Dr. Kristina Berger
PsyD, LMFT, LPCC
As a licensed psychotherapist, I specialize in religious trauma, cult recovery, coercive control, and neurodiversity-affirming care. Whether you remain involved in a high-control group, are navigating the process of leaving, or are making sense of your experiences years later, I offer a compassionate, trauma-informed space for healing and self-discovery.
My work also extends to survivors of domestic violence, the troubled-teen industry, and individuals experiencing estrangement from loved ones due to religious, political, or ideological differences. My practice is LGBTQIA+-affirming and honors the complexity of each person's lived experience.
Grounded in psychodynamic, relational, and feminist perspectives, my approach explores how power, oppression, socialization, and early relationships shape our sense of self, autonomy, and connection with others. I am particularly interested in how these influences become internalized and continue to shape identity, relationships, and personal agency long after leaving controlling environments.
Through my work with self-identified cult survivors, I became increasingly interested in the intersection of religious trauma and neurodivergence. This led me to develop a secondary specialty in supporting Autistic, ADHD, and AuDHD adults, couples, and families. As an advocate of the neurodiversity-affirming model, I view neurological differences as natural variations of human diversity rather than deficits to be corrected. My approach emphasizes self-understanding, self-acceptance, and honoring each individual's authentic way of experiencing the world.
My goal is to help clients move beyond internalized expectations, strengthen their autonomy, and build meaningful lives grounded in their own values, identities, and aspirations.
My Credentials
My academic background includes a Doctorate (PsyD) and Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, where my doctoral research explored psychological recovery from patriarchal religious cults through feminist and object relations perspectives. I also hold a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a concentration in Marriage and Family Therapy from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly).
You’ll also find my name listed as a trusted provider through organizations like the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA), and I’m an active member of CAMFT, CCPA, and SBCPA.
Published Articles
Similarities between Chemical or Psychological Addiction and Cult Membership:
Treatment for Cult Exit
This thesis asks the question: How can an understanding of active addiction processes provide a better understanding of membership in a cult system?
Psychological Recovery From Religious Cult Defenses:
A Feminist and Interpretive Hermeneutic Perspective
This dissertation describes how patriarchal religious cults utilize borderline-level defenses, as conceptualized in object relations theory, to control and subjugate women.
The Golden Shadow
with Kristina Berger
Insights, Autumn 2025
In this interview, I describe how my experience growing up in a cult shaped my work helping survivors understand how unconscious dynamics like shame and projection operate in high-control systems.