Former OneTaste member says social media-fueled manipulation is turning self-improvement into a gateway for coercion and control
LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, June 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — With the global wellness economy valued at more than $6 trillion and the life coaching industry booming, former OneTaste member and cult survivor Anthia Gillick warns that modern cults are increasingly disguising themselves as life coaches, wellness experts, and self-help communities to recruit people seeking change and connection.
“People think cults belong to another era, but they’ve simply changed costumes,” says Gillick. “Today’s manipulation networks are wrapped in the language of empowerment, healing, and self-improvement. They’re designed for social media, available in your pocket 24/7, and they target the exact conditions that define modern life: loneliness, identity transition, and the search for community. The vulnerable population isn’t fringe anymore. It’s everyone, and increasingly, it’s younger people.”
Gillick says it was her own search for spiritual renewal and a sense of belonging that drew her to OneTaste. What began as harmless opportunities for growth eventually turned into devastating demands.
“These groups don’t sell captivity,” says Gillick. “They sell hope. They promise healing, confidence, intimacy, and purpose. By the time people realize they’ve surrendered their autonomy, they’re often deeply invested emotionally, socially, and financially.
“It wasn’t one dramatic moment of recruitment. It was a series of small detours, each one reasonable on its own, until the entire trajectory of my life had changed.”
According to EL PAÍS, experts say social media has fueled an explosion in predatory groups, making it easier and cheaper than ever for manipulators to reach a global audience.
Gillick says some countries are beginning to address psychological coercion through legislation.
“France, Belgium, and Luxembourg already recognize coercive persuasion and abuse of vulnerability as crimes,” she says. “In 2024, Spanish cult survivors submitted 300,000 signatures to their Congress demanding similar protections. Control isn’t only physical. Mental chains are just as binding.”
But she believes the United States has a long way to go.
“More needs to be done by our legal system, and fast,” Gillick concludes. “Right now in the U.S., the only charge that reliably sticks when it comes to catching cults is forced labor conspiracy, the same statute used against agricultural contracting syndicates. When that’s your legal framework, survivors face cross-examination that renders their lived experience incoherent. That gap in legal language isn’t a technicality. It’s its own form of harm. We need to protect our young people.”
About Anthia Gillick
Anthia Gillick is an award-winning actress, author, producer, and aerialist. A former member of the controversial wellness organization OneTaste, she now speaks publicly about coercive control and psychological manipulation. Through media appearances and writing, Gillick hopes to help others recognize the warning signs of manipulative groups.
To learn more, visit www.anthiagillick.com.
Anthia Gillick is available for interviews.
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Topic / Culture, Society & Lifestyle, Topic / Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Industry, Topic / Social Media, Topic / Religion, Topic / Media, Advertising & PR, Country / United States, State / California
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