06/02/2025
Who is Jill Kesti and is she in a cult?
Who is Jill Susan Kesti?
Jill Susan Kesti is a mental health advocate based in Ontonagon, Michigan, in the Upper Peninsula (UP), known locally as . Born on September 23, 1975, in Upper Michigan, she was raised in Calumet, MI, until September 1993. She lived in Perry, MI, from 1997 to 2006 and has resided in Ontonagon since 2014. Kesti earned a Bachelor’s in Sociology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in May 1997, and an Associate’s in Graphic Design from Lansing Community College in May 2000.
Kesti is developing Van Gogh House, a peer-run emergency respite aimed at providing a non-coercive alternative to psychiatric wards, focusing on supporting individuals tapering off psychiatric medications, which she and the Coalition to End Forced Psychiatric Drugging (CTEFPD) call “Brain Disabling Psychotropic Neurotoxins.” Her plan incorporates sauna detox therapy, inspired by her Finnish heritage, to aid withdrawal. Her sociology background informs her trauma-informed, community-driven approach, while her graphic design skills support branding for the respite. She is also a member of the CSX Movement, advocating for mental health reform.
Family Background: Kesti has deep Finnish roots, with both sides of her family originating from Finland and settling in the UP. Her mother’s side includes over 450 first, second, and third cousins with surnames Torola and Tolkkinen. Her father’s side has several hundred cousins, influenced by the absence of birth control in her childhood church, the First Apostolic Lutheran Church in Calumet, where her great-grandfather, Walter Torola, a Finnish immigrant, was a minister. He was married to Aili (maiden name unknown), also a Finnish immigrant. Kesti has a relative named Kelly through her cousin Steven Kesti’s marriage.
Is Jill Susan Kesti in a Cult?
There is no evidence to suggest that Jill Susan Kesti is involved in a cult. Below is a critical examination of her affiliations and the context of the question:
• Definition of a Cult: A cult is typically characterized by a group with a charismatic leader, authoritarian control, isolation from society, and manipulative practices that undermine individual autonomy. Kesti’s activities and affiliations do not align with these traits.
• First Apostolic Lutheran Church:
• Kesti’s childhood connection to the First Apostolic Lutheran Church, a Laestadian denomination, might raise questions, as some conservative religious groups are occasionally labeled cults by critics due to strict practices. Laestadianism, prevalent among Finnish-Americans in the UP, emphasizes large families, communal worship, and conservative values, which influenced Kesti’s family size (hundreds of cousins). However, it is a recognized Christian denomination, not a cult, with established congregations across the U.S., including in Calumet.
• There’s no indication Kesti is currently an active member or that the church exerts control over her life. Her mention of it is historical, tied to her great-grandfather Walter Torola’s ministry and her family’s practices during her childhood.
• Coalition to End Forced Psychiatric Drugging (CTEFPD):
• Kesti’s involvement with CTEFPD, a group advocating against coercive psychiatric practices, reflects a niche but growing movement among psychiatric survivors and mental health reformers. CTEFPD’s rhetoric, like calling psychiatric drugs “neurotoxins,” is strong but aligns with critiques from secular advocates, such as Mad In America or the National Empowerment Center, not cult-like ideologies.
• The group operates publicly (e.g., via Facebook), focusing on policy reform and lived experience, with no signs of cult characteristics like a single leader, secrecy, or member isolation.
• CSX Movement:
• Kesti’s participation in the CSX Movement, another mental health advocacy effort, appears to overlap with CTEFPD’s goals of promoting non-coercive alternatives. There’s no available evidence suggesting CSX is a cult; it seems to be a grassroots initiative, though less documented. Without specific details, it doesn’t exhibit cult-like traits based on Kesti’s described activities.
• Van Gogh House and Sauna Therapy:
• Kesti’s Van Gogh House project is a proposed peer respite, not a religious or ideological organization. Its focus on sauna detox therapy, inspired by her Finnish heritage, might invite comparisons to groups like Scientology, which uses sauna-based detox (Hubbard Purification Rundown). However, Kesti’s approach is explicitly tied to Finnish cultural practices, not Scientology’s framework, and there’s no evidence linking her to Scientology or any cult-like group.
• Peer respites, like Second Story or The Retreat at the Plaza, are recognized mental health models, often funded by grants or community support, with no cult associations.
• Critical Perspective:
• The term “cult” is sometimes misused to discredit unconventional advocacy, especially in mental health, where critics of psychiatry (like CTEFPD) challenge mainstream narratives. Kesti’s work aligns with a broader movement of psychiatric survivors, peer support advocates, and holistic practitioners, not a cult’s controlling structure.
• Her large family network (Torola/Tolkkinen cousins) and religious upbringing might seem insular to outsiders, but this reflects UP Finnish-American culture, not cult dynamics. The First Apostolic Lutheran Church, while conservative, is a community-based denomination, not a secretive or manipulative organization.
• No sources (web, X posts, or Scientology-related records) connect Kesti to known cults, including Scientology, despite her sauna therapy interest. Her advocacy is transparent, community-focused, and rooted in personal heritage.
Conclusion
Jill Susan Kesti is a mental health advocate from Ontonagon, MI, with a rich Finnish heritage and a background in sociology and graphic design. She is working on Van Gogh House, a peer respite to support psychiatric drug tapering, and is active with CTEFPD and the CSX Movement. There is no evidence she is involved in a cult. Her childhood ties to the First Apostolic Lutheran Church reflect UP cultural norms, not cult membership, and her sauna therapy proposal is grounded in Finnish tradition, not Scientology or other cult-like ideologies. Her advocacy challenges psychiatric norms but aligns with recognized peer support models.
If you’d like further investigation—e.g., into the CSX Movement, the First Apostolic Lutheran Church’s practices, or specific aspects of Kesti’s advocacy—please let me know, and I can dig deeper!
—Grok
May 2025
