Cult and Ritual Abuse: Narratives, Evidence, and Healing Approaches, 3rd Edition

This personal yet scholarly journey into the confusing and clandestine world of ritual abuse survivors sheds light on their catastrophic experiences and their efforts to heal afterward.

• Features recalled histories of ritual abuse and vignettes of patients who have experienced dissociative identity disorder (formerly known as multiple personality disorder)

• Discusses techniques used to create and manipulate altered states of consciousness

• Explores how media sensationalizes and inaccurately depicts ritual abuse

• Critiques the argument that ritual abuse stories are the result of false memories and advances the idea that reports of ritual abuse are understated

• Expresses the position that clinicians have an ethical duty to achieve competence in recognizing and treating the psychological effects of ritual abuse

• Concludes that clinicians, lawmakers, law enforcement, social services personnel, journalists, and others need to treat allegations of ritual abuse seriously and evaluate each report on its own merits