We've come to start to think about it as an attack on the supply chain of information. SHAPIRO: Of course, that's false. The QAnon cult: What it is, how it works, and how to help deprogram your loved ones. Indeed, anyone can be psychologically manipulated, Benscoter says. var addy_textb2de03711ae6bd99ac1a0f1add652edf = 'rbbernstein' + '@' + 'socal' + '.' + 'rr' + '.' + 'com';document.getElementById('cloakb2de03711ae6bd99ac1a0f1add652edf').innerHTML += '
'+addy_textb2de03711ae6bd99ac1a0f1add652edf+'<\/a>'; MICHELLE QUEEN: No way. UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: A controversial election bill clears another hurdle at the state capitol. 11. var addy_textc86dd6e18b3f6b7519f1d77b8ebc194c = 'ingozen' + '@' + 'gmail' + '.' + 'com';document.getElementById('cloakc86dd6e18b3f6b7519f1d77b8ebc194c').innerHTML += ''+addy_textc86dd6e18b3f6b7519f1d77b8ebc194c+'<\/a>'; The Odenwald Residence A temporary home for people who have been affected in some way, as a result of belonging to a cult or controlling group. In New York, there is the Cult Hotline and Clinic at the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services, reached at 212-632-4640 . addyde94da22e197db1d535fa5dc06c0facf = addyde94da22e197db1d535fa5dc06c0facf + 'goldhammer' + '.' + 'com'; LEONARD MOTY: There's no constructive criticism. DIANE BENSCOTER: I've probably got almost a hundred requests in my inbox. Subscribe 33K views 1 year ago KONCRETE Podcast S1 E123 Rick Alan Ross is a cult deprogrammer who has been helping people escape cults since 1982. And it just SMITH: And Queen listens quietly as Benscoter continues explaining how the indoctrination tactics worked on her. We're sick of it. var addy_text5fb41fcd031f23f99e1fe74c1f0c8e03 = 'freemindsuk' + '@' + 'gmail' + '.' + 'com';document.getElementById('cloak5fb41fcd031f23f99e1fe74c1f0c8e03').innerHTML += ''+addy_text5fb41fcd031f23f99e1fe74c1f0c8e03+'<\/a>'; The ICSA website also has much valuable information there. var addyd477c46acce837837ff43023e001dfd2 = 'crussell' + '@'; Specializes in recovery from cults, trauma, and abuse. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Families Against Cult Teachings and Abuses Education & Awareness | Victim Support | Cult Group Investigation For further consultation and assistance, we recommend contactingJanette Allen at www.CultConsultant.org. QAnon, for example, is known for dropping "bread crumbs," or little clues that followers piece together to draw their own conclusions. Eventually, thanks to a patient friend who stuck by him and indulged his questions, Gilley says he came to understand how he had "allowed himself" to go from a left-leaning supporter of former President Barack Obama to a guy who had fallen all the way down a far-right rabbit hole. addy1d5d405a44b140051bf1a553979856bb = addy1d5d405a44b140051bf1a553979856bb + 'faxtone' + '.' + 'com'; Deprogramming refers to an intervention process that reverses alleged brainwashing. Bipartisan Lawmakers Introduce House Resolution Condemning QAnon 'Cult', Nearly A Third Of Americans Believe Covid-19 Death Toll Conspiracy Theory, Trump Refuses To Denounce QAnon After Conspiracy Theory Is Described To Him. "It's like a free-for-all," says Joan Donovan, who heads up the study of online disinformation at the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University's Kennedy School. And those who try to use them will be less successful using them because they're easily spotted now. var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; document.getElementById('cloakf4219bca9ede32acb3a79607cd4c413f').innerHTML = ''; "I think it's really important to try to help people inoculate, to try to create herd immunity to psychological manipulation," Benscoter says, "and to hit that tipping point in society where more people understand how these tactics work, and those who try to use them will be less successful because those using them are easily spotted now. It's also taxing a bevy of "deprogrammers" who are trying to help. The QAnon conspiracy theory has exploded in popularity this year, but its just one of a depressingly wide array of crackpot beliefs that certain Americans adhere to, including that vaccines implant microchips in people or that Covid-19 is a hoax. Heres how cult deprogrammer and mind control expert Steve Hassan says you can talk to friends and loved ones who believe conspiracy theories: Hassan most recently authored The Cult of Trump, an analysis of the presidents hold over his most ardent supporters, and began deprogramming people after he left the notorious Moonie cult in 1976. var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; The Cult Awareness Network ( CAN) was an anti-cult organization created by deprogrammer Ted Patrick [1] that provided information on groups that it considered to be cults, as well as support and referrals to deprogrammers. document.getElementById('cloakd477c46acce837837ff43023e001dfd2').innerHTML = ''; SMITH: Before long, they find more they can agree on - that January's violence at the U.S. Capitol was wrong, and so is hurting children, even though they disagree on what's actually