Woman candidly details how she was manipulated by a man 40 YEARS her senior - as she reveals the subtle signs of grooming she endured
- Lauren Geertsen was 21 when she began getting abused by a 60-year-old
- The energy healer, whom she assigned the moniker of John, groomed her
- Lauren, who is now a body coach, detailed how she was finally able to escape
A woman has detailed the manipulation she suffered at the hands of a man 40 years her senior - as she revealed the subtle signs of grooming she endured.
Lauren Geertsen, who now works as a body connection coach, was 21 when she began getting groomed by a 60-year-old energy healer.
The author of the novel The Scorpion and the Lion, which details her life-altering experience, spoke on the podcast The Cult Consciousness to share how she fell in love with a 'psycho' and was even manipulated into being his 'right-hand woman.'
She lifted the lid on the traumatizing phase that saw the healer, whom she assigned the moniker of John, manipulating her.
Lauren spoke about the 'blind obedience' she had towards John that was built off of fear as she shared the key signs to watch out for.
Lauren Geertsen, who now works as a body connection coach, was 21 when she began getting groomed by a 60-year-old energy healer
Lauren detailed the various signs and phrases that could mean you are getting groomed - which is defined as the attempt to form a relationship with a young person with the intention of sexually harassing or assaulting them.
Recounting her own story, she explained that she first met John when she was just 21 years old.
The pair soon developed what she thought was a friendship but admitted that it soon turned physical.
John's constant praise of Lauren left her feeling on top of the world.
'He would say things that made me feel like he was seeing my soul,' she candidly explained.
She said that he would praise her talents and even predicated that she would become a writer.
Soon enough, the impressionable young woman was blinded by his manipulation and thought she was madly in love with him.
Lauren, who did not see the abuse that was occurring, wanted to tell the world about the man she had fallen head over heels for.
Lauren told host Shelise Ann Sola (pictured) about the various signs and phrases that could mean you are getting groomed
However, a key warning sign was that John repeatedly tried to stop her boasting about their relationship.
Lauren recounted their interaction, explaining: 'He would tell me, "You're being selfish if you want to tell people about this."'
But her suspicions still were not aroused - and she had vowed to protect him at all costs.
'I was brainwashed. I was the psychopath's right-hand woman. He was breaking the law and having sex with his underage clients,' she said.
She revealed that she had heard whispers from other women about him abusing them while practicing his 'energy healing' but she never believed them because she was 'blinded' by him.
Lauren explained: 'The smartest abusers out there are using grooming to manipulate the victims to participate. I think it's more harmful than physical abuse.
'I was hyper traumatized for sex because he was my first.'
The young woman explained that she was convinced John would use his 'energetic power' to 'destroy' her if she ever walked away, adding that she was 'terrified'
She noted that John, who branded himself as a mystic guru, would tell her he was psychic and threatened would perform 'black magic' if she ever left him.
The young woman explained that she was convinced John would use his 'energetic power' to 'destroy' her if she ever walked away, adding that she was 'terrified.'
Lauren admitted that she had fallen for John because he manipulated her to be 'so removed' from her beliefs that he gained control.
She finally was able to see the light when she listened to other women who were able to get through to her by detailing their own stories of abusive or controlling relationships.
The women then came together and were ultimately able to dissolve the business John was running.
