Cult Chat

There's a lot going on in the cultiverse! We thought it time for an update on the culty happenings in our neck of the woods. In this episode you'll hear more than you want to know about chickens, rats, and mice, and heaps about cults. From news from the Olive Leaf Network, to Caz's connections with professionals & researchers, to Liz sharing culty tree metaphors with professionals on the West Coast. This episode has everything, including some really odd census data about Gloriavale!Show notes:Webpage: Olive Leaf Network and how to donateWebpage: International Cultic Studies Association home page and Montreal annual conference  Podcast: Cult Chat Episode 58: 2x2s and Survivor Advocacy with Tristan Phipps and Kyle EggletonPodcast: Cult Chat Episode 55, 56 and 57 - Are the Jehovah Witnesses a Cult? (Parts one and two) and Waking Up  - with Dr Andre JacksonArticle: One News coverage of Two By TwosArticle: Inquiry into cults prompted by media attention on Geelong Revival Centre in Victoria. Facebook group: Stop Religious Coercion Australia run by Ryan CareyPodcast: Secrets We Keep - Pray Harder - series about Geelong Revival CentreArticle: BBC - Japan court dissolves controversial 'Moonies' churchArticle - The Saints cult and the convictions for the manslaughter of 8 years old Elizabeth Struhs - BrisbaneReligious Trauma Collective and the on-line conferenceWebpage: Theophila Pratt - Unveiled - A Story of Surviving GloriavaleArticle: Press -  Gloriavale population falls while 100 babies born, census shows

In this second of two chats Maria and Caz talk about bad information, and the critical role of education in teaching discernment between good information and bad. Maria shares about coming to understand how the cult used psychological processes to control members, and how often distrust of establishments persists in the minds of cult survivors after leaving. The duo chat about trauma, and the role of safe spaces, and candidly share how even professional people get triggered into the past.

Maria was born into one of history's most harmful cults, the Children of God. Maria joins us in the first of two chats to detail what the group was like from the perspective of a child. Maria brings her knowledge and expertise as a psychologist to the conversation, sharing both the harms that children experienced in the group, and also the results of a 2024 study which she authored which details the serious consequences in adulthood of growing up in a cult.

Join us for a moving conversation with Tristan Phipps and Dr Kyle Eggleton, who share about the Two by Twos in NZ. This organisation is currently under FBI investigation for child abuses, which has prompted NZ survivors to speak up. Our guests talk to us about the hierarchy & control of the church, the social context which has made systemic child sexual abuse possible, and the work they are doing as advocates in a movement that's drawing survivors together into safe spaces.Show NotesTwo By Two kiwis who left sect being probed by FBI form support group - RNZ articleFBI enlists NZ police to investigate sexual abuse in secretive sect - RNZ articleLaura McConnel Conti's new podcast Truth 2x2 Cult Kids - a new podcast from a multi-generational survivor of the church in AustraliaLets Talk About Sects Two by Two episodes - https://www.ltaspod.com/26 and https://www.ltaspod.com/2x2s-updateABC - Survivors waiting for compensation and FBI Child Sex Abuse InvestigationCherie Kropp-Ehrig's websiteA Hulu documentary The Secrets of the Two by Two church BBC Sounds Crime Next Door Season 2 Servants and Saints - podcast series exploring the church from a UK based journalistWings For Truth - Guidance and support those who have been sexually abused within the Fellowship of Friends and Workers (aka Two by Two or Truth)Facebook - Surviving the Truth NZ - Message Tristan and KyleShow notes for therapist episodes of Cult ChatOlive Leaf Network - Email Lindy for resources for therapistsReligious Trauma Collective resources

We loved Andre so much we got him back for a third episode! This time he tells us about his PhD on waking up from indoctrination in the Jehovah Witnesses. In this fascinating interview you'll find out all about the role of doubt (even in the most fervent believer), the trigger event which leads to the effort to resolve the doubt, and if that isn't resolved… the turning point which leads to waking up. This episode will give you the language to understand this experience common to people who have left a cult. Show NotesDr Andre Jackson Dissertation - Waking Up: A Narrative Inquiry into Deconversion Stories by former Jehovah's Witnesses Bethelites Dr Andre Jackson Presentation at ICSA 2024 - Waking Up

Dr Andre Jackson returns in this episode to finish his chat with Liz about the JWs, their doctrines and the methods they use to control members. Together the two examine different methods of control utilized by the JWs, particularly  information control, use of propaganda, and justifications for misleading people for the benefit of the organisation. At the end of this episode Liz is joined by Lindy and Caz to dissect the interview, with a view to understanding how these themes apply to cults across NZ.

