Jinger Duggar Says Her Criticism of Family Church Turned Loved Ones Into Enemies

Jinger Duggar Vuolo is opening up about the “very harsh” and “unkind” reactions she received from loved ones after criticizing the Duggar family’s church in her 2023 memoir.

The former Counting On star’s 2023 book, Becoming Free Indeed: My Story of Disentangling Faith from Fear, featured Jinger’s condemnation of the teachings of her famous family’s ultra-conservative Christian church, the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP), established by disgraced minister Bill Gothard in 1961.

Now, ahead of the release of her new book, People Pleaser: Breaking Free from the Burden of Imaginary Expectations, (out Jan. 14), Jinger told PEOPLE she had been trying to “focus my thoughts on how can I love and serve the people who’ve been so hurt by this teaching,” with her first book instead of caring “what all the critics are going to say.”

“I’m going to just put all that aside and say, no, I want to do what I feel called to do and that’s to speak truth,” she continued. “So let me just put on my blinders and focus on that and share my story, and then whatever the outcome is, I know I’ve done what I’m supposed to do.”

Speaking out, Jinger found was actually “so freeing” as she found herself “not being consumed by fear,” despite the reactions of some of her loved ones. “Yes, there were critics. Yes, there were people who were saying very harsh things,” confessed the TLC alum, who is married to Jeremy Vuolo. “There were loved ones that would say things that were very unkind. It was not easy. But at the end of the day, I realized it was the best decision. It was the best thing that I could have done, to love these people by sharing truth.”

Ahead of the February 2023 release of Becoming Free Indeed: My Story of Disentangling Faith from Fear, Jinger opened up to PopCulture.com about sharing her truth with the public without letting others’ expectations of her impact what she had to say.

Jinger explained that while some people who had seen her on television since 19 Kids and Counting wanted her to “throw off all restraints” and “to leave the faith altogether,” she has found her own relationship with God that resonates more with her.

“Even [though] I know some people may be bothered by that … that’s where I am and that’s where my story is, and I’m really grateful for that,” she said. As for her family members who still follow Gothard’s teachings, Jinger said, “I think that, at some point, you just agree to disagree.”

Jinger’s new book, People Pleaser: Breaking Free from the Burden of Imaginary Expectations, debuts Jan. 14.