Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Dr. Patrick Knapp, the founder of Becoming Free, a program designed to help individuals recover from unique harmful religious or spiritual experiences, is here to discuss his experience in an abusive religious group.  Dr. Knapp provides hope to those who have shared that experience and to the families of cult members. In addition, he discusses the definition of a cult, why a person becomes involved, and the steps needed to heal. Don’t miss this informative discussion on today’s Beyond the Balance Sheet episode.  

 

IN THIS EPISODE: 

 

  • [02:11] Dr. Knapp defines a religious cult and describes why people are attracted to them. 
  • [06:12] Dr. Knapp tells his story of being in a religiously abusive organization. 
  • [10:29] Why do people leave or want to leave these abusive organizations? 
  • [12:33] Dr. Knapp explains the healing journey for a person leaving the group. 
  • [15:23] Do people leaving these groups still want to be connected to the Bible and where they can go for help? 
  • [18:08] What advice do you give a family member? Dr. Knapp shares some of the organizations where support is available. 

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS: 

 

  • It is a slow progression to be manipulated by a cult leader. Often, a person becomes brainwashed.  
  • There is hope for a person coming out of a cult. They need to know it’s not their fault, and they need encouragement and hope. 
  • Not all cults are like Jonestown. But, unfortunately, people are so susceptible to them because they seem welcoming and can appear to be a good thing.  

 

RESOURCES: 

 

Beyond the Balance Sheet Website 

 

Becoming Free Website 

 

BIOGRAPHY: 

Patrick J. Knapp, Ph.D., Pat’s initial interest in cult recovery stems from his own involvement in a Bible-based group (1970-1984). His M.A. thesis (Fall 2000) was titled: “The Place of Mind-Control in the Cult Recovery Process.” He completed 98 semester hours of doctoral studies in Marriage and Family Counseling (Professional Track), at Gordon-Conwell in Charlotte, NC, with an emphasis on family systems and attachment theory, and completed his doctorate (Ph.D.) at Graduate Theological Foundation (GTF). His doctoral thesis was titled: “A Survey of Religious Abuse and Recovery.” 

 

He contributed a book chapter on developing support groups from a faith-based perspective for those affected by religiously abusive environments, available under the title: Cult Recovery: A Clinician’s Guide to Working with former members and Families (2017). His first complete book was Understanding Religious Abuse and Recovery: Discovering essential principles for Hope and Healing (2021). Most recently, he co-authored (with his wife, Heidi, CLC) the book chapter “Marital Damage and Recovery Following Religious Abuse” in Wounded Faith: Understanding and Healing from spiritual abuse (2022). 

 

He and Heidi are professional life-recovery coaches and educators primarily working with those affected by religious or spiritual abuse. They can be reached at becomingfree.org@gmail.com 

Unintended Consequences
Unintended Consequences
Recovering from Religious Abuse: Reasons for Hope With Patrick Knapp, Ph.D.
Loading
/