Intervention101

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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moving beyond the guru - with Joe Kelly Joe Kelly spent nine years in Transcendental Meditation and then fi...

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:

Building bridges across worldviews: A collaborative approach to addressing a loved-one's cult-related involvement for families and clinicians - ICSA 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.

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.

Hypnosis and coercion: What people believe vs. What we know - ICSA This presentation aims to clarify misconceptions about hypnosis.

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/

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

Building bridges across worldviews: A collaborative approach to addressing a loved-one's cult-related involvement for families and clinicians - ICSA 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.

Honoring Strength on Cult Recovery Day

On May 1st, we observe **Cult Recovery Day**—a time to recognize the immense courage it takes to reclaim one's life, identity, and autonomy. Healing is not a linear path, but it is one paved with resilience.

We honor the survivors, the families who never stopped searching for answers, and the dedicated professionals working to provide a safe harbor for those finding their way back.

# # # Why Today Matters:

* **Raising Awareness:** Shining a light on the dynamics of coercive control to help others spot the signs early.

* **Building Community:** Reminding survivors that they are not alone and that a life of freedom is possible.

* **Advocating for Change:** Promoting education and resources that empower individuals to heal and thrive.

To everyone on this journey: **Your voice matters, your story is yours again, and your strength is remarkable.**

** **

CultRecovery101.com

International Cult Recovery Day

May 1st is . It’s a day to celebrate the bravery of survivors and the tireless work of the professionals helping them rebuild. Leaving is just the beginning. Recovery is the goal.

CultRecovery101.com

The Guardian:
How do the pros get someone to leave a cult?

​https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/nov/19/how-to-leave-a-cult-experts-intervention