Hypnosis and coercion: What people believe vs. What we know

ICSA CONFERENCE 2026

Date: July 1-4, 2026

Hilton Bayfront, San Diego

Perhaps more than any other single method of influence, there is mystery, myth, misunderstanding, and outright falsehoods about hypnosis, even among mental health professionals. Some cite research that essentially claims hypnosis does not exist beyond a not-particularly useful and confusing construct; others—especially among but hardly limited to some cult-critics—describe hypnosis in a manner that greatly exaggerates its power. This presentation, by a cult-aware psychologist with advanced training in scientific/experimental as well as clinical hypnosis, will cover and debunk a range of misunderstandings and misinformation about the use of hypnosis and hypnotic-like interpersonal dynamics in coercive and cultic environments and processes. The very real impact of hypnosis on certain people in certain situations will be carefully explored, using the most current research available rather than relying solely on anecdotal evidence.

Steve K.D. Eichel, Ph.D., ABPP, CST received his B.A. from Columbia University and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. He has been a licensed psychologist since 1982. His career has included roles as a child and family psychologist, director of child and family services, and consulting forensic psychologist. He has also held academic positions, including Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Delaware. His professional affiliations include the American Academy of Psychotherapists and the International Cultic Studies Association, where he formerly served as president of the board.

https://internationalculticstudies.org/events/hypnosis-and-coercion/

CultNEWS101 Articles: 6/19/2026

Updates

Legislative & Legal

N12: A lawsuit to silence? An organization that promotes "sacred sexuality" sued an Israeli for millions

Summary:

An international New Age organization called ISTA (International School of Temple Arts), which promotes "sacred sexuality" through spiritual, tantric, and shamanic seminars, filed a 3.6 million NIS (~$1 million USD) defamation lawsuit in Israel against a former participant turned vocal critic, Eyal Shaham.

Key details of the case include:

• The Allegations against ISTA: ISTA seminars, which operate globally and in Israel, have faced investigative journalism uncovering allegations of sexual misconduct and inappropriate sexual practices between instructors and participants. In 2023, the Israeli Center for Cult Victims issued a public warning about ISTA, citing concerning characteristics. They described activities like group masturbation and pressure toward sexual openness, culminating in a ritual where group members massage female participants' genitals.

• The Lawsuit: Shaham participated in an ISTA seminar and subsequently joined an alumni group, where he began posting warnings about systemic and abusive patterns within the organization, particularly targeting vulnerable young women. ISTA and its senior instructor, Lori Handlers, filed a lawsuit alleging severe reputational and financial damage. ISTA maintains that it has taken steps to ensure safety and to ban misconduct, arguing that Shaham's claims are baseless defamation.

• The Court's Precedent-Setting Decision: Shaham’s legal defense (handled pro bono by the Haifa University Legal Clinics and the firm LIPA&CO) argued that this is a SLAPP suit (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) meant to silence public criticism. They requested that the lawsuit be dismissed or that ISTA be required to deposit a financial guarantee equal to the amount of the lawsuit.

• Tel Aviv District Court Judge Idit Katsavoy partially accepted Shaham's request. While she did not dismiss the suit or outright label it a SLAPP suit at this early stage, she applied a legal precedent on anti-SLAPP frameworks to impose a high financial burden on the plaintiffs. She ordered ISTA and Handlers to deposit a combined, unusually high guarantee of roughly half a million NIS to proceed with the lawsuit.

Perspectives:

• Defense / Eyal Shaham: Shaham and his lawyers called the ruling a major victory for freedom of speech, proving courts will not be weaponized to silence public interest criticism. Shaham stated he felt a moral obligation to protect future victims after trying to change the system from within.

• ISTA's Response: ISTA emphasized that the court explicitly refused to declare the case a SLAPP suit or dismiss it outright. They also noted the judge rejected Shaham’s demand for a 3.6 million NIS deposit, instead setting a much lower amount. ISTA expressed determination to see the trial through to hold Shaham accountable for years of "baseless slurs."

