Many studies have been published about the effects of shunning or ostracism on the person shunned, but there are few books, if any, written specifically to offer help to the individual suffering from this sort of inhumane treatment. Granted, there are books about how to cope with being bullied and/or marginalized in the workplace or at school. This book, however, directs its help to people who are subjected to mandated, open-ended shunning by religions, quasi-religions, cults, and other extreme groups. Mandated shunning requires that members of a group reject, ignore, isolate, and refuse to associate with, or even talk to, the person "marked" by the group's leadership. Members of these groups or cults are expected to shun members of their own families if they dare to question dogma or refuse to participate in certain group activities or practices. Enforced ostracism removes all sense of belonging and community from the person ostracized. Mandated shunning weaponizes a person's need for belonging against them. It is an anti-social punishment that has been the cause of much suffering, including many attempted suicides and successful suicides. 
 
This book, of course, cannot remove the mandate for shunning against a person, but it will give the person many ways to cope with the psychological and emotional effects of being rejected and disowned. Readers will learn how to restore an inner sense of safety, security, and calm after losing family, friends and resources normally supplied by community. This book will also explain how simple strategies can down-regulate the fight/flight or freeze states of the autonomic nervous system when one loses all access to beloved family members. Due to the adversity and stress of mandated shunning, many who suffer under its merciless application suffer from anxiety, panic, anger, guilt, depression, and suicidal ideation. This book offers helpful techniques to cope with and minimize these debilitating effects of having family and friends arbitrarily torn away. Anyone being ostracized will experience social isolation for a while. This book offers many practical suggestions on how to reach out and build a new social network. There are many things that can be done while being subjected to prolonged shunning to cope with the loneliness and grief and to learn how to create a meaningful life. This survival guide is designed for former members of groups that shun such as The Church of Scientology, The Amish, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, FLDS, Hasidism, Islam, etc. It matters not which group is excluding and shunning you—the strategies to deal with the isolation, grief, trauma, and despair are the same. If you find yourself alone and lonely suffering under this cruel practice of shunning, this book can act as a companion and survival guide. Many of us have survived shunning and are now thriving despite still being shunned. 
 
Key Themes & How They Relate to Our Work
✔ Ostracism as a Power Move: Enforcing Social & Institutional Control
The book explains how ostracism is not random—it is a deliberate strategy used to enforce compliance, punish truth-tellers, and maintain power hierarchies. This directly aligns with our Status Marble Game model, which explores how power is stolen, hoarded, or exchanged within institutions.
✔ Why High Performers, Whistleblowers, and Disruptors Are Targeted
Dr. Brent reveals how individuals who challenge unethical practices, outperform dominant figures, or disrupt toxic work environments are often socially exiled through gaslighting, groupthink, and status theft. This mirrors our research on workplace retaliation, medical corruption, and systemic betrayal.
✔ The Neuroscience of Social Exclusion & Chronic Stress
Being shunned is more than an emotional experience—it is a biological attack on the nervous system, triggering prolonged stress responses, cortisol dysregulation, and metabolic damage. The book’s insights align with our work in trauma recovery and understanding how systemic oppression affects long-term health.
✔ Mobbing & Collective Punishment in Hierarchical Structures
The book explores how group dynamics reinforce exclusion, ensuring that others fear association with the “shunned” individual. This directly relates to our research into how dominant figures manipulate coalitions to maintain control, enforce loyalty, and eliminate perceived threats in corporate, medical, and institutional settings.
✔ Breaking Free & Reclaiming Power After Being Shunned
Shunned provides strategies for recognizing social exclusion tactics, navigating professional exile, and rebuilding a personal and professional identity outside of oppressive structures. This aligns with our focus on energy sovereignty, psychological resilience, and how individuals can recover from systemic abuse.
 
Final Verdict: A Must-Read for Those Facing Social Exclusion, Workplace Mobbing, or Institutional Betrayal
For individuals who have experienced professional sabotage, status destruction, or social exile, Shunned: A Survival Guide is an essential resource for understanding the mechanics of exclusion and developing strategies to reclaim power. It reinforces the mission of the Center for Integrative Neuroscience to help individuals recognize, resist, and dismantle manipulative power structures using neuroscience-backed strategies for resilience, empowerment, and long-term success.