Go Ask Ali

Mind control, undue influence, brainwashing - that all sounds like some Hollywood fiction fantasy. But cult expert Dr. Steven Hassan says these are real and anybody could fall into the culty traps. He shares his personal story from the 70’s when he found himself dropping out of college, emptying his bank account and being trained to kill. His trap, he says, is that he thought he was too smart to fall for cult stuff. In fact, “cults” are everywhere - some harmful and some aren’t so much, but they all share elements. If you ever thought that yoga “guru”, invasive company, tight social club or even romantic partner has an awful lot of influence...maybe you’re right. In fact, Hassan says we are living in an age of influence and most of it is digital.

If you have questions or guest suggestions, Ali would love to hear from you. Call or text her at (323) 364-6356. Or email go-ask-ali-podcast-at-gmail.com. (No dashes)

Links of Interest:

Hassan Website: Freedom of Mind Resource Center

Hassan Podcast: The Influence Continuum  

Hassan Books

The “Cult” at Sarah Lawrence College (The Cut, 1/23)

Who  George Soros?

“The Family” Book and Documentary

The Rod of Iron Ministries (The Tennessean) (Rolling Stone) (SPLC)

Chinese Communist Brainwashing Techniques (WNYC, Archival Audio)

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Content Warning: adolescent suicide and ideation are briefly discussed

Dr. Lisa Damour returns to Go Ask Ali to share her new book The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, Compassionate Adolescents. She has written this book for parents and other caring adults to help teens when so many are struggling and there aren’t enough therapists to go around. She dispels myths about their powerful emotions and offers clarity on what they want and why. She also addresses risk taking, curfews, intuition and safety, gender and race differences, the crucial importance of SLEEP, and one of the most polarizing issues around raising teens - to track or not to track? And if you’ve wondered why your teen suddenly wants to talk right as you’re about to fall asleep, you’re not alone (and she knows)!

If you have questions or guest suggestions, Ali would love to hear from you. Call or text her at (323) 364-6356. Or email go-ask-ali-podcast-at-gmail.com. (No dashes)

Links of Interest:

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline - dial or text 988 (formerly The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline)

CDC Study on Teen Mental Health During Pandemic

Book: The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, Compassionate Adolescents

Lisa’s previous episode: Under Pressure w/ Dr. Lisa Damour (11/12/20)

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CONTENT WARNING: this episode discusses child pornography, the pornography industry, sex addiction and potential suicide.

Actress and playwright Maddie Corman became brave because she had to be. It was crisis time. About seven years ago her husband was arrested for downloading images of child sexual abuse material* (legally known as child pornography). And while it’s important to point out that he never went further in any way, that shocking act would forever change their lives. Maddie wrote and starred in a one-woman play called Accidentally Brave that depicts the horrors and terrible loneliness she experienced in those early days, years and even now. But she has continued to fight for her marriage, protect her family and heal herself one day at a time. Maddie says there is opportunity when your life blows up. 

Maddie won the Off Broadway Alliance award for best solo performance in Accidentally Brave. 

*Thorn.org : “Child sexual abuse material (legally known as child pornography) refers to any content that depicts sexually explicit activities involving a child.” // “Those working to combat this type of abuse have begun using the term “child sexual abuse material” (CSAM), which more accurately conveys the content and is explicitly tied to the source of the problem.”

If you have questions or guest suggestions, Ali would love to hear from you. Call or text her at (323) 364-6356. Or email go-ask-ali-podcast-at-gmail.com. (No dashes)

Links of Interest:

RAINN - help for survivors of sexual abuse

S-ANON - support for loved ones of sex addicts

SAA - support for sex addicts

Accidentally Brave on Audible

Also, from Season 1 of Go Ask Ali: 

Casting Light on to the Dark Web w/ Julie Cordua

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Hi, Go Ask Ali listeners! We're excited about the new show, Unpacking the Toolbox, with Katie Lowes and Guillermo Diaz. Each week you get to enjoy special behind-the-scenes stories, fun facts, and a healthy dose of laughs from the hit show, Scandal.

About Unpacking the Toolbox: Each week, Katie Lowes and Guillermo Diaz come together to talk about Scandal's memorable moments. Former B613 duo - Huckleberry Quinn - will share behind-the-scenes stories, fun facts, on-set memories, and a lot of laughs - sometimes inviting their co-stars, writers, crew members, and maybe even super fans to reminisce and relive the making of Scandal together. And, of course, Katie and Guillermo will take us back in time with tweets from die-hard fans - our #Gladiators. So pour yourself a glass of red wine, grab some popcorn, and tune in as your hosts take you back in time to Scandal's iconic OMG moments.

New episodes every – you guessed it – Thursday!

Listen to Unpacking the Toolbox on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts!

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One of Ali’s most requested topics from our listeners has been how to make friends as a big person. And here it is! Dr. Marisa G. Franco has written the book we've all been waiting for, Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make - and Keep - Friends. Franco explains our connection programming, otherwise known as attachment styles, and how knowing yours can help develop and maintain those crucial friendships. She explains the importance of platonic love, how it creates identity and builds character, and why she calls friendship the underdog of relationships. Perhaps mostly importantly, she lays out the steps for how we can make more.

