Cult Directory

English-speaking Critics of Culty Coaching & Workplace Manipulation

Carl Cederström, PhD – Academic writer exploring wellness culture, self-optimisation, and neoliberal work culture.

LinkedIn: https://se.linkedin.com/in/carl-cederstr%C3%B6m-805623129

Book: The Wellness Syndrome (with André Spicer) – https://www.wiley.com/en-us/The%2BWellness%2BSyndrome-p-9780745655611

Peter Fleming, PhD – Sociologist of work; critiques corporate culture, control, and “work as mythology.”

Author page: https://www.plutobooks.com/product/the-mythology-of-work/

Book: The Mythology of Work – https://www.plutobooks.com/product/the-mythology-of-work/

Barbara Kellerman – Scholar of leadership and followership, critic of the leadership industry.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbarakellerman

Book: The End of Leadership – https://www.linkedin.com/posts/barbarakellerman_dimons-damaged-halo-activity-7374061124519993344-EkJz

Janja Lalich, PhD – Sociologist and leading expert on cults, coercive control, and undue influence.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janjalalich

Book: Bounded Choice – https://www.ucpress.edu/books/bounded-choice/paper

Amanda Montell – Writer; analyses the manipulative language of cults and coaching industries.

Book: Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism – https://www.harperacademic.com/book/9780063097919/cultish

Jeffrey Pfeffer, PhD – Stanford professor, exposes toxic workplace practices and management myths.

Book: Dying for a Paycheck – https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/books/dying-paycheck

Ronald Purser, PhD – Management professor and outspoken critic of corporate mindfulness.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ron-purser-4a24146

Book: McMindfulness – https://www.randomhousebooks.com/books/600158

Article: “The Mindfulness Conspiracy” – https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jan/23/mindfulness-conspiracy-capitalist-spirituality

Phil Rosenzweig, PhD – Business professor; debunks management pseudo-science and the “halo effect.”

Book: The Halo Effect – https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Halo-Effect/Phil-Rosenzweig/9781476784038

Daniel Shaw, LCSW – Therapist and author on narcissism in cults and abusive organisations.

Book: Traumatic Narcissism – https://www.routledge.com/search?kw=Traumatic%20Narcissism%20Daniel%20Shaw

Alexandra Stein, PhD – Social psychologist; applies attachment theory to cults and authoritarian systems.

Book: Terror, Love and Brainwashing – https://www.routledge.com/Terror-Love-and-Brainwashing-Attachment-in-Cults-and-Totalitarian-Systems/Stein/p/book/9780367467715

André Spicer, PhD – Professor of organisational behaviour, critiques corporate wellness and leadership fads.

LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/andre-spicer-1551491

Book: The Wellness Syndrome (with Carl Cederström) – https://politybooks.com/bookdetail/?isbn=9780745655604

Dennis Tourish, PhD – Professor of leadership; exposes toxic leadership and “leader cults” in organisations.

LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/dennis-tourish-3a506014

Book: The Dark Side of Transformational Leadership – https://www.routledge.com/The-Dark-Side-of-Transformational-Leadership-A-Critical-Perspective/Tourish/p/book/9780415564281

Jim Bright, PhD – Organisational psychologist; highlights manipulative coaching practices.

LinkedIn (via post): https://ug.linkedin.com/posts/jimbright_inside-the-life-coaching-cult-that-takes-activity-7049500349291761664-88fW

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, PhD – Psychologist; critiques toxic leadership and “confidence culture.”

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drtomaschamorro

Book: Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders? – https://store.hbr.org/product/why-do-so-many-incompetent-men-become-leaders-and-how-to-fix-it/10215

Spanish-speaking / LatAm Critics of Pseudoscience & Corporate Coaching

Elena Campos (APETP) – Scientist and activist; fights pseudotherapies through APETP.

LinkedIn: https://es.linkedin.com/in/elena-campos-s%C3%A1nchez-8a329725

Association: https://www.apetp.com/la-asociacion/

Eparquio Delgado, PhD (Psicología) – Psychologist; critic of pseudotherapies and self-help culture.

