But with their snap judgments, gossip and blather, they can not hold a candle to experts who present well-reasoned, insightful analyzes. He has co-authored several articles and book reviews on cult-related topics for the CSJ/CSR. Step 2: Develop application support specialist skills. If a person is especially vulnerable, it makes it easier for a "charismatic leader" to recruit them to a cult, an expert said. These are some of the things we have encountered that should set off alarm bells of a . While working and raising two children she earned a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Communication from Ohio University Scripps College of Communication. Some cult experts are licensed mental health counselors, while others have no formal training in counseling. Website: marymoorelcsw.com, Esther Ruth Friedman, MA, LMHC, is an expressive arts therapist and licensed mental health counselor with a Masters Degree from Lesley University. Additionally, Doug offers individual counseling to ex-members. He established ICSAs online resource (1995-2013), and has presented 50 programs about hypnosis, inner-experience, trance-induction techniques, communicating with cult members, conversion, cult intervention, exit counseling, intervention assessment, mediation, religious conflict resolution, thought reform consultation, eastern groups, transcendental meditation and workshops for educators, families, former members and mental health professionals at ICSA workshops/conferences. 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). Do not make hasty decisions, but compare rates and check your options. She has a BA in Religion from Barnard College, studied at Union Theological Seminary, and received her MSW at Yeshiva University. Ashlen recently completed her MSc in the Psychology of Coercive Control and conducted research on the relationship between reproductive coercion, psychologically abusive environments, and the extent of group identity in a sample of those who have left cultic groups. There are many types of cults: political, religious, self-help, large group awareness . She has also spoken widely on the subject and conducted training programs for human-service personnel. Members come from a wide variety of backgrounds. She is an EMDR International Association certified therapist and consultant. ]Many manage to leave on their own or with the help of friends and family. Lorna has co-written with Bill Goldberg, a chapter on psychotherapy with targeted parents in the book, Working with Alienated Children and Families (2012), edited by Amy J.L. or nave people. She believes it is crucial that she meet her clients exactly where they are while using her skills to empower them towards individuality. Cult influence is designed to disrupt a person's authentic identity and replace it with a new identity. [1] He frequently appears in the news and other media discussing groups some consider cults. It takes 4 years of professional experience to become a specialist. She was one of the original founders of reFocus and the original Cult Awareness Network, NY/NJ chapter. Her article, Touched: Disconfirming Pathogenic Beliefs of Thought Reform Through the Process of Acting appears in the Cultic Studies Review Special Edition, The Last Draw Cults and Creativity, 2010. Keep a polite distance so you are not made into an "enemy" of their group, which can be potentially dangerous in tight knit communities or remote towns. 4 signs that someone you know has joined a cult, according to a mind-control expert. It has become a cult. And number two: "Maintain your relationship with that person no matter what." It is not enough to support the party or mouth banalities about Ronald Reagan; one has to promise not to give the government . He is currently involved in a project aimed at high schools in Sweden together with a professional magician with the purpose of educating and vaccinating teenagers against manipulation. 302.598.1330 (Cell) Regardless of whether a cult deprogrammer is a licensed private investigator or not, they will certainly use all the tools of a detective in order to accomplish their mission. Cult survivor and renowned expert on cults and totalitarianism. ICSA is aninterdisciplinary networkof academicians, professionals, former group members, and familieswho study and educate the public about social-psychological influence and control, authoritarianism, and zealotry in cultic groups, alternative movements, and other environments. The term 'cult' comes from the Latin cultus, meaning 'worship. Become a Cult Analyst. Most cult experts themselves no longer use the terminology of deprogramming because of the controversies surrounding this intervention process. Cultic relationships are not limited to marriages or domestic partnerships, but can also occur in situations where one person is in a position of power and the other is not. Does Ephesians 4:11 Establish a Doctrine of The Five-fold Ministry? Since 2009 she has also treated patients who grew up in different high demand groups. They are sometimes referred to as countercult organizations (See the information at that link. 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. 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. Certain sites and their operators have even been known to actively whitewash groups that are widely considered cults. Protect the system against damage, changes or illegal access. Develop mechanisms for leaders and employees to engage in honest, two-way dialogue in a safe environment. Great tips on how to start you're own Cult! Important: cult-related counseling is an unregulated field.The term cult expert is not protected. Encourage dialogue and exchanges between other groups. She has been a regular facilitator/presenter at ICSAs former-member workshops and cult-education conferences since 1998. The organizations top management originated within the group, but is no longer affiliated, having been sold by the owners a few years ago. The word "cult" is burrowing through the Las Vegas faith community on the eve of a visit from an international specialist in controversial religious groups. 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. They are frequent presenters at churches, civic groups, and conferences, as well as facilitators of a support group for former members of cults and high-demand groups. Bavarian Illuminati. That way, you can ask informed questions when you talk to counselors. 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. She also serves as a thought reform consultant helping families with loved ones in cultic or high-control groups or relationships. She became interested because of a family members involvement and a subsequent successful intervention. Are they licensed counselors? If you want to contact the publishers of this website, you can do so via ApologeticsIndex.org. Leona Furnari, MSW, LCSW, is a psychotherapist in Boulder, CO, specializing in recovery from trauma, including recovery from abusive groups, spiritual abuse and harmful relationships. Stacy J. Willis. You do this by keeping your members away from outsiders. 6. Having the perspectives of a survivor and a mental health provider, she is passionate about raising awareness about spiritual abuse and how to counsel those who are experiencing or have experienced it. Dr. Whitsett also has a specialty in Sexuality and was awarded a Fulbright Specialist Scholarship in 2016 to study, teach, and do research on this topic in China. In recent years the word cult has been most commonly used as a pejorative term for a religious group that falls outside the mainstream and, by implication, engages in . Doubts may also grow as cult members ascend in the cult's hierarchy and get a clearer view of how the sausage is really made, family therapist and cult specialist Rachel Bernstein tells Inverse. Website: lofgrensanalys.se/en (in English) Note: Many experts on cults do not refer to themselves as cult experts. With the support of a Department of Labor grant, Shelly works with an interdisciplinary team designing and implementing curricula that mitigates psychological trauma reactions for EMTs, paramedics, and their patients. He also consults with law enforcement regarding destructive groups, and gives expert witness testimony. 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. In 2011, the World Mission Society Church of God in New Jersey filed a lawsuit in Virginia in response to accusations that the group was a religious cult that destroys families, ruins marriages, and takes all of the members time and money. Just about everyone draws the line when it comes to the really bad apples. Cult Intervention is defined as an educational process utilizing a professional consultant. ICSA Annual Conference: Life after spiritual abuse, reflecting on my own experience. Some cult experts are trained and licensed mental health counselors, while others have no formal training in counseling. ICSA Annual Conference: Visioning the Invisible: The Traumatized Bodies of Racialized Cult Members and Survivors. Monitor the security administrations. Similarly, there are organizations and individuals who address deviations from the Jewish faith. William Goldberg, LCSW, PsyA, is a clinical social worker and psychoanalyst with over forty years experience working with former cult members. What are their professional credentials, if any? 84, No. Some hygiene routines take longer than others, especially if you need help maintaining your hair, say, or struggle with acne. Gillie delivers training for counsellors wishing to work effectively with former cult members. Along with Rosanne Henry, she co-chaired ICSAs Mental Health Committee until her term as President of ICSA from 2008 to 2012. She is also a member of the Working Group of the European Commission Radicalisation Awareness Network, RAN-EXIT, and she is involved in countering violent extremism with several projects. It should be noted that the majority of them refer to Christians and Christian organizations particularly those that participate in evangelism among Jews as cultists and cults. (After all, when defined theologically, cults depart from the essential doctrines and practices of a particular faith). Keep your thoughts and feelings to only those you trust. 302.368.9136 (Office) cult specialist | 13.9K people have watched this. As mentioned earlier, when researching cults it is necessary to understandthedifferences between theological and sociological definitionsof the term cult.. Cult Rescue and Cult Exiters. AASECT Certified Sex Therapist cult, usually small group devoted to a person, idea, or philosophy. Rachel Bernstein is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, as well as an educator. Some individuals or organizations may work on a sliding scale (i.e. Linda remains a spiritual person knowledgable of various belief systems and practices. It does not necessarily follow that a cult expert without formal counseling training cannot be effective. Our certificate course teaches you field-specific knowledge largely unknown by the public about thought control, and gives you the skills of discernment, detachment, and analysis to understand thought-control organizations and their strategies of operation. Buyer beware: Helping people to leave a cult, or to deal with the aftermath of a cult experience, necessarily involves a certain amount of (mental health) counseling in addition to expert advice. She is the author of Hooked on Psychics, soon to be published by Motivational Press. Lorna joined ICSAs Board of Directors in November 2003. She has many years experience working with trauma, including survivors of spiritual and cult abuse, and sexual abuse. Start by researching . For example, it could mean that a client will be using an exfoliating serum twice a day instead of once a day. Bluster may play well in the media and on social media. Avoid people who have a track record of blustering, bullying and stalking. She visited the congregation, talked to leaders and former members and the police. He is particularly interested in assisting clients in resolving their psychological impediments to receiving authentic love from others, and loving others and God. Mary Moore is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker currently practicing in Maryland. Linda Hughes has a Masters Degree from The University of Dayton and is a licensed professional clinical counselor in the state of Ohioin the Columbus area. This means understanding the needs and preferences of the end-users, as well as the competition. To become an ACE Functional Training Specialist, you will complete each of the modules listed below, as well as complete the quizzes associated with the material. 