Cults, Culture & Coercion with Dr. Steve Hassan

United States history is often portrayed more through myth than historical fact. The true story of America, from its founding rebellion to the present day, is extraordinarily complex. The truth can sometimes seem almost unimaginable due to the numerous injustices and inequities throughout its history. Despite the ideals expressed by the nation’s founders in the Preamble to the Constitution—to form “a more perfect Union,” establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure liberty for future generations—America’s creation was rooted in systems of class and caste. As discussed in this episode of the Influence Continuum, the idea of a fair system initially created to be accessible to all is an aspect of that founding myth. Charles Derber, a Professor of Sociology at Boston College and life-long activist has authored 28 books on topics such as politics, democracy, fascism, corporations, capitalism, climate change, war, culture wars, and social change. In this episode of the Influence Continuum, he helped us delve deeper into the historical dynamics of class and caste. His latest book, co-authored with Yale R. Magrass, Who Owns Democracy? The Real Deep State and the Struggle Over Class and Caste in America presents a candid discussion about the hard truths of power and who predominantly bears the burden or responsibility of the deep state. This was a fascinating hour with a true scholar. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Heard about the Heritage Foundation Project 2025? Did you know it’s architect, President Kevin Roberts has ties to the far-right, secretive Roman Catholic group Opus Dei. Want to know more? I have been helping people involved with Opus Dei for decades and have read numerous books on them. I have a BITE Model of Authoritarian control on Opus day on my website. I am excited to share a brand new book, published by Simon and Schuster that breaks new ground and is vital to read. Join me on an interview with the financial journalist who spent 6 years researching this cult. Learn names of top officials who have been recruited to be involved with this cult group. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the Influence Continuum, I had the pleasure of sitting down with two-time Emmy winner Dan Partland, an extraordinary documentarian. He asked me to speak on the MAGA cult in his new film, #UNTRUTH: The Psychology of Trumpism, which will be streaming on virtually every platform. Dan’s new film highlights what I have been saying for years—Trumpism is not just a political movement; it operates as a destructive authoritarian cult and utilizes known mind-control techniques to disconnect Trump’s followers from reality, reinforce their loyalty to him, and silence dissenters and dissidents. In 2020, he released a film, #UNFIT: The Psychology of Donald Trump, during the 2020 election cycle. The film stars many top people: George Conway, Joe Walsh, Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Malcolm Nance to mention just a few experts. It is really well done and well argued. Come listen to this fascinating interview. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever learned from an expert in coercive control? Ever thought about the authoritarianism in a family structure? Maybe you or someone you know were married to a narcissist or knows of children being manipulated by an abusive parent. My latest guest, social worker Christine Cocchiola, is an expert on adult and child victims of coercive control. Dr. Christine Cocchiola has a doctorate in Social Welfare, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and is a tenured Social Work professor. Dr. Cocchiola also has a brand-new book with co-author Amy Polacko called Framed: Women in the Family Court Underworld. It consists of 22 stories from survivors of coercive control and narcissistic abuse and what it was like for them and their families dealing with the legal system. Dr. Cocchiola's work helps combat what I think is an unrealized epidemic, which is people who are harmful and toxic to others. During our talk, we focused on what I believe is vitally important in understanding authoritarian and coercive control when a parent acts like a cult leader. Join me in this fascinating conversation! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Kamala Harris was Attorney General for California she supported legislation to protect elderly people from undue influence. In this installment of The Influence Continuum, I sat down with Lisa Nerenberg, MSW, MPH, who has dedicated her career to ensuring dignity and justice for this vulnerable and growing population. Lisa is the founding executive director of The California Elder Justice Coalition. She now serves as the organization’s Director of Special Projects. She co-founded the San Francisco Consortium for Elder Abuse Prevention and the National Network for State Elder Justice Coalitions. Showcasing her passion and expertise, Lisa has authored two influential books: Elder Justice, Ageism, and Elder Abuse (2019) and Elder Abuse Prevention (2008). I believe that undue influence has reached a “tipping point” where most Americans agree that people can be harmed by psychological means. Join us for this fascinating discussion. https://drive.google.com/file/d/14-e5PZQ2T6tPU-KAIEOvFqaA_nEPrEfE/view?usp=drive_link Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is one of the most important podcasts I've had the pleasure to do, as its focus is on free and fair election systems, the cornerstone of our Democracy. I spoke with Walt McKee and J. Larry Mayes, who co-chair the Braver Angels Trustworthy Elections Leadership Team, an organization I am also proud to be a member of. Braver Angels is a unique nonprofit, as it is one of the few organizations that actively brings people together from both sides of the aisle to listen to each other and develop friendships- whether they lean red or lean blue. This year they decided to do a project to determine what everyone could agree on as a fair and trustworthy election. The summary, available to all on the Braver Angels' website, is reported to consist of "23 specific solutions which address seven broad areas of concern," including: Fair and Equal Access to Voting Verifiable Voter Identity and Eligibility Transparency and Accountability Redistricting – Gerrymandering Confidence in Vote Counting Safety and Security in the Elections Process Peaceful Transfer of Power Please come learn about how these recommendations were developed and agreed to by all who lean left or lean right as a way to find common ground together. Come give a listen! Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Come join me for a personal discussion with the man I credit for helping me to reconnect with my Jewish identity and faith. Reb Moshe Waldoks helped me find a practice of Judaism that spoke to my soul. Reb Moshe is the son of Holocaust survivors and an “advocate for joy.” Reb Moshe spent 12 years as a teacher, storyteller, and comedian. He co-edited The Big Book of Jewish Humor with William Novak. Reb Moshe helped establish a vibrant community at Temple Beth Zion in Brookline, Massachusetts, where I have belonged for the past 26 years. In this time of increased anti-semitism, I wanted to do this important interview. Come check it out. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Influence Continuum, I spoke with my good friend and long-time colleague Joseph Szimhart. He is a cult and intervention expert and has an over 25-year history of working as a case worker in mental health. Want to understand the history of cult belief systems, including QAnon? Ascended Masters? Angles? Channelers? Mystics? Did you know Michael Flynn did a “decree”, just like the ones Joe did when he was involved with Church Universal and Triumphant. Joe is my go-to-man for anything “new age” or “new thought.” He is a lay scholar and has read countless books and helps me on cases as a content expert! His current work also includes a YouTube channel focusing on “Cults and the Occulture” as its central theme. I believe you will be gald you have listened to this podcast. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The November 2024 election will determine the future of America and the free world. Donald Trump has chosen J.D. Vance as his vice president, and the pair continue to get increasingly “weird,” and lying seems to be ramping up if that is even possible. Conservative attorney George Conway has created the Anti-Psychopath PAC and has publicly called out the media’s failure to explain the dangers of having a psychopath in the White House. Conway wrote the Foreword to the rerelease of The Cult of Trump which is being rolled out asap. We did an Afterword. I wanted to reshare this 2023 interview with one of the leading experts who has been silenced is Bandy X. Lee, M.D., M.Div., a forensic psychiatrist, president of the World Mental Health Coalition, and an internationally recognized expert on violence. A brilliant and compassionate observer of the political landscape, she is the author of Profile of a Nation: Trump’s Mind, America’s Soul and editor of the best-selling book The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 37 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President. She is assembling a team of authors to create a new, short book published by the World Mental Health Coalition and tentatively titled The More Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 37 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Warn Anew. This is an important interview which goes into problems with the family courts as well. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the election just a few months away and an unprecedented barrage of psychological warfare being leveled at Americans, as well as people around the world, we decided to reshare this podcast and blog from 2020. It features Dr. James Scaminaci’s expertise on psychological warfare and specifically something called Fourth Generation Warfare (4GW). Understanding psychological warfare is imperative to counter the authoritarian agenda aimed at destabilizing people’s sense of self and understanding of “reality.” Indeed, social media and AI are being used to confuse, disorient, and unduly influence people to extremely simplistic positions of all or nothing and good versus evil. The moderate majority that values facts, science, human rights, and checks and balances of power must stay focused on reality being very complex and rarely simple. Going forward, we must understand and protect ourselves in order to keep American from coming apart. Come join us on this fascinating interview. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the 2024 election coming in November, Trump has been ramping up his rhetoric about using the DOJ to go after his critics who he considers his enemies. He has managed to enthrall millions to think God is on Trump’s side. All I can say is that no one has experienced more directly the weaponization of the DOJ using former AG William Barr, than Michael Cohen. His book Revenge: How Donald Trump Weaponized the Department of Justice Against His Critics. So I decided to reair our 2023 interview when the book first came out to put some “flesh on the bones” of this attack on our constitution and rule of law. Michael Cohen hosts the Mea Culpa podcast and authored the #1 best-selling book, Disloyal: A Memoir. His book Revenge is an indictment of Trump weaponizing the Department of Justice, headed by AG Bill Barr. Putting Cohen in jail- solitary confinement for 51 days! Learn more about this horrendous abuse of power. This is a great interview! Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kristy Norbert, co-founder and executive director of Empowered Network, is a licensed social worker with over 20 years of experience who has developed trauma-informed programs aimed at helping trafficking survivors achieve long-term stability and self-sufficiency. Her insights reveal the critical intersection between human trafficking and mind control, similar to the techniques employed by cult leaders. Empowered Network assists survivors of human trafficking in moving beyond immediate crisis services to achieve long-term stability. I was honored to nominate Felicia Rosario, MD, to get support from the Empowered Network. Felicia was in the Larry Ray cult at Sarah Lawrence that was featured in the Hulu series Stolen Youth. I appeared in the fourth episode, listed under ABC Nightline-Impact Stolen Youth; in that episode, I met Felicia and Daniel Levin, the cult’s whistleblower, and talked with them about their experiences. Larry Ray was convicted of trafficking and is in jail for the rest of his life. I am happy to say Felicia is returning to become a forensic psychiatrist and will attend the IALMH.org congress with me this July 22-26th in Barcelona. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Humans crave connection. This need for connection is a vital aspect of the psychology behind cults, coercion, and undue influence. Isolation makes people vulnerable and fearful and more likely to be influenced in harmful ways. Psychiatrist Ravi Chandra discusses the psychology of connection, how institutions can take action to encourage empathy and critical thinking, and how social media and fear-mongering news cycles are creating divisions. We need to be focusing on developing trust and community. As a member of the American Psychiatric Association, Ravi Chandra is concerned about the Goldwater Rule and how it limits what psychiatrists can and cannot say about public figures Like Donald Trump. The APA established the Goldwater rule in 1973. The so-called “rule” says that psychiatrists should not diagnose a person from a distance; they should only offer professional opinions if they have done a personal examination and evaluation. However, forensic experts on dangerousness, like Dr. Bandy X. Lee insists “experts have a duty to warn!” When their voices are censored we are all endangered. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know there are 8.6 million dedicated members of the Watchtower Society or Jehovah’s Witnesses, and supposedly, over 20 million people attend their annual big meeting (memorial attendance) worldwide? They are out on street corners, travel terminals in pairs. When I heard about a new book in Portuguese by a former elder, I wanted to learn more. António's new book, The Universe of Destructive Sects – Discover the secret world of deception, manipulation and mind control, explores the deepest secrets of the human mind and uncovers the manipulative techniques behind cults and high-control groups. António Madaleno’s journey from a dedicated Jehovah’s Witness elder to a vocal advocate against the Watchtower Society’s control tactics is a powerful story of courage and resilience. In this week’s episode of The Influence Continuum, we spoke about his transformative story and the impact of his work. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This fascinating interview is with Dr. Eva Selhub who worked at Harvard with Herb Benson developing and understanding about the mind body connection to health. Dr. Selhub is an internationally recognized resiliency expert who has worked as a physician, author, executive coach, keynote speaker, and spiritual advisor. She has written many books, including Burnout for Dummies, Resilience for Dummies, Your Health Destiny, The Stress Management Handbook, The Love Response, and co-authored Your Brain on Nature. Life is filled with opportunities to practice new techniques for resilience, and many in the medical field have had ample chances to refine their skills in this area from personal challenges. This lived experience with investigations into problem-focused solutions is then commonly shared through science-based pursuits and practices. These mixed techniques increase what we know as personal or societal health through medicine. We all benefit from a more mentally and physically flourishing self and society. Dr. Eva Selhub, M.D. has fostered this idea throughout her career, culminating in a resilience strategy for modern times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I had the privilege of a second opportunity to talk with Michelle Dowd, a journalism professor and author of Forager: Field Notes on Surviving a Family Cult. I watched Michelle’s three-and-a-half-hour interview on Joe Rogan’s podcast. Joe was utterly fascinated by Dowd’s cult experience and asked many questions, including what a cult is. Michelle mentioned me and my BITE Model. Indeed, I was on Joe Rogan’s show in 2015, and he remembered me. I was astounded to hear Joe say that he thought anyone who was on social media all the time had a mental illness. Dowd’s story of being raised in an Apocalyptic survivalist cult on a mountain is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit. It offers valuable insights into overcoming the psychological grip of cults. This post explores key themes from her experiences and offers practical advice for recovery and empowerment.Definitely great to learn about using creativity to help recover from abuse and mind control. Michelle is wonderful. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I read David Lipsky’s article in Rolling Stone last year on how the Moonies have been the center for global climate denial for 50 years through their Washington Times organization. I immediately bought his book, The Parrot and the Igloo: Climate and the Science of Denial and wanted to interview him. Well, the paperback is now out and we had a great interaction! This enlightening conversation delves into how anti-science sentiments have flourished in American society, drawing unsettling parallels between cult behavior and climate change denial. If you are interested in the Climate crisis, disinformation, propaganda and cult mind control, this is an episode you will want to listen to throughout! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For those who know Combating Cult Mind Control and my work, you know I was in the Moon cult. However, if you are under 50 years old, most people have no idea what the Moonies are about. Allen Tate Wood was a four-year member of the Unification Church–aka The Moon organization. He was the Chief Political Officer of the Unification Church in the United States, commander for the state of Maryland, workshop Director and Chief lecturer for the state of Maryland, and an expert witness for the congressional subcommittee investigation led by Donald Fraser into the Korean CIA infiltration into the United States. He also authored Moonstruck: a memoir of my life and a cult to warn people against cult dangers. Wood said he left in 1973 because “they were making people into fanatics.” In addition, he testified in The London Daily Mail lawsuit where the newspaper wrote that the Moonies brainwashed members and separated them from their families. The Daily Mail won the case and the Unification Church had to pay some 2 million dollars. Perhaps most importantly, Wood testified before the US Supreme Court in 1979 and 1981in the case involving Moon’s conviction of conspiracy to defraud the US Government. Mr. Moon was sentenced to 18 months and served 13 in a posh prison in Danbury, Connecticut. Mr. Moon died in 2012, and two sons fight with their mother over billions of dollars. Sean Moon claims to be “king” and has created a religious cult called the Rod of Iron Ministries. He claims that God wants people to own and know how to use AR-15 assault rifles. Sean Moon went to the January 6th coup attempt at the Capitol and tweeted that Antifa was making the attack- a lie also pushed by Moon’s newspaper, The Washington Times. His brother Justin Moon owns a gun factory in Pennsylvania to make assault rifles and train people for civil wars. After Biden’s inauguration as President of the United States, his predecessor Moon went to the January 6th coup attempt at the Capitol and tweeted that Antifa was making the attack- a lie also pushed by Moon’s newspaper, The Washington Times. Trump, Pence, and Pompeo all appeared for a virtual event for Hak Ja Han, endorsing her. Trump received 2.5 million dollars for this. This was just a few weeks after the attempted violent coup. The Washington Times has been the center of 50 years of climate science denial according to David Lipsky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the most publicized authoritarian cults is Scientology and the world’s leading authority is Jon Atack. Jon and I have been friends and colleagues He is the author of Let’s Sell These People A Piece of Blue Sky, considered the definitive book on Scientology, Dianetics, and L. Ron Hubbard. During our podcast, we discussed the new audiobook versions of Scientology: The Cult of Greed and Opening Our Minds: Avoiding Abusive Relationships and Authoritarian Groups. A significant portion of our discussion focused on the struggle former cult members face in processing the mind control they endured. We consider ourselves “elders” in the work helping people to understand and recover. Yet we