• My name is Esther. I write and perform songs. I work as an expressive arts/music therapist. And I was in a cult.
  
  It took five years, $20,000, many dramas, and a lot of soul searching, but I got out (for the whole sordid tale, visit my blog, Cult Confessions).  I restored my sanity by releasing the secret. Writing my story, posting my story, talking to other ex-members and writing songs led to the development of, Cult Confessions: The Musical! -- the one-woman show I'm writing about my misadventure and educational (and hopefully entertaining) crusade. 
  
  
• This Indiegogo campaign will raise funds for Cult Confessions: The CD! , the soundtrack about my life during my 5 year cult tenure.Yay!
  
  

• Why do this? According to the Families Against Cult Teachings website, scholars estimate that over 3500 cults exist in the US, alone. Cults thrive on secrecy, so that estimate is probably conservative.
  
  Bad Luck + Timing = Cult Recruitment. Imagine a friend invites you to join a cult. Sounds ridiculous, yes? No one joins a cult. Today’s cults pitch “bible studies”, “yoga classes”, “self-help programs, "management trainings",etc., to potential recruits.
  
  All cults are the same. If you know the red flags, you will recognize a cult. More education could have saved me five years, $20,000 and some heartache. But social stigma, victim blame and potential legal threats silence those who could be speaking out. I intend to provide that public service through my misadventure. Using arts and music, I want to educate communities and expose deceptive cult recruitment and indoctrination practices.
  
  Free speech = recovery.  The more I speak out, the better I feel. Thus I intend to offer other ex-cult members empowerment tools through a private expressive therapy practice. The more ex-members who speak out, the less power predatory groups have.
  

  Your contribution will help me to ... 

  • Finish the arranging, production, recording and engineering of the songs
  • Finance artwork, packaging, duplication and distribution
    
  • Compensate guest musicians
  • Spread the word! Since this campaign is an awareness-raising crusade, share it with friends, family, social networks, hell, even enemies ...

Short-Term Intentions

• Cult Confessions: the CD -- finish recording my songs with talented producer, multi-instrumentalist & song writer, Doug Kwartler, at Hollow Body Studios.
  
• Cult Confessions: The Presentation -- create & present my cautionary tale through the one-woman, musical, edu-tain-ment production. 
• Writing Your Way Home --  offer this 6-week therapeutic writing program to ex-cult members and kick off my healing arts practice.
  

Long-Term Intentions

• Build The Gentle Souls' Revolution: Healing Arts Studio, with the mission of empowering ex-members through the expressive arts.

• Forge & build partnerships with universities, law schools, law firms and professional organizations to create clinical training programs, healing resources and a legal resource network for those threatened by litigious cults.