SRA, Glossary

abreaction: In therapy, the process of “reliving” a previously repressed traumatic event as a step in integrating a dissociative personality.

adult survivor: An adult presumed to have survived and escaped from the control and abuse of a satanic cult, especially one who has “recovered” repressed memories of such abuse, usually in directive therapy settings.

directive therapy: Any form of counseling, therapy, or support group interaction that knowingly or unknowingly directs, suggests, leads, or persuades the client to adopt the therapist’s ideas, beliefs, presuppositions, or presumptions. Obvious directive therapy such as hypnotic suggestion is easy to detect. Directive therapy can be as subtle as a meaningful silence, a nod of approval, or an assurance that the client is “believed.”

dissociative states: A general category of psychological dysfunction wherein a complex pattern of psychological precesses function independently of the core personality. Several dissociative conditions are clinical hysteria, amnesia, schizophrenia, and multiplicity (MPD).

multiple personality disorder (MPD): A dissociative state in which the integrated personality fragments into two or more “personalities,” (usually as a result of extreme trauma) each of which manifests a relatively complete complex of personal attributes and often acts independently and unknown to the other fragments.

occult crime: Any crime or alleged crime with some connection to the occult; ranging from rebellious teenagers who spray-paint occult graffiti to serial killers who use occult symbology or claim a commitment to occult belief.

paranoia: Clinically, paranoia is characterized by highly systematized, persistent, incapacitating delusions of persecution and/or grandeur; commonly used to describe hypervigilence over a (mis)perceived threat, belief that danger is everywhere, and belief that those who do not recognize the threat are evil and part of the threat themselves.

satanic ritual abuse (SRA): The preferred term referring to charges that a group of individuals, assumed to be in association with a widespread conspiracy, practice physical, emotional, and spiritual abuse on unwilling victims in a ritualistic manner, especially in connection with a commitment to Satanism. This is distinguished from loner or isolated small group abuse.

support group: For the purposes of this article, any group of fellow-sufferers of a spiritual, emotional or physical trauma (or alleged trauma) meeting regularly to provide emotional and friendship support as well as advice and encouragement to each other.

true believer: For the purposes of this article, someone who is committed to believing the SRA conspiracy world view, and who often is an outspoken proponent, such as a true believer therapist, law enforcement person, parent, adult survivor, and so on,

Cultwatch would like to thank Answers In Action for the use of this text.