Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 14, No. 1, 1997, page 94
what she thought about. Daydreaming is safer than using any other kind of imagery with
cult survivors because induced imagery might have been a method used as one of the cult‟s
thought-reform processes (Singer with Lalich, 1995 Tobias &Lalich, 1994).
Having the client daydream about the past, and then helping her incorporate her former
(precult) self into her current life can be beneficial to developing self-worth. Daydreaming
about the future can be useful in helping the client gain some hope of life beyond the cult.
For example, the counselor might suggest, “Let‟s say that it is 3 years from now and you
are not having to deal with this healing as much as you do now, what are some of your
dreams? What does a day look like to you?”
Recovering from cultic relationships and feeling empowered takes time. It is crucial that the
therapist be patient and empathetic throughout the process. However, if the therapist feels
at an impasse with the client, a role-reversal technique might help. This technique would
consist of the client becoming the counselor, and the counselor taking the role of the client.
In order to be effective with this technique, the therapist shares a current therapeutic issue
as the client, and the client as the counselor provides feedback. It is important to process
what it was like for the client to take on that role, and also for the therapist to share what it
was like to be the client. Role reversal can also be useful in helping the client determine if
she is ready to cut back on or leave therapy.
The therapist who can be vulnerable and creative within the therapeutic relationship will be
able to employ various techniques in an empowering manner. When the woman cult
survivor begins to feel empowered, she begins to gain personal power and recapture her
sense of self and recover from the devastating effects of the previous cultic relationship.
Conclusion
Working with female survivors of cultic relationships can be overwhelming and complex for
any therapist. Once a trusting relationship has been established, clients can explore the
context of the cultic influences in a safe environment. They can learn how they were
manipulated into becoming a cult member, how thought reform worked in the cult, how the
leader was self-appointed, and how their independent life was taken from them. The
counselor who encourages and validates clients will help them believe in themselves and
come to understand that they were powerless in the cult. They can learn how to get rid of
the unwanted attributes of their cult pseudopersonality and head toward a genuine and
authentic self. Now, as survivors, they can take power in their healing which can help
increase personal power and self-worth. Thus, an empowerment model used in the therapy
session will have lifelong impact on clients‟ self-empowerment--which means empowerment
coming from within the self--and ultimately therapy will no longer be necessary.
References
American Family Foundation. (1986). Cultism: A conference for scholars and policy makers.
Cultic Studies Journal, 3(1), 117-134.
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental
disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Blume, E. (1990). Secret survivors: Uncovering incest and its aftereffects in women. New
York: Wiley.
Brickman, J. (1984). Feminist, nonsexist, and traditional models of therapy: Implications for
working with incest. Women &Therapy, 3(1), 49-67.
Brier, J. (1989). Therapy for adults molested as children: Beyond survival. New York:
Springer.
Brown, A., &Finkelhor, D. (1986). Impact of child sexual abuse: A review of the research.
Psychological Bulletin, 99, 66-77.
Classen, C. (1995). Treating women molested in childhood. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
what she thought about. Daydreaming is safer than using any other kind of imagery with
cult survivors because induced imagery might have been a method used as one of the cult‟s
thought-reform processes (Singer with Lalich, 1995 Tobias &Lalich, 1994).
Having the client daydream about the past, and then helping her incorporate her former
(precult) self into her current life can be beneficial to developing self-worth. Daydreaming
about the future can be useful in helping the client gain some hope of life beyond the cult.
For example, the counselor might suggest, “Let‟s say that it is 3 years from now and you
are not having to deal with this healing as much as you do now, what are some of your
dreams? What does a day look like to you?”
Recovering from cultic relationships and feeling empowered takes time. It is crucial that the
therapist be patient and empathetic throughout the process. However, if the therapist feels
at an impasse with the client, a role-reversal technique might help. This technique would
consist of the client becoming the counselor, and the counselor taking the role of the client.
In order to be effective with this technique, the therapist shares a current therapeutic issue
as the client, and the client as the counselor provides feedback. It is important to process
what it was like for the client to take on that role, and also for the therapist to share what it
was like to be the client. Role reversal can also be useful in helping the client determine if
she is ready to cut back on or leave therapy.
The therapist who can be vulnerable and creative within the therapeutic relationship will be
able to employ various techniques in an empowering manner. When the woman cult
survivor begins to feel empowered, she begins to gain personal power and recapture her
sense of self and recover from the devastating effects of the previous cultic relationship.
Conclusion
Working with female survivors of cultic relationships can be overwhelming and complex for
any therapist. Once a trusting relationship has been established, clients can explore the
context of the cultic influences in a safe environment. They can learn how they were
manipulated into becoming a cult member, how thought reform worked in the cult, how the
leader was self-appointed, and how their independent life was taken from them. The
counselor who encourages and validates clients will help them believe in themselves and
come to understand that they were powerless in the cult. They can learn how to get rid of
the unwanted attributes of their cult pseudopersonality and head toward a genuine and
authentic self. Now, as survivors, they can take power in their healing which can help
increase personal power and self-worth. Thus, an empowerment model used in the therapy
session will have lifelong impact on clients‟ self-empowerment--which means empowerment
coming from within the self--and ultimately therapy will no longer be necessary.
References
American Family Foundation. (1986). Cultism: A conference for scholars and policy makers.
Cultic Studies Journal, 3(1), 117-134.
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental
disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Blume, E. (1990). Secret survivors: Uncovering incest and its aftereffects in women. New
York: Wiley.
Brickman, J. (1984). Feminist, nonsexist, and traditional models of therapy: Implications for
working with incest. Women &Therapy, 3(1), 49-67.
Brier, J. (1989). Therapy for adults molested as children: Beyond survival. New York:
Springer.
Brown, A., &Finkelhor, D. (1986). Impact of child sexual abuse: A review of the research.
Psychological Bulletin, 99, 66-77.
Classen, C. (1995). Treating women molested in childhood. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
