Feb 17, 2025

CultNEWS101 Articles: 2/17/2025 (Andrew Cohen, Research, Shunning, Support Group)


Andrew Cohen, Research, Shunning, Support Group

Arkansas Times: Cult leader's name on Little Rock public art outlasts tenure of city official who said it would be replaced
"Cult leader's name on Little Rock public art outlasts tenure of city official who said it would be replaced
Brittany Nichols, former marketing manager for the Little Rock Parks and Recreation Department, has accepted a job with Metroplan.

This tidbit of news flew under our radar when the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette first published it last week, but we bring it up now as Nichols' role at the department informs our ongoing, if sporadic, coverage of a strange quote attributed to a cult leader on a piece of public art in Little Rock.

The quote is attributed to a man named Andrew Cohen, and it is engraved on a basalt column that stands in Inspiration Plaza, the newest piece of public art installed in Riverfront Park in downtown Little Rock. "

Psychology Today: Evaluating the Effects of Mandated Shunning
New research seeks to quantify the psychological harm of high-control groups.

" ... The act of shunning is to persistently ignore, avoid, or reject something, creating social and/or emotional distance. Psychologically, it is considered social or mental rejection, but despite its impact, the practice is typically considered to be a normal part of social dynamics: Individuals avoiding other individuals they don't like. Siblings taking umbrage with each other's behavior. Friends parting ways over a major disagreement. And they are right; while uncomfortable and potentially damaging, shunning is a natural reality, albeit a typically immature one.

The problem arises when shunning becomes mandated. Mandated shunning is a practice commonly employed (and always denied) by high-control groups as a method of retaining control of their membership. The very threat of total isolation from everyone and everything you hold dear creates a barrier to exit from the group, and is significant enough to prevent many individuals from leaving. This method of enforcing social ostracism for any member of the group deemed to be 'non-conforming' or 'disobedient' is giving rise to a worrying wave of psychological harm; this is what the research project seeks to investigate."

Queens Long Island Community Services and FamilyKindThe Healing from Emotional, Anger, and Relational Trauma educational support group
March Mondays starting on March 10 at 1 PM EST on Zoom.  Focus is on coping more effectively with anger, other emotions, coercive control, traumatic narcissism and gaslighting.  Grief, forgiveness and releasing ourselves from pain are also part of the ongoing discussion offered by the Queens Long Island Community Services and FamilyKind and facilitated by Dr. Paul Engel DHL, LCSW.  
 
Gather with others to find support and learn to develop strength and strategies for coping while integrating change in your lives. This group is for former cult members and others.  Please contact 516-547-4318 or paul.engel@flushingjcc.net with any questions and to get the link to join.


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The selection of articles for CultNEWS101 does not mean that Patrick Ryan or Joseph Kelly agree with the content. We provide information from many points of view to promote dialogue.


Please forward articles that you think we should add to cultintervention@gmail.com.


Thanks,


Ashlen Hilliard (ashlen.hilliard.wordpress@gmail.com)

Joe Kelly (joekelly411@gmail.com)

Patrick Ryan (pryan19147@gmail.com)



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