VOLUME 6 |ISSUE 3 |2015
“There is something about the renewal of spring…”
In Brooklyn, the daffodils come first, closely followed by the
tulips. Maureen Griffo can tell you that. In the middle of a
very busy schedule she watches for them, looking out in the
mornings from her second-floor apartment, eagerly waiting
to greet them.
I love spring. I get so excited when I see the first
flower. I tell people, “I may not have won the
lottery, but I’ve seen my first spring flower today!”
That kind of intentional optimism is part of Maureen’s
formidable survival skill set.
Maureen Griffo has been on the board of reFOCUS for
more than fifteen years and is currently bringing all her
talent, expertise, and devotion to leading the recently
formed ICSA New York City Educational Committee’s efforts.
Although based in the New York area, the presentation they
have developed can be used elsewhere. The Committee’s
members hope that what they are doing will serve as a
model for other areas.
Maureen previously moderated a chat/support group for
6 years for people affected directly or indirectly by cultic
situations. She was one of four creators of the Leo J. Ryan
Educational Foundation and has presented at various ICSA
conferences and workshops.
When Maureen was just 4 years old, her mother abandoned
her. A little later, her father, overwhelmed, dropped her
off in an orphanage, and she never lived with him again.
Her brother was developmentally challenged and was
institutionalized. She and her sister grew up with separate
aunts. At 19, Maureen was recruited into the first of three
cultic religious groups. She actually found her mother after
22 years while living in the communal cultic religious group.
Altogether, unknowingly, she would spend 17½ years in
these destructive environments, virtually her entire youth
taken from her. Yet, she says, “My life is a story of triumph.”
Hearing what she has accomplished, it would be hard to
disagree. At an age, 42, when many people are becoming
settled, Maureen returned to school, receiving her BA
degree at age 45. Her first master’s degree she completed
at 49, and her second at 53 (6 years ago). She is extremely
determined and will not feel she has completed her life
work until she has written her memoir. “People are inspired
by my story when they hear it, and that makes me happy.”
Although she rarely has the luxury, Maureen, a self-
described “night person,” likes to stay up late
when all is quiet… I like the way it feels… Once,
while doing relief work in Haiti, we were in the
mountains. It was 11:00 or 12:00 at night. Pitch
black… And there were so many stars! I’ve never
seen so many stars…
Three cats, two birds, three turtles, and one toad share her
home with Maureen and her husband, Joe, whom she met
while in the first group she belonged to. They met again in
the second group and married. They have a daughter, Maria,
27, who lives and works in Tennessee.
Maureen’s job keeps her very busy and active. “I often don’t
get home until 10 p.m.” She is a teacher of special-needs
students, whom she sees in their homes, travelling by
bus and subway with all her teaching materials in tow. “I
sometimes visit second-hand shops to find interesting or
useful teaching items. I use all sorts of things.” She employs
every bit of her creativity, patience, and love in her work,
often reminded of and inspired by her own brother.
Maureen has been with the ICSA for many years, since
becoming acquainted with the organization through
Carol Giambalvo and Wellspring. Her contact with Herb
Rosedale also deepened her ties with ICSA. His death was
“the saddest moment for me. He was just such a wonderful
man and such a towering figure.” In fact, it was Herb
Rosedale who helped Maureen to accomplish what she
counts as her happiest moment working in the field of cult
recovery: successfully supporting and guiding a 17-year-
old second-generation adult (SGA) through the physical
process of leaving a group and the legal process of seeking
emancipation from his parents, who were members of the
dangerous communal group.
After leaving her third cultic situation, Maureen felt angry
about the prevalence of this kind of abuse:
Back then I felt, and still feel today, that I just want to
be part of the solution. I am committed to this work
over the long haul. I just feel really happy that I can
make a difference. n
Edited by Mary O’Connell
2729
Maureen Griffo
“There is something about the renewal of spring…”
In Brooklyn, the daffodils come first, closely followed by the
tulips. Maureen Griffo can tell you that. In the middle of a
very busy schedule she watches for them, looking out in the
mornings from her second-floor apartment, eagerly waiting
to greet them.
I love spring. I get so excited when I see the first
flower. I tell people, “I may not have won the
lottery, but I’ve seen my first spring flower today!”
That kind of intentional optimism is part of Maureen’s
formidable survival skill set.
Maureen Griffo has been on the board of reFOCUS for
more than fifteen years and is currently bringing all her
talent, expertise, and devotion to leading the recently
formed ICSA New York City Educational Committee’s efforts.
Although based in the New York area, the presentation they
have developed can be used elsewhere. The Committee’s
members hope that what they are doing will serve as a
model for other areas.
Maureen previously moderated a chat/support group for
6 years for people affected directly or indirectly by cultic
situations. She was one of four creators of the Leo J. Ryan
Educational Foundation and has presented at various ICSA
conferences and workshops.
When Maureen was just 4 years old, her mother abandoned
her. A little later, her father, overwhelmed, dropped her
off in an orphanage, and she never lived with him again.
Her brother was developmentally challenged and was
institutionalized. She and her sister grew up with separate
aunts. At 19, Maureen was recruited into the first of three
cultic religious groups. She actually found her mother after
22 years while living in the communal cultic religious group.
Altogether, unknowingly, she would spend 17½ years in
these destructive environments, virtually her entire youth
taken from her. Yet, she says, “My life is a story of triumph.”
Hearing what she has accomplished, it would be hard to
disagree. At an age, 42, when many people are becoming
settled, Maureen returned to school, receiving her BA
degree at age 45. Her first master’s degree she completed
at 49, and her second at 53 (6 years ago). She is extremely
determined and will not feel she has completed her life
work until she has written her memoir. “People are inspired
by my story when they hear it, and that makes me happy.”
Although she rarely has the luxury, Maureen, a self-
described “night person,” likes to stay up late
when all is quiet… I like the way it feels… Once,
while doing relief work in Haiti, we were in the
mountains. It was 11:00 or 12:00 at night. Pitch
black… And there were so many stars! I’ve never
seen so many stars…
Three cats, two birds, three turtles, and one toad share her
home with Maureen and her husband, Joe, whom she met
while in the first group she belonged to. They met again in
the second group and married. They have a daughter, Maria,
27, who lives and works in Tennessee.
Maureen’s job keeps her very busy and active. “I often don’t
get home until 10 p.m.” She is a teacher of special-needs
students, whom she sees in their homes, travelling by
bus and subway with all her teaching materials in tow. “I
sometimes visit second-hand shops to find interesting or
useful teaching items. I use all sorts of things.” She employs
every bit of her creativity, patience, and love in her work,
often reminded of and inspired by her own brother.
Maureen has been with the ICSA for many years, since
becoming acquainted with the organization through
Carol Giambalvo and Wellspring. Her contact with Herb
Rosedale also deepened her ties with ICSA. His death was
“the saddest moment for me. He was just such a wonderful
man and such a towering figure.” In fact, it was Herb
Rosedale who helped Maureen to accomplish what she
counts as her happiest moment working in the field of cult
recovery: successfully supporting and guiding a 17-year-
old second-generation adult (SGA) through the physical
process of leaving a group and the legal process of seeking
emancipation from his parents, who were members of the
dangerous communal group.
After leaving her third cultic situation, Maureen felt angry
about the prevalence of this kind of abuse:
Back then I felt, and still feel today, that I just want to
be part of the solution. I am committed to this work
over the long haul. I just feel really happy that I can
make a difference. n
Edited by Mary O’Connell
2729
Maureen Griffo
