Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

Today we chat with Jessica Kahn, former member of a group we're calling "The Narrow Road." She'll tell us about being born into this isolated fundamentalist Christian sect that was originally formed as an addiction treatment program, the leader's connection to the founders of AA, how every part of life was strictly controlled, how they believed that the end of the world would happen on Y2K, the leader's systematic physical abuse, and the violent incident that finally led her to leave.

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Today our guest is Madi Stroud. She was featured on the HBO docu series Love Has Won, and is late cult leader Amy Carlson’s daughter - the one whose mummified body was found wrapped in Christmas lights in Colorado. Madi shares what she remembers of her mom as a kid, how it felt after Amy suddenly left Madi and her brothers when she was only 7, and how she discovered that her mom had started the Love Has Won new age cult, claiming she was God - or more specifically, Mother God. We’ll talk about how Amy’s cult grew and her followers became more fanatical, how her last boyfriend known as “Father God” contributed to her demise, and how difficult it was for Madi to watch her mother’s health deteriorate, knowing the people around her could have tried to help. 

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Quince: Get warm weather ready at Quince.com/trust for free shipping on your order AND 365 day returns!

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Got your own story about cults, extreme belief, or abuse of power? Leave a voicemail or text us at 347-86-TRUST (347-868-7878) OR shoot us an email at [email protected]

INSTAGRAM:

@TrustMePodcast

@oohlalola

@meaganelizabeth11

TWITTER:

@TrustMeCultPod

@ohlalola

@baberahamhicks

TIKTOK:

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Dr. Inna Kanevsky, psychologist, professor, and debunker of pseudoscience psychology TikToks, discusses the misinformation videos that got her started on the path of debunking, why mental health labels can be helpful but can also lead us to incorrectly self-diagnose and take on labels that do not belong to us, and why it’s a problem when we make a diagnosis our identity. She comes in HOT about beloved psychology figures such as Bessel Van Der Kolk, Gabor Mate, and Dr. Amen, and how they have cult-like followings despite frequently peddling pseudoscience. Plus, we chat about the problems with polyvagal theory, why stories of resilience can be a helpful alternative to focusing on trauma, and why it is so dang painful to change our minds!

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Trust Me is sponsored by BetterHelp! Visit BetterHelp.com/trust to get 10% off your first month!

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Got your own story about cults, extreme belief, or abuse of power? Leave a voicemail or text us at 347-86-TRUST (347-868-7878) OR shoot us an email at [email protected]

INSTAGRAM:

@TrustMePodcast

@oohlalola

@meaganelizabeth11

TWITTER:

@TrustMeCultPod

@ohlalola

@baberahamhicks

TIKTOK:

@TrustMeCultPodcast 

Today is part two with Warren Kohl, former member and religious leader within the 2x2s (Meagan's secretive childhood group that technically has no name). Today we'll hear how Warren left behind his dreams of medical school to become a "worker" (a minister who stays in people's homes). He'll talk about the pressure to speak with some kind of authority, how he was scolded for genuinely trying to connect with the members, being told to stay out of a domestic violence situation within the group, how his mental health deteriorated, how he finally left, and his message to those still in the religion.

Check out our great sponsors!!

Trust Me is sponsored by BetterHelp! Visit BetterHelp.com/trust to get 10% off your first month!

Shopify: Run a business? Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at shopify.com/trustme 

Need a place? Check out Apartments.com - THE place to find a place! 

Today's guest is Warren kohl, a fifth generation member and former “worker” (or minister) in the 2x2’s, the group that Meagan grew up in. Warren shares how devout he was to the group at a very young age, having your entire life controlled, and how utter heartbreak in high school led him to celibacy and a deeper commitment to the group.

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BUY OUR MERCH!! bit.ly/trustmemerch

Got your own story about cults, extreme belief, or abuse of power? Leave a voicemail or text us at 347-86-TRUST (347-868-7878) OR shoot us an email at [email protected]

INSTAGRAM:

@TrustMePodcast

@oohlalola

@meaganelizabeth11

TWITTER:

@TrustMeCultPod

@ohlalola

@baberahamhicks

TIKTOK:

@TrustMeCultPodcast 

Psychologist, trauma bond expert, and author of Run Like Hell: A Therapist's Guide to Recognizing, Escaping, and Healing from Trauma Bonds, Nadine Macaluso share about her relationship with ex-husband Jordan Belfort (aka The Wolf of Wall Street) and how it led her to become a therapist with a focus on trauma bonds. They also discuss "mind mapping", intermittent reinforcement, the difference between intensity and intimacy, the three phases of trauma bonds and how violence can play into them, why Nadine uses the term "pathological lover" instead of narcissist, how to tell if you're currently in a trauma bond, and green flags that are the sign of a healthy relationship.

