This is an interactive self-help workbook and psychological road map to enable survivors of coercive, cultic and spiritual abuse to find healing, recovery and growth. This book provides a comprehensive guide to recovery, based on a tested model of post-cult counselling, and years of research and clinical experience. It is designed to help survivors of diverse abusive settings, including religious and spiritual, political, gangs, business, therapy and wellness and one-on-one relationships. The reader follows a beautifully illustrated journey through four Phases of recovery and growth, one Milestone at a time, to make sense of what has happened to them, learn how to walk free from psychological control and find resources for healing. The author includes stories from her own experience, detailing her path towards recovery and how she learned to come to terms with and overcome what happened to her. Written in accessible language, this workbook serves as both a self-help book for survivors and former members, and a guide for therapists working with them.

Drawing upon the clinical expertise of professionals and the personal experiences of those formerly involved in high-intensity mind-control groups, this book is a comprehensive guide to the cult experience. Michael Langone and his colleagues provide practical guidelines for helping former cult members manage the problems they encounter when leaving cults.

The use of creative writing as a route to personal or professional development is a powerful therapeutic tool, yet often the most difficult part is knowing how and where to begin. The experiences of others, and the strategies and approaches they have used in their own writing, can provide tried-and-tested models for practice, and 'ways in' that facilitators might wish to recommend to others. Writing Routes is an essential roadmap for anybody setting out on the journey of self-discovery through words. This diverse collection of short pieces introduce and demonstrate many different ways of getting into and thinking about creative writing for personal or professional development. Seventy contributors from a variety of different backgrounds and circumstances explain how they came to write a particular piece and why, how they found ways of transforming their experience into writing, and how it was beneficial to them. Their writing ranges widely, from journal entries and stream of consciousness to autobiography, poetry, fiction and drama, and the pieces are organised by theme and genre for ease of navigation, designed to be 'dipped into' as and when they are needed. This rich and varied collection will provide writing practitioners, counsellors and other related professionals with ideas and techniques to share with their clients, and is a useful resource that individuals who write for their own personal and professional development will return to again and again.

Heaven's Gate, a secretive group of celibate "monks" awaiting pickup by a UFO, captured intense public attention in 1997 when its members committed collective suicide. As a way of understanding such perplexing events, many have seen those who join cults as needy, lost souls, unable to think for themselves. This book, a compelling look at the cult phenomenon written for a wide audience, dispels such simple formulations by explaining how normal, intelligent people can give up years of their lives—and sometimes their very lives—to groups and beliefs that appear bizarre and irrational. Looking closely at Heaven's Gate and at the Democratic Workers Party, a radical political group of the 1970s and 1980s, Janja Lalich gives us a rare insider's look at these two cults and advances a new theoretical framework that will reshape our understanding of those who join such groups. Lalich's fascinating discussion includes her in-depth interviews with cult devotees as well as reflections gained from her own experience as a high-ranking member of the Democratic Workers Party. Incorporating classical sociological concepts such as "charisma" and "commitment" with more recent work on the social psychology of influence and control, she develops a new approach for understanding how charismatic cult leaders are able to dominate their devotees. She shows how members are led into a state of "bounded choice," in which they make seemingly irrational decisions within a context that makes perfect sense to them and is, in fact, consistent with their highest aspirations. In addition to illuminating the cult phenomenon in the United States and around the world, this important book also addresses our pressing need to know more about the mentality of those true believers who take extreme or violent measures in the name of a cause.

Anger, Rage and Relationship presents a radically new way to understand and work with anger and rage issues. Taking a relational approach to anger and rage, the book presents a positive view of human nature, supported by recent research findings and illustrated with case studies, with individuals trusted to be essentially pro-social. Rather than promoting strategies and techniques for eradicating anger, Sue Parker Hall, puts forward an approach which seeks to not only work with, but to differentiate between, anger and rage. Anger and rage are constructed as entirely different phenomena, originating at different developmental stages, having different functions and relational needs and requiring different aspects of relationship in the therapeutic process. Further areas of discussion include: the positive aspects of anger practitioner protection the therapeutic implications of working with both anger and rage This book will provide invaluable reading for practitioners dealing with anger and rage in the therapeutic setting, as well as being of great interest to all counsellors and therapists in the related field.

The Spiritual Abuse Recovery Workbook was written to facilitate healing and recovery for people who have experienced the destructive consequences of being spiritually abused.

This book contains chapters from clinicians who have worked extensively with cult victims and their families. Chapters discuss counseling issues, helping families, research, and other topics.

Trauma therapist Teresa B. Pasquale offers healing exercises, true-life examples, and life-giving discussion for anyone suffering from the very real pain of church hurt. Pasquale, a trauma survivor herself, understands the immeasurable value of our wounds once we've acknowledged them and recovered in community. That's why the wounds are "sacred," and the hope this book offers is a powerful message to anyone suffering from this widespread problem. This book explores the nature of emotional wounds, trauma, and spiritual hurt that come from negative religious experience. Some of the features are: Stories from a wide range of persons hurt by negative religious experience Healing and contemplative practices to help readers explore their own spiritual story and practical ways to move towards personal healing A journey through the experience of trauma in religious settings and how it is both relatable to other forms of trauma and distinctive -- outlining both facets An exploration of the author's own personal and professional understanding of hurt, trauma, PTSD, and the power of resiliency and healing

Have you ever been emotionally manipulated and abused by a leader, spouse, relative, or friend? Have your wrong decisions opened the door for the enemy to take control of your life? In this book, I expose the enemy and his desire to keep the body of Christ bound and unfruitful. This is my testimony of how my mistakes opened the door for spiritual abuse to steer my life into a downward spiral. But through the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I was healed, delivered, and set free to walk in my purpose and destiny. This book was written for anyone who has experienced the pain and trauma of this type of abuse or would like to know how to recognize it and stop it in its tracks.

Are you a survivor of verbal, physical, emotional, sexual or spiritual abuse? If you are, or if you know someone who is, this book is for you. The healing journey can be difficult and lonely. Pain is isolating. Your pain may be isolating you. Do you realize that the Life-Giver, Jesus Christ, wants to journey with you through your pain? Traveling with the Life-Giver is written as an aid and companion for you as you move toward psychological and spiritual recovery. You will become acquainted with Cherished, the main character, and her struggles toward wholeness following her abuse. Travel with her through her shadowy journey into the Valley of Despair, and you will meet her enemy, Shame, as he draws her into a cavern asylum. Finally, you will meet Life-Giver and the Spirit who are faithful to show her a way out of the darkness into the place of life. Traveling with the Life-Giver will enhance your healing process and can be used for personal or group study. Whether you have just begun your healing journey or have been on the pathway for a while, would you invite Life-Giver to travel with you?