Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 13, No. 1, 1996, page 61
2. To ensure competent service, subscribing consultants recognize the need for continued
sharing of information.
3. Subscribing consultants will obtain a minimum amount of continuing education credits
agreed upon by the majority of consultants sub-scribing to these standards.
4. Each subscribing consultant has an obligation to continued professional growth, including
active participation in the meetings of fellow consultants as well as participation in
research and public education programs.
5. Subscribing consultants are encouraged to devote a portion of their time to related work
for which there is little or no financial return.
Section II. Responsibility of Consultants Toward Clients
This section refers to practices and procedures of individual and/or group consulting
relationships.
The term “client” herein is defined as: the person(s) coming to a consultant for guidance or
information in order to help an individual involved in a cultic relationship. If the client
decides to pursue an intervention aimed at helping the involved person reevaluate his or her
commitment to the group practicing thought reform, the involved person becomes the
primary “client” when the intervention begins.
A. General Standards for the Consulting Relationship
1. The subscribing consultant‟s primary obligation is to respect the integrity and promote
the welfare of the client(s), whether the client(s) is (are) assisted individually or in a
group relationship.
2. When working with clients, a subscribing consultant avoids discrimination due to race,
religion, sex, political affiliation, social or economic status, or choice of lifestyle.
3. When a subscribing consultant cannot offer service for any reason, he or she will make
appropriate referrals, when possible.
4. A subscribing consultant will not use his or her consulting relationship for personal needs
or to further religious, political, or business interests.
5. A subscribing consultant will not employ methods or techniques such as neuro-linguistics
programming, hypnosis or Ericksonian hypnosis or other techniques similar to those
employed by cult groups without fully informed consent of the client.
6. Subscribing consultants recognize their boundaries of competence and provide only
those services for which they are qualified by training or experience. Consultants should
only accept those cases for which they are qualified.
7. The consulting relationship must be one in which client self-direction is encouraged and
cultivated. The subscribing consultant must maintain this role consistently and not
become a decision-maker for the client or create within the client a future dependency
on the consultant.
8. The Human Services field is becoming increasingly complex and specialized. Few thought
reform consultants are able to deal with every cult problem, and many potential clients
have difficulty determining the competence of thought reform consultants. Selecting one
is difficult because of the lack of knowledge about pertinent qualifications. In some
cases, stress itself may impair judgment. Subscribing consultants should help potential
clients make informed evaluations of consultants they are considering.
2. To ensure competent service, subscribing consultants recognize the need for continued
sharing of information.
3. Subscribing consultants will obtain a minimum amount of continuing education credits
agreed upon by the majority of consultants sub-scribing to these standards.
4. Each subscribing consultant has an obligation to continued professional growth, including
active participation in the meetings of fellow consultants as well as participation in
research and public education programs.
5. Subscribing consultants are encouraged to devote a portion of their time to related work
for which there is little or no financial return.
Section II. Responsibility of Consultants Toward Clients
This section refers to practices and procedures of individual and/or group consulting
relationships.
The term “client” herein is defined as: the person(s) coming to a consultant for guidance or
information in order to help an individual involved in a cultic relationship. If the client
decides to pursue an intervention aimed at helping the involved person reevaluate his or her
commitment to the group practicing thought reform, the involved person becomes the
primary “client” when the intervention begins.
A. General Standards for the Consulting Relationship
1. The subscribing consultant‟s primary obligation is to respect the integrity and promote
the welfare of the client(s), whether the client(s) is (are) assisted individually or in a
group relationship.
2. When working with clients, a subscribing consultant avoids discrimination due to race,
religion, sex, political affiliation, social or economic status, or choice of lifestyle.
3. When a subscribing consultant cannot offer service for any reason, he or she will make
appropriate referrals, when possible.
4. A subscribing consultant will not use his or her consulting relationship for personal needs
or to further religious, political, or business interests.
5. A subscribing consultant will not employ methods or techniques such as neuro-linguistics
programming, hypnosis or Ericksonian hypnosis or other techniques similar to those
employed by cult groups without fully informed consent of the client.
6. Subscribing consultants recognize their boundaries of competence and provide only
those services for which they are qualified by training or experience. Consultants should
only accept those cases for which they are qualified.
7. The consulting relationship must be one in which client self-direction is encouraged and
cultivated. The subscribing consultant must maintain this role consistently and not
become a decision-maker for the client or create within the client a future dependency
on the consultant.
8. The Human Services field is becoming increasingly complex and specialized. Few thought
reform consultants are able to deal with every cult problem, and many potential clients
have difficulty determining the competence of thought reform consultants. Selecting one
is difficult because of the lack of knowledge about pertinent qualifications. In some
cases, stress itself may impair judgment. Subscribing consultants should help potential
clients make informed evaluations of consultants they are considering.
