Intervention101

10/16/2026

Cleveland 19 News: Kirtland cult murders: Cult expert explains how control takes hold

​Decades after the tragic events surrounding the 1989 Kirtland cult murders, investigators and experts continue to examine the underlying psychological mechanisms that allowed self-proclaimed prophet Jeffrey Lundgren to exercise absolute control over his followers. The heinous crimes resulted in the deaths of Dennis Avery, his wife Cheryl, and their three young daughters, who were loyal members of Lundgren's splinter group. A special 19 Investigates documentary titled "Deadly Devotion: The Kirtland Cult Murders" delves into these historical events, bringing fresh perspective to how such an extreme dynamic could take root in ordinary communities.

​Cult expert Ashlen Hilliard featured in the coverage explain the step-by-step psychological processes of undue influence and manipulation. Rather than being an isolated phenomenon restricted to rare anomalies, the conditions that enable a charismatic leader to dominate vulnerable followers involve common human vulnerabilities, isolation tactics, and the systematic erosion of independent critical thinking. Members often surrender their autonomy gradually, caught up in promises of spiritual elevation or tight-knit community before recognizing the full extent of the psychological trap.

​The reporting underscores that understanding these historical crimes is essential for recognizing modern patterns of manipulation and high-control groups. By reviewing the actions of key followers and the chilling progression of the case, experts hope to educate the public on how ideological extremism can turn fatal. Authorities emphasize that the focus remains on honoring the victims and comprehending the warning signs of dangerous group dynamics.
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Ashlen Hilliard knows how these groups take hold, starting with excessive devotion.

09/30/2026

Television Jamaica: The Warning Signs People Don’t See Until It’s Too Late | All Angles (2021) | TVJ

​Cult mediation specialist Joseph Kelly recently appeared on TVJ's "All Angles" to discuss the deeply manipulative warning signs of cult involvement. Drawing chilling parallels between the infamous Jonestown massacre and a recent local tragedy in Jamaica, Kelly explains how abusive leaders systematically prey on people's emotional and spiritual vulnerabilities.

​The indoctrination process is a slow, incremental escalation of control—like a frog in slowly boiling water. Victims initially experience a powerful sense of community and divine purpose, completely unaware of the looming danger. Over time, manipulative leaders convince followers to disassociate from their physical realities, cut ties with their loved ones, and view the outside world as inherently evil or demonic.

​Kelly also details his critical work helping desperate families intervene when their relatives are trapped in dangerous cultic environments. He strongly advises against confrontational approaches, noting that cult leaders actively train their followers to view concerned family members as spiritual threats. Instead, Kelly emphasizes the need for strategic, professional mediation to safely rebuild communication lines, support traumatized survivors, and ultimately help victims break free from these cycles of spiritual and emotional abuse.

What makes seemingly ordinary people involved in dangerous, control...

09/21/2026

This week, we’re watching the real-world rollout of coercive control legislation in Australia, alongside a powerful international movement gaining traction to protect children born into high-demand groups.

Legislative and Legal Developments

Queensland’s Coercive Control Rollout Expanding on the legislative trends we’ve been tracking globally, Queensland is officially activating "Phase One" of its Criminal Law (Coercive Control and Affirmative Consent) Act starting tomorrow, September 23. While the standalone criminal offense for coercive control won't go into effect until May of next year, this initial phase immediately reforms consent laws and court procedures. The primary goal is crucial: shielding victim-survivors of systemic abuse from further intimidation and trauma when they have to testify in the legal system.

International News & Cult Activity

Japan’s "Second Generation" Movement A major advocacy movement is stepping up in Japan to support survivors of the Unification Church. Over the weekend, the National Network of Lawyers Against Spiritual Sales hosted a major event in Tokyo focused entirely on the experiences of "blessed second-generation" survivors—those born into the church who endured profound physical neglect, financial ruin, and isolation due to their parents' absolute devotion to the group's demands. The legal network is actively lobbying the Japanese government to mandate specialized consultation desks within public schools to help identify and rescue children trapped in high-control religious environments.

The Apollo Quiboloy Standoff Aftermath Following the massive two-week police standoff that ended in his surrender last week, Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder Apollo Quiboloy remains detained in Manila. He is currently being compelled to testify in Philippine Senate inquiries regarding alleged human trafficking and abuse. For now, the formal United States extradition request—where he faces federal sex-trafficking charges—remains firmly on hold while these domestic legal processes play out.

