All posts tagged: strategic interactive approach

NECSI COVID COMMUNITY ACTION SUMMIT: A Cult Expert’s Advice on Dealing with Anti-Vaxxers and General Vaccine Hesitancy

The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc worldwide, resulting in more than two million deaths, seriously weakening or destroying economic and social systems, resulting in a tremendous increase in mental health problems. A frantic search for effective vaccines has consumed the scientific community since it was first identified. Vaccines have now been developed at record speed.

Steven Hassan, February 9, 2021

The Ninth International Conference on Complex Systems 2018 Sponsored by NECSI

July 26, 2018, This past Sunday, July 22, 2018, I was honored to be the opening plenary speaker at the 9th International Conference on Complex Systems (ICCS) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. My talk was entitled, A Complex Systems Approach to Countering Mind Control, Trafficking and, Terrorism. It was well-received, the questions were many, and the feedback

Steven Hassan, July 26, 2018

Freedom of Mind: Index of Blogs

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, child abuse, human trafficking, terrorism, undue influence, multi-level marketing, and healing and recovery.  Whether you are new to Freedom of

Steven Hassan, July 19, 2018
Hands holding hope

Errant Belief #10: “We Have Lost Hope”

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 can be done. If family members and friends no longer believe that the person will reestablish contact (if they have

Steven Hassan, June 21, 2018

Errant Belief #9: “She’ll Walk out on Her Own When She Is Ready”

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, depending on the length of his involvement, the “exit cost” is usually very high to walk out of a high

Steven Hassan, May 31, 2018
Freedom of Mind Resource Center Logo

The Freedom of Mind Approach to Recovery and Healing from Destructive Cults

The Freedom of Mind approach to recovery and healing from destructive cults is customizable and designed to meet the needs of most any person who has been influenced by a cult. People who were born or raised in a cult have spent their early developmental years under cult control. Other people may have entered into

Steven Hassan, May 17, 2018
silhouette with active brain

Errant Belief #6: “He’s Too Intelligent to Join a Cult”

Intelligent People Fall Prey to Cults Creativity & Imagination Can Be Used to Control a Person Cult mind control groups thrive to the extent that they can recruit such intelligent, dynamic people. It is essential for all members of the Team (part of the SIA) to realize that cults target these people for recruitment. The

Steven Hassan, April 19, 2018
UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Charles Duhigg’s New York Times Podcast: “Change Agent”

The “Change Agent” podcast is a five-episode series by The New York Times. It is hosted by Charles Duhigg, a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and author of “The Power of Habit” and “Smarter Faster Better.” It uses real-life problems to try and solve a surprising story. (When we worked on the podcast last year, Duhigg was

Steven Hassan, March 8, 2018

Errant Belief #4: “He’s an Adult. We Have No Right to Interfere.”

Undue Influence Undermines Autonomy It is completely understandable that people might resist any request to help a person who has been unduly influenced. The person might say, “Why should I? They are an adult. I don’t think it is right to interfere with their decision.” If the person isn’t asking for help, why get involved?

Steven Hassan, March 1, 2018