This is the sixth post in a mental health series of posts by Lisa Gray. Lisa is a Marriage and Family Therapist with background in the meeting fellowship, and we are honored to have her perspectives featured here on our blog.  One of the most confusing things for me growing up was constantly being told “we are a joyful people,” but then looking around and seeing no smiles on anyone’s face. And then, in testimonies, there were often thoughts shared like: “I’m unworthy” or “I’m

Hello to our treasured Bridges & Balm community! In this post, we summarize our 2025 financial and assistance metrics, review our current financial status, outline our new initiatives and provide some BoD updates. First, thank you for your incredible care for survivors and former workers through your emotional and financial support. Your support for them over the past two years has been truly overwhelming, and it’s amazing that we are now beginning our third year of operatio

If you spent time in the work, you carry a kind of knowledge that’s hard to explain to people who haven’t lived it. You know the language, the pressures, the complicated love, the camaraderie, the grief, the humor, the loyalty, the disorientation and the rebuilding. And you also know that no two stories are the same. If you’d like to write and share your experiences, we’d love to hear from you. What we’re looking for Posts can be short (500–900 words) or longer if the story n

This is the fifth post in a mental health series of posts by Lisa Gray. Lisa is a Marriage and Family Therapist with background in the meeting fellowship, and we are honored to have her perspectives featured here on our blog.  One of the things that I noticed when I left the meetings was my startling lack of discernment capabilities. This isn’t unique to meeting culture, but it is a hallmark of high-control religions or groups where developing discernment is not encouraged. D