A Little Bit Culty

This epiosde is sponsored by Better Help. What does a thriving life look like after surviving a cult? Katherine Spearing has some ideas about that, and some real life experience to back those ideas up. She survived the cult of the The Christian Patriarchy Movement, also known as the Stay-At- Home-Daughter Movement. And yeah: That’s as terrible as it sounds. The most prominent characteristic of this particular cult is that it requires adult daughters to stay home until they marry, serving their father in preparation for serving their husband. Raised in this environment meant that Katherine wasn’t allowed to go to college, but she didn’t let that stop her: She did it in secret: starting her first class at 25 years old. And flash forward to today: She’s an author, a podcaster, an advocate and a Certified Trauma Recovery Coach. SHOW NOTES: Katherine Spearing MA, CTRC is the founder of Tears of Eden, a nonprofit supporting survivors of spiritual abuse, and the host of Tears' affiliate podcast Uncertain. She also hosts the podcast Trauma & Pop Culture and is a Certified Trauma Recovery Practitioner working primarily with clients who have survived cults, high-control environments, spiritual abuse, and sexual abuse. She also provides specialized trauma informed career coaching, as folks with trauma often need extra support for interviewing and networking. Katherine is the author of a historical romantic comedy, Hartfords, a novel that challenges gender roles in a patriarchal society that will appeal to fans of Jane Austen. She has been a guest on a number of podcasts, including IndoctriNation and That’s So Fcked Up, is the author of several nonfiction articles, and writes regularly at katherinespearing.com and tearsofeden.org. Also…Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah’s TEDTalk CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by Better Help. Coming up for air from your latest binge-watch? This remix episode is for you. This week, we’re revisiting conversations with guests fresh off docuseries adaptations of their stories. For better or worse, these series highlight the unique cult experiences of their subjects, sharing their story with a wider audience than ever before. This episode includes highlights with Sarma Melngailis restauranter and subject of Netflix’s “Bad Vegan.” Sarma shares the good and the bad that comes with sharing your story with a wider audience. Then, Boy Scouts of America whistleblower Tom Krumins, one of the primary drivers of the investigation into the organization. Then, we’ll round things out with Ruthy Heiler, the whistleblower at the heart of the series “Let Us Prey: A Ministry of Scandals,” which explored the darkness and depravity within the Independent Fundamentalist Baptist (IFB) movement. Also… let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah’s TEDTalk CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel AsselinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsroed by Better Help. Content Advisory: This episode contains conversation about sexual assault. Please listen with care. Former Michigan State University and ex-USA Gymnastics Larry Nassar is serving upwards of 175 years in prison after admitting to molesting some of the nation's top gymnasts for years under the guise of medical treatment. But while he rots in prison, the athletes he preyed upon are moving mountains to prevent more Larry Nassars from walking freely through the world. Grace French is one of those movers and shakers. The founder of the Army of Survivors movement, Grace has dedicated her life to changing the culture of sport, consent, and institutional accountability to make sure that no one has to endure sexual violence or abuse. She joins us in this episode to discuss her story, her advocacy work, and what it will take to keep more predators from infiltrating the culture of sports. Show notes: Sexual assault is not your fault. If you need to talk, reach out to the National Sexual Assault Hotline at any time at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit rainn.org, that’s R-A-I-N-N dot O-R-G. About Grace French: Grace French is a dancer, marketer, strategist, and founder. Grace is the President and Founder of The Army of Survivors. Her passion for dance lives on through her students that she coaches at a nationally recognized youth studio in Canton, Michigan. As a survivor of the now defamed Michigan State University doctor, Grace has dedicated her life to changing the culture of sport, consent, and institutional accountability to make sure that no one has to endure sexual violence or abuse. Her work in survivors’ rights and advocacy for athletes’ rights has been globally recognized, leading her to speak at the United Nations General Assembly in 2019 to urge the passage of a Worldwide Survivor Bill of Rights. She serves as an Advisory Board member for Safe Sport International as well as the International Safeguard for Children in Sport. Grace has worked on the expert advisory committees for several global projects with the likes of FIFA, the International Olympic Committee, World Players Associations, and the Sports & Rights Alliance. Grace is the recipient of the 2023 "Women who Shape the State" award, a 2022 Liberty Bell award from the Michigan Bar Association, one of the recipients of the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2018 ESPYs, as well as a 2018 Glamour Women of the Year awardee. Grace received her BBA at University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. For more information, follow online and social media at: https://thearmyofsurvivors.org/ @thearmyofsurvivors (IG/Facebook) @survivorsarmy (twitter) @gfrench555 (Insagram/Facebook) @gracewashere_ (Twitter) Also…let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah’s TEDTalk CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by Better Help! Here’s our conversation with Cameron Black, a 20-something Stanford University student who has overcome some very culty, very harrowing challenges. He chats with us about his healing process and the hard work of finding himself again after the abuse he experienced in a commune, a hellish Jesuit school experience, and several wilderness programs for troubled teens. How he got from there to Stanford is nothing short of a miracle. Be sure to check out his TedX talk for even more context. Also please take note: Cameron survived childhood abuse of every kind both inside and outside the cult(s) that he grew up in, from parents as well as the people who were supposed to help him heal. Content Warning: This episode delves into those topics, although Cameron has tried to keep some of those details vague out of sensitivity to other victims. Be sure to listen with care. Also… let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah’s TEDTalk CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by Better Help. On this week’s show, we’ll talk to Demetria. She was immersed in TwinRay — an Oregon-based shop and health center that organizes “mass global meditations for peace.” But our guest says there’s way more going on here than peaceful reflection. She talks about how TwinRay’s leaders exploit people for cash and dose event attendees with psychedelic substances — among other forms of profiteering and manipulation — at a gold-covered Ashland mansion. We sat down with her to find out everything there is to know about TwinRay’s mysterious leaders. Demetria — also known as Sarai — writes about the parallels between money and emotions through her experience as a certified public accountant and a wage investigator for the federal government. She is in the midst of a 16 year deep exploration into alternative healing and spirituality that includes her intense recovery from spiritual abuse and childhood trauma. She writes at https://demetriam.substack.com/ Also…let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah’s TEDTalk CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Writer: Matt Stroud Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel AsselinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by Better Help. Anna Lebaron is one of more than fifty children born to infamous polygamist cult leader Ervil LeBaron, aka “Mormon Manson.” So you can probably imagine that her upbringing was both extraordinary and devastating: As she recounts in her excellent book, The Polygamist’s Daughter, she lost multiple family members at the hands of other family members, including those she lost in the infamous “4 o’clock murders” — a bit of blood atonement that led to four people being killed. Those murders are depicted in the 2024 Hulu documentary “Daughters of the Cult.” This week, we hear from Anna and her sister, Celia, about their stories — and their capacity to believe in rehabilitation and redemption. You might think that Anna would hold a lot of resentment against her father. (We sure would!) But that’s not the case. Anna and Celia speak candidly about their father — and compassionately of their siblings who committed murders at their father’s bidding. Learn more and buy Anna’s book at: https://annalebaron.com/ Also… let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah’s TEDTalk CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is episode is sponsored by Better Help. This week: The final installment of our talk with four people lured into The Grotto — a mostly online hub for digital art that turned into a kind of Ponzi cult with plenty of love bombing and possible fraud. Our guests — anonymous, but going by Charm, Kateryna, Shayna, and Fomo — say it all begins with Jaime Dubuar Dean, aka “@thr33som3s,” who is a supposed former professional baseball player-turned digital artist who used Discord to coerce people to invest in his NFTs. With each dollar spent on his art, he promised that his followers could get closer to him. Our guests will say that Dean used coercion, financial manipulation, and empty promises to draw them in. And then he took his power too far. Our artists are mostly anonymous, but you can find Kateryna — and her incredible art — here and here. Also…let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah’s TEDTalk CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is episode is sponsored by Better Help. On this week’s show, the second installment of our wide-ranging, in-depth, and ultimately hopeful talk with four people lured into The Grotto — a mostly online hub for digital art that turned into a kind of Ponzi cult with plenty of love bombing and possible fraud. Our guests — anonymous, but going by