International Journal of Cultic Studies ■ Vol. 8, 2017 65
habitual response. As a consequence, this way of
functioning, without the critical-thinking
oversight of the prefrontal cortex, becomes very
difficult to change. This finding is reinforced by
Kunsman (2014), who has reported
neurophysiological imaging results that
demonstrate greater blood and metabolism
shifting toward the brain areas responsible for
survival, and “the mind loses smooth, healthy
integration of separate brain functions” (p. 1) as
a result.
Another highly detrimental effect of too much
adrenaline-based cortisol in the bloodstream, as
a consequence of the brain spending significant
amounts of time in the limbic state, is that, if
cortisol remains in the bloodstream for too long,
it actually burns out synaptic connections
(Whitsett, 2006, p. 3). Equally in this context,
the brain has difficulty recalibrating autonomic
arousal—the return to baseline—because the
body’s adaptive response of metabolizing the
neurotransmitters has not functioned effectively
(Ogden et al., 2006, p. 366 Whitsett, 2006, p.
353). This limitation might have the effect of
further reinforcing the brain habitually operating
in the limbic state.
Neuroscience and Memory Systems
According to Siegel (2011, pp. 149–154
Applegate &Shapiro, 2005, as cited in Whitsett,
2006, p. 354) and mentioned previously, the
limbic brain is the center of implicit memory,
which is not conscious, does not require focused
attention, involves no sensation of recollection
from the past, and does not involve the
prefrontal cortex. In contrast, the prefrontal
cortex is the center of explicit memory, which is
conscious, does require focused attention, and
integrates the elements of our experience into
factual autobiographical representations—in
other words, it creates the narratives of our lives.
This distinction is important in the context of
trauma because recollections of past traumas,
typically referred to as triggers, are a flooding of
implicit-only memory activation.
So triggers do not involve the prefrontal cortex
because cortisol is inhibiting its function. This
means that top-down regulation is lost and
meaning making is inhibited. This is why we
experience traumatic incidents, not as memories
of the past, but as events happening in the
present, and with little, if any, explicit awareness
of the original traumatic incidents.
Significantly, the limbic brain’s flooding of
adrenaline in response to any trigger potentially
reinforces the initial neural wiring laid down
with the original traumatic incident—what fires
together wires together. There are several
consequences of this sequencing: first, there is a
risk that this response becomes habitual and, as
mentioned previously, the habits established via
the limbic brain are far more difficult to change
than the routines that are established via the
prefrontal cortex second, there is the potential
for the former cult member to become
increasingly more vulnerable to progressively
“minor triggers” (Post, Weiss, &Smith, 1995, as
cited in Ogden et al., 2006, p. 4) third, former
members also lose somatic connection to current
reality and, fourth, this response reinforces the
member’s phobic avoidance of triggers. As van
der Kolk et al. (as cited in Ogden et al., 2006)
described it, Operating in either hyper-aroused
(too much activation) or hypo-aroused states
(too little activation) means information cannot
be effectively processed (p. 3).
Trauma and the Speech Center
Cozolino (2002, as cited in Whitsett, 2006, p.
355) discusses the fact that, during trauma,
Broca’s area, the area of the brain responsible
for speech, actually shuts down, a phenomenon
described as speechless terror. The implication
of this action is that, when former cult members
are triggered by past traumas, their capacity for
verbal communication is drastically reduced.
Implications for Practice
Thus far, I have reviewed the definition of
Complex PTSD, identified some unique
characteristics of cult-induced, postcult Complex
PTSD, and presented some developments in
neuroscience. I now discuss the implications of
all this for former cult members in therapy,
followed by various therapeutic interventions.
Presentation in Therapy
Former cult members often come to therapy with
many of the following:
habitual response. As a consequence, this way of
functioning, without the critical-thinking
oversight of the prefrontal cortex, becomes very
difficult to change. This finding is reinforced by
Kunsman (2014), who has reported
neurophysiological imaging results that
demonstrate greater blood and metabolism
shifting toward the brain areas responsible for
survival, and “the mind loses smooth, healthy
integration of separate brain functions” (p. 1) as
a result.
Another highly detrimental effect of too much
adrenaline-based cortisol in the bloodstream, as
a consequence of the brain spending significant
amounts of time in the limbic state, is that, if
cortisol remains in the bloodstream for too long,
it actually burns out synaptic connections
(Whitsett, 2006, p. 3). Equally in this context,
the brain has difficulty recalibrating autonomic
arousal—the return to baseline—because the
body’s adaptive response of metabolizing the
neurotransmitters has not functioned effectively
(Ogden et al., 2006, p. 366 Whitsett, 2006, p.
353). This limitation might have the effect of
further reinforcing the brain habitually operating
in the limbic state.
Neuroscience and Memory Systems
According to Siegel (2011, pp. 149–154
Applegate &Shapiro, 2005, as cited in Whitsett,
2006, p. 354) and mentioned previously, the
limbic brain is the center of implicit memory,
which is not conscious, does not require focused
attention, involves no sensation of recollection
from the past, and does not involve the
prefrontal cortex. In contrast, the prefrontal
cortex is the center of explicit memory, which is
conscious, does require focused attention, and
integrates the elements of our experience into
factual autobiographical representations—in
other words, it creates the narratives of our lives.
This distinction is important in the context of
trauma because recollections of past traumas,
typically referred to as triggers, are a flooding of
implicit-only memory activation.
So triggers do not involve the prefrontal cortex
because cortisol is inhibiting its function. This
means that top-down regulation is lost and
meaning making is inhibited. This is why we
experience traumatic incidents, not as memories
of the past, but as events happening in the
present, and with little, if any, explicit awareness
of the original traumatic incidents.
Significantly, the limbic brain’s flooding of
adrenaline in response to any trigger potentially
reinforces the initial neural wiring laid down
with the original traumatic incident—what fires
together wires together. There are several
consequences of this sequencing: first, there is a
risk that this response becomes habitual and, as
mentioned previously, the habits established via
the limbic brain are far more difficult to change
than the routines that are established via the
prefrontal cortex second, there is the potential
for the former cult member to become
increasingly more vulnerable to progressively
“minor triggers” (Post, Weiss, &Smith, 1995, as
cited in Ogden et al., 2006, p. 4) third, former
members also lose somatic connection to current
reality and, fourth, this response reinforces the
member’s phobic avoidance of triggers. As van
der Kolk et al. (as cited in Ogden et al., 2006)
described it, Operating in either hyper-aroused
(too much activation) or hypo-aroused states
(too little activation) means information cannot
be effectively processed (p. 3).
Trauma and the Speech Center
Cozolino (2002, as cited in Whitsett, 2006, p.
355) discusses the fact that, during trauma,
Broca’s area, the area of the brain responsible
for speech, actually shuts down, a phenomenon
described as speechless terror. The implication
of this action is that, when former cult members
are triggered by past traumas, their capacity for
verbal communication is drastically reduced.
Implications for Practice
Thus far, I have reviewed the definition of
Complex PTSD, identified some unique
characteristics of cult-induced, postcult Complex
PTSD, and presented some developments in
neuroscience. I now discuss the implications of
all this for former cult members in therapy,
followed by various therapeutic interventions.
Presentation in Therapy
Former cult members often come to therapy with
many of the following:
