International Journal of Cultic Studies ■ Vol. 9, 2018 71
will affect the members differently,
depending on the leader and on each
member’s proximity to the leader.
• Chapter 5: Getting through childhood!—
Explores two important psychological
theories in relation to child development:
John Bowlby’s attachment theory and Eric
Erikson’s theory of human development.
These theories can, in turn, shed light on
why parts of an SGA’s development may be
stunted.
• Chapter 6: Why do people stare at me?—
Addresses why children in sects may not
learn the cultural norms of the world outside
the sect, leaving them unprepared for state
schooling and life outside. This, in turn,
increases their vulnerability when they leave
the group.
• Chapter 7: Why didn’t anybody tell
me?—Addresses why it is difficult to leave
the sect, including fallacies of logic that
cloud one’s thinking and that leaders might
use to keep a member in the sect looks at
statistics of how many leave sects, at what
age, and why also addresses culture shock
and theories around “third-culture kids.”
• Chapter 8: Nobody understands!—
Addresses the multiple painful losses that
one inevitably experiences upon leaving a
sect, and explores the reasons for those
losses explores the types of dangers and
risks SGAs may be vulnerable to, such as
drug addiction and abusive relationships
also discusses some of the benefits that
those raised in a sect might uncover after
they leave.
• Chapter 9: Hurt in relationships, healed
in relationships—Discusses healthy
relationships and the potential positive
impact they can have on leaving also
addresses resiliency and uniqueness
summarizes avenues of possible care and
social support, and explains a few
counselling modalities.
• Chapter 10: How long?—Examines the
recovery timescale and starts with the quote,
“Sometimes an ordinary life is an
extraordinary achievement” looks at
psychoeducational support and several
emotional areas in which SGAs may
struggle, such as guilt and shame, and also at
how to develop more positive attributes,
such as a sense of humor.
Critique
When I first read the book, I was unsure about
how to position it: Was it a self-help book, or
was it a textbook? I was convinced by Dr.
Kendall’s thesis that the book needed to be
rigorous, teaching interesting (and sometimes
complex) psychological theories to SGAs so
they would be informed about development,
attachment, and the like—and in a
nonpatronizing manner. I therefore came to view
it as a self-help book on steroids!
My main disappointment with the book, given
that I am a trauma therapist and specialize in
counselling former members, both FGAs and
SGAs, was the section on finding a counsellor. I
found this portion to be weak, and I would have
liked more detail and explanation regarding the
modalities I perhaps would have categorized
client centered to include the broader category
of humanistic approaches, including Gestalt
psychotherapy, which has been shown to have
some theoretical and clinical contribution to the
cult-recovery issue (Jenkinson, 2008, 2016).
The section on trauma therapies also is weak. I
was concerned when I saw mention of
approaches to trauma that I had never heard of,
in spite of more than 20 years of experience
investigating and working with trauma. I suggest
that the website that was the source of the
information could be misleading to SGAs, who
may know nothing about therapy and therefore
may not be able to discern between mainstream
and other less-rigorous approaches. I
recommend that, if there is a reprint, this section
be updated and a thorough investigation of up-
to-date trauma therapies added. For example,
sensorimotor psychotherapy and EMDR are not
included, although these modalities have been
used with positive report by some who work
with former members.
The section on specialist counselling for
working with former cult members could be also
developed. The new ICSA book Clinical Cult
will affect the members differently,
depending on the leader and on each
member’s proximity to the leader.
• Chapter 5: Getting through childhood!—
Explores two important psychological
theories in relation to child development:
John Bowlby’s attachment theory and Eric
Erikson’s theory of human development.
These theories can, in turn, shed light on
why parts of an SGA’s development may be
stunted.
• Chapter 6: Why do people stare at me?—
Addresses why children in sects may not
learn the cultural norms of the world outside
the sect, leaving them unprepared for state
schooling and life outside. This, in turn,
increases their vulnerability when they leave
the group.
• Chapter 7: Why didn’t anybody tell
me?—Addresses why it is difficult to leave
the sect, including fallacies of logic that
cloud one’s thinking and that leaders might
use to keep a member in the sect looks at
statistics of how many leave sects, at what
age, and why also addresses culture shock
and theories around “third-culture kids.”
• Chapter 8: Nobody understands!—
Addresses the multiple painful losses that
one inevitably experiences upon leaving a
sect, and explores the reasons for those
losses explores the types of dangers and
risks SGAs may be vulnerable to, such as
drug addiction and abusive relationships
also discusses some of the benefits that
those raised in a sect might uncover after
they leave.
• Chapter 9: Hurt in relationships, healed
in relationships—Discusses healthy
relationships and the potential positive
impact they can have on leaving also
addresses resiliency and uniqueness
summarizes avenues of possible care and
social support, and explains a few
counselling modalities.
• Chapter 10: How long?—Examines the
recovery timescale and starts with the quote,
“Sometimes an ordinary life is an
extraordinary achievement” looks at
psychoeducational support and several
emotional areas in which SGAs may
struggle, such as guilt and shame, and also at
how to develop more positive attributes,
such as a sense of humor.
Critique
When I first read the book, I was unsure about
how to position it: Was it a self-help book, or
was it a textbook? I was convinced by Dr.
Kendall’s thesis that the book needed to be
rigorous, teaching interesting (and sometimes
complex) psychological theories to SGAs so
they would be informed about development,
attachment, and the like—and in a
nonpatronizing manner. I therefore came to view
it as a self-help book on steroids!
My main disappointment with the book, given
that I am a trauma therapist and specialize in
counselling former members, both FGAs and
SGAs, was the section on finding a counsellor. I
found this portion to be weak, and I would have
liked more detail and explanation regarding the
modalities I perhaps would have categorized
client centered to include the broader category
of humanistic approaches, including Gestalt
psychotherapy, which has been shown to have
some theoretical and clinical contribution to the
cult-recovery issue (Jenkinson, 2008, 2016).
The section on trauma therapies also is weak. I
was concerned when I saw mention of
approaches to trauma that I had never heard of,
in spite of more than 20 years of experience
investigating and working with trauma. I suggest
that the website that was the source of the
information could be misleading to SGAs, who
may know nothing about therapy and therefore
may not be able to discern between mainstream
and other less-rigorous approaches. I
recommend that, if there is a reprint, this section
be updated and a thorough investigation of up-
to-date trauma therapies added. For example,
sensorimotor psychotherapy and EMDR are not
included, although these modalities have been
used with positive report by some who work
with former members.
The section on specialist counselling for
working with former cult members could be also
developed. The new ICSA book Clinical Cult
