Podcasts about Nippy

You don't have to join a cult to get manipulated—just log onto the internet. This week on A Little Bit Culty, we're diving into the marketing matrix with Dr. Mara Einstein, professor, media critic, and author of Hoodwinked: How Marketers Use the Same Tactics as Cults. From influencer culture and MLMs to “brand cults” and rage farming, Mara breaks down how modern marketing preys on fear, insecurity, and our need to belong. She joins Sarah and Nippy for a deep-dive into the culty parallels between conversion funnels and recruitment tactics, why brands like Apple and Lululemon are more community than commerce, and how social media algorithms corral us into echo chambers where we become both the audience and the product. If you've ever felt like your phone is reading your mind, or like the coaching industry is selling more promises than progress, this one's for you. This is Part 1 of a two-part convo. Stay tuned next week for more! To learn more about Dr. Einstein and her work, visit drmaraeinstein.com. 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 fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty' on Patreon Get poppin' fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TEDTalk CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Amphibian.Media Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Associate producers: Amanda Zaremba and Matt Stroud of Amphibian.Media   Audio production: Red Caiman Studios Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin  

This episode is sponsored in part by Betterhelp. We're back with behavioral science expert Laura Richards for Part 2 of our deep dive into coercive control—and how it shows up in some of today's most talked-about celebrity cases. Laura, who spent ten years at New Scotland Yard and helped establish the UK's coercive control laws, joins us again to unpack the ways power and control are used to manipulate, silence, and harm. This time, we dig into recent headlines involving Kanye West, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, Britney Spears, and the Depp v. Heard trial. Laura explores the public's reaction to each case, exposing how gender bias and societal conditioning influence who we believe—and who we dismiss. We also discuss how these patterns connect back to cults, Hollywood, and broader systems of manipulation. And since Laura's work centers around prevention, she asks Sarah and Nippy to reflect on what might have helped them exit NXIVM sooner. This episode includes a trigger warning for sexual assault, murder, and domestic abuse. If you haven't heard Part 1 yet, be sure to listen to that first. And for more from Laura, check out her podcasts Crime Analyst and Real Crime Profile, or visit thelaurarichards.com. 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 fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty' on Patreon Get poppin' fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TEDTalk CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Amphibian.Media Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Associate producers: Amanda Zaremba and Matt Stroud of Amphibian.Media   Audio production: Red Caiman Studios Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin  

Thank you for downloading the most NIPPY episode of Fartmouth ever recorded!JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/EQ3BWYT3hv This week's show features...Would You Rather: EXTREMEThyler's Top 10Support the show

Comedians and dearest pals Tom Allen and Suzi Ruffell chat friendship, love, life and culture....sometimes.... Content warning - discussion of pet grief Get in touch with all your problems or if you want to give your Like Minded Friend a shout out: hello@likemindedfriendspod.com We'll be out and in your ears wherever you get your podcasts every Wednesday morning, and if you like what you hear why not leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever it is you listen... Thanks - Tom & Suzi xx A 'Keep It Light Media' Production Sales, advertising, and general enquiries: HELLO@KEEPITLIGHTMEDIA.COM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 138 - Conductance (Part 3) (Star Trek Adventures)    FRONTIER SEASON 2 - CHAPTER 14   Murphy, Fel and the engineers make a breakthrough with the mysterious sphere that was found on the away mission to the surface of BC-517b, Conought enters into a bet while taking part in a holodeck training session, and Rai pitches a wild theory about the dust-worm, Mr Nippy, which was brought on board...   Starring Dragon as Ensign Anderson Amy as Lt Cmdr Murphy Eden as Ensign Conought & Mark as Lt Cmdr Rai    Find Us on Bluesky @PretendWithDice, @MonkeyMagicEden, @Ajheretic666, @MegThePict, @MarkusMalice87 & @PenanceRPG You can also find us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter/X @PretendWithDice Links to all of our online presences can be found at www.pretendingwithdice.com, including our Ko-fi page, Merch Store, Discord server and much much more!

