Anthony Ames

Émissions

Épisodes

  1. The Oracle’s Daughter: Harrison Hill on the Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps (Part 1)

    -3 J

    The Oracle’s Daughter: Harrison Hill on the Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps (Part 1)

    This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp. In this episode, Harrison Hill joins us to discuss his book The Oracle’s Daughter and the rise and fall of the Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps (ACMTC), a group that began as Free Love Ministries and spiraled into an intensely controlling Christian cult. He explains how founders Jim and Deborah Green evolved from 1960s hippies into charismatic leaders, built a world of early-morning prayer, deliverance/exorcisms, relentless meetings, and total obedience, and drew people in with a mix of housing, food, work, and spiritual certainty. Harrison also traces the stories of the women at the center of the book: Deborah Green, her daughter Sarah, and Maura Schmierer, whose slow movement into the group shows how cult involvement often happens in small, incremental steps rather than one dramatic leap. He describes the group’s use of “God’s army” rhetoric, demon-based explanations for ordinary feelings like fatigue, the deliberate cutting off of “blood ties,” and the way family bonds were treated as a threat to the movement’s authority. You’ll definitely wanna stay tuned for Part 2 of our convo. Be sure to pick up his book, The Oracle’s Daughter, and follow him on Instagram @1harrisonhill. Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of coercive control, emotional and spiritual abuse, family separation, exorcism/deliverance practices, and references to child endangerment. 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 f*****d. Buy the A Little Bit Culty book on Amazon or order a signed copy. Check out our amazing sponsors Join A Little Bit Culty on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Check out our cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, Scarred CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Audio production: Will Retherford Production Coordinator: Lesli Dinsmore Writer: Sandra Nomoto Social media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke Keane Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS: When life feels overwhelming, therapy can help. Sign up and get 10 percent off at BetterHelp.com/culty. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    39 min
  2. Holy Disobedience: Melissa Duge Spiers on the Seventh Day Adventist Church (Part 2)

    2 AVR.

    Holy Disobedience: Melissa Duge Spiers on the Seventh Day Adventist Church (Part 2)

    Part 2 with Melissa Duge Spiers picks up at the “WTF moment” when a call about her beloved father—a once‑celebrated Adventist youth pastor and doctor—exposes him as a child predator and shatters the good‑dad/bad‑mom story she’d carried her whole life. She walks listeners through confronting her parents, befriending “Dr. Z,” a former teen congregant who details the grooming and abuse, and realizing how deeply the Seventh‑day Adventist structure protected her father from quiet removal deals and put him back in the pulpit despite promises to keep him away from children. ​ She zooms out to the broader SDA pattern: stories pouring into her social channels, the church’s historic role in conversion therapy and even female genital mutilation, and how these institutional obsessions with sex and control shaped her own relationships, including a dangerous “cult of one” partnership she ultimately escaped with the help of a religious‑trauma therapist and psychedelic‑assisted work. As she finishes her memoir audiobook and helps launch a new mass‑tort case against the Adventist Church, Melissa shares what real healing has looked like—naming crimes as crimes, accepting there may never be full closure, and doing the slow, ongoing deconstruction that turns “I left” into genuine freedom on the other side. ​ To file an abuse claim again Seventh-day Adventist Church with Pintas & Mullins: https://www.seventhdayadventist-claims.com Be sure to pick up Melissa’s memoir, Holy Disobedience, when it launches this week, and follow her at The Glory Whole on Instagram and TikTok or on her Substack page: substack.com/@melissadugespiers Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of child sexual abuse, grooming by a clergy member, institutional cover‑ups, religious and spiritual abuse, conversion therapy, circumcision and female genital mutilation, and narcissistic/abusive relationships. 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 f*****d. Buy the A Little Bit Culty book on Amazon! Check out our amazing sponsors Join A Little Bit Culty on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Check out our cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, Scarred CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Audio production: Will Retherford Production Coordinator: Lesli Dinsmore Writer: Sandra Nomoto Social media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke Keane 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.

    43 min
  3. Holy Disobedience: Melissa Duge Spiers on the Seventh Day Adventist Church (Part 1)

    30 MARS

    Holy Disobedience: Melissa Duge Spiers on the Seventh Day Adventist Church (Part 1)

    In Part 1 of our episode with Melissa Duge Spiers, she pulls back the curtain on Seventh‑day Adventism (SDA)—a massive but strangely invisible denomination she describes as a classic end‑times cult built on control of food, bodies, and behavior. She traces the movement’s roots through prophet Ellen G. White, mad‑hatters‑era health fads, Kellogg’s cornflakes‑as‑anti‑masturbation tool, and the church’s global education and medical empire, which still funnels power to “crusty old white men” in Washington while aggressively proselytizing in vulnerable communities. ​ Melissa zoomed into her own multi‑generational SDA family: a great‑grandmother pulled in by a job and schooling for her kids, generations of Adventist doctors, and parents who enforced extreme modesty, hair and weight control, media bans, and purity culture so intense that even nail polish and books were policed. Gymnastics, banned Saturday competitions, secret library runs, and a “shirt” virginity metaphor all shaped her sexuality and body image. As a teen, she decided to reclaim her agency by deliberately “losing” her virginity to a public‑school athlete, only to replay the same patriarchal script later through older conservative partners and dysfunctional marriages that echoed SDA-style submission without the theology. Be sure to pick up Melissa’s memoir, Holy Disobedience, when it launches this week, and follow her at The Glory Whole on Instagram and TikTok or on her Substack page: substack.com/@melissadugespiers ​ Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of religious and spiritual abuse, body‑ and weight‑shaming, coercive purity culture and sexual scripts, and child corporal punishment. 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 f*****d. Buy the A Little Bit Culty book on Amazon! Check out our amazing sponsors Join A Little Bit Culty on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Check out our cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, Scarred CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Audio production: Will Retherford Production Coordinator: Lesli Dinsmore Writer: Sandra Nomoto Social media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke Keane Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS: If you like your money, Mint Mobile is for you. Shop plans at MintMobile.com/culty. Right now as a listener of our show, you can get up to 50% off your first order at MeUndies, plus free shipping, at MeUndies.com/culty, promo code culty. Way Day is THE sale to shop the best deals in home – we’re talking up to 80% OFF with fast and FREE shipping on everything! Head to Wayfair.com April 25th through the 27th to shop Way Day. Wayfair. Every style. Every home. Refresh your spring wardrobe with Quince. Go to Quince.com/culty for free shipping and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    46 min
  4. Escaping Scientology with Liz Gale: Audits, Absurdities, and Aftermath

    23 MARS

    Escaping Scientology with Liz Gale: Audits, Absurdities, and Aftermath

    In this episode, Liz Gale shares what it means to be a third‑generation Scientologist, born into a fanatical family where every aspect of childhood—schooling, discipline, even getting sick—was filtered through L. Ron Hubbard’s “technology.” She describes being audited from before birth, sent to a Scientology boarding school at eight, and subjected to invasive “sec checks” by her own mother using the e‑meter, eroding any sense of privacy, autonomy, or secure attachment. Liz traces the devastating impact Scientology’s beliefs had on her family, including her brother’s highly planned suicide at MIT on Hubbard’s birthday and the way the church’s anti‑psychiatry stance and perfectionism left him and others without real help. She talks about slowly deprogramming through community college and early‑childhood education, recognizing how abusive the system of raising kids in Scientology really is, and ultimately going “no contact” with her still‑in mother to protect her own children from becoming fourth‑generation Scientologists. Now living in Oregon, Liz reflects on boundary‑setting, suspected surveillance and harassment, and the grief of losing both her brother and her inheritance in the name of “family legacy” and the church. Follow Liz Gale on her website, liz-gale.com, or follow her on TikTok or YouTube. Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of childhood emotional abuse and coercive control, spiritual abuse, invasive interrogations of children, family estrangement, and suicide. 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 f*****d. Buy the A Little Bit Culty book on Amazon! Check out our amazing sponsors Join A Little Bit Culty on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Check out our cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, Scarred CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Audio production: Will Retherford Production Coordinator: Lesli Dinsmore Writer: Sandra Nomoto Social media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke Keane Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: If you’re ready to start searching safely online, go to surfshark.com/culty or use code CULTY at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    1 h 2 min
  5. Twisted Yoga: Ashleigh Freckleton on Atman/MISA and Gregorian Bivolaru

    26 MARS

    Twisted Yoga: Ashleigh Freckleton on Atman/MISA and Gregorian Bivolaru

    In this episode, we finally sit down with Ashleigh Freckleton, one of the central voices in the Apple TV docuseries Twisted Yoga and a former devotee of MISA/Atman Yoga, the transnational yoga-tantra empire orbiting fugitive guru Gregorian Bivolaru. We’ve been trying to line this conversation up for years, and it was worth every time-zone fail and calendar mishap to get her in the (virtual) studio. Ashleigh takes us back to the moment yoga and meditation felt like the only things keeping her afloat—and how that genuine relief became the doorway into a “serious spiritual school” that slowly revealed itself as a high-control group with a global footprint. She walks us through the pipeline: starting with online Atman classes, moving into the in-person community at the Tara Yoga Centre in London, and eventually realizing the whole network feeds back to one very problematic “master” in hiding. We also get into how these groups weaponize spiritual language to train you to ignore that constant low-grade anxiety buzzing in the background. Ashleigh describes what it’s like to see her story hit the screen after years of healing: the stress before the doc dropped, the relief of being believed, and the weird emotional whiplash of dragging an old, well-filed trauma box back out of the closet and cracking it open for millions of strangers. If you’ve ever wondered whether your “intense” yoga or tantra scene is actually…a little bit culty, this one’s for you. Be sure to check out Twisted Yoga on Apple TV and follow Ashleigh on Instagram @afreckle_ and CULTivate Awareness @cultawareness_. Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of spiritual and emotional abuse, pornography, sexual abuse allegations, anxiety, and trauma responses. 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 f*****d. Buy the A Little Bit Culty book on Amazon! Check out our amazing sponsors Join A Little Bit Culty on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Check out our cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, Scarred CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Audio production: Will Retherford Production Coordinator: Lesli Dinsmore Writer: Sandra Nomoto Social media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke Keane Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: If you’re ready to start searching safely online, go to surfshark.com/culty or use code CULTY at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    58 min
  6. Sex, Shame, and Sacred Secrets: Nancy Ross on Mormon Garments (Part 2)

