ICSA Annual Conference: Reflections on 5 years of the Masters in the Psychology of Coercive Control

Rod Dubrow-Marshall, Richard Turner, Linda Dubrow-Marshall, Ashley McLean, Kate Amber, Carla James

Friday, June 24, 2022: 1:00 PM-1:50 PM Part 1, 2:00 PM-2:50 PM Part 2

After the passing of the Serious Crime Act in the UK in 2015 criminalised coercive and controlling behaviour (psychological and emotional abuse) and the passing of the Modern Slavery Act (2015) criminalised trafficking, Rod and Linda Dubrow-Marshall were inspired to create a new Masters of Science (MSc) programme on the Psychology of Coercive Control. The curriculum was developed and validated at the University of Salford and the one-year full time/ two-year part-time course began in September 2017. The programme is the only one of its kind in the world that focusses on the underlying psychology of coercive control as manifested across the contexts of cults and extremist groups, domestic abuse, labour and sex trafficking, and gangs. In addition to the master’s degree, a Postgraduate Diploma and a Postgraduate Certificate in the Psychology of Coercive Control is also offered. Since the second year, the programme has been validated for international students and has attracted students from a range of countries including the US, Canada, and Japan. Since 2020 the programme has been offered as distance learning only in order to increase enrolments and a diversity of students from across the world, some of whom are already working professionally in the field or are aiming to do so. After five years of delivery with updates and adaptations incorporated each year, Rod and Linda will share their reflections on what it is like to offer this unique master’s programme and implications for the areas of education, research, professional practice (across diverse professions), law, social policy, prevention and rehabilitation. The other members of the panel are graduates and students from the programme across different years and they will share their reflections of studying on the programme and how they have gone on to apply the knowledge and insights that they acquired in their work.

Rod Dubrow-Marshall, PhD, MBPsS, is a Professor of Psychology and is a Programme Leader (MSc Psychology of Coercive Control)

Rod Dubrow-Marshall

Rod Dubrow-Marshall, PhD, MBPsS, is a Professor of Psychology and is a Programme Leader (MSc Psychology of Coercive Control) in the Directorate of Psychology and Public Health and is Visiting Fellow in the Criminal Justice Hub and Connected Lives, Diverse Realities Research Group, in the School of Health and Society at the University of Salford, UK. Rod is a Social Psychologist who has been researching the psychology and aetiology of undue influence and cults or extremist groups for over twenty years, and he has developed the Totalistic Identity Theory as an evidence-based theory to explain and tackle ideological extremism and ideologically driven violence. He is also an active researcher in a variety of other areas including organizational behaviour and healthiness, the social psychology of identity and prejudice, and public policy and education. A graduate member of the British Psychological Society, Rod is a member of the Board of Directors of the International Cultic Studies Association and is also Chair of the ICSA Research Committee and Network and he is co-Editor of the International Journal of Cultic Studies (since its inception in 2010). In 2006, he was awarded The Herbert L. Rosedale Award, jointly with Dr. Paul Martin, for their psychological research on undue influence. Rod co-founded the Re-Entry Therapy Information and Referral Network (RETIRN) UK in 2004 with Dr Linda Dubrow-Marshall, where he serves as a consultant in helping individuals and families who have been adversely affected by destructive or damaging cults and other extremist and high demand/manipulative groups or relationships. He operates out of offices in Pontypridd, Wales and Buxton, Derbyshire, UK (please also see www.retirn.com). Rod has also served on more than a dozen Governing Boards of Schools, Colleges and Universities over the last two decades and he is currently a governor and director of the Akaal Primary School in Derby and is also a longstanding member of the Board of the homelessness charity the Wallich (headquartered in Cardiff, Wales). In addition, he is a member of the Board of Directors of the Buxton International Festival and is Chair of the Board of the Preston Guild Link charity (in Lancashire, UK) which is fundraising for the next Preston Guild cultural festival in 2032! Rod is also an experienced senior leader and manager in higher education having served for 15 years in the roles of Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Derby, Pro Vice-Chancellor at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston and as Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of South Wales and Dean of Applied Social Sciences and Humanities at Buckinghamshire New University.

Linda Dubrow-Marshall

Linda Dubrow-Marshall

Linda Dubrow-Marshall, PhD, Reg. MBACP (Accred.), is Chair of the Mental Health Committee for ICSA, Research Co-editor of ICSA Today, and a member of the Research Network for ICSA. She is a co-founder of RETIRN (please also see www.retirn.com), a private practice that provides services to individuals and families who have been affected by cultic influence and abusive relationships. Linda has developed a new MSc Psychology of Coercive Control program at the University of Salford and is leading the program with Dr. Rod Dubrow-Marshall. She is also the Programme Leader of the MSc Applied Psychology (Therapies) Program at the University of Salford. She is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council, United Kingdom, as both a clinical and a counselling psychologist, and she is a registered counsellor/psychotherapist with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. She is a licensed psychologist in Pennsylvania, USA, and a registered psychologist with the National Register of Health Service Psychologists, USA. She attends as co-representative of RETIRN/UK as correspondent to the General Assembly of FECRIS (European Federation of Centres of Research and Education on Sects). Dr. Dubrow-Marshall is a Consultant in Clinical Hypnosis (advanced certification) with the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis and is certified by the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Institute. She is certified as a Master Addiction Counselor with the National Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals.

Richard Turner

Lecturer in Counselling / Counsellor

York College, York, UK

Richard Turner is an ex-cult member and escaped a charismatic Pentecostal cult in 2016. He is a lecturer in counselling at York College, UK, and has a masters degree in the psychology of coercive control. He is also in private practice as a therapist (tothinkagain.co.uk) specialising in supporting ex-cult members recover from their experience and, in addition to this, he also provides education and guidance for friends and families of cult members to help with exiting their loved ones from their group. Furthermore, prior to his current role, he worked as a caseworker supporting survivors of human trafficking for three years and he is also autistic and passionate about raising awareness of the issues associated with cult recruitment and autism.

Ashley McLean

Ashley McLean

Ashley McLean is a former member of NXIVM and recent graduate of the MSc Psychology of Coercive Control program at the University of Salford in the UK. Her research interests include the recovery processes of former members and the psychological malpractice engaged in by pseudo-therapeutic groups. She is currently looking to pursue a PHD in psychology to explore her research interests.

Kate Amber

Kate Amber

Founder/CEO

End Coercive Control USA

Kate Amber is a cult, kidnapping, sexual assault, trafficking and adult and child survivor of domestic abuse. She is certified in Executive Leadership by the University of Pennsylvania’s Ortner Center of Violence and Abuse Prevention. She is also a certified in The Psychology of Coercive Control by The University of Salford and is a Certified ADA Advocate in the US. Kate founded End Coercive Control USA (ECCUSA) to help educate and transform the systems designed to assist victim/survivors of coercive control, with the mission of returning to them their dignity, agency and freedom. Kate is a speaker, consultant, trainer, writer and expert witness on domestic abuse, extremist groups and coercive control.

Carla James

Carla James

Centre for Health Sciences Research, University of Salford. Social Psychology, Legal Psychology (Psychology and Law) and Applied Psychology. MSc Psychology of Coercive Control. BPS Prizewinner (1995). BSc Psychology (Hons) First Class.

Current PhD in Applied Psychology at University of Salford. Specific interest in Family Courts and Domestic Abuse.