hypnosis

Forensic Psychologist and Cult Expert Dr. Steve Eichel on Hypnosis, Social Contagion, and Disinformation 

There are few people in the field of forensic psychology with the training, background, and experience of Dr. Steve Eichel. In 1975, almost a year before I was deprogrammed from the Moonies, he decided to do his dissertation research on my former cult. He has had a long distinguished career, serving as the President of the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA), and remains an active member of their Board of Directors. He has been published extensively in the field and, as discussed in the interview, served as an expert witness on undue influence in many cases. I asked him about his experience working for the defense in the case of DC sniper Lee Boyd Malvo. Steve joined the podcast to discuss these experiences and his expertise in therapeutic hypnosis. He was one of the experts I interviewed in researching my last book. As many people know, I desire to see the law updated in the area of evaluating undue influence in its many forms, which caused me to do my doctoral dissertation on this subject.

Forensic Psychologist and Cult Expert Dr. Steve Eichel on Hypnosis, Social Contagion, and Disinformation  Read More

What is Hypnosis? Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)?  Scientology and more!

In the past months, I have been working on two chapters on “The Dark Side of Hypnosis” for a forthcoming International Handbook of Clinical Hypnosis. I asked law professor emeritus Alan Scheflin to work with me as well as Jon Atack. Scheflin focused on one chapter on the U.S. government mind control program MKUltra and George Estabrooks. I focused on authoritarian cult leaders like Ron Hubbard of Scientology infamy and others. For anyone interested in Scientology or the topic of cults, I recommend Atack’s paper Never Believe a Hypnotist. It is of interest that Hubbard used those very words. Hubbard was a hypnotist. 

What is Hypnosis? Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)?  Scientology and more! Read More

A Paradigm Shift for Health: A Biopsychosocial Model of Hypnosis

In my work, I spend a lot of time talking about how authoritarian cults use undue influence and mind control. But just as it is important to work to understand the unethical tactics that these cults use to influence others, it is important to learn about how one can use influence ethically and positively for the benefit of others. On the most recent episode of my podcast, The Influence Continuum…

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The Therapeutic Use of Hypnosis to Improve Health and Recover From Trauma with Laurence Sugarman M.D.

The COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impact has upended everyone’s lives. In addition, people are forced to be online for long periods of time and we are all subjected to disinformation, propaganda, and assaults on what is normal and decent. Anxiety, stress, illness and death affect everyone directly.  Consequently, our mental health impacts our immune systems. Not everyone has strong interpersonal relationships to help them cope. Many people are experiencing terrible strain and suffering due to a loved one being recruited into a group which has fundamentally changed their personalities.

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Announcing My New Book with Simon and Schuster Entitled The Cult of Trump

Many of you are aware that I have been writing a large number of blogs concerning the current President of the United States, Donald Trump. I have been working tremendously hard on an extremely short deadline to produce a book that connects the dots with my involvement with the Moon cult since 1974 and my fasting on the Capitol stairs for President Richard Nixon because “God wants Nixon to be President” despite Watergate and calls for impeachment. Sun Myung Moon was brought to meet Nixon right after the Family’s National Prayer Breakfast in 1974. Jeffrey Sharlet wrote about this group in two books, The Family and C Street. Recently, Netflix put online a docuseries on the Family which is a must see. My book goes into much, much more than this one group.

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Light the Way to Freedom to End Human Trafficking: 2019 Summit in Austin, Texas

On June 25 – June 27, 2019, I had the honor of attending an amazing gathering of over 800 case investigators, law enforcement, judges, and therapists convened by the Governor and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. This was an invitation-only event, closed to the public. Trafficking experts presented and offered training workshops. Survivor advocate experts were among the most knowledgeable, effectively educating any involved with helping those in need.

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Right-Wing Extremist Terrorists Target Humanists Who Teach Critical Thinking

This week’s blog features an interview with my friend Narendra Nayak who is the President of the Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations (FIRA). His organization consists of eighty constituent groups who together seek to promote scientific thinking. For example, members have been a force to teach Indians about magic tricks used by cult gurus like Sai Baba to induce them to believe he had God-like powers. Decades ago, Premanand, the original founder of the Indian Skeptic organization, introduced me to Narendra Nayak.

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Hypnosis, Guided Meditation, Deep Visualizations–Consumers Beware!

This past weekend I joined with 24 other mental health professionals to participate in an advanced workshop, “Honing Your Hypnotic Voice: Delivering Strategic Interventions for Mind/ Body Healing,” given by Carol Ginandes, PhD, ABPP sponsored by the New England Society of Clinical Hypnosis, which is my local affiliate of the national organization called the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis. This organization is an affiliate of the International Society for Hypnosis. I have both been a member and presented for all three of these fine organizations. Dr. Gianandes is affiliated with Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital specializing in Mind/Body healing. This includes sleep, lowering anxiety, fear, pain control, speeding healing during medical procedures (minimizing blood loss, minimizing inflammation, speeding bone fracture healing). The opioid crisis in my strong opinion could be largely solved by mental health professionals trained in clinical hypnosis teaching people how to do pain control for themselves.

Hypnosis, Guided Meditation, Deep Visualizations–Consumers Beware! Read More