Event

Not just about sex: Forced labor and the economics of cultic control, Carol Merchasin

ICSA CONFERENCE 2026

Date: July 1-4, 2026

Hilton Bayfront, San Diego

This presentation explores how forced labor provisions within U.S. human trafficking law can be applied to cultic contexts where unpaid or underpaid work is extracted through coercion, psychological control, and threats of harm. Carol Merchasin examines how legal frameworks such as forced labor statutes and Civil RICO can expose patterns of economic exploitation that often remain hidden behind religious or ideological structures. Attendees will gain insight into emerging legal approaches that may offer new avenues for accountability and justice in cases of coercive control.

Full Abstract

Cults often cause profound harm that does not fit neatly into existing civil or criminal laws because legal systems often fail to recognize the effects of coercion. U.S. human trafficking law, on the other hand, has been increasingly used to address sexual abuse in cultic settings because it recognizes that coercion negates consent to sex. But the application of the trafficking law does not end there.

Forced labor claims are a component of the U.S. human trafficking framework that remains under-recognized in cultic contexts. Forced labor claims can apply to situations in which individuals are pressured to work through psychological control and threats of serious harm (including non-physical harm). These dynamics closely mirror how many cults extract unpaid or underpaid labor, often framed as “selfless service” or spiritual obligation for the benefit of leaders or affiliated entities.

Forced labor claims can also open the door to another powerful U.S. law commonly known as Civil RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act), which allows courts to examine patterns of exploitation across leadership, related entities, and financial structures rather than treating harm as a series of isolated incidents. This “follow the money” lens shifts the focus from belief or doctrine to economic reality, making systemic exploitation legally visible in ways individual claims often cannot.

By focusing on coercion, labor extraction, and economic benefit—rather than beliefs or theology—both forced labor and Civil RICO attach meaningful financial consequences to coercive systems that have long escaped accountability.

Speakers

Carol Merchasin

Of Counsel McAllister Olivarius | President of ICSA Board of Directors

Carol Merchasin is an attorney and human rights advocate whose work focuses on coercive control, religious freedom, human trafficking, and accountability within high-control groups. She has represented survivors of abuse and exploitation in a range of legal contexts and is widely recognized for her efforts to advance legal protections for individuals harmed by coercive systems. Her work explores the intersection of human rights law, trafficking legislation, and cultic studies, with particular attention to how existing legal frameworks can be used to address exploitation, forced labor, and other forms of abuse. A long-time advocate for survivors, she currently serves as President of the ICSA Board of Directors.

Ongoing Focus

Arizona Daily Star: Lawsuits accuse Southern Arizona religious community of covering up sexual abuse, forcing labor

This Arizona Daily Star article, written by columnist Tim Steller, reports on serious allegations against the Global Community Communications Alliance (GCCA), a Southern Arizona religious group.

The group, which consists of about 100 members, operates on a 200-acre property near Tumacacori called the Avalon Organic Gardens and EcoVillage. The scrutiny stems from three recent legal developments: 

Two lawsuits filed by women who grew up in the community and a report by a court-appointed advisor in a child-custody/divorce case.

The core details and allegations outlined in the report include:

• Failure to Report and Victim-Blaming: The court filings and lawsuits allege that when children or members reported instances of sexual abuse, GCCA leadership systematically ignored, minimized, or covered it up. Internal counselors allegedly engaged in victim-blaming, telling victims that the assaults were "karmic consequences" or punishment for being rebellious in a past life.

• High-Control and Exploitative Environment: Lauri Owen, a court-appointed advisor in a member's divorce case, officially characterized the GCCA as a "closed-campus, high-control religious community" with a strict, authoritative hierarchy in which members are forced to work and forbidden to disobey or express conflicting opinions.

• Separation of Families: The lawsuits state that children within the community are placed into communal group housing, cycled through unrelated adult caretakers, and denied consistent access to their own parents. One plaintiff noted she ultimately fled the group under the pretense of a medical visit after learning the group planned to remove her three-year-old daughter from her care.

• The Group's Background: Founded in Sedona in 1989 by Anthony Delevin (who went by "Gabriel of Sedona" and later "Van of Urantia" before dying in 2025) and Nancy Emerson Chase ("Niann"), the group bases its teachings on the Urantia Book alongside spiritual "sequels" the founders claimed to receive from celestial beings.