happening. var addyfd9ed15925585d1f1899766b95a93c7b = 'steve' + '@'; var addy_text1d5d405a44b140051bf1a553979856bb = 'malinoski' + '@' + 'faxtone' + '.' + 'com';document.getElementById('cloak1d5d405a44b140051bf1a553979856bb').innerHTML += ''+addy_text1d5d405a44b140051bf1a553979856bb+'<\/a>'; It would add voting restrictions to upcoming elections. Watch as he reviews cult scenes from films and television including 'The . document.getElementById('cloak5fb41fcd031f23f99e1fe74c1f0c8e03').innerHTML = ''; And while few cult specialists today claim to do the sort of deprogramming that gained popularity in the 1970s, some anti-cult practitionersand licensed psychiatristsdo still embrace the . Phone: +61 (2) 8065 8237. addyf020b5c9b482943f070d4f6e57a6e054 = addyf020b5c9b482943f070d4f6e57a6e054 + 'bellsouth' + '.' + 'net'; Instead, she offers up herself as Exhibit A, explaining how she when she was a Moonie thought she was following the Messiah. "It's almost unfathomable.". We're talking strategy because if I can get a family to do something meaningful, then I have credibility. "And we need to get to the bottom of that. Queen listens quietly as Benscoter explains how extremist groups need to control what people think in order to convince them to dedicate themselves to a cause, and so these groups paint everything else as a lie or evil. While delusional conspiracy theories go way back, experts say right-wing disinformation, in particular, is now spinning out on an unprecedented scale. the effects on the victim or aftermath once leaving the cult or relationship. The term deprogramming has been used since the 1970s to refer to a range of behaviors, all of which are aimed at convincing members of so-called new religious movements (NRMs) to leave such groups and return to more mainstream social and religious lifestyles. document.getElementById('cloak1833e4fdcb5e73c4e79dca8a1e8dad0d').innerHTML = ''; You need JavaScript enabled to view it. By the end of the conversation, they agree to keep talking, just what Benscoter hoped would happen. Instead, Hassan recommends reconnecting with the believer over shared interests and experiences, like fishing or vacations taken together, because those reminders will help the believer remember their identity before the conspiracy theory took hold of them. 165 (1981)Google Scholar; Note, Conservatorships and Religious . var addy_text1d7636c60bf66e28f720217bac536c67 = 'vanessa' + '@' + 'tellatherapist' + '.' + 'net';document.getElementById('cloak1d7636c60bf66e28f720217bac536c67').innerHTML += ''+addy_text1d7636c60bf66e28f720217bac536c67+'<\/a>'; var addy36636b8776af4b03ad7a9a07dfcdf3b6 = 'Rosanne' + '@'; Phone: (303) 797-0629 Web site: http://cultrecover.com/, Vanessa N Weber, MSW, LCSWNew Milford Counseling5Bennitt StreetNew Milford, CT 06776 Phone: (860) 717 4400 Web site: www.newmilfordcounseling.com, Erika Van Meir, LMFT Atlanta Email:This email address is being protected from spambots. SMITH: Queen is also among the 20% who believe that those who broke into the Capitol in January were actually undercover members of the left-wing antifa, even though most of those arrested have been affiliated with right-wing groups. He implores them to change their tone, to be less adversarial or less mocking. He hopes destigmatizing those who have fallen prey to disinformation, and might make it easier for them to get out with their dignity intact. Cult Deprogrammer Rick Alan Ross on NXIVM, QAnon, and What Makes Us Vulnerable | by Alex Kantrowitz | OneZero 500 Apologies, but something went wrong on our end. And many of these beliefs are fueled by false conspiracy theories that people found online. var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; But Queen was willing to sit down with Benscoter just to hear her out. Phone: (630) 677-2070, Peter T. Malinoski, Ph.D., HSPP Has experience working with former cult members and their families. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. She shares an insider's perspective on the mind of a cult member, and proposes a new way to think about today's most troubling conflicts and extremist movements. Cult expert Steve Hassan told CNN on Tuesday that "all of America needs deprogramming" due to the negative influence of President Trump, especially rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol. var addyb2de03711ae6bd99ac1a0f1add652edf = 'rbbernstein' + '@'; Court Dialogue Helps Moon Cultist To Break Without Deprogramming By Marjorie Hyer April 13, 1977 Barbara Underwood and four other members of the Unification Church went into a San Francisco court. "When you are evil, you're evil," says Queen, 46, from Texas. Whats wrong, Hassan says, is telling the believer that theyre brainwashed, or stupid or weak. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. The network has grown to include families, friends, former members and concerned individuals working together towards a common goal, to provide support and develop awareness for those affected by high demand groups or cultic relationships. A cult keeps people in by its magnetizing and entrancing environment, so if the person gets away from this environment, they'll have space to think and reflect. She has developed an approach to counselling former members - "Time Away for Post-Cult Counselling." Gillie was a member of an abusive Bible-based cult in the . var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; addyc86dd6e18b3f6b7519f1d77b8ebc194c = addyc86dd6e18b3f6b7519f1d77b8ebc194c + 'gmail' + '.' + 'com'; var addy_textd477c46acce837837ff43023e001dfd2 = 'crussell' + '@' + 'colleenrussellmft' + '.' + 'com';document.getElementById('cloakd477c46acce837837ff43023e001dfd2').innerHTML += ''+addy_textd477c46acce837837ff43023e001dfd2+'<\/a>'; Queen says she gets most her information from a trusted friend who "digs deeper" on the internet than she does. BENSCOTER: You know, that sounds outrageous, but, you know, I wasn't stupid. Oh, absolutely. Cult psychology is known for its "all or nothing" approach, in that there are implications if you denounce or leave the cult a system of punishments and rewards kicks in. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Approaches to helping people exit cultic groups, The biggest mistake families make is trying to argue with a loved one, says Pat Ryan, another former cult-member who has been working in the field for decades, and now calls himself an "interventionist.". "I started believing that all information, from regular news sources, or different faiths or churches was wrong," Benscoter says. "Some of the things that are being spread about babies being eaten and things, I don't think those things are true, personally," Benscoter says. var addy_textf020b5c9b482943f070d4f6e57a6e054 = 'erikastille' + '@' + 'bellsouth' + '.' + 'net';document.getElementById('cloakf020b5c9b482943f070d4f6e57a6e054').innerHTML += ''+addy_textf020b5c9b482943f070d4f6e57a6e054+'<\/a>'; "I think now is the time to start building bridges, you know. Michael Travesser is the leader of the cult called Strong City. document.getElementById('cloak12e374cf467cf94c035e499fed3d9ec1').innerHTML = ''; "In . document.getElementById('cloak3b255930a16b40f719162d87866cd410').innerHTML = ''; Accuracy and availability may vary. Benscoter talks about the many reputable non-profits fighting human trafficking, and suggests Queen might like to get involved. var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; Cult deprogramming was once a hotbed of dangerous experimentation. ", Before long, they've found even more they can agree on: that the violence at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 was wrong. In a classic deprogramming scenario, a cult member is physically abducted and held at a secret location or forcibly detained while visiting home. It's just trying to disrupt the meeting and disrupt county business. var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; You know, the news ain't going to give you the whole thing. Ill read it and get back to you on it, if you agree to read something I share with you. And that's just not what this country should be, I don't think. "I know you do," Benscoter says. She hosts a podcast about FOX News and watches the channel all day in order to find reasons to talk about it. document.getElementById('cloak7a81c507740ba1e5a4b8252e1b215489').innerHTML = ''; var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; var addy1833e4fdcb5e73c4e79dca8a1e8dad0d = 'mwinell' + '@'; BENSCOTER: Some of the things that are being spread about, you know, babies being eaten and things - I don't think those things are true personally. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; Dana Wehle, LCSW, MFA Specializes in treating cult/controlling group related issues; individual, family and group services Union Square, New York City Web site: danawehletherapy.com Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. QUEEN: When you are evil, you're evil. One third. Everything was rigged. When Benscoter's conversation with Queen veers off toward an area of disagreement one more time, Benscoter makes one last pivot to try to end on a more congenial note. var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; Anyone can be drawn in, she says, as cultic groups all tend to fill some psychological void. SHAPIRO: Former President Trump has led that attack on the truth on an unprecedented scale. Michelle Queen does not consider herself part of QAnon, but she does believe some of its most outlandish conspiracies including that Satan-worshipping elites in a secret pedophile cabal are killing babies and drinking their blood. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. TOVIA SMITH, BYLINE: Michelle Queen, a 46-year-old from Texas, is one of a quarter of Americans, according to a recent Ipsos poll, who believe the baseless claim that Trump won the election and President Biden did not. "They believe it much stronger.". The key, Hassan says, is to empower people and help them make their own decisions; for example, instead of trying to persuade a QAnon adherent to stop believing in the conspiracy theory, redirect them toward legitimate organizations working to stop human trafficking. SHAPIRO: NPR's Tovia Smith, with some additional reporting from NPR's Joel Rose and Sarah McCammon. She expresses sympathy for how Queen's business has been hurt during the pandemic. You don't want to be dragged back into that confusion.". var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; ", "Now, how would we do that?" Pat Ryan, another former cult member-turned-deprogrammer or exit counselor, says when a family hires him to meet with a loved one, his first step is to do a kind of intervention on the family. var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; document.getElementById('cloakde94da22e197db1d535fa5dc06c0facf').innerHTML = ''; var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; SMITH: And then Benscoter carefully starts making the case that anyone can be duped, offering up herself as Exhibit A and explaining how she, as a Moonie, thought she was following the Messiah. Michelle Queen, for one, is adamant that no one can change her mind. In fact, in the early days of cult deprogramming, more aggressive techniques were sometimes used. It goes deep. What's changing now is how fast and how far it can spread. "It may seem like you're being tricky or crafty, but really what you're doing is respecting the fact that this is not going to be an easy process for [people] to get out with their dignity.". You need JavaScript enabled to view it. var addy_textffec56a2dcd6b68be693d9a3ad7e4687 = 'gerard' + '@' + 'gerardwebster' + '.' + 'com';document.getElementById('cloakffec56a2dcd6b68be693d9a3ad7e4687').innerHTML += ''+addy_textffec56a2dcd6b68be693d9a3ad7e4687+'<\/a>'; var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; Email:This email address is being protected from spambots. It is the catalyst for starting this blog; and it is the reason so many people's lives have been harmed as a result of AA. var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; Diane Benscoter has been helping people untangle from extremist ideologies since the 1980s, after she herself was extricated from the Unification Church, commonly known as the Moonies. hide caption. One click led to another, and he wound up deep into dark conspiracies and hate speech dressed up as dogma. Refresh the page, check Medium. Remind yourself why you wanted to get away, and tell any current members of the group that you don't want to talk to them. ", In other cases, the allure may be what Benscoter calls "easy answers to life's hard questions.". CIFS is an Australian support and information network. A Cult of One by Richard Grannon takes the reader through an intimate, honest and personal journey of Narcissism, trauma and self discovery. var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; var addy7b57602c4cc4d305ebe32094a0517282 = 'deirdrewilson' + '@'; Horshack joins a religious cult and decides to drop out of school to go live with with the cult members. SHAPIRO: Joan Donovan is a researcher at Harvard Kennedy's Shorenstein Center, and she says the truth is often kind of boring and doesn't play well on social media. addyf4219bca9ede32acb3a79607cd4c413f = addyf4219bca9ede32acb3a79607cd4c413f + 'beaarmstrong' + '.' + 'com'; Phone:912.795.6662Web site: www.drjacquelinejohnson.com, Steve Guziec, MS, LPC Sycamore Helps cult victims and affected families. var addy08a3115d0b8c7e253703ff3626436340 = 'dwehlelcsw' + '@'; A security team guards the person for several days, 24 hours a day, while the deprogrammer, former cult members, and family members present information. At least 40 states are considering similar bills. Dont think you can talk them out of it, Hassan said. Has experience with cultic relationships and is familiar with the coercive persuasion techniques used by destructive groups.Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. Bipartisan Lawmakers Introduce House Resolution Condemning QAnon 'Cult' (Forbes), Nearly A Third Of Americans Believe Covid-19 Death Toll Conspiracy Theory (Forbes), Trump Refuses To Denounce QAnon After Conspiracy Theory Is Described To Him (Forbes), The QAnon conspiracy theory has spread so widely. "She doesn't even Google," Queen says, "because she says Google doesn't show you the right things.". Steven Hassan is a former Moonie who has also made a career of helping people relearn to "think for themselves." But the deal is we both listen respectfully to each other.. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. At its core, QAnon teaches that dozens of politicians and A-list. SMITH: While Queen does not consider herself part of QAnon, she also believes some of its most outlandish tenets - for example, that Satan-worshipping elites in a secret pedophile cabal are killing babies and drinking their blood. Web site: Wellspring Retreat.org, Colleen Russell, LMFT, CGP 70 SW Century Drive, Suite 100-363 Bend, Oregon 97702 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. "Then I have credibility. And she tells Queen how those indoctrination tactics worked on her. Add. Experts see this spread of disinformation as a public health emergency that's threatening democracy, increasing the risk of further violence, and straining family relationships. "This is like a war on thought. QUEEN: And I pray on everything. Box 455, Lombard, IL 60148-0455 (630) 627-9028 Fax: (630) 627-6829 Evangelical Ministries to New Religions - An umbrella group for evangelical Christian ministries to the cults and new religions which offers resources. With Gabe Kaplan, Marcia Strassman, John Sylvester White, Robert Hegyes. And that's not what our country should be. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. The End of the World Cult. "That's not what I'm about," Benscoter tells Queen, "even a little.". Phone: (415) 785-3513 Web site: www.ColleenRussellmft.com, Marlene Winell, Ph.D. Berkeley Email:This email address is being protected from spambots. var addy_text7b57602c4cc4d305ebe32094a0517282 = 'deirdrewilson' + '@' + 'aspiremhnv' + '.' + 'com';document.getElementById('cloak7b57602c4cc4d305ebe32094a0517282').innerHTML += ''+addy_text7b57602c4cc4d305ebe32094a0517282+'<\/a>'; document.getElementById('cloakf8cac7ff1581dc987ce8d90a07bec040').innerHTML = ''; That's what drew in 32-year-old Jay Gilley, a pizza delivery guy from Alabama who spent three years caught up in QAnon. BENSCOTER: It may seem like you're being tricky or crafty, but really, what you're doing is respecting the fact that this is not going to be an easy process for them to get out of this with their dignity. hide caption. var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; addyd837acf5bd986a89f36638fee3f1630d = addyd837acf5bd986a89f36638fee3f1630d + 'verizon' + '.' + 'net'; Get into a strategic and interactive mode by building a good rapport with them, asking good questions, and giving them time to answer before following up. 7:15 On Thursday, Vanity Fair published an interview with cult expert Steven Hassan detailing how to go about "deprogramming" Trump supporters, while arguing for a "massive education" effort involving the participation of schools, mental health professionals, law enforcement, media, politicians, and intelligence agencies. With disinformation spreading on an unprecedented scale, experts in cult deprogramming are turning their expertise to those who have fallen down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories. "How do we prove they're not doing that? Phone: (303) 444-0992, Rosanne Henry, L.P.C. It was the first of many times during their conversation that Benscoter would back off and pivot, in search of even the tiniest patch of common ground. This email address is being protected from spambots. You want to be right so bad. "It's strategic, absolutely," Ryan says. When a family hires him to meet with a loved one, Ryan says his first step is to do a kind of intervention on the family. var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; General psychotherapy, specializing in cult recovery and education for those affected by cults; facilitating a Group for Former Cult or High-Demand Group Members (since 2003), facilitating online and in-person workshops for former members. They didn't tell you all the others. addy91074be5ee59a2d78187577491ccc5ac = addy91074be5ee59a2d78187577491ccc5ac + 'gmail' + '.' + 'com'; Specializing in working with former members, and the families of those in cults.Phone: (818) 907-0036, Cathy S Harris, MSW, LCSWSan Diego Web site: www.discoveryouservices.com Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. Like are we just going to start fighting for thought control?". Cult deprogrammers inundated with requests to help people lost in Trump election, QAnon conspiracy theories Social media has become rife with disinformation and rabbit holes leading to. If you have questions regarding Shipping, Please click HERE to read our SHIPPING INFO page first. document.getElementById('cloak7986d920f3745ab243b59af6f71579f5').innerHTML = ''; This was a small, homemade cult where she would pick up teenage boys and then videotape herself having sex with them because that is how the cult leader "got his jollies." Dr. Eichel worked with . You feel like you are fighting the battle for goodness, and all of a sudden, you feel like you are the hero. "I know that sounds outrageous," she sighs, "but I was wasn't stupid, and I just one thing led to another, and it kind of fed into some fears that I had, and it just kind of just pulled me in. If you are a former member of a cult or high-demand group, we invite you to submit your work to be considered for the Phoenix Project Virtual Montreal 2021. var addy_text7986d920f3745ab243b59af6f71579f5 = 'cyndersm' + '@' + 'verizon' + '.' + 'net';document.getElementById('cloak7986d920f3745ab243b59af6f71579f5').innerHTML += ''+addy_text7986d920f3745ab243b59af6f71579f5+'<\/a>'; Email:This email address is being protected from spambots. Well, one thing that I think is so sad right now is that the country has been so divided. Like, this is, like, a war on thought. But as she put it, the Bible teaches that "discernment is a gift," and since she's confident that she's got it, she agreed to sit down with Benscoter, just to hear her out. SMITH: For all the psy-ops used to suck people into a cultic group, experts say it takes just as much savvy and precision to help them out.
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