Dr. Janja Lalich on who joins cults + the dangers of the savior complex | The Deeper Pulse Ep. 38
Candice sits down with a world-renowned cult expert Dr. Janja Lalich - who retired for a hot minute in 2019 until the pandemic hit and her inbox began blowing up. The episode opens with Janja’s personal story about her involvement in a far-left political cult back in the late ’70s & early '80s. She shares about her role in leadership and the eventual disbanding of the group, speaking candidly about the mental health challenges she faced during her own cult recovery. Dr. Lalich shares some of what she's learned working as an expert in cults & coercive influence for over three decades, including a brief history of the human potential movement and how it’s since morphed into present-day conspirituality culture. Large group awareness trainings are a byproduct of modern-day self-help economy, and in this episode, we examine how LGATs alter judgment and erode personal agency in real-time. Janja highlights some of the red flags to look out for when it comes to cultic influence in general, as well as the #1 thing that people who join cults appear to have in common (it’s probably not what you think). Candice shares how she regrets moving from one wellness cult to another in her late twenties and early thirties, and Janja underscores the importance of psychoeducation to avoid this common ‘cult hopping’ tendency. Other topics covered include peak experiences and why they’re so addictive, common misconceptions about coercion, what makes us vulnerable when it comes to recruitment, and Janja’s groundbreaking bounded choice framework. Finally, Janja celebrates Candice's recent decision not to consult with those who are still hoping to change things at the Org. This is a jam-packed conversation and is quite arguably the seminal episode in the ‘cult’ure series. Listen to The Deeper Pulse on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or at thedeeperpulse.com Janja Lalich, Ph.D., Professor Emerita of Sociology, is an international authority on cults and coercion. Researcher, author, and educator, she specializes in recruitment, indoctrination, and coercive methods of influence and control. Dr. Lalich is the author and/or coauthor of six books, including the now classic, Take Back Your Life: Recovering from Cults and Abusive Relationships. In addition to working with survivors and their families, she leads workshops and educational sessions for government agencies, international intelligence agencies, private companies, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and leads online psychoeducational courses for trauma survivors, families, and mental-health professionals. She has also served as an expert witness in civil and criminal legal cases. Dr. Lalich may be reached at [email protected], through her website www.janjalalich.com.
