The Survivorship Ritual Abuse and Mind Control May 2018 Conference

The Survivorship Ritual Abuse and Mind Control 2018 Conference was at the Courtyard Marriot in Long Beach California this year. Their regular conference for ritual abuse survivors and their helpers was on Saturday and Sunday May 19 - 20, 2018. Their Clinician’s Conference was opened to practioners on Friday May 18, 2018. The conference was an excellent conference again this year, with many strong presentations.

At their Friday conference, there were presentations from Dr. Ellen Lacter, Ph.D., Dr. Randy Noblitt, PhD and Cynthia Henrie, MFT.  All three presenters are highly credentialed and well educated in their topics.

Dr. Lacter had a presentation about “For Those Who Condemn Themselves for Acts Coerced Under Torture.” She discussed how specific torture methods predictably work to coerce victims to harm and kill others; how the various psychological responses of victims while they are being coerced to harm others; and how abuser methods to coerce victims to harm others outside of immediate torture. She discussed assigning all guilt, shame, and moral responsibility for coerced harm to the perpetrators who execute the torture and working to help survivors stand in solidarity with other survivors of extreme abuse to do everything in their power to overcome all self-condemnation for having been coerced through torture to harm other victims.

Dr. Ellen Lacter, Ph.D., is a Psychologist and Academic Coordinator of the Play Therapy Certificate Program at University of California - San Diego, Division of Extended Studies. She specializes in the treatment of  dissociative disorders and complex trauma. Information on Ellen Lacter and Her Research (https://ritualabuse.us/smart/ellen-lacter/) (endritualabuse.org)

Dr. Randy Noblitt, PhD discussed “Ethics, the Community Standard, and the Credibility of Ritual Abuse Allegations.” He talked about to what extent do mental health and other helping professionals believe the stories of ritual abuse survivors. He systematically reviewed the empirical research on the credibility of ritual abuse allegations.

Randy Noblitt, PhD, is a clinical psychologist (licensed in Texas) and professor of clinical psychology at the California School of Professional Psychology at the California School of Psychology at Alliant International University, Los Angeles. He is the principle author of Cult and Ritual Abuse: Its History, Anthropology and Recent Discovery in Contemporary America (Praeger, 1995. 2000), and its third edition, Cult and Ritual Abuse: Narratives, Evidence and Healing Approaches (Praeger, 2014). He is also co-editor and contributing author of the book, Ritual Abuse in the 21st Century: Psychological, Forensic, Social and Political Considerations (Robert Reed, 2008).  Information on Randy Noblitt and His Research https://ritualabuse.us/smart/randy-noblitt/

Cynthia Henrie, MFT discussed “Introduction to Using Sensorimotor Psychotherapy with Clients with DID.” She talked about how Sensorimotor Psychotherapy is a body-oriented, talking therapy developed in the 1980s by Pat Ogden. She disccused how Sensorimotor Psychotherapy blends cognitive and emotional approaches, verbal dialogue, and physical interventions that directly address the implicit memories and neurobiological effects of trauma. A Sensorimotor Psychotherapy approach is a useful tool in the work of treating survivors of ritual abuse, mind control and Dissociative Identity Disorder.

Cynthia Henrie, MFT, is a Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress, a Feminist Therapist and specializes in the treatment of trauma and dissociation. Ms. Henrie is the founder and director of the Los Angeles Therapy Network, a network of private practice therapists whose mission is to help women through feminist empowerment, trauma survivors, persons with Dissociative Identity Disorder, LGBTQIA issues, rape/sexual assault, human trafficking/slavery and torture.

At their Saturday and Sunday conference, Survivorship had presentations from Dr. Ellen Lacter, Ph.D., Dr. Randy Noblitt, PhD, Neil Brick and Eileen Aveni LMSW, LCSW, ACSW, BCD.

Neil Brick discussed “Changes in Awareness of Severe Abuse and Child Abuse Crimes Over Twenty Five Years.” He talked about the history of severe abuse and child abuse crimes  and the changes over the last 25 years. In the early 1990s, severe abuse survivors were often believed and supported. Then a backlash started and severe abuse survivors and their supporters were harassed and attacked. The child abuse survivor movement changed and adapted. Ten years ago, research began again to help expose severe abuse crimes. More recently, first in the UK and Australia and now in the United States, a variety of child abuse, severe abuse, sexual harassment and rape cases are bringing public awareness again to the mainstream media of severe  abuse crimes.

