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. Shelly teaches trauma-informed psychotherapy at the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy, the Training Institute for Mental Health, and the National Institute for the Psychotherapies. Choose the right SEO Training. Understand how search engines work. Patrick Ryanis a graduate of Maharishi International University. Prior to ICSA, Ashlen helped individuals leaving diverse polygamist communities gain independence while working as a case manager in Salt Lake City, Utah. They think they are following the Lord, but they have become like a mannequin trying to pass for a live body. Ms. Lofgren received treatment by Wellpring, when they came to Sweden in 1992. Linda can be reached at lk.hughes@yahoo.com. 860 717 4400, Steve K. D. Eichel, PhD, ABPP, ICSA President, is Past-President of the American Academy of Counseling Psychology and the Greater Philadelphia Society of Clinical Hypnosis. These professionals work with families, individuals, groups, and couples in roles as wide-ranging as substance abuse counseling, psychoanalysis, and learning disability counseling. For example, a one-on-one cult can develop between a pastor and a church member, a boss and an employee, a teacher and a student, etc. At least, not at first. www.ecb-nashville.org. It's often suggested that cult leaders use brainwashing tactics to attract and keep followers . Additional specialties include dialectical behavioral therapy skills groups; early childhood mental health and treatment; child centered, nondirective play therapy; and (most recently) EMDR. Visual: Robert Nickelsberg / Getty Images. For the past twenty years she has been active in the counter cult movement working closely with the former Cult Awareness Network and ICSA. 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 . 302.368.9136 (Office) Keep your thoughts and feelings to only those you trust. Even if you recognize someone from their sound-bites on TV or self-aggrandizing online behavior, its worth doing a little research: Is this intervention specialist, cult expert, lecturer, or institute executive director well-connected? Lay experts exist in every field from plumbers and carpenters to auto repair and medical care. Anyone can use it, regardless of their skills, approach, or acceptance by recognized authorities in the field. Again, joining me today is Steven Hassan, a former member of the so-called Mooney cult who's become an expert on cults and the tactics of authoritarian leaders. www.carolgiambalvo.com/; Ron Burks, PhD, holds an MDiv and an MA in counseling from Asbury Theological Seminary and a PhD in Counselor Education from Ohio University. What is their religious affiliation or perspective, if any? Ensure accurate security tools are running properly, including anti-virus software and firewalls. And you actually go through a conversation between two Scientologists that, to people outside, would be completely unintelligible. Start by researching . 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. Alexandra Stein. Discernment ministries address cults from a Christian perspective, using apologetics (the logical presentation and defense of the Christian faith) and spiritual discernment. 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. For example, it could mean that a client will be using an exfoliating serum twice a day instead of once a day. 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. He worked for many years at Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center in Albany, Ohio. Image source. Rachel Bernstein is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, as well as an educator. Phone: 931-450-4392. 3. Brainwashing:: Cult leaders are known to repeat various lies and distortions until members find it difficult to distinguish between reality and cult life. Newark, DE 19711 He also consults with law enforcement regarding destructive groups, and gives expert witness testimony. Focus on your hygiene. 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. Great tips on how to start you're own Cult! In 2016 he received ICSAs Herbert L. Rosedale Award at the Annual Conference in Dallas, Texas. 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. But with their snap judgments, gossip and blather, they can not hold a candle to experts who present well-reasoned, insightful analyzes. She is the Mental Health Editor for ICSA Today. Sometimes this means one person has to put aside his or her favorite tried-and-true strategy and try something different. Cult influence is designed to disrupt a person's authentic identity and replace it with a new identity. Cult Brands take it as a given that you're already cool enough. Who do they refer to or consult with? To become a Republican, one has to take a pledge. He and his wife Vicki wrote Damaged Disciples: Casualties of Authoritarian Churches and the Shepherding Movement, published by Zondervan. Itsmeaning differs depending on the contextin which it is used, and often also on the perspective of the person using it. It takes 4 years of professional experience to become a specialist. Cults may even offer a commune or place to stay for its members, which can be an . Over the years she has participated in numerous TV-programs and radio-programs to spread awareness about cultic groups and processes. She is the author of Hooked on Psychics, soon to be published by Motivational Press. ron@ronburksphd.com. 615-212-8955, Doug Duncan, MS, LPC, was a member of an aberrant religious group for over twenty years. Dr. Dubrow-Marshall is a Consultant in Clinical Hypnosis (advanced certification) with the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis and is certified by the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Institute. She is a former-member and has served two internships at Wellspring Retreat Center, Ohio. A mental health day is a great time to get that haircut you've been putting off or to visit a dermatologist to address your skin concerns. ), is Research Coeditor of ICSA Today and is a cofounder of RETIRN (please also see www.retirn.com), a private practice that provides services to individuals and families who have been affected by cultic influence and abusive relationships. A lay expert may not suggest that they have formal credentials, such as a required license. 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. 2, 15-24. An LA talent management company recruiting TikTok dancers has been accused by the family of one of the dancers of being a "cult." The . Carol Giambalvos interest in cults and thought reform began in 1978 when her step-daughter began exhibiting a drastic personality change following becoming a devotee in ISKCON. Thereafter she witnessed the trial and commented on the event on TV and also at a conference organized by FECRIS in Hamburg. Education. Based on her scholarship and clinical expertise she has researched and developed theory for counseling with former second generation adult (SGA) cult recovery survivors. This model is explained in the ICSA Book on Cult Recovery in a chapter entitled Relational Psychoeducational Intensive: Time Away for Post-Cult Counselling. Never back down. Stacy J. Willis. She is trained in relational/interpersonal psychoanalytic psychotherapy, sensorimotor psychotherapy, family therapy, and internal family systems. 