People Leave Cults All The Time
Know someone affected by coercion?
Left a group and exploring what's next?
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We offer services for concerned parents, family members, and loved ones of cult members - as well as education for former members who are seeking help.
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Click below to see what People Leave Cults can do for you!
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Leaving a cult environment is one step in a life-long journey.
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Positive relationships and careful intervention are the foundations to cult recovery.
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People Leave Cults offers educational resources for leaving a cult.
We also offer cult intervention and support groups for victims of coercion.
Cult Recovery starts with relationships
When PEOPLE leave, they need...
Resources.
Education.
Love.
Understanding Cult Involvement
and
Coercive Control
Cults and coercion strip individuals of their autonomy and make it challenging to leave.
A greater understanding of coercion and cultic practices supports recovery and intervention efforts.
People Leave Cults provides support to help an individual build autonomy.
Coercion can occur in many environments:
Religion
East, West, or beyond Earth - Religion is a key playground of cults and coercion.
A controlling group often has religious elements, and most ex-members can relate to the experience of a religious cult.
Relationships
Family systems can be cult-like in nature, and coercive control can present in one-on-one relationships.
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That said, family is often the best support group for ex cult members, and cult survivors often look to their loved ones for support. Understanding patterns of undue influence is beneficial no matter the situation.
Politics
Coercion in politics may not surprise you - can anything be done when someone is in the thick of it?
Mainstream society can be affected by undue influence in the political sphere, especially when people turn to groups who they believe have all the answers.
Online Drift
Like attracts like, and online communities are no different.
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Online support groups are wonderful when healthy, but often need to be approach with the same care as any other entity that seeks to control members.
Not everyone has a belief system that helps them process online drift, and some who have left cults find themselves as victims of forms of online mind control.
Business
Commercial operations have a long history of coercive practices - think MLMs and Large Group Awareness training (for starters).
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Businesses can fit the criteria for a high control group, and critical thinking is key when considering one's involvement.
Academia
Even learned scholars act within systems, and not always healthy or coercion-free ones.
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Psychological manipulation and abusive relationships are key elements of a destructive group, and no one is immune.
Have a group in mind?
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People Leave Cults doesn't keep a list of cults, but we do share information on how different types of cults operate.
You can learn more in our Types of Cults resource in the link below!
Cult Intervention Involves Changing The Way Someone Thinks
Support for a current or ex-cult member can be difficult to find. Cult intervention has a storied history, and has moved on from the shameful cult deprogramming movement. Even the word cult has changed meaning in the course of a few generations.
Modern Cult Intervention prioritizes the autonomy and well-being of the cult member.
There are many models and approaches that exit counselors use when approaching interventions. People Leave Cults aims to improve access to cult recovery and provide opportunity to a new generation of cult specialists.
Our non-coercive model of cult intervention focuses on empowering individuals to make informed decisions. It includes four key elements:
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An established Code of Ethics
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Trained intervention workers, licensed psychiatrists, and trauma aware therapists.
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Accessibility despite economic hardship
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Encompasses the perspectives and struggles of LGBTQIA2S+ individuals
Our methods draw direct influence from the mentorship of Patrick Ryan and Joseph Kelly, founders of Cult Mediation and lifelong Cult Interventionists.
While there are many factors to this approach, this quote encompasses the empathic approach that People Leave Cults seeks to carry on:
"OUR PHILOSOPHY IS TO HELP FAMILIES AND FRIENDS UNDERSTAND AND EFFECTIVELY RESPOND TO THE COMPLEXITY OF A LOVED ONE'S CULT INVOLVEMENT."
Thought reform consultation involves careful assessment and places a great deal of responsibility on a victim's family, friends, and support network. A team or individual cannot provide a "magic bullet" solution to cult involvement that makes things better.
While People Leave Cults consists of ethics-oriented professionals and a trained team, cult intervention is not medical advice.
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We always encourage ex-cult members to look into finding mental health professionals who understand trauma, are aware of destructive groups, and who can assist with post cult recovery.
Who's Behind People Leave Cults?
People Leave Cults works with a network of professionals with experience in cult intervention, recovery, and other helping services.
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Get to know who is behind People Leave Cults below:
Some Ways to Connect With Our Community