LinkedIn: https://es.linkedin.com/in/eparquio-a-delgado-lorenzo-3a51234b

Book: Los libros de autoayuda, ¡vaya timo! – https://www.laetoli.es/vaya-timo/120-libros-de-autoayuda-vaya-timo-9788492422693.html

Enrique Dans, PhD – Academic; critiques tech hype, management fads, and corporate storytelling.

LinkedIn: https://es.linkedin.com/in/edans

Blog: https://www.enriquedans.com/

Fernando Frías – Lawyer and sceptic; exposes pseudoscience and its legal implications.

Author page: https://naukas.com/author/ferfrias/page/2/

Héctor G. Barnés – Journalist; critiques pop psychology and the coaching industry.

LinkedIn: https://es.linkedin.com/in/hectorgbarnes

Iñaki Piñuel, Psicólogo – Specialist on mobbing, workplace abuse, and toxic leadership in Spain.

LinkedIn: https://es.linkedin.com/in/i%C3%B1aki-pi%C3%B1uel-05a12340

Book: Mobbing: Cómo sobrevivir al acoso psicológico en el trabajo – https://inakipinuel.com/libros-de-inaki-pinuel/

José Miguel Mulet, PhD – Biochemist; critic of pseudoscience and wellness misinformation.

LinkedIn: https://es.linkedin.com/in/jose-miguel-mulet-salort-8309ab4b

Author page: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9087-3838

Javier Salas – Journalist at El País Materia; covers pseudoscience and corporate wellness myths.

Profile: https://x.com/javisalas

Portfolio: https://about.me/javisalas

Miguel Perlado, Psicólogo (AIIAP) – Psychologist and cult expert; applies sect dynamics to organisational life.

LinkedIn: https://es.linkedin.com/in/miguelperlado

Book: ¡Captados! Todo lo que debes saber sobre las sectas – https://www.amazon.com/-/es/%C2%A1Captados-debes-sectas-funcionan-ayudar/dp/8434431718

Pablo Malo, MD – Psychiatrist; critiques moralistic psychology, social coercion, and fads.

Books: https://www.planetadelibros.com/autor/pablo-malo-ocejo/000055885

Blog/Substack: https://substack.com/%40pablomalo

Pablo Salum (Argentina, activista) – Survivor and campaigner; exposes sect-like groups and manipulative organisations.

Profile/news: https://x.com/leyantisectas

Coverage: https://www.eluniversal.com.mx/mundo/escuela-de-yoga-la-secta-del-horror-parecida-nxivm-descubierta-en-argentina/

Ramón Nogueras, Psicólogo – Psychologist; writes on cognitive biases, cults, and pseudo-psychology.

LinkedIn: https://es.linkedin.com/in/ramonnogueras

Book: Por qué creemos en mierdas – https://www.kailas.es/libros/libros-no-ficcion/creemos-mierdas-ramon-nogueras/

Amalio Rey – Consultant and blogger; critic of “agile cults” and manipulative business fads.

LinkedIn: https://es.linkedin.com/in/amalio-a-rey

Blog: https://www.amaliorey.com/archivoscategorias/

🌍 English-speaking Critics of Culty Coaching & Workplace Manipulation

Janja Lalich, PhD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janjalalich

Book: Bounded Choice

More info: https://www.ucpress.edu/books/bounded-choice/paper

Ronald Purser, PhD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ron-purser-4a24146

Book: McMindfulness

Publisher: https://www.randomhousebooks.com/books/600158

Article: “The Mindfulness Conspiracy” — https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jan/23/mindfulness-conspiracy-capitalist-spirituality

André Spicer, PhD

LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/andre-spicer-1551491

Book: The Wellness Syndrome (with Carl Cederström)

Publisher: https://politybooks.com/bookdetail/?isbn=9780745655604

Carl Cederström, PhD

LinkedIn: https://se.linkedin.com/in/carl-cederstr%C3%B6m-805623129

Book: The Wellness Syndrome (with André Spicer)

