International Journal of Cultic Studies ■ Vol. 10, 2019 9
Creativity
There is growing evidence that creativity is an
important vehicle for healing from trauma
(Forgeard, 2013 Malchiodi, 2015). The value of
creativity in recovery and growth is perhaps
higher for survivors of cultic abuse (Jenkinson,
2010). Art and music are often tightly controlled
and used within a cult to discourage
individuality and increase conformity. Creative
therapies can offer survivors a means to
reconnect with their core and express themselves
in a safe, healing environment (Jenkinson,
2010). Music therapy, for instance, can help
survivors access, express, and process emotions
(Sammons, 2011). Vocal music can help
stimulate the neurophysiological state associated
with safety, effectively helping calm the
hyperarousal associated with trauma and
facilitating social engagement and emotional
regulation (Porges, 2017). Exercises such as
drumming or improvisation can also help
survivors explore the concept of connection and
boundaries (Wolfe, 2011). Although intrusive
rumination is associated with negative
outcomes, deliberate and creative interactions
with trauma are correlated with posttraumatic
growth, which suggests that survivors who
engage in creative and expressive arts from a
therapeutic standpoint may be better equipped to
process their experiences and find purpose and
meaning around them (Forgeard, 2013).
However, because survivors are frequently
encouraged to use thought-stopping techniques
to distract from emotions, doubts, and memories
not supported within the cult (Hassan, 1990),
clinicians may need to assist survivors in
destigmatizing the expression of those elements.
Somatic and Movement-Based Interventions
As growing evidence emerges that not only the
mind, but also the body stores trauma (van der
Kolk, 2014, 2015), the importance of bringing in
bodily techniques is becoming more evident.
Some somatically focused interventions use a
bottom-up method, meaning treatment primarily
focuses on the body (Rothschild, 2000). For
instance, Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a form of
treatment that can help a trauma survivor
discharge the physical energy stored from
trauma by completing emotional and physical
responses that have been stored in the body
(Brom et al., 2017 Foundation for Human
Enrichment, 2016 Levine, 1997 Parker, Doctor,
&Selvam, 2008 Rothschild, 2000). Rosen
(2014) recommends SE as part of trauma
treatment for cult survivors because, in addition
to helping survivors move through trauma, it can
also facilitate survivors’ learning to pace their
own process by shifting their focus between
trauma sensations and anchors or calmness.
Although SE is a specific technique that requires
extensive training, clinicians can incorporate
somatic forms of processing in other ways that
can also be beneficial in helping clients re-
embody and heal (Levine, 1997 Rothschild,
2000). For clients who may not be able to
tolerate body attunement, body mapping may
provide a means of exploring the physicality of
trauma by externalizing it onto paper and
blending body awareness with creativity such as
coloring or drawing (Santen, 2015). Other
interventions, such as authentic movement,
drama, or dance movement therapy, also use the
body as a tool for a more creative process and
offer opportunities for an internal healing by
stimulating the social-engagement system
through connection to the unconscious (Bacon,
2012 Gray, 2015 Haen, 2015 Stromsted, 2009
Tantia, 2012).
A Note About Alternate States of
Consciousness
Some trauma-specific interventions may involve
or facilitate an alternate state of consciousness as
a means of stimulating healing and
transformation (Bacon, 2012 Boik &Goodwin,
2000 Singer, 2003 Tantia, 2012). Given the
type of trauma that many cult survivors have
experienced, such as prolonged, induced states
of altered consciousness or inescapable
interpersonal stress and physical or relational
abuse, survivors may be particularly susceptible
to dissociative states (Herman, 1997 Kendall,
2016 Porges, 2017 Rosen, 2014 Singer, 2003).
Although dissociation can cause significant
difficulties, it is not, in itself, a completely
negative phenomenon. Rather, dissociation is a
protective function of the psyche in response to
trauma or overwhelming threat to the self
(Herman, 1997 Levine, 1997 Lifton, 1963).
Creativity
There is growing evidence that creativity is an
important vehicle for healing from trauma
(Forgeard, 2013 Malchiodi, 2015). The value of
creativity in recovery and growth is perhaps
higher for survivors of cultic abuse (Jenkinson,
2010). Art and music are often tightly controlled
and used within a cult to discourage
individuality and increase conformity. Creative
therapies can offer survivors a means to
reconnect with their core and express themselves
in a safe, healing environment (Jenkinson,
2010). Music therapy, for instance, can help
survivors access, express, and process emotions
(Sammons, 2011). Vocal music can help
stimulate the neurophysiological state associated
with safety, effectively helping calm the
hyperarousal associated with trauma and
facilitating social engagement and emotional
regulation (Porges, 2017). Exercises such as
drumming or improvisation can also help
survivors explore the concept of connection and
boundaries (Wolfe, 2011). Although intrusive
rumination is associated with negative
outcomes, deliberate and creative interactions
with trauma are correlated with posttraumatic
growth, which suggests that survivors who
engage in creative and expressive arts from a
therapeutic standpoint may be better equipped to
process their experiences and find purpose and
meaning around them (Forgeard, 2013).
However, because survivors are frequently
encouraged to use thought-stopping techniques
to distract from emotions, doubts, and memories
not supported within the cult (Hassan, 1990),
clinicians may need to assist survivors in
destigmatizing the expression of those elements.
Somatic and Movement-Based Interventions
As growing evidence emerges that not only the
mind, but also the body stores trauma (van der
Kolk, 2014, 2015), the importance of bringing in
bodily techniques is becoming more evident.
Some somatically focused interventions use a
bottom-up method, meaning treatment primarily
focuses on the body (Rothschild, 2000). For
instance, Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a form of
treatment that can help a trauma survivor
discharge the physical energy stored from
trauma by completing emotional and physical
responses that have been stored in the body
(Brom et al., 2017 Foundation for Human
Enrichment, 2016 Levine, 1997 Parker, Doctor,
&Selvam, 2008 Rothschild, 2000). Rosen
(2014) recommends SE as part of trauma
treatment for cult survivors because, in addition
to helping survivors move through trauma, it can
also facilitate survivors’ learning to pace their
own process by shifting their focus between
trauma sensations and anchors or calmness.
Although SE is a specific technique that requires
extensive training, clinicians can incorporate
somatic forms of processing in other ways that
can also be beneficial in helping clients re-
embody and heal (Levine, 1997 Rothschild,
2000). For clients who may not be able to
tolerate body attunement, body mapping may
provide a means of exploring the physicality of
trauma by externalizing it onto paper and
blending body awareness with creativity such as
coloring or drawing (Santen, 2015). Other
interventions, such as authentic movement,
drama, or dance movement therapy, also use the
body as a tool for a more creative process and
offer opportunities for an internal healing by
stimulating the social-engagement system
through connection to the unconscious (Bacon,
2012 Gray, 2015 Haen, 2015 Stromsted, 2009
Tantia, 2012).
A Note About Alternate States of
Consciousness
Some trauma-specific interventions may involve
or facilitate an alternate state of consciousness as
a means of stimulating healing and
transformation (Bacon, 2012 Boik &Goodwin,
2000 Singer, 2003 Tantia, 2012). Given the
type of trauma that many cult survivors have
experienced, such as prolonged, induced states
of altered consciousness or inescapable
interpersonal stress and physical or relational
abuse, survivors may be particularly susceptible
to dissociative states (Herman, 1997 Kendall,
2016 Porges, 2017 Rosen, 2014 Singer, 2003).
Although dissociation can cause significant
difficulties, it is not, in itself, a completely
negative phenomenon. Rather, dissociation is a
protective function of the psyche in response to
trauma or overwhelming threat to the self
(Herman, 1997 Levine, 1997 Lifton, 1963).
