tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7307964706905270102.post3964531568381887388..comments2009-01-24T14:16:19.246-08:00Borz Löma Nal (Lema Nal)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00472412925599801039noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7307964706905270102.post-478678539398650902009-01-24T14:16:00.000-08:002009-01-24T14:16:00.000-08:00Thank you for your comment.<BR/><BR/>While Steven Hassan wrote that all the ex-members of cults need a special counseling from a counselor who is specialized in the knowledge of mind control, some of his colleagues (including late Dr. Margaret Thaler Singer) wrote that many of them do not need any special counseling. Dr. Margaret Singer had special groups for ex-members of cults, but these groups were mainly for education and ex-members sharing their experiences, not for counseling or therapy. She did not give psychiatric diagnoses to all ex-members of cults.<BR/><BR/>In addition, even though some ex-members of cults do need some counseling or therapy, they can get it from usual therapists. In many cases, there is no need to get the counseling from a cult expert. As far as I know, Dr. Margaret Singer did not say that ex-members of cults should visit cult experts instead of going to usual therapists.<BR/><BR/>In these two matters, there is a disagreement between Steven Hassan and some of his colleagues, including Dr. Margaret Singer. <BR/><BR/>When I read that Dr. Margaret Singer wrote that ex-members of cults can get help through self-education reading the literature on mind control instead of visiting mental health professionals or cult experts, this was a great relief for me. BTW, Margaret Singer's professional level was much higher than Hassan's who has only Master's degree.Borz Löma Nal (Lema Nal)http://www.blogger.com/profile/00472412925599801039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7307964706905270102.post-11343338693113178182009-01-23T19:48:00.000-08:002009-01-23T19:48:00.000-08:00I appreciate how you shared your experience with one supposed cult recovery "resource." Based on what I've seen from others, combined with a very minor experience of my own, I'd say that the field of recovery attracts many would-be gurus who look for already-wounded souls in order to build a following for themselves. One of the other blogs I follow, <I>Gale Warnings</I>, also mentions this dynamic. And I noticed this dynamic at work with a few individuals on an Internet bulletin board which was created originally as a way for former members of my old abusive church to help each other.<BR/><BR/>One of the most encouraging things you said is that there are relatively free resources available for people who can't spend thousands of dollars (especially now!) to visit a counseling expert.TH in SoChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00483293929968668475noreply@blogger.com