    18 MARS

    Sex, Shame, and Sacred Secrets: Nancy Ross on Mormon Garments (Part 2)

    In Part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Nancy Ross, we dig deeper into the fascinating (and frankly under-discussed) world of Mormon temple garments, the sacred undergarments worn by many devoted members of the LDS Church. Building on the research we introduced in Part 1, Nancy walks us through the results of her large survey examining how these garments actually impact people’s daily lives, especially Mormon women. We talk about everything from comfort and body awareness to modesty culture and the unspoken rules that shape how members think about their bodies, sexuality, and spiritual worthiness. Nancy shares what hundreds of respondents revealed about the lived experience of wearing temple garments: the physical realities and the complicated mix of devotion, obligation, and identity tied up in this uniquely Mormon practice. We also explore how conversations around modesty, sexuality, and religious obedience in the LDS Church can shape women’s sense of autonomy and self-trust, and how everyday practices can reinforce belonging, control, and silence around discomfort. For more in-depth info on her survey, pick up her book, Mormon Garments, and follow her on YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok. Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of religious control, modesty culture, sexuality, body shame, and sensitive topics related to women’s bodies. 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 f*****d. **PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here Check out our amazing sponsors Join A Little Bit Culty on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Check out our cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, Scarred CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Audio production: Will Retherford Production Coordinator: Lesli Dinsmore Writer: Sandra Nomoto Social media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke Keane Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: If you’re ready to start searching safely online, go to surfshark.com/culty or use code CULTY at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    45 min
  7. Sex, Shame, and Sacred Secrets: Nancy Ross on Mormon Garments (Part 1)

    16 MARS

    Sex, Shame, and Sacred Secrets: Nancy Ross on Mormon Garments (Part 1)

    In this episode, Dr. Nancy Ross—religious studies professor, longtime Mormon feminist, and co‑author of the forthcoming book Mormon Garments: Sacred and Secret—joins us to talk about what it’s like to grow up LDS in small‑town Maine, move into the hyper‑gendered world of southern Utah, and then turn all of that lived experience into rigorous research on faith, clothing, and control. She walks us through the secretive temple “endowment” where young adults first receive their garments, the lack of informed consent around covenants like “wives obey their husbands,” and the confusing mix of sacred language, modesty rules, and unexpected physical exposure that shape how Mormon women understand their bodies from day one. Nancy also shares how online Mormon feminist communities helped her name what felt “off,” why she launched a massive survey that gathered 4,500+ anonymous stories about garments, and what those responses reveal about gender hierarchy, shame, sensory discomfort, and the emotional toll of wearing mandated underwear you’re not even allowed to talk about. For more in-depth info on her survey, pick up her book, Mormon Garments, and follow her on YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok. Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of religious and spiritual abuse, sexism, body‑shaming, and non‑informed consent around touching. 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 f*****d. **PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here Check out our amazing sponsors Join A Little Bit Culty on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Check out our cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, Scarred CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Audio production: Will Retherford Production Coordinator: Lesli Dinsmore Writer: Sandra Nomoto Social media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke Keane Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS: If you’re ready to start searching safely online, go to surfshark.com/culty or use code CULTY at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN. Set a new standard for how you relax and connect. Access 10% off for life and redefine your nightly ritual today at Piquelife.com/culty. As an exclusive offer, new listeners can get their choice between organic ground beef, chicken breast, or shrimp in every box for a year, PLUS $20 off when you go to ButcherBox.com/culty. Right now, go to Quince.com/culty for free shipping and 365-day returns. That's a full year to wear it and love it. And you will. Now available in Canada, too. Don't keep settling for clothes that don't last. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    35 min
  8. Through the NXIVM Lens: Photographer Bjorn Bolinder on V-Week, Branding, and Seeing the Light (Part 1)

    2 MARS

    Through the NXIVM Lens: Photographer Bjorn Bolinder on V-Week, Branding, and Seeing the Light (Part 1)

