Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 9, No. 1, 2010, Page 3
The Last Draw—Cults and Creativity
Dana Wehle, L.C.S.W., M.F.A.
Cult Clinic, JBFCS
Psychoanalyst, New York City
Abstracti
Introducing this special issue of CSR on Cults and Creativity, in addition to the
articles by fellow authors, I draw on current thinking on creativity from
psychology, neuroscience, the socio-cultural science of creativity,
psychoanalysis, and critical theory. Of particular interest to me is how symbol
creation and use as characteristically human intersects with the
dehumanization of cult members through cult leader suppression of symbolic
expression of feeling and thought, thus creativity. I propose cult-recovery
treatment as a form of rehumanization through emphasis on the emergence
or reemergence of former members‘ or SGAs‘ subjective use of symbol and
creativity. I introduce the concept of ―joy stopping‖ as an elaboration of
―thought and feeling stopping,‖ and suggest the postmodern concepts of
―lack/gap‖ and ―slippage of meaning‖ are salient for cultic studies. This
introduction assumes that creativity is critical not only for personal well-being
but also for the enhancement of society. It questions the individual and
societal cost when creativity is a prime target of manipulation/control in cults.
Guest editing this special issue of CSR has provided a wonderful opportunity to continue my
studies of cults and creativity. I am grateful to Michael Langone for suggesting the idea, and
for supporting my qualitative survey on cults and creativity. I wish to thank Libbe Madsen,
associate editor extraordinaire Ashley Allen for efficiently collating and evaluating the
survey responses the survey respondents for generously helping create the first study of
this kind and for granting permission to quote Pat Ryan for technical assistance with the
survey the invited authors in this issue, whose insightful contributions—summarized
below—culminate in this first interdisciplinary compilation on cults and creativity. I
especially thank them for their patience in waiting for this issue to come to fruition during a
difficult time in my life and heartfelt thanks to the former members, SGAs, and family
members of currently involved loved ones with whom I have worked clinically and who are
my most valued and respected teachers.
I would like to share a bit about the creative journey that underlies this special issue. It
began with the merging of my interest in creativity as a painter and as a psychoanalyst, my
clinical work at the Cult Clinic of the Jewish Board of Family and Children‘s Services and
privately in New York City, and my grounding in cult therapy working with Arnold
Markowitz, the clinic‘s founder and director, and Libbe Madsen, also in this context. I had
the pleasure of inviting the authors who, drawing on professional and, for some, personal
experience with cults, greatly deepened my inquiry into this mostly overlooked theme within
cultic studies.ii It is significant that this issue on cults and creativity dovetails with the work
of the Phoenix Project and its founder Diana Pletts, who tirelessly encourages and organizes
former members and SGAs to present their artwork and creative voices within ICSA‘s
supportive venues.
The survey and the journal articles start with the question ―What do we mean by
creativity?‖ Creativity is one of those terms that in some ways is obvious, but because of its
The Last Draw—Cults and Creativity
Dana Wehle, L.C.S.W., M.F.A.
Cult Clinic, JBFCS
Psychoanalyst, New York City
Abstracti
Introducing this special issue of CSR on Cults and Creativity, in addition to the
articles by fellow authors, I draw on current thinking on creativity from
psychology, neuroscience, the socio-cultural science of creativity,
psychoanalysis, and critical theory. Of particular interest to me is how symbol
creation and use as characteristically human intersects with the
dehumanization of cult members through cult leader suppression of symbolic
expression of feeling and thought, thus creativity. I propose cult-recovery
treatment as a form of rehumanization through emphasis on the emergence
or reemergence of former members‘ or SGAs‘ subjective use of symbol and
creativity. I introduce the concept of ―joy stopping‖ as an elaboration of
―thought and feeling stopping,‖ and suggest the postmodern concepts of
―lack/gap‖ and ―slippage of meaning‖ are salient for cultic studies. This
introduction assumes that creativity is critical not only for personal well-being
but also for the enhancement of society. It questions the individual and
societal cost when creativity is a prime target of manipulation/control in cults.
Guest editing this special issue of CSR has provided a wonderful opportunity to continue my
studies of cults and creativity. I am grateful to Michael Langone for suggesting the idea, and
for supporting my qualitative survey on cults and creativity. I wish to thank Libbe Madsen,
associate editor extraordinaire Ashley Allen for efficiently collating and evaluating the
survey responses the survey respondents for generously helping create the first study of
this kind and for granting permission to quote Pat Ryan for technical assistance with the
survey the invited authors in this issue, whose insightful contributions—summarized
below—culminate in this first interdisciplinary compilation on cults and creativity. I
especially thank them for their patience in waiting for this issue to come to fruition during a
difficult time in my life and heartfelt thanks to the former members, SGAs, and family
members of currently involved loved ones with whom I have worked clinically and who are
my most valued and respected teachers.
I would like to share a bit about the creative journey that underlies this special issue. It
began with the merging of my interest in creativity as a painter and as a psychoanalyst, my
clinical work at the Cult Clinic of the Jewish Board of Family and Children‘s Services and
privately in New York City, and my grounding in cult therapy working with Arnold
Markowitz, the clinic‘s founder and director, and Libbe Madsen, also in this context. I had
the pleasure of inviting the authors who, drawing on professional and, for some, personal
experience with cults, greatly deepened my inquiry into this mostly overlooked theme within
cultic studies.ii It is significant that this issue on cults and creativity dovetails with the work
of the Phoenix Project and its founder Diana Pletts, who tirelessly encourages and organizes
former members and SGAs to present their artwork and creative voices within ICSA‘s
supportive venues.
The survey and the journal articles start with the question ―What do we mean by
creativity?‖ Creativity is one of those terms that in some ways is obvious, but because of its
