Are you a former member of a destructive group seeking help? We
offer extensive resources to help in your journey to recovery.
If you feel like you are still experiencing negative
after effects, there are now more options for recovery. If you grew
up in a destructive cult or family system, or have been physically
away for some time, you probably could really benefit from specialized
counseling.
Steven Hassan M.Ed. LMHC offers reasonably priced,
short term counseling for ex-members who need assistance with their
recovery. As a former member of a destructive group himself, he
understands that many mental health practitioners have no training
or experience with mind control related issues.
Counseling
The Freedom of Mind Resource Center Inc. was established by Steven
Hassan to offer professional counseling, consultations, information,
and research. If you would like to schedule a telephone consultation
with Mr. Hassan, please call Debra at the office, Monday and Thursday between 7.30am 2.30pm (EST) and Tuesday and Friday between 9.30am 5.00pm (EST).
The office number is (617) 628-9918. The fee for an initial 30 minute
telephone assessment consultation with Mr. Hassan is $100. You may
use a Visa or Mastercard for payment. If you prefer, you may mail
a check or money order before the appointment. For more information
about fees click here.
Options for Helping Yourself
To truly recover from an undue influence situation, most people
require specialized cult counseling. Traditional psychotherapy almost
never works.
The reason for this, quite simply, is that most therapists are
not trained to help someone with mind control and cult-related problems.
I cannot tell you how many people have complained to me that they
wound up spending their money on therapy sessions in which they
had to teach the therapist about cult mind control. It is only after
receiving specialized counseling that many come to realize the years
of unnecessary suffering they endured. One of the most common complaints
I hear from my clients is how their therapist ignored, minimized,
or simply did not understand the deception, manipulation and mind
control that are hallmarks of the cult experience. Many were mistakenly
directed by their therapists to look at childhood issues to explain
why they ‘joined’ the cult, ignoring the fact that most
members are deceptively recruited. What I have learned as a counselor
and ex-member is that dealing with childhood issues is usually best
done after dealing with the entire mind control experience.
Many of the individuals I have counseled left the cult or abusive
relationship years ago, some as many as 30 years ago, but have suffered
from programmed cult beliefs ever since. Ex-members who have not
yet gotten effective counseling often experience a variety of psychological
and relationship problems—anxiety disorders, panic attacks,
sleep disorders, lack of trust, paranoia, feelings of alienation.
Untreated, they often become especially vulnerable to the normal
stresses of life, such as health problems, the deaths of friends
and loved ones, divorce and, especially in recent years, economic
pressures and the threat of terrorism. In addition, ex-members are
often unconsciously triggered by environmental cues that are part
of their left-over cult programming. Some ex-members get to the
point that they actually think about returning to the cult, or feel
they must seek out some new guru, leader, or group. It takes time
and effort to get beyond the black and white, us-versus-them, elitist
mentality that cults tend to program into their members.
The way to recover from destructive mind control is to learn to
control your own mind. This statement underlies my entire approach.
What I do in my practice is help people develop higher states of
self-awareness so that they can reclaim, or in some cases, create
for the first time, a healthy internal locus of control. Cults actively
work to short-circuit this internal locus of authority. Using a
variety of mind control techniques, and especially by cultivating
allegiance to a central authority figure, they can turn even the
most independent-minded person into an obedient cult member. Though
one of my main aims is to undo this cult programming, I have found
that what works best is for people to take responsibility for their
own recovery. I serve as counselor and coach to help people know
themselves so that they can change and grow in healthy ways.
I have found that doing very intense, deep work over a period of
a few days or, in some cases, a few weeks is the fastest and most
effective way to recover from the effects of undue influence. Meeting
once or twice a week for an hour, while much better than doing nothing,
is not the most effective approach. On that kind of schedule, it
could take years to accomplish what could be done in a relatively
short period of time. Though I offer telephone as well as email
counseling with individuals all over the world, my clients choose
from one of the following options.
Option One: Short intense in-person counseling work done in Boston
for a few days.
What do I mean when I say intense, deep work? I mean six to eight
hours a day for three or four days. This allows us to go into great
detail and get very deep. We identify the areas of greatest concern
and plan sessions accordingly, essentially creating an individualized
plan. For example, some people really want me to help them to understand
how destructive mind control was used on them. They may want me
to teach them about altered states of consciousness—hypnosis,
meditation, chanting and other exercises and processes used by undue
influence agents—and how to use those techniques in appropriate
and healthy ways. Others have had very unhealthy childhood experiences
and traumas, which set them up for years of destructive relationships,
and possibly group involvement(s). They want to focus on how to
heal past traumas, create healthy relationships, and move forward.