    This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp. Bjorn Bolinder—photographer, NXIVM insider, and the guy on the ladder in The Vow Episode 3—finally tells his story. For NXIVM nerds, this is the episode you've been waiting for: a behind-the-scenes perspective from someone who witnessed it all but stayed largely unknown to the public. Bjorn walks us through his recruitment in January 2015, how a midnight kitchen conversation about curing Tourette's syndrome planted the seed, and why he signed up for his 5-day already knowing it would be expensive and a pitch. He opens up about his initial resistance on days two or three (and how one module blew right through it), the overwhelming workload as a V-Week photographer working until 2 a.m. for what amounted to $7/hour in "work exchange," and meeting Keith Raniere for the first time with stars in his eyes. Bjorn shares why Nippy was such a green flag for him—in an organization that felt safe after a childhood of being bullied in macho dance studio and school environments—and how NXIVM’s Goals Lab became a place where he felt genuinely supported and seen. This first part is all green flags with tiny red ones creeping in around the edges. Thursday's Part 2 brings Pam Cafritz’s memorial, the blow-up, and how Bjorn finally figured it out after we left. Follow Bjorn’s work at findthelightphotography.com and on Instagram @findthelightphotography. Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of childhood bullying and homophobia. 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 f*****d. **PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here Check out our amazing sponsors Join A Little Bit Culty on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Check out our cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, Scarred CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Audio production: Will Retherford Production Coordinator: Lesli Dinsmore Writer: Sandra Nomoto Social media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke Keane Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS: Your emotional wellbeing matters. Find support and feel lighter in therapy. Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/culty. If you like your money, Mint Mobile is for you. Shop plans at MINTMOBILE.com/culty. Right now as a listener of my show, you can get 20% off your first order, plus free shipping at MeUndies.com/culty, promo code culty. Find furniture, decor, and essentials that fit your unique style and budget. Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. Wayfair. Every style. Every home. Right now, go to Quince.com/culty for free shipping and 365-day returns. That's a full year to wear it and love it. And you will. Now available in Canada, too. Don't keep settling for clothes that don't last. If you’re ready to start searching safely online, go to surfshark.com/culty or use code CULTY at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    38 min
  9. Ashtanga Yoga After Pattabhi Jois: Magnolia Zuniga on Consent, Adjustment, and Real Healing (Part 1)

    9 MARS

    Ashtanga Yoga After Pattabhi Jois: Magnolia Zuniga on Consent, Adjustment, and Real Healing (Part 1)

    This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp. In Part 1 of this two‑episode conversation, Magnolia Zuniga—one of only about 20 certified Ashtanga teachers worldwide as of 2015—joins us to unpack how a practice she loved became a textbook example of how charisma, secrecy, and male‑centered power can warp modern yoga. She traces her path from early days in Bikram to that first Ashtanga class in Los Angeles, explains the demanding Mysore method (memorized sequences, 5–6 day‑a‑week practices, and three‑hour sessions), and walks us through the Ashtanga hierarchy of authorization, certification, and total dependence on a single male guru in India for legitimacy. Magnolia also describes, in detail, witnessing Pattabhi Jois’s sexual assaults on women during adjustments in Mysore, the way “choice feminism,” sunk‑cost fallacy, and the promise of advancement kept her and others silent, and why she now sees Ashtanga as a system that consistently protects “the practice” and male authority over the safety and bodies of overwhelmingly female students. For more context, check out The Walrus’s article on the topic, and stay tuned for Part 2. Follow Magnolia Zuniga on her YouTube channel, Facebook, or on Instagram @magnoliasezso. Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of sexual assault and sexualized “adjustments” in yoga settings, molestation, gaslighting, misogyny, and patriarchal dynamics in yoga lineages. 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 f*****d. **PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here Check out our amazing sponsors Join A Little Bit Culty on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Check out our cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, Scarred CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Audio production: Will Retherford Production Coordinator: Lesli Dinsmore Writer: Sandra Nomoto Social media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke Keane Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS: Your emotional wellbeing matters. Find support and feel lighter in therapy. Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/culty. If you like your money, Mint Mobile is for you. Shop plans at MintMobile.com/culty. Right now as a listener of our show, you can get 20% off your first order, plus free shipping at MeUndies.com/culty, promo code culty. Find furniture, decor, and essentials that fit your unique style and budget. Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. Right now, go to Quince.com/culty for free shipping and 365-day returns. That's a full year to wear it and love it. And you will. Now available in Canada, too. Don't keep settling for clothes that don't last. If you’re ready to start searching safely online, go to surfshark.com/culty or use code CULTY at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    56 min
  10. Through the NXIVM Lens: Bjorn Bolinder on V-Week, Branding, and Seeing the Light (Part 2)

    5 MARS

    Through the NXIVM Lens: Bjorn Bolinder on V-Week, Branding, and Seeing the Light (Part 2)

    Welcome back for Part 2 with Bjorn Bolinder: dancer, photographer, and the guy whose heart was screaming “GET OUT!” louder than any cult alarm system we've ever heard. We pick up in 2016 as Bjorn signs up for SOP (the men's program) in a moment of pleaser panic, and then experiences a full-body revolt between the commitment meeting and his Washington Heights apartment. He listened, backed out, and his intuition proved prophetic. He walks us through the weird Festival of Flowers, staying at Allison's overcrowded house, the underwhelming reveal of his “life issue” at the end of the student track, and the exact moment his internal guidance system said, “You're done—get out NOW.” He returned to V-Week 2016 on work exchange after negotiating a refund, and observed late-night DOS activity he couldn’t yet contextualize. Then comes August 2017: Coach V’s text, the Frank Report, Sarah’s disappearing photo of a brand, and the surreal experience of attending an ESP event the same day he learned the truth. Bjorn described the whiplash of connecting puzzle pieces, the validation of his year-old exit, his spiritual mentor’s eerily accurate read on Keith Raniere, and where he was when the guilty verdict came through in June 2019. We reflected on people still loyal to Keith, Bjorn’s healing journey, and why “excited state” actually worked for his depression (even if we're not saying “Thank you, Vanguard” anymore). Be sure to follow Bjorn’s work at findthelightphotography.com and on Instagram @findthelightphotography. Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of depression and suicidal ideation. 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 f*****d. **PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here Check out our amazing sponsors Join A Little Bit Culty on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Check out our cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, Scarred CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Audio production: Will Retherford Production Coordinator: Lesli Dinsmore Writer: Sandra Nomoto Social media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke Keane Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: If you’re ready to start searching safely online, go to surfshark.com/culty or use code CULTY at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    43 min
  11. Sex, Power, and Music: Jezebel Sweet & Margot Lane Expose Corey Feldman (Part 1)

    16 FÉVR.

    Sex, Power, and Music: Jezebel Sweet & Margot Lane Expose Corey Feldman (Part 1)

    This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp. In this episode, we’re joined by Margot Lane and Jezebel Sweet, former members of Corey’s Angels, the all‑female band and “angel” entourage formed and led by actor and musician Corey Feldman. Drawing on their experience, partially shown in the new documentary COREY FELDMAN VS. THE WORLD—a cinéma vérité chronicle of Corey’s attempt to reboot his career—they describe what it’s like to have the camera rolling long after the performance ends, how it felt to be inside the Corey’s Angels brand while he negotiated the cost of childhood fame in real time, and what they see now that they’re on the other side of that project. They talk about how what looked like a quirky Hollywood comeback vehicle came with an intense image regime, tight control over their time and presentation, and a blurry line between artistic collaboration and life inside Corey’s carefully curated universe. They also unpack the power dynamics of working for a controlling boss, the emotional whiplash of loyalty, doubt, and disenchantment, and in Part 2, we chat more about what it’s taken to reclaim their own narratives, music, and creative futures outside Corey’s orbit. You can watch Corey Feldman Vs. The World on Apple TV, YouTube, and Google Play. Also follow Margot Lane at margotlane.com and on Facebook and Instagram @musicismargot. Follow Jezebel Sweet at JezebelSweet.com, on Instagram & YouTube @JezebelSweet, and her doc commentary on YouTube.com/@JezebelSweetSpeaks. Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of emotional manipulation and controlling dynamics, objectification of women, abuse, drugging and rape, and mental health struggles. 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 f*****d. **PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here Check out our amazing sponsors Join A Little Bit Culty on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Check out our cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, Scarred CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Audio production: Will Retherford Production Coordinator: Lesli Dinsmore Writer: Sandra Nomoto Social media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke Keane Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS: Set your best health goals in motion. Access 20% off and begin your journey toward sustained wellness today at Piquelife.com/culty. Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/culty. As an exclusive offer, new listeners can get their choice between organic ground beef, chicken breast or ground turkey in every ButcherBox box for a year, PLUS $20 off when you go to ButcherBox.com/CULTY. If you’re ready to start searching safely online, go to surfshark.com/culty or use code CULTY at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    51 min
  12. Is Landmark a Cult? Anne Peterson Returns (Part 1)

    26 JANV.

    Is Landmark a Cult? Anne Peterson Returns (Part 1)

    In Part 1 of this conversation, former Landmark Forum staffer Anne Peterson returns to update us about life post-Is This a Cult? book launch. She takes us back inside the transformational training machine built on Werner Erhard’s EST curriculum, and how something sold as breakthrough personal growth slowly revealed classic high‑control dynamics. Going from enthusiastic participant to full‑time staff, Anne breaks down the structure of Landmark forums, leadership programs, and “enrollment” culture, and what it actually felt like to live inside a world of long days, unpaid labor framed as service, and constant pressure to bring in new people. She also unpacks the language games, thought‑stopping clichés, and emotional high/low cycles that made it so hard to question Landmark Education or Erhard’s legacy, and shares how she eventually stepped away, began naming her experience as loaded with undue influence, and started rebuilding a life, career, and sense of self outside the Landmark universe. Be sure to pick up Anne’s memoir, Is This a Cult?, follow her on Facebook or Instagram, and follow iLumn8.Life on Facebook and Instagram. Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of parental and physical abuse and trauma. 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 f*****d. **PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here Check out our amazing sponsors Join A Little Bit Culty on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Check out our cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, Scarred CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Audio production: Will Retherford Production Coordinator: Lesli Dinsmore Writer: Sandra Nomoto Social media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke Keane Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS: Give your skin a rest with clean, clinically tested skincare from OSEA. Right now we have a special discount just for our listeners. Get 10% off your first order sitewide with code CULTY at OSEAMalibu.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    46 min
  13. The Lost Boy: Unpacking Corey Feldman Vs. The World with Marcie Hume

    23 FÉVR.

    The Lost Boy: Unpacking Corey Feldman Vs. The World with Marcie Hume

    Following last week’s conversations with ex-Corey’s Angels musicians Margot Lane and Jezebel Sweet, director Marcie Hume joins us to talk about making Corey Feldman Vs. The World, the cinéma vérité documentary that starts as a quirky comeback chronicle and turns into an unexpectedly raw portrait of a former child star wrestling with trauma, ego, and the need to be believed. Marcie shares how she first got access to Corey Feldman, what it was like to embed with him, his band Corey’s Angels, and their inner circle over years of on‑again, off‑again filming, and how the story kept shifting as his grievances, paranoia, and yearning for redemption played out in real time on and off camera. She also pulls back the curtain on the ethics of documenting someone who is both a survivor and a deeply unreliable narrator, the pressure from all sides—Corey, producers, fans, critics—to shape the narrative, and why she ultimately chose to keep the camera rolling long past the “hero’s journey” arc in order to show something messier, more human, and uncomfortably honest about fame, fandom, and the stories we tell about abuse and accountability in Hollywood. Follow Marcie’s journey on Instagram @cfvstw, at YouTube.com/@CFVSTW, and be sure to watch the documentary on Apple TV, YouTube, and Google Play. Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of child abuse and sexual exploitation, emotional manipulation, trauma, PTSD, addiction, mental health struggles, and scenes of conflict and controlling behavior. 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 f*****d. **PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here Check out our amazing sponsors Join A Little Bit Culty on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Check out our cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, Scarred CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Audio production: Will Retherford Production Coordinator: Lesli Dinsmore Writer: Sandra Nomoto Social media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke Keane Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS: Give your skin a rest with clean, clinically tested skincare from OSEA. Get 10% off your first order sitewide with code CULTY at OSEAMalibu.com. If you’re ready to start searching safely online, go to surfshark.com/culty or use code CULTY at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    1 h 1 min
  14. Ashtanga Yoga After Pattabhi Jois: Magnolia Zuniga on Consent, Adjustment, and Real Healing (Part 2)

    12 MARS

    Ashtanga Yoga After Pattabhi Jois: Magnolia Zuniga on Consent, Adjustment, and Real Healing (Part 2)

    In Part 2 of our conversation, Magnolia Zuniga goes deeper into how the Ashtanga world responded—or failed to respond—to decades of sexual abuse by Pattabhi Jois and what that reveals about belonging, power, and performative “accountability” in yoga culture. She describes discovering that early Western students had deliberately suppressed photographic evidence of his assaults, how senior teachers minimized or rebranded what happened as “adjustments,” and why Me Too exposed not just one predator but a whole ecosystem of victim‑blaming, choice‑feminism rhetoric, and leaders more invested in their status and income than in telling the truth. Magnolia also talks about closing her own Mysore school, losing her coveted certification after speaking out, and building a new, Ayurveda‑informed way of teaching that centers individualized practice, honest power literacy, and doing yoga without funding or protecting abusive lineages—even when that means giving up enormous social and financial capital. For more context, check out The Walrus’s article on the topic. Follow Magnolia Zuniga on her YouTube channel, Facebook, or on Instagram @magnoliasezso. Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of sexual assault and molestation, victim‑blaming, mention of elite child abuse networks, and trauma. 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 f*****d. **PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here Check out our amazing sponsors Join A Little Bit Culty on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Check out our cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, Scarred CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Audio production: Will Retherford Production Coordinator: Lesli Dinsmore Writer: Sandra Nomoto Social media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke Keane Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR: If you’re ready to start searching safely online, go to surfshark.com/culty or use code CULTY at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    39 min
  15. I Belong to Me: Tia Levings on Rebuilding After Religious Trauma (Part 1)

    2 FÉVR.

    I Belong to Me: Tia Levings on Rebuilding After Religious Trauma (Part 1)

