Local Support Locations
I think of all the words in the world that I've ever heard, the two most lovely and encouraging are, "Me, too."
- 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. reFOCUS also differentiates between "support groups" that are facilitated by mental health professionals who charge participants for the meetings as being "therapy groups."
Colorado:
Fort Collins: Facilitator: Lisa Monroney. Contact: (970) 490-2032
Littleton Therapy Group: Becoming Free (support/recovery group for religious abuse) is offering this facilitated support/recovery group to those adults having suffered previous involvement in various abusive and harmful religious or spiritual environments. It is an 12 week support/recovery group at a cost of $60 for all 12 meetings ($5/meeting). For more information contact:
Pat Knapp: 720-227-8695 or email him at BecomingFree.org@gmail.com and the website for this group is www.BecomingFree.org
California:
Los Angeles: Facilitated by Rachel Bernstein, who is a therapist and who has worked for years with the Cult Hot Line and Clinic in New York. Meets the first Thursday of the month; please call first to see if the group is appropriate for you: (818) 907-0036
Sacramento Area: Renewed Directions, P.O. Box 227, Loomis, CA 95650. Facilitator: John Morehead (916) 631-7896 tqi@quiknet.com
Connecticut:
Westbrook: Co-led by Vanessa Weber, Kristin DeVoe and Richard Poletunow, meets monthly (except July) on the first Monday of the month, 1:30-4:00. Please call for more information: 860-399-0190
New Hampshire/Vermont
Facilitator: Brad Hibbard, please contact via e-mail before calling: Rhavin54@hotmail.com
New Jersey/New York:
Meets monthly in Englewood, NJ. Facilitators: Bill & Lorna Goldberg. (201) 894-8515. Email: blgoldberg@aol.com
New Jersey
Meets bi-monthly at Seton Hall University. Facilitator: Tom Morris. (973) 763-2735 mordog2@juno.com
Tennessee - East Tennessee (Cleveland). Facilitator: Rev. Rafael D. Martinez, Spiritwatch Ministries, http://www.spiritwatch.org. (423) 476-8967. Support groups have non-coercive Christian orientation and focus on ex-member concerns."
Dallas, Texas: for former members of cults, high-demand groups, or spiritually abusive groups. The support group provides a safe place to discuss personal experience as a former member, a nonjudgmental group of peers, and basic educational information about cultic groups. The group meets on the 4th Saturday of the month in Dallas, Texas from 3-5 pm. Call 214-607-1065 or e-mail at info@dallascult.comfor more information.
Washington
Seattle area. Facilitator: John Goldhammer (206) 306-0322
Sweden:
SESAM - call 0709-90-16-23 for more information and see their web site at http://home.swipnet.se/FRI
Support Groups for former members of Jehovah's Witnesses:
California:
San Francisco Bay Area Ex-Jehovah's Witness Support Group, P.O. Box 6472, San Rafael, CA 94903. Facilitators: Wendy Taylor and Wayne Rogers. Contact: 408-354-2707 or email Wendy at wendy@wjtaylor.com
Fremont, CA - For more information, call 510-790-8960
New York:
The Lighthouse. Facilitator: Barbara Castillo. Contact (718) 393-0056
Texas:
Spring, Texas: Cult Prevention and Recovery Assistance Network, Shawn A. Svacha, Director. 281 655-7235
Support Groups open to former members AND families of cult-involved individuals:
Tennessee:
East Tennessee (Cleveland). Facilitator: Rev. Rafael D. Martinez, Spiritwatch Ministries, http://www.spiritwatch.org. (423) 476-8967. Support groups have non-coercive Christian orientation and focus on ex-member and family concerns in separate sessions."
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 03-9699-1536 Visit their web site for information about next scheduled meeting and location: http://carm.home.ml.org
Helping Resources:
Colorado:
Rocky Mountain Resource Center, 629 S. Howes, Ft. Collins, CO 80521 (970) 490-2032
Rosanne Henry, M.A., L.P.C. Rosanne is a licensed professional counselor in private practice in the Denver area. She specializes in the Recovery from Cults and Other Abusive Relationships. She served as vice president and then, co-director of the former Cult Awareness Network Denver affiliate from 1991 to 1996. She now serves on ICSA's Board of Directors. Rosanne has also facilitated ICSA'S Recovery Workshops in Estes Park for the last ten years. She is a former member of an Eastern based cult called Kashi Ranch. Visit her web site: http://www.cultrecover.com
There is a comprehensive list of helping resources on ICSA's web site: http://icsahome.com
