This week we invite Dr Steven Hassan to join us to discuss the cult apologist movement. Dr Hassan is the author of the BITE Model of Authoritarian Control and the Influence Continuum. In this fascinating conversation we unpack the history behind this propaganda movement, why survivor voices are not welcome in their narratives, and examine why high profile cult apologists like Professor Eileen Barker might be given a platform to speak at academic conferences whose goal is to examine the harms of cults.

Show Notes

• Website: London School of Economic and Political Science - Professor Eileen Barker

• Website: Freedom of Mind Resource Centre - the Influence Continuum 

• Professional Development: Understanding Cults for Clinicians - Freedom of Mind

• Survey: the use of the Bite Model as a tool for evaluating organisations

• Website: Daniel Kahneman’s work on judgement and decision-making

• Book: Releasing the Bonds by Dr Steven Hassan

• Article: New York Times: Moon’s sect loses libel suit in London

What do cults and extremist terrorist organisations have in common? How are recruitment methods similar, and what are some of the vulnerabilities that such groups exploit in order to attract and retain conscripts? These are some of the questions which Caz and Dr Cyrus Abbasian, London-based psychiatrist, discuss as they explore this topic, covering neurodivergence, mental illness and coercive control in healthcare decision-making, amongst other things.

*Trigger Warning* What exactly is needed for an organisation to be safe for a child? Willow Duffy, co-founder and CEO of Safeguarding Children, answers these questions and more, in a conversation which explores what can be done when an organisation not only fails to have the rights of children at its centre, but instead actively promotes processes which harm children. Is a policy enough when the culture is destructive to a child’s welfare? Join us for this challenging but important conversation.

Gloriavale again! We come back to talk about the other reason that the closed West Coast community is in the news again - this time because the Overseeing Shepherd - the community’s leader, Howard Temple - has just been convicted of indecent assault of numerous girls and women at Gloriavale. Our hosts discuss the culture that allowed his public behaviour to become normal, the impossibility of speaking up as a victim in this community, and what lies behind the entitlement of his actions.

Gloriavale is all over the news again, and for the wrong reasons. This week our hosts talk about the recent Education Review Office report which revealed that the Gloriavale School has failed yet again to meet the basic requirements expected to function as an education provider. Liz explains the background to this report and asks the question, at what point is there enough evidence that this school cannot provide the necessary ingredients to educate children well and safely?

This week we have a bonus episode - part 2 of our conversational expose about the International Cultic Studies Association Conference which Caz went to in Montreal in July. We wrap up our conversation by talking about emerging evidence on child abuse in cults, the relationship between sacred values and the extreme actions a person is willing to take for their group, male experience of cultic abuse, collective narcissism and healing the spiritual self after it has been abused in in a cult. 

Show notes

Website: International Cultic Studies Association 

Survey -  questionnaire for participants wishing to take part in research for people born and raised in cults

LinkedIn profile - Prof Omar Saldana - Identity Fusion - 

LinkedIn profile - Dr Andre Jackson - Collective Narcissism 

You'll love this pot luck episode! Caz has just returned from the International Cultic Studies Association conference in Montreal, Canada. We’re joined in this episode with ‘friend of the show’ Maria Esguerra who also went to the conference. Maria and Caz fill Lindy and Liz in on their learnings from the conference, covering topics such as neurodiversity, financial abuse, cult apologists, the power of social media for cult survivor activism. We talked so much we had to do a second episode!

Show Notes

Website: International Cultic Studies Association

Website: Get A Life Podcast

Instagram: Ben Woodbury excultboy

LinkedIn: Maria Esguerra

LinkedIn: Heidi Clemons

LinkedIn: Omar Saldana

It is difficult to truly leave a cult if someone you love remains in the group. In this chat Liz, Lindy and Caz talk about the difficult line that former members often have to navigate after leaving because they still have people in their lives who remain in the group. Join us as we discuss setting clear boundaries and keeping yourself safe, understanding what it is you want from the ongoing contact, and the lifeline ongoing contact can offer to your loved ones if they ever decide to leave.

Show Notes

Book: “Cult Trip” - Anke Richter

Podcast episode: Cult Chat episodes 48 & 49 - Health Care and Cults Parts 1 & 2 with Gina Catena 

Book: “Walking Free from the Trauma of Coercive, Cultic and Spiritual Abuse” - Gillie Jenkinson 

Podcast: Cult Chat episode 57 - Waking Up with Andre Jackson

Did you wake up one day to the realisation that your child has joined a cult? Are you struggling to know what to do? In today’s episode we discuss the challenges of having a cult controlling your relationship with your child, and trying to navigate the best path forward. Parent Renee Spencer talks to Lindy about the journey to understanding what happened and her efforts to reclaim an authentic relationship with her daughter after she was recruited into the Jesus Christians (aka the Kidney Cult).

Show notes

• Documentary - The Dark Reality of the Kidney Cult - 7 News Spotlight

• Podcast of Liz's experiences of witnessing her daughter join a cult in on YouTube: ⁠https://youtu.be/WbUnis4Vyp8⁠

• Podcast: Let’s Talk About Sects - The Jesus Christians Part One and Part Two

• Podcast: Let’s Talk About Sects - Cult Bride and Providence/JMS with Liz Cameron

• Book - Carol Giambalvo - Exit Counseling: A Family Intervention

• Article - Carol Giambalvo - Family Interventions for Cult-Affected Loved Ones 

• Book - Steve Hassan - Combatting Cult Mind Control

• ISCA Article - What Impact Does Cult Involvement have on a Family Member 

• ISCA Article - Steve K. D. Eichel (ICSA) For Families Who Suspect That a Loved One May Be Involved With a High-Demand Group (Cult)

• ISCA Website - general information about cult indoctrination for families

  Renee’s Website:  www.recoverfromcoercivecontrol.com

Today our Cult Chat hosts share what listeners have told them are the best things about life after leaving a cult. From finding space to be who you truly are, to getting the chance to make mistakes, and to being allowed to have the full range of human emotions, this episode digs right down into the wonderful things that leavers can experience once they set out on their new post-cult lives. Be prepared to be moved to tears in this hopeful episode about what you might find on the other side.

Show notes

• Website: The Religious Trauma Collective Annual Event - 19-21 June, web-based conference

• Website Inquiry into the recruitment methods and impacts of cults and organised fringe groups - Parliament of Victoria

• Website: Decult

• Book: Take Back Your Life - Janja Lalich

• Song: What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong

• Resource: Thinking of Leaving - Olive Leaf Network

• Article: 10 Reasons People Should Leave Gloriavale

• Article: 10 Reasons People Remain at Gloriavale