The Cult Effect: A True Story of Mind Control in Australia 1996 - 2010

A gripping account of the brutal impact of spiritual and violent extremism.

Carli McConkey was 21 years old when she happened upon New Age guru, Natasha Lakaev, and her personal development company, Life Integration Programmes, at the Mind Body Spirit Festival in Sydney, Australia in 1996.

What at first appeared professional and promising, became a vehicle for psychological and physical abuse. Over the next thirteen years, Carli lost her freedom…her mind…and her family.

This memoir demonstrates the subtle and insidious process of mind control, gives insights into the period of recovery after escape, and shows how determination and strength can overcome adversity.