International Cultic Studies Association
News Summaries: - organizational

Vol. 1, No. 1, 2002

News Summaries: December 15, 2001 to January 15, 2002

Counseling

Wellspring Helping Ex-Members

More than 600 former members of cultic groups have gone through the Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center's rehabilitation program since 1986, the year that psychologist Dr. Paul Martin founded the institution in Albany, Ohio. Wellspring officials say that fewer than one percent of those who have gone through the program, which averages about two weeks, have rejoined a cult. Wellspring is not in the business of liberating people from cults. They wait until prospective clients call them.

To deal with the claim that cultic groups are simply new religions that are unjustly criticized, Wellspring counselors teach clients how to recognize cult and the mind-controlling techniques used to lure new members and keep them.

Priscilla Coates, the director of the Leo J. Ryan Education Foundation, a national group that studies cults, said that Wellspring is an important and unique tool for helping cult members return to normal life. "A woman called me not too long ago and was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder from a Florida cult she left three years ago. She could not get it out of her head." I got in touch with Wellspring and she went there. She recently called and said that she can cope after spending two weeks at Wellspring."

There were three former members at Wellspring [when the reporter visited]: one, a former member of the trendy Kabbalah Center, which combines new age thought with ancient Hebrew Mysticism and includes high-profile members like Madonna; the second was fresh from The Twelve Tribes; and the third was from an undisclosed cult that employed mind control. The three were learning about mind-control techniques and how their lives and freedoms were co-opted in the name of religion. They spent two hours a day in private therapy and met as a group in workshops and other therapy sessions. Most importantly, they learned that they had something that was in short supply in the cults—freedom.

At Wellspring, the clients are in control, which is "a very important part of people's lives," said Liz Shaw, the "cult survivor advocate" at Wellspring. "We want the people who come here to know that they are in control. They can do whatever they want, leave whenever they want. We encourage them to go to town and see a movie, go shopping, walk through the woods."

"We treat people recovering from trauma inflicted by someone else's selfishness," said Wellspring counselor Ron Burks. "Yet they often blame themselves, since no one physically forced them to join a cult. These are the kinds of hurt that time alone will not heal."  He said that it's hard for them to accept that they were duped. They had lived a very structured life, comforted by the belief that God himself was the architect. When they realize it was all a sham, they are devastated. "We pick up the pieces," Burks said. "They've made the big choice to leave. We help them move on."

A basic two-week Wellspring program costs $5,000, and one of the facility's employees works full-time to help prospective clients pay for it. (Michael Sangiacomo, Cleveland Plain Dealer,12/23/01, Internet)

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News summaries

Article: archive index CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 01, No. 01, 2002 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 01, No. 02, 2002 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 01, No. 03, 2002 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 02, No. 01, 2003 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 02, No. 02, 2003 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 02, No. 03, 2003 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 03, No. 01, 2004 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 03, No. 02, 2004 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 03, No. 03, 2004 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 04, No. 01, 2005 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 04, No. 02, 2005 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 04, No. 03, 2005 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 05, No. 1, 2006 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 05, No. 2, 2006 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 05, No. 3, 2006 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 06, No. 1, 2007 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 06, No. 2, 2007 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 06, No. 3, 2007 News Section Index News Summaries: Index - by type Profiles Section index Profiles: Individual - archives Profiles: Organizational - archives

___________________________________________ ^

International Cultic Studies Association
News Summaries: - organizational

Vol. 1, No. 1, 2002

News Summaries: December 15, 2001 to January 15, 2002

Counseling

Wellspring Helping Ex-Members

More than 600 former members of cultic groups have gone through the Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center's rehabilitation program since 1986, the year that psychologist Dr. Paul Martin founded the institution in Albany, Ohio. Wellspring officials say that fewer than one percent of those who have gone through the program, which averages about two weeks, have rejoined a cult. Wellspring is not in the business of liberating people from cults. They wait until prospective clients call them.

To deal with the claim that cultic groups are simply new religions that are unjustly criticized, Wellspring counselors teach clients how to recognize cult and the mind-controlling techniques used to lure new members and keep them.

Priscilla Coates, the director of the Leo J. Ryan Education Foundation, a national group that studies cults, said that Wellspring is an important and unique tool for helping cult members return to normal life. "A woman called me not too long ago and was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder from a Florida cult she left three years ago. She could not get it out of her head." I got in touch with Wellspring and she went there. She recently called and said that she can cope after spending two weeks at Wellspring."