Liz plumbs the depths of the JW's with Dr Andre Jackson in this episode, to try to understand the control mechanisms within this organisation. What are the expectations of members of the JWs? How is the organisation structured? What are their key beliefs, and are any of these harmful? What are the impacts on witnesses when they ask questions or try to leave? With approximately 15,000 JWs in New Zealand (according to their website) plus others who have left, these are important questions to ask.

What is happening at Gloriavale? Join Liz and two of the lawyers representing Gloriavale Leavers, Steve Patterson and Dennis Gates, as they give a comprehensive update on the long and arduous road to justice and holding the Gloriavale leaders to account.The chat about the highlights and lowlights of 2024, and discuss the many investigations and court cases that are ongoing. They reveal some new actions that will get underway in 2025, and talk about a legal bill ordered by the courts that they don't want to pay. They chat about the Royal Commission of Inquiry into historic Abuse in Care and the recent apology Gloriavale made. Was it genuine? And what's happening with their Charity Status, the School, India and the Police Slavery investigation?This episode is not to be missed.

Today our co-hosts wrap-up the shunning mini-series, unpacking what they've learned from Craig, Lindy, Windy & Savin. This topic has been given four episodes because the costs for individuals, families and communities who experience this cruel tactic of control is devastating and poorly understood. Mandated shunning destroys lives, destroys communities, and there are no laws to protect people from falling victim to it. Join the Cult Chat team as they debrief for the final episode on this topic.

In this 3rd episode on shunning, Craig Hoyle, author of “Excommunicated” shares about growing up in the Exclusive Brethren, aware that many members of his family have disappeared and been painted by the church as evil. Ultimately Craig faces his own sudden excommunication. This conversation shows powerfully the inter-generational impacts of shunning, both for those who are obliterated from the family tree, and those who are left behind. The interview was recorded at the Oct 24 Decult Conference.

Listen in to the second half of Lindy's interview with Drs Windy and Savin, who share findings from their research on shunning including the serious life-long impacts for both the individual and their communities. Savin says, “Shunning is not a one-off event,” - indeed it is a trauma that affects a whole life. Our guests share insights for those affected by shunning, and discuss ways to reframe and grow through the experience. This episode is the second of four in a mini series on shunning. Show notes Windy and Savins research study https://stopmandatedshunning.org/new-research-project-on-the-harmful-effects-of-mandated-shunning/ The Shunning is a Crime panel at ICSA conference https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6ZSW3-MACM (you can watch their presentation on this link) Windy Grendele - senior lecturer at Roehampton University Savin Bapir-Tardy - psychologist and PhD Experiencing Religious Shunning: Insights into the Journey From Being a Member to Leaving the Jehovah's Witnesses CommunityGrendele, W. A., Bapir-Tardy, S. & Flax, M., 12 Jun 2023, In: Pastoral Psychology. Shunning from the Jehovah's Witness Community: Is It Legal?Grendele, W. A., Flax, M. & Bapir-Tardy, S., 22 Aug 2023, In: Journal of Law and Religion. “You're Going to Go into Some Really Dark, Dark Places in Your Mind.” Loss and Disillusionment of Being Shunned From the Jehovah's Witnesses Community and Its ImpactWindy A. Grendele, Flax, M. & Bapir-Tardy, S., 23 Aug 2023, In: International Journal of Coercion, Abuse, and Manipulation (IJCAM).

Is shunning the most insidious of all cult practices? In today's episode Lindy and our guests, researchers Windy and Savin from Roehampton University, define shunning and discuss how it's used deliberately as a tool by coercively controlling groups to threaten and impose social death for those who question the rules. Savin and Windy introduce listeners to their research, and the movement sweeping the world to make mandated shunning a crime. This episode is the first of four in a mini series on shunning. Show notes Windy and Savins research study https://stopmandatedshunning.org/new-research-project-on-the-harmful-effects-of-mandated-shunning/ The Shunning is a Crime panel at ICSA conference https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6ZSW3-MACM (you can watch their presentation on this link) Windy Grendele - senior lecturer at Roehampton University Savin Bapir-Tardy - psychologist and PhD Experiencing Religious Shunning: Insights into the Journey From Being a Member to Leaving the Jehovah's Witnesses CommunityGrendele, W. A., Bapir-Tardy, S. & Flax, M., 12 Jun 2023, In: Pastoral Psychology. Shunning from the Jehovah's Witness Community: Is It Legal?Grendele, W. A., Flax, M. & Bapir-Tardy, S., 22 Aug 2023, In: Journal of Law and Religion. “You're Going to Go into Some Really Dark, Dark Places in Your Mind.” Loss and Disillusionment of Being Shunned From the Jehovah's Witnesses Community and Its ImpactWindy A. Grendele, Flax, M. & Bapir-Tardy, S., 23 Aug 2023, In: International Journal of Coercion, Abuse, and Manipulation (IJCAM).

