"The Journey", Monet's Boat, Giverny, France, 2007, photo by C Russell
Workshop for Former Members of Cults or High-Demand Groups
Colleen Russell and Special Guest Facilitator: Janja Lalich, Ph.D., former cult member & author of Take Back Your Life and Bounded Choice will facilitate this workshop on March 13th, 2010 from 1:00 – 5:00 P.M. at a Mill Valley, CA Location (In the San Francisco Bay Area). Fee: $45.00 Participation limited to 20
This is an opportunity to meet and participate with other former members of cults or high-demand groups. Our goal is to provide a safe, respectful environment in which participants may gain mutual support, share perceptions, and learn from each other. We hope to focus on typical post-cult aftereffects and responses, the process of recovery and personal development, strategies and successes for a creating a life of one’s own making. While this is not a therapy group, it may be therapeutic.
The session will begin with brief introductions, followed by an open discussion in which participants can expand upon anything previously stated, comment on emerging thoughts and feelings, and address relevant issues.
The facilitators, Colleen Russell and Janja Lalich, expect a lively, interactive, and in-depth exploration of issues raised by participants, such as trust; relationships and communication; healthy group functioning; magical thinking; disconfirming inaccurate, self-limiting beliefs internalized from cult ideologies; boundaries and saying “no”; loss and grief; anger and other emotions; critical-thinking skills; connecting to society-at-large; self-acceptance; post-traumatic stress; family of origin issues; personal accomplishments and goals.
Colleen Russell, L.M.F.T., is an experienced psychotherapist and a Certified Group Psychotherapist. In the 1970s she was a “higher initiate” and area representative of an Eastern/New Age cult. Ms. Russell facilitates an on-going group for former members, now in its eighth year, and she endeavors to support healthy as opposed to cultic group functioning and dynamics. In addition to her general therapy practice with individuals, couples, and families, she specializes in cult education and recovery.
Janja Lalich, Ph.D., is Professor of Sociology at California State, University, Chico. In the 1970s and ’80s she was a high-ranking member of a San Francisco-based political cult. Since leaving the cult in 1986, Dr. Lalich has become one of the nation’s leading experts on cult phenomena, including cult indoctrination and its effects and recovery from such experiences. In addition to her own works, she coauthored two books with the late Dr. Margaret Singer. Dr. Lalich facilitated former member support groups for many years in the San Francisco Bay Area and has worked with many individuals and families affected by cults.
Location of Workshop: The setting for the workshop is in the apartment above Ms. Russell’s Mill Valley office, a comfortable environment with expansive views of the Redwood-covered ridge. Refreshments will be provided.
Call with any questions and to register: Colleen Russell, 415.383.7721. If you are planning to attend, registration fee must be received by March 6th, 2010.
A Workshop For Former Members of Cults or High-Demand Groups was held Saturday, December 5th, 2009, 1:00 - 5:00 PM in Mill Valley, CAFormer members of cults (including 2nd Generation Adults, those born and/or raised in a cult) met to gain mutual support and deepen their understanding about their cult experience and post-cult recovery, including successes and challenges in creating a life of their own making. The workshop was lively and interactive with a general goal to maintain a safe, respectful environment in which participants gain acknowledgement and validation, share perceptions, and learn from each other. Colleen Russell facilitated.
Issues participants addressed included boundaries and relationships, healing from trauma, understanding healthy and unhealthy aspects of anger, disconfirming inaccurate beliefs internalized from ideologies, and moving forward in one's life.
Based on feedback received, more workshops will be offered throughout the year.
On-Going Group for Motherless Daughters, Every Other Monday, 6:30 - 8:00 PM, in Mill Valley, CA (Currently in its 12th Year)
Women who have lost their mothers in childhood, adolescence or adulthood meet in a safe, respectful group environment to explore many aspects related to mother loss along with relevant issues in their current lives. Topics addressed include: loss and grief, trust, family of origin issues, dads and step-mothers, relationships, motherless mothers, mothering oneself, disconfirming inaccurate, self-limiting beliefs internalized through traumatic events, challenges, successes, goals. Ms. Russell, an experienced Certified Group Psychotherapist (CGP) and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) facilitates. For additional information and to schedule an individual consultation to determine if this group is the preferred option for your individual needs please call: 415.383.7721.
On-Going Group for Former Members of Cults (or High-Demand Groups) Every Other Saturday, 4:00 - 6:00 in Mill Valley, CA (Currently in its Eighth Year)
This is a safe, respectful, exploratory and educational group in which former members address issues related to their cult experience and current lives. Such issues include: cult characteristics, recruitment and indoctrination tactics, thought reform, disconfirming inaccurate, self-limiting beliefs internalized through thought reform, critical thinking skills, personal rights, loss and grief, regulating emotions, healthy boundaries, relationships, connecting to society-at-large, successes, challenges, goals. Participants gain mutual support, share perceptions, and learn from each other. Colleen Russell, an experienced Certified Group Psychotherapist (CGP) and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) facilitates and endeavors to provide healthy as opposed to "cultic" group structure and dynamics. For additional information and to schedule an individual consultation to determine if this group is the preferred option for your individual needs please call: 415.383.7721.
Panel Presentation at the Mosaic Law Synagogue in Sacramento, November 12th, 2009.Ms. Russell joined three other former members to talk about her cult experience, including recruitment, indoctrination, cult characteristics, cult-related activities, why and how we left, adjustment to society-at-large and life now. Janja Lalich (Author of Take Back Your Life) and the attending rabbi compared and contrasted cults and Judaism.
Wellspring Retreat and Recovery Center in Ohio. Ms. Russell was a primary therapist over a two-week intensive program of individual therapy sessions and workshops for former members. Wellspring, with director Paul Martin, has since closed due to the director's death.
Ms. Russell presented: "Disconfirming Inaccurate, Self-Limiting Beliefs Internalized Through Thought Reform' at the International Cultic Studies Association Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June, 2008,
At the same conference, Ms. Russell was part of a panel entitled "Creativity and Cults". She read an excerpt from her paper, "Touched", that will be included in an upcoming Cultic Studies Journal. In her paper, she describes her recruitment and indoctrination into an "Eastern" / "New Age" cult of which she was a member from 19 (four years after her mother's death) to 27 years of age. She also includes the process of physically and psychologically leaving the cult that began with her "inactive" status and participation in an intensive acting school, "The Loft" , in Los Angeles, CA
"The Journey", Monet's Boat, Giverny, France, 2007, photo by C Russell
