How to Deprogram a Religious Cult Member

Deprogramming of religious cult members is a controversial topic, primarily because it is often done without the consent of the cult member. Families of cult members often resort to kidnapping them to get them away from the group. If you feel you have no choice but to deprogram a loved one who has joined a cult, be sure to use the help of a professional exit counselor.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Isolate the cult member from the group and bring them to a safe and secure place.

2. Use a professional counselor to conduct exit counseling. The counselor will spend the entire first day trying to get the cult member to think through the reasons he joined the religious cult.

3. View video tapes with the cult member about other religious or political mind controlling groups. Discuss these groups and the reasons the members followed them.

4. Show the cult member evidence, such as newspaper articles, of her organization being a cult. Allow the member to challenge the evidence. Discuss the subject until it is somewhat resolved.

5. Discuss what the member feels is right and wrong about his organization. Read passages from the Bible that contradict what the cult leaders have said. Talk about how the leaders lied to and misled the members.

6. Ask the cult member if he is ready to make a decision regarding future involvement with the religious cult on the third or fourth day of deprogramming. Often by now he is ready to choose not to return to the cult.

7. Provide a safe place for the ex-cult member to stay. Follow up contact with the exit counselor is an important step in the deporgramming to help her to stay strong in her conviction not to return to the organization.

Tips & Warnings

• Any emotional problems that the ex-cult member was suffering with before his involvement with the cult will often still need to be dealt with. He should be encouraged to seek professional counseling if needed.