Leaving a cultic group takes unbelievable courage and strength, yet it usually comes at a high cost. It can cause emotional and spiritual devastation and leave you wondering who you are, who you can trust, and what is true. 

One of the driving factors in my decision to become a psychotherapist was seeing how hard it was for people who had been involved in cultic groups to find practitioners with competence in working with survivors. While in grad school, I did a supervised independent study on cults and delved deeply into understanding cultic practices, tactics for recruitment and control, and the challenges of leaving. I’ve written and presented on counseling considerations in working with cultic abuse survivors and developed a focus in my practice on helping survivors recover and rebuild from their experiences.
 
Since so much of the damage that cults cause is in the realm of undue influence (whether by manipulation, coercion, force, or isolation), foremost on my mind is the importance of fostering your independence and autonomy. You will be free to question what may have previously felt like the unquestionable and formulate your own conclusions. I will happily and curiously accompany you in exploring the far corners of philosophy, religion, politics, and your own sense of meaning and purpose, but I will not tell you what you should believe or how you should live your life. I will work to help you develop a fuller connection to your self and a greater awareness of your choices.

In treatment, I work to balance whatever practical needs you may have of acclimating to the realities of your post-cult life (e.g. acquiring housing, food, or employment) with deeper emotional work such as processing your experience, developing a post-cult identity, fostering healthy relationships, and creating space for you to safely explore your worldview and beliefs.

Individual sessions are $140. I am primarily private pay and do not accept any commercial insurances. If you have out-of-network benefits, I’m happy to provide receipts or superbills that you can submit to your insurance for reimbursement. I reserve a handful of slots for sliding scale or individuals on Medicaid.