A Little Bit Culty

Sarah Edmondson & Anthony “Nippy” Ames
  • 4.6(2.8천개의 평가)
  • 사회 및 문화
  • 매주 업데이트

Think you might be in a cult? Want to know the signs? Join Sarah Edmondson and Anthony “Nippy” Ames to talk about things that are..a little bit culty. Or in their case: a whole bunch of culty. As whistleblowers documented in the critically-acclaimed HBO series “The Vow,” Sarah and Nippy have a lot to say about their experience, and burning questions to ask people with similar stories. They’re here to help people understand, heal from, and avoid abusive situations one little red flag at a time. Listen in as they share their stories, have frank and unscripted conversations with other survivors and cult experts, and do a deep dive on how devotion can turn to dysfunction.

  1. International School of Temple Arts (ISTA): Two Insiders Expose Consent, Control, and Cult Dynamics (Part 1)

    2일 전

    International School of Temple Arts (ISTA): Two Insiders Expose Consent, Control, and Cult Dynamics (Part 1)

    This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. In this episode, we sit down with Cara Cardoni and “Lina” (whose real name remains anonymous) to unpack their experience with ISTA, the International School of Temple Arts, AKA the “Harvard of Sacred Sexuality” that turned out to have a lot more red flags than a festival wristband. Cara and Lina describe how they came to ISTA looking for healing, community, intimacy, and expansion, and how the pitch was wrapped in glossy marketing, “consent” language, intensity, and just enough spiritual seasoning to make the whole thing look transformational. We get into the mechanics of how ISTA works, including LGAT sessions, “Horse and Rider,” “Pillow Thrusting,” “sacred spot,” emotional release tools, and the way language was used to lower defenses and keep people compliant. Cara and Lina also talk about the pressure to stay in the room, the expectation to surrender judgment, the push toward sexualized exercises, and how the group’s “no attachments” vibe could be used to make people doubt their own boundaries. A major theme is how easily self-help gets weaponized when charisma, group pressure, and pseudo-intimacy mix. Both guests reflect on the difference between real growth and being manipulated into thinking you’re the problem, and they connect the dots between ISTA’s practices and other groups listeners will know from the show. You’ll want to stay tuned for Part 2. Also read The Cut’s article, “The Neo-Tantric Sex Group That Promised to Change,” for background on ISTA and Lina’s story. Check out Safer Sex-Positive & Spiritual Communities (3SC) at 3sc.community and Cara Cardoni’s Substack, and podcast, Fool's Gold: Discernment in the Age of Grift, on YouTube or where you listen to your pods. Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of sexual coercion and coercive control, manipulation, emotional and psychological abuse, group pressure, cultic behavior, nudity, sexualized exercises, and references to trauma and predatory conduct. 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% 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.

    54분
  2. Stop the Tall Man, Save the Tiger: Peter Young on the Cult of Uncle Robert Booty (Part 2)

    6일 전

    Stop the Tall Man, Save the Tiger: Peter Young on the Cult of Uncle Robert Booty (Part 2)

    In Part 2 of our conversation with Peter Young, we go deeper into the disturbing story surrounding Uncle Robert Booty and how charisma, secrecy, and unchecked authority created the perfect conditions for harm to go unchallenged. Peter continues to unpack what he witnessed and experienced, shedding light on how manipulation and control can operate in plain sight, especially when wrapped in familiarity, trust, or even humor. We talked about the ripple effects of abuse within close-knit communities, the difficulty of speaking up when the person causing harm is protected (or even celebrated), and the long, complicated process of making sense of it all years later. As always, we look at the broader patterns: how individuals like Uncle Robert Booty can maintain influence, why bystanders stay silent, and what real accountability could look like when systems fail. Part 2 is heavy, but it’s grounded in truth-telling, clarity, and the importance of naming harm out loud. Check out Peter’s memoir, Stop the Tall Man, Save the Tiger, and follow him on his website,  authorpeteryoung.com, or on YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram. Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of abuse, manipulation, coercive control, family estrangement, and harm within trusted relationships and community settings. 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 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    40분
  3. Stop the Tall Man, Save the Tiger: Peter Young on the Cult of Uncle Robert Booty (Part 1)

    4월 20일

    Stop the Tall Man, Save the Tiger: Peter Young on the Cult of Uncle Robert Booty (Part 1)

    In Part 1 of our convo with Peter Young, we step into the wild, uncomfortable orbit of Uncle Robert Booty, the “cult” leader who slowly took over Peter’s marriage, family, and sense of reality. Peter talks about his book, Stop the Tall Man, Save the Tiger, and how he first met Paige while working as a sports broadcaster in Idaho, only to discover that her family’s world revolved around a man who demanded blind obedience, spiritual authority, and a whole lot of deeply weird bathroom rules. What starts as a love story turns into a long, slow-burn case study in coercive control, isolation, and spiritual gaslighting. Peter explains how Uncle Robert used Bible verses, “saved” language, and endless conferences to position himself as the gatekeeper to God, while gradually eroding Peter’s role as husband and father. The episode also explores the infamous “true gospel” framing, the pressure to doubt yourself, and the way cult dynamics can hide in plain sight inside family systems and religious language. You won’t want to miss Part 2. Check out Peter’s memoir, Stop the Tall Man, Save the Tiger, and follow him on his website,  authorpeteryoung.com, or on YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram. Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of coercive control, spiritual, psychological, and emotional abuse, gaslighting, family estrangement, isolation, religious manipulation, child endangerment, and cult indoctrination. 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: Get the right life insurance for YOU, for LESS, and save more than 50% at SelectQuote.com/culty. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    45분
  4. ALBX: Catching up: Book Update and Listener Voicemails