Charm, Kateryna, Shayna, and Fomo — say it all begins with Jaime Dubuar Dean, aka “@thr33som3s,” who is a supposed former professional baseball player-turned digital artist who used Discord to coerce people to invest in his NFTs. With each dollar spent on his art, he promised that his followers could get closer to him. Our guests will say that Dean used coercion, financial manipulation, and empty promises to draw them in. And then he took his power too far. Our artists are mostly anonymous, but you can find Kateryna — and her incredible art — here and here. Also…let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah’s TEDTalk CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by Better Help. On this week’s show, we’ll talk to four people lured into The Grotto — a mostly online hub for digital art that turned into a kind of Ponzi cult with plenty of love bombing and possible fraud. Our guests — anonymous, but going by Charm, Kateryna, Shayna, and Fomo — say it all begins with Jaime Dubuar Dean, aka “@thr33som3s,” who is a supposed former professional baseball player-turned digital artist who used Discord to coerce people to invest in his NFTs. With each dollar spent on his art, he promised that his followers could get closer to him. Our guests will say that Dean used coercion, financial manipulation, and empty promises to draw them in. And then he took his power too far. Our artists are mostly anonymous, but you can find Kateryna — and her incredible art — here and here. Also…let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah’s TEDTalk CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel AsselinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by Better Help. TikTok-famous Charlotte Medlock was once swept up in the world of the late Guru Jagat, aka Katie Griggs, the Rama Institute and Kundalini. Charlotte wants you to know that this particular Russian nesting doll of Yoga, new-age West Coast-style spirituality, and female empowerment vibes wasn’t all love and light. And we want you to know it all sounds more than A Little Bit Culty. We’re chatting with her about what she thought she was getting into when she first collided with Guru Jagat; when it all started to go off the rails; and how she’s turning the page after a chapter marked by an epically Bad Boss and a cult within a cult. Shownotes: The late Guru Jagat, born Katie Griggs, was a prominent figure in the world of Kundalini Yoga. At the height of her fame she was reportedly a personal guru to Hollywood stars like Kate Hudson and Alicia Keys. She was also a magnet for controversy, and a staunch defender of none other than Yogi Bhajan. In case you don’t know who that is, he is credited with bringing Kundalini to the west, and was later accused of rape, sexual misconduct, and financial wrongdoing. About Charlotte Medlock: Charlotte Medlock is a marketing specialist based in Los Angeles. In her work she focuses on the wellness and meditation space, and has helped apps surpass 100k downloads, launched online courses with revenue of over 300k a month, and created viral memes on Instagram. In addition to her work experience, Charlotte has garnered a following on TikTok, where she shares stories and advice based on her cult experience and recovery. She’s currently writing a memoir about her time in the cult. Follow her at: https://www.tiktok.com/@charlotte.medlock https://www.instagram.com/charlottemedlockk Also…let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah’s TEDTalk CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by Better Help. Is the famed hedge fund Bridgewater Associates operating a cult in plain sight? Or is it just a little bit culty? Journalist and author Rob Copeland joins us for a deep dive into Wall Street’s seedy underbelly, and the troubling story of Bridgewater’s founder—the pseudo philosopher-king Ray Dalio. You’ll want to read Rob’s NYT bestseller ‘The Fund’ this summer, if you haven’t already, and then you can decide whether or not you agree with us that Ray Dalio is radiating serious Keith Raniere vibes. Rob joins us to chat about Dalio’s strange world and the uncanny parallels between the planet’s largest hedge fund and NXIVM. About Rob Copeland: Rob Copeland is a finance reporter for the New York Times. He was previously the longtime hedge-fund beat reporter at the Wall Street Journal, and has also covered Silicon Valley and the hidden worlds of the wealthy and powerful. His front-page investigations into Bridgewater Associates won a New York Press Club award; he was also awarded an honorable mention twice by the Society of American Business Writers (SABEW) and was named a News Media Alliance "Rising Star" (formerly Top 30 Under 30). He has appeared on ABC’s "Good Morning America," NPR and other major news networks. His NYT Bestseller The Fund was published in late 2023, and we get why it topped the charts: We think it is a freakin’ page turner! Show Notes: Assorted articles about The Fund, and Ray Dalio. (Sorry, but we don’t control paywalls.) NY Post article Business Insider article Vanity Fair article NY Mag article with book excerpt Airmail article NY Times feature (2017) Also…let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah’s TEDTalk Credits: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by Better Help. Eli Harwood we can’t quite quit you just yet, but we feel very secure about it. The ever-quotable and mega-helpful licensed therapist, author, and educator is back again for another episode, and breaking down what attachment patterns can mean for cult survivors and seekers, parents and children, lovers and fighters, Mars and Venus. By our calculations that means EVERYBODY should listen to this. But dear hearts, kindly back up if you haven’t listened to Part 1 yet! She’s the bee’s knees, and part 1 dropped last week. Also two-parters work best when you listen in order, but you do you. No judgies. Show Notes: Eli Harwood is a licensed therapist and educator with more than two decades of experience helping people process relational traumas and develop secure attachment relationships in an accessible way. She wrote the guidebook Securely Attached: Transform Your Attachment Patterns Into Loving, Lasting Romantic Relationships to help folks cultivate lasting, loving relationships. Her latest title, Raising Securely Attached Kids: Using Connection-Focused Parenting To Create Confidence, Empathy, And Resilience is available for pre-order now. Eli has three children, one husband, one cat, and an extraordinary number of plants. Under the social media moniker of Attachment Nerd, and with hundreds of thousands of followers, Eli shares her light-hearted, sensible insights on the intersections of attachment style, relationship, parenting, and more. Check out @attachmentnerd on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, Threads, and YouTube. Become a member of the Nerd Herd Check out her online courses, upcoming books, and in person workshops at www.attachmentnerd.com Also…let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah’s TEDTalk CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Are cult leaders born or made? Did we get sucked into NXIVM because of our attachment styles? Was Vanguard always just wookin’ pa nub in all the wrong places? In this episode of A Little Bit Culty, licensed therapist and social media sweetheart Eli Harwood joins us for a chat about the way that attachment patterns impact our vulnerability to culty situations and vice-versa. It can be a real intricate venn diagram, ya know? (Or maybe it’s a line graph, or a Gantt chart. We don’t know. We’re not chart people.) But however you map it, this stuff is always way better when you navigate it with a pro. The brilliant Ms. Harwood explains the brainy stuff of attachment theory along with D-I-Y tricks for better relationships, and helps us process our stuff in a way that made us laugh, cry, and also cry-laugh. We loved it so much, we rolled it right into a two-part episode. Here’s part one, ALBC listeners! Show Notes: Eli Harwood is a licensed therapist and educator with more than two decades of experience helping people process relational traumas and develop secure attachment relationships in an accessible way. She wrote the guidebook Securely Attached: Transform Your Attachment Patterns Into Loving, Lasting Romantic Relationships to help folks cultivate lasting, loving relationships. Her latest title, Raising Securely Attached Kids: Using Connection-Focused Parenting To Create Confidence, Empathy, And Resilience is available for pre-order now. Eli has three children, one husband, one cat, and an extraordinary number of plants. Under the social media moniker of Attachment Nerd, and with hundreds of thousands of followers, Eli shares her light-hearted, sensible insights on the intersections of attachment style, relationship, parenting, and more. Check out @attachmentnerd on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, Threads, and YouTube. Become a member of the Nerd Herd Check out her online courses, upcoming books, and in person workshops at www.attachmentnerd.com Also…let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah’s TEDTalk CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Happy Mother’s Day Monday, ALBC babies. To celebrate the occasion, we unlocked a Patreon episode starring none other than Sarah’s mom. We talk a lot about culty villains on this podcast, but we always want to highlight the heroes, too…and Ellen is an embodiment of what it looks like to heroically love someone through—and out of—a cult journey. She joins us in this very special installment of the show to talk about what it was like to witness Sarah’s initial NXIVM days, and what happened when the going got whistleblowing levels of rough. She’s also a seeker and a licensed therapist who isn’t afraid to let her professional opinions fly: Like what she always thought was slimy about Keith Raniere’s shtick, and why she still has nothing but empathy for Nancy Salzman. There will be tears and laughs in this one. Enjoy: And don’t forget to call your Mama. Also…let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah’s TEDTalk CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Sometimes predators hide in plain sight. Like on the set of your kids’ favorite TV shows. The docuseries "Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV" (Investigation Discovery) exposes the dark allegations haunting some of the most popular late 90s to 2000s Nickelodeon productions created by executive producer Dan Schneider. “Quiet” builds on groundbreaking 2022 reporting by Business Insider senior correspondent Kate Taylor, who serves as a producer on the series, to depict an environment rife with workplace horrors. Kate joins us today to delve into the story behind the headlines and to help us wrap our heads around the outrageous ways that networks, unions, and parents fail to protect child actors. It’s a real angry-making cluster that is not unique to Nickelodeon. Be warned that this episode contains conversations around child abuse and sexual assault, so please listen with care. SHOW NOTES About Kate Taylor: In her 2022 exposé, Business Insider senior correspondent Kate Taylor looked into the disturbing reality behind Nickelodeon producer Dan Schneider's shows, revealing accounts of verbal abuse, inappropriate conduct with underage cast members, and gender discrimination. Schneider's Nickelodeon empire, once celebrated, is now under scrutiny in the 5-part docuseries, with cast and crew recounting their experiences. Watch the trailer here. Learn more about Kate’s work at katehtaylor.com and follow her on Twitter/X: @Kate_H_Taylor ADDITIONAL CITATIONS: The Cut Article: “Dan Schneider Made a 19-Minute Apology Video” Since this conversation was recorded more controversy has erupted around the Dan Schneider story, and the making of the ‘Quiet on Set’ series. Here are links to recent coverage in Deadline, Vanity Fair, and Entertainment Weekly. Also…Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah’s TEDTalk CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will RetherfordResearcher & Episode Writer: Amanda Ambrose Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel AsselinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We unlocked this previously released Patreon episode so everyone can hear it, because people need to know: Campus Greek Life Ain’t It. Lucy Taylor joins us to discuss the red flags of ‘rushing’, the tragic hazing death of a Penn State student, and her ongoing crusade to make frats and sororities as obsolete as landlines and fax machines for future generations of college students. About Lucy Taylor: Lucy Taylor is the creator, editor, producer, and host of SNAPPED, a podcast which explores the inner workings of sororities and fraternities on America’s college campuses. Show Notes: ALBC Episode: My So-Called Greek Life featuring Lucy TaylorSNAPPED's Hazing Episode Part 1 SNAPPED's Hazing Episode Part 2 SNAPPED on Instagram SNAPPED on TikTokSNAPPED Website Also…let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah’s TEDTalk CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel AsselinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Newsflash: Culty, culty college frats and sororities are still fraught with peril. Where do we even start? There’s the deadly hazing incidents…the rampant sexual assaults…the blatant racism. And while we’re talking about it: There are also far too many red Solo Cups coming out of frats and sororities. (Microplastics are very scary, yo!) It’s a lot to grapple with. Luckily, we brought in some pro help to cover the state of campus Greek Life with us, and specifically the state of a nightmare called: Fraternity hazing. SNAPPED podcast creator and activist Lucy Taylor returns in this episode to cover what’s happened since we first met, and to discuss a tragic frat hazing case that has cast a dark cloud over a well-known university. Be warned that this episode gets into gritty territory and listening to conversations like this can be triggering as hell, so please listen with care. About Lucy Taylor: Lucy Taylor is the creator, editor, producer, and host of SNAPPED, a podcast which explores the inner workings of sororities and fraternities on America’s college campuses. Show Notes: ALBC Episode: My So-Called Greek Life featuring Lucy TaylorSNAPPED's Hazing Episode Part 1 SNAPPED's Hazing Episode Part 2 SNAPPED on Instagram SNAPPED on TikTokSNAPPED Website Also…let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah’s TEDTalk CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. In this episode, we’re joined by international journalist Anke Richter for a conversation about her decade-long investigation into sex cults and her own brush with ISTA, a shamanic ‘school’ from the US with a base in New Zealand. Anke’s recently published book CULT TRIP covers her labyrinthine investigation into how and why cults attract, entrap and destroy otherwise ordinary people, and asks what the line is between tribe and cult, participant and perpetrator, seduction and sexual abuse. We’ll also touch on NZ as a hotspot in the ever-expanding cultiverse, from Centrepoint to Gloriavale - and why Anke’s spearheading DECULT 2024, the country’s first cult awareness conference. For a small-ish country you have some big cult problems, NZ. Time to get thee to a cult awareness conference! SHOWNOTES: Anke Richter is an international journalist based in Christchurch and the author of the international bestseller "CULT TRIP: Inside the world of coercion and control" (HarperCollins, 2022), as well as three other books published in Germany. Prior to relocating to New Zealand in 2003 via Tokelau in the South Pacific to serve as a foreign correspondent, Anke worked as a reporter in Germany. Her investigative and personal features have been published in various renowned outlets such as Die Zeit, Spiegel, FAZ, taz, mare, New Zealand Geographic, North & South, The Spinoff, Canvas, Sunday (Stuff), Listener, The Fair Observer, among others. Anke has also contributed to several New Zealand documentaries as a researcher and associate producer. As a public speaker, she addresses topics such as cult awareness, coercive control, and identifying red flags in the wellness industry. Anke is a co-founder of FACT Aotearoa (Fight Against Conspiracy Theories), actively involved in combatting misinformation. Additionally, Anke is the founder and director of DECULT 2024, the first cult awareness conference in New Zealand. For more information, please visit her websites: www.ankerichter.net and www.decult.net. DECULT 2024, the first cult conference in the Southern Hemisphere, is happening in Christchurch from 19 – 20 October 2024, and is organised by New Zealand journalist Anke Richter who wrote CULT TRIP. Keynote speaker Dr. Janja Lalich and other experts like Dr. Gillie Jenkinson, filmmakers like Scott Homan (“Witness Underground”) and David Farrier (“Mister Organ”) and authors from around the world will meet with cult survivors, victim advocates and stakeholders in government. It’s a unique chance for cult education in a country that has and still has a big cult problem. The two day event with 20+ speakers will be live-streamed. Follow Decult on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. Let’s decult 2024! Also…Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah’s TEDTalk CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. For Andrew LeCompte, his study of A Course in Miracles (ACIM) started off like the proverbial ‘good thing’ of so many cult survivor stories. He eventually taught ACIM in Mexico, Spain, Hawaii, and Canada–working as something like a NXIVM-era Mark Vicente for his teacher. He initially had amazing experiences and believed he was on track to finding the ‘Love of God.’ But after six years of mistreatment, emotional manipulation, and being coerced out of over $200,000, the biggest miracle is that he got out and recovered his life. His memoir, Finding Miracles: Escape from a Cult, is a cautionary tale for seekers everywhere. We’re talking to Andrew today about his experience, what drew him to ACIM, where it all went cattywampus, and how he only found the love he’d been looking for after he escaped. SHOW NOTES: About Andrew LeCompte: With a master’s degree in Humanistic Psychology in Organizations, Andrew developed a deeper method of interpersonal communication, which involves tapping into each person’s emotions and what they are most hoping for. He then taught empathic speaking and listening skills to people in schools, colleges, civic groups, legal practices, hospitals, pharmaceutical and financial corporations. As President of the Let’s Talk training group he led leadership programs, and additionally practiced management and organizational development. Andrew wrote a book summarizing this way of communicating: Creating Harmonious Relationships: a Practical Guide to the Power of True Empathy (2000). The book sold out and was translated into Turkish. A new revised edition has just been published! In the spiritual realm, Andy began meditating in the 1970s. In the 1990 he began studying the spiritual text, A Course in Miracles (ACIM). In 2004 he met the man who would become his ACIM guru/teacher. Andy discussed key points of ACIM with his wife, a clinical psychologist, who was not in agreement with a spiritually focused life. In 2011, Andy left his wife, son, friends, and all his possessions behind and moved 2,000 miles into his guru’s ACIM-based community. There he contributed his teaching and counseling skills, plus his book editing and video editing skills. He moved with the cult to Spain, Hawaii, Canada, and Mexico. But after six grueling years he realized it was a cult and escaped with the help of his loving son. Cult psychology is a pernicious force. With the help and love of his family, psychotherapists and psychiatrists, Andrew engaged in an intensive recovery programs, which was completely successful. After researching cults and cult psychology, he wrote Finding Miracles: Escape from a Cult. Learn more at andrewlecompte.com Also…Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Hello there cult awareness content nerds: We see you. We honor you. And let’s be honest: We are you. In this episode we (finally!) sit down with OG anti-cult crusader Rick Alan Ross for a chat about NXIVM, what it’s like to be sued simultaneously by Keith Raniere and Werner Erhard, and the ongoing audacity of the whole weird world of LGATs. This ALBC guest is a perennial thorn in the side of any and every modern cult that’s ever culted. Get ready to get schooled, and enjoy this one, kids. SHOW NOTES: Rick Alan Ross is the founder and Executive Director of The Cult Education Institute. He is an internationally known expert regarding destructive cults, controversial groups and movements and author of the book "Cults Inside Out: How People Get In and Can Get Out." Since 1982 he has been studying, researching and responding to the problems often posed by controversial authoritarian groups and movements. Ross has been qualified and accepted and