Steven Hassan

Steven Hassan, PhD, MA, MEd, LMHC, NCC has helped thousands of individuals and families recover from undue influence (mind control). With over 45 years of experience, he is sought after as one of the foremost authorities on undue influence and controlling groups and individuals. Steve understands the subject from a unique perspective as both a former cult member and as a clinical professional.

Steven is the Founding Director of the Freedom of Mind Resource Center, a coaching, consulting, and training organization dedicated to supporting individuals to have the freedom to think clearly and to freely consider how they want to live their lives.  Steven pioneered a breakthrough method called the Strategic Interactive Approach (SIA), an effective and legal alternative for families to help cult members.  The SIA teaches family and friends how to strategically influence the individual involved in the cult.

Contact Freedom of Mind to schedule a consultation or to learn about offered services.

Learn about how the Strategic Interactive Approach can help rescue your friend or loved one out from under predatory influence.

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AI, Technology & Mind Control Topics in Natural Wellness and Spiritual Communities: with Dr. Melanie Trowbridge  

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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. 

AI, Technology & Mind Control Topics in Natural Wellness and Spiritual Communities: with Dr. Melanie Trowbridge   Read More

Revitalizing Non-partisan Civics Education with iCivics.org Chief Louise Dubé 

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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.  

Revitalizing Non-partisan Civics Education with iCivics.org Chief Louise Dubé  Read More

When Religion Hurts You: Healing from Religious Trauma and the Impact of High Control Religion with Dr. Laura E. Anderson 

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Laura E. Anderson, PhD, specializes in complex trauma, with a particular focus on domestic violence, sexualized violence, and religious trauma. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist with a Ph.D. in Mind Body Medicine from Saybrook University. Her new book is When Religion Hurts You: Healing from Religious Trauma and the Impact of High Control Religion. She founded and directed the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery, an online coaching company.  

When Religion Hurts You: Healing from Religious Trauma and the Impact of High Control Religion with Dr. Laura E. Anderson  Read More

Breaking the Silence: Alva Johnson’s Journey as a Director in the 2016 Trump Campaign

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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.  

Alva Johnson, a former large-scale event producer, found herself thrust into the midst of a presidential campaign after taking on what she thought was a short gig to assist with coordinating one rally. The massive success of that one rally eventually led to Alva becoming deeply involved in the Trump Campaign in 2015 and 2016.

Breaking the Silence: Alva Johnson’s Journey as a Director in the 2016 Trump Campaign Read More

The Convergence of Cult Experience and Military Indoctrination with Former Army Captain Daniella Mestyanek Young 

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I was honored to have an enlightening discussion with Daniella Mestyanek Young shortly after the release of her acclaimed memoir Uncultured in 2022. In this conversation a year later, we delved into the intricacies of her early departure from the Children of God (COG) religious sex cult, her military journey as a former Army Captain in the Intelligence Corps, and the unsettling convergence of undue influence. Since our last exchange, Daniella earned her Master’s in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from the Harvard Extension School. 

The Convergence of Cult Experience and Military Indoctrination with Former Army Captain Daniella Mestyanek Young  Read More

Utilizing Integrative Psychology and Psychedelic Therapy with Australian Psychologist Nigel Denning  

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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. I wanted to ask my colleague Nigel Denning to share his decades of experience. 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. Nigel and I are planning for me to travel to Melbourne in early 2025 to offer training together, which we plan to record and put together as an online course. 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.  

Utilizing Integrative Psychology and Psychedelic Therapy with Australian Psychologist Nigel Denning   Read More

Unveiling the La Luz del Mundo Cult: Sochil Martin’s Story of Resilience, Whistleblowing and Activism 

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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 worldwide. 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. Five women, including three minors, called the “five Jane Does,” came forward with allegations of sexual assault and trafficking. The leader, Naasón Joaquín García, is currently in state prison and has recently been indicted by the federal government for child pornography. Despite her efforts, Sochil’s family remains in the institution, cutting off all communication with her. 

Unveiling the La Luz del Mundo Cult: Sochil Martin’s Story of Resilience, Whistleblowing and Activism  Read More

The Transformative Power of Wonder with Monica C. Parker 

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While fascinated by human behavior and advocating for mental freedom, I’ve encountered many concepts, but few have struck me as profoundly as the notion of wonder. This was vividly brought to light in my discussion with Monica C. Parker, the author of The Power of Wonder: The Extraordinary Emotion That Will Change the Way You Live Learn and Lead and founder of HATCH consultancy. Monica is a celebrated speaker and expert on future work trends. She has a diverse background, including roles as an opera singer, museum designer, policy director, and defender of death row inmates. 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. 

The Transformative Power of Wonder with Monica C. Parker  Read More

STRONGMEN: Mussolini to the Present- The Rising Tide of Online Authoritarian Influence with Ruth Ben-Ghiat 

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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. 

STRONGMEN: Mussolini to the Present- The Rising Tide of Online Authoritarian Influence with Ruth Ben-Ghiat  Read More

Breaking the Chains: The Role of Mind Control in Human Trafficking with Rebecca Bender 

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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. 

Breaking the Chains: The Role of Mind Control in Human Trafficking with Rebecca Bender  Read More

Kochland: The Secret History of Koch Industries and Corporate Power in America with Christopher Leonard 

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Christopher Leonard, author of the book Kochland: The Secret History of Koch Industries and Corporate Power in America is a respected business reporter whose book I read when it first came out in 2019. I am so pleased that he consented to an interview. Koch Industries piqued Christopher’s interest as a business reporter when he learned that it is the second largest privately owned company in America, with operations in industries spanning from blue-collar manufacturing jobs to oil refineries and energy. Because of that, they have one of the largest corporate lobbying entities in America. He also sees this as a critical subject matter because they play a significant role in limiting government regulation in the private market, especially concerning fossil fuels CO2 emissions that cause global warming. 

Kochland: The Secret History of Koch Industries and Corporate Power in America with Christopher Leonard  Read More