There were three former members at Wellspring [when the reporter visited]: one, a former member of the trendy Kabbalah Center, which combines new age thought with ancient Hebrew Mysticism and includes high-profile members like Madonna; the second was fresh from The Twelve Tribes; and the third was from an undisclosed cult that employed mind control. The three were learning about mind-control techniques and how their lives and freedoms were co-opted in the name of religion. They spent two hours a day in private therapy and met as a group in workshops and other therapy sessions. Most importantly, they learned that they had something that was in short supply in the cults—freedom.

At Wellspring, the clients are in control, which is "a very important part of people's lives," said Liz Shaw, the "cult survivor advocate" at Wellspring. "We want the people who come here to know that they are in control. They can do whatever they want, leave whenever they want. We encourage them to go to town and see a movie, go shopping, walk through the woods."

"We treat people recovering from trauma inflicted by someone else's selfishness," said Wellspring counselor Ron Burks. "Yet they often blame themselves, since no one physically forced them to join a cult. These are the kinds of hurt that time alone will not heal."  He said that it's hard for them to accept that they were duped. They had lived a very structured life, comforted by the belief that God himself was the architect. When they realize it was all a sham, they are devastated. "We pick up the pieces," Burks said. "They've made the big choice to leave. We help them move on."

A basic two-week Wellspring program costs $5,000, and one of the facility's employees works full-time to help prospective clients pay for it. (Michael Sangiacomo, Cleveland Plain Dealer,12/23/01, Internet)

_____________________________________________ ^

News summaries

Article: archive index CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 01, No. 01, 2002 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 01, No. 02, 2002 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 01, No. 03, 2002 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 02, No. 01, 2003 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 02, No. 02, 2003 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 02, No. 03, 2003 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 03, No. 01, 2004 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 03, No. 02, 2004 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 03, No. 03, 2004 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 04, No. 01, 2005 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 04, No. 02, 2005 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 04, No. 03, 2005 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 05, No. 1, 2006 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 05, No. 2, 2006 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 05, No. 3, 2006 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 06, No. 1, 2007 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 06, No. 2, 2007 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 06, No. 3, 2007 News Section Index News Summaries: Index - by type Profiles Section index Profiles: Individual - archives Profiles: Organizational - archives

___________________________________________ ^

International Cultic Studies Association
News Summaries: - organizational

Vol. 1, No. 1, 2002

News Summaries: December 15, 2001 to January 15, 2002

Counseling

Wellspring Helping Ex-Members

More than 600 former members of cultic groups have gone through the Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center's rehabilitation program since 1986, the year that psychologist Dr. Paul Martin founded the institution in Albany, Ohio. Wellspring officials say that fewer than one percent of those who have gone through the program, which averages about two weeks, have rejoined a cult. Wellspring is not in the business of liberating people from cults. They wait until prospective clients call them.

To deal with the claim that cultic groups are simply new religions that are unjustly criticized, Wellspring counselors teach clients how to recognize cult and the mind-controlling techniques used to lure new members and keep them.

Priscilla Coates, the director of the Leo J. Ryan Education Foundation, a national group that studies cults, said that Wellspring is an important and unique tool for helping cult members return to normal life. "A woman called me not too long ago and was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder from a Florida cult she left three years ago. She could not get it out of her head." I got in touch with Wellspring and she went there. She recently called and said that she can cope after spending two weeks at Wellspring."

There were three former members at Wellspring [when the reporter visited]: one, a former member of the trendy Kabbalah Center, which combines new age thought with ancient Hebrew Mysticism and includes high-profile members like Madonna; the second was fresh from The Twelve Tribes; and the third was from an undisclosed cult that employed mind control. The three were learning about mind-control techniques and how their lives and freedoms were co-opted in the name of religion. They spent two hours a day in private therapy and met as a group in workshops and other therapy sessions. Most importantly, they learned that they had something that was in short supply in the cults—freedom.

At Wellspring, the clients are in control, which is "a very important part of people's lives," said Liz Shaw, the "cult survivor advocate" at Wellspring. "We want the people who come here to know that they are in control. They can do whatever they want, leave whenever they want. We encourage them to go to town and see a movie, go shopping, walk through the woods."

"We treat people recovering from trauma inflicted by someone else's selfishness," said Wellspring counselor Ron Burks. "Yet they often blame themselves, since no one physically forced them to join a cult. These are the kinds of hurt that time alone will not heal."  He said that it's hard for them to accept that they were duped. They had lived a very structured life, comforted by the belief that God himself was the architect. When they realize it was all a sham, they are devastated. "We pick up the pieces," Burks said. "They've made the big choice to leave. We help them move on."