This week's featured story comes from the Martin & Sylvia: Saturdays! collection. It's called "Nippy Knitting Day."   Martin and Sylvia wake one late summer morning and feel a chill in the air. It is the first nippy morning of the year and they both start to imagine all the cool weather things they could do. Eventually they decide to knit scarves to help them stay warm. By the time they finish, however, the temperature has changed...   If you enjoyed that story, there are hundreds and hundreds more where that came from. Try a Sparkle subscription now - for free. Go to www.sparklestories.com and click the button at the top that says “Start Free Trial,” then you can listen to our giant library as much as you like, anytime you like.   Each week on the Sparkle Stories Podcast, we share a featured story from one of our original story series! For many many many more stories like this one, visit the Sparkle website: www.sparklestories.com Questions?  Ideas?  Requests? Email us!  info@sparklestories.com Enjoy!

Postpartum Talks is a podcast that shares tips,ideas,and personal experiences of the host about postpartum care. Postpartum Talks is for informational purposes only This is an earlier non published 2019 recording. See correct contact info to reach us for more on postpartum doula care. please note: website: www.AhmaDoulaServices.com Email: AhmaServices@gmail.com . Postpartum Talks does not offer medical counsel . If you are in need of emergency care call 911 for help. Postpartum Talks and Ahma Doula Services does not claim any ownership of music I am Every woman sung by Whitney Houston. The copyrights for Whitney Houston's "I'm Every Woman" are held by Arista Records, Inc. and Nippy, Inc.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com/CULTY to get started today. Remember the Hare Krishnas? The ones with the shaved heads and orange robes who used to chant and panhandle at airports? What started as a movement promoting inner peace and material detachment descended into chaos, corruption, and crime. In this week's episode, Sarah and Nippy sit down with filmmaker Jason Lapeyre, director of the new documentary Monkey on a Stick: Murder, Madness, and the Hare Krishnas. Together, they explore the movement's descent into a shocking underworld of abuse, drug smuggling, and even murder during the 1970s and 80s. Jason shares the heartbreaking realities of Hare Krishna boarding schools, the dangerous power dynamics within the group, and how charismatic leaders exploited followers while living in opulence. This conversation is a deep dive into the human cost of unchecked authority, religious corruption, and legal loopholes that allowed perpetrators like Keith Ham to evade justice. Be sure to check out Monkey on a Stick: Murder, Madness, and the Hare Krishnas streaming on AMC+ and Sundance NOW in the US, or Apple TV+ and Youtube Premium in Canada. Trigger Warning: This episode discusses child abuse, sexual assault, and violence. And don't miss next week's episode featuring Nori Muster, whose personal experience with the Hare Krishna movement was also spotlighted in Monkey on a Stick. 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 fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty' on Patreon Get poppin' fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TEDTalk CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Amphibian.Media Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Associate producers: Amanda Zaremba and Matt Stroud of Amphibian.Media   Audio production: Red Caiman Studios Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin  

In this episode we ask the question: What does a Winner Circle actually look like?

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp.  In this week's episode, Sarah and Nippy welcome friend and comedian Whitney Cummings to the podcast to explore the nuanced overlaps of culty dynamics and Hollywood culture. Whitney shares her unique perspective on vulnerability, healing, and her fascination with neuroscience, while also opening up about her personal quest for meaning. From the allure of community and control to a hilarious recount of being “rejected by Scientology,” Whitney blends humor with insight as she navigates topics like forgiveness, boundary-setting, and her less-than-conventional healing experiences. And if this episode has you wanting more laughs from Whitney, check out her upcoming "Big Baby" tour, where she's bringing her signature unfiltered comedy to the stage. For tour dates and more, visit whitneycummings.com. 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 fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty' on Patreon Get poppin' fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TEDTalk CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Amphibian.Media Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Associate producers: Emma Diehl and Matt Stroud of Amphibian.Media   Audio production: Red Caiman Studios Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin

Author and podcaster Amanda Knox sits down with Sarah and Nippy to discuss the culty nature of the Italian justice system. Amanda shares how she was coerced by the police into confessing to a crime she did not commit and details her experience with a media that is more concerned with ratings than truth. She also discusses the ongoing process of healing from trauma and her ongoing work in criminal justice reform. Amanda's podcast, “Labyrinths,” explores the complexities of the justice system and the human stories often obscured by sensationalized headlines. She has also authored the best-selling memoir, “Waiting to be Heard,” offering a firsthand account of her ordeal. Amanda also continues to write and speak out with her new book, “Free My Search for Meaning,” scheduled for release in March 2025. In addition to her work on broader justice reform issues, Knox is also writing a book focusing on her complex and evolving relationship with Giuliano Mignini, the prosecutor who played a central role in her wrongful conviction.   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 fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty' on Patreon Get poppin' fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TEDTalk CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Amphibian.Media Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Associate producers: Emma Diehl and Matt Stroud of Amphibian.Media   Audio production: Red Caiman Studios Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin

This week on ZedGames: Special Guest Tom from Netherworld/ZedGames joins Maylee and Paul as they talk Gaming News, Reviews, Community, and Culture. Maylee injects news into your ear holes and then the team discusses the exciting topics – Nintendo game sales, horror visor game Proximate from Cain Maddox, and SAVE&SOUND. Paul gets guilty in the [...]

This is the second part of a two-part interview, listen to Part 1 here. Bethany Joy Lenz became a household face during the meteoric rise of the teen CW soap “One Tree Hill.” However, as she appeared in homes across the country every week, she was leading a double life with her participation in a culty Bible group for a decade.   Lenz found her voice to break free and had the inspiration to write a personal memoir on the experience, “Dinner for Vampires,” sharing for the first time publicly her experience in the group and her struggles to break free. In this episode, Sarah and Nippy talk with Bethany about the surprising connections between her experience and NXIVM, the cult of fame, and their overlapping work in Hallmark movies.  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 fuckwad.   Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty' on Patreon Get poppin' fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TEDTalk   CREDITS:    Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Amphibian.Media Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Associate producers: Emma Diehl and Matt Stroud of Amphibian.Media   Audio production: Red Caiman Studios Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin  

We've tried to hold two seemingly oppositional positions during our podcast series "How to Practice Social Justice This Election Season Without Being a Jackass".   1) We do not support fascism, most notably showcased by the 2024 Republican Party.   2) We support having relationships with people who think differently (and may vote differently) than we do.   To help us navigate this, we invited Sarah and Nippy from the A Little Bit Culty (@alittlebitculty) Podcast to join us. They talk with us about the parallels between leaving NXIVM and leaving the Evangelical Church/Republican Party. And they also talk about ways that Progressive folks can effectively dialogue with folks leaving harmful organizations. We also talk about ways that Progressive folks can get in their own way.  Check out our conversations about: The practice of moral superiority The dangers of proselytizing Creating change The binary and the absence of nuance How nuance can lead to more informed decisions Focusing on building solutions rather than just tearing things down Listen to Episode #84: How to Have Relationships with People Who Have Different Perspectives from You During the Election Season on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.  

Bethany Joy Lenz became a household face during the meteoric rise of the teen CW soap “One Tree Hill.” However, as she appeared in homes across the country every week, she was leading a double life with her participation in a culty Bible group for a decade.   Lenz found her voice to break free and had the inspiration to write a personal memoir on the experience, “Dinner for Vampires,” sharing for the first time publicly her experience in the group and her struggles to break free. In this episode, Sarah and Nippy talk with Bethany about the surprising connections between her experience and NXIVM, the cult of fame, and their overlapping work in Hallmark movies.  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 fuckwad.   Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty' on Patreon Get poppin' fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TEDTalk   CREDITS:    Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Amphibian.Media Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Associate producers: Emma Diehl and Matt Stroud of Amphibian.Media   Audio production: Red Caiman Studios Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin  

Usually what happens behind the Patreon, stays behind the Patreon. But, not today! In this preview behind the paywall, we're featuring  one of our favorite people, who just so happens to be a newly-minted New York Times bestselling author! Tia Levings released her memoir ‘A Well-Trained Wife' in August, and the book became an instant bestseller. The deeply personal memoir details Tia's experience in and eventual escape from Christian Fundamentalism.  If this sounds familiar, you may have heard Tia when she appeared on the pod for a two-part interview (listen to Part 1 & Part 2 here).  Tia joined Sarah and Nippy over on the ALBC Patreon for a special live Q&A session about her book, the rise of tradwife culture, and all the details that didn't make it into the book. Listen in for a sneak behind the scenes, and grab a copy of ‘A Well-Trained Wife' today.    Keep up with all things Tia here:   Twitter Website 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 fuckwad.   Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty' on Patreon Get poppin' fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TEDTalk   CREDITS:   Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Amphibian.Media Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Associate producers: Emma Diehl and Matt Stroud of Amphibian.Media   Audio production: Red Caiman Studios Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin  

