The Cult-Informed Professional Network began in November 2024, launched officially at the first Decult Conference in Ōtautāhi, Christchurch, New Zealand. The Decult Conference brought together for the first time people deeply interested in and committed to growing awareness and understanding of cultic harm, with a desire to support better those impacted by cults.  
 
Professionals, advocates and survivors were gripped by a shared desire to bring to New Zealand and Australia more expertise on cultic harm, more evidence of its activities in our countries,  better cult recovery services and lobbying power for legislative change. Through forming a collaborative, professionals and advocates already working individually in this space were for the first time able to work together to better achieve these aims.
 
The Cult-Informed Professional Network has grown out of those roots. It is a group of people with a shared vision of hope at a time where cultic influence and extremism is growing. Our vision is to work to make New Zealand and Australia less fertile soils for cults to thrive, territories where group coercive control has social and legal consequences, and countries where cult survivors can find skilful, cult-informed professional support in their exit and recovery journeys.