The Shakahola Starvation Cult Trial In Kenya, international media attention has returned to the ongoing trial of Paul Mackenzie. Seventeen months after the initial discovery of the Shakahola forest massacre, Mackenzie—who allegedly instructed his followers to starve themselves to death to "meet Jesus"—has formally pleaded not guilty to hundreds of charges, including the murders of 191 children. The grim discoveries still ongoing at the forest site are serving as the primary catalyst for the Kenyan government's current push to legally regulate and monitor fringe religious groups.

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09/14/2026

2026 Decult Conference: Pathways to Healing and Justice

In 2026, we will return bigger and bolder. International and local experts, educators, advocates and storytellers will come together for two powerful days — live-streamed worldwide, with additional online programmes for North America and Europe. Voices of courage from mental health to human rights will take centre stage.

Decult 2026 presents another groundbreaking opportunity for new voices in the cult survivor space, for cult education, and for taking action. We can guarantee an enriching, stimulating and engaging experience held in a safe space that respects diversity. Everyone, regardless of background or belief, is welcome.

In 2026, we return bigger and bolder. International and local experts, educators, advocates and storytellers will come together for two powerful days —

09/02/2026

jon atack, family & friends: moving beyond the guru - with Joe Kelly

​In this interview, Joe Kelly recounts his nine-year involvement with Transcendental Meditation (TM) and his subsequent transition into cult exit counseling. Raised in a conservative Catholic environment, Kelly was drawn to TM in the early 1970s, inspired by the Beatles and the era's counterculture movement. Seeking alternative consciousness and world peace, he quickly escalated from a student to an active volunteer and instructor, interacting with diverse groups of professionals drawn to TM's promised pragmatic and spiritual benefits.

​After fourteen and a half years involved in TM and another group, Kelly describes the profound disorientation of leaving his high-demand environment and returning to a normal life. This transition involved moving back with his confused parents and attempting to rebuild his independence from scratch. He also details participating in a lawsuit against the TM organization, which ultimately concluded with an out-of-court settlement that refunded his financial investments.

​Following his exit, Kelly attended a Cult Awareness Network conference where he connected with exit counselor Kevin Garvey. Under Garvey's mentorship, Kelly began using his own experiences to assist others in leaving large group awareness trainings, eventually becoming an established interventionist and exit counselor himself.
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Joe Kelly spent nine years in Transcendental Meditation and then fi...

06/28/2026

We invite you to San Diego for a full-day workshop at the ICSA CONFERENCE 2026.

A Collaborative Approach to Addressing a Loved One's Cult-Related Involvement: Building Bridges Across Worldviews
A Cultic Studies-Informed Approach for Families and Clinicians

Date: July 1, 2026
Location: Hilton Bayfront, San Diego

This workshop is tailored for both professionals and families, irrespective of the degree of their loved one's engagement with a cult. This encompasses parents of long-term members, individuals whose loved ones have recently affiliated with a group, and those who have encountered difficulties during an intervention.

Presenters:
• Rachel Bernstein, LMFT, MSEd
• Erin Falconer, PhD, MSc, LMSW
• Natalie Fabert, Ph.D., L.P.
• Joseph Kelly, BA
• Doni Whitsett, PhD, LCSW, MFT

For further details, please visit:

An interactive full-day workshop for families and professionals exploring practical, ethical, and trauma-informed approaches to supporting loved ones involved in cultic groups while improving communication, reducing conflict, and building mutual understanding across differing worldviews.

06/26/2026

Hypnosis and coercion: What people believe vs. What we know

ICSA CONFERENCE 2026
Date: July 1-4, 2026
Hilton Bayfront, San Diego

Perhaps more than any other single method of influence, there is mystery, myth, misunderstanding and outright falsehoods about hypnosis, even among mental health professionals. Some cite research that essentially claims hypnosis does not exist beyond a not-particularly useful and confusing construct; others—especially among but hardly limited to some cult-critics—describe hypnosis in a manner that greatly exaggerates its power. This presentation, by a cult-aware psychologist with advanced training in scientific/experimental as well as clinical hypnosis, will cover and debunk a range of misunderstandings and misinformation about the use of hypnosis and hypnotic-like interpersonal dynamics in coercive and cultic environments and processes. The very real impact of hypnosis on certain people in certain situations will be carefully explored, using the most current research available rather than relying solely on anecdotal evidence.

Steve K.D. Eichel, Ph.D., ABPP, CST received his B.A. from Columbia University and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. He has been a licensed psychologist since 1982. His career has included roles as a child and family psychologist, director of child and family services, and consulting forensic psychologist. He has also held academic positions, including Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Delaware. His professional affiliations include the American Academy of Psychotherapists and the International Cultic Studies Association, where he formerly served as president of the board.

This presentation aims to clarify misconceptions about hypnosis.

06/20/2026

This year's conference theme, Expanding the Scope of Coercive Control: Understanding Abusive Dynamics and Their Impacts Across Interpersonal, Institutional, and Cultic Contexts, has inspired one of our most diverse and interdisciplinary programmes to date.

Date: 1–4 July 2026
Location: San Diego Hilton Bayfront, San Diego

The agenda features presentations from researchers, clinicians, legal professionals, educators, journalists, advocates, and individuals with lived experience from around the world. Together, they will examine coercive control across a wide range of settings and explore its implications for research, practice, policy, prevention, and recovery.

General admission: US$375
ICSA members: US$325
Students: US$145
Online tickets: US$150
Day tickets: US$100 (Available for purchase in-person at the event)

https://internationalculticstudies.org/icsa-conference-2026/agenda/

06/07/2026

ICSA International Conference 2026
WORKSHOP: Building bridges across worldviews: A collaborative approach to addressing a loved-one’s cult-related involvement for families and clinicians

Date: Wed, 1 Jul
Time: 09:00 – 18:00, PDT
Location: Room 1 (313)
Hilton Bayfront, San Diego, USA

Session summary
An interactive full-day workshop for families and professionals exploring practical, ethical, and trauma-informed approaches to supporting loved ones involved in cultic groups while improving communication, reducing conflict, and building mutual understanding across differing worldviews.

Full Abstract
This all-day workshop is designed for both professionals and families, regardless of their loved one’s level of involvement in a cultic group. It is intended for parents of long-term members, families of individuals who have recently joined a group, and those who have encountered challenges during intervention efforts.

Participants will benefit from the combined expertise of intervention specialists, mental health professionals, and researchers, who will share practical insights and perspectives throughout the session. The workshop will be interactive and discussion-based, encouraging active participation and engagement.

Topics may include:
*Assessing a family’s unique situation
*Why individuals join and leave groups
*Understanding psychological manipulation and abuse
*The importance of accurate, objective, and up-to-date information
*Ethical considerations
Assessing the level of group involvement
*Effective communication strategies with loved ones
*Developing healthier coping mechanisms
*Navigating mental health challenges
*The neurobiology of trauma
*Epistemology and belief formation
*Problem-solving techniques
*Formulating constructive support strategies

The workshop will also explore how families and group members can better understand each other’s perspectives regarding the conflicts that divide them. Participants will examine strategies to improve communication, reduce conflict, negotiate mutual behavioral changes that decrease tension, and identify common ground while respecting differences in order to preserve important relationships.

https://internationalculticstudies.org/events/building-bridges-across-worldviews-a-collaborative-approach-to-addressing-a-loved-ones-cult-related-involvement-for-families-and-clinicians/

Facilitators:
Rachel Bernstein LMFT, MSEd (Presenting) [email protected]
IndoctriNation Podcast, Encino, CA, USA

Natalie Fabert Ph.D., L.P. (Presenting) [email protected]
Institution Arizona State University, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Lalich Center on Cults and Coercion, Walnut Creek, CA, USA

Erin Falconer PhD, MSc, LMSW [email protected]
Refuge Psychotherapy, LCSW, PLLC, New York, NY, USA

Joseph Kelly BA (Presenting) [email protected]
Cult Mediation/Intervention 101, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Patrick Ryan BA
[email protected]
Cult Mediation/Intervention 101, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Doni Whitsett PhD, LCSW, MFT (Presenting) [email protected]
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

An interactive full-day workshop for families and professionals exploring practical, ethical, and trauma-informed approaches to supporting loved ones involved in cultic groups while improving communication, reducing conflict, and building mutual understanding across differing worldviews.

05/01/2026