Dear Friend,
Twenty-seven years ago, I was in a dark tunnel with no light at the end. Today I am helping bring hope and
information to people who travelled that road, and to their families.
I am deeply grateful to be serving on the editorial board of ICSA Today. My story as the victim of a manipulative leader
is, unfortunately, not unique. But few people have the opportunity ICSA has given me to turn that harmful experience
into a helpful one. Born into an initially philosophic, over time increasingly cultic, movement in New York City, and
raised there until I was able to walk away at age 41, I went on to become a respected nonprofit manager, an active
community leader, and a fortunate wife. But it was 7 years ago, when I received an invitation for the first ICSA
workshop for second-generation adults, that the most important phase of my life began—until then, I didn’t even know
there were other people born and raised in cultic movements!
Recently, I spoke as part of an ICSA cosponsored panel to educate psychotherapists on the cultic experience and postcult
trauma. Publicly, the event was an indication that the importance of this issue is more widely recognized. Personally, it
was a landmark, in my journey of recovery, and in my hope to make a meaningful contribution to the world.
In this issue, Dr. Radu Petre Muresan writes about cultic movements in Romania Michael Kropveld offers a much-needed
scholarly discussion of what constitutes a harmful cult Carol Giambalvo shares advice to the clergy on helping people
recover from abusive church cults two brave individuals offer heart-wrenching yet inspiring stories of despair and
recovery singer-songwriter Rebecca Parks writes about “the only movie about cults I’ve seen that shows clearly how
a cult operates” and correspondents report on developments in Europe and news items from around the world.
With every issue of ICSA Today, I hope even one more person will find just that article or just that poem that touches the
wound a cultic experience has caused and helps it start to heal.
Sincerely,
Ann Stamler, MPhil
Associate Editor
About ICSA Today
ICSA Today (IT) serves ICSA members by providing
information that enhances understanding of all
aspects of the cult phenomenon, including how
groups function, how they affect members, techniques
of influence, dealing with harmful effects, educational
and legal implications, and other subjects.
IT issues may include
• practical articles for ex-members, families,
helping professionals, researchers, and others
• opinion essays
• theoretical articles
• reports on research
• summaries of news reports on groups
• information on books, articles, links
• information on ICSA members
• biographical profiles on selected members
• personal accounts
• art work
• poetry
• short stories and other literary articles
• special reports from correspondents
around the world
ICSA Today is published three times a year.
Regular ICSA members receive the print edition
of ICSA Today and have access to its Web edition.
Students and other special members gain access
to the online edition only. Nonmember print
subscriptions are available.
Submissions to the magazine should be sent
to the Editor-in-Chief, Michael Langone, PhD:
mail@icsamail.com We prefer Microsoft Word
or a program compatible with Word. Articles
should be no more than 2,500 words. Please
include a jpeg photo (less than 150 KB, please)
and biographical sketch (less than 150 words)
with your submission. Appropriate submissions
are reviewed by the relevant section editor and,
when appropriate, editorial review advisors.
International Cultic Studies Association
P.O. Box 2265 • Bonita Springs, FL 34133
239.514.3081 mail@icsamail.com
icsahome.com
,
Twenty-seven years ago, I was in a dark tunnel with no light at the end. Today I am helping bring hope and
information to people who travelled that road, and to their families.
I am deeply grateful to be serving on the editorial board of ICSA Today. My story as the victim of a manipulative leader
is, unfortunately, not unique. But few people have the opportunity ICSA has given me to turn that harmful experience
into a helpful one. Born into an initially philosophic, over time increasingly cultic, movement in New York City, and
raised there until I was able to walk away at age 41, I went on to become a respected nonprofit manager, an active
community leader, and a fortunate wife. But it was 7 years ago, when I received an invitation for the first ICSA
workshop for second-generation adults, that the most important phase of my life began—until then, I didn’t even know
there were other people born and raised in cultic movements!
Recently, I spoke as part of an ICSA cosponsored panel to educate psychotherapists on the cultic experience and postcult
trauma. Publicly, the event was an indication that the importance of this issue is more widely recognized. Personally, it
was a landmark, in my journey of recovery, and in my hope to make a meaningful contribution to the world.
In this issue, Dr. Radu Petre Muresan writes about cultic movements in Romania Michael Kropveld offers a much-needed
scholarly discussion of what constitutes a harmful cult Carol Giambalvo shares advice to the clergy on helping people
recover from abusive church cults two brave individuals offer heart-wrenching yet inspiring stories of despair and
recovery singer-songwriter Rebecca Parks writes about “the only movie about cults I’ve seen that shows clearly how
a cult operates” and correspondents report on developments in Europe and news items from around the world.
With every issue of ICSA Today, I hope even one more person will find just that article or just that poem that touches the
wound a cultic experience has caused and helps it start to heal.
Sincerely,
Ann Stamler, MPhil
Associate Editor
About ICSA Today
ICSA Today (IT) serves ICSA members by providing
information that enhances understanding of all
aspects of the cult phenomenon, including how
groups function, how they affect members, techniques
of influence, dealing with harmful effects, educational
and legal implications, and other subjects.
IT issues may include
• practical articles for ex-members, families,
helping professionals, researchers, and others
• opinion essays
• theoretical articles
• reports on research
• summaries of news reports on groups
• information on books, articles, links
• information on ICSA members
• biographical profiles on selected members
• personal accounts
• art work
• poetry
• short stories and other literary articles
• special reports from correspondents
around the world
ICSA Today is published three times a year.
Regular ICSA members receive the print edition
of ICSA Today and have access to its Web edition.
Students and other special members gain access
to the online edition only. Nonmember print
subscriptions are available.
Submissions to the magazine should be sent
to the Editor-in-Chief, Michael Langone, PhD:
mail@icsamail.com We prefer Microsoft Word
or a program compatible with Word. Articles
should be no more than 2,500 words. Please
include a jpeg photo (less than 150 KB, please)
and biographical sketch (less than 150 words)
with your submission. Appropriate submissions
are reviewed by the relevant section editor and,
when appropriate, editorial review advisors.
International Cultic Studies Association
P.O. Box 2265 • Bonita Springs, FL 34133
239.514.3081 mail@icsamail.com
icsahome.com
,
