Lorna Goldberg

Lorna Goldberg, M.S.W., A.C.S.W. is a social worker, certified psychoanalyst, psychotherapist and researcher of cults.

Lorna works full time in a private practice as a therapist. Her focus is on children, adolescents and adults who have had exposure to cultic groups. This includes individuals who entered cults in late adolescence or early adulthood, children and adults who have grown up in cultic groups as well as family members of individuals who are currently still in cults.

Goldberg was the Co-Director of the Child and Adolescent Program of the New Jersey Institute, a two-year postgraduate training program for mental health professionals, from 1991 to 1999. She served as Director until June 2004. She also served on the faculty in the five-year post-graduate training program for psychoanalytic certification.

Presently, Lorna serves as Dean of Faculty at the Institute for Psychoanalytic Studies, Inc. There, she teaches and supervises mental health professionals in child and adult psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy.

With her husband Bill Goldberg, Lorna has co-led a support group for ex-cult members for over 25 years.

In 1999, Bill and Lorna Golberg were honored with the Leo J. Ryan Award, from the Leo J. Ryan Education Foundation.

Together, they wrote the article: "Group work with former cultists", which was published in Social Work (journal). This article has been cited by other academicians in scholarly journals, including: Louis Jolyon West, M.D., Doni P. Whitsett , Michael Langone, Ph.D. and John Gordon Clark, M.D. , Irene Gasde, M.S. and Richard A. Block, Ph.D. , a report prepared for Boston University’s Danielsen Institute , Kevin A. Harris.

Education

 * Certified psychoanalyst, New Jersey Institute for Training in Psychoanalysis, 1984
 * Licensed clinical social worker, New York, New Jersey
 * M.S.W., 1970, New York University
 * B.A., 1968, New York University

Professional associations

 * Member, Board of Directors, International Cultic Studies Association, (from 2003 - )
 * Member, Academy of Certified Social Workers

Awards, honors

 * "Hall of Fame Award", (OLD) Cult Awareness Network
 * Leo J. Ryan Award, 1999

Books

 * “Guidelines for Therapists,” in the book, Recovery from Cults (book), edited by Michael Langone, Ph.D., published by W.W. Norton and Company.

Articles

 * “A Psychoanalytic Look at Recovered Memories, Therapists, Cult Leaders and Undue Influence.”, Clinical Social Work Journal, Vol. 25, No. 1 spring issue of 1997.
 * “Raised in Cultic Groups: The Impact on Development of Certain Aspects of Character.”, 2006, Vol. 5, No. 1 issue, Cultic Studies Review.
 * "From the '60s to the '90s: Changes We've Seen", Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 8, No. 9, 1991
 * With Bill Goldberg
 * Psychotherapy with Ex-Cultists: Four Case Studies and Commentary, Lorna Goldberg M.S.W.,  A.C.S.W., N. J. Institute, William Goldberg, M.S.W., A.C.S.W, Community Support Center Pomona, NY, International Cultic Studies Association
 * Counseling Cult-Impacted Students, Lorna Goldberg, ACSW, and William Goldberg, ACSW
 * Group work with former cultists, Social Work, v27 n2 p165-70 Mar 1982
 * "Family Responses to a Young Adult's Cult Membership and Return", Lorna Goldberg, M.S.W. & William Goldberg, M.S.W., Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 6, No. 1

Presentations

 * Children and Cults, AFF Annual Conference, May 29 - May 31, 1998, Philadelphia, PA
 * "Welcome and Introduction of conference theme", Psychological Manipulation: The Abuse of Women Conference Chair; Symposium - Treatment and Cults: What Works with Whom; Spouses in Cults; Families with Multi-Year Involvement, AFF Annual Conference: Psychological Manipulation: The Abuse of Women, May 1997, Philadelphia, PA