CultNEWS101 News: 7/27/2026

Updates

Research & Academic

A letter from Janja Lalich.

Hello,

I’m writing to encourage all survivors of cults, coercion, and/or extremist groups to please participate in this study. This survey research was formulated by Dr. Natalie Fabert, a professor of psychology at Arizona State University. Dr. Fabert is also a much-appreciated member of the Board of Directors of my nonprofit, the Lalich Center on Cults and Coercion, and is Director of our Continuing Education programs. Many of us know from hearsay, as well as our own experience, that it is very difficult (near to impossible) to find a therapist who understands the personal and psychological aftereffects of coercive experiences (especially cults). How many times have I heard some version of this: “I explained to her (the therapist) that I had been in the group for 40 years, lost all my money, worked for the leader’s business for free, broke contact with my family and friends, and even recruited my children into the cult. When I was finished, the therapist looked at me and said, ‘Well, why didn’t you leave?’” This kind of uneducated and hurtful reply is exactly why we need this research, so that we have hard evidence of the need for training.

The results of this study will provide us with the type of solid research data that we need to show why it is so crucial that helping professionals get the type of training and education that will provide them with the skills to better serve their clients who may be struggling with the aftereffects of cults or some form of coercive control.

So, please, consider completing this survey. It would mean a lot to me, to all of us at the Lalich Center, and to all survivors who are searching for the kind of care and support they need.

Regards to all,

Janja Lalich, PhD
Professor Emerita of Sociology
Founder & CEO
Lalich Center on Cults and Coercion

Study link: Experiences and Perspectives on Mental Health Support Among Survivors of High-Control Environments

Coercive Control Masters Webinar - Special Two-Hour Event - 10 Years in!
By Rod Dubrow-Marshall

Online event
Saturday, August 1  •  1 PM - 3 PM EDT

Overview
Hear about 10 years of delivering the unique Coercive Control Masters Program featuring Alumni and other professionals from across the world!

Join this special webinar to hear from Program Tutors, Alumni and other professionals from across the world about the ongoing 10-year journey of delivering the only dedicated full master's program on the psychology of coercive control, which focuses on coercion, abuse and undue influence in cults and extremist groups, intimate relationships (domestic abuse) and families, trafficking, gangs, workplaces and organized crime.

This fully distance learning programme (at the University of Salford, UK) was started in 2017 by Drs Rod and Linda Dubrow-Marshall because of the introduction of a law in 2015 (Serious Crime Act, Section 76, in England and Wales) which outlaws psychological abuse in the form of controlling and coercive behaviours in relationships and families, along with human trafficking and modern slavery laws which apply to cults, extremist groups and organised crime. Similar laws are now emerging in other jurisdictions (across North America, Europe and Australasia), reflecting a burgeoning appreciation of coercive control and its damaging effects.

The Master's program draws on these developments by bringing in cutting-edge research on coercive influence and focuses on the psychological effects of coercive control, how people exit from coercive and abusive relationships and groups, approaches to recovery and rehabilitation, the cultural and historical context for coercion and legal and policy responses across the world.

The program still has places for this coming September 2026. It can be studied over 1 or 2 years and consists of live lectures that are also recorded, interactive seminars, 1:1 tutor support, loads of resources via a dedicated website, and the opportunity to conduct ground-breaking empirical research in the capstone dissertation module. The program has already had over 150 students from a wide diversity of countries across four continents, some of whom are existing professionals in the field and others who are looking to do work in this area where there is a huge need for more expertise and more research.

Domestic & True Crime

CBS News: Doctor charged with manslaughter over a year after woman died during psychedelic retreat in Miami Beach

Dr. Samuel Lee, 44, has been charged with second-degree manslaughter over a year after the death of Tina Sodhi during a psychedelic retreat in Miami Beach.

Sodhi died on February 10, 2025, while participating in a three-day "Heart Protocol" ceremony at a wellness home. The retreat involved the administration of MDMA and ketamine, which were advertised as a way to help participants connect with their "higher selves." Sodhi had paid a $2,000 fee and signed a waiver acknowledging the risks of the substances used.
Miami Beach police found Sodhi unresponsive in a rooftop sauna at the property. The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner determined her cause of death to be dehydration resulting from a combination of the MDMA and ketamine, prolonged exposure to the heat of the sauna, and a cleansing regimen she underwent before the ceremony.

During the investigation, an independent physician consulted by the police concluded that Dr. Lee's actions reflected "an extreme and unjustifiable deviation from accepted safety and clinical practices."

Lee's attorney has entered a not-guilty plea and requested a jury trial. Prosecutors are seeking a court order to prevent Lee from practicing medicine while the case is ongoing. Representatives for Sabia Wellness, the organization behind the retreat, stated they mourn the loss and maintain that their client was not culpable, emphasizing the need for strict safety protocols in alternative therapies.

Science

Ecstatic Integration: Spiritual Emergencies and Esalen; The history and future of a concept

Jules Evans

In this post, Jules Evans explores the concept of "spiritual emergency," a term originating from the Esalen Institute to describe turbulent spiritual experiences that mimic psychosis but represent potential for psychological growth. Evans notes that while the concept provided a helpful framework for his own post-psyahuasca crisis, its application in the modern psychedelic landscape warrants caution.

The term is gaining traction within the psychedelic industry, particularly through training programs and harm-reduction organizations like the Zendo Project. However, Evans warns that "spiritual emergency" risks becoming a dangerous, "clumsily imposed" label when used by coaches or therapists to dismiss or reframe acute psychiatric crises. He argues that forcing a spiritual narrative onto a patient’s experience—which may actually be a medical or psychological emergency requiring clinical intervention—can be iatrogenic and unethical.

The essay is particularly timely given the contrast between the professionalizing, multi-billion-dollar psychedelic pharmaceutical industry and the ongoing risks within the unregulated underground, where recent tragic events (such as the death of a participant at a retreat led by Dr. Samuel Lee) highlight the life-threatening consequences of poor safety and oversight. Ultimately, while acknowledging the potential therapeutic value of the "spiritual emergency" framework, Evans urges greater critical scrutiny to ensure it does not function as a dangerous excuse for neglecting the basic safety and mental health needs of individuals in distress.

"...In the years since the Grofs introduced the concept of Spiritual Emergency, it has struggled to establish itself clinically and academically. This is true of many of the therapeutic innovations developed in the hot-tubs at Esalen, like Gestalt therapy, Internal Family Systems and Transpersonal psychology. It’s just a different form of validation and assessment, one more based on vibes and charisma than peer-review and falsification. The innovations developed in the informal spaces of Esalen can spread in alternative healing networks, but they often fail to cross back into the mainstream."