If you have questions or guest suggestions, Ali would love to hear from you. Call or text her at (323) 364-6356. Or email go-ask-ali-podcast-at-gmail.com. (No dashes)

Links of Interest:

Dr. Marisa on Instagram

Dr. Marisa’s Website: here you can take a quiz to assess your strengths and weaknesses as a friend 

Also mentioned in the episode:

ACE: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex

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During the darkest days of the pandemic lots of people read books, played video games, mastered Zoom (sorta) or tried their hand baking sourdough. Peggy Orenstein did those things, too, but she also handmade her very own sweater and then WROTE a book about it. So what, you may be thinking, lots of people knit. No. She really made her own sweater. Like she found a sheep (well, three actually) and learned to shear them for their fleece in order to make her own yarn kind of sweater. But, truly, that was only part of the experience she shares in her book Unraveling: What I Learned About Life While Shearing Sheep, Dyeing Wool, and Making the World's Ugliest Sweater. She also learned a lot about herself, her family, her grief and her grit in the process. 

If you have questions or guest suggestions, Ali would love to hear from you. Call or text her at (323) 364-6356. Or email go-ask-ali-podcast-at-gmail.com. (No dashes)

Links of Interest

Videos:

Sheep Shorn With 80 Lbs of Fleece

World’s Fastest Sheep Shearing

Hand Carding Fleece

Mentioned in this episode:

Good On You (Brand Eco Ratings)

How Thrift Shopping Is Being Kind to the Earth

The RealReal

Clothing Microfiber Pollution

Virgin Materials

Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird

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Entrepreneurs are “dream big” people. No risk no reward! But how do you know if you truly want to make a career out of your passion? Candace Nelson was always a joyful baker, but she also ended up revolutionizing the entire baking industry and judging everybody else’s cupcakes on The Food Network’s Cupcake Wars. In her new book Sweet Success: A Simple Recipe to Turn your Passion into Profit, and here with Ali, she shares the story behind the Sprinkles phenomenon, what she believes is the crux of entrepreneurship, the importance of branding in an Amazon world and some keystone advice for new entrepreneurs. Happy New Year!

If you have questions or guest suggestions, Ali would love to hear from you. Call or text her at (323) 364-6356. Or email go-ask-ali-podcast-at-gmail.com. (No dashes)

Links of Interest:

Candace’s Website

Candace’s Book: Sweet Success, a Simple Recipe to Turn your Passion into Profit

Best in Dough,  featuring Pizzana co-founder and master pizzaiolo Daniele Uditi now streaming on Hulu 

Step Up Women’s Network

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Nancy Jarecki, an entrepreneur and mother of three, didn’t know what was hitting her as she walked the red carpet at Ali’s Head Case premiere. What she thought was a strange little fainting spell was actually a subarachnoid hemorrhage. And while almost 50% of people do not make it, Nancy did. She shares the story of that day’s events, the brain surgeries and many months of recovery, all of which, according to her doctors, were made better by her attitude and optimism. She seems to think that having part of her skull sewn into her abdominal wall for “safe keeping” is a hoot. And it kinda is! Let’s just say that keeping a sense of humor is also part of the story.

If you have questions or guest suggestions, Ali would love to hear from you. Call or text her at (323) 364-6356. Or email go-ask-ali-podcast-at-gmail.com. (No dashes)

Links of Interest:

“Nancy Jarecki: Head Strong” (Vogue, 02/02/11)

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Ali brings her fabulous co-host for ABC’s The Parent Test on to dig a little deeper into his parenting expertise. Psychologist, teacher, author, researcher and the father of eight kids, Dr. Adolph “Doc” Brown, shares some of his greatest gems to help parents gain clarity and insight into raising humans. He boils all the parenting books out there down to just five main takeaways - what he calls The 5 F’s. They talk candidly about the current crisis kids AND parents are in and why it can be hard for dads to find their space. He also shares some common parenting mistakes, the three greatest parenting traits, and how we tap into love. Clue: First Things First.

If you have questions or guest suggestions, Ali would love to hear from you. Call or text her at (323) 364-6356. Or email go-ask-ali-podcast-at-gmail.com. (No dashes)

Links of Interest:

Doc Brown’s Website

The Parent Test (ABC) Trailer

Books by Dr. Adolph Brown

Children’s Defense Fund

Cradle to Prison Pipeline

School-to-Prison Pipeline

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Philanthropist, businesswoman, advocate for women and girls, and mother of three Melinda French Gates shares some insights and advice on ways we can all give back regardless of what’s in the bank. Call it philanthropy, volunteerism or activism, the goals are the same: help others and work toward a better society. She shares how she’s taught her kids to give back, how rolling back Roe v. Wade affected the world, what her biggest concern is regarding philanthropy, how to start your learning journey, and what she hopes her legacy will be - other than many, many grandkids, of course.

If you have questions or guest suggestions, Ali would love to hear from you. Call or text her at (323) 364-6356. Or email go-ask-ali-podcast-at-gmail.com. (No dashes)

Links of Interest:

Masterclass on Impactful Giving

Book: The Moment of Lift

Pivotal Ventures

The Giving Pledge

Organizations Noted:

Heifer International

Donors Choose

Moms Rising

End the Backlog

Plus More:

Good+Foundation

Joyful Heart Foundation

Research Tools:

Charity Navigator

Giving Compass

GiveWell

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