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Author Index - Recovery from Spiritual Betrayal

Grief: Dealing with the Losses of Leaving an Abusive Group

Asbestos Resource Center - Dealing with Grief: Complicated Grief in Adults
Goski, Pat - Grief, Loss and the Former Cult Member
International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies - Trauma, Loss and Complicated Grief
Reuters News Service - Complicated Grief

Social and Psychological Factors

BBC News - Sect Leavers 'Have Mental Problems' (the sect under discussion is the Exclusive Brethren)
Burks, Ron / Margaret Irons - A Guide to Healthy Communication
CAIC website - Leaving the Spiritually Abusive System - the Withdrawal Stages
Editor, ReGAIN.com - Recovery Issues
Enroth, Ronald - Damages Done, excerpts from chapter 2 of Recovering from Churches That Abuse
Enroth, Ronald - Stages of Recovery
Exit & Support Network - Setting Boundaries
Exit & Support Network - Learning to Say 'No'
Giambalvo, Carol - Coping with Triggers (scroll down)
Goldberg, Lorna - Post Cult Problems (click on Articles on the homepage menu of the Goldberg's site)
Irons, M. - Review of Wish I Could Be There: Notes from a Phobic Life by Allen Shawn.
Khalsa, D. S. - Chronic Stress is a Killer, excerpt from Brain Longevity
Lalich, Janja - Repairing the Soul after a Cult
Lewis, C. S. - The Inner Ring
Lewis, C. S. - Excerpt from The Inner Ring (above)
Maddux, Tom - Misplaced Loyalty
Martin, Paul - Dispelling the Myths: The Psychological Consequences of Cultic Involvement
Martin, Paul - A Myth, excerpt from Dispelling the Myths (above)
Martin, Paul - Elements of Recovery, excerpt from Dispelling the Myths (above)
Muster, Nori - Cult Survivors Handbook, e-book
Muster, Nori - Note to Abusers, excerpt from Cult Survivors Handbook (above)
Perry, Bruce - Stairway to Heaven: Treating Children in the Crosshairs of Trauma(scroll down)
Singer, Margaret - Coming Out of the Cults
Spencer, Michael / M. Irons - Group Loyalty
Spencer, Michael - Wretched Urgency
Spencer, Michael - Wretched Urgency II: My Not-So-Guilty Pleasures
Sperling, Joe - Phobias
Tobias, Madeleine and Janja Lalich - Assessing the Damage, excerpt from Captive Hearts, Captive Minds
Tobias, Madeleine and Janja Lalich - Cognitive Distortion, excerpt from Captive Hearts, Captive Minds
Wollersheim, Lawrence - The Seven Steps of Transformative Empowerment Healing for the Fullest Possible Recovery from Abuse

Marriage and Children

Anonymous Reader - Comments on The Other Side of the Garden
Bryan, Mark / M. Irons - Mature Husbands and Fathers, excerpt from The Prodigal Father: Reuniting Fathers and Children
Doud, Warren - Christian Husbands: How to Be the Husband of a Happy Wife
Exit & Support Network** - Learning to Say No
Exit & Support Network - Setting Boundaries
Exit & Support Network - Do Philadelphia Church of God Husbands Abuse Their Wives? Power and Control vs. Respect and Love in Healthy Marriages
Frame, John M. - Marriage as Unjust Suffering, sermon on I Peter 3:1-7
Frank, Phyllis B. and Beverly D. Houghton - Couple Counseling in Violent Family Relationships
Furnari, Leona - Born or Raised in High Demand Groups: Developmental Considerations
Hope for Healing - How to Clear Your Internet Surfing History
Ker, David - A Husband's Discovery
Magid, Ken and M. Irons - Relationship Checklist, adapted from High Risk: Children Without a Conscience
Perry, Bruce - Stairway to Heaven: Treating Children in the Crosshairs of Trauma
Spencer, Michael - How Religious Parents Royally Screw Up Their Children
Spencer, Michael - On Running Wounded: A Few Thoughts on Marriage
Spencer, Michael - A Prayer for Alex: What to Do When Your Child Says He Doesn't Believe Anymore (you may have to scroll down to the middle of the page to see it)
Spencer, Michael - Quitting Soccer: Thoughts from Mom and Dad
Terruwe, Anna A. and Conrad W. Baars - Characteristics of Emotional Deprivation Disorder, and the Cure - Affirmation
Vaknin, Sam- The Tocsins of Abuse: How to Spot an Abuser on Your First Date
Vaknin, Sam - The Abuser's Body Language
Vaknin, Sam - The Gradations of Abuse
VanVonderen, Jeff - A Real Marriage, chapter 7 of Families Where Grace Is in Place

