About this episode

This episode discusses the journey of Veronica Monet from a religious cult to choosing sex work as an act of agency, challenging narratives around trauma and healing.

What happens when the beliefs you're raised with become the source of your deepest wounds? In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Veronica Monet, who was born into a religious cult where isolation, control, and abuse were justified through faith. After escaping, addiction became a way to cope with the trauma she carried until she eventually found recovery. But recovery didn't lead to the life others expected. Sober and determined to survive on her own terms, Veronica chose sex work—a decision often misunderstood, but one she describes as an act of agency rather than defeat. This conversation challenges simplistic narratives about trauma and healing. It explores religious abuse, addiction, shame, autonomy, and what it means to reclaim ownership of your body and identity after years of control. For more than two decades, Veronica built a career in an industry many judge, while redefining survival, dignity, and self‑determination on her own terms. This episode is about cult recovery, addiction, agency, and the courage to rewrite your life when the world insists your story should end differently.

People in this episode

Host: Hiba Balfaqih

Guest: Veronica Monet

Topics covered

• cult recovery
• addiction
• agency
• trauma
• healing
• self-determination

Keywords

• sex work
• cult recovery
• addiction
• trauma
• agency
• self-ownership
• identity
• dignity

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: religious cult

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• My Family Was America's Most Dangerous Cult · July 1, 2026 · 58 min
• I Killed My Abuser · June 24, 2026 · 1h 2m
• How A 16 Years Old Robbed A Bank · June 17, 2026 · 55 min

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