Each person is best served by a truly customized approach. I am
able to draw from a large toolbox of different techniques and strategies
that help empower people to heal themselves. By working intensively,
we make sure we find the ones that work best, and then apply them
in our sessions.
We take breaks when needed. Though I spend a great deal of time
talking with my clients, I also employ a variety of media, including
audio and videotapes, to enhance the psycho-educational component
of our work together. Sharing the experiences of other ex-members,
through news and television shows, helps many people to understand
the patterns of mind control as they exist in a variety of contexts.
I have a collection of excellent videotapes to draw upon. I often
suggest optional homework assignments, which may include watching
a video, reading, writing or practicing a healing technique.
Option Two: Paced in-person counseling done in Boston for one
or two weeks.
Some people may have trouble focusing for long hours or they may
prefer a less intense therapeutic experience. For them, I have found
that counseling one to three hours a day over a one or two week
period works best. I have had several clients fly to Boston, stay
with friends or relatives, or get a bed and breakfast or hotel room.
Some found that they could also enjoy visiting the great city of
Boston, combining personal growth and vacation.
Option Three: I travel to you and work with you for a number of
days.
For many people, the best choice is for me to travel to see them.
Unlike most therapists, I am willing to travel almost anywhere to
help. For many ex-members, traveling to Boston seems too big a step,
often because cult phobias make them quite anxious and fearful.
Counseling in the comfort and safety of their own home is often
much easier. An additional benefit to home-based counseling is that
I can also work to educate those close to the ex-member, such as
family members and friends. Educated family and friends are able
to offer the best long-term personal support and encouragement.
Some clients really appreciate the chance to have loved ones sit
in on sessions with me, especially the videotape presentations,
so that they can actively take part in the recovery process. Family
members and friends, many of whom were traumatized by the cult involvement,
have told me that they have benefited tremendously from participating.
If requested, I can do family counseling, teach strategies and techniques
for effective communication, and help resolve any long standing
family issues. This option may also include doing some group sessions
that include other former members.
Some ex-members prefer to meet with me privately, and do not wish
for family participation. That is perfectly fine and I will always
try my best to accommodate people’s needs.
Option Four: Sponsor a workshop or attend a scheduled ex-member
workshop.
If you are on a very limited budget but would like to work with
me in person, consider organizing a program in your city. If there
are a number of other former members who also want to work on issues
relating to cult involvement, then pooling financial resources is
a good choice. If you have experience at event planning, or are
just a highly motivated person and have good organizational skills
and free time, just contact Debra at my office for more information.
Option Five: Ask me to supervise your local therapist.
If your therapist has no formal training to work with ex-members,
and they are not interested in getting trained, I would strongly
suggest you consider finding another therapist! If you have been
working with a therapist for a while, and wish to keep working together,
then ask him or her to get telephone supervision from me. Encourage
him or her to visit the freedomofmind.com web site, read my books
(and others too, of course), and learn more about the group or situation
that most closely fits your experience. If they want professional
training from me, have them contact my office and we will add them
to the list. I am currently planning future training opportunities.
If you are interested, fill out the ex-member case form and set
up an initial 30 minute telephone consultation with Debra by calling
during office hours at 617 628-9918. I really would like to be of
help.
Case Evaluation Form
If you would like to make the most of the initial
consultation, fill out our ex-member
evaluation form before your appointment. You can copy the online
background evaluation form or just complete it securely online.
We can also mail or fax it to you if you wish. We recommend that
you keep a copy of whatever you send to the office for your own
files. Please be assured that your information is completely confidential.
Mr. Hassan is a licensed mental health counselor and follows the
highest ethical standards of his profession. During the initial
phone consultation, a decision will be made together how to proceed.
I am a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) and also
a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts. My license number is 820; I am a member of the American
Counseling Association, and the Massachusetts Mental Health Counselors
Association. I also belong to the American Society for Clinical
Hypnosis and the International Society of Hypnosis. As a member
of the American Counseling Association, I adhere to their ethical
guidelines. Click here to see them.
We have an extensive list of groups with many resource
links and articles that can provide more specific information. The
fact that these groups appear on this list does not necessarily
mean they are a destructive mind control cult. They appear because
we have received inquiries and have established a file on the group.
Freedomofmind.com fully supports religious
freedom and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The fact that a person’s name or group appears on our website
does not necessarily mean they are a destructive mind control cult.
They appear because we have received inquiries and have established
a file on the group.
The Freedom of Mind Resource Center Inc. was established by cult expert Steve Hassan.