    This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp. In this episode, Tia Levings—bestselling author of A Well-Trained Wife and survivor of Christian fundamentalism who appears in the Amazon docuseries Shiny Happy People—returns to dig deeper into what happened after escaping her high‑control marriage and the broader world of Christian patriarchy and homeschooling that enabled it. She talks about navigating the court system and custody battles with an abuser who knew how to weaponize “godly fatherhood,” how churches and pastors closed ranks around him, and what it really takes to rebuild a life, parenting, and identity after years inside complementarian theology, Quiverfull‑style gender roles, and domestic violence justified with Bible verses. Tia also shares how writing, advocacy, and connecting with other survivors of religious abuse, authoritarian homeschooling, and Christian nationalist culture have become part of her healing—and why she believes telling messy, complicated stories about faith, family, and freedom is one of the most powerful ways to push back on the systems that trained her to stay small and silent in the first place. Paperback copies of A Well-Trained Wife are available February 20, and you can pre-order Tia’s upcoming book, I Belong to Me, coming May 5. Follow her at tialevings.com and on social media @tialevingswriter. Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of domestic violence, religious and spiritual abuse, child and family trauma, and brief mentions of suicidal thoughts. 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 f*****d. **PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here Check out our amazing sponsors Join A Little Bit Culty on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Check out our cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, Scarred CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Audio production: Will Retherford Production Coordinator: Lesli Dinsmore Writer: Sandra Nomoto Social media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke Keane Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS: You’re going to love Hungryroot as much as we do. For a limited time, get 40% off your first box PLUS get a free item in every box for life. Go to Hungryroot.com/culty and use code culty. Get organized, refreshed, and back on track this new year for WAY less. Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. Wayfair. Every style. Every home. Make this Valentine's Day one to remember with matching underwear from MeUndies. To get exclusive deals up to 50% off, go to MeUndies.com/culty and enter promo code culty. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to Quince.com/culty for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/culty.  Ready to stop paying more than you have to? New customers can make the switch today and for a limited time, get unlimited premium wireless for just $15 per month. Switch now at MintMobile.com/culty. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    48 min
  16. Sex, Power, and Music: Jezebel Sweet & Margot Lane Expose Corey Feldman (Part 2)

    19 FÉVR.

    Sex, Power, and Music: Jezebel Sweet & Margot Lane Expose Corey Feldman (Part 2)

    In Part 2 with Margot Lane and Jezebel Sweet, we dive more into the spectacle of Corey’s Angels and the documentary Corey Feldman Vs. the World and what happens after you walk away from someone else’s narrative and start writing your own. They talk about the emotional and professional fallout of leaving Corey Feldman’s orbit, how it felt to watch their time in the band reframed on screen, and the mix of validation, frustration, and grief that comes with seeing the “behind the music” story shown on film. Margot and Jezebel also share how they’re building their careers now—setting new boundaries in the entertainment industry, unpacking what they once normalized as “how it is,” and reconnecting with their own creativity, friendships, and instincts outside of the Corey’s Angels mythology. You can watch Corey Feldman Vs. The World on Apple TV, YouTube, and Google Play (this is homework for next week’s guest too!). Also follow Margot Lane at margotlane.com and on Facebook and Instagram @musicismargot. Follow Jezebel Sweet at JezebelSweet.com, on Instagram & YouTube @JezebelSweet, and her doc commentary on YouTube.com/@JezebelSweetSpeaks. Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of emotional manipulation and controlling dynamics, objectification of women, abuse, drug use, crossing boundaries of sexual consent, and mental health and trauma processing. 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 f*****d. **PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here Check out our amazing sponsors Join A Little Bit Culty on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Check out our cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, Scarred CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Audio production: Will Retherford Production Coordinator: Lesli Dinsmore Writer: Sandra Nomoto Social media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke Keane Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin If you’re ready to start searching safely online, go to surfshark.com/culty or use code CULTY at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    42 min
  17. The Guru Wears Prada: Sofia May on Surviving Tibetan Buddhism at Tara Mandala (Part 2)

    12 FÉVR.

    The Guru Wears Prada: Sofia May on Surviving Tibetan Buddhism at Tara Mandala (Part 2)

    In Part 2 of our conversation with Sofia May, she continues sharing her experiences connected to Tara Mandala and the community around lama Tsultrim Allione. We get into the messy, nuanced territory where Buddhist teachings, spiritual leadership, and real-world power dynamics intersect. We explore what draws people to Tibetan Buddhist communities and retreat centers in the first place, and how things can get complicated when reverence, hierarchy, and human behavior collide. Sofia shared her perspective on navigating doubt, loyalty, and disillusionment, and what happens when your spiritual home starts raising hard questions instead of providing easy answers. We also zoom out to look at broader patterns across guru-centered and high-demand spiritual communities, including teacher-student dynamics, accountability gaps, community pressure, and spiritual bypassing. This conversation isn’t about flattening every Buddhist or Tara Mandala experience into one story, but about building discernment, consent, and self-trust when engaging with any spiritual teacher or organization. If you’ve ever wrestled with concerns about a spiritual leader or practice community, this one’s for you. Be sure to check out the article in Guru Magazine in which Sofia May first shares her Tara Mandala experience, and follow her comedy journey on Instagram or TikTok @sofiamaycomedy. Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of child and sexual abuse, coercive influence, and religious/spiritual trauma. 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 f*****d. **PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here Check out our amazing sponsors Join A Little Bit Culty on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Check out our cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, Scarred CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Audio production: Will Retherford Production Coordinator: Lesli Dinsmore Writer: Sandra Nomoto Social media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke Keane 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.

