How do the pros get someone to leave a cult?
4 days ago
- #psychological-manipulation
- #family-dynamics
- #cult-intervention
- Patrick Ryan and Joseph Kelly help people leave cults, a rare and specialized service in the US.
- They use a unique method involving embedding themselves in families' lives and working over months or years to create conditions for questioning cult beliefs.
- Their approach avoids the controversial 'deprogramming' methods of the past, focusing instead on mediation and building bridges within families.
- Ryan and Kelly themselves were once involved in Transcendental Meditation, which they later sued for fraud, leading to their current work.
- They emphasize understanding and appreciating aspects of the cult to effectively communicate with members, rather than outright condemnation.
- Their work is highly confidential, often involving dangerous situations, and they avoid labeling groups as 'cults' to maintain a neutral stance.
- They collaborate with psychologists, psychiatrists, and other experts to provide a comprehensive approach to intervention.
- Their methods have evolved to focus on helping individuals reach their own conclusions about their group, rather than forcing them out.
- The article highlights the psychological manipulation within cults and the complex dynamics that make leaving difficult.
- Ryan and Kelly's work is controversial within the cult-awareness community, particularly their association with academics labeled as 'cult apologists'.