
Steven Hassan, PhD, is one of the leading experts on cults and undue influence in the world. A former member of the right-wing Moonie cult, Hassan was deprogrammed 45 years ago and has dedicated his life to helping people out of cults and destructive situations. Dr. Hassan is a licensed mental health professional and has written four books, including The Cult of Trump and the seminal book Combatin... more
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 240 | Founded | 4 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | Society & CultureSelf-ImprovementEducation | |||

When Lara Kaput was eight years old, she was required to clean bricks on Jehovah’s Witness building sites. She helped her father road-build on the church construction projects. She did cleaning, and gardening, and her childhood friends did this, and ... more
Russian disinformation no longer feels like a foreign problem you read about in long articles. It shapes what you see when you open your phone, what your relatives believe about a war they have never visited, and what large language models tell you w... more
Detransitioning, a term for stopping, shifting, or reversing an initial gender transition, is a word that has been stripped of its human meaning by the political forces fighting over it. Last week, I shared my interview with Dr. Kinnon Ross MacKinnon... more
Trans healthcare is an evolving discussion, and the implications greatly affect those in the LGBTQ+ community. At its heart, this is a conversation about the science meant to inform transition-related healthcare care, and what happens when politics d... more
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You are the classic, when “I have a hammer, everything is a nail.” There is no “charismatic leader” with transgender people. And as a Pediatrician who works with gender expansive and trans kids who declare themselves as early as 18 mos of age, I assure you that none of the toddlers and preschoolers I see are in a Cult. And the parents trying to understand and best support their young children are isolated and lonely and definitely don’t have the support of a cult!
Dr. Hassan has researched and studied for years the phenomenon of coercion as they apply to cults, personal relationships, and yes: our politics. This stuff should be taught in every high school so the young can head into adulthood knowing what to watch out for. It’s an old phenomenon. Not all people are good souls, bottom line.
Dr. Hassan is EXTREMELY knowledgeable about the cognitive and emotional aspects of our captured fellow humans. Hassan's firsthand experiences also add empathy to the academic understanding that he imparts.
I would love to hear coverage of people of praise. It is such an under the radar yet such a huge cult that destroyed so many kids it started out being called servant of the Lord in the 70s and 80s and then it changed names to digits abuse. Amy Coney Barrett has been under the microscope for years ( the Trump appointed Supreme Court judge) the microscope because this is the cult she was raised in and is still in. I was interviewed several times about it and I’m so shocked that it doesn’t get more... more
**update: have listened to many more episodes— I had to lower my stars … I can’t take the interrupting and talking Over guests. It’s unprofessional and off putting. It’s disrespectful and belittling. Can’t continue and it’s sad because he has a lot of knowledge and resources- but he’s just bringing people onto the show to listen to his story and make his experience more “the topic” and it’s not good.
(Previous post) I like learning and listening to guests. I would like to suggest that maybe y... more
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A sharp, research-driven exploration of coercive influence, mind control, and high-control groups across a diverse range of contexts. Episodes feature survivors, researchers, and practitioners who dissect recruitment, manipulation tactics, exit strategies, and healing from cults, religious nationalism, and extremist movements. The show often connects historical movements to contemporary politics, media influence, and policy implications, while offering practical frameworks for recognizing undue influence and safeguarding relationships. Notable strengths include a rigorous, interview-led approach with prominent experts, and a willingness to tackle difficult topics with empathy and actionable guidance for both individuals and organizations co... more
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Cults, Culture & Coercion launched 4 years ago and published 240 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on Cults, Culture & Coercion include:
1. Chris Sampson
2. Alexander Linkowski
3. Kinnon Ross McKinnon
4. Ian Wilks
5. Virginia Heffernan
6. Amir Essalhi
7. Deeyah Khan
8. Ewan Whyte
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