Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
ICSA International Conference 2025 - Montreal, QC
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Ginger Zyskowski
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Abstract: In the 1970’s, cults were becoming more prevalent across the country. Young people were being recruited for membership and families were desperate to understand the attraction that captivated their children. This desperation led to an action called ‘deprogramming’ – a grass roots effort that was unethical and illegal. It consisted of kidnapping the family member and subjecting the person to hours of intense interrogation while trying to explain that he/she was under the influence of mind control. Having been a victim of a Ted Patrick kidnapping and deprogramming, as well as the victim of having my three small children abducted and taken across the country, will allow me to share the difficulties I faced resulting from such an extreme trauma and the lace of resources available to help with cult recovery and gain a better understanding of the complexities that accompany an intervention.
My cult recovery used the ‘Humpty-Dumpty’ method as I tried to pick up the pieces of my broken self and put them back together without any instructions. A better understanding of this process would have been appreciated as opposed to having judgements and comparisons thrust upon me. Whether the person is a walk-away, a castaway, or is kidnapped for a deprogramming, more needs to be done to help. I will share my story and my newly released book, ‘Shattered – One Woman’s True Story of Trauma, Coercive Control and Survival.’ My recovery continues.
ICSA International Conference 2025 - Montreal, QC
-
Ginger Zyskowski
-
Abstract: In the 1970’s, cults were becoming more prevalent across the country. Young people were being recruited for membership and families were desperate to understand the attraction that captivated their children. This desperation led to an action called ‘deprogramming’ – a grass roots effort that was unethical and illegal. It consisted of kidnapping the family member and subjecting the person to hours of intense interrogation while trying to explain that he/she was under the influence of mind control. Having been a victim of a Ted Patrick kidnapping and deprogramming, as well as the victim of having my three small children abducted and taken across the country, will allow me to share the difficulties I faced resulting from such an extreme trauma and the lace of resources available to help with cult recovery and gain a better understanding of the complexities that accompany an intervention.
My cult recovery used the ‘Humpty-Dumpty’ method as I tried to pick up the pieces of my broken self and put them back together without any instructions. A better understanding of this process would have been appreciated as opposed to having judgements and comparisons thrust upon me. Whether the person is a walk-away, a castaway, or is kidnapped for a deprogramming, more needs to be done to help. I will share my story and my newly released book, ‘Shattered – One Woman’s True Story of Trauma, Coercive Control and Survival.’ My recovery continues.
