This presentation reflects the growing awareness in the anti-cult community that it often “takes a village”to respond appropriately and effectively to cult involvement and that each discipline brings different andessential expertise to bear on the issue. This talk will explore the vital elements of our collaborativeapproach (mental health professionals, former members, and exit counselors) using examples to illustratethese elements.A case presentation with a round table discussion from various perspectives, including interventionists,mental health professionals, research, and sociology.
Bio:
Joseph F. Kelly, a graduate of Temple University (focus on religion), has been a cult intervention specialist(thought reform consultant/exit counselor, mediator) since 1989. He spent 14 years in two easternmeditation groups (TM, International Society of Divine Love). He is a co-author of “Ethical Standards forThought Reform Consultants,” published in ICSA’s Cultic Studies Journal, and contributed a chapter to Captive Hearts, Captive Minds. He was (2010-2014) the News Desk Editor of ICSA Today.Mr. Kelly has also facilitated ICSA workshops for ex-members and families (1996-2018) and has lecturedextensively on cult-related topics.
Patrick Ryan is a graduate of Maharishi International University (Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus onEastern religious systems) and has been a cult intervention specialist (thought reform consultant/exitcounselor, mediator) since 1984.He was the the founder and former head of TM-EX, the organization of ex-members of TranscendentalMeditation. He was the editor of AFF News, a news publication for former cult members (1995-1998), hascontributed to the Cult Observer, AFF’s book, Recovery From Cults, is co-author of "Ethical Standards forThought Reform Consultants," and has presented 50 programs about hypnosis, inner-experience, tranceinduction techniques, communicating with cult members, conversion, cult intervention, exit counseling,intervention assessment, mediation, religious conflict resolution, thought reform consultation, easterngroups, transcendental meditation and workshops for educators, families, former members and mentalhealth professionals at ICSA workshops/conferences. Mr. Ryan received the AFF Achievement Award(1997) from AFF, the Leo J. Ryan "Distinguished Service Award" (1999) from the Leo J. Ryan Foundation,1and a Lifetime Achievement Award (2011) from ICSA.
Rosanne Henry, MA, LPC, emeritus director of ICSA, is a psychotherapist practicing in Littleton, Colorado.For more than thirty years she has been active in the cult-education movement, working closely with theformer Cult Awareness Network and ICSA. She served on the Board of Directors of ICSA from 2004 to2018 and was Chair of ICSA’s Mental Health Committee. She cofacilitated ICSA’s recovery workshops for25 years. In her private practice, Rosanne specializes in the treatment of cult survivors and their families.She is a former member of Kashi Ranch. In 2010, Ms. Henry received ICSA’s Margaret T. Singer Award(shared with the other Colorado workshop facilitators). She is also coauthor (with Carol Giambalvo) of“The Colorado Model” (ICSA Today, 1[1], 2010); coauthor (with Leona Furnari) of “Lessons Learned FromSGAs About Recovery and Resiliency” (ICSA Today, 2[3], 2011); and coeditor (with Lorna Goldberg, WilliamGoldberg, and Michael Langone) of ICSA’s Cult Recovery: A Clinician's Guide to Working With FormerMembers and Their Families, published in 2017.
Doni Whitsett, PhD, LCSW, is a Clinical Professor at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Workwhere she teaches various courses in practice, behavior, mental health, and human sexuality. She hasbeen working with cult-involved clients and their families for over 20 years and gives lectures to studentsand professionals on this topic. She has presented at national and international conferences in Madrid,Poland, Canada, and in Australia, where she helped organize two conferences in Brisbane. Her talks haveincluded The Psychobiology of Trauma and Child Maltreatment (2005, Madrid) and Why Cults Are Harmful:A Neurobiological View of Interpersonal Trauma (2012, Montreal). Her publications include ThePsychobiology of Trauma and Child Maltreatment (Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 5, No. 3, 2006), A SelfPsychological Approach to the Cult Phenomenon (Journal of Social Work, 1992), Cults and Families(Families in Society, Vol. 84, No. 4, 2003), which she coauthored with Dr. Stephen Kent, and Why cults areharmful: Neurobiological speculations on inter-personal trauma. ICSA Today, Vol. 5, No. 1, 2014. Dr.Whitsett also has a specialty in Sexuality and was awarded a Fulbright Specialist Scholarship in 2016 tostudy, teach, and do research on this topic in China.
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