Support groups for ex-members of specific cults have existed since the 1970s when the modern anti-cult movement began. Typically founded by ex-members, they exist in many countries and can vary from small informal gatherings to well-organized incorporated associations employing professional counselors. Some are offshoots of other established assistance organizations. In addition to emotional support, members may engage in various activities to spread cult information to the broader community or directly help current cult members. Some groups focus specifically on legal actions against their former group. Professional counseling services are also used by some ex-cultists, either individually or in family therapy. Issues faced by ex-members can be pretty complex; therefore, ideally, they require a counselor who is adequately informed about the nature of cults and the specific tactics they employ. This may involve providing the counselor some primary education on cultism so they can better understand the client’s needs. Assessing the counselor’s existing knowledge might be prudent before engaging their services.
Helplines and hotlines dedicated to assisting cult victims are available in several countries. These range from those operated by specific cult-awareness groups to non-cult-related general assistance lines. Some are toll-free; others charge a small fee. Specialists cannot be guaranteed, so contacting and seeing what assistance is available is a matter of contacting and seeing. Caution is advised, however: in a few reported cases, cults have operated phone lines offering assistance to cult victims, but with the underlying intent of trying to re-recruit them by arranging a meeting under the guise of discussing their problems.
Helplines and Hotlines
It is not uncommon for people leaving high-control, intense religious groups to be confused and feel hopeless or suicidal. In identifying the unique needs of former members, the American Family Foundation has established a National Resource Council operated by professional referral counselors experienced in cult involvement. Suppose you or a family member need immediate help in relocating a belief cult member or help in forming an intervention. In that case, getting a referral to an experienced professional is possible by calling one of the hotlines listed above or contacting the American Family Foundation. High-control groups often blast families of belief members with threats of lawsuits or reinforcing “deprogramming,” which is now called “coercive persuasion.” Professional guidance is essential to assess the legal risks and execute an intervention or legal strategy that will not further harm the cult member. Suppose you cannot afford to hire an attorney. In that case, some of the attorneys associated with AFF or other anti-cult organizations may consider taking your case pro bono. Usually, when it is likely that the case can be won in court, it is possible to find an attorney who will take it on a contingency basis.
Support Groups and Counselling Services
Counseling Specific to the Problem: Several mental health professionals are interested in working with ex-cult members and fully understanding the nuances and situations specific to various types of cult involvement. They may be willing to work for a reduced rate or to donate time to help survivors of destructive cults. Therapy with an individual who understands the cult phenomenon can be very validating and more time and cost-effective than explaining the whole situation to someone unfamiliar with cults. At least one mental health professional offering services to ex-cult members has been listed under Mental Health Professionals Specializing in the Problems of Former Cultists.
Support groups often offer the best help for cult victims. Victims can derive positive identity and self-esteem from belonging to a group that is not stigmatized. In the early stages of disaffiliation, information and education about cultic dynamics and psychological manipulation can be incredibly supportive. Learning that there is a process of recruitment and a well-documented methodology of thought reform used by destructive cults is an excellent relief to ex-members. Many begin to realize that they were not stupid or crazy and that the manipulation and recruitment techniques used on them were powerful and effective on most people. This realization can facilitate forgiveness of self and repentance and provide a renewed resolve not to be involved in a similar situation. (An academic paper on Group Dynamics Among Professional Women by Janja Lalich lists eleven positive functions of support groups to help ex-cult members. Read the Lalich paper on Recovery from Cult Involvement: A Twelve-Phase Group Therapy Model).
Online Resources and Information Centers
Are you familiar with that gut-wrenching feeling when your parents say, “I’m not angry; I’m just disappointed”? Perhaps not an emotion you wish to disclose with elders, but this is reflective of the Church of Scientology’s perspective on modern-day mental health care. Scientology is a religious movement that some believe to be a cult, claiming to offer a new approach to an increased rapid pace, which was developed by an author named L. Ron Hubbard.
An observational comparison between the two widely socially despised organizations presents an ideal opportunity to contrast popular and scientific methods of communication. Mainstream mental health care agencies have derived substantial information from Scientology in terms of what not to do or say. By demonstrating ineffective recruitment and retention strategies and unhealthy ways of controlling member behavior, mental health agencies present an “educational institution” for communicating to students how not to run an organization. This information is in the direct public interest and serves to act as a preventative measure for any potential introduction of mental health care cults.
Whether it is a practice of yogic meditation, a book club, or a mandatory weekly meeting to receive a promotion, communication is vital in our everyday lives. According to sociologists, organizations can be differentiated into three types. These include normative organizations, which aim to control the members’ behavior (e.g., prisons).
These utilitarian organizations are focused on achieving a specific goal (e.g., a workplace), and coercive organizations, where members are forced to join, in other words, a totalitarian state. Many people, when asked about cults, will reflect on the 1978 Jonestown massacre in Guyana, where over 900 Americans committed suicide at a settlement that Reverend Jim Jones led. It is imperative to remember that cults are still present in society today, and by knowing how communication perspectives are relevant to organizations, there is a chance of preventing further cults in the future.