A basic two-week Wellspring program costs $5,000, and one of the facility's employees works full-time to help prospective clients pay for it. (Michael Sangiacomo, Cleveland Plain Dealer,12/23/01, Internet)

_____________________________________________ ^

News summaries

Article: archive index CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 01, No. 01, 2002 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 01, No. 02, 2002 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 01, No. 03, 2002 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 02, No. 01, 2003 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 02, No. 02, 2003 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 02, No. 03, 2003 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 03, No. 01, 2004 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 03, No. 02, 2004 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 03, No. 03, 2004 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 04, No. 01, 2005 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 04, No. 02, 2005 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 04, No. 03, 2005 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 05, No. 1, 2006 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 05, No. 2, 2006 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 05, No. 3, 2006 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 06, No. 1, 2007 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 06, No. 2, 2007 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 06, No. 3, 2007 News Section Index News Summaries: Index - by type Profiles Section index Profiles: Individual - archives Profiles: Organizational - archives

___________________________________________ ^

International Cultic Studies Association
News Summaries: - organizational

Vol. 1, No. 1, 2002

News Summaries: December 15, 2001 to January 15, 2002

Counseling

Wellspring Helping Ex-Members

More than 600 former members of cultic groups have gone through the Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center's rehabilitation program since 1986, the year that psychologist Dr. Paul Martin founded the institution in Albany, Ohio. Wellspring officials say that fewer than one percent of those who have gone through the program, which averages about two weeks, have rejoined a cult. Wellspring is not in the business of liberating people from cults. They wait until prospective clients call them.

To deal with the claim that cultic groups are simply new religions that are unjustly criticized, Wellspring counselors teach clients how to recognize cult and the mind-controlling techniques used to lure new members and keep them.

Priscilla Coates, the director of the Leo J. Ryan Education Foundation, a national group that studies cults, said that Wellspring is an important and unique tool for helping cult members return to normal life. "A woman called me not too long ago and was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder from a Florida cult she left three years ago. She could not get it out of her head." I got in touch with Wellspring and she went there. She recently called and said that she can cope after spending two weeks at Wellspring."

There were three former members at Wellspring [when the reporter visited]: one, a former member of the trendy Kabbalah Center, which combines new age thought with ancient Hebrew Mysticism and includes high-profile members like Madonna; the second was fresh from The Twelve Tribes; and the third was from an undisclosed cult that employed mind control. The three were learning about mind-control techniques and how their lives and freedoms were co-opted in the name of religion. They spent two hours a day in private therapy and met as a group in workshops and other therapy sessions. Most importantly, they learned that they had something that was in short supply in the cults—freedom.

At Wellspring, the clients are in control, which is "a very important part of people's lives," said Liz Shaw, the "cult survivor advocate" at Wellspring. "We want the people who come here to know that they are in control. They can do whatever they want, leave whenever they want. We encourage them to go to town and see a movie, go shopping, walk through the woods."

"We treat people recovering from trauma inflicted by someone else's selfishness," said Wellspring counselor Ron Burks. "Yet they often blame themselves, since no one physically forced them to join a cult. These are the kinds of hurt that time alone will not heal."  He said that it's hard for them to accept that they were duped. They had lived a very structured life, comforted by the belief that God himself was the architect. When they realize it was all a sham, they are devastated. "We pick up the pieces," Burks said. "They've made the big choice to leave. We help them move on."

A basic two-week Wellspring program costs $5,000, and one of the facility's employees works full-time to help prospective clients pay for it. (Michael Sangiacomo, Cleveland Plain Dealer,12/23/01, Internet)

_____________________________________________ ^

News summaries

Article: archive index CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 01, No. 01, 2002 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 01, No. 02, 2002 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 01, No. 03, 2002 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 02, No. 01, 2003 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 02, No. 02, 2003 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 02, No. 03, 2003 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 03, No. 01, 2004 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 03, No. 02, 2004 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 03, No. 03, 2004 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 04, No. 01, 2005 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 04, No. 02, 2005 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 04, No. 03, 2005 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 05, No. 1, 2006 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 05, No. 2, 2006 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 05, No. 3, 2006 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 06, No. 1, 2007 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 06, No. 2, 2007 CSR: Table of Contents - Vol. 06, No. 3, 2007 News Section Index News Summaries: Index - by type Profiles Section index Profiles: Individual - archives Profiles: Organizational - archives

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