This is the second episode with Gina, who was raised in a cult which discourages members from seeking medical care. In episode two she describes how she slowly changed her view of health to the scientific world view, as she trained to be a medical professional. She shares stories of working as a clinician with people from cults, and some helpful tips for how medical professionals can gain the trust of people who have faulty health beliefs.

Today Caz interviews Gina, a nurse practitioner & midwife from California. Gina grew up in a cult which discouraged mainstream evidence-based health treatments, in favour of non-scientific treatments. Gina talks about growing up in the group and watching people die to suicide, or suffering from treatable health conditions because the group did not allow Western medical care. This first episode of two starts the conversation about how cults can damage the body, as well as the mind.

On 23 October Liz, Lindy and Caz hosted a dinner event at Parliament called "Unmasking Cults." We were delighted that a range of dignitaries, ministers, and representatives of key services in New Zealand were interested in hearing about, and hopefully take action to address, the harms that cults cause across New Zealand. Listen to our hosts - along with guest host Dr Janja Lalich - share some of their recollections of this event at the Beehive, outline some of the other presentations, and offer their hopes for future change driven from the center of power in New Zealand.

Join Liz, Caz, Lindy and cult expert Dr Janja Lalich, as they talk about the highlights of the inaugural NZ Decult 2024 conference, and how this remarkable event has contributed to a critical conversation. In this episode Liz says, “The problem is more pervasive than your average kiwi recognises.” Too right, Liz! Let's keep the conversation going! Notes Website - Get access to Decult audio and video Video - Interview with Ulricke Schiesser for Decult  Article -  Andre Afamasaga in Samoan Observer Website - Scott Homan and Witness Underground Video - Interview with Dr Gillie Jenkinson for Cult Chat Video - Interview with Dr Janja Lalich for Cult Chat Article - Shincheonji - The Press Article -  Misa - Tantric yoga guru Gregorian Bivolaru charged with human trafficking Podcast - Cults and healthcare neglect - Dr Caroline Ansley - Let's Talk About Sects Article - Laura McConnell-Conti and the Two by Twos Podcast - Poia Alpha & the Branch Davidians - Let's Talk About Sects Article - Rachel Lees, Bill Gothard & IBLP

*Trigger warning for this episode's content*. This episode we continue the second part of Caz's interview with Mary Garden, talking about how her swami revealed himself to not be the benign, peaceful, celebate yogi that he appeared, but instead a violent, tantrum-throwing psychopath with sexually predatory intent. Mary talks about trauma, waking up, and the gift of writing her story, returning to herself and learning that she did not need a guru in the end afterall.  Show notes Book - A Serpent Rises by Mary Garden Book - My Father's Suitcase by Mary Garden Interview: Life with Sexy Sadie - The Newsroom Website - Mary's personal website Website - Elisabeth Kubler-Ross Foundation Trailer - The Push - on Netflix

Mary Garden was a seeker in her 20s, finding her way to India to three different gurus - Sai Baba, Swami Balyogi Premvarni, and Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. Mary tells her story, unpacking the historical context that left her longing for more, and the personal context which primed her for recruitment. Our hosts then chat about recruitment, the suppression of intellect and critical thinking required by gurus, and malignant teachers who gain enormously from the submission and supplication of seekers. Show notes A Serpent Rises - how to buy Sundowner of the Skies book - how to buy Book: Sue Kedgely - 50 years a Feminist The Ray Martin Interview SBS documentary “The Secret Swami”

Cults exposed in New Zealand. The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Faith-Based & State-Based Care investigated what happened to children, young people and adults in NZ in these care settings during 1950 to 1999. The final report - Whanaketia - was released on 25 June. The extent of the findings are beyond imaginable. Lindy, Liz and Caz all have personal reasons to care about the findings of this report. In this discussion they talk about Whanaketia and how the findings relate to cults in New Zealand operating now.