Neil Brick is a survivor and researcher of ritual abuse and mind control. His work continues to educate the public about child abuse, trauma and ritual abuse crimes. His child abuse and ritual abuse newsletter S.M.A.R.T. (ritualabuse.us) has been published for over 22 years.  Information about Neil Brick (neilbrick.com) and his research (https://ritualabuse.us/smart/neil-brick/).

Dr. Ellen Lacter, Ph.D. talked about “For Those Who Condemn Themselves for Acts Coerced Under Torture.” She discussed how one of the most disturbing horrors described by survivors of extreme abuse is having been subjected to torture to coerce them, while being tortured, to harm or kill other victims. Many survivors describe clear memories of first being subjected this form of abuse as young children. The subsequent moral injury is devastating. Her workshop explained how specific torture methods predictably work to  coerce victims to harm and kill others; the various psychological responses of victims while they are being  coerced to harm others; and abuser methods to coerce victims to harm others outside of immediate torture.

Randy Noblitt, PhD moderated a discussion on “Encouraging a Supportive Environment for Survivors: An Interactive Discussion.” Conference attendees discussed ways to create a supportive environment for ritual abuse survivors.

Eileen Aveni talked about “How to Decrease In-Fighting and Increase Respect for the Gifts of All Internal Parts.” She discussed how understanding one’s internal system is critical to helping every internal part work together for true safety and healing. She talked about how often internal parts are at odds with each other because they are used to ‘doing their jobs” and following orders. But they are really allies in the system and can be helped to learn better and more effective ways to keep everyone in the system safe and help heal the system. Her focus was on how to communicate with parts who might seem particularly difficult to work with, learn to recognize their true gifts to the internal system, how to develop a community of mutual respect, and eventually lead the system to safety and wholeness.

Eileen Aveni, LMSW, LCSW, ACSW, BCD specializes in working with dissociative identity disorder with a focus on ritualized abuse and mind control. For almost 30 years she has worked alongside other major treatment specialists teaching and training clinicians and community groups on the major issues of these survivors and how to help and support them. She was the 2016 Chair of the Ritual Abuse and Mind Control Special Interest Group, a division of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation. She is a member of the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, the National Center for Crisis Management, and is a Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work.

Survivorship made an excellent promotional video for their conference:
Survivorship Conference May 2018 - Promotional Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=_H9WCl6lf6Q

At their last conference, entire presentations were filmed and put on the Internet for everyone to watch.
Video Presentations from The Survivorship Ritual Abuse and Mind Control 2017 Conference  
https://survivorship.org/presentations-from-the-survivorship-ritual-abuse-and-mind-control-2017-conference

Survivorship is one of the oldest and most respected organizations supporting survivors of extreme child abuse, including sadistic sexual abuse, ritualistic abuse, mind control, and torture. Survivorship provides resources, healing, and Survivorship community for survivors; training and education for professionals who may serve survivors; and support for survivors’ partners and other allies. The organization functions as a support for survivors who may be isolated emotionally or geographically. Through community outreach and training, Survivorship also raises awareness about these difficult issues.

Survivorshhip provides a variety of educational resources for survivors, their helpers and the general public about child abuse, ritual abuse and mind control topics.

Some of their resources are listed at:
Ritual Abuse Evidence https://survivorship.org/ritual-abuse-evidence/

Child Abuse Wiki - Ritual Abuse
http://childabusewiki.org/index.php?title=Ritual_Abuse

Survivorship has heard that someone online has been criticizing the Survivorship Conference and conference participants. For more information on this, please visit: https://survivorship.org/ritual-abuse-and-mind-control-2018-conference/ and https://survivorship.org/survivorship-ritual-abuse-and-child-abuse-2016-conference/ for informational links replying to these issues.

Contact Information

Neil Brick

Survivorship Board of Directors

Survivorship

info@survivorship.org