The annual ICSA International Conference brings together researchers, health professionals, service providers, and survivors and their families from around the world to engage in open dialogue on the most pressing themes around cultic studies. The 2026 conference explores the theme: Expanding the scope of coercive control: Understanding abusive dynamics and their impacts across interpersonal, institutional, and cultic contexts. Log in to access the conference’s on-demand presentations and join live sessions at their scheduled times.
Published date
27.06.2026
This presentation explains how coercive control can trigger instinctual responses like fawning, which can lead to self-alienation and shame. Reframing these experiences through a neurophysiological lens can help survivors integrate their responses and regain agency.