testified as an expert witness in court proceedings across the United States including US Federal Court. He has also frequently assisted local and national law enforcement and government agencies. He has personally assisted thousands of families in an effort to help the victims of destructive cults, groups and movements. Ross is one of the most readily recognized experts offering analysis about destructive cults, controversial groups and movements in the world today. GQ Magazine identified "Rick Alan Ross [as] America’s leading cult expert." And Britain's FHM Magazine named him "America's number one cult buster." He has been a paid consultant for the television networks CBS, CBC and Nippon of Japan. And also was retained as a technical consultant by Miramax/Disney. Ross' commentary has been quoted within publications such as Time Magazine, People, The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, The Boston Globe and theWashington Post. His appearances on national television have included a wide range of venues from news programs such as the "Today Show, "CNN World News," "Dateline", ABC 20/20 and "48 Hours" to popular interview shows such as "Oprah," "Dr. Phil" and "Inside Edition." Ross has lectured at such prestigious institutions as Dickinson College, the University of Chicago, Carnegie Mellon University, Baylor University, University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Wuhan University, China, Zhengzhou University, China, GuangXi International University, China, Heilongjiang University, China, Shandong University, China and Assumption University, Thailand. Ross' analysis has been sought on virtually every major cult story for decades. Also…Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. It’s part two of our chat with Anne Peterson, and we’re picking up again right at the part of the story where things really go sideways for her inside the Landmark ecosystem. She shares what it was like flying in Werner Erhard’s inner circle working as something of an Olivia Pope for the company’s high falutin’ events, and the moment that her dream gig turned into Red Flag City. Other highlights–or lowlights more like it–include: Erhard’s legend materializing into (volatile) human form, and the scandal-plagued guru going Full Metal jacket. In this episode we also cover what it was like for her to confront the big lie behind the transformative work she believed in, and how she’s picking up the pieces now after emerging from Landmark’s dark side. Full disclosure: Sarah also rants a bit, and there are some cathartic tears. Landmark loyalists should know that Anne also expresses optimism for the company’s future, should it decide to face its demons. (FWIW: We agree with her…You could be a contender, Landmark. Maybe try using the criticism to grow, and think about taking some of your own tech as medicine. You got this. We believe in you!) SHOW NOTES: Anne Peterson spent 15+ years selling, producing and facilitating transformative programs for an international personal and professional growth and development company. Since leaving, she has launched ILumn8.life, a learning hub and marketplace dedicated to the safe and ethical practice of providing personal development. Her memoir is available now on Amazon. You can also hear more about her story on recent episodes of the (excellent!) Seek Safely podcast. Full Metal Jacket ‘Donuts’ Scene NY Times article on the return of Werner Erhard Outrageous Betrayal: The Real Story of Werner Erhard from est to Exile (book) Cult Education Institute’s Landmark info page Times-Union article on Rick Ross’s Landmark/NXIVM Testimony More background on Erhard scandals Also…Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Landmark has been the most requested topic from our listeners since day one of this podcast. When we got eyes on Anne Peterson’s new memoir about her 15+ year journey inside its ecosystem, we knew our listeners would be pissed at us if we didn’t get her on our microphone, ASAP. ‘‘Is This a Cult?: Confronting the Line Between Transformation and Exploitation’ (available on Amazon) is a raw and gritty read, and tells the story of Anne’s heartbreaking journey from starry-eyed idealist to disillusioned leader in a way that gives us NXIVM déjà vu all over again. There are also some incendiary stories of the famous large-group awareness training (LGAT) company’s lurking ghost/guru/shapeshifter, the infamous Werner Erhard. In this first of two episodes with Anne, she shares what drew her to the organization and her whirlwind ascent through its ranks. And don’t worry, Landmark top brass, if you’re listening. We aren’t throwing the wonderful, transformational baby out with the dirty bathwater. Nor is Anne. Just the opposite, in fact. We think you could realize your full potential if you actually listened and learned from the bad feedback, instead of shutting it down. So maybe this time, you’ll make some meaning out of this before you start cranking out your latest cease and desist? Deep breaths. Good talk. SHOW NOTES:Anne Peterson spent 15+ years selling, producing and facilitating transformative programs for an international personal and professional growth and development company. Since leaving, she has launched ILumn8.life, a learning hub and marketplace dedicated to the safe and ethical practice of providing personal development. Her memoir is available now on Amazon. You can also hear more about her story on recent episodes of the (excellent!) Seek Safely podcast. NY Times article on the return of Werner Erhard Outrageous Betrayal: The Real Story of Werner Erhard from est to Exile (book) Cult Education Institute’s Landmark info page Times-Union article on Rick Ross’s Landmark/NXIVM Testimony More background on Erhard scandals Also…Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/culty and get on your way to being your best self. Erika Cheung arrived at the Theranos corporate headquarters at just 22 years old as a newly minted college grad. At the time, the idealistic chemist and biologist saw Elizabeth Holmes just as so many others did: As a visionary on the verge of completely disrupting the healthcare paradigm. As it would turn out, Erika’s honeymoon phase at her dream gig lasted all of seven months. That’s when she quit her job in the Theranos lab, bought a burner phone, and blew the whistle on one of the biggest con artists in American business history. The Theranos story has always seemed more than a little bit culty to us, so we jumped at the chance to chat with Erika about her experience. After all, sometimes a culty situation starts out looking like a promising job offer with a ‘visionary’ who turns out to be a faux humanitarian. (We’ve been there, Erika. Oh…have we been there.) About Erika Cheung: Erika was born in Los Angeles, CA. She spent most of her education homeschooled, but started community college at age 14 and then went on to obtain a dual degree in Linguistics and Molecular and Cell Biology from UC Berkeley. She was one of the key whistleblowers that reported Theranos to health regulators. Her report subsequently led to the shut down of Theranos' clinical lab which prevented the company from providing false medical results to thousands of patients. This account is covered in the book Bad Blood by John Carreryrou, 60 Minutes, the ABC Podcast: The Drop Out, and Alex Gibney's documentary The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley. Erika is the executive director of Ethics in Entrepreneurship, a non-profit whose mission is to foster ethical questioning, culture, and systems in startups and startup ecosystems. She's currently working towards obtaining her ACFE-certified fraud examiner's license to educate others on fraud prevention strategies and develop programs to protect business stakeholders from high-risk ventures. She is also an advisor to several whistleblower advocacy organizations to support individuals who may She is also an avid mixed martial artist in her free time and hopes to support efforts that leverage martial arts to empower trauma survivors. Also…Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. OTHER LINKS: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This epiosde is sponsored by Better Help. We always jump at the chance to talk to Dr. Ramani. This time she arrives at A Little Bit Culty fresh from publishing her newest book: It’s Not You: Identifying And Healing From Narcissistic People. (We read the advanced copy and it blew our minds.) Dr. Ramani wants you to know that thriving after—or even during—a narcissistic relationship can be challenging, but it is possible. She also wants to flip the script on the prevailing cultural and clinical conversations around narcissism, and focus less on the narcs and more on the people they impact. So if you’ve been burned by a narcissist, listen up for a crash course in how to stop blaming yourself and start giving yourself permission to recover. SHOW NOTES: Dr. Ramani Durvasula, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist in Los Angeles, CA, Professor Emerita of Psychology at California State University, Los Angeles, and the Founder and CEO of LUNA Education, Training & Consulting. She is an author of several books including her newest title: It’s Not You: Identifying And Healing From Narcissistic People. Her clinical, academic and consulting work is all about the impact that narcissism and high-conflict, entitled, antagonistic personality styles have on human relationships, mental health, and society. She’s been featured at SXSW, TEDx, Red Table Talk, the Today Show, and Investigation Discovery. You can also find her on YouTube where she has accumulated millions of views on her videos discussing narcissism on her successful channel, and on social media @DoctorRamani. She’s a proud podmama: Hosting the excellent Navigating Narcissism with Dr. Ramani, and if you haven’t heard that show already: It’s a must-listen. Trust us. Get that in your ears, ASAP. Learn all about her work, shows, and books at: https://doctor-ramani.com/ Also…Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. OTHER LINKS: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. We get emails and messages from people every day who are looking for guidance on what to do when someone they love is in a cult, so we called in an expert. Here’s our chat with Rachel Bernstein, LMFT, of the mighty helpful and always bingeable IndoctriNation podcast. Is this technically a crossover episode? We don’t make those rules, but we do feel pretty confident in saying that this episode is a power