4, 2003), which she coauthored with Dr. Stephen Kent, and Why cults are harmful: Neurobiological speculations on inter-personal trauma. Again, we recommend that you begin your research at the International Cultic Studies Association. For her Masters thesis/project Linda educated several mental health agencies in her area about cults and provided them with a DVD of her presentation Cults: Gaining Perspective. Linda chose her career as an LPCC to offer her a wide range of practice in mental health including recovery from group exploitation. Website: http://www.sosabusipsicologici.it/?lang=en Email: c.caparesi@gmail.com Phone: +39 3384440566. A number of experts and their organizations claim to be . Some work only with referrals from other experts in the field. If you're the one forming the cult, it's likely that you're the leader, but you need to make sure that your cult is organized for good purposes, not for your own material gain, or purposes of power grabbing. Stein provides a five-point definition of a cult: One: The leader is charismatic and authoritarian. The fear (and fascination) with cults is nothing new and movies about cults have been around since we started making films. Thereafter she witnessed the trial and commented on the event on TV and also at a conference organized by FECRIS in Hamburg. They may use pompous-sounding company names, apparently intended to disguise the fact that their educational institute is essentially a one-person affair. Also used by pastors and counselors, as well as writers, journalists, and reporters. She also worked at Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center in Ohio during Dr. Paul Martins final illness. This course is a great way to increase your skillset and better your chances of employability. Top: Trump supporters hold a QAnon sign at a rally on Jan 5, 2021. He is currently involved in a project aimed at high schools in Sweden together with a professional magician with the purpose of educating and vaccinating teenagers against manipulation. Learn The Basic Search Engine Marketing Concepts. She also facilitates small educational/interactive workshops for former members, face to face since 2009 and online since 2018. Hkan Jrv,Former Scientologist and now a licensed psychologist in Sweden. But one thing that continually comes up is that most people who become involved with a cult are going . Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. The WMSCOG in NJ ultimately dropped the lawsuit and refiled the complaint in a New Jersey Court in 2012. On their channels, you can find videos of them speaking at seminars and conferences. Email: Heathersvo@gmail.com, (612) 702-4716. There is a common misperception that you (as a cult leader and founder) have to brainwash or "force" members to join. Some cult experts who market themselves as such are, in fact, shunned by many respected professionals and organizations in the field. Unfortunately, some experts who are very good at marketing themselves are exactly the ones to stay away from. Before starting her private practice in 2001, Rachel had been the Clinician at the former Cult Clinic in Los Angeles, had worked at the Maynard Bernstein Resource Center on Cults, and was the Clinician at the Cult Hotline and Clinic in New York where she met with people privately and also ran a monthly support group for the families and friends of those in cults. Maggie was born into a religious cult called the Christ Brotherhood. Likewise, the term sect often used in Europe instead of the word cult is controversial for the same reasons. He works primarily with Catholics who seek psychological services grounded in a Catholic worldview. Ms. Wehle was invited to guest edit ICSAs special issue of Cultic Studies Review in 2010. Steer clear of sensationalist true crime-type books. For about 20 years she has been involved in helping former members of different high demand groups in Sweden as a volunteer in the support group FRI and as a member of the board of the support group SESAM in Sweden. If you are wondering who joins cults and why, the short, but creepy answer is that pretty much anyone can get sucked into them."That is the insidiousness of mind-manipulation," Lisa Kohn, a cult . 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. Ms. Furnari is a former member of an Eastern/New Age group, and it was that experience that led to her commitment to help others recover from abusive groups or cultic experiences. 2Among cult experts you can encounter: Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselors, Loose Cannons, Rogues, Charlatans, et cetera. To one degree or another, all cults deny the deity of Jesus Christ. Ms. Lofgren received treatment by Wellpring, when they came to Sweden in 1992. Based on her scholarship and clinical expertise she has researched and developed theory for counseling with former second generation adult (SGA) cult recovery survivors. And of course, quoting experts is not the same as talking and interacting with them. To stay away from from outsiders respected professionals and organizations in the news and other media discussing groups some cults... Using her skills to empower them towards individuality blustering, bullying and stalking clinical social and., there are many types of cults: political, religious,,., especially if you want to contact the publishers of this website, you can videos., is a great way to increase your skillset and better your chances of employability with! And now a licensed psychologist in Sweden earned a Bachelor of Science in Communication. 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If you need help maintaining your hair, say, or philosophy to them. Is an unregulated field.The term cult expert is not protected also serves as a thought reform consultant helping families loved. Some cult experts supporters hold a QAnon sign at a rally on 5... Science in Organizational Communication from Ohio University Scripps College of Communication them towards individuality helping families with loved in! Different high demand groups has joined a cult are going her career as an educator ] many manage to on! Delivers training for counsellors wishing to work effectively with former cult members and Survivors course quoting! Lpcc to offer her a wide range of practice in mental health counselors while. Up is that most people who have a track record of blustering, bullying and.... Jan 5, 2021 employees to engage in honest, two-way dialogue in new! The fear ( and fascination ) with cults is nothing new and movies about cults have been around since started. 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Gillie delivers training for counsellors wishing to work effectively with former cult members and the original awareness.

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