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A network of referral and support for former members of closed, high demand
groups, relationships or cults.
Referrals to:
- other former members of the same group
- other former members in your local area
- support groups
- appropriate professionals
- books, videos, and information on thought reform and recovery issues
- recovery workshops
- supportive organizations
- internet support
Questionnaire:
In order to set up a base of information and referral, we ask former members of
intense groups to fill out a questionnaire. We welcome personal accounts submitted for our
(free) internet newsletter on recovery. Please send for a questionnaire today to the address above or email
torefocus@aol.com, making sure to request a questionnaire and include your mailing
address. If you wish to be placed on the distribution list for our free
electronic newsletter, please email:
affcarol@att.net
*Board of Directors:
- Carol Giambalvo, National
Coordinator/Secretary
- Rick Seelhoff, Vice Coordinator
- Mary Taylor, Treasurer
- Nancy Miquelon
- David Clark
- Maureen Griffo
- Vanessa N. Weber
Advisor: Madeleine Tobias
*all Board Members are former members of closed, high demands groups,
relationships or cults.
Support Groups:
reFOCUS does not have
"official" support groups, nor do we endorse any of the
following. The following are support groups that are currently meeting.
The list at the end consists of support groups that are open not only to
former members of cults, but to families of cult members.
California:
Sacramento Area:
Renewed Directions, P.O. Box 227, Loomis, CA 95650. Facilitator: John
Morehead (916) 652-7804
Florida:
Hope Ministries (has a Christian
perspective) Facilitator: Carol Levak. (954) 434-8251
Massachusetts:
Boston Area Support Group. Contact 781-444-0815
Nebraska
Omaha: Focused on people who have had
Bible-based
cultic
experiences, and who want to remain Christian (whatever that means to them).
Contact David Clute
New Jersey/New York:
Meets monthly in Englewood, NJ.
Facilitators: Bill & Lorna
Goldberg. (201) 894-8515.
Meets bi-monthly at Seton Hall
University. Facilitator: Tom Morris.
(973) 763-2735
Midland Park: Meets bi-monthly in a
church and has a Christian perspective. Facilitator: Elizabeth Davies
(201) 445-5942. New: support group for parents with adult children in
cults - 2nd Thursday of month at Hawthorne Gospel Church, 7:30 p.m.
Pennsylvania:
Facilitator: Steve
Eichel of R.E.T.I.R.N. Meets the 4th Sunday of each month in
the evening.( 215) 464-8038
Washington:
Seattle:
John
Goldhammer, (206) 306-0322
Canada:
Vancouver, CANADA:
Survivors of Mind Abuse,
Facilitator: Gordon Neufeld (604) 734--3584
Support Groups for former members of
the International Churches of Christ (Boston Movement):
California:
Bay Area, SanFrancisco: I.N.F.O.R.M.
Resource and Support Group. Contact: Michelle Campbell (510) 452-2636
Los Angeles Area: L.A. Ex-ICC Support
Group. Faciliators: Art & Lynn Ryter.
(818) 349-0813
San Diego:
RECLAIM. Meets once a
month. Call for more information -- 619-291-1359.
Mark B. Matthews, Coordinator
Tennessee:
Nashville: Contact Debbie Campbell at
(615) 453-0483
Tennessee:
Tennessee Valley: (Christian
perspective) Coordinators: Randy & Susan Rogers (423) 339-1664.
Melbourne, Australia:
A support group for former cult members
and family members of those who are involved in cults offered by CARM
(Cult Awareness Research Ministry. Meetings are once a month on the
first Tuesday of every month at 8:00 p.m. Contact Troy
Waller at 03-9699-1536Visit their web site for information about
next scheduled meeting and location.
Helping Resources:
Colorado:
Religious
Movement Resource Center, 629 S. Howes, Ft. Collins, CO 80521 (970)
490-2032
New York/New Jersey:
Cult Information Service, P.O. Box 867,
Teaneck, NJ 07666 (201) 833-1212
There is a
comprehensive list of helping resources on
ICSA's
web site.
Recovery Resource Center
Wellspring
Retreat and Resource Center is
a non-profit corporation (501 (c) (3) whose purpose is to provide a
program of counseling and instruction to individuals who have suffered
psychological and spiritual distress resulting from their involvement in
destructive cult-like organizations or relationships.
Founded informally in 1986 with
part-time staff and incorporated in 1988, Wellspring offers extended
residential counseling with professional instructors. The program of
counseling is geared toward the restoration of clients to emotional,
spiritual, and social wholeness.
Although they accept clients from a
wide variety of religious and cultic backgrounds (the only exceptions at
the present time are Satanic cults), Wellspring is, to our knowledge,
the only center in the country where a program is offered that is
specifically designed for those who have been damaged psychologically
and spiritually by Bible-based cultic organizations.
The goal of Wellspring's program is,
very simply, to assist former cult victims return to normal life again,
free of the deleterious effects of their cultic experience. These
effects include false guilt, depression, anxiety, fear, confusion, and
anger; thus we help our clients return to "emotional"
stability. We also assist them in returning to "social"
stability by helping them reintegrate themselves with family, friends,
and career - relationships and life-goals which are often interrupted by
the cult.
In addition, they help those who so
desire to establish, or re-establish a wholesome biblical
relationship with God and the church -- in other words, a return to
"spiritual" stability. For additional information, contact
Wellspring
Retreat and Resource Center at:
PO Box 67
Albany, OH 45710
(614) 698-6277
(614) 698-2053 Fax
Wellspring also publishes a bi-monthly newsletter, "Wellspring
Messenger."
©Copyright
by Carol Giambalvo, June 1995 except where noted
Carol Giambalvo
P.O. Box 2180
Flagler Beach,
FL 32136
Phone:
386-439-7541 Fax: 386-439-7537
carol2180@aol.com
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