Check out our great sponsors!

Quince: Love affordable luxury? Go to Quince.com/trust for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns!

Shopify: Run a business? Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at shopify.com/trustme

BUY OUR MERCH!! bit.ly/trustmemerch 

Got your own story about cults, extreme belief, or abuse of power? Leave a voicemail or text us at 347-86-TRUST (347-868-7878) OR shoot us an email at [email protected]

INSTAGRAM:

@TrustMePodcast

@oohlalola

@meaganelizabeth11

TWITTER:

@TrustMeCultPod

@ohlalola

@baberahamhicks

TIKTOK:

@TrustMeCultPodcast 

In part two with Zoe and Lilly, survivors of Midwest Academy, one of the abusive troubled teen programs in the same organization that was spotlighted in the docuseries The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping, we dig deeper into Lily’s experience. She’ll tell us how she was in solitary confinement for two months, and how her reaction was to rebel in any way she could. We’ll get into how they both left, and how no one believed them for years - in some cases, up until just last month - how this was and still is a multi-billion dollar industry, and where they’re both at in their healing journey.

Trust me is sponsored by BetterHelp! Visit BetterHelp.com/trust to get 10% off your first month!

Learn more about WWASP awareness below:

https://icapanetwork.org/ 

https://wwaspsurvivors.com/ 

CHECK OUT OUR MERCH!! bit.ly/trustmemerch  

Got your own story about cults, extreme belief, or abuse of power? Leave a voicemail or text us at 347-86-TRUST (347-868-7878) OR shoot us an email at [email protected]

INSTAGRAM:

@TrustMePodcast

@oohlalola

@meaganelizabeth11

TWITTER:

@TrustMeCultPod

@ohlalola

@baberahamhicks

TIKTOK:

@TrustMeCultPodcast 

Survivors of the infamous WWASP schools, Zoe & Lillian, share about their experiences being forced to join Ivy Ridge, Midwest Academy, and Casa by the Sea; All schools featured in the current Netflix docudrama, The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping. Lola & Meagan dig into how these programs were marketed to parents, the dramatic ways Zoe & Lillian were brought to the facilities as teenagers, the levels inside the program that were impossible to climb, how they could only communicate with their eyes, and how they were kept from their families.

Check out our great sponsors!!

Quince: Love affordable luxury? Go to Quince.com/trust for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns!

Shopify: Run a business? Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at shopify.com/trustme 

ZocDoc: Need a doctor? Go to Zocdoc.com/trustme and download the Zocdoc app for FREE!

CHECK OUT OUR MERCH!! bit.ly/trustmemerch 

Got your own story about cults, extreme belief, or abuse of power? Leave a voicemail or text us at 347-86-TRUST (347-868-7878) OR shoot us an email at [email protected]

INSTAGRAM:

@TrustMePodcast

@oohlalola

@meaganelizabeth11

TWITTER:

@TrustMeCultPod

@ohlalola

@baberahamhicks

TIKTOK:

@TrustMeCultPodcast 

In part two with former LuLaRoe seller, Roberta Blevins, they discuss everything about LuLaRoe's founder DeAnne Brady and her family, the mother figure role DeAnne provided in Roberta's life, dealing with toxic positivity, and a thorough list of MLM red flags to look out for. Plus, how Roberta finally realized that she was in a cult and how starting her own podcast helped with her recovery.

Trust Me is sponsored by Prose hair care! Get your FREE consultation and 50% off at Prose.com/trust 

In part one with former LuLaRoe seller and Life After MLM podcast host, Roberta Blevins, she'll share how she first got involved in MLMS, what LuLaRoe was like, what the deal was with the wet smelly leggings, and what made realize that she did not want to be a part of MLM life anymore. We'll discuss how MLMs make good people act badly, what "huns" and "megahuns" are, and where the line is between incompetence and knowingly engaging in harmful practices. 

Check out our great sponsors!!!

Quince: Indulge in affordable luxury! Go to Quince.com/trust for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns!

Shopify: Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/trustme 

June's Journey: Discover your inner detective when you download June’s Journey for free today on iOS and Android.