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RAISED IN A CULT:
HEALING FROM THE PAST
Thank you for your interest in this course, which is specifically for those who were born and/or raised in a cult. We will explore fundamental questions about human nature, human development, group dynamics, abuse and control, trauma and trauma responses, and triumphs of the human spirit in the face of mistreatment, loss, and suffering.
Children born and/or raised in a cult have very different experiences and aftereffects than individuals who joined as adults. The course includes 5 two-hour sessions and costs $250. Each session will include one or two brief presentations, as well as time for Questions and Answers. Each session will also include skills from co-founder Sally’s Toolbox to assist in managing emotional reactions. Participants will be sent short readings and optional homework before each session.
SESSION SUMMARIES
FIRST SESSION
Session 1 begins by addressing such questions as: What does it mean that we weren’t there by choice? What was the effect of the ongoing indoctrination? Why didn’t my parents protect me? To tackle these questions and provide some answers, Janja will explain her bounded choice framework and theory.
This framework illustrates that all cults share specific features that help control the members – and that cult leaders tend to capitalize on their followers’ idealism, intelligence, utopian dreams, and intense dedication. The bounded choice framework will help participants see the internal social pressures and controlling mechanisms that are used to manage and exploit the membership.
