Joseph P. Szimhart (photo 2008)
Career Description: Cult Information Consultant provides consultation, education, research and non-coercive intervention that addresses controversial, high-demand groups, cults, psychotherapies, or relationships that use undue influence and thought reform techniques.
Education:
- University of Dayton, OH - BA 1969
- PA Academy of Fine Arts - certificate in painting 1975
- University of New Mexico - art history studies 1983-4
- Ursinus College, PA - Social Psychology studies 1994
Joe Szimhart’s deep interest in the problem of harmful group activity began in 1980 when he rejected the influence of a system of esoteric sects, some of which used thought reform techniques. He began helping persons with similar problems by the end of 1980. His professional career began in 1986 when he first helped with family interventions nationally.
Employment related to social services:
- Since 1980: Self-employed in cult research, education, consultant, lecturer, and intervention specialist. Primary career from 1986-1998; part-time to present.
- 1998 to present: Intake and crisis caseworker at a psychiatric emergency hospital, full time. http://www.mces.org/crisisservice.html
- In 2000: Drug & alcohol therapist at a halfway house in PA.
- 1970-72 Therapeutic Activities Worker II at Pennhurst State Institution for mentally retarded. http://www.abandonedasylum.com/pss.html
Artist: Long career as a self-employed, professional artist. Exhibitions and commissions since 1970. Instructor at New Mexico State Penitentiary and at St. John’s College in New Mexico. Last large commission completed in 2002: 14 canvases of "Stations of the Cross" for St. Columbkill’s Church in Boyertown, PA. see: artindex.htm
Volunteer:
- Chairman from 1985 to 1993 for the Center for Christian Information, a non-profit, interdenominational counseling group in Santa Fe. CCI lectured about cult issues and assist groups and people throughout the state of New Mexico with information about the cult problem.
- Volunteer Professional for the International Cultic Studies Association.
Television and radio appearances: Since 1983 appeared on dozens of TV and radio programs worldwide. Consulted by the national media regularly. The 1994 NBC TV movie, "Moment of Truth: A Mother’s Deception," about a middle-aged woman controlled by a psychiatrist’s cult, was based on case and script consultations with Szimhart. Also consultations with CNN, Dateline, MTV, Court TV, and A&E TV for a 1997 special on "Prophecy". He appeared on a BET talk show "Our Voices" on May 4, 1997.
In print media: Several books that mention his "cult" work are: Bounded Choice by Janja Lalich (2004), Understanding the New Age by R. Chandler (1988), What Do We Mean When we Say God? by D. Sullivan (1991), Take Back Your Life by Tobias & Lalich (1994), Snapping (1995) by Conway & Siegelman. Ongoing reviews and articles for the Cultic Studies Journal and Skeptical Inquirer. Wrote introductions for and helped edit Cult Encounter by Rick Larsen & Helen Larsen (1997) and 400 Years of Imaginary Friends by Kenneth Paolini and Talita Paolini (2000), an expose about their 10 years experience with the Church Universal and Triumphant and the "I AM" Activity. In 1991 DETAILs magazine ran a 5000 word article about Szimhart’s interventions called "New Age Exorcist." He has appeared in Newsweek, the London Telegraph Review, The New Mexican, Forbes, the Washington Post, the West Australian and many more publications. Most recently (2008) by ABC news re FLDS: http://abcnews.go.com/US/Story?id=4659164&page=1
Lectures, papers: Since 1982, lectures before diverse organizations on the cult problem—Native American tribes, skeptics groups, police departments, churches, colleges and prep schools, youth departments, senior groups, business organizations and sociology classes, national Mensa gatherings. In 2002 at the annual American Family Foundation conference on cults he delivered a lecture and wrote a paper on the "Decline of Church Universal and Triumphant" published in the Cultic Studies Journal of ICSA
www.icsahome.org. Also presented papers twice at Association for Sociology of Religion annual conferences.Legal: Appearances in court and consultation as an expert witness on behalf of cult victims.
Interventions: Through intervention he has personally helped several hundreds of persons and families impacted by cult activity since 1980, including many cases in Australia, Trinidad, United Kingdom and other countries.
Personal: Married with three daughters and one granddaughter.
We have a spiritual crisis in this country. New Age gurus are feeding off it. It seems that anybody can sell metaphysical snake oil and get away with it.
—Quoted in Newsweek, February 1, 1988
He who loves correction loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid--Proverbs 12:1