• The Group's Defense: The GCCA has categorically denied all allegations of abuse, misconduct, and unlawful labor practices, maintaining that they are a voluntary, law-abiding spiritual community. They have filed motions to dismiss the legal actions, arguing that many of the claims fall outside the legal statute of limitations.

• The lawsuits are currently in their early stages, and the group has not yet presented its formal defense in court.
  

Group Profile

Unity Church

The original overview of Unity Church's theological foundations and major criticisms is expanded below, with formal references that map to contemporary religious studies and historical overviews.

1. Core Beliefs

The foundational identity of Unity as a non-creedal, practical expression of Christianity emerging from late 19th-century Transcendentalism remains central to its modern practice (EBSCO, 2019). The five core principles that dictate its metaphysical theology are consistently structured around the absolute goodness of a non-anthropomorphic God and the creative responsibility of human thought.

• God as Omnipresent Energy: God is defined not as a personified judge, but as an immanent spiritual force, universal mind, and infinite intelligence underlying all creation (EBSCO, 2019).

• Inherent Human Divinity: Humanity possesses a "divine spark" or "Christ Consciousness," establishing that our essential nature is divine and inherently good. The traditional doctrine of original sin is entirely rejected (EBSCO, 2019; Lutheran Spokesman, 2019).

• The Law of Mind Action: Through the creative power of thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, individuals actively shape their physical health and life experiences (EBSCO, 2019).

• Affirmative Prayer: Prayer is used to align one's awareness with divine truth through positive affirmations and the release of negative thoughts, rather than petitioning a deity to alter circumstances (EBSCO, 2019).

• Living the Truth: Spiritual principles must be dynamically demonstrated through an individual's words, choices, and active service (EBSCO, 2019).

2. Scriptural and Doctrinal Reinterpretation

• The movement's founders, Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, established a unique metaphysical framework for interpreting traditional Christian elements:

• Jesus Christ: Rather than being viewed as the exclusive deity or sole Savior, Jesus is regarded as a "Master Teacher" and "Way-Shower" who fully realized and manifested the Christ potential latent within all humanity (EBSCO, 2019; Open Christian Education, 2024).

• The Bible: Treated as a primary spiritual resource, the Bible is read allegorically and metaphysically, tracing the psychological and evolutionary journey of the human soul toward spiritual awakening (EBSCO, 2019; Open Christian Education, 2024).

• The Afterlife: Heaven and hell are interpreted strictly as internal states of consciousness experienced on earth. Additionally, historic Unity writings incorporate a belief in reincarnation as a mechanism for the soul to continuously resolve its earthly lessons (Lutheran Spokesman, 2019; Open Christian Education, 2024).

3. Areas of Controversy

Unity’s departures from orthodox religious and medical paradigms have generated documented criticisms from theological, sociological, and medical perspectives.

1. Mainstream Christian Theological Critiques

Traditional, evangelical, and orthodox Christian bodies frequently critique Unity, asserting that its baseline tenets stand in direct opposition to Biblical scripture (Lutheran Spokesman, 2019; Open Christian Education, 2024).

• Diminishing Christ's Unique Role: Critics argue that reducing Jesus to one among many spiritual guides conflicts with standard Christian doctrine regarding his singular divinity, sacrificial death, and physical resurrection (Open Christian Education, 2024).

• The Erasure of Sin and Redemption: By dismissing inherited sin and focusing exclusively on human goodness, mainstream theologians state that Unity entirely undermines the Gospel's core message of repentance and salvation through divine grace (Lutheran Spokesman, 2019; Open Christian Education, 2024).

• A "Self-Centered" Spirituality: Traditional commentators note that affirmative prayer shifts focus from seeking God's sovereign will to asserting personal desires, fostering an individualistic framework that can dilute communal accountability and humility (Open Christian Education, 2024).

2. The Critique of Positive Thinking and Accountability

Because Unity teaches that individuals construct their own realities through mental alignment, critics raise serious sociological and ethical concerns regarding the practical application of the "Law of Mind Action":

• Implied Blame for Suffering: A rigid application of thought-manifestation implies that individuals experiencing systemic poverty, unexpected tragedies, or chronic illness are suffering due to a failure in their own mental state or "negative thinking."

