International Journal of Coercion, Abuse, and Manipulation Volume 9, Issue 2 2026 12
moving forward from experiences that have culminated
in a loss of their sense of self should involve rebuilding
who they are, recognizing their achievements, and
identifying a hopeful future. These areas fit into the
recognition of the broad areas of trauma, which are:
the event, the experience, and the effects, then moving
towards a state of victim-survivor empowerment
(SAMHSA, 2014). Although many therapeutic
approaches and therapies identify different modalities
to do so, we feel that highlighting a survivor’s strengths
within a community or social context is essential. The
Strengths Model (Rapp,1997) focuses on recognizing
an individual’s strengths to promote their growth
and recovery while using their community as an
oasis of resources. Important to highlight here is that
the relationship and therapeutic alliance with the
helping professional (who takes the role as a travelling
companion) is essential in supporting the victim-
survivor to see opportunities and recognize their own
qualities and skills (Rapp &Goscha, 2006).
A positive psychology approach may additionally
focus upon a personal development perspective that
delves deeper into such areas as resilience, suffering,
meaning, and spirituality through working towards
transformation and healing. The healing process
provides an opportunity to explore the dark side of
life by addressing emotions and experiences that may
cause discomfort, but that enable a survivor to move
towards deeper authenticity, meaning, and personal
growth (Ivtzan, Lomas, Hefferon, &Worth, 2015). A
complementary conceptual framework to strengths
working is CHIME (connectedness, hope and
optimism about the future, identity, meaning in life,
and empowerment). CHIME derives from a review
of what people with severe mental health problems
indicated was helpful for their personal recovery
(Leamy, Bird, Le Boutillier, Williams, &Slade, 2011),
and we propose these principles can be applied to
individuals recovering from severe abuse in which
their well-being and mental health have been severely
affected.
Conclusion
Deceptive strategies used by severely narcissistic
individuals in intimate partner relationships bear a
striking resemblance to those employed by cult leaders
to indoctrinate and control their followers. In both
contexts, deception is central to maintaining dominance
and manipulating the victim’s perception of reality.
Once this bond is established, both cult leaders and
narcissistic abusers use deception to maintain control
and isolate those in their grasp, and in doing so, limit
a victim-survivor’s access to contradicting viewpoints
that might support their own critical inquiry. Similarly,
narcissistic abusers often isolate their partners from
friends, family, and other support systems, making the
victim more reliant on the abuser and less likely to seek
help. This article has not only compared the duality
in destructive cult and narcissistic abuse mechanisms
but also has presented a suggested path to a hopeful
recovery and healing journey. Further clinical research
will evaluate the recommendations that we presented.
moving forward from experiences that have culminated
in a loss of their sense of self should involve rebuilding
who they are, recognizing their achievements, and
identifying a hopeful future. These areas fit into the
recognition of the broad areas of trauma, which are:
the event, the experience, and the effects, then moving
towards a state of victim-survivor empowerment
(SAMHSA, 2014). Although many therapeutic
approaches and therapies identify different modalities
to do so, we feel that highlighting a survivor’s strengths
within a community or social context is essential. The
Strengths Model (Rapp,1997) focuses on recognizing
an individual’s strengths to promote their growth
and recovery while using their community as an
oasis of resources. Important to highlight here is that
the relationship and therapeutic alliance with the
helping professional (who takes the role as a travelling
companion) is essential in supporting the victim-
survivor to see opportunities and recognize their own
qualities and skills (Rapp &Goscha, 2006).
A positive psychology approach may additionally
focus upon a personal development perspective that
delves deeper into such areas as resilience, suffering,
meaning, and spirituality through working towards
transformation and healing. The healing process
provides an opportunity to explore the dark side of
life by addressing emotions and experiences that may
cause discomfort, but that enable a survivor to move
towards deeper authenticity, meaning, and personal
growth (Ivtzan, Lomas, Hefferon, &Worth, 2015). A
complementary conceptual framework to strengths
working is CHIME (connectedness, hope and
optimism about the future, identity, meaning in life,
and empowerment). CHIME derives from a review
of what people with severe mental health problems
indicated was helpful for their personal recovery
(Leamy, Bird, Le Boutillier, Williams, &Slade, 2011),
and we propose these principles can be applied to
individuals recovering from severe abuse in which
their well-being and mental health have been severely
affected.
Conclusion
Deceptive strategies used by severely narcissistic
individuals in intimate partner relationships bear a
striking resemblance to those employed by cult leaders
to indoctrinate and control their followers. In both
contexts, deception is central to maintaining dominance
and manipulating the victim’s perception of reality.
Once this bond is established, both cult leaders and
narcissistic abusers use deception to maintain control
and isolate those in their grasp, and in doing so, limit
a victim-survivor’s access to contradicting viewpoints
that might support their own critical inquiry. Similarly,
narcissistic abusers often isolate their partners from
friends, family, and other support systems, making the
victim more reliant on the abuser and less likely to seek
help. This article has not only compared the duality
in destructive cult and narcissistic abuse mechanisms
but also has presented a suggested path to a hopeful
recovery and healing journey. Further clinical research
will evaluate the recommendations that we presented.