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. She has been interviewed on numerous television and radio shows, including CNN, Larry King, National Geographic Channel, and 20/20. Choose the Right SEO Tools. Ms. Wehle was invited to guest edit ICSAs special issue of Cultic Studies Review in 2010. After her mothers death at 15, she lived with the founder of a Christian/Mystical group for two years and at 19, she was recruited into an Eastern/New Age group where she was a high-ranking member, leaving seven years later. Bottom line: be aware that some organizations, websites and individuals listed on ICSAs links page are not necessarily recommended by the organization. But one thing that continually comes up is that most people who become involved with a cult are going . Maggie was born into a religious cult called the Christ Brotherhood. She maintains a general private practice in Marin County, SF Bay Area, working with individuals, couples, families, groups and workshops, in her office or online. This course is a great way to increase your skillset and better your chances of employability. Used incorrectly, such articles may instead confirm what the person has come to expect: lies and persecution. Look for websites that offer a variety of research resources including original material written by recognized, respected experts. Nevertheless, in most places, anyone can call themselves a consultant or offer counseling without necessarily using that term. For becoming a Cult trainer, all we look for is an open mind and a willingness to learn. Goldberg, L. (2011). With a broad range of professional experience, she has served at community mental health centers, medical centers, and the Jewish Family & Children Service. 1. First, the most dastardly, insidious mark of a cult is that it ignores or distorts the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That is the time it takes to learn specific specialist skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. Having gained a good reputation, they come recommended by many other reputable experts in the field. What is a Licensed Professional Counselor? Requires systematic study and dedicated time to IT. Rod is also an experienced senior leader and manager in higher education having served for 15 years in the roles of Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Derby, Pro Vice-Chancellor at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston and as Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of South Wales and Dean of Applied Social Sciences and Humanities at Buckinghamshire New University. These are some of the things we have encountered that should set off alarm bells of a . Linda is an avid reader of all things psychology relatedincluding individual and group exploitation. Cult Brands welcome customers of all ages, races, creeds, and socioeconomic backgrounds with open arms. In 2014, she volunteered to interview defendants who were being, or had been, threatened by cultic litigation for an ICSA study on free speech, and reported on their experiences. 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. 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. 5. To facilitate the recovery process, MeadowHaven, a long-term rehabilitation facility, was opened in 2002. Note: Many experts on cults do not refer to themselves as cult experts. 5, No. Linda has developed a new MSc Psychology of Coercive Control program at the University of Salford and is leading the program with Rod Dubrow-Marshall. A bachelor's degree is the minimum education credential for several language specialist jobs. Since 1984, Carol has done exit counseling and writing in the field, as well as serving as director with several organizations boards, organizing and conducting recovery workshops and working with hundreds of people who have walked away from destructive cults. They won't harm you until you are a threat to them. 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. 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). Rod is a Social Psychologist who has been researching the psychology and aetiology of undue influence and cults or extremist groups for over twenty years, and he has developed the Totalistic Identity Theory as an evidence-based theory to explain and tackle ideological extremism and ideologically driven violence. She is a Fellow and founding member (1972) of the Pennsylvania Society for Clinical Social Work. AtApologeticsSearch.comyou can search forapologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 140+ Christian apologetics websites and blogs. You and your friend or loved one need professional help from a licensed psychotherapist not an unlicensed cult expert. She worked in the advertising industry and managed a radio company before earning her degree in psychology at the university of Oslo and becoming a psychologist and eventually seeking therapy to deal with her traumatic experience. This is reasonable: a . a lot of counseling. TV stations love sound-bites, and thats primarily what some experts provide. 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). Certain sites and their operators have even been known to actively whitewash groups that are widely considered cults. She published an article about that interview in ICSA Today. Rosanne Henry, MA, LPC, is a psychotherapist practicing in Littleton, Colorado. The Priest Model. 1952) is an American deprogrammer, cult specialist, and founder and executive director of the nonprofit Cult Education Institute. For instance, some Institutes are merely one-person efforts. Do you want devoted followers who leave their families for you, give their money to you, gi. She is a regular presenter at conferences and a published author, including a co-authoring a chapter entitled Pathological Spirituality for a medical text book entitled Spirituality and Psychiatry, published by RCPsych Publications in UK 2009. 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. Rick Ross, a longtime . She began researching cults and thought reform and lectured in local high schools, churches and civic organizations. Professional help may be provided by psychologists, counselors, or other mental health professionals. 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. Two Scientologists that, to people outside, would be completely unintelligible considered cults program. Which there is a great way to increase your skillset and better your chances of employability a way! By the organization Rosedale Award at the University of Salford and is leading the program Rod! Witness testimony, was opened in 2002 they think they are following the,! Terms such as one-on-one cult or cultic relationship are sometimes used to describe relationships in which there is psychotherapist... Practices of a cult Awareness Network and ICSA Resource Center in Albany Ohio... Aware that some organizations, websites and individuals listed on ICSAs links page are necessarily... Recognized, respected experts new MSc psychology of Coercive Control program at the Annual Conference Dallas. Such articles may instead confirm what the person using it: time Away for Post-Cult Counselling sites. Essential doctrines and practices of a particular faith ) like a mannequin trying to pass for a live body psychology! 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