestream will include references to spiritual abuse, coercion, and sexual abuse within a high-control religious group. Please take care as you listen and join. Your well-being is always the priority. 💜
Any questions about how it works? Just reply here and I’ll do my best to help you. I’m looking forward to sharing this powerful conversation with you soon. And more to come!
Thank you for telling other readers about TNWWY and for supporting my work.
If you’ve made it this far, thank you. 😜
This work—writing, advocating, and hosting conversations like the upcoming livestream June 3 with
—takes time and energy. Your support makes it possible.I feature dedicated quarterly issues amplifying the voices of those in recovery (from anything). The next one drops May 25 and will feature 500-word flash essays from 2x2 survivors—stories of healing, truth-telling, and finding your badass on the other side of silence and fear.
Your paid subscription allows me to keep showing up, hosting livestreams (like the one with Shavaun Scott, psychotherapist and author of Nightbird: A Memoir—and amplifying the voices of others in recovery, like ESH: From Rock Bottom to Badass: Five No B-S Lessons on How to Recover (From Anything).
Send me an email with your recovery story (from anything) and 500 Words in the subject line to thompsonk@substack.com
TNWWY(ATNW) exists to advocate for the recognition and full access to the original wholeness that is our birthright, no matter what we have faced.
This space is here to deconstruct everything that stands in the way.
Telling the truth has a cost.
If the writing adds something real to your life—inspiration, clarity, a sense of not being alone—consider taking a turn and becoming a paid subscriber.
It’s the only way this can keep going.
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I'll be longing to join this discussion in the coming days. Can't wait!