So how do you help former cult members?

• Encourage them to get information to help them understand what happened to them in the
group, and to help them recover from it.
• Understand that you will need to earn their trust—they have had their trust violated so badly by
a group that looked good.
• At times they may be triggered by words that were “loaded” in the group: the use of some
scriptures that the group twisted and emphasized, even some hymns that were sung in the group;
dynamics—normal things that are used in healthy churches—can be a source of a trigger to
them. Just understand, and make it okay if they need to leave the current setting should this
happen.
• Understand that they may not want to share their story—they need to build healthy personal
boundaries. Respect their boundaries. The groups build unhealthy boundaries between members
and the “outside” world, tear down their healthy boundaries, and encourage them to bare their
souls and confess all to other group members and leaders. It takes time to reestablish their
healthy boundaries after they have left.
• When they need to talk, listen to them. They need a voice, on their own time.
• Encourage them to ask questions, and let them know that it’s okay to disagree.
• They need respect and love as they struggle through their recovery issues.

What Are the Recovery Issues Facing Former Members?

1. Identity Crisis- Who am I? What do I believe?

2. Feelings of being disconnected; a sense of purposelessness

3. Grief
For the people I left behind
Loss of a cause
Loss of “belonging”
Loss of what I had to give up in order to join group
Loss of innocence
Loss of career goals; finances; belongings
Missing the “buzz”; looking for it elsewhere
Anger

4. Boundary issues - Rebuilding healthy boundaries, trust issues

6. “Magical thinking” of cultic group, spiritualizing everything

7. Varying symptoms of post traumatic stress
Panic attacks
Floating/triggers
Nightmares
Sleep disorders
Inability to make decisions
Inability to concentrate
Fears not grounded in reality—fear the group was “right” when they told me something bad
would happen to me if I left
Hypervigilance

8. Difficulty with relationships and authority figures

9. Underemployment