Dr Janja Lalich, leading cult researcher and sociologist, author of several books about cults including “Take Back Your Life”, talks with Liz and shares her Bounded Choice Framework. They talk about moral injury and accountability, the way cults arrest the development of children, and the importance of support and psychological care after leaving a cult. This chat comes in the lead up to Dr Lalich's October visit to New Zealand for multiple speaking engagements, including the Decult Conference, Parliamentary evening, University lecture and a visit to Timaru to engage with Gloriavale Leavers and supporters.

If you've been wondering if your book club is actually a cult, then this episode is for you! Settle in as our hosts chat about the green flags for healthy groups - borrowing extensively from the work of Dr Janja Lalich, in her book “Escaping Utopia”. The girls try very hard to focus on the flourishing, nourishing and encouraging qualities present in a healthy group and how they are different from harmful groups, but of course, they definitely talk about cults! They can't help themselves!

Lindy chats with Dr Gillie Jenkinson, UK psychotherapist, trainer of therapists, and author of “Walking Free from the Trauma of Coercive, Cultic and Spiritual Abuse - A Workbook for Recovery and Growth.” Gillie talks about her personal history in a cult, her realization that the only way to get some decent resources for the cult recovery journey was to develop them herself, and the excitement she is feeling as she plans the last details for her trip to New Zealand in October 2024 . She will be speaking at Decult and running workshops for therapists. We can't wait to see her!

Liz & Caz learnt so much at the International Cultic Studies Association conference in Barcelona that they had to do another episode on it! Listen in as they tell Lindy all about the fascinating anti-cult activists and educators they met and the breaking research they learnt about. In this episode they chat about the process of waking up for cultists, the impacts on the second generation, and a dive into the very damaging impacts of mandated shunning - which so many cults enforce.

What were Liz & Caz doing in Barcelona this month? Apart from chowing down on tapas and sipping on their drink of choice, the girls hob-knobbed with leading international authorities on cults & coercive control at the International Cultic Studies Association annual conference. In this episode Liz and Caz download all their new learnings to Lindy who sadly had to stay at home. Join us to hear them chat about up to date international research in the cultiverse and how their own presentations went.

Do therapists have the skills needed to support the recovery of cult leavers? Yes! Do they understand the significance of the cult context? Hmmm, maybe not. In this episode, Lindy and Liz discuss the workshop they recently lead where they taught a room of mental health workers all about cult recovery. Listen in as they tell Caz all about it, share some tips for therapists working with cult-leavers, and explain why therapists should consider upskilling in cult recovery.  Show Notes: Book: Cracking the Cult Code for Therapists by Bonnie Zieman Book: Escaping Utopia by Janja Lalich and Karla McLaren Education: Gillie Jenkinson training for therapists - Mental Health Professionals and Therapists Workshop October 21-22 2024  Education: Decult Conference October 19-20 2024 Service: Mind Health - mental health provider based in Christchurch

We're back again to finish our conversation with Sarah Mettrick, former Sri Chinmoy disciple, who was recruited into the Sri Chinmoy Centre as a fourteen year old. Sarah tells us about her emotional stunting as a teenage cultist, and how after she got out, she found herself trying to figure out who she was in her early 30s. This second episode gives massive insight into the developmental disruption that occurs when teenagers get recruited into a cult. You won't want to miss this episode! Show notes Book - “Combatting Cult Mind Control” by Steve Hassan  Book - “Hearken O Daughter” by Grace J Adams and Poia Alpha 

Sarah Mettrick spent 13 years in the Sri Chinmoy Centre in Christchurch. In this first of two episodes Sarah talks to Caz about her years in the group. The two talk about life as a teenage recruit in this eastern mysticism group, the conflation of the guru with the divine and the control of member's sexuality. Sarah reflects back now years later on what she was part of and how much she gave of herself, the aspects she loved, and the aspects she was ultimately forced to escape.  Show Notes Article - Out on their Own by Anke Richter Book - 1984 by George Orwell Book - Animal Farm by George Orwell Book - Mao's Last dancer by Li Cunxin Book - Wild Swans by Jung Chang Book - The Guru Papers by Joel Kramer and Diane Alstad

Recently Caz, Liz and Lindy spent a day with renowned trauma expert, Dr Bessel Van Der Kolk, author of “The Body Keeps the Score”. Our trio unpack their day of learning, and talk about the impact of trauma on the body, on memory, on recovery and why it is important in the context of cults. Using their hastily scribbled notes, they discuss neurophysiology, EMDR, neurofeedback, and a bunch of other technical stuff. Listen up if you've an interest in the mind-body connection and trauma recovery.

What do you do if someone you love won't acknowledge the harm that you experienced - the harm they may have caused? How long do you wait, and is there another way to move on?  In this third episode Sam and Caz talk about the yearning for acknowledgement and reparation that follows betrayal, especially betrayal as a child. Join this final conversation with Sam and Caz, as they grapple with hurts left behind, relationships that may never be repaired, and their own creative pursuits for justice. Show Notes: Webpage: An Open Letter Calling for Restorative Justice for the Children of Centrepoint Community Book: Trauma and Recovery - Judith Herman Podcast: The Children of Osho - Cult Vault Podcast: In My Father's Footsteps - Indoctrination Podcast: Children of the Guru - Loss of Identity within the Rajneesh Cult - Talk Beliefs

Decades after leaving a cult, what is life like for a child cult survivor?  How does she build identity and integrate into the outside world? In this second episode of Caz and Sam Jahara's intimate conversation, the two discuss these concerns and more. They talk about the resources needed to recover and thrive, the wounds left by neglect and abuse, and the unique challenges those born or raised in a cult must navigate. This vulnerable second part of a three-part conversation is not to be missed. Notes Film: Wild Wild Country on Netflix Article: The psychological impacts on children who grow up in cults by Sam Jahara Book: What Happened to You? Conversations on trauma, and healing by Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey Book: Trauma and Recovery by Judith Herman

Caz speaks with UK psychotherapist Sam Jahara about her years as a child living in the communes of the Indian guru Rajneesh in the 1980s. They explore how the Rajneesh movement was so similar in many difficult ways to the Centrepoint Community that Caz was involved with as a child. This is the first episode of a three part interview between two women who explore the long term effects that cults have on the children who live in them. Listen up if you care about the impacts of cults on kids and are interested in accountability and repair.

Join Caz, as she interviews two accidental cult investigators about two notorious NZ cults. The first is Natalie Malcon, producer of “Escaping Utopia” the recent Gloriavale docuseries, and “Heaven & Hell; The Centrepoint Story”. The second is Anke Richter, journalist and author of “Cult Trip”, a deep dive into the complexity of both Gloriavale and Centrepoint. This conversation between three cult activists, each using a different medium to shine light on cult harm, will be eye opening.

Join Liz as she chats with ex-Gloriavale film participant Rosanna Overcomer and film producer Natalie Malcon about the recent Escaping Utopia docuseries. We give you a glimpse “behind the scenes”, into the film's journey to the screens, set design, casting, meticulous re-enactments, as well as the personal challenge of sharing one's story. We also delve into the ethical dilemmas of filming undercover scenes in India, sparking thought-provoking discussions on filmmaking and media responsibilities.

Have you seen the eye-opening three-part TV docu-series “Escaping Utopia” that hit NZ this past week? Join us for a candid discussion as Caz, Liz, and Lindy share their reflections. Gain insight into the complexities of escaping Gloriavale and the support systems aiding those transitioning to freedom. Listen in as we uncover the resilience and courage of individuals breaking free from a closed community, and see the plight of group of members who are part of an Indian Gloriavale Community which has never featured on our screens before. Show Notes: Documentary: TVNZ On Demand New Zealand: Escaping Utopia: https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/escaping-utopia

Lindy chats again with Tore, president of Cult Information and Family Support Australia. Tore explains some of the supports CIFS offers leavers of cult groups. The two talk about the importance of group support for ex-cultists, why cult leavers need psycho-education about cults, and how critical it is for survivors to talk to someone who understands. Tore explains why therapists need to be trained in the unique impacts of cults in order to deliver therapy which addresses a cult leaver's needs. Show Notes Website: Cult Information and Family Support Australia Event: Regain & Restore Freedom of Mind - Weekend Workshop with Toire Klevyer - 3-5th May 2024 Article: ABC Life in a cult - how I escaped Audio: ABC The psychological tricks that make cults so dangerous Website: International Cultic Studies Association Book: Steve Hassan's Combatting Cult Mind Control Website: Gillie Jenkinson Hope Valley Counselling Book: Walking Free from the Trauma of Coercive, Cultic and Spiritual Abuse - A Workbook for Recovery and Abuse by Gillie Jenkinson

This week we share a fascinating discussion between Tore Klevjer and Lindy, both passionate advocates for victims of cultic harm, who also each have complementary roles in organizations which support leavers. Tore shares about his experience of being recruited into a group, and how he found his way out ten years later with his family. In this episode the duo discuss regrets, doubts and shame, and how to find a way forward as a family unit - while staying intact - after leaving a cult. Links Website: Cult Information and Family Support Australia

What do a doctor, a lawn enthusiast, and an amateur photographer all have in common? Almost no understanding of the law! Join us for this episode as Caz, Liz and Lindy bumble their way through various international laws on coercive control, and ask themselves - and you, the listener - exactly what it will take for New Zealand law-makers to recognise how harmful group coercive control is, and provide protection for NZ citizens against it within the law. Show Notes Law: 2018 Family Violence Act Law: UK Coercive Control law in intimate partner setting (2015 law)  Controlling or coercive behaviour: statutory guidance framework Report: The Family Survival Trust report 2022 Coercive Control in Cultic Groups in the United Kingdom - July 2022 Law: Domestic and Family Violence Protection (Combating Coercive Control) and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2023 - Queensland Law: Crimes Legislation Amendment (Coercive Control) Act 2022 - New South Wales

What does a woman abused by her intimate partner, a member of a cult group, and a prisoner of war in North Korea in the 1950s all have in common? Listen to today's episode to find out! As you listen you'll also learn interesting facts about venn diagrams, storm-troopers and the joys of lawn-mowing. Today's episode features a culty analysis of 1950's researcher Albert Biderman's fascinating, yet chilling, “Chart of Coercion”, with tips from our hosts on how to recognise it in action in a cult. Correction: throughout this episode we repeatedly referenced Biderman's “Chart of Control” - oops! The correct name of the chart is the “Chart of Coercion”. Show Notes Movie: John Ready “You're buying into someone else's dream, but they have sold it to you as your dream.”  ⁠Gloriavale Film⁠  Website: ⁠NSW Government Oct 2020 discussion paper “Coercive Control”⁠ Book: Wade Mullen ⁠“Something's Not Right - Decoding the Hidden Tactics of Abuse and Freeing Yourself from its Power⁠ Podcast: ⁠Cult Vault Interview with Evan Stark⁠ Book: Evan Stark ⁠“Coercive Control - How Men Entrap Women in Personal Life”⁠ Book: Jess Hill “⁠See What You Made Me Do⁠”   Podcast: ⁠Shincheonji⁠ - Cult Chat E9 Podcast: ⁠Inside the Tribe⁠ series  Website: Liz's reflection ⁠on voting on the Daily Vale⁠ - Oct 23 Podcast:⁠ Setting the record straight on Gloriavale⁠ -  Cult Chat E10 Book: Judith Herman “⁠Trauma & Recovery⁠” Book: Margaret Atwood “⁠Handmaid's Tale⁠” 

Join us this week for a chat with Sarah Steel, writer and producer of the acclaimed podcast series “Let's Talk About Sects”. Listen as our hosts do some serious fan-girling in Sarah's direction! After 6 seasons of her podcast and a book on the topic Sarah has learnt a thing or two about cult podcasting, she's got some ideas about how to make things better, and some tips for our hosts on how to navigate the cultiverse. Show Notes Let's Talk About Sects Podcast Sarah's bio Heaven & Hell - The Centrepoint Story Woodford Folk Festival episode

Are you heading back from a break at the beach and now need a movie from the cultiverse to get you back into the mood for work? In this third summer series special episode our hosts talk about their favourites 2023 shows from the cultiverse. Lindy, Liz and Caz talk about what makes these shows worthy watches, and why.  These shows will shock you, inform you, and open your eyes a lot wider to different harmful groups out there and how far they will go to manipulate, control and coerce.  Movies Discussed/ Show Notes The Ashram Children Gloriavale movie Heaven & Hell - The Centrepoint Story Keep Sweet: Pray & Obey Escaping Twin Flames Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets Women Talking Witness Underground

Looking for something from the cultiverse to listen to while driving on your summer roadie? Or perhaps you need help to tune out the kids as you flip the sausages on the barbie? Well, let the Cult Chat trio help! In this episode Lindy, Liz and Caz bring you their favourite 2023 podcasts recommendations to help you deepen your knowledge of the cultiverse - but only after you've listened to the fortnightly Cult Chat episode of course!! Show Notes Inside the Tribe - https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/inside-the-tribe/id1533629268The Commune Podcast - https://interactives.stuff.co.nz/2022/the-commune-podcast-centrepoint/Let's Talk About Sects - https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/lets-talk-about-sects/id1286328757Get a Life! Podcast - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVVRXavrboI1XJZ8xdMJZFAA Little Bit Culty https://alittlebitculty.comThe Cult Vault https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/the-cult-vault/id1514656568IndoctriNation Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/indoctrination/id1373939526Cultish https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/cultish/id1440854210Cult Hackers https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/cult-hackers/id1540824671

It's nearly Christmas! Are you looking for a holiday read? Caz, Lindy and Liz have taken a break from mince-pie-making and present-shopping to record an episode all about books! These books are the ones which jumped out as our best books from the cultiverse in 2023. Grab your pen and pad and jot down some of our recommended best reads of the year. You might still have time to get down to your local bookshop to nab one of these to chuck in the Christmas stocking. Show notes Books we discussed: Cult Trip by Anke RichterDo As I Say by Sarah SteeleMission of Malice by Erica BornmanCult to Christ by Elizabeth ColemanExcommunicated by Craig HoyleThe Serpent Rising by Mary GardenLife Together by Dietrich BonhoefferUnfollow by Megan Phelps-Roper Becoming Free Indeed by Jinger Duggar VuoloUncultured by Daniella Mestyanek Young Websites we mentioned: Abusive Ashrams with Mary Garden on the Cult VaultTelling the Truth - about the Two By TwosAdvocates for the TruthExpressions by ex-2x2s

In this episode, we delve into the crucial topic of Safeguarding Children and share insights on navigating the challenges within high control, cultish groups. Drawing from personal experiences, the hosts shed light on vulnerability factors, resiliency, and the complexities of identifying abuse or neglect in such environments. Tune in for a thoughtful discussion on the collective responsibility we all share in keeping a watchful eye on those within our communities who may be silently suffering.  Show Notes: Unfollow by Megan Phelps RoperTrauma and recovery - Judith HermanMission of Malice; My Exodus from KwaSizaBantu - Erika Bornman Safeguarding Children

Need a way to come back down to earth again after listening to Hopeful & Victory Disciple's interview? Come along as Liz, Lindy and Caz reflect together. Our hosts talk developmental regression, what it really means to be a second or multigenerational child of a cult, and they dig into the physical manifestation of trauma for children. What does it mean for a child to learn to deny their needs, before they have even learnt what their needs are? Join us on this episode of Cult Chat, and find out. Show Notes The John Campbell interview which Liz mentions about GV marriagesThe Guru Papers; Masks of Authoritarian Power by Joel Kramer and Diana AlstadMaslow's Hierarchy of NeedsErik Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial DevelopmentThe Psychological Impacts on Children Who Grow Up in Cults by Sam JaharaMission of Malice; My Exodus from KwaSizaBantu by Erika Bornman Parenting from the Inside Out by Daniel Siegel & Mary Hartzell

Dive into the gripping continuation of the 'Kids in Cults' miniseries with Hopeful and Victory Disciple as they unveil more about life inside Gloriavale. In Part Two, they discuss the intricate web of friendship, social status, and snitches. Discover how high-control groups set children up for failure and hear Victory's emotional poem, providing a heartbreaking glimpse into her childhood. Gain profound insights into the enduring impact on parenting within closed communities and the lasting scars. This episode is a poignant exploration of growing up in a restrictive environment. Show Notes: Dr Ross GreenCracking the Cult Code for Therapists, by Bonnie ZiemanMission of Malice, My escape from KwaSizabantu, by Erka Bornman

Join Hopeful and Victory Disciple in a gripping two-part interview as they share their journey growing up in Gloriavale. They delve into their upbringing in a socially entrapped society, discussing the profound impacts on kids in cults. From bed-wetting to false personas, they shed light on the hidden struggles within high-control groups, unraveling the lasting damage inflicted on the inner selves of children. Don't miss this first eye-opening episode of a two-part conversation about survival. Show Notes: Dr Ross GreenCracking the Cult Code for Therapists, by Bonnie ZiemanMission of Malice, My escape from KwaSizabantu, by Erka Bornman

