Role of Psychology Cults raise serious psychological concerns, and there is a place for psychologists and psychiatrists in understanding and treating cult members. But our powers as mental health professionals are limited, so we should exercise restraint. When helping a young person confused about a cult situation, it is important to maintain a personal therapeutic contract so that one is not working for the cult or for the parents. Totalism begets totalism. My own position, which I have repeatedly conveyed to parents and others who consult me, is to oppose coercion at either end of the cult process.
Cults are primarily a social and cultural rather than a psychiatric or legal problem.
But psychological professionals can make important contributions to the public education crucial for dealing with the problem. With greater knowledge about them, people are less susceptible to deception, and for that reason some cults have been finding it more difficult to recruit members. Yet painful moral dilemmas remain. When laws are violated through fraud or specific harm to recruits, legal intervention is clearly indicated. We must continue to seek ways to encourage a social commitment to individual autonomy and avoid coercion and violence.