About.

“If you are able to sing from the very wound that you’ve worked so hard to hide, not only will it give meaning to your own story, but it becomes a corroborative voice for others with a similar wounding.”

— Toko-pa Turner


What is Led By Stories?

It’s a weekly newsletter for humans who love stories and want to heal from cults and coercive control (including personal development cults and New Age groupthink).

Something you’ll hear me say a lot is, “People like us do things like that.”

If you are into manifesting, have drawers full of crystals, use phrases like ‘radical self-sovereignty’ and categorize people as either high- or low-vibration, you will find these stories very uncomfortable.

Frankly, I find these stories very uncomfortable. They represent a complete unravelling of a belief system that touches every single part of my life and every person in it.

If you want to see where the story leads, subscribe to get full access to the newsletter and website. I publish new stories every Friday.


Hi, I’m Tarzan 👋🏼

I’m really glad you made it here. I hope you will feel a sense of belonging as you read my stories. In being found, so will I. So thank you.

I am a human in recovery, like almost every person I know. I was raised in a high-control religious group called the Plymouth Brethren. Some people call it a cult. I am one of those people.

After leaving the Brethren I found other unhealthy sources of belonging, swapping my Christian beliefs for New Age ones. I traded my crosses for crystals, and my bible for the Hay House library.

Led By Stories is me finding my way out. It’s my way of deprogramming myself, so that I can find meaning and belonging in healthier ways.

Professionally I teach email marketing to businesses of all stripes. Tarzan Kay Global offers online courses and group support designed to help business owners market themselves profitably and authentically, without using the coercive tactics.


This is a dogma-free zone.

Whatever your religious beliefs, whatever your vaccination status, whatever gender(s) of person you happen to enjoy sleeping with, please remember that Led By Stories is about my experience and not meant to promote my beliefs as “the right ones.”

If something I’ve written makes you uncomfortable, leave a comment. We can talk about that. One thing I’ve learned about cult recovery is how important it is to have people around who aren’t afraid to disagree with me, and talk about it even when it’s uncomfortable.

Subscribe to Led by Stories. | Tarzan Kay

true stories about sex, drugs and cults