hour on what to do if your loved ones become culty collateral damage. SHOW NOTES: Rachel Bernstein is one of our all-time favorite cult awareness and recovery podcast hosts. She’s a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist from Los Angeles, California who has specialized in cult intervention and re-acclimation for over 30 years. She serves on the advisory board of the International Cultic Studies Association and has worked with the Department of Justice providing therapy to cult victims who testify against their perpetrators. She's also made many media appearances over the years as a cult expert on CNN, MSNBC, BBC, NPR, Bloomberg, and many other news outlets. Ms. Bernstein is also the host of IndoctriNation: A weekly podcast covering cults, manipulators, and protecting yourself from systems of control where she has interviewed hundreds of cult survivors, journalists, and experts. Her book, "Kids Talking to Kids about Divorce" is available now on Amazon. Her Website Her Book Her Podcast & Socials Also…Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. OTHER LINKS: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/culty and get on your way to being your best self. And…we’re back for part two of our conversation with Claire Headley, a defiant Scientology whistleblower who still owes the shadowy organization a billion minus 30 years on her contract. (Don’t hold your breath, David Miscavige.) Born and bred in England’s Scientology boarding schools before rising up through the ranks all the way to headquarters, Claire’s escape after a lifetime of indoctrination is nothing short of heroic. In this follow-up, she shares more about the details of her exit, her thoughts on the future of Scientology, and her role as an expert witness for the prosecution in the Danny Masterson trial. This episode is as insidery as an insider account of L. Ron’s house gets. Also, paging Trey Parker and Matt Stone: We see you and we appreciate you. SHOW NOTES: Claire Headley escaped L. Ron’s Church of Scientology, bravely emerging from its dark depths to share her harrowing experiences with the world. Since breaking free 18 years ago, Claire has become a prominent advocate for survivors, shedding light on the church's practices, its culture of control, and the struggles faced by those who leave. She’s also continued to be abused by its powerful reach. As President of The Aftermath Foundation, Claire helps others – often with no work experience or family beyond Sea Org – leave Scientology. You can find lots of details at Blown for Good, on Twitter, and YouTube. There are more ALBC episodes on Scientology: Leah Remini: Heal That Sh*t: Leah Remini & The Aftermath One Billion Years: Mike Rinder on How Scientology Could End Or remix, Scientology SUCKS | Ft. Leah Remini, Mike Rinder, and Jon Atack Also…Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. OTHER LINKS: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/culty and get on your way to being your best self. In part one of this 2-parter, we feature Scientology defector and whistleblower Claire Headley who spent 30 years in the church isolated from her family and basically any outside influence. Headley was born and bred in England’s Scientology boarding schools, was shipped to the big blue buildings in LA, and then onto headquarters. Thoroughly indoctrinated, she landed at the mother church, Sea Org, where she signed billion-year contracts and rose through the ranks. In this episode, she describes her childhood. She recounts personal tragedies and abuses. She tells us what it’s like to experience the practice of fair game – beginning at age two. And she shares what the nearly intractable clutches of this 100% high-control group felt like. Until her own husband escaped without her, and the proverbial shelf broke. Her almost foiled escape is an action sequence you won’t want to miss. SHOW NOTES: Claire Headley escaped L. Ron’s Church of Scientology, bravely emerging from its dark depths to share her harrowing experiences with the world. Since breaking free 18 years ago, Claire has become a prominent advocate for survivors, shedding light on the church's practices, its culture of control, and the struggles faced by those who leave. She’s also continued to be abused by its powerful reach. As President of The Aftermath Foundation, Claire helps others – often with no work experience or family beyond Sea Org – leave Scientology. You can find lots of details at Blown for Good, on Twitter, and YouTube. There are more ALBC episodes on Scientology: Leah Remini: Heal That Sh*t: Leah Remini & The Aftermath One Billion Years: Mike Rinder on How Scientology Could End Or remix, Scientology SUCKS | Ft. Leah Remini, Mike Rinder, and Jon Atack Also…Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. OTHER LINKS: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/culty and get on your way to being your best self. If you’re not already familiar with the culty cluster known as ‘School’, it was an ultra-secret Manhattan organization run by late actress and forever eccentric Sharon Gans. The shadowy group did its dark magic in the form of secret study groups, arranged marriages, and some pretty gnarly narcissistic abuse. In this episode, former School enrollee Esther Friedman discusses the five years she spent as a student after her study group love bombed her right into its clutches. We also cover how she got out, and how she’s healing now by helping other gentle souls navigate a culty, culty world. Empaths, this one’s for you. And if you’ve got Big Valedictorian Energy and are crazy about that extra credit, please note that we’ve taken our listeners to School before in our episode with the groovy Spencer Schneider who wrote a page-turning memoir about his experience titled Manhattan Cult Story: My Unbelievable True Story of Sex, Crimes, Chaos, and Survival. NOTES Esther Friedman is a licensed mental health counselor, expressive art therapist, songwriter, and author. To process and heal, she presents her misadventures as an “edu-tainment campaign.” Her memoir The Gentle Souls Revolution is a PSA/recovery guide/template for anyone who’s navigated exploitative relationships. She’s also a board member of the newly formed nonprofit “Living Cult Free” and is joined in that endeavor by some cult recovery heavyweights. You can learn more about their work at livingcultfree.com You can find Esther at www.gentlesoulsrevolution.com, Facebook, and Instagram. Also… Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. OTHER LINKS: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Writer: Holly Zadra Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by Better Help. Tom Krumins was one of the brave whistleblowers who came forward to shine a light on the scandal of abuse and predation within the Boy Scouts of America. You can see his story in the recent Netflix doc, ‘Scout’s Honor: The Secret Files of the Boy Scouts of America,’ and we’re guessing you’ll be as moved and inspired by him as we were. In this episode we sit down with him to learn more about his experience in the Scouts, how he navigated the aftermath, and his work today as the Executive Director for the US-Based Keep Kid Safe Movement and as Chief of Staff of the global BRAVE Movement. Listen to this one with care because it gets into the gritty topic of child sexual abuse. But also, know that there’s also a whole lotta hope in this conversation, too. Please note: The Boy Scouts bankruptcy has concluded. The day the plan went into effect, a Settlement Trust was established to manage the funds contributed by the Boy Scouts, the Local Councils, the Chartered Organizations, the Insurance Companies, etc. The Trust also reviews every claim to determine its validity and then disseminate funds per a "Claims Matrix" and state-by-state statute of limitations. At this stage, we do not know the final amount that will officially enter into the Trust or how it will be disseminated. The "back of the napkin" math portion of this episode highlighted the general size of the Trust, not the potential amount of damages a claimant may receive. These numbers are not official. This was merely an exercise to better understand the scale of people harmed by the Boy Scouts. Show Notes: About Tom Krumins: Tom Krumins is a passionate Executive Director serving the movement to end childhood sexual violence at Keep Kids Safe. As a visionary civic entrepreneur, Tom believes in developing new and innovative organizational models that encourage positive change in society. He has contributed to multiple fields,including medical education, behavioral health, prison reentry, hospice care, rural entrepreneurship, grassroots coalition-building, political campaigns, cash relief programs, and nonprofit advocacy. Tom comes to this work as a survivor of childhood sexual violence during his time in the Boy Scouts of America and his experience navigating the largest child abuse bankruptcy in U.S. history. His story was included among other brave survivors in the Netflix documentary, Scouts Honor: The Secret Files of the Boy Scouts of America. He now serves on the Scouts new Youth Protection Committee. When he isn't working, Tom enjoys performing stand-up and improvisational comedy -- successfully entertaining tens of people since 2017. You can find him on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/tomkrumins His Website & Substack: https://www.tomkrumins.us/ About Keep Kids Safe & BRAVE: Childhood sexual violence happens in every community. The stigma and shame far too often lead to silence, but this can change. We should never be comfortable with children and adolescents experiencing sexual violence, but we should feel comfortable talking about it. We share the movement to end childhood sexual violence. This is a movement of survivors (whether public or not) and allies. If you are interested in joining, reach out today! - The U.S. movement ---> keepkidssafe.us - The global movement ---> bravemovement.org If you experienced sexual violence and need help, you can find support at https://www.bravemovement.org/get-help/. ABOUT A LITTLE BIT CULTY: Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. OTHER LINKS: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Co-Creator & Writer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by Better Help. But maybe it should also be sponsored by a company that manufactures blood pressure cuffs, because the “Let Us Prey: A Ministry of Scandals” docuseries had us all kinds of pissed off. If you haven’t seen it yet, the doc wades into the