Ex Jehovah's Witness
Counselling and Recovery
Nicolas Spooner (Dip Coun)
RMBACP (Accredited)
C-PCC
Useful Information
PIMO
POMO
POMI
PIMI
Physically In, Mentally Out - A person that is still appearing as a JW, going to meetings, counting time etc but no longer believes the Jehovah's Witnesses doctrine.
People in this position can feel like they are leading a double life, but cannot risk revealing how they feel for fear of disfellowshipping.
Physically Out, Mentally Out - A person that no longer lives life as a Jehovah's Witness and no longer believes the doctrine.
People in this position may be disfellowshipped but are more commonly individuals who have faded or disassociated. However, they may still be struggling with the trauma of losing family and friends that now shun them.
Physically Out, Mentally In - A person who finds themselves outside of the Jehovah's Witnesses, probably disfellowshipped, but still believes the doctrine to some extent.
Typically these individuals struggle with being excluded from the place where they feel they belong. In addition, they may be experiencing shunning at the hands of the very people they need most for support.
Physically In, Mentally In - A person that lives life as a Jehovah's Witness and fully believes the doctrine.
These people may still seek counselling for help in coping with the high levels of commitment that the JW organisation demands of them. They may also struggle at times with the expectation that they are to shun those that they care for the most, and therefore feel conflicted about whether this is the right thing to do.