• Overlooking Structural Injustice: Critics argue that a focus on individual mental transformation can distract from addressing collective social responsibilities, systemic inequities, and structural issues that cannot be resolved solely by individual mindset shifts.

3. Spiritual Healing Boundaries

Historically, the movement was heavily anchored in the belief that physical illness could be resolved through spiritual alignment, rooted in Myrtle Fillmore's recovery from tuberculosis (EBSCO, 2019). While early stances generated friction with the medical community, modern Unity leadership clarifies that the church does not reject or resist scientific medical treatment but encourages the use of spiritual healing practices alongside traditional healthcare (EBSCO, 2019).

References

EBSCO. (2019). Unity Church. Research Starters: Religion and Philosophy.

Lutheran Spokesman. (2019). Unity Church. Lutheran Spokesman, 62(3).

Open Christian Education. (2024). Is the Unity Church's teachings aligned with traditional Christian doctrine? Open Christian Education Blog. 

AI Research Disclosure: To bring you the most relevant stories, parts of this newsletter utilize artificial intelligence (AI) tools to search the web, source articles, and assist with content curation. This content is for informational purposes only; we recommend verifying critical facts independently.

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Epileptic cult leaders?

Speaker: Yuval Laor, PhD

ICSA CONFERENCE 2026

Date: July 1-4, 2026

Hilton Bayfront, San Diego 

Session summary:

In this presentation, Yuval Laor proposes that some cult leaders may exhibit a combination of dark triad personality traits and features associated with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), which can contribute to their charismatic and controlling behavior.

Full Abstract

I propose that a subset of cult leaders may exhibit a combination of dark triad personality traits and psychological features associated with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), a non-convulsive form of epilepsy that can produce behavioral and experiential characteristics commonly observed in cult leaders.

Traits common to both contexts include a strong sense of personal destiny, hypermoralism (black-and-white thinking), paranoia, religiosity, philosophic interest, emotionality, anger, aggression, stickiness, obsessionalism, humorlessness, and a tendency for repetition. People with TLE often report frequent awe experiences, and prolonged states of fervor. They may appear unusually intense and driven, speak for many hours at a time, and experience subjective states of “felt understanding” and “felt importance.” Notably, olfactory hallucinations—a well-documented feature of TLE—have been described in historical accounts of several well-known cult leaders.

Together, these experiences may generate a compelling interpersonal effect, in which others feel profoundly known or understood. The accompanying sense of importance makes them feel that they have an exceptionally important message to the world. This can manifest as hypergraphia or compulsive self-documentation. This might explain why, ever since the advent of video recorders, many cult leaders obsessively film themselves – at times even creating incriminating evidence in the process.

In recent years, I have explored my hypothesis through preliminary qualitative observations of former members of small, little-known cults. When presented with a list of TLE-associated traits, all participants independently reported strong overlap with their cult leader’s behavior. If my assertion is correct, cult-awareness education could benefit by including discussion of TLE.

Yuval Laor is an independent researcher located in Boulder Colorado. Yuval has a PhD in culture studies, and has been a regular speaker in ICSA conferences. He is currently finishing a book titled Fervor: What cults teach us about religion and dangers of awe.

https://internationalculticstudies.org/icsa-conference-2026/agenda/

Scaling clinical competence: Lessons from the Collaborative Certification Training Model of the Lalich Center on Cults and Coercion

PANEL: Scaling clinical competence: Lessons from the Collaborative Certification Training Model of the Lalich Center on Cults and Coercion

ICSA CONFERENCE 2026
Date: July 1-4, 2026
Hilton Bayfront, San Diego

Session summary

This panel explores scalable and survivor-informed training approaches designed to help clinicians recognize and respond to cultic abuse and coercive control, using the Lalich Center’s collaborative certification program as a central case example.


Full Abstract

Clinicians across a wide range of settings are increasingly encountering clients whose lives have been affected by cultic abuse, coercive control, and high-demand groups. Yet most therapists receive little or no formal education on these issues during graduate training or early professional practice. Without a foundational understanding of coercive influence, well-intentioned clinicians may unintentionally reinforce shame, overlook critical aspects of a client’s history, or misinterpret post-cult experiences.