Please join Dani Joy and I as we continue our conversation on deconstruction from adoption and religious trauma. Todays episode is a discussion on the Ideal Family narrative. We talk about how the Christian belief system that we experienced created an environment where harm was inevitable. Some resources for people deconstructing from religious trauma: A Little Bit Culty with Sarah and Nippy. Lalich Center BITE model (freedomofmind.com) Exvangelical Podcast Series - Apple Podcasts Considering terminating your parental rights for adoption? Please first consider contacting: Home - Saving Our Sisters (savingoursistersadoption.org) (20+) Facebook The Family Preservation Project (20+) Facebook Mothers of Loss to Adoption There are a number of support spaces online for adopted people and for mothers of loss and other family members. You can also find adoptees and mothers on IG, Tiktok and other social media platforms. Quality varies. We encourage people to reach out to form support systems. Reading and listening for a while can be helpful in determining if a space aligns with your needs. A few to be aware of: Adoptees Connect Adoptees United Adoptee Rights Law The Adoption Trauma Network Intercountry Adoption News You can find lists of resources on my Wordpress blog page also. The Adoption Files – A place to talk about the emotional and physical side of accessing our identities, in addition to talking about the laws regarding access to our documents. (wordpress.com) You can reach out to Dani Joy at Deconstructing Adoption: One Mother's Road | by Dani Joy, mother and homesteader | Adoptere: Auditing the Narrative | Jul, 2024 | Medium The opinions of the host and their guests are just that, our opinions. The host is not a therapist or a lawyer or a cult leader. Thank you for listening! Please consider rating the podcast . We appreciate feedback.

Lisa Kohn likes to tell a story about these great seats she once had at Madison Square Garden — at her mother's mass wedding. Yes, Lisa — the award-winning author of “To the Moon and Back: A Childhood Under the Influence” — grew up in the Unification Church, also known as “the Moonies,” with her mom and a life of “sex, drugs, and squalor” in New York City's East Village. She talks with Sarah and Nippy about her experiences in the church, what was happening during those mass weddings in the 1970s, and what it means to be “under the influence of faith.”    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 fuckwad.   Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty' on Patreon Get poppin' fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TEDTalk   CREDITS:    Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Amphibian.Media Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Associate producers: Emma Diehl and Matt Stroud of Amphibian.Media   Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin  

Have a quick question to be explored on the show? Send us a text message! Include your email address if you would like a personal response. Click HEREDiane & Rick are taking a short break. To round out season four, they are featuring interviews where they were guests on other podcasts! This week, they share the interview they did with Sarah Edmondson and Nippy Ames of the A Little Bit Culty Podcast. Sarah and Nippy were featured on the popular HBO docuseries, The Vow, which explored the abuses of the NXIVM cult. In this interview, they discuss the similarities between cult leaders and parents who are pathological alienators. WHAT'S HAPPENING LINKS:August 17th Workshop: Helping Your Child with a Narcissistic Parent. Get 25% off when you become a A PATREON VIP! Attend the weekly Hump Day Wednesdays for only $10/month (exclusively for Patreon VIPs), resuming August 14th. Purchase a one-year Patreon VIP subscription and receive the I Am Non-Impossible journal!IMPACT Training for ProfessionalsiMOM PodcastIf you need a mom friend right now, you've come to the right place. On iMOM.com we...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the Show.Want to talk about this episode with Diane and other parents? Be part of the conversation on the NON-Impossibles Facebook groupFind us on X (Twitter) and Instagram @CPDilemmasIf you are a professional working with high-conflict co-parents, join our LinkedIn group.Have a co-parent dilemma? Email Dilemma@CPDilemmas.com Become a Non-Impossible VIP Listener for some really cool perks!To get a special discount on therapy through BetterHelp, visit www.BetterHelp.com/DilemmaDealing with alcohol addiction in your co-parent relationship? Explore peace of mind with SoberLink. For a discount on your device, CLICK HERