Steven Hassan, PhD

If you know about Anne Nelson, have read any of her books, watched any of my interviews with her, and live anywhere near New York City, well, she wrote a play that will be performed this weekend, and I am sure it will be amazing. I interviewed Anne about her book, Red Orchestra, which tells the story of German resistance against Hitler from within Germany. I suspect the years spent researching and writing it led to this. Go check it out, if you can! thetanknyc.org/calendar-1/202…

I must say publicly how grateful I am to Pope Leo for speaking truth to power! Let it remind everyone of values of respect, peace and love which builds trust. We all live on one planet together! apnews.com/article/pope-l…

Trump devotee Megyn Kelly is now dissing Donald Trump, and that’s significant. Hearing her give it to him after defending so much of his behavior for so many years… I honestly smiled. But this is bigger than just one moment. Megyn Kelly and Joe Rogan are influencers, major voices who helped elect Donald Trump, and now they’re speaking out against him. We’re seeing more and more of this. Influencers who once supported him are now saying enough of this deranged lunacy. That shift is huge! What do you think? Put your comments below. Video credit: @megynkellyshow

Trump as JESUS?! AI Art Fallout Splits MAGA x.com/i/broadcasts/1…

Come and join me live today, April 15th at 2:00 PM Eastern Time | 11:00 AM Pacific Time In this livestream, I'm going to be analyzing how influence, identity, and belief systems collide when political leaders adopt religious symbolism. What happens when a movement built on loyalty begins to fracture? And what does this moment reveal about political obedience and the psychology of charismatic leaders? Join us here: youtube.com/live/qbwju-0ve…

Very significant piece to under core Trump devotees! I have been platforming Christian scholars (this weeks podcast on Cults, Culture & Coercion features guest, Keri Ladner, PhD on her book American Dominion). Paula White Cain said Trump was like Jesus at White House. religiondispatches.org/2026/04/02/mee…

Very significant piece to under core Trump devotees! I have been platforming Christian scholars (this weeks podcast on Cults, Culture & Coercion features guest, Keri Ladner, PhD on her book American Dominion). Paula White Cain said Trump was like Jesus at White House. religiondispatches.org/2026/04/02/mee…

Putin is losing his international position all over the place. First Syria, then Venezuela, then Iran and now Hungary. Good to see

A tiny bit of good news in a sea of nonsense. Maybe a bellwether? We will see. But don’t expect these folks to disappear without a fight. They must be soundly and repeatedly repudiated. nytimes.com/2026/04/12/wor…

I see one warning sign again and again in authoritarian groups: they cut people off from their families. In this clip, I talk with scholar @keri_ladner, PhD, about why isolation is often the first step before deeper control, abuse, and loss of accountability. When a leader gets you to pull away from the people who know and love you, the damage grows fast. The full interview goes much deeper into how these movements work and what you can do to help someone stay connected. Watch the full video here: youtu.be/Dfz6wzirSMI

Come and check out my live stream on Substack today, Monday April 13th at 2pm EST with Chris Sampson!

The MAGA movement is starting to turn on itself, and that’s an important development! We’re now seeing Donald Trump lashing out at former allies like Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens, and Marjorie Taylor Greene, accusing them of betrayal. At the same time, more MAGA people are beginning to realize something is really wrong with him. There’s even talk of the 25th Amendment, with over 70 politicians signing a document saying he’s unfit for duty, and mental health experts calling for a full neurological and psychological evaluation. This is what happens when cracks begin to form. More and more people are questioning what’s been going on. And I want to remind everyone, if you have family or friends who have been in MAGA, don’t attack them. Be warm, be open, be curious. Ask them how they’re doing? Tell them you miss them in your life. Ask them what they think about what’s happening in the US and the world right now? Have you too started seeing the MAGA movement fall apart? Video credit: @newsweek

I am so happy! And hopeful. Because with all the support from Trump and authoritarian allies/ minions of his, people are getting fed up with malignant narcissist cult leaders who care about power, money ( and typically sex abuse- Epstein files! apnews.com/article/hungar…

I’m doing a Reddit AMA Saturday April 11th at 3pm ET: reddit.com/r/Epstein/comm… Traffickers like Epstein and the network around him don't rely on locks and chains. They use the same psychological tools authoritarian cult leaders use — isolation, dependency, phobia indoctrination, identity erosion — which is why survivors stay, return, and struggle to be believed. It's also why U.S. law, which still largely treats coercion as physical, so often fails them. Come and ask me anything about how predators condition victims, why survivors don't "just leave," what the law gets wrong about brainwashing, and what recovery actually looks like. Survivors, clinicians, attorneys, and journalists all welcome.

Can America Unite Against Authoritarianism? Conservatives Battle Fascism in x.com/i/broadcasts/1…

I'm doing a special live stream today, Friday April 10th at 2pm EST with Brittany Martinez Executive Director of Principles First, a growing movement focused on restoring character, truth, and ethical leadership in public life. Together, we will explore how conservatives can challenge authoritarian trends without relying on cults-of-personality and take back the reins from political bad actor. Join us here: youtube.com/live/IvY8sJnN1…

It is nearly impossible for a European to comprehend the psychological reality inside Russia. It is not just "fake news." It is a total deconstruction of reality. Let me try to immerse you in the world Russians live in [1/9]

Well that explains why she had press conference and denied knowing Epstein!

Somebody with access needs to constrain him. 25th Amendment now!

“I was tired of paying my therapist to teach her about cults.” Laura spent 13 years in a cult… and 11 years being misunderstood by the mental health system. Misdiagnosed, stigmatized, re-traumatized. It wasn’t until she received cult-informed support that things began to change. She was finally able to put words to her experiences, understand what had happened to her, and begin to heal. Leaving a cult is not just “moving on.” It’s disorientation, grief, identity confusion, loss of community, belief systems, and sometimes entire families. And for many survivors, therapy can unknowingly create unhealthy dynamics that they’re trying to recover from. That’s why this matters. These aren’t just insights for therapists, they’re validation for survivors who felt unseen, misunderstood, or blamed! If you’ve ever felt like your experience wasn’t fully understood, or you’re a clinician who wants to do better, the full breakdown goes much deeper. Head over to Substack to read the full article! open.substack.com/pub/stevenhass…