Over the past few years, fans have seen Jill Duggar Dillard's relationship with her family significantly change and now, she's finally opening up about why.
After 19 Kids and Counting was cancelled in 2015 and she went on to star in the spinoff, Counting On, Jill surprised everyone by quitting the show — later explaining she was hoping to take back ownership of her family's life.
"Our control to choose what jobs we were allowed to accept and even where we were allowed to live was taken away from us," Jill told PEOPLE in October 2020, adding that any goals they had as a couple that might conflict with those of the network of her family were discouraged.
Derick, who was finishing law school, said, "The first few years of our marriage, we spent time and money working towards opportunities only to hit a dead end when we'd be told, 'Well, you're not allowed to do that.' "
The couple's decision to "pull out completely to reevaluate and get our bearings ... didn't go over well with anyone" at TLC or with Jill's family.
When reached by PEOPLE, TLC declined to comment, and Jill's parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar provided the following statement: "Every family has differences of opinion and perspective at times, but families work things out. We all love Jill, Derick, and their boys very much. It is our prayer that our relationship is healed and fully restored quickly!"