    59 min
  18. The Guru Wears Prada: Sofia May on Surviving Tibetan Buddhism at Tara Mandala (Part 1)

    9 FÉVR.

    The Guru Wears Prada: Sofia May on Surviving Tibetan Buddhism at Tara Mandala (Part 1)

    In Part 1 of this conversation with stand-up comedian and former Tara Mandala practitioner Sofia May, she joins us to talk about how a beautiful Tibetan Buddhist retreat center in the Colorado mountains—founded by western author lama Tsultrim Allione—slowly revealed a deeply culty underbelly beneath the goddess imagery and tantric empowerment language. Sofia traces her path from sincere Buddhist seeker to close student of lama Tsultrim inside Tara Mandala’s residential community. She describes the powerful draw of the center’s practices, trauma‑informed branding, and female‑centered spirituality, and how all that coexisted with secrecy, hierarchy, and a guru culture where doubt was pathologized and obedience was framed as devotion. We also get into the day‑to‑day dynamics at Tara Mandala—pressure to attend costly retreats and trainings, complex power plays in teacher–student relationships, and how survivors are now comparing notes about gaslighting, spiritual bypassing, and psychological harm in a place that promised healing above all. You’ll want to read the article in Guru Magazine in which Sofia May first shared her experience, and stay tuned for Part 2. And be sure to follow Sofia May’s comedy journey on Instagram or TikTok @sofiamaycomedy. Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of sexual abuse and violence, spiritual and psychological abuse, financial and labor exploitation misogyny and boundary violations, and trauma. 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 f*****d. **PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here Check out our amazing sponsors Join A Little Bit Culty on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Check out our cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, Scarred CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Audio production: Will Retherford Production Coordinator: Lesli Dinsmore Writer: Sandra Nomoto Social media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke Keane 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.

    35 min
  19. PATREON REPLAY: "Zenu Is My Homeboy" - Marc Headley on Scientology

    26 FÉVR.

    PATREON REPLAY: "Zenu Is My Homeboy" - Marc Headley on Scientology

    In this bonus Q&A episode from our Patreon vault, Marc Headley broke down how Scientology actually works on the inside: from Sea Org recruitment scripts and billion‑year contracts to what really goes on at Gold Base behind the gates and cameras. He explained the day‑to‑day mechanisms of control—sleep deprivation, production quotas, “ethics” punishments, sec checks, disconnection, and constant surveillance—and how those systems are designed to keep members compliant while protecting leadership and celebrities. Marc also talked about what happens when people try to leave or speak up, including smear campaigns, private investigators, legal intimidation, and online harassment, and offers practical insight into spotting high‑control tactics in any group, supporting loved ones still in, and why exposing Scientology’s playbook has become a full‑time job in itself. We also tease something exciting coming from Marc’s wife, Claire Headley, also a past ALBC guest. Get your ex-Scientology merch @ The SP Shop, and support The Michael J. Rinder Aftermath Foundation at Comedy For a Cause on March 11: https://comedyworks.com/comedians/comedy-for-a-cause-an-evening-benefiting-the-michael-j-rinder-aftermath-foundation You can also follow Marc at blownforgood.com and on YouTube @blownforgood and @TheAftermathFoundation. Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of religious and psychological abuse, forced labor and overwork, harassment and intimidation of defectors, high‑control group tactics, stalking, and legal pressure campaigns. 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 f*****d. If you’re ready to start searching safely online, go to surfshark.com/culty or use code CULTY at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN. **PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here Check out our amazing sponsors Join A Little Bit Culty on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Check out our cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, Scarred CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Audio production: Will Retherford Production Coordinator: Lesli Dinsmore Writer: Sandra Nomoto Social media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke Keane 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.

    59 min
  20. My Toxic Father and Bahai: Jared Van Driessche’s Survival Story (Part 1)

    12 JANV.

    My Toxic Father and Bahai: Jared Van Driessche’s Survival Story (Part 1)

    In Part 1 of our conversation, security specialist Jared Van Driessche shares the story behind his polished “protector” persona: growing up in a Bahá’í family with a controlling and volatile father, and how a faith that preached unity, justice, and service coexisted with secrecy, fear, and emotional and physical abuse at home. He talks about being parentified from a young age, trying to manage his dad’s rage, and the confusing double bind of having a spiritual community that outwardly looked loving while he and his siblings learned to walk on eggshells, hide bruises, and normalize coercive control as just “family dynamics.”  Jared also unpacks how those early experiences with authoritarian parenting, religious idealism, and blurred boundaries around obedience and sacrifice shaped his adult relationships, his sensitivity to child abuse and domestic violence, and his ongoing work to break intergenerational patterns and build a safer, more honest life for his own kids. For more on Jared’s work in protective security, read his book, Public Figures, Private Lives, and follow him on LinkedIn. Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of violence, stalking and harassment, and child abuse. 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 f*****d. **PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here Check out our amazing sponsors Join A Little Bit Culty on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Check out our cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, Scarred CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Audio production: Will Retherford Production Coordinator: Lesli Dinsmore Writer: Sandra Nomoto Social media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke Keane Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS: Make this Valentine's Day one to remember with matching underwear from MeUndies. To get exclusive deals up to 50% off, go to MeUndies.com/culty and enter promo code culty. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    44 min
Anthony Ames sur Apple