This is my first peer-reviewed academic journal article. It’s genesis began when I gave a talk entitled, The “anatomy of undue influence used by terrorist cults and traffickers to induce helplessness and trauma, so creating […]
The Anatomy of Undue Influence: Scientific Study and Elsevier Journal Article Read More
On February 27, 2019, Dr. Bandy Lee and Dr. James Gilligan spoke at The Program in Psychiatry and the Law (the Harvard forensic think tank). The talk was entitled, “Do we surrender our moral compass to technical rule?” They
Dr. Bandy Lee and Dr. James Gilligan: Do We Surrender Our Moral Compass to Technical Rule? Read More
This week, I have the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Stein, a cult survivor and renowned expert on cults and totalitarianism. Alexandra Stein, Ph.D. is a writer and educator specializing in the social psychology of ideological
BITE Model Since my deprogramming from the Moon cult in 1976, I have come to learn of countless thousands of groups that I have never heard of before. Are they cults? Do they use mind
What is a Cult? Whiteboard Animation Explaining the BITE Model Read More
November 18th, 1978 will be a day I will never forget. I was glued to the television as images came over the screen about a horrible mass suicide. I had never heard of the People’s Temple before but I was about to learn. Ultimately, it changed the course of my life as it summoned me to be involved in a much higher level of activity than ever before. This November marks the 40th anniversary of the Jonestown massacre where over 900 people were killed and the 10th anniversary of the publication of my first book, Combatting Cult Mind Control (two “t”s, unlike the current edition which has one “t” in Combating).
Jonestown and the Mind Control Cult of Jim Jones: A Survivor’s Story Read More
August 2, 2018: This past June, I did an online survey on influence to conduct, analyze and publish research on undue influence. Scientific data is required to help establish specific evaluation criteria to update legal and social
The BITE Model and Jehovah’s Witnesses Read More
June 19, 2018 I try to blog every week with updates about my work, research, current events, high control groups, coercive control, media and other topics. I have written pieces on U.S. politics, world news,
Freedom of Mind: Index of Blogs Read More
Download Influence Continuum June 28, 2018 This Influence Continuum graphic describes my model for evaluating influence–from the healthy to the unhealthy. My BITE model offers a list of concerning practices that represent unhealthy mind control:
A Response to Academics Who Say There Is No Undue Influence in Destructive Cults Read More
June 14, 2018 Dr. John Dehlin & Mormon Stories Podcast STEVEN HASSAN – WHAT THE MORMON CHURCH CAN LEARN FROM CULTS TO DO/BE BETTER Mormon Stories Podcast 938-939 About a month ago, we received an
The BITE Model & Mormonism: An Exploration with Ex-Mormon John Dehlin Read More
Have a Positive Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Not a Negative One In my opinion, giving up hope is a dysfunctional coping mechanism to deal with the pain. Unfortunately, it suggests incorrectly that there is nothing constructive that
Errant Belief #10: “We Have Lost Hope” Read More
Is She Really Free to Leave? This attitude presumes that the cult member has the freedom of mind, finances, and the resources to just “leave.” The bars are invisible but very real. In my experience,
Errant Belief #9: “She’ll Walk out on Her Own When She Is Ready” Read More
Are They Better Off Being Left in the Group? Sometimes family, friends, and even mental health professionals may think that a person is better off in the cult. This way, the family, and friends may
Errant Belief #8: “She’s Better Off Where She Is” Read More