darkness and depravity within the Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) movement and takes no prisoners. Sidenote: Fuck you, IFB predators and enablers, fuck you very, very much. In this episode we speak with Ruthy Heiler, the whistleblower at the heart of the series, along with Sharon Liese, the series’ Emmy-award winning director. Word to the wise; this conversation touches on sexual assault and abuse, so please listen with care. It’s really appalling what some people do in the name of old time religion when it’s actually just a front for being predatory scum. SHOW NOTES: Learn more about The Blind Eye Movement on Instagram and Facebook Notes provided courtesy of Investigation Discovery: Let Us Prey: A Ministry of Scandals, is a new four-part docuseries exposing the predatory and insidious behavior within the Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) Churches, and the struggles of survivors to find justice. Featuring first-hand accounts from survivors, church defectors and activists, it offers crucial insight into the troubling culture within the IFB and the stronghold the church has on its members. Since its inception in the 1950s, the IFB has evolved into one of the dominant religious forces in the United States today with an estimated 8 million believers spread out over 6,000 churches across the country. Let Us Prey uncovers the dark inner workings behind the IFB’s cheery and virtuous exterior by exposing depraved secrets and violence that have existed within their churches for decades. Rituals oriented towards “breaking a child’s will,” mind control and torture are only the tip of the iceberg. Below the surface lurks accusations of rape and physical abuse of members, including minors, at the hands of IFB figure heads. Anchored by the testimony of survivors who have come forward to tell their stories and seek justice, Let Us Prey explores the deep pain and lifelong trauma they experienced. Survivors and IFB defectors Ruthy Heiler, Kathy Durbin and Amanda Householder, among others, share their accounts of abuse at the hands of church leaders and the violence, manipulation and suspected cover-ups of other members. Also featuring key independent voices, including Fort Worth Star-Telegram reporter Sarah Smith – one of the first journalists to uncover IFB’s tangled web of abuse allegations and unregulated teen boarding schools – Let Us Prey offers a deeper understanding of how those within the IFB have continued to operate unchecked for years. Through powerful, emotional testimonies and archival footage, Let Us Prey: A Ministry Of Scandals Is produced for ID by ITV America’s Good Caper Content, with Emmy Award-winning Director Sharon Liese, who created the series, serves as the director. Liese is a critically acclaimed and award -winning filmmaker, whose recent Emmy Award-winning documentary short, The Flagmakers, was Oscar shortlisted and nominated for a Critic’s Choice Documentary Award. Also…Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. OTHER LINKS: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Co-Creator & Writer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by Better Help. Today we welcome Wise Jezebel and former fundie Dr. Laura Anderson to the ALBC huddle. She’s a psychotherapist, podcaster, and smarty-pants content creator specializing in helping people come back from the sneaky scars of high control religion. She’s also the author of the next book you need to read. Seriously. We cannot recommend it enough and it’s called: When Religion Hurts You: Healing from Religious Trauma and the Impact of High Control Religion. Dr. Anderson is here with us to talk about her story, the ways and means of culty church trauma, and the non-linearity of the healing process. In case you need another reminder that toxic churches, some mainstream American religious communities, and even your culty as fuck personal development organization can be traumatizing: This episode is for you. Let the unpacking commence. NOTES: Dr. Laura Anderson, PhD, LMFT is a therapist and trauma resolution and recovery coach in private practice specializing in complex and developmental trauma and the dynamics of power and control of culty religions. She’s a writer and educator who specializes in religious trauma. She’s founder and director of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery, an online coaching service for folks recovering from adverse religious experiences and cults. And she co-founded the Religious Trauma Institute, a training institute focused on helping the helpers in their trauma-informed healing work. You can listen to her on her own podcasts The Wise Jezebels and Sunday School Dropouts. She lives with her dog, Phoebe, in Nashville, Tennessee. Find her online on her own website, on her own podcasts The Wise Jezebels and Sunday School Dropouts, on and social media: @drlauraeanderson: Instagram (also TikTok & FB), @traumaresolutionandrecovery (IG & Facebook) @religioustraumainstitute (IG & Facebook) @wisejezebelspod (IG) @sundayschooldropoutspod (IG) Hashtags: #religioustrauma #whenreligionhurtsyou Though our pod spans the culty religious fallout gamut, this one pairs well with the June two-parter Shiny Happy Wife: Tia Levings on Christian Fundamentalism (Tia Levings is co-host of The Wise Jezebels) and Leaving the Fold: Dr. Marlene Winell on Religious Trauma Syndrome. See also: Our episode about Attachment Theory with the deep and amazing Alexandra Stein. Also…Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. OTHER LINKS: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Co-Creator & Writer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Buckle up ALBC babies, we’re about to go all over the map through Hollywood, the music industry, Australia, and a couple decades of cult-hopping. In fact, it’s so epic that (picture this) we are holding an invisible boombox over our heads outside your window while blaring Peter Gabriel, asking you to listen. Got the picture? Okay cool: Because we’re chatting with Ione Skye and Ben Lee, married podcasters that you may know from their hilarious Weirder Together podcast. Or maybe you know him as a prolific singer-songwriter, and her from the high school of your John Hughes teen cinema dreams. Or maybe, just maybe, you were in a cult with them at some point. It’s not statistically improbable because they’ve been in a few culty situations, from chasing Qigong, to following Gurus and slinging DoTerra essential oils. Heads up: This isn’t our regular format. It’s more of a Rom-Com than the stuff of True Crime, but these two are thoughtful and funny as hell on the subject of loving people through—and out of—cults. And we’re always interested in hearing from people who’ve dabbled and ducked out before things got too fucky. Lots of cultiverse easter eggs in this one, from David Lynch to QAnon, Theranos to Sean Penn, Rick Ruben to Ruby Tuesday’s–just kidding about that last one. If you’re a cult nerd, this one will be mother’s milk. Put on your New Year’s jammies, and enjoy. NOTES Ben Lee is a musician, singer/songwriter, producer, DJ DadBod, and professional adventurer. Ione Skye is an actor, director, painter, and author. According to this story, Skye will “Say Everything” in her new memoir soon to be published. Together, Ben and Ione run a creative production company where they do podcasts, events, film, fanzines, and quote ”make stuff, curate stuff, and celebrate stuff” including their own Podcast Weirder Together. @benleemusic on IG, fb, twitter, TikTok @ioneskyelee on IG, @ioneskye1 twitter, @ioneskyeofficial TikTok ROLLING STONE ARTICLE on Ben Lee Also… Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. OTHER LINKS: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Co-Creator & Writer: Jess TardySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Nikieta Lambert’s life was derailed by the International Churches of Christ (ICOC) – a culty Evangelical tentacle of Christianity promising nothing short of a fiery eternity in hell for choosing any other lifepath. In this episode, Nikieta discusses how they converted her. She describes the grooming and gaslighting. And she reveals which scriptures they use to keep people in line. Lucky for us and for her, Nikieta got out and is sharing how she reclaimed her life and helps others do the same. Also, she takes as many naps as she damn well pleases. We can totally roll with that. NOTES Nikieta Lambert spent 15 years in the International Churches of Christ and eventually rose to leadership. Then, when the Pandemic stopped everything, she stopped too. She witnessed the global movement for black and brown lives juxtaposed with a silent ICOC. And it all unraveled. Now Nikieta speaks out against the ICOC in hopes of helping others reclaim their own power and autonomy. Check out her ICOC Series on YouTube. You can also find her on Instagram, Tiktok, YouTube, and her own website nikietalambert.com. In this episode we mention stories covered by Rolling Stone including one from the perspective of ICOC defectors and one on alleged ICOC abuse and pyramid schemery. There’s also mention of a 90’s era episode of 20/20 reporting on the ICOC. Also… Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. OTHER LINKS: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Writer: Holly Zadra Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is a replay of an episode Sarah & Nippy recorded for the A Little Bit Culty Patreon. If you want to access to all of our content bonuses, ad-free episodes and other goodies, sign up at: www.patreon.com/alittlebitcultySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. We made you a mixtape of some of our fave segments from our full episodes with Daniel Shaw, LCSW, Dr. Ramani, and Dr. Natalie Feinblatt. Think of this as our Chicken Soup for the Culty Soul power-medley. We’ve got Dan Shaw dropping knowledge on why traumatizing narcissists are so…traumatizing. We’ve got Dr. Ramani on how to recover from narcissistic abuse. And we’ve got Dr. Natalie Feinblatt on Trauma, Addiction & Cult-Informed Therapy. It’s practically a super group! Pull up a box of tissues, and get ready for all the feels. If you’ve heard these chats before when they were first born as full ALBC episodes, we still think you’ll get some good nuggets out of them. And yes, we love the word ‘nugget’ in any form in a way that may border on problematic. We’ll be sure to talk to our therapist about that. NOTES: Daniel Shaw, LCSW is a psychoanalyst in private practice in New York City and in Nyack, New York. He