Over the past two years, Katrina Vaillancourt shared her story of entry into and exit from the QAnon conspiracy community with me for a book on which I was working. Her account is brimming with curiosity, insight, and vulnerability. So many of us harbor stereotypes of people who follow QAnon and other conspiracy theories; we forget the very human reasons that people turn in this direction, which offers equally human strategies to bring them back. Through her radical openness, Katrina opens a door for those curious enough to listen instead of judging. Her message can help many.

~ Jamil Zaki, PhD., Stanford professor of psychology, author of The War for Kindness, and Hope for Cynics

Katrina Vaillancourt’s ReQovery is a compelling, emotionally charged, and ultimately inspiring tour de force. This courageous and deeply personal account details Katrina’s journey into the dark labyrinth of QAnon as she becomes a true believer who nevertheless finds her pathway out. ReQovery is a must-read for anyone personally touched by or studying the challenges of misinformation and ideological extremism dividing our nation and harming the mental health of our people. As a scholar deeply committed to engaging our differences together in deliberation rooted in the fundamental American values we share, I find Katrina’s path out of the labyrinth and into recovery to be a powerful call to embrace our shared humanity. Employing Nonviolent Communication principles, which she knows so well, Katrina reveals a potential future where transformation is possible through self-awareness, empathy, and committed engagement with the complexities of searching for the true, the good, and the beautiful together is possible.

~ Barbara A. McGraw, JD, PhD, professor of social ethics, law, public life and politics, director of the Center for Engaged Religious Pluralism, Saint Mary’s College of California, and author of Rediscovering America’s Sacred Ground: Public Religion and Pursuit of the Good in a Pluralistic America.

I connected with Katrina Vaillancourt in October 2020 when she co-facilitated my online group “Across The Aisle,” aimed at bridging political divides. I was surprised and inspired by her ease in offering empathetic listening to participants of all political views. Katrina’s skill in Nonviolent Communication and her personal journey in and out of QAnon make her story invaluable for those seeking to address political polarization in a way that fosters respect and harmony.

~ John Kinyon, Nonviolent Communication trainer and mediator, co-founder of Mediate Your Life, author of Choosing Peace, From Conflict to Connection, When Your Mind Sabotages Your Dreams, and Mindfulness in Conversation

I met Katrina through my work as a journalist researching QAnon and other conspiracy theories. Her remarkable level of compassion, candor, and commitment to helping others heal was evident from our first conversation. I have found her deeply thoughtful, personally informed insights into the allure of certain disinformation—and its often-devastating human toll—to be profound. Her desire to now turn one of the most difficult chapters of her life into a resource for others is a reflection of the brave and selfless person I have come to greatly admire. 

~ Jess Cook, reporter, author, journalism lecturer

In March 2021, as I prepared a webinar on “Conspiracy Theories and Political Extremism” for my “Neuroscience and Resonance” series, Katrina Vaillancourt reached out to me. She shared her writings about her journey, which deeply moved me, I chose to make her story central to my presenta­tion. As an expert in neuroscience, trauma, and Compassionate Communi­cation, I believe Katrina’s story is essential to creating compassion and connection across political divides, especially divisions caused by QAnon.

~ Sarah Peyton, Nonviolent Communication trainer, Neuroscience educator, international speaker, author of Your Resonant Self, Affirmations for Turbulent Times, and co-author of The Anti-Racist Heart

I met Katrina in 2021 when I profiled her (then anonymously as “Megan”) for a POLITICO Magazine series on people who quit QAnon. She was thoughtful and incredibly open about her experiences of being radicalized into this far-right conspiracy theory movement overnight, the emotional turmoil it brought into her life, and the work she and her then-fiancé had to do together to eventually help her find a way out. She continued speaking about her experience, trying to draw attention to the complexity of the issue and the challenges people like her face re-integrating into the world post-QAnon. For anyone interested in better understanding how radicalization and de-radicalization looked and felt for her, her book bravely reconstructs that journey.

~ Anastasiia Carrier is a reporter covering public health and safety for Charlottesville Tomorrow. She has covered radicalization, current affairs and international politics for POLITICO, Al Jazeera, and PassBlue.

As a certified Nonviolent Communication trainer for over two decades, and a mediator before that, I struggled when two dear friends fell into QAnon in 2020. I had tried everything and still these relationships were suffering. When Katrina reached out to me for support during her recovery, our conversations provided mutual benefit. I offered her empathy, and she gave me insights into QAnon that I couldn’t have gained otherwise. This education helped me rebuild and maintain close friendships with those holding different worldviews than my own. May the wisdom of Katrina’s personal experience of recovery, as shared in this book, be a beacon of light for all who are seeking to restore relational bonds in the wake of QAnon.

 ~ Jim Manske, Nonviolent Communication assessor, trainer and mediator, coauthor of Pathways to Liberation

Having spent decades working with over 100 significant new-thought authors and teachers, including Ram Dass, Reverend Michael Beckwith, Marianne Williamson, Timothy Leary, Deepak Chopra, and Neale Donald Walsch, I am honored to introduce a powerful next-generation voice: Katrina Vaillancourt. I have known Katrina both professionally and personally for almost 20 years, and I have watched her consistently bring a depth of wisdom, integrity, and self-reflection to the interactions and relationships in her life. Those qualities served her well in her most unexpected and self-devouring six-month foray into the QAnon phenomenon during the second half of 2020.

She recounts the joy and horrors of that world in intricate detail in ReQovery, her first book. On this retrospective journey, the book will un­doubtedly serve as a beacon of inspiration for those who have “fallen down rabbit holes,” for those seeking to understand how such a thing could happen, and for those who wish to recover from the stress and conflict these experiences often generate.

 ~ Scott Catamas, cofounder of the Global Peace Tribe and Love Coach Academy, founder and producer of Awakening World.