# Part One ## Setting the scene https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003305798-1 [ Illustration: A bird perches on a post holding an arrow'd sign saying "THIS WAY". The bird looks down at a person in jeans and a sweater unfolding a large map as they step forward. A huge pack containing many bulky hidden items is lain to rest on the ground behind them. ][attachment P1A.jpg] I live in a beautiful rural area of England, by a road that was used for hundreds of years by traders using packhorses to take their merchandise from one town or village to another. Here and there, it is still possible to see ancient milestones telling the traveller how many miles they have walked from the last town and how far they still have to go to the next. Often they must have thought the way was long and slow, but each milestone meant real progress and a sense that their destination was that bit closer. I see the process of recovery and growth after a coercive, cultic or spiritually abusive experience as a journey. It takes time and effort and we need a roadmap as we navigate across bumpy terrain and around some roadblocks, but there is a way through and a destination worth seeking. I have made this journey of recovery and growth myself and sat with many clients as they have made their own journey. I have discovered that, although we all come from different types of abusive and coercive groups or relationships, many aspects of our journeys follow a similar course, and we need to pass the same milestones, one step at a time. Before we start, I will give you an overview of the book and the Walking Free journey by introducing you to the Roadmap and a summary of what is to come.