Publisher: https://www.wiley.com/en-us/The%2BWellness%2BSyndrome-p-9780745655611

Dennis Tourish, PhD

LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/dennis-tourish-3a506014

Book: The Dark Side of Transformational Leadership

Publisher: https://www.routledge.com/The-Dark-Side-of-Transformational-Leadership-A-Critical-Perspective/Tourish/p/book/9780415564281

Barbara Kellerman

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbarakellerman

Book: The End of Leadership

Info: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/barbarakellerman_dimons-damaged-halo-activity-7374061124519993344-EkJz

Jeffrey Pfeffer, PhD

Book: Dying for a Paycheck

Publisher: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/books/dying-paycheck

Peter Fleming, PhD

Author page: https://www.plutobooks.com/product/the-mythology-of-work/

Book: The Mythology of Work

Phil Rosenzweig, PhD

Book: The Halo Effect

Publisher: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Halo-Effect/Phil-Rosenzweig/9781476784038

Alexandra Stein, PhD

Book: Terror, Love and Brainwashing

Publisher: https://www.routledge.com/Terror-Love-and-Brainwashing-Attachment-in-Cults-and-Totalitarian-Systems/Stein/p/book/9780367467715

Amanda Montell

Book: Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism

Publisher: https://www.harperacademic.com/book/9780063097919/cultish

Daniel Shaw, LCSW

Book: Traumatic Narcissism

Publisher: https://www.routledge.com/search?kw=Traumatic%20Narcissism%20Daniel%20Shaw

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, PhD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drtomaschamorro

Book: Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders?

Publisher: https://store.hbr.org/product/why-do-so-many-incompetent-men-become-leaders-and-how-to-fix-it/10215

Jim Bright, PhD

LinkedIn: (via post) https://ug.linkedin.com/posts/jimbright_inside-the-life-coaching-cult-that-takes-activity-7049500349291761664-88fW

🇪🇸 Spanish-speaking / LatAm Critics of Pseudoscience & Corporate Coaching

Eparquio Delgado, PhD (Psicología)

LinkedIn: https://es.linkedin.com/in/eparquio-a-delgado-lorenzo-3a51234b

Book: Los libros de autoayuda, ¡vaya timo!

Publisher: https://www.laetoli.es/vaya-timo/120-libros-de-autoayuda-vaya-timo-9788492422693.html

Ramón Nogueras, Psicólogo

LinkedIn: https://es.linkedin.com/in/ramonnogueras

Book: Por qué creemos en mierdas

Publisher: https://www.kailas.es/libros/libros-no-ficcion/creemos-mierdas-ramon-nogueras/

Miguel Perlado, Psicólogo (AIIAP)

LinkedIn: https://es.linkedin.com/in/miguelperlado

Book: ¡Captados! Todo lo que debes saber sobre las sectas

Publisher: https://www.amazon.com/-/es/%C2%A1Captados-debes-sectas-funcionan-ayudar/dp/8434431718

Iñaki Piñuel, Psicólogo

LinkedIn: https://es.linkedin.com/in/i%C3%B1aki-pi%C3%B1uel-05a12340

Book: Mobbing: Cómo sobrevivir al acoso psicológico en el trabajo

Publisher: https://inakipinuel.com/libros-de-inaki-pinuel/

Elena Campos (APETP)

LinkedIn: https://es.linkedin.com/in/elena-campos-s%C3%A1nchez-8a329725

Association: https://www.apetp.com/la-asociacion/

Pablo Salum (Argentina, activista)

Profile/news: https://x.com/leyantisectas

Coverage: https://www.eluniversal.com.mx/mundo/escuela-de-yoga-la-secta-del-horror-parecida-nxivm-descubierta-en-argentina/

José Miguel Mulet, PhD

LinkedIn: https://es.linkedin.com/in/jose-miguel-mulet-salort-8309ab4b

Author page: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9087-3838

Héctor G. Barnés (Periodista)

LinkedIn: https://es.linkedin.com/in/hectorgbarnes

Amalio Rey (Consultoría crítica)

LinkedIn: https://es.linkedin.com/in/amalio-a-rey

Blog: https://www.amaliorey.com/archivoscategorias/

Enrique Dans, PhD