and they also are recommended during EMDR
training (Shapiro, 2001). Therapists can use
other structured interview instruments such as
the Cognitive Distortions Scale (CDS), the
Tension Reduction Activities (TRA) and
Tension Reduction Behavior (TRB) scales, and
the Traumatic Attachment Belief Scale (TABS)
to assess symptoms (Courtois &Ford, 2009).
Many former members experience a sense of
“years lost” and stigma from the experience. In
addition, many first-generation former members
feel deep pain and guilt regarding the suffering
their family and friends endured while the
former members were in the group. And many
second-generation former members have lost all
connection with their families if they left the
group and their families remained in it. As is
often the case, the leader dictates that family
members shun and vilify the person who has
left.
The client and therapist can then cocreate goals
for therapy. In most cases, there will be
agreement in all areas except in the areas of
avoidance. Avoidance and tension reduction
through addictions, isolation, or the so-called
self-destructive behaviors (e.g., excessive
drinking, eating, sexual encounters self-cutting
trichotillomania [a compulsion to pull out one's
hair]) may be efforts to self-regulate and ward
off terrifying memories. It behooves the
therapist to develop both concern and patience
with these issues. It is usual for a client either to
be in a rush to rid herself of these painful
symptoms, or to have a blind spot about them. It
is important to pace therapy so that the client
does not experience retraumatization by being
exposed to frightening memories and
overwhelming nervous-system dysregulation.
Motivational interviewing (Lundahl &Burke,
2009 Miller &Rollnick, 2013) is an effective
and respectful approach to help a former
member to find the best model for reduction or
abstinence at a pace that increases her
stabilization.
Stabilization
At The Trauma Studies Center of The Institute
of Contemporary Psychotherapy, where I teach,
faculty is trained in two, three, and sometimes
four trauma-processing techniques, in addition
to receiving cognitive-behavioral and/or
psychodynamic training. There has been a
gradual move within the training toward an
emphasis on stabilization, with an entire
semester now devoted to the theory and practice
of stabilization. Although trauma processing
can be enormously effective with former
members, working with them on the aspects of
stabilization, along with providing the
psychoeducation to enable them to understand
and mourn the group experience, goes a long
way. Engaging the concrete issues of addressing
immigration (discussed in the following
paragraph), increasing nervous-system
regulation, strengthening boundaries, and
developing relationships are necessary
components of healing. Without attention to
stabilization, exploring the specific group
experiences can prove unsafe for clients. Recent
studies regarding mass-disaster victims have
clarified that the survivors’ trauma symptoms
worsened if they were prompted to talk about
the event before their home, community, and
work contexts were stabilized (Miller, 2011
Tramontin &Halpern, 2007).
We can view all former cult members as
invisible immigrants. They may continue to live
in the same country and speak the same
language, but their experience of dislocation,
loss, and confusion can be as strong as that of an
émigré from a third-world country. Livia
Bardin, a long-time, valued member of ICSA,
recently published a Web book called Starting
Out in Mainstream America, which has a link on
the ICSA website. This book contains
information for former members about
everything from outlining how to get a driver’s
license to defining boundaries and explaining
various aspects of social communication. This
material can be particularly helpful and
stabilizing for second-generation former
members.
There are a variety of techniques for increasing
nervous-system regulation. Those who feel
comfortable with body-based therapy can use
Somatic Experiencing and Sensorimotor
Psychotherapy techniques, which can quickly
bring the person into what is sometimes called
the “window of tolerance” (Ogden et al., 2006).
This is the nervous-system state that is more or
International Journal of Cultic Studies ■ Vol. 5, 2014 21
training (Shapiro, 2001). Therapists can use
other structured interview instruments such as
the Cognitive Distortions Scale (CDS), the
Tension Reduction Activities (TRA) and
Tension Reduction Behavior (TRB) scales, and
the Traumatic Attachment Belief Scale (TABS)
to assess symptoms (Courtois &Ford, 2009).
Many former members experience a sense of
“years lost” and stigma from the experience. In
addition, many first-generation former members
feel deep pain and guilt regarding the suffering
their family and friends endured while the
former members were in the group. And many
second-generation former members have lost all
connection with their families if they left the
group and their families remained in it. As is
often the case, the leader dictates that family
members shun and vilify the person who has
left.
The client and therapist can then cocreate goals
for therapy. In most cases, there will be
agreement in all areas except in the areas of
avoidance. Avoidance and tension reduction
through addictions, isolation, or the so-called
self-destructive behaviors (e.g., excessive
drinking, eating, sexual encounters self-cutting
trichotillomania [a compulsion to pull out one's
hair]) may be efforts to self-regulate and ward
off terrifying memories. It behooves the
therapist to develop both concern and patience
with these issues. It is usual for a client either to
be in a rush to rid herself of these painful
symptoms, or to have a blind spot about them. It
is important to pace therapy so that the client
does not experience retraumatization by being
exposed to frightening memories and
overwhelming nervous-system dysregulation.
Motivational interviewing (Lundahl &Burke,
2009 Miller &Rollnick, 2013) is an effective
and respectful approach to help a former
member to find the best model for reduction or
abstinence at a pace that increases her
stabilization.
Stabilization
At The Trauma Studies Center of The Institute
of Contemporary Psychotherapy, where I teach,
faculty is trained in two, three, and sometimes
four trauma-processing techniques, in addition
to receiving cognitive-behavioral and/or
psychodynamic training. There has been a
gradual move within the training toward an
emphasis on stabilization, with an entire
semester now devoted to the theory and practice
of stabilization. Although trauma processing
can be enormously effective with former
members, working with them on the aspects of
stabilization, along with providing the
psychoeducation to enable them to understand
and mourn the group experience, goes a long
way. Engaging the concrete issues of addressing
immigration (discussed in the following
paragraph), increasing nervous-system
regulation, strengthening boundaries, and
developing relationships are necessary
components of healing. Without attention to
stabilization, exploring the specific group
experiences can prove unsafe for clients. Recent
studies regarding mass-disaster victims have
clarified that the survivors’ trauma symptoms
worsened if they were prompted to talk about
the event before their home, community, and
work contexts were stabilized (Miller, 2011
Tramontin &Halpern, 2007).
We can view all former cult members as
invisible immigrants. They may continue to live
in the same country and speak the same
language, but their experience of dislocation,
loss, and confusion can be as strong as that of an
émigré from a third-world country. Livia
Bardin, a long-time, valued member of ICSA,
recently published a Web book called Starting
Out in Mainstream America, which has a link on
the ICSA website. This book contains
information for former members about
everything from outlining how to get a driver’s
license to defining boundaries and explaining
various aspects of social communication. This
material can be particularly helpful and
stabilizing for second-generation former
members.
There are a variety of techniques for increasing
nervous-system regulation. Those who feel
comfortable with body-based therapy can use
Somatic Experiencing and Sensorimotor
Psychotherapy techniques, which can quickly
bring the person into what is sometimes called
the “window of tolerance” (Ogden et al., 2006).
This is the nervous-system state that is more or
International Journal of Cultic Studies ■ Vol. 5, 2014 21