originally trained as an actor at Northwestern University and with the renowned teacher Uta Hagen in New York City, and later worked as a missionary for an Indian guru. His eventual recognition of cultic aspects of this organization led him to become an outspoken activist in support of individuals and families traumatically abused in cults. Simultaneous with leaving this group, Dan began his training in the mental health profession, becoming a faculty member and supervisor at the National Institute for the Psychotherapist in New York. His book, Traumatic Narcissism: Relational Systems of Subjugation, was published by Routledge in 2014 and was nominated for the distinguished Gradiva Award. In 2018, the International Cultic Studies Association awarded him the Margaret Thaler Singer Award for advancing the understanding of coercive persuasion and undue influence. Shaw’s book Traumatic Narcissism and Recovery: Leaving the Prison of Shame and Fear will be published by Routledge in 2021. Dan joined Sarah and Nippy to share his story, drop some knowledge about the shameless ways of traumatizing narcissists, and provide insights on the recovery process. Dr. Ramani Durvasula is the author of two books on the subject: Should I Stay or Should I Go: Surviving A Relationship with a Narcissist and Don’t You Know Who I Am?: How to Stay Sane in an Era of Narcissism, Entitlement, and Incivility. Her work has been featured at SXSW, TEDx, the Red Table Talk, the Today Show, and Investigation Discovery. You can also find her on her wildly popular YouTube channel where she dispenses wisdom on protecting yourself from hoovering, gaslighting and other narc trademarks. Or put her Navigating Narcissism podcast in your ears, on repeat: It’s good stuff. Dr. Natalie Feinblatt is a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice in Los Angeles, California who specializes in the treatment of addiction and trauma. And one of her trauma sub-specialties is working with former cult members. She received her BA from UCSD and her Masters & Doctorate from Pepperdine University, where she wrote her doctoral dissertation on psychotherapy with former cult members and has specialized in helping them ever since. She also does EMDR, Brainspotting, and other trauma-specific therapies. She was also featured on the series finale of ‘Leah Remini: Scientology & The Aftermath.’ Follow her on Instagram for tips, tools, and healing resources. Also…Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. OTHER LINKS: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Co-Creator & Writer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is a short preview of an episode Sarah & Nippy recorded for the A Little Bit Culty Patreon. If you want to hear the whole thing, plus get bonus to ad-free episodes and other exclusive content, sign up at: www.patreon.com/alittlebitcultySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Just in case you’re thinking about joining that incredible business opportunity selling a life changing product…don’t give them your credit card info until you’ve listened to this A Little Bit Culty remix. We’ve put together a special Anti-MLM 101 Starter Kit episode with some of our favorite crusaders in the war on schemes, scams, and other internet flim-flams especially for you. Our upline on this one is pretty solid. We dug into our archives and Roberta Blevins came out swinging, so a segment from our Season 2 episode with the LuLa Rich fan fave is at the top of the batting list. She chats with us about the dangers of moldy leggings, #bossbabe energy, pricey sea cruises, other MLM tomfoolery. After Roberta, we move on to a clip from our more recent episode with Emily Lynn Paulson, an author and mother who believes that all MLMs—which form a $180 billion industry—are cults. Spoiler alert: We violently agree. And last but not least, we go all the way back to our Season 1 chat with Douglas Brooks, an attorney and MLM-buster with insights on what it takes to seek justice for people who’ve been screwed over. Take heart: When prosperity gospel grifters write big checks that their sneaky asses can’t cash, there can be legal consequences. NOTES: Roberta Blevins was a Trainer with LuLaRoe, had a team of 75 women under her, and made over $65,000 in bonuses alone. But when she came to the conclusion that it was a rigged, losing game she didn’t just leave the business: she testified in the Washington State vs. LuLaRoe Pyramid Scheme lawsuit as a witness for the state. Since leaving MLM, the fan favorite from the LuLaRich series has educated herself on the systemic structure of the business model, the psychological manipulation, the seedy underbelly and governmental ties, the cult indoctrination, and the history of Multi Level Marketing. She educates daily on TikTok, and podcasts in her "free time" on her own podcast, Life After MLM, which explores the dangers of Multi Level Marketing through the eyes of the victims and survivors. Her work has been featured on Amazon Prime Video, Vice Media, Bloomberg News, Split, and Business Insider among others. Learn more on her website or find her on Instagram @therealrobertablevins Emily Lynn Paulson is the author of Highlight Real: Finding Honesty and Recovery Beyond the Filtered Life, and Hey, Hun: Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy, and the Other Lies Behind Multilevel Marketing. She has given two powerful TEDx talks, both challenging the status quo of parenting, alcohol use, and feminism as we know it. Paulson has also been featured in major publications such as the Today Show, New York Times, Washington Post, The Seattle Times, Chicago Tribune, Next Question with Katie Couric, and the Tamron Hall Show. She resides in Central Oregon with her husband and their five children. Also…Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. OTHER LINKS: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Co-Creator & Writer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is a replay of an episode Sarah & Nippy recorded for the A Little Bit Culty Patreon. If you want to access to all of our content bonuses, ad-free episodes and other goodies, sign up at: www.patreon.com/alittlebitcultySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Brandie Hadfield woke up from a good-then-ultimately-nightmarish tour through the MLM world, and today she’s telling us her story without naming the organization because, well, you know culty types: They are soooooo lawsuit-happy. She got out, and today she’s a self-described recovering wellness influencer on her way to becoming a Registered Psychotherapist. She’s also working on her cult memoir, titled The MLM Recovery Handbook. She’s on a mission to warn people, new moms especially, about the dark side of the wellness space. We’ll also chat with her about her take on influencers, recruitment, and wellness coaches - and what happens when those things come wrapped in a glossy celebrity seal of approval. And hey, we love a wellness supplement, and even have some show sponsors from that space that we trust and can really stand by. But we also have no problem with calling bullshit on the culty side of the wellness world, and the MLM we’re going to discuss in this episode has been on our radar for a while. Let’s do this. NOTES: Brandie Hadfield is a mother, writer, speaker, and advocate speaking out about commercial cults, wellness scams, and legalized labor trafficking. She believes everyone deserves freedom of mind, so she speaks out about abuses of power and coercion perpetrated by MLM scams. Her memoir is forthcoming. In the meantime, you can read her writing on on Substack and find her profile on Instagram with especially relevant-to-us hashtags #commercialcult #MLMrecovery #igotout. Also… Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. OTHER LINKS: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Writer: Holly Zadra Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is a short preview of an episode Sarah & Nippy recorded for the A Little Bit Culty Patreon. If you want to hear the whole thing, plus get bonus to ad-free episodes and other exclusive content, sign up at: www.patreon.com/alittlebitcultySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Dr. Robin Stern is not your average psycho-therapist – she’s renowned for her work in emotional intelligence, relationships, and well being. And she’s the psychological sleuth who’s highlighted one particularly culty behavior: gaslighting. Fun fact: Dr. Stern actually coined the phrase “the gaslight effect.” As we know, gaslighting is straight out of the culty charismatic coercive fuckwad playbook. But we want to get specific and don’t mean to merely call names. So in this episode, we go full CSI on gaslighting with Dr. Stern. We dissect the term with the expert who wrote several books on the subject: The Gaslight Effect and The Gaslight Effect Recovery Guide. NOTES - Dr. Robin Stern is co-founder and associate director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and is a licensed psychoanalyst who’s been in private practice for over 30 years. She hosts the Gaslight Effect podcast. She’s developed and co-created social emotional learning apps including HowWeFeel and OjiLifeLab. She writes and is interviewed regularly for her insight into socio-emotional matters for Psychology Today, The Hill, Time Inc., and Harvard Business Review. You can find her on Twitter and Facebook. If you’re looking for more, here’s an early ALBC episode specifically about narcissism and gaslighting: Shameless: Dan Shaw on Gaslighting, Narcissists, & Recovering from Cultic Abuse Also… Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. OTHER LINKS: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Writer: Holly Zadra Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is a replay of an episode Sarah & Nippy recorded for the A Little Bit Culty Patreon. If you want to access to all of our content bonuses, ad-free episodes and other goodies, sign up at: www.patreon.com/alittlebitcultySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. If you had a good Waldorf experience, we’re thrilled for you. Not all the schools are the same. Just like not all churches are the same. Don’t get your knickers in a knot. But if there are things about Waldorf that chap your ass, pour yourself some tea because we have just the guest for you. In this episode Chloe Weise sheds light on her decade and a half in a Waldorf School before leaving for college and grad school. Now steeped in the scientific method and working in the tech industry, Chloe raises