For many providers, the goal is not necessarily to become specialists, but to develop enough foundational competence to avoid causing harm when these clients appear in clinical practice.

This panel examines the role that scalable and accessible training can play in preparing generalist clinicians to work more effectively with survivors of coercive environments. The Lalich Center on Cults and Coercion’s Basic Certification Program will serve as a central case example. Developed collaboratively by therapists, researchers, educators, and survivors, the program was intentionally designed as an asynchronous online Continuing Education course to reach an international audience across diverse clinical settings.

Panelists will discuss the development of the curriculum, challenges encountered during the process, and key lessons learned from implementing a survivor-informed training program for clinicians worldwide.

Building on this experience, the panel will explore broader questions facing the field: What core competencies should all therapists possess regarding cultic abuse and coercive control? What are the most effective and sustainable pathways for ensuring that more clinicians develop these essential skills?

The session invites a grounded discussion on how to responsibly and effectively prepare clinicians to meet this growing area of need.

Speakers

Janja Lalich, PhD
Founder & CEO at Lalich Center on Cults and Coercion | Professor Emerita of Sociology at California State University

Janja Lalich is a Professor Emerita of Sociology at California State University, Chico, and a leading authority on cults, coercion, and undue influence. She is the Founder and CEO of the Lalich Center on Cults and Coercion, and the founder and former director of the Center for Research on Influence and Control. For over three decades, Lalich has advanced public and professional understanding of high-control groups through research, writing, and education.

Natalie Fabert, PhD
Arizona State University | Lalich Center on Cults & Coercion

Dr. Natalie Fabert is a teaching professor at Arizona State University, a practicing licensed psychologist, and a member of the Board of Directors at the Lalich Center on Cults and Coercion. In her private practice, Dr. Fabert specializes in complex trauma, recovery from cultic abuse, and religious/spiritual trauma. At ASU, she brings this specialized expertise into the classroom, teaching courses on social psychology, psychopathology, and cult psychology. Driven by a passion for clinical training and advocacy, Dr. Fabert also directs the continuing education program at the Lalich Center on Cults and Coercion, where she focuses on training the next generation of mental health providers to offer competent, compassionate care to self-identified cult survivors.

Melanie Friedman, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Melanie Friedman, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker specializing in PTSD/CPTSD and recovery from coercive control environments. A survivor of the Troubled Teen Industry, she combines clinical expertise with lived experience to support trauma survivors and advocate for improved awareness, prevention, and mental health treatment for those affected by coercive control systems.

Kristina Berger, PsyD
Berger Psychotherapy

Kristina Berger, PsyD, is a dual-licensed psychotherapist specializing in religious trauma, recovery from high-control groups and cultic systems, and neurodiversity-affirming care. Licensed in California, Utah, and Idaho, she is the founder and director of a group practice in San Luis Obispo serving individuals, couples, and families. Her clinical work integrates psychodynamic, feminist, and depth-oriented perspectives to support clients navigating trauma, identity development, relational healing, and recovery from high-control environments.

Nichole Nelson

Nichole is currently enrolled in the Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Nichole is currently enrolled in the Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Rhode Island College where her scholarly pursuits focus on issues of coercive control and working with survivors, including individuals who are hesitant to seek mental health support. Nichole supports the Lalich Center through writing and hosting a psychoeducational book club.

https://internationalculticstudies.org/events/lessons-from-the-collaborative-certification-training-model-of-the-lalich-center-on-cults-and-coercion/

The psychological harms and manipulations of Law of Attraction and manifestation-based groups

ICSA CONFERENCE 2026

Date: July 1-4, 2026
Hilton Bayfront, San Diego

Session summary

This presentation critically examines the psychological and spiritual impacts of Law of Attraction and manifestation-based belief systems. Drawing on lived experience, clinical practice, and psychological theory, Andrew Jasko explores how these frameworks can promote hyper-responsibility, emotional suppression, magical thinking, and victim-blaming while contributing to anxiety, shame, and distorted decision-making. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms through which manifestation-based systems can become psychologically harmful and learn trauma-informed approaches to recovery and rebuilding autonomy.

