Heather Svoboda, MA LP, is a psychologist licensed and practicing in Minnesota, trained in counseling psychology and marriage and family therapy. This is true for licensed professionals (e.g. It is the oldest group of its kind in the world. Some experts deal not only with cults, but also with other abusive relationships with a high degree of control, such as those that involve domestic violence or human trafficking. Please note, I may not always be able to answer the phone but aim to return your call within 48 hours. She has a private practice in a suburb of Los Angeles and also runs a weekly Former Cult Member Support group in her office. In1989, Lorna and Bill received the Hall of Fame Award from the authentic Cult Awareness Network and, in 1999; they received the Leo J. Ryan Award from the Leo J. Ryan Foundation. Cult leaders tend to be highly charismatic. aLicensed Mental Health Counselor, and/or someone certified by theNational Board for Certified Counselors), and for non-licensed and non-certified people who charge feesin exchange for their services. Remember that it is one thing to be considered an expert by reporters and personalities, and another to be accepted as such by professionals and lay peers. She became interested because of a family members involvement and a subsequent successful intervention. You must decide whether to entrust this process to a trained and licensed professional or an unlicensed lay expert. For one thing, many cult experts do not actively solicit clients. Atkins points out that cult followers want to feel in it with fellow members AND their leader. It absolutely does not work," said Steve Eichel, a clinical psychologist in Delaware and specialist in cult recovery. She is a licensed psychologist in Pennsylvania, USA, and a registered psychologist with the National Register of Health Service Psychologists, USA. In 1976, she and her husband, William Goldberg, began facilitating a support group for former cult members that continues to meet on a monthly basis in their home in Englewood, New Jersey. Terms such as one-on-one cult or cultic relationship are sometimes used to describe relationships in which there is a significant imbalance of power. Her practice in part includes intensive clinical work with former members, second generation adults (SGAs), and families of adult children in cults. After working on their cult recovery issues by reading all the available cult literature, attending conferences, and becoming involved with ICSA, Doug and Wendy started a ministry to increase the awareness and understanding of cults. Abusive relationships-where one person intentionally controls, manipulates, and exploits another-usually include psychological, physical, and/or sexual abuse. 6. She is a co-author, with Mario Di Fiorino and Steven Kent, of Costretti ad amare. Lorna joined ICSAs Board of Directors in November 2003. Email: cyndersm@verizon.net Phone: (469) 316-7290, Cristina Caparesi has a masters degree in Science of Education and in Psychology with post masters in Family Mediation and Psychodiagnostic/Psychological Evaluation. Helping someone leave a cult - and deal with the aftermath - requires. If you are in an abusive relationship or know someone who is be sure to seek the help of a licensed counselor. These cult experts help current cult members understand why and how to leave. For the first 12 years of her life, the cult controlled her entire existence . A graduate member of the British Psychological Society, Rod is a member of the Board of Directors of the International Cultic Studies Association and is also Chair of the ICSA Research Committee and Network and he is co-Editor of the International Journal of Cultic Studies (since its inception in 2010). You will need to decide whether to entrust this to a licensed professional or a lay expert. He is a licensed and Board-certified counseling psychologist whose involvement in cultic studies began with a participant-observation study of Unification Church training in their Eastern seminary (in Barrytown, NY) in the spring of 1975. Naturally, theres a fair bit of disagreement between cult experts. To one degree or another, all cults deny the deity of Jesus Christ. 1, 2014. Watch short videos about #cultspecialist on TikTok. Often when this expert addresses a cult or cult-like group he sounds like an authority on the movement, even though most of his information is a rehash of various media reports. Patrick Ryanis a graduate of Maharishi International University. Some cult experts view cults primarily from a theological perspective, others from a sociological perspective, and still others consider both perspectives. That is the time it takes to learn specific specialist skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. And as mentioned, understand the difference between theological and sociological definitions of the term cult)Questions to research: Observe the general behavior and attitude of the organization, ministry or individual you have under consideration. This is a list of questions you can use to interview a therapist to make sure that you feel good about their expertise, their level of professionalism, and whether or not they feel like a good fitfor you. The list is published on the website of Janja Lalich, Ph.D., an international authority on cults and coercion. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 7 to 9 years years to become a specialist. Most cult experts are actively involved in professional associations. First, the most dastardly, insidious mark of a cult is that it ignores or distorts the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Requires systematic study and dedicated time to IT. She works as project planner and Director of the Helping Centers for Job Harassment in the Workplace of the Udine Province and of CISL- Pordenone Province. We do not receive any form of compensation for these listings.For obvious reasons we have chosen not to include individuals who have developed a negative reputation in the field. People who exit on their own are sometimes called walkaways. People who have been forced to leave are sometimes called castaways., The same applies to terms such as intervention specialist, cult specialist, thought reform consultant, deprogrammer, or exit counselor, For instance, one particularly bad apple, in several respects, is, Many of them have been particularly nasty about , These scholars have often been referred to as . Cult influence is designed to disrupt a person's authentic identity and replace it with a new identity. Choose the Right SEO Tools. Many are helpful, but many are not. For many years she has given lectures about influence and manipulation, also at the University of Stockholm. www.dallascult.com; (214) 607-1065, Wendy Duncan, MA, LBSW, has a Masters Degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and is a licensed social worker in the state of Texas. In 2014, Rev. A case Study, Trigger warnings might prolong the aversive aspects of negative memories, ICSA Annual Conference: My Father Leader: A Parent Cult from Inside Out. She attended an ICSA former member workshop that summer, then returned to college, obtaining Bachelors and Masters degrees in Social Work. Cult Rescue and Cult Exiters. As is the case inany other profession, thisfield of work has its share of charlatans, angry loners, self-proclaimed experts, and the like. The American Psychological Association details how cults keep people in line. Additionally, Doug offers individual counseling to ex-members. Those applicants who become certified by the AIHCP in Crisis Intervention Counseling may use the initials/credential CIC-CSp., after their names: "Crisis Intervention Counselor-Certified Specialist" Timeline. Worse, they believe they are going in the right direction! International Journal of Cultic Studies, Vol. If you want to contact a cult expert, you can do so via any of these links. In 2007, Bill retired from the Rockland County, NY Department of Mental Health, where he directed several programs and clinics. Choose the right SEO Training. There are many online research sources about cults. You don't have to earn your way into a Cult Brand by proving you're cool enough. Her talks have included The Psychobiology of Trauma and Child Maltreatment (2005, Madrid) and Why Cults Are Harmful: A Neurobiological View of Interpersonal Trauma (2012, Montreal). Wendy is also the author of I Cant Hear God Anymore: Life in a Dallas Cult. Shelly practices psychotherapy with adults, and she offers individual and group consultation to practicing clinicians. She received a Master of Social Work from Norfolk State University in 2013 and a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication from Old Dominion University in 2011. Top: Trump supporters hold a QAnon sign at a rally on Jan 5, 2021. Protect the system against damage, changes or illegal access. He and his wife Vicki wrote Damaged Disciples: Casualties of Authoritarian Churches and the Shepherding Movement, published by Zondervan. She attended and assisted in organizing conferences and served as president of the local CAN affiliate, Free Minds. In 2006, he was awarded The Herbert L. Rosedale Award, jointly with Dr. Paul Martin, for their psychological research on undue influence. Rod co-founded the Re-Entry Therapy Information and Referral Network (RETIRN) UK in 2004 with Dr Linda Dubrow-Marshall, where he serves as a consultant in helping individuals and families who have been adversely affected by destructive or damaging cults and other extremist and high demand/manipulative groups or relationships. She spoke publicly about her own experiences and undue influences to classrooms, media, conferences, legislators and callers seeking help. Ms. Wehle was invited to guest edit ICSAs special issue of Cultic Studies Review in 2010. Only post-nominal letters indicate that the person has a position, academic degree, accreditation, etc. Colleen has attended and presented at professional organizations including at ICSA conferences: Disconfirming Inaccurate, Self-Limiting Beliefs Internalized Through Thought Reform with Corrective Emotional Experience(2008) and Behave, Believe, Become Or Not! Co-teaching allows you to gain another person's perspective on how instruction might be improved, how students might be best assessed, what resources to use, and so much more. 1952) is an American deprogrammer, cult specialist, and founder and executive director of the nonprofit Cult Education Institute. Over the years she has participated in numerous TV-programs and radio-programs to spread awareness about cultic groups and processes. [The term has different meanings depending on the perspective]. Members come from a wide variety of backgrounds. Used properly, news archives can be helpful in alerting a current or former member of a cult-like group to certain facts about the group or its leader. But youll find they have a proven track record. ron@ronburksphd.com. The WMSCOG in NJ ultimately dropped the lawsuit and refiled the complaint in a New Jersey Court in 2012. A number of experts and their organizations claim to be . You join a self-help group, a religious movement, a political organization.They change so gradually, by the time you realize youre entrapped and almost everybody does you cant figure a safe way back out. National Average Salary. She has developed an approach to counselling former members Post-Cult Counselling which is either delivered in weekly sessions, intensively over a few days (Time Away for Post Cult Counselling) and in Psychoeducational Recovery Workshops for up to 9 individuals. Start by researching . Editor of the online journal of SOS Abusi Psicologici, Manipulation and Abuse http://www.abusievessazioni.it/; she is an expert for the Criminal Court of Udine in the branch of education, with a specialization in criminology and problems related to cultic affiliations; Italian Co-correspondent for ICSA Today. There are no specific requirements to join. 4, 2003), which she coauthored with Dr. Stephen Kent, and Why cults are harmful: Neurobiological speculations on inter-personal trauma. Note: Many experts on cults do not refer to themselves as cult experts. or nave people. And while not all may necessarily agree with each other on various issues, they are known to treat each other with professional courtesy. Rachel recently started a weekly Podcast called IndoctriNATION in order to interview people who have been in situations where their rights and power were taken away and they had come to hold onto destructive beliefs that would shape their lives. Brainwashing:: Cult leaders are known to repeat various lies and distortions until members find it difficult to distinguish between reality and cult life. Note: Never assume that such a title (e.g., cult specialist, consultant, or cult expert) is an indication of professional competence. ]Many manage to leave on their own or with the help of friends and family. Former Scientologist and now a licensed psychologist in Sweden. She is a Somatic Experiencing practitioner and a Certified EMDR Consultant. She is a member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, The American Group Psychotherapy Association, The San Francisco Psychotherapy Research Group, and The Northern California Group Psychotherapy Society. Website: http://www.sosabusipsicologici.it/?lang=en Email: c.caparesi@gmail.com Phone: +39 3384440566. Email: whitsett@usc.edu Phone: (323) 907-2400, Dana Wehle, LCSW, MFA., has twenty years experience as a certified psychoanalyst and licensed clinical social worker in private practice in New York City. He was honored with AFFs 1990 John G. Clark Award for Distinguished Scholarship in Cultic Studies for this study, which was published as a special issue of the Cultic Studies Journal and has been translated into several foreign languages. Mr. Ryan is the co-founder TM-EX, the organization of ex-members of Transcendental Meditation. These are some of the things we have encountered that should set off alarm bells of a . Some websites consist primarily of news articles copied from original sources. Rod has also served on more than a dozen Governing Boards of Schools, Colleges and Universities over the last two decades and he is currently a governor and director of the Akaal Primary School in Derby and is also a longstanding member of the Board of the homelessness charity the Wallich (headquartered in Cardiff, Wales). Start out by learning thedifferences between sociological and theological definitionsof the term cult.Knowing from which background and perspective a cult expert operates is important.Issues to understand: Cult research organizations tend to operate from a non-sectarian or secular perspective. To discuss exit support, counselling or training you can call me on Phone: 44 07511784650 Website: https://www.tothinkagain.co.uk/, Doni Whitsett, PhD, LCSW, is a Clinical Professor at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work where she teaches various courses in practice, behavior, mental health, and human sexuality. 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