Unspun

Jaya Mangalam Gibson and Alisa Woodruff
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  • Spirituality
  • Updated Biweekly

Unravelling cult narratives thread by thread. A survivor-led podcast focused on recovery, rebuilding, and reclaiming life after high-control environments. What happens after you walk away from a world that told you what to think, how to feel, and who to be? Unspun explores the messy, courageous, and deeply human process of reclaiming one’s autonomy. Each episode dives into the intricate “threads” of high-control groups – from the initial pull to the eventual breaking point – and offers practical insights for those navigating the long road to recovery.

  1. 6d ago

    EP 16 - Nicola Ranson Part 2

    For 10 years Nicola Ranson was a disciple of the guru, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (AKA Osho) from India to Oregon until the commune collapsed amid criminal activity. She became a somatic psychotherapist specialising in trauma and has worked with many cult survivors. Nicola taught Counselling Psychology for 17 years on the adjunct faculty at National University. Her memoir, A Slice of Orange: loving and leaving the Osho/Rajneesh cult will be published by Unsolicited Press this December.

  2. Sep 27 ·  Bonus

    Bonus Decult Episode - Aaron Sharp ex Pentecostal

    Decult 2026 will be here next month. We are lucky enough to talk to the conference's very first speaker Aaron Sharp. Aaron Sharp is a psychologist and former member of high-control Pentecostal churches. He became involved with the Potter’s House Christian Fellowship at around 15 years of age and remained within high-control Pentecostal environments for approximately 25 years. After leaving in his early 40s, he began the difficult process of rebuilding his identity, beliefs and direction in life. In 2016, he began studying psychology at university and went on to complete postgraduate training in professional and clinical psychology. He is now a registered psychologist completing the Clinical Psychology Registrar Program in Australia. His professional interests include religious trauma, coercive control and recovery from high-control groups. Aaron also speaks publicly about his own experience of indoctrination, leaving, and rebuilding a life after religion. In 2026, he is speaking at the DECULT Conference in Christchurch, New Zealand, about his journey into, through and out of high-control religion. DECULT 2026 speaker profile: https://decult.net/speaker/aaron-sharp/ New Directions Psychology: https://www.newdirectionspsychology.com.au/

  3. Sep 23

    EP 15 - Nicola Ranson Part 1

    For 10 years Nicola Ranson was a disciple of the guru, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (AKA Osho) from India to Oregon until the commune collapsed amid criminal activity. She became a somatic psychotherapist specialising in trauma and has worked with many cult survivors. Nicola taught Counselling Psychology for 17 years on the adjunct faculty at National University. Her memoir, A Slice of Orange: loving and leaving the Osho/Rajneesh cult will be published by Unsolicited Press this December

  4. Sep 23

    EP 14 - Bec Sonkkila Part 2

    Bec Sonkkila survived six years in the MISA yoga cult. Rebuilding her dismantled identity became her life's work. Today, she is an international recovery and relationship coach specialising in coercive control and post-cult identity. Using somatic practices, hypnotherapy and lived experience, Bec helps clients distinguish genuine connection from compliance. She splits her time between New Zealand, Australia and Finland, and is writing a book about finding a self you can trust.

  5. Sep 15 ·  Bonus

    Post-Decult Survivor Community Day Explainer

    This bonus podcast is about the upcoming Survivor Community Day on Labour Day the 26th October. Listen to what you can expect on the day from those who are running it. Post-Decult Conference Survivor Community DayMonday 26 October (Labour Day) | 10:00am–3:00pm Location: Multicultural Recreation and Community Centre, Hagley Park, Ōtautahi Christchurch Central Attending Decult 2026 as someone with lived experience of a high-control or cult-like group can bring up a wide range of emotions. To help create space for rest, connection and gentle processing after the conference, the Olive Leaf Network, Uncult Ōtautahi Christchurch, and the Re:Woven Charitable Trust are pleased to offer a dedicated Post-Decult Conference Survivor Community Day. This free event has been thoughtfully curated for former members and survivors of high-control or cult-like groups who are attending Decult 2026. Whether you're feeling energised, emotionally full, reflective, or simply looking to connect with others who understand, you're warmly invited to join us for a day of grounding, creativity and community. Throughout the day, participants will have opportunities to connect with others at their own pace in a welcoming, trauma-informed environment. Experienced therapists will be present throughout the day to provide support, and there will be opportunities for both individual reflection and gentle group processing. The day will include a range of supportive experiences, including: A catered lunchTrained therapists available throughout the dayIndividual and group reflection and processing opportunitiesCreative art therapy experiences, including creative journalling, clay modelling, poetry writing, and Kintsugi-inspired artGentle somatic breathwork sessionsTime to rest, connect, and simply be with others who share similar lived experiences There is no cost to attend this event; however, registration is essential. Please register in advance so we can accurately plan catering and prepare sufficient art materials for everyone attending. We look forward to welcoming you to a day of care, connection, and restoration as we gently transition from the Decult Conference back into everyday life.

  6. Aug 26

    EP 13 - Bec Sonkkila Part 1

    Bec Sonkkila spent six years inside MISA, a Romanian yoga cult with a global reach and a guru currently imprisoned on serious criminal charges. She got out. Then she spent years figuring out what that actually meant — not just leaving, but rebuilding a self that had been systematically dismantled. That process became her work. Bec is a relationship and recovery coach specialising in coercive control, post-cult identity, and the kind of intimacy that nobody teaches you — the difference between connection and compliance, between desire and obligation, between a relationship that expands you and one that slowly erases you. Her approach is practical, body-based, and grounded in lived experience rather than textbooks. She draws on hypnotherapy, somatic work, and over a decade of deep study in human psychology and relational dynamics. She works with people who are done being confused about why their relationships feel wrong, and ready to understand what right actually feels like. Bec splits her time between New Zealand, Australia and Finland, works with clients internationally, and is currently writing about her cult experience and the long road back to a self you can trust.

  7. Aug 11

    EP 12 - Zara Murphy

    Zara was raised as a Jehovah’s Witness, baptised at 17, and devoted her life to the organisation. At 19, after experiencing sexual assault within the organisation and being subjected to an invasive disciplinary process, she was disfellowshipped and shunned. She lost her family, community, home and sense of belonging almost overnight. But leaving wasn’t the end of Zara’s story. Fear, motherhood and deeply ingrained beliefs eventually drew her back into the organisation, where she spent years navigating doubt, coercive control and the pressure to conform. A confrontation over the safety of her children became a turning point, forcing Zara to question a system she could no longer reconcile with her own values. Today, Zara is a proud queer woman, mum and advocate for survivors of high-control religion. Through her work with Recovering from Religion, she helps others reclaim their autonomy, identity and critical thinking. In this episode, Zara talks openly about shunning, gendered control, the danger of questioning, the long process of deconstruction, and what it takes to learn to trust yourself again. Most importantly, she shares what it means to build a life that finally feels like your own. “You are enough.”

    EP 12 - Zara Murphy

  8. Jul 29 ·  Bonus

    EP 11 - Reflection

    After ten episodes of Unspun, Jaya Mangalam Gibson and Alisa step away from interviewing guests to reflect on what they've learned from listening to survivors of high-control groups, coercive relationships, and cults. Together, they explore the patterns that have emerged across these conversations: identity, deconstruction, creativity, healing, spirituality, coercive control, and the lifelong process of rebuilding after leaving. They discuss why recovery looks different for everyone, the power of telling your story, and why survivor voices matter. This episode also challenges the way we think about cults. Rather than focusing on labels or checklists, Jaya argues that the real conversation should centre on coercion and control—the behaviours that cause harm, regardless of whether a group is called a cult, a high-demand group, or something else. Whether you're a survivor, supporting someone who has left a controlling environment, or simply interested in understanding coercive control, this conversation offers an honest, compassionate look behind the podcast and the lessons that continue to shape it. If this conversation resonates with you, consider following Unspun, sharing the episode, or connecting with the Uncult Ōtautahi community.

    EP 11 - Reflection
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About

Unravelling cult narratives thread by thread. A survivor-led podcast focused on recovery, rebuilding, and reclaiming life after high-control environments. What happens after you walk away from a world that told you what to think, how to feel, and who to be? Unspun explores the messy, courageous, and deeply human process of reclaiming one’s autonomy. Each episode dives into the intricate “threads” of high-control groups – from the initial pull to the eventual breaking point – and offers practical insights for those navigating the long road to recovery.

Information

  • Creator
    Jaya Mangalam Gibson and Alisa Woodruff
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Jaya Mangalam Gibson and Alisa Woodruff
  • Show Website
    Unspun