** Please read the cautions we advise concerning articles on the Exit & Support Network site.

Spiritual Issues

"Allie" - Help Wanted: Endurance
Bill W and Dr. Bob (founders of AA) - Getting Input from Others
Brent T. - Beware the Leaven of the Pharisees
Budziszewski, J. - Who's Calling?
Bussell, Harold - Why Evangelicals Are Vulnerable to Cults
Campbell, Mark - Letters to Wounded Pilgrims
Goode, Bill - No Wonder Your "Devotions" Aren't Working
Fehlauer, Mike - A Healthy Church, excerpt from Exposing Spiritual Abuse: How to Rediscover God's Love When the Church Has Let You Down
Fischer, John - The Recovering Pharisee, excerpt from 12 Steps for the Recovering Pharisee (Like Me)
Hilderbrant, Sharon - Recovery from Spiritual Abuse
Hjalmarson, Len - A Churchless Faith - A Summary of Alan Jamieson's article (below)
Hjalmarson, Len - Recovering from Church Abuse
Irons, Lee - Doctrinal Recovery, excerpt from Tribute to Meredith Kline
Irons, M. - Helps to Spiritual Renewal
Jamieson, Alan - A Churchless Faith
Jamieson, Alan - In Search of Turangawaewae (Maori for "a place to stand")
Jamieson, Alan - Ten Myths about Church Leavers
Langone, Michael - Reflections on Post Cult Recovery
Nouwen, Henri - Excerpt from Out of Solitude
Piper, John - When the Darkness Will Not Lift, PDF e-book
Ryan, Dale S. - If Your god is Not God, Fire Him
Ryan, Dale S. - Spiritual Brokenness in Recovery
Ryan, Dale S. and Jeff VanVonderen- When Religion Goes Bad: Part I; Part II - Religious Addiction; Part III - Religious Codependency
Ryan, Juanita R. - Seeing God in New Ways: Recovering from Distorted Images of God
Sable, Dave - A Healthy Assembly Afterlife
Spencer, Michael / M. Irons - Abandon the Invisible Lifeline
Spencer, Michael - Hunger and Thirst after (Christ's) Righteousness
Spencer, Michael - Magic Books, Grocery Lists and Silent Messiahs: How Rightly Approaching the Scripture Shapes the Entire Christian Life
Spencer, Michael - Wretched Urgency: The Grace of God or Hamsters on a Wheel?
Stedman, Ray C. - A Pastor's Authority
Tutu, Bishop Desmond - Facing the Truth, interview with Bill Moyers
VanVonderen, Jeff - Interview with Steps magazine about spiritual abuse
VanVonderen, Jeff - When You Are Ready to Try Again: Going Back to Church
Warfield, B. B. - Is God's Grace Suspended until We Act?
Yancey, Phil - Chess Master: God Brings Victory Even from Our Bad Moves

Wounded Pilgrims

Mark Campbell is the author of the letters that address these questions and dilemmas of wounded pilgrims who have left a spiritually abusive group.

After all that's happened, is there any encouragement?
What's happened to my joy?
What is the "normal" Christian life? Is it okay to be "human"?
I am so confused. I feel like I'm just barely holding on to my faith in Christ.
Was the assembly teaching on the inheritance correct?
It seems to me that George was "orthodox" in his view of salvation. He does say after all that we are saved by faith, not works. What's up with that?
How can I recapture the joy of reading my Bible again?
Is it alright to interpret the Bible subjectively?
We were always seeking inner purity, preparing our hearts for God to speak to us. Isn't that Eastern mysticism?
Is there any one single overriding principle that I can use to understand the Bible?
What does it mean to have a quiet time (other than the assembly way)?
I don't seem to know anything anymore, including my understanding of the Bible and how to pray.
Who is deceived?
Isn't it better to have "heart knowledge" rather than "head knowledge"?
Can you recommend a book that will help me recognize when I'm being abused?
I'm mad as heck, and I'm not going to take it anymore!"
Can the Assembly be called a "cult"?
As I think about my past attitudes and behavior in the assembly, I can't believe how proud I was.
I am such a weak person. I feel sometimes that I'm beyond God's grace.
Can I change my life by availing myself of God's grace?
Why do you say that the "Sinner Woman" in the Gospel accounts really understood grace?
How does the Holy Spirit lead us?
It's hard for me to give up the assembly because I've already invested a lot of time and energy in the assembly.
When I heard the phrase, 'The elders would like to meet with you', I experienced a moment of sheer terror.

Author Index - Perspectives on Spiritual Abuse  »
Authors Index - Biblical Correctives  »
Authors Index - Assembly Teaching and Practice  »
Authors - Abuse in Christian Families  »