Therapeutic Challenges in Supporting Former Members of Sects and Cults
Paper published in book: Therapeutische Herausforderungen in der Begleitung ehemaliger Sekten-/Kultmitglieder. (pp.417-432). Publisher: Dittmar, V., Mücke, T.
An Account of Psychotherapeutic Work with Ex-Cult/Cult Members using the Three-Step-Model
The category, “Religious or Spiritual Problem” can be found in the DSM-IV: V62.89 (Z71.8) under “Additional Conditions that May Be a Focus of Clinical Attention” with the following short description: “This category can be used when the focus of clinical attention is a religious or spiritual problem. Examples include distressing experiences that involve loss or questioning of faith, problems associated with conversion to a new faith, or questioning of spiritual values that may not necessarily be related to an organized church or religious institution”. Normally the “loss or the questioning of faith” correlate with the withdrawal from a religious community,
Of Giants and Dwarves
“Of Giants and Dwarves” (originally published in German as Von Riesen und Zwergen) is a psychological and psychotherapeutic paper authored by Dieter Rohmann, published in the journal Wege zum Menschen (Issue 2, 2002). The paper outlines a three-stage psychotherapeutic framework for working with active cult members and individuals who have recently left cults.
Possible Predisposition for Cult Involvement
The contribution to empirical research of a possible predisposition for cult involvement is rarely available on an international scale. The current observations, experiences and statements made to this theme are indeed countless but are also often extremely inconsistent. So it is claimed, for example, that many cult members come from dysfunctional families or that a psychopathological disorder was already existent before joining a cult. In opposition to this include those who hold the opinion that cult members come from completely normal, functional and protective families who clearly have no history of psychopathological illness. The proposed work should be ascertained whether
What is radicalization?
Radicalization is a process where a person increasingly accepts the use of violence to achieve political, religious, or ideological goals.Radicalization is a process where a person increasingly accepts the use of violence to achieve political, religious, or ideological goals.Which psychological mechanisms can play a role in radicalization processes? Radicalization has become a popular word, but it is often poorly defined. Often, radicalization is used in such a way that it encompasses all terrorists, but that is using the concept too broadly. There are many paths into a terrorist group or act of terror. Not all terrorists are radicalized. What
Beyond Deprogramming: A Modern Framework for Families in High-Demand Conflict
When a loved one joins an ideologically intense, high-demand group—often referred to as a cultic or fringe organization—the default reaction for most families is panic. Historically, interventions relied on heavy-handed tactics like coercive "deprogramming" in the 1970s or pressure-filled exit counseling. The ultimate goal was singular: force the individual to abandon the group at all costs. Instead of treating group departure as the sole measure of success, Millar and Caparesi argue that families and mental health professionals should focus on relational alignment, mutual influence, and communicative conflict resolution. The Shift: From Exit-Centric Demands to Relational AlignmentWhen ideological divides occur,