Cults, Culture & Coercion with Dr. Steve Hassan

Malcolm Nance was a career counterterrorism and intelligence officer for the U.S. government’s Special Operations, Homeland Security, and Intelligence agencies. He has over 33 years of experience combating radical extremism. While researching Al-Qaeda, Nance referenced my BITE Model in his book, Defeating ISIS. He (accurately) labels ISIS a terrorist “cult.” His latest book is They Want to Kill Americans: The Militias, Terrorists, and Deranged Ideology of the Trump Insurgency. Nance is a frequent media contributor and counterterrorism analyst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Molly Brown Koch has been leading parenting workshops for over 60 years. She is the author of the award-winning book, “27 Secrets to Raising Amazing Children.” When I was about to become a parent, I read this book and have been relying on its wisdom for many years. At 94 years young, Koch has been a respected voice on ethical parenting for decades. In this conversation, she highlights her main ideas about parenting and shares interesting stories from her past. I have been recommending this book to second-generation former cult members in my work. I do this because when they read it, they realize what healthy parenting should have been and it helps them for their future with their children.Learn more about Dr. Steven Hassan's work and find more resources at his website FreedomOfMind.com.Follow Dr. Hassan on Twitter here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jon Atack is generally acknowledged as the world's leading authority on the cult of Scientology. He spent nine years in the cult, training as an 'auditor' and becoming 'OT V.’ He’s the author of the definitive biography of Ron Hubbard, “Let’s Sell These People a Piece of Blue Sky.” His new book "Opening Minds," is a must-read that helps explain undue influence and in particular, how to protect yourself from predators.Learn more about Dr. Steven Hassan's work and find more resources at his website FreedomOfMind.com.Follow Dr. Hassan on Twitter here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Bandy Lee is a forensic psychiatrist and a renowned expert on violence. Dr. Lee taught at Yale and Yale Law School from 2003-2020 and became known to the public by leading a group of mental health experts in breaking the silence about the dangerous mental impairments of Donald Trump. She edited the book “The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump,” with 37 experts weighing in on their concerns about Trump. She’s been heavily censored in the media due to the American Psychiatric Association citing “The Goldwater Rule”, but they are a private institution and have power only over their members. Dr. Lee is not a member. Nevertheless, Dr. Lee believes that all medical professionals have a “duty to warn.” In this fascinating conversation, we talk about a wide range of topics. She too believes that trained mental health professionals are a valued resource in the media and are not called on to help the public enough.Learn more about Dr. Steven Hassan's work and find more resources at his website FreedomOfMind.com.Follow Dr. Hassan on Twitter here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Dehlin is a 6th generation member of the Church of Latter-Day Saints (LDS). He is an American psychologist, podcast host, and excommunicated member of the Mormon church. He was excommunicated by the church for speaking out in support of gay rights. Dehlin is the host of the popular “Mormon Stories” podcast, a podcast he created in 2005.Learn more about Dr. Steven Hassan's work and find more resources at his website FreedomOfMind.com.Follow Dr. Hassan on Twitter here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Steve shares a paradigm shift taking place in mind-body medicine. He talks with pediatrician and Research Professor and Director of the Center for Applied Psychophysiology and Self-regulation (CAPS) at the Rochester Institute of Technology, Laurence Sugarman M.D. Sugarman talks about a new conceptualization of mind-body healing and hypnotic approaches one can use to improve their own life or the life of others. He proposes a new model of healthcare that differs greatly from our disease-based system.Learn more about Dr. Steven Hassan's work and find more resources at his website FreedomOfMind.com.Follow Dr. Hassan on Twitter here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dave Troy is a disinformation researcher, tech-entrepreneur, TEDxMidAtlantic curator, and data visualization expert. In this episode, he takes us on a journey through American history-starting in the Great Depression and spanning all the way to today. We learn how extremist groups like the John Birch Society have pushed for very specific monetary policy in America and how this intersects with oil company money and the current cryptocurrency movement.Learn more about Dr. Steven Hassan's work and find more resources at his website FreedomOfMind.com.Follow Dr. Hassan on Twitter here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, Dr. Hassan interviews Dr. Robert Jay Lifton, author of the seminal 1961 book, “Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism” about Chinese brainwashing programs under Mao. Dr. Lifton, now 95 years old, mentored Hassan starting in 1976 and it was his 8 criteria of thought reform or mind control that was the foundation for all subsequent work.Learn more about Dr. Steven Hassan's work and find more resources at his website FreedomOfMind.com.Follow Dr. Hassan on Twitter here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Dr. Steven Hassan will introduce himself and will bring you up to speed on what brought him to study, write, and help people out of destructive mind-control cults for the last 45 years. While there are many podcasts by former members, Hassan is unique as a cult survivor, and mental health expert, with 45 years of field experience. He’ll preview what the podcast will be about and guests he will interview.Learn more about Dr. Steven Hassan's work and find more resources at his website FreedomOfMind.com.Follow Dr. Hassan on Twitter here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Influence Continuum with Dr. Steven Hassan begins Monday, January 10, 2022. New episodes weekly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices