Over the past few decades, a large number of relatives have turned to psychotherapists and priests for help with the involvement of their family members in various religious groups, which many call cults. Typically, these people dropped out of school, avoided work from friends and family, and devoted their time entirely to working in these groups, to which they swore absolute loyalty. There are several possible ways to resolve this difficult situation.
The "deprogramming" method
In the 70s and 80s of the last century, the method of "deprogramming" was the only systemic method that allowed "pulling out" a person who fell into one or another destructive religious organization or sect.
Its essence was in the rigid presentation of true information about a particular cult (mainly the one in which the person found himself).
Sometimes a member of the cult was forcibly taken away from the street in the course of a specially designed interaction between relatives and specialists in “rescue”. After that, a rather tough conversation was held for several hours, indicating the facts of the sect's manipulative influence, to some extent even pressure was exerted.
While this procedure most often succeeded in removing a family member from the cult, sometimes former members of religious organizations brought legal action. And in addition, there have been known cases of nervous shocks after "deprogramming", since the procedure itself was often harsh, violent and almost informal methods.
Quit counseling
The harshness of the "deprogramming" method led to the fact that in the mid-1980s, softer and, as it turned out later, professional methods of assistance became most attractive.
A trend emerged that became known as exit counseling. Psychotherapists have already taken part here, and in most cases people who themselves have been to cults and were able to free themselves from them.
The goal of exit counseling is to promote the development of critical thinking abilities, especially with regard to the use of mind control. Exit counselors do not violate the client's rights and do not violently influence his ideological and spiritual orientation.
The family's initial contact with exit counselors involves a series of conversations. Their purpose is to relieve tension and panic from family members who have fallen into the cult, provide information about the cult (including ways to control consciousness and manipulate), study biographical information about a cult member by counselors and develop a specific strategy for working with a client (a person who has entered a cult).
Stages of counseling
At the first stage, consultants advise to restore (or maintain an existing) emotional connection with a person who has fallen into a cult. At the same time, it is recommended to maintain interest in the activities of a member of the cult, confirm approval of his positive actions and motives, sometimes attend group classes of the cult (excluding solitary gatherings and seminars), communicate with former members of this group and their families.
At the next stage, a program of actions for working with a member of the cult is drawn up: a certain time is chosen when it would be natural for him to visit the house (family celebrations, holidays, etc.), the place of the event itself.
Usually the event (the actual exit counseling) lasts from 3 to 5 days.
The team (family and counselors) is asked to give a cult member two to three days to talk about the group he is in.
Typically, the family proposes a plan and then connects a team or team initially present to help family members.
The first session begins, where contact is made and it is explained that counselors are not intended to deprive the client of a client's beliefs or faith in God. The positive aspects of membership in the cult are indicated and the ground is prepared for confidential contact and the receipt of information by the client, which may be painful for him at first. At the same stage, consultants receive additional information from the client about when he joined the group, what attracted him, what the client finds positive in the group, whether there are serious doubts about membership in the group, etc. Customer's sincerity and positive motivation are encouraged.
Gradually, a discussion begins on the topic of what a cult, mind control, and personality manipulation are. This stage is the most difficult and dangerous, since the person included in the cult is closed from such information. Much here depends on the skills of the consultants and on the degree of trust that has developed by this moment.
This stage ends with a discussion of specific ways and forms of controlling consciousness and manipulating the personality in the cult in which the client fell. The information is given in theoretical terms (how consciousness control is used in other groups) and on specific examples.
In many cases, after this stage, a person's attitude towards his religious group changes and there is an opportunity to discuss issues related to leaving the destructive organization.