Full Abstract

The Law of Attraction (LOA), also known as manifestation, functions as a quasi-religious framework within self-help, New Age, and entrepreneur communities. Promoted by bestselling authors, coaches, and speakers as a universal principle for creating wealth, health, and personal transformation, LOA claims that individuals literally attract life outcomes through thoughts, feelings, and intentions. While LOA is widely accepted in spiritual circles and can produce certain subjective benefits, it has received relatively little critical psychological examination despite its cultural prominence.

This presentation examines the psychological and spiritual harms embedded in LOA and related manifestation practices. LOA’s core doctrine—that individuals are fully responsible for everything that happens to them—promotes hyper-responsibility, victim-blaming, and emotional suppression. It encourages adherents to interpret suffering as personal failure, guilt for negative emotions, and fear of attracting misfortune. LOA fosters obsessive cognitive patterns, compulsive thought-monitoring, and a suppression of honest emotional experience, reinforcing avoidance rather than authentic processing of pain. By privileging personal agency over systemic factors, relational context, and multicausality, LOA also contributes to isolation, hyper-individualism, and a reduced capacity for compassion toward suffering in others.

Drawing on lived experience with manifestation and LOA-oriented groups, along with trauma-informed clinical practice and psychological theory, this talk identifies specific mechanisms through which LOA teachings exacerbate anxiety, shame, and psychological distress. It outlines implications for recovery, including reestablishing balanced decision-making, developing a healthy relationship with intuition, gaining a realistic understanding of the roles of thought, behavior, and circumstance in life outcomes, and restoring autonomy after long-term cognitive and spiritual manipulation.

Speaker
Andrew Jasko, MPhil, MA, MDiv, AMFT
Founder and Psychotherapist | Life After Dogma

Andrew Jasko is a psychotherapist, comparative religion scholar, and founder of Life After Dogma. Raised in a high-control Pentecostal environment as the son of a minister, he trained for ministry, served as a missionary in India, and later underwent a profound deconversion and recovery from religious trauma. He holds degrees from the University of Oxford, Princeton Theological Seminary, and Golden Gate University. Andrew specializes in religious trauma, cult recovery, and high-control groups, integrating approaches such as Internal Family Systems (IFS), EMDR, mindfulness, and depth therapy. Through Life After Dogma, he provides education and therapeutic support for individuals recovering from coercive belief systems and rebuilding identity, agency, and psychological wellbeing.

https://internationalculticstudies.org/events/the-psychological-harms-and-manipulations-of-law-of-attraction-and-manifestation-based-groups/

ICSA CONFERENCE 2026 Workshop: Reflecting is creating: Using the expressive arts to share and connect

ICSA CONFERENCE 2026 Workshop: Reflecting is creating: Using the expressive arts to share and connect 

Date: July 1, 2026

Hilton Bayfront, San Diego 

Session summary

A creative workshop focused on reclaiming personal identity and subjectivity through expressive arts, specifically for those whose voices were silenced by coercive control.

Full Abstract

A hallmark of coercive control is the erasure of personal subjectivity and the inability to witness diverse responses to deep questions of identity as they are reflected in one’s own life path. Expressive arts therapy uses multiple art forms including movement, creative writing, drawing, painting and journaling to help people think individually about their life path. Expressive arts engages the brain’s ability to change throughout life, growth that builds individual resilience and identity by creating new neural pathways. Using the symbol of a branch of a tree, which the participants will draw, they will reflect upon areas of their life that need to grow as well as branches or pathways that need to be trimmed. Participants will be asked how the drawing helps them recognize positive growth and consider what stops it. The workshop has three aims: First, to remind participants that everyone is an artist, an identity they can recover through remembering when they were 4 or 5 years old and could draw, paint, skip, run, and sing, and play act imaginative scenes. A second aim of the workshop is to strengthen participants’ subjective sense of self through the use of I statements in personal responses to the exercises. A third aim is to create a circle of shared meaning among the participants through listening to the diverse subjective responses of others. The emphasis on individual subjectivity enriched through expressive arts, and diversity enriched through active listening to others, challenges pressures to conform and disrupts coercive control.

Speakers

Christy-Ann Brown

Doctoral Candidate at Meridian University

Doctoral candidate in psychology specializing in expressive arts. With a demonstrated history of working With clients. Skilled in Event Management, Editing, Public Speaking, Fundraising, and Leadership. Strong professional graduated from University of Washington.

#arttherapy

https://internationalculticstudies.org/icsa-conference-2026/agenda/

WORKSHOP: Former members workshop

ICSA CONFERENCE 2026

Date: July 1, 2026

Hilton Bayfront, San Diego 

Session summary

This peer-led workshop offers former members of cultic and high-control groups a supportive space to connect, share experiences, and learn from one another. Facilitated by individuals with lived experience, the session explores common challenges of life after group involvement, including identity, relationships, recovery, and resilience. Participants will gain insight, practical perspectives, and a sense of community through open discussion and shared understanding.

Full Abstract

This workshop is designed exclusively for former members of cultic and high-control groups, including both first-generation adults who joined such groups and second- or multi-generation adults who were born or raised within them. The workshop provides a confidential, peer-led space where participants can connect with others who share similar experiences, exchange insights, and learn from one another in an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding.

Facilitated by former members with lived experience of cultic involvement, the workshop is not intended as group therapy and does not employ a therapeutic model. Rather, it offers an opportunity for participants to engage in open discussion about the challenges and opportunities of life after a high-control environment. Topics may include identity reconstruction, relationships, family dynamics, recovery, resilience, and navigating the broader world after group involvement.

Through guided conversation and peer support, participants will have the opportunity to share perspectives, build connections, and explore common themes that emerge across diverse cultic experiences. The workshop aims to foster community, reduce isolation, and create a space where former members can learn from the collective wisdom and experiences of others who understand the unique challenges of life beyond a high-control group.

Speakers

Adam Arnold, MA, LMFT, LADC

Licensed Psychotherapist, Trainer, and Consultant | ICSA Board Member

Adam Arnold is a licensed psychotherapist, trainer, and consultant living and working in St. Paul, Minnesota. He has special interest in working with persons who have been wounded by systems of control, including survivors (ages five and up) of religious, spiritual, medical, and therapeutic abuse. Central to his clinical work is gaining consent for psychotherapy from all of his clients—ensuring that they are driving their goals for treatment—regardless of their age. A current Board Member at ICSA, Adam also serves as Vice Chair of the Minnesota Board of Marriage and Family Therapy. In his personal time, Adam spends time watching scary movies, singing musical theater, and strengthening his broken spine.

Melea Peloquin, LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Trauma Therapist

Melea Peloquin, LCSW, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker specializing in trauma-informed care, identity development, and supporting individuals navigating life transitions and recovery from high-control environments. Raised as a Jehovah’s Witness and coming from a sixth-generation family within the faith, Melea brings both lived experience and professional expertise to her work with former members of high-control groups.

Drawing on her personal journey, clinical training, and therapeutic practice, she has developed a deep understanding of the unique challenges and healing processes experienced by former Jehovah’s Witnesses. Melea is passionate about increasing awareness, compassion, and understanding among professionals working with this population while helping individuals reconnect with themselves, their values, and their lives after leaving high-control systems. She considers it a privilege to share insights gained through both personal and professional experience and is honored to contribute to the work of the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA).

https://internationalculticstudies.org/events/former-members-workshop/

https://internationalculticstudies.org/icsa-conference-2026/agenda/

Not just about sex: Forced labor and the economics of cultic control, Carol Merchasin

Not just about sex: Forced labor and the economics of cultic control, Carol Merchasin

ICSA CONFERENCE 2026

Date: July 1-4, 2026

Hilton Bayfront, San Diego

This presentation explores how forced labor provisions within U.S. human trafficking law can be applied to cultic contexts where unpaid or underpaid work is extracted through coercion, psychological control, and threats of harm. Carol Merchasin examines how legal frameworks such as forced labor statutes and Civil RICO can expose patterns of economic exploitation that often remain hidden behind religious or ideological structures. Attendees will gain insight into emerging legal approaches that may offer new avenues for accountability and justice in cases of coercive control.

Full Abstract

Cults often cause profound harm that does not fit neatly into existing civil or criminal laws because legal systems often fail to recognize the effects of coercion. U.S. human trafficking law, on the other hand, has been increasingly used to address sexual abuse in cultic settings because it recognizes that coercion negates consent to sex. But the application of trafficking law does not end there.

Forced labor claims are a component of the U.S. human trafficking framework that remain under-recognized in cultic contexts. Forced labor claims can apply to situations in which individuals are pressured to work through psychological control and threats of serious harm (including non-physical harm). These dynamics closely mirror how many cults extract unpaid or underpaid labor, often framed as “selfless service” or spiritual obligation for the benefit of leaders or affiliated entities.

Forced labor claims can also open the door to another powerful U.S. law commonly known as Civil RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act), which allows courts to examine patterns of exploitation across leadership, related entities, and financial structures rather than treating harm as a series of isolated incidents. This “follow the money” lens shifts the focus from belief or doctrine to economic reality, making systemic exploitation legally visible in ways individual claims often cannot.

By focusing on coercion, labor extraction, and economic benefit—rather than beliefs or theology—both forced labor and Civil RICO attach meaningful financial consequences to coercive systems that have long escaped accountability.

Speakers

Carol Merchasin

Of Counsel McAllister Olivarius | President of ICSA Board of Directors

Carol Merchasin is an attorney and human rights advocate whose work focuses on coercive control, religious freedom, human trafficking, and accountability within high-control groups. She has represented survivors of abuse and exploitation in a range of legal contexts and is widely recognized for her efforts to advance legal protections for individuals harmed by coercive systems. Her work explores the intersection of human rights law, trafficking legislation, and cultic studies, with particular attention to how existing legal frameworks can be used to address exploitation, forced labor, and other forms of abuse. A long-time advocate for survivors, she currently serves as President of the ICSA Board of Directors.

https://internationalculticstudies.org/icsa-conference-2026/agenda/

Traumatic Narcissism: Thirty years of research and practical information for survivor recovery

ICSA International Conference 2026: Traumatic Narcissism: Thirty years of research and practical information for survivor recovery

Date: Thu, 2 Jul

Time: 10:40 – 12:10, PDT

Location: Hilton Bayfront, San Diego

Drawing on three decades of clinical practice and scholarship, Daniel Shaw presents an overview of traumatic narcissism theory and its application to understanding cult leaders and coercive relationships. Exploring the dynamics of seduction, domination, and subjugation trauma, the session examines how narcissistic control operates within high-demand groups and the lasting impact on followers. Attendees will gain practical insights into recovery, healing, and therapeutic approaches that support survivors of coercive control and undue influence.

Full Abstract

Beginning in 1996 with the essay “Traumatic Abuse in Cults: A Psychoanalytic Perspective,” up to the release in 2026 of his latest book, Traumatic Narcissism Theory: A Contemporary Introduction, Daniel Shaw has studied the psychology of the cult leader and the specific ways that they seduce and then subjugate followers. As a practicing trauma-informed psychotherapist, Shaw uses his understanding of the psychology and the behavior of the “traumatizing narcissist” as tools for the therapeutic healing and recovery of victims of “subjugation trauma.” This presentation, which is geared toward cult survivors as well as cult educators and cult-informed mental health professionals, summarizes Shaw's work of the last thirty years, providing accessible, practical information and tools in support of all those concerned with healing from coercive control and undue influence.

Daniel Shaw LCSW

Trauma-Informed Psychotherapist

Daniel Shaw is a trauma-informed psychotherapist, author, and educator whose work focuses on cult dynamics, coercive control, and recovery from psychological abuse. Since publishing Traumatic Abuse in Cults: A Psychoanalytic Perspective in 1996, he has examined the ways narcissistic leaders establish and maintain domination over followers. Drawing on decades of clinical experience, Shaw developed the concepts of traumatic narcissism and subjugation trauma to better understand the impact of coercive relationships and high-control environments. His work has contributed significantly to the fields of cultic studies, trauma recovery, and psychotherapy. His latest book, Traumatic Narcissism Theory: A Contemporary Introduction (2026), brings together decades of research and clinical insight into an accessible framework for understanding coercive influence and healing.

https://internationalculticstudies.org/events/the-traumatic-narcissism-theory/