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11/01/2025

10/25/2025

ICSA Today: A vision for the future: ICSA welcomes four new Board Members

ICSA Team
Published Date
October 24, 2025

"The International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA) is pleased to announce the appointment of four new members to its Board of Directors. Their expertise, perspectives, and lived experience will help guide ICSA into its next chapter as we continue to expand our research, education, and support for all those impacted by coercive and cultic influence.

Since its founding in 1979, ICSA has built a strong legacy of scholarship and service. Today, we are looking ahead with renewed purpose. As understanding of coercive control deepens and the needs of our community evolve, ICSA is committed to listening more closely, engaging openly, and working with greater transparency. A central part of this shift is our commitment to championing and amplifying survivor voices. Their experiences are essential to advancing knowledge, shaping effective resources, and ensuring that our work responds to the realities of those most affected.

We believe that the appointment of our new board members, and the wide range of expertise and lived experience they offer, will contribute in guiding ICSA toward fulfilling this mission. Adam Arnold, MA, LMFT, LADC, is a licensed psychotherapist and trainer whose trauma-responsive, consent-based practice supports survivors of coercive systems. Carol Merchasin, JD, is an attorney specialized in misconduct within coercive spiritual communities, and is known for her investigative and litigation work on behalf of survivors worldwide. Zoe Lambert, PhD, a writer, lecturer, and cult survivor, explores recovery through creative writing, memoir, and wellbeing practices, amplifying survivor voices in academic and public forums. Omar Saldaña, PhD, a social psychologist and university professor, researches psychological abuse in groups, with a focus on assessment, consequences, and advancing scholarly understanding of coercive dynamics.

This commitment is also reflected in the launch of our new website and digital platforms. Designed to be more accessible and user-friendly, the site highlights survivor perspectives, makes decades of scholarship easier to navigate, and opens new space for dialogue around recovery, prevention, and protection. It reflects our intention to not only share knowledge, but also to learn from and with the community we serve."

ICSA welcomes four new Board Members whose diverse expertise and lived experience strengthen our mission to advance research, education, and survivor-informed support on cultic influence and coercive control.

10/17/2025

10/01/2025

SAVE THE DATE: ICSA International Conference 2026
We’re pleased to announce that the 2026 ICSA International Conference will be held in San Diego, 1–4 July, at the San Diego Hilton Bayfront.

This flagship event brings together researchers, clinicians, educators, survivors, and advocates from around the world to exchange knowledge and foster dialogue on coercive control and high-demand groups.

Special accommodation rates will be available for attendees. Stay tuned for updates on registration, calls for proposals, and the full agenda.

📍 San Diego, California
📅 1–4 July 2026

08/17/2025

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