ABSTRACT

Child-development experts know that children require stable, nurturing relationships and supportive environments to grow up healthy, happy, empathic, and resilient. Resilience is a person's capacity to confront, manage, and heal from stressful and traumatic events. Another factor to consider in regard to cult survivors is that their experience of trauma may be quite extensive, and may lead to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Along with an understanding of PTSD and complex-post traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD), familiarity with relational trauma can help cult survivors begin to integrate and heal. Cult survivors face many complex issues and hurdles; yet, even without proper support, many find their way to health, integration, and wellness. For many individuals in cults or abusive relationships, personal rights do not exist. A key part of their healing comes from learning that they are valuable individuals with unique voices, emotions, ideas, opinions, and rights.