FACT member Byron reports from the DECULT conference, which brought together experts on cults and high control organisations, including many former members of cults.

This bonus podcast is about the upcoming Survivor Community Day on Labour Day the 26th October. Listen to what you can expect on the day from those who are running it.Post-Decult Conference Survivor Community DayMonday 26 October (Labour Day) | 10:00am–3:00pmLocation: Multicultural Recreation and Community Centre, Hagley Park, Ōtautahi Christchurch CentralAttending Decult 2026 as someone with lived experience of a high-control or cult-like group can bring up a wide range of emotions. To help create space for rest, connection and gentle processing after the conference, the Olive Leaf Network, Uncult Ōtautahi Christchurch, and the Re:Woven Charitable Trust are pleased to offer a dedicated Post-Decult Conference Survivor Community Day.This free event has been thoughtfully curated for former members and survivors of high-control or cult-like groups who are attending Decult 2026. Whether you're feeling energised, emotionally full, reflective, or simply looking to connect with others who understand, you're warmly invited to join us for a day of grounding, creativity and community.Throughout the day, participants will have opportunities to connect with others at their own pace in a welcoming, trauma-informed environment. Experienced therapists will be present throughout the day to provide support, and there will be opportunities for both individual reflection and gentle group processing.The day will include a range of supportive experiences, including:A catered lunchTrained therapists available throughout the dayIndividual and group reflection and processing opportunitiesCreative art therapy experiences, including creative journalling, clay modelling, poetry writing, and Kintsugi-inspired artGentle somatic breathwork sessionsTime to rest, connect, and simply be with others who share similar lived experiencesThere is no cost to attend this event; however, registration is essential. Please register in advance so we can accurately plan catering and prepare sufficient art materials for everyone attending.We look forward to welcoming you to a day of care, connection, and restoration as we gently transition from the Decult Conference back into everyday life.

Podcast Episode · Decult Talks - Breaking the Silence on Cultic Harm · 04/05/2025 · 57m

Decult 2026 will be here next month. We are lucky enough to talk to the conference's very first speaker Aaron Strong.Aaron Sharp is a psychologist and former member of high-control Pentecostal churches. He became involved with the Potter’s House Christian Fellowship at around 15 years of age and remained within high-control Pentecostal environments for approximately 25 years. After leaving in his early 40s, he began the difficult process of rebuilding his identity, beliefs and direction in life. In 2016, he began studying psychology at university and went on to complete postgraduate training in professional and clinical psychology. He is now a registered psychologist completing the Clinical Psychology Registrar Program in Australia. His professional interests include religious trauma, coercive control and recovery from high-control groups. Aaron also speaks publicly about his own experience of indoctrination, leaving, and rebuilding a life after religion. In 2026, he is speaking at the DECULT Conference in Christchurch, New Zealand, about his journey into, through and out of high-control religion.DECULT 2026 speaker profile: https://decult.net/speaker/aaron-sharp/New Directions Psychology: https://www.newdirectionspsychology.com.au/

YouTube video by Decult New Zealand

RNZ (radio publique néo-zélandaise) annonce que la deuxième édition de la conférence Decult se tiendra les 24 et 25 octobre à Christchurch, avec l'ouverture confiée à la première évêque anglicane māori de la région. Susan Wallace, évêque du diocèse anglican de Te Waipounamu, ouvrira le premier jour de ce colloque intitulé « Voix du courage

YouTube video by Decult New Zealand

The Decult Conference Video Package is now 50% off and only NZ$50! Final countdown: For two more weeks, you can still watch all 20 sessions with 40 international speakers at Australasia’s first cult....

YouTube video by Decult New Zealand

This week is part 2 with Anke Richter, journalist, author of Cult Trip, former member of Tantric group ISTA, and founder and director of New Zealand’s cult conference DeCult. In part 2 with Anke, she explains how the founder of International School of Temple Arts had constructed a sort of harem culture and was sleeping with all the women, where the line is between normal dating in a community vs. coercion, and how her journalistic investigation into a different tantra group while still actively in this one finally set off her alarm bells.They discuss what’s positive about the tantric world, how the flip side of sex-positive groups can be a pressure to act sex positive when you don’t actually FEEL sex positive, and why she started cult conference Decult. SOURCES Cult Trip DECULTSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.