questions about Waldorf’s founder, Rudolf Steiner, and teachings openly called “Occult Science.” Was Rudolf Steiner an early 20th Century German mystic, or an arrogant semi-Christian evangelist for things like astral bodies, clairvoyance, and overtly racist pseudoscience. We're here to find out what Chloe thinks. This is Chloe’s first time speaking publicly about her misgivings with Waldorf. We’re honored she trusted us with her experience. Without further adieu, here’s our chat with Chloe Weise. NOTES: Chloe Weise holds an MS in Evolutionary Biology and is a data analyst at Lumen Energy. Her research on paper wasps and logical reasoning was published in Proceedings B, the Royal Society’s flagship biological research journal. You can find links to Chloe’s research on Twitter. Chloe’s Instagram: @chloeweise Chloe’s Twitter @WeiseChloe Waldorf Watch: https://sites.google.com/site/waldorfwatch/welcome Jennifer Sapio, PhD on why she “wouldn’t drink the kool-aid”: https://medium.com/age-of-awareness/waldorf-schools-are-inherently-racist-cults-91193d1fbef6 Please note, this series includes details of sexual abuse. Listener discretion is strongly advised. If you, or someone who know, is a survivor of sexual assault, abuse, grooming, child abuse, or human trafficking, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline offers support at 800.656.HOPE (4673). Also… Hear Ye, Hear Ye: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Other Links: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Senior Producer: Jess Tardy Writer: Holly Zadra Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Here’s part two of our conversation with Jaime Mahler, MS, LMHC, who is the woman behind the popular Recollected brand on social media, as well as the author of TOXIC RELATIONSHIP RECOVERY: Your Guide to Identifying Toxic Partners, Leaving Unhealthy Dynamics, and Healing Emotional Wounds After A Breakup. If you didn’t listen to part one, pause and rewind so you can avoid being extremely confused. As a reminder, in the last episode we focused on Mahler’s past involvement with a “cult-like version of Catholicism.” She explained some of the shame and guilt she experienced, her father’s ardent fasting, and how her OCD played a serious role in her spirituality. On today’s episode, we dive deeper with Jaime into her book, honing in on narcissism and the fact that—and get ready for this—you might actually be the toxic partner in your relationship. Or at least one of them. Find Recollected Self on social media: Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, or visit their website Purchase Toxic Relationship Recovery: Your Guide to Identifying Toxic Partners, Leaving Unhealthy Dynamics, and Healing Emotional Wounds after a Breakup on Amazon Also… Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. OTHER LINKS: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Writer: Mathias Rosenzweig Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Jaime Mahler, MS, LMHC, is a New York-based psychotherapist and mental health educator who recently published her book TOXIC RELATIONSHIP RECOVERY: Your Guide to Identifying Toxic Partners, Leaving Unhealthy Dynamics, and Healing Emotional Wounds After A Breakup. She’s also the powerhouse behind the explosively popular social media brand, Recollected. Her podcast, ‘Unlearned,’ helps people of all sexual orientations and genders to heal from relationship trauma, narcissism, and beyond…certainly a lot of the BS we find ourselves tackling on this podcast. But today, in episode one of this two-parter, we’re focusing somewhat on Mahler’s past, which involved growing up with a self-described “cult-like version of Catholicism.” She revists the types of shame and guilt she experienced within religious surroundings, despite their being a shade less extreme than others we’ve encountered on this show. Even Jaime’s OCD played a role in her religious fervor by tricking her brain into believing one is either purely good or purely evil—wholy faithful or 100% a sinner—eventually leading to semi-neurotic level praying on a daily basis. Ultimately, Jaime's odyssey of self-discovery and faith, coupled with her distinguished therapeutic training, makes her our favorite type of guest: a badass individual who has directly encountered some culty shit, complemented by a sophisticated educational background that not only helped her understand her own experiences, but those of others, too. Find Recollected Self on social media: Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, or visit their website Purchase Toxic Relationship Recovery: Your Guide to Identifying Toxic Partners, Leaving Unhealthy Dynamics, and Healing Emotional Wounds after a Breakup on Amazon Also… Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. OTHER LINKS: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Writer: Mathias Rosenzweig Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Jane Marie is the Peabody and Emmy Award-winning journalist, author, and producer of This American Life. Now, she’s hosting the hit investigative podcast The Dream where she’s examined pyramid schemes and culty, late-stage, self-care capitalism. In season 3, she gives the side-eye to all the gurus and life coaches that promise new and improved secrets to living our best lives as they empty the pockets of working class people. Check out this podcaster-insider convo on the culty dynamics of selling the American dream via prosperity gospel. If you missed ALBC’s shows on MLMs, check ‘em out: Emily Lynn Paulson describes suburban mom-squad MLMs; Douglas Brooks represents victims of MLM schemers; and trainer Roberta Blevins testified against LuLaRoe. NOTES Jane Marie and her partner – former Modest Mouse guitarist Dann Gallucci – started Little Everywhere, a podcast production house and recording studio renowned for Michelle Obama’s The Light Podcast and The Dream. Jane Marie’s forthcoming book Selling the Dream exposes the scourge of multilevel marketing schemes and how they have profited off the evisceration of the American working class. It’s available for preorder at www.Jane-Marie.com. Find Jane on social media: Twitter, Instagram & TikTok. Also… Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. OTHER LINKS: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Writer: Holly Zadra Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is a short preview of an episode Sarah & Nippy recorded for the A Little Bit Culty Patreon. If you want to hear the whole thing, plus get bonus to ad-free episodes and other exclusive content, sign up at: www.patreon.com/alittlebitcultySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Julie Bogart homeschooled her five children for seventeen years and participated in a Cincinnati homeschool co-op of 100 families with over 300 youngsters. But it wasn’t merely homeschoolers that were a little bit culty in her life. With experiences of missionary evangelical Christianity, the New Thought movement, Scientology, and four years as an e s t devotee, Julie Bogart’s got some culty notches in her belt. Now she’s helping cult-proof parents and their kids by teaching families to think well. In this episode, Julie shares insight into susceptibilities for cult-jumping, our perceptions of “trusted” authority/expertise, and the power of wonder and curiosity. We’re also reminded of the parental golden rule: seek therapy yourselves before subjecting your kiddos to any kind of psychotherapy. For a deep dive into those waters, rewind to our episode with Meg Appelgate who navigated the Troubled Teen Industry firsthand. NOTES: Julie Bogart has devoted her life to the triumvirate of writing, kids, and parents and is known for her common sense parenting and education advice on how to raise critical thinkers. She created Brave Writer, an online writing and language arts program that coaches folks to discover their own original thoughts. She has scores of professional writing credentials including a weekly column for United Press International, Brave Writer's Home Study Courses, and two books, The Brave Learner and Raising Critical Thinkers. Mother of five and grandmother to three, Julie lives in Cincinnati, Ohio. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram. Also… Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. OTHER LINKS: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Writer: Holly Zadra Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel AsselinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is a replay of an episode Sarah & Nippy recorded for the A Little Bit Culty Patreon. If you want to access to all of our content bonuses, ad-free episodes and other goodies, sign up at: www.patreon.com/alittlebitcultySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Yasmine Mohammed attended Islamic schools and wore a hijab starting at the age of nine, all while living in Vancouver, BC. In this episode, she invites us into her childhood to get a taste of what it was like to live in two different worlds – the West and extreme fundamentalist Islam – while fitting into neither. She pulls back the curtain on the culty dynamics, indoctrination, and dehumanization characteristic of both worlds. We learn a little about her forced marriage to a member of Al-Qaeda at the age of 19. And she illuminates a Bill Maher moment with Ben Affleck that she believes exemplifies the West’s deeply problematic approach to radical Islam. Check it out. NOTES: Yasmine Mohammed is founder and President of Free Hearts Free Minds – an organization devoted to those free thinkers in Muslim-majority countries whose lives are at risk for who they love or the words they utter. She’s a courageous and eloquent writer, podcaster, and human rights advocate as unafraid to criticize conversation police as she is to speak up against radical Islam. Yasmine is the author of Unveiled: How Western Liberals Empower Radical Islam, a memoir/polemic that explores her own history and how Western liberalism gets in the way of actualizing liberation. She’s host of the podcast Forgotten Feminists that features inspirational women from restrictive religious backgrounds. And she speaks on Islamophobia and the Canadian motion against it to universities, organizations and major news agencies. Find her on these medes: Twitter , YouTube Also… Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. OTHER LINKS: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Writer: Holly Zadra Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel AsselinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.