Survivors of cults are mostly invisible. They face stigma and ignorance, with many being indoctrinated against doctors, social workers, police and therapists. Their unique medical needs are overlooked because their challenging backgrounds have not been understood.
HealthPathways for Survivors
Additionally, there is a lack of skilled therapists and counsellors specialised in cult recovery (more about this topic here). The Decult 2024 conference addressed the cult survivors’ mistrust of doctors and also the health neglect in abusive groups that are currently active.
Decult speaker Dr Caroline Ansley has now established HealthPathways for New Zealand cult leavers and those inside cults. This guidance enables doctors and nurses to better understand the context of cultic harm and deliver cult-informed healthcare. According to her, there are approximately 50 cult affected people per GP practice in New Zealand – with a much higher number in the Aoraki and West Coast region.
For more context, read Caroline’s blog article “Are cults bad for your health?”
First Trainings in Cult Recovery Therapy
Decult keynote speaker Dr Gillie Jenkinson, a UKCP accredited psychotherapist specialised in coercive control, religious trauma and group-based abuse, offered two separate trainings in post-cult recovery over two and five days for 81 mental health professionals in late 2024. These were a first in New Zealand, organised by the Olive Leaf Network, with an additional session by the Gloriavale Leavers’ Support Trust.
These groundbreaking efforts of dedicated medical and mental health professionals, some of them with lived cult experiences, will help to save lives in the future. We are happy to support them through the Decult Collective, further professional development and upcoming conferences.
