Disconnection | The Underground Bunker

Scientology ‘disconnection’ and the incalculable damage it does to children

This photo shows the day my mom disconnected from me. […]

Derek Bloch reflects on what having Scientology parents can mean for kids in the church

[Derek Bloch]

Several days ago, someone sent us some photographs from a wedding and asked us to forward them to a regular figure here at the Underground Bunker, a young man named Derek Bloch. We sent those images to Derek, and they hit him hard. We suggested that he deal with that emotion by writing something, […]

Scientology’s homophobia and its disconnection policy — still producing refugees today

[Justin Rybacki]

One of the questions we’ve run into numerous times since Leah Remini’s series began airing come from people not very familiar with Scientology who ask why it is that the people who appear on the show all seem so prosperous and living in lavish […]

When Scientology’s toxic policy of disconnection is forever: Saying goodbye to Angela Paris

[Valeska and Angela Paris]

Valeska Paris recently posted a crushing note on Facebook about her stepmother, Angela. We asked her if she wanted to write a more lengthy piece for the Bunker, and we’re very glad that we […]

Living with Scientology ‘disconnection’: ‘It’s important to never give up hope’

[Renata and Flavio]

Last week, we asked the people on our “Scientology disconnection, a reminder” list — which appears at the end of each story here at the Bunker — about how they are coping with the church keeping them from their loved ones. The result was an emotional outpouring from the people on the list […]

Scientology’s toxic policy of ‘disconnection’ — we check in with the people who endure it

[Bernie Headley and his son Marc, and Marc’s sister Stephanie]

More than a year ago, in January 2017, we wrote a story about Bernie Headley that got us pretty worked up. Here was a man who was fighting cancer and was being prevented from seeing his own daughter, Stephanie, by the Church of […]

Lori Hodgson’s fight with Scientology for her kids is now a book you can pre-order

Scientology’s ‘disconnection’ policy is an abomination. It’s a form of political extortion, pitting family member against family member in order to further Scientology’s tight control of its followers’ lives.

Every disconnection story is heartbreaking, but Lori Hodgson’s saga is particularly cruel and […]

Scientology relies heavily on Russian immigrants — and ‘disconnection’ doesn’t spare them

[Katrina Reyes and her mother Yelena, in their Sea Org whites]

We first heard from Katrina Reyes some nine years ago, when Jason Beghe encouraged her to talk to us for a story at the Village Voice. For various reasons, Katrina wasn’t ready yet to tell her […]

Disconnected at birth — another infuriating Scientology saga

[Brian Sheen and his daughter Spring]

We’ve written several stories about Brian Sheen, a Florida man who left Scientology many years ago, but who never had a problem with his daughter, Spring, continuing in the organization. But after Spring married into a wealthy Scientology donor family in 2014, she got the order from the church to […]

‘Leah Remini’ show prompting more ‘ranch kids’ to come forward with agonizing family drama

[Clarissa and Ethan Adams]

We continue to be amazed at the effect Leah Remini is producing with her A&E series, Scientology and the Aftermath. As her second season progresses, we’re seeing more and more people speak up about their experiences in […]

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