How do harmful organizations respond when they are accused of abuse? What are the indicators that the response lacks substance or is part of a strategic ploy to maintain control and protect an image? Today our hosts talk about defenses used by abusive groups, including denial, excuses, justifications and comparisons, using examples they have encountered personally. Listen in to learn what real apologies look like, how to sniff out concessions and demonstrations, and why the difference matters. Show Notes: Something's Not Right - Wade MullenDARVO - Jennifer FreydA kind of apology from Bert Potter's son at Bert's funeral - May 2012Criticism of Caroline from an anonymous former Centrepoint member - Nov 2020Abuse in Care Royal Commision of Inquiry - RedressWhy Won't You Apologize? By Harriet LernerInstitutional Betrayal - Jennifer Freyd

Join us for part 2 of Lindy's conversation with Shayne and Rachael about the JWs application to be exempt from the NZ Royal Commision of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. They examine the arguments that played out in court, providing a fascinating case study of a faith-based group's reaction to being investigated by outsiders. Lindy, Liz and Caz then unpack the interview and ask if the behaviour displayed by the JWs under scrutiny gives indications of cultishness, coercion or control.  Listen to Part One (Episode 13) here Show Notes Jehovah's Witnesses head to court on Abuse in Care Inquiry - RNZJehovah's Witnesses' argument against being included in Abuse in ...Jehovah's Witnesses 'care' outside scope of abuse inquiry, court toldJehovah's Witnesses apply for judicial review of Royal CommissionThe rules and culture that keep child sex offenders hidden ... - RNZSomething Evil - 10 August 2023RNZ investigation reveals 11 alleged paedophiles active within the Jehovah's Witnesses - 14 August 2023Jehovah's Witness elder alleges order to destroy evidence in child sex abuse cases - 15 August 2023Silent lambs - The Spin Off - Jully 2018 **Update** High Court decides the Jehovah Witnesses will continue to be included in the Royal Commission.

Lindy interviews Shayne Mechen and Rachael Jackson after a week in the High Court. The NZ branch of the Jehovah's Witnesses are arguing their case for why they should be exempt from the NZ Royal Commision of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. Shayne and Rachel are both former JWs, and are advocates for former members of the JW faith. In the episode - part 1 of a 2 part interview - Shayne, Rachel and Lindy give an overview of who the JWs are, what they believe, and how this relates to the Royal Inquiry. Listen to Part Two (Episode 14) here Show Notes Jehovah's Witnesses head to court on Abuse in Care Inquiry - RNZJehovah's Witnesses' argument against being included in Abuse in ...Jehovah's Witnesses 'care' outside scope of abuse inquiry, court toldJehovah's Witnesses apply for judicial review of Royal CommissionThe rules and culture that keep child sex offenders hidden ... - RNZSomething Evil - 10 August 2023RNZ investigation reveals 11 alleged paedophiles active within the Jehovah's Witnesses - 14 August 2023Jehovah's Witness elder alleges order to destroy evidence in child sex abuse cases - 15 August 2023Silent lambs - The Spin Off - July 2018

The leader of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church (Exclusive Brethren) tells its New Zealand fellowship to urgently gather together, with very short notice, and 7000 Brethren drop tools and flood airports all over New Zealand in their urgency to show their obedience. Why? Is the world about to end? Is there something we need to know? Meanwhile, Lindy's dearly beloved Nana Anna passes away and her shunned family on the outside advocate for their right to say goodbye. Show notes Exclusive Brethren lessons suggest Destiny should beware meddling in politicsExcommunicated by Craig Hoyle | Paper PlusInside unusual last-minute Brethren gathering | The Post

Part B: He said what?! Gloriavale Leavers and some current members provide commentary around journalist Rebecca Wright's visit to Parliament where they asked the head of NZ's Child Protection Agency whether the children at Gloriavale were safe. You won't believe what he said! Leavers think it's time the politicians & government agencies get educated. Today we set the record straight. Show Notes: Episode 10: Setting the Record Straight On Gloriavale Part A: https://youtu.be/1lwsiGEOIPg Episode 11: Setting the Record Straight On Gloriavale Part B: https://youtu.be/FxEGi_OW0qo Shorter You Tube clip of the responses from Leavers (no podcast commentary): Setting the Record Straight on Gloriavale