The Psychological Impact of Shunning with Dr Heather Ransom

The 'What should I think about..?' podcast goes 'sight & sound' this week on this special edition of the show, with an episode being shown on YouTube for the first time as well as a pure podcast.

Stephen speaks to Dr Heather Ransom, who researches the experience of living in, and leaving a high control group often called a cult. Dr Ransom is a former 'born-in' Jehovah's Witness who left as an adult and now works in academia. She has written two published papers about the effect of disfellowshipping and shunning on the psychology of leavers. Heather first talks about her own life and the process of leaving and then about her work.

Dr Ransom's papers:

Grieving the Living: The Social Death of Former Jehovah’s Witnesses

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10943-020-01156-8

Life after Social Death: Leaving the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Identity Transition and Recovery

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11089-020-00935-0

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