The word "cult" itself is explosive, particular with groups to whom the pejorative has been directed. Add to that words like "deprogramming" and the concern heightens even more. And yet, there are parents who believe their adult children have been "programmed," by religious cults, and who employ, at costs ranging from $2000 to $10,000+, to have their loved ones freed from the alleged brainwashing. The groups claim to be very effective, but such efforts have also been surrounded with controversy. See: Langone, Michael: "Deprogramming, Exit Counseling, and Ethics: Clarifying the Confusion" - Cult Observer 10(4), 1993