    4월 16일

    ALBX: Catching up: Book Update and Listener Voicemails

    Buckle up, cultiverse: it’s our catch-up bonus round, where we give you a little bit extra. In this episode, we bask in the glow of your Amazon book reviews (please, keep ‘em coming!) and eavesdrop on the spicy, kooky, and downright cathartic voicemails waiting in our inbox from listeners who are ready to dish out their “a little more culty” revelations, rants, and burning questions. 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 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    29분
  5. The Art of Influence: Mind Games’ Alice Hines on NLP and High-Control Manipulation

    4월 13일

    The Art of Influence: Mind Games’ Alice Hines on NLP and High-Control Manipulation

    This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. In this episode, we welcome back Alice Hines, co-host of the Mind Games podcast, and dig into her reporting on neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), NXIVM, and the slippery gremlin bridge between self-help, persuasion, and manipulation. Alice explains how Mind Games traced the overlap between Twin Flames, NLP, and NXIVM. She spoke about interviewing ex-NXIVM president Nancy Salzman—and Sarah appears in episode 8 on NXIVM too. Our conversation gets into how NLP was packaged as a legit-looking psychology tool before drifting into guru territory, sales culture, and cult-adjacent use cases. Alice breaks down the techniques, the industry hype, and the origins of NLP through its two founders, Richard Bandler and John Grinder. We got a bit fired up about how NXIVM borrowed, recycled, and repurposed the same influence tactics. And we talk about Nancy Salzman’s relationship to NLP, the role of “appeal to authority,” and how these tools can be helpful in one context and deeply abusive in another. Be sure to subscribe to the Mind Games podcast and follow Alice Hines on her website alicehines.com, Instagram, X, or TikTok. Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of psychological and emotional abuse, sexual coercion, and blackmail/collateral. 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% 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.

    1시간 3분
  6. The Oracle’s Daughter: Harrison Hill on the Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps (Part 2)

    4월 9일

    The Oracle’s Daughter: Harrison Hill on the Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps (Part 2)

    In Part 2 with Harrison Hill, we go deeper into his book, The Oracle’s Daughter, and the wonderfully unhinged rise of the Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps (ACMTC), which started out as Free Love Ministries and then took a hard left into full-blown extremity. Harrison talks about the limited public record, the giant legal paper trail, and the kind of reporting that makes you wonder how anyone ever untangles a cult story without losing their mind. A big focus here is Sarah Green, the oldest child of Jim and Deborah Green, who grew up inside the compound, watched the control tighten, and eventually made her move toward escape. Harrison also traces the timeline from the 1989 legal trouble to the group’s move to rural New Mexico, and finally the 2017 raid and trial that bring the story to a head. Along the way, he digs into Satanic Panic, cult fear tactics, and the weirdly persuasive power of “we’re the only safe people on Earth” energy. He also gets into religion, doubt, and the difference between faith and outright nonsense, which is honestly a pretty solid distinction to keep in your back pocket. Our convo with him is sharp, unsettling, and still somehow darkly funny in that very specific “welcome to the American weirdness machine” kind of way. 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, family separation, religious and emotional abuse, sexual shaming, Satanic Panic, and 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 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    41분
  7. The Oracle’s Daughter: Harrison Hill on the Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps (Part 1)

    4월 6일

    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.

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

    4월 2일

    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.

    43분
모두 보기(324개)

예고편

호스트 및 게스트

4.6
최고 5점
2,846개의 평가

소개

Think you might be in a cult? Want to know the signs? Join Sarah Edmondson and Anthony “Nippy” Ames to talk about things that are..a little bit culty. Or in their case: a whole bunch of culty. As whistleblowers documented in the critically-acclaimed HBO series “The Vow,” Sarah and Nippy have a lot to say about their experience, and burning questions to ask people with similar stories. They’re here to help people understand, heal from, and avoid abusive situations one little red flag at a time. Listen in as they share their stories, have frank and unscripted conversations with other survivors and cult experts, and do a deep dive on how devotion can turn to dysfunction.

정보

  • 제작진
    Sarah Edmondson & Anthony “Nippy” Ames
  • 방송 연도
    2021년 - 2026년
  • 에피소드
    324
  • 등급
    무삭제판
  • 저작권
    © © 2022 A Little Bit Culty
  • 웹사이트 보기
    A Little Bit Culty

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