I have become a proponent of exit counseling in order to help cult victims recover. I like the place arrived at where voluntary exit counseling is the only type undertaken by some if for no other reason that I know back in the day I would not have been taken without being hurt badly.

But what I want to know, is since exit counseling is a straightforward attempt do bash down cultish thought patterns and beliefs, how do the pros allow for the fact that; for example; a Christian cult member may wish to still be a Christian? Or perhaps a Buddhist cult member may wish to stay Buddhist.

Or what about either one wishing to become a secular atheist?

How does an exit counselor prevent his/her own views from being unwisely forced into the one going through exit counseling?

IMO this is an awful lot that needs to be done right in order to insure the exit counselors do not unknowingly re-brainwash the one going through exit counseling.

I know some people here have experience in these issues. Any feedback for me?

jeffsjo:

No ethical exit-counselor interjects personal beliefs in an attempt to persuade a cult-involved person to embrace or reject a religious point of view.

See [www.culteducation.com]

The focus of exit-counseling is the cult or cult-like group and its undue influence not religious beliefs. Whatever religion or religious beliefs the cult-involved individual chooses (Christianity, Buddhism) is a personal choice and not really relevant to the intervention.

There is no "bashing" of beliefs and/or "re-brainwash" that goes on in ethical exit-counseling, which would be unethical and counterproductive.

Ultimately the individual decides what beliefs he or she will hold.

Thank you the link RRmod.

As a Christian I found it odd to support folks who left Christianity after leaving the bible based cult I used to be involved with at first. But upon consideration it seemed obvious to me that most often they were both better people and happier than they ever could have been in my former cult. Sometimes in the course of conversation I have had to back off my overzealous fellow Christians because I felt that if these folks EVER returned to Christianity they should do it as a result of their own conscience, not anyone else forcing it upon them.

I will certainly look back at the link as a ready reference RRmod. In exit counseling as well as any other professional field I can only hope that professional organizations with authority are on hand to enforce ethical standards. Because as in the field of religion I am 100% certain that abuse and misuse are a constant threat.

And personally speaking, whether it is the field of religion or any type of counseling I would be extremely opposed to any sort of life wrecking abuse.

So, as far as the field of exit counseling goes ( remember, I am a proponent) how is the acceptance among professional circles for this field?

Is there an effective authoritative oversight board such as the Bar Assoc. is for lawyers?

Is there an accredited licensing bureau?

Does the field have general acceptance in spite of it's many and obvious critics?

Jeffso:

The "field" of "exit-counseling" is very small. There are only a few full-time professionals.

There is no licensing and/or official oversight board with enforcement powers.

I cannot speak for others doing exit counseling, but as for myself, I have worked with many mental health professionals, attorneys, educators, law enforcement and child protections professionals on a friendly basis without any difficulties.

The "many and obvious critics" are typically cults, cult-like groups and their apologists.

Some professionals involved in cult intervention work have posted voluntary ethical standards.

See [www.culteducation.com]

That new link represents more good reading for me, thank you RRmod.

My particular point of view includes knowing people who went through involuntary deprogramming, but the two deprogrammings were unsuccessful. It was all too easy for the cult leaders involved to portray them as heroic followers, and IMO since these particular deprogrammings were unsuccessful it seems likely that they are for all intensive purposes...goners.

Sadly enough, the one woman who was married to my small, second generation cult (split off from the first one) was considered a hero for escaping, but in my attempt to befriend her, her predatory sociopath husband pressured her to "unfriend" me, even likening our friendship to effectively giving up on the same resolve that got her through her deprogramming in the first place. Aaagghh. Now he has at least ten young women who have vowed loyalties to him, having one said in public, "I'm married to the christ in _______." These young women were hit hard and young in terms of making lifelong commitments, being called his "maidens."

In terms of any potential recovery I have to consider exit counseling as possible, even preferential, but that is strictly hypothetical for now as I have neither the means or the place to help them go this direction, the predatory sociopath kicked me out after all!

But for people like these, I have to consider it a real possibility that they might not have neither the resources, nor the familial support to make it through recovery if they got out of this bind. And as I consider the lives of people such as these it seems certain that recovering their ability to think for themselves would be only a start, then they would have to make a life for themselves and deal with what happened to them, no easy things IMO.

Jeffsfo:

Many people were rescued from horrible cult situations through involuntary deprogramming. And the overwhelming majority of those interventions were successful.

See [www.culteducation.com]

Once someone has left a cult group they can read specifically related material to better understand their situation and the cult control process and/or seek professional follow-up counseling from qualified professionals that have specific experience helping former cult members.

See [www.culteducation.com]

This is the recovery page.

See [www.culteducation.com]

This is a directory of available professional services.

Most people that join cults eventually leave. Very few leave through interventions, though this is a very effective and practical route, which provides for sorting through the cult experience in some detail.

Ex-cult members today frequently rely upon a process of sorting things out themselves, through reading, discussions with other former cult members, etc. And access to such information has been made more accessible through the Internet.