Effective Healing Takes Hard Work

I’ve written before about why ex-members need to heal themselves before helping others. Even if they’re not interested in becoming a vocal activist against destructive cults, there are plenty of good reasons to learn about undue influence and work on personal recovery. It still amazes me to encounter incredible ex-member activists who have not done their own learning and healing!

Unless people put the time and effort into educating themselves and doing the healing work needed, I have found that ex-cult members can be carrying around unwanted baggage. They can also be more vulnerable to other forms of undue influence too. Some people have even temporarily returned to their group. Without healing, the “cult identity” can persist. It might find servitude, dominating leaders, comradery, grandiose ideas, and black-and-white thinking familiar and even comfortable. It takes work to restore the part of yourself (what I call the “authentic self”) that craves healthy relationships, freedom, love, and truth.