both are frustrated that former members fail to see “the big picture” and continue to operate out of a cult mindset of “us vs. them”- even when it comes to fellow ex Scientologists. There is a lot of interesting things we unpack, including the fact that the founder of the cult was a hypnotist. Our conversation delved deeply into the complexities of mind control, the importance of processing and healing from cult experiences, and the challenges former members face in reclaiming their lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonathon Sawyer is urgently speaking out against involvement of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) in education for a very clear reason. He stated, “More people need to know that those who are discriminated against [sometimes] become those who discriminate.” In psychology, we call this the victim, victimizer paradigm. It is the idea that without healthy self-reflection, people exteriorize or project their own inner “demons” onto others. This cycle of religiously motivated harm is a concern for both individuals and society: “One of the concerns that I have...is that we’re seeing more and more taxpayer-supported religious schools in the United States, particularly at the K through 12 levels,” said Jonathon—“…[and] adolescents, young people, and children are especially susceptible to some of the most...harmful aspects of radical religion.” He is the author of the important journal article titled (Un)hidden from self: on LGBTQ students and the conspiratorial demonology of the New Apostolic Reformation. A really important conversation! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anke Richter co-founded FACT (Fight Against Conspiracy Theories) and is organizing the first cult awareness conference in Australia, DECULT. Anke’s bestseller “Cult Trip: Inside the World of Coercion & Control” is about her ten-year investigation into sex cults –from tantra yoga to the Human Potential Movement to fundamentalist Christianity. She is a voice against cults, conspiracies, and undue influence in New Zealand and is working to harness efforts worldwide to fight disinformation and radicalization, especially online. Her book is now out in paperback and it was a delight to help spread the work of a citizen activist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike tried to escape Scientology’s undue influence when he was 15. As punishment for trying to escape, he was isolated, sleep-deprived, and forced to do hard labor for over a year and a half. Mike reflects that he felt like a prisoner during this time. Mike finally escaped Scientology at age 27 and joined the military. He had little education and no credit history. Despite these odds, he was inspired by his family’s previous military service and flourished in the Army. Mike became a helicopter pilot and instructor. Mike served five combat tours between Iraq and Afghanistan in his nearly 20 years of service. Mike’s parents joined Scientology when he was seven. Later he says he was made to join the Sea Organization or “Sea Org,” a paramilitary section of Scientology. Mike’s mom, Rosemary, worked directly for one of Scientology’s top executives, Ronnie Miscavige Jr., older brother of the organization’s leader, David Miscavige. Mike reflects that the military was less controlling than Scientology for him. Later, Mike rescued his mother from the cult. An utterly fascinating story. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rev. Dr. Todd F. Eklof has been the minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Spokane, WA, since 2011. He’s appreciated for his mind-altering sermons, compassionate soul, and social activism. Unitarianism and Unitarian Universalism have traditionally been known as liberal religions, defined by their commitment to individual dignity and freedom of expression. They promote diversity and inclusivity and encourage their members to engage in the “free and responsible search for truth and meaning.” However, Todd has had a different experience. He believes the organization has undergone a significant policy change, with the value of autonomy and freedom of expression becoming less valued. As a minister, he was not allowed to discuss his concerns openly and was attacked when he did speak out. As a result, he was “disfellowshipped.” Eklof been widely appreciated for his environmental and gay rights activism, in addition to engaging in the areas of criminal justice reform, restorative justice, the peace movement, as well as immigration and racial justice. I wanted to interview him to highight just how polarized Americans have become. I was shocked to hear that he was “canceled.” Cancel culture is just not ok- on the right or the left. Come join this fascinating conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A former British Police Detective and Undercover Operator, Julie Jones is the founder and CEO of Human-I Intelligence Services, an international consultancy specializing in cybercrime investigations and online open-source intelligence (OSINT). She is a recognized international expert in human trafficking. A bestselling author of the book How to Be a World Class Investigator, international speaker, and former cast member of the award-winning factual reality UK TV series Hunted, Julie continues to work closely with media agencies as a consultant and researcher. Julie has developed and delivered training in sexual and gender-based violence, human trafficking, trauma-informed and victim-centered practices, major case management, strategic and criminal intelligence, cybercrime, and OSINT. She is a passionate and tenacious field investigator and conducts active operations globally with a focus on human trafficking, child sexual exploitation, stalking, and cults. She is a licensed private investigator in British Columbia and sits on the Advisory Council for the Anti-Trafficking Intelligence Initiative. This is an interview you dont want to miss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest on this episode of The Influence Continuum is Pamela Ryckman, who wrote the book Candace Pert: Genius, Greed, and Madness in the World of Science. Science and health institutions can mimic cult-like behaviors and dysfunctional systems when the structures within them become overly competitive and focused on limited resources to obtain professional goals. Ideals of collaboration for the good of the public can become crushed under systems of harmful competition and dogmatic attachments to old-fashioned ideas. The life story of Candace Pert, who discovered the opioid receptor, is a clear demonstration of how women and minorities have often been undermined, excluded, or driven out of that system. Virtually unheard of by most, her life work included significant discoveries in mind-body medicine, HIV treatments with Peptide T, and volumes of scientific research and publishing over her time working within the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Mental Health. Pamela Ryckman is an Emmy-winning producer and writer focusing on women in the workforce. She noted how the story of Candace Pert’s life work provided an ideal launchpad to discuss some of the most pressing issues plaguing science and healthcare today. Ryckman is also the author of the book Stiletto Network: Inside the Women’s Power Circles That Are Changing the Face of Business, which discusses the secret society of the world’s most powerful women shaping an underground movement for change. She has written for The New York Times, Financial Times, Washington Post, and many other publications. Join me for this utterly fascinating discussion. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Empowering patients or clients to have authority and control over their medical experiences is vital to beneficial therapeutic care. Likewise, well-crafted use of professional communication skills in setting expectations about clinical procedures and outcomes can mean the difference between a traumatic medical visit versus one being remembered with gratitude. Clinical studies show that clinicians trained in hypnotic skills can effectively help patients be more receptive to well-placed suggestions that may help reduce discomfort, eliminate the need for certain medications, lessen the side effects of treatments, and offer moderation over anxiety. Dr. Elvira Lang-Anderson, MD, PhD, is an award-winning interventional radiologist and founder of Comfort Talk®. This skills-based program fosters improvement of patient satisfaction, optimizing outcomes, and the ability to complete medical procedures through rapid rapport and "word choice" techniques. She has studied patient/provider interactions and their impact on health outcomes, staff satisfaction, and the results of different techniques on the overall efficiency of healthcare systems. Come learn the “state of the art” in this important interview for all. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Russell Johnson is a former member of the Korean martial arts cult Chung Moo Quan. After much negative publicity, its name was changed to Oom Yung Doe. Now a professional security consultant, activist, and podcaster, Russell got involved with the cult as a teen and was involved for eight years. We first met in the early 90s when he contacted me after reading Combating Cult Mind Control. My book helped him understand how he had been manipulated in the cult using primary BITE model tactics. I have been on his podcast, Deceived, about his experience in the Chung Moo Quan cult. He also has a soon-to-be-published memoir called Deceived: A Journey into Darkness. I have heard from countless people about their involvement in destructive martial arts groups over the years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“America right now needs some exit ramps,” Jason Van Tatenhove said as we discussed his former role as national media director for the Oath Keepers, a group known for its far-right anti-government militia. While Jason would ultimately decide to leave the group in 2016 due to increasing racism and Holocaust denial within their membership, the Oath Keepers would go on to participate in the United States Capitol January 6th attack, led by followers of Donald Trump. Jason eventually testified before a U.S. House Select Committee about his position in media propaganda for the organization. He described their attempts at paramilitary tactics, plans for insurrection, and his relationship with Stewart Rhodes, founder of the Oath Keepers, convicted of seditious conspiracy and evidence tampering. Jason publicly speaks about his concerns for continued paramilitary training groups and recruitment tactics in future election cycles, including the 2024 presidential race. His book, The Perils of Extremism: How I Left the Oath Keepers and Why We Should Be Concerned about a Future Civil War, discusses the unsettled state surrounding extremism in America today and provides an insider view into the tactics used to recruit, train, and further radicalize persons with former military backgrounds, first-responders, and individuals who may otherwise feel disenfranchised by United States Democracy at this time. Newsflash: Rhodes’ son Dakota Adams has decided to run for Montana’s Legislature! Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a Protestant, Matthew D. Taylor, Ph.D., is a Senior Scholar at the Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies (ICJS), where he specializes in Muslim-Christian dialogue, Evangelical and Pentecostal movements, religious politics in the U.S., and American Islam. ICJS produced a 30-minute documentary, Spiritual Warriors: Decoding Christian Nationalism at the Capitol Riot, featuring Dr. Taylor. His new forthcoming book, The Violent Take It by Force: The Christian Movement that is Threatening Our Democracy, tracks the role those Christian leaders played, particularly those from the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) networks, in instigating Christians to participate in the January 6th Capitol Riot. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hypnosis is everywhere on the Internet- either covertly like ASMR or overtly, where people are enticed to learn hypnosis or NLP, a version of Ericksonian hypnosis. My guest is the lead editor of a comprehensive textbook on clinical hypnosis. Still, it also includes two chapters I co-authored with law professor emeritus Alan Scheflin on the dark side of hypnosis, which includes MK-Ultra. The newly published Routledge International Handbook of Clinical Hypnosis is a compendium of state-of-the-art neuroscience focusing on practice-oriented aspects of clinical hypnosis in healthcare settings. It contains the work of 90 contributors from the global field. Dr. Julie H. Linden, Ph.D., was the lead editor. Julie spoke about the continued increased interest in medicine surrounding clinical hypnotic techniques. We discussed how important and beneficial that could be when prescribing physicians and their ability to offer patients alternatives or integrative therapies for traditional pharmaceutical-based treatment plans, such as pain management. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this enlightening episode, I speak to Ryan McBeth, an experienced military veteran and a recognized figure in cybersecurity, military analysis, and artificial intelligence, to explore a range of thought-provoking topics. Ryan brings a wealth of knowledge from his 20 years of service as an anti-armor and heavy weapons infantryman and his prolific work as a software architect, novelist, and YouTube content creator. Ryan appears on NEWSMAX as an intelligence consultant and consults for Veloxxity on Information Warfare and OSINT. He also performed C4ISR intelligence collection for various government customers and currently consults on intelligence collection and analysis methods. He has 856K subscribers on his YouTube channel and it is always educational learning from him. @RyanMcBethProgramming Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anthony Davis is a British broadcaster, journalist, and voiceover artist. He was born in London and has been based in Los Angeles since 2017, where he works remotely from his home studio with networks worldwide. Since November 2021, his collaborations with the MeidasTouch media network, including the Five-Minute News, The Weekend Show, and America Uncovered, have exploded his reach across the US as a trusted voice in news commentary. Anthony argues that inviting religious far-right speakers into the very heart of American democracy shows the shift to unionize the right-wing church and state. Anthony feels America fell to a dictator when Trump’s misinformation about the election campaign was spread, and peaceful protestors in Portland were militarized. This erosion of democratic values poses a grave threat to the foundation of American governance, necessitating concerted efforts to safeguard the integrity of democratic institutions and uphold the principles of justice and equality upon which the Constitution was founded. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Analyzing online content and how people interact with that content is essential to understanding the process of online radicalization. Twitter/ X has been a major source of information for tracking QAnon and many bad actors from Russia as well as Christian Dominionists, Neo Nazis, and others. Bad actors worldwide use social media to post content to arouse emotions and create chaos. Distrust and polarization. With algorithms instantly and repeatedly feeding similar content, it is easy to go down a rabbit hole of authoritarian creation, resulting in undue influence. Dr. Stuart Shulman is the founding Editor of the Journal of Information Technology & Politics. He holds a Ph.D. in American Politics (Oregon 1999) and is currently the founder (2009) and CEO of Texifter, a software business serving academic, commercial, and government clients. DiscoverText is a web-based text analytics platform for improving human and machine learning. His past work includes extensive teaching and leadership roles, building externally funded teams for collaborative interdisciplinary research. His projects involve qualitative, quantitative, survey, and social media data and human annotation at scale, information retrieval, and machine-learning methods. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Trump University grift followed the same playbook as many predatory organizations, like Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) organizations. Victims are hooked through legitimate sounding offers, like a weekend sales course for $1,500. However, once the victims attend the weekend sales course, they are pressured into buying more courses for more money to achieve goals too good to be true. It’s a classic bait-and-switch. So, how can regular people receive justice when high-powered people and organizations wield deception and cult-like practices? That’s where Tristan Snell comes in. Snell is a lawyer and legal commentator featured on MSNBC, NPR, in the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal. He served as Assistant Attorney General for New York State, leading the investigation and prosecution of Trump University. Snell has developed a playbook for going up against Trump and others like Trump in court. This is a unique interview that you won’t want to miss! Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this era of political polarization, the landscape in the United States is marked by the rise of Donald Trump as the frontrunner for the Republican nomination in the 2024 presidential election. This despite Trump facing numerous legal challenges–including over his involvement in the January 6th attack on the United States Capitol. However, Trump and his supporters are but the most visible element. The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) is increasingly taking over the religious right movement and, in turn, influencing the Republican Party, which holds implications for Christianity and the future of democracy. The NAR is closely aligned with those who are on a mission to take over democracy worldwide under the guise of “religious freedom.” Not only are they backing Trump, but Trump is backing them. This movement of politicized Neo-Charismatic Pentecostals (NCP) seeks to assert dominance through their Seven Mountain Mandate, which we’ve previously discussed. There is a possibility that Trump could once again serve as a conduit for their agenda at the nation’s highest office, amplifying the impact of this cult movement towards religious theocracy through the legislative and judicial branches of government at all levels. The theocratic end goals are clearly laid out through Project Blitz, a state-level legislative program primarily led by NAR operatives. André Gagné and Frederick Clarkson returned to my show to discuss the NAR, its background, and ways to educate people worldwide about it. This is a very special interview of major importance. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Neşe Devenot is a Postdoctoral Associate at the Institute for Research in Sensing (IRiS) at the University of Cincinnati and the Medicine, Society & Culture Research Fellow at Psymposia. I decided to use the title of her profoundly important journal article for this podcast. Psychedelics are all the rage. When I gave a talk at the American Psychiatric Association, there were many, many talks about the studies being done to see how drugs like psilocybin, ketamine, and MDMA might assist psychotherapeutically. However, many people are experimenting on their own. Some get caught up with a malignant narcissist “shaman” or teacher and experience horrendous trauma and abuse. While the public is doing widespread experimentation, Silicon Valley billionaires reportedly use large quantities of these substances. Devenot points out these tech billionaires appear to believe, in her words, a “TESCREAL bundle of ideologies, which describes an interrelated cluster of belief systems: transhumanism, Extropianism, singularitarianism, cosmism, Rationalism, Effective Altruism, and longtermism.” This is an utterly fascinating discussion about how the super-wealthy promotes these beliefs, and either people follow the leaders or they will be left behind. Listen to this brilliant researcher on bioethics! Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Natural medicine might seem distant from the far-right fringes of society until you dig a little deeper and find the wealth of ‘wellness products’ being sold alongside political conspiracies. There is a constant quest for increasing well-being and less ‘toxic’ lifestyles. Meanwhile, conspiracy theories drain resources and instill fears, including political plots, controls, and cabals. It happens in the extremes on all sides, the quest for health alongside an implanted mission searching for “the truth.” Time magazine printed a November 2023 article called Wellness Conspiracy Theories are Spreading and highlighted the topic known colloquially as “conspirituality.” This leaves people simply seeking to feel better with the additional question of how to recognize scams from reality in holistic and natural health communities. Dr. Melanie Trowbridge is a Licensed Naturopathic Physician and Acupuncturist practicing in Washington State. She and I spoke about the complexity of discernment in natural health communities at this time and about how AI is changing the future of medicine. Her first career was in technology and more recently completed a course at MIT on AI. Melanie also practices separately as an Ordained Spiritual Nature Minister. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the founder of iCivics, said, "The practice of democracy is not passed down through the gene pool. It must be taught and learned by each new generation." It is the continuing mission of the iCivics organization and its current Chief Executive Officer, Louise Dubé, to ensure that future generations of Americans receive meaningful, high-quality, non-partisan civics education through the 145,000 educators and 9 million students in all 50 states served through this free-to-the-public program. Civics education is a cornerstone of learning in the United States. It is the curriculum mortar that helps to hold our democracy together. Students learn the principles of collaboration to form a more perfect union from a very early age in the school system. As they advance in other skills, so should their skills in civics responsibilities and their participatory understanding of the rights and healthy influence within a democratic society. By the time a young person is of voting age in America, we hope that they feel capable of being actively engaged in the formation of societal order. Our nation's continuation and ongoing commitment to its founding principles depends on the learnings of each successive generation. Join us in this very important interview to insure our future! Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laura E. Anderson, PhD, was raised in a Christian family and experienced first hand what religious trauma is all about. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist with a Ph.D. in Mind Body Medicine from Saybrook University. She specializes in complex trauma, with a particular focus on domestic violence, sexualized violence, and religious trauma. Her new book is When Religion Hurts You: Healing from Religious Trauma and the Impact of High Control Religion. She founded and directs the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. She supports religious belief and involvement and wants people to be healthy. In this moment of religious extremism, her voice is a valued perspective. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Legally released from an unenforceable NDA, the former 2016 campaign staffer discusses the cult-building tactics, Russian interference, and the who’s who of bad actors behind the scenes of the Trump campaign. Joining the campaign when then-candidate Trump was polling last in the GOP field, Alva is one of the very few former campaign staffers who worked under Corey Lewandowski, Paul Manafort, Dave Bossie, and Steve Bannon. Alva quit Trump the day the Access Hollywood tape was released, as she experienced remarkably similar behavior towards her from him as described in his Access Hollywood hot mic. Freed from the legal ramifications of an NDA, Alva wishes to help “reverse engineer” how the Trump campaign reached and recruited millions of Americans- with the help of Russian agents, data targeting, and money. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this New Year, we offer an episode on healthy, ethical influence. What is Integrative Psychology? What is “organization of mind?” If a person is interested in embodied mind practices, which include concentration meditation training, it takes very specialized training and practice to navigate this terrain effectively. Nigel Denning is a Counselling Psychologist and managing director of Integrative Psychology in Melbourne, Australia. We know each other because we both have received training from the famous forensic psychologist and Tibetan Buddhist teacher Daniel P. Brown. Sadly, Dr. Brown passed away last year, but his work lives on. Hopefully, we hope to empower individuals with the knowledge and tools to optimize their minds, create a nurturing environment for growth and healing, and develop awareness of and resilience against the numerous forms of undue influence that permeate our culture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever wonder about basic training in the military? What about how the BITE Model of Authoritarian Control applies to military personnel? With so many veterans who have returned to society, many do not seem to have been given the necessary psychological support to integrate and thrive. There is large amounts of active trauma as well as a high suicide rate. In 2022, Daniella Mestyanek Young acclaimed memoir Uncultured was published. It delved into being born into the Children of God sex cult, escaping, enlisting in officer’s training and her experiences as one of the first women to be in active combat as an Army Captain in the Intelligence Corps in Afghanistan. Young has since earned her Master’s in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from the Harvard Extension School and has been unpacking her life experiences in very important ways for people to understand. Join me for this fascinating and disturbing interview. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sochil Martin is a Mexican-American woman who was born and raised in a religious high control group called La Luz del Mundo (LDM), which claims to have over 5 million members in 58 countries worldwide. This group was established in 1926 and features a power structure like New Apostolic Reformation megachurches. It has been very involved in politics. LDM has been a part of Sochil’s family for four generations, starting with her great-grandmother being brought into the cult in Baja, California, Mexico. With the support of her husband, Sochil managed to escape from LDM and embarked on a journey to seek justice. In 2018, she blew the whistle on the organization to the California Department of Justice, exposing the abuse of leadership on its members and the sexual assault committed by the leader on women and minors. The leader, Naasón Joaquín García, is currently in state prison and has recently been indicted by the federal government for child pornography. Sochil’s story was shared in the well done HBO docuseries, Unveiled: Surviving La Luz Del Mundo one streaming on MAX. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Navigating a deeply divided, polarized world filled with vulnerable souls to the siren calls of conspiracy theories, I find it essential to shine a light on the shadows where undue influence thrives. In this discussion with historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat, we discuss the subtle and often sinister ways authoritarianism intertwines with the psychological mechanisms of control. We connect the dots from my experiences with cults and coercive persuasion. Ruth Ben-Ghiat is an NYU professor and expert on fascism and authoritarianism, a celebrated author, MSNBC columnist, and consultant, including for del Toro’s Oscar-winning ‘Pinocchio.’ Her book Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present explores the tactics of illiberal rulers and the history of resistance against them. With a focus on unraveling the complex tapestry of undue influence in modern politics, my discussion with historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat sheds light on the intricate relationship between authoritarianism and its psychological underpinnings. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Monica C. Parker has authored a remarkable book which was such a positive in the current concerning times. It is titled, The Power of Wonder: The Extraordinary Emotion That Will Change the Way You Live Learn and Lead. Our conversation delved into how this powerful emotion could revolutionize learning, relationships, work, and societal interactions in today’s world, increasingly fragmented by polarization, stress, and a lack of empathy. In an era overwhelmed by digital saturation and ideological extremes, the potential of wonder can be leveraged as a tool to restore balance, encourage open-mindedness, and foster positive social connections. Parker’s work underscores the transformative power of wonder, encouraging readers to rediscover and integrate this vital emotion into their daily lives. Looking for a boost? Or a new practice that will keep your energy and hope energized? Enjoy this wonderful conversation! Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Human trafficking is defined in international law as the use of fraud, force, or coercion to enslave people. It is a scourge that operates not just through physical coercion but through the devastating use of mind control, a method of psychological enslavement. Rebecca Bender is a courageous survivor and advocate who works tirelessly to empower survivors, train law enforcement, do expert witness work, and assist policymakers. She created the Rebecca Bender Initiative and the online Elevate Academy, which empowers trafficking survivors over the age of eighteen to move forward with their lives. She found encouragement and mentorship from Carissa Phelps and Rachel Thomas, who, with me, developed the Ending the Game ten-session program for trafficking survivors under the age of eighteen. Understanding the tactics traffickers use is critical for prevention, as well as escape and recovery. My discussions with experts and survivors are not just academic; they are practical resources that shine a light on the manipulative strategies used in trafficking. Knowledge of these tactics can be lifesaving for anyone at risk or currently trapped. In this exploration, we delve deep into the intricate web of human trafficking, examining the various manipulative tactics employed by traffickers and the significant role that education and empowerment play in the recovery process. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know that Koch Corporation is the second largest private business in the United States? That Fred Koch, father of David Koch, helped to found the John Birch Society? That Koch is one of the largest corporate lobbying entities in America. That their belief is libertarianism is a destructive ideology that undermines government functioning? That they have been promoting climate science denial for decades? What about that the way the organization functions it resembles a corporate cult? Koch is funding “free speech” that is causing so much dissention and hate speech. This was one of the most important interviews I have ever conducted. Want to understand one of the powerful forces influencing the GOP? Come give a listen! Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In his latest book, Seeing Through the Smoke: A Cannabis Specialist Untangles the Truth About Marijuana, Peter Grinspoon, M.D. has written an excellent, comprehensive, and authoritative book. Grinspoon is a primary care doctor at Massachusetts General Hospital and an Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He has been a medical cannabis specialist for over twenty-five years. Dr. Grinspoon, a popular speaker, is frequently featured in the national media on issues such as cannabis, addiction, and physician health. His father, Harvard psychiatrist Lester Grinspoon published the well-respected but controversial book, Marihuana Reconsidered in 1971. Peter’s brother Danny suffered from leukemia and cannabis was the only thing to help him eat and prolong his life. Carl Sagan was a close family friend and was Dr. X in this book. This new book is truly a valuable book that approaches cannabis in a thoughtful, responsible manner so needed at this time. Peter does consultations, talks, and trainings and is truly an authority on this topic. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Philip Goldberg has been studying the world’s spiritual traditions for more than 50 years as a practitioner, teacher, and author. An ordained Interfaith Minister, spiritual counselor, and public speaker, he has presented at major venues throughout the U.S. and has been featured in numerous publications. He has authored or co-authored more than 25 books,and his latest offering is Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times: Powerful Tools to Cultivate Clarity, Calm and Courage. Phil has taught courses on various online platforms, hosts the Spirit Matters podcast, and serves on the board of the Association for Spiritual Integrity. Recognizing the prevalence of scandals and confusion surrounding spiritual teachers, the founders of the Association for Spiritual Integrity (ASI) seek to establish standards of practice and honor codes for ethical behavior within the spiritual community. This was a fascinating discussion. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you worry about your teenager's safety and fear they could fall into the deceptive webs of manipulative, cult-like groups? Are you a desperate parent seeking intervention services for your struggling teen? If so, you can't afford to miss this interview with Melanie, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a survivor of the infamous Troubled Teen Industry —a largely unregulated web of residential behavior modification programs notorious for subjecting struggling teens to various forms of abuse. Our riveting dialogue focuses on these unregulated behavior modification programs' stark realities and untold abuses. Melanie's mission is to raise awareness and educate mental health professionals on coercive control settings like these. Why is this essential? Because desperate parents might unknowingly send their vulnerable teens into a dangerous commercial cult. Of course, there are legitimate therapeutic groups and settings but one needs to vet them extremely carefully and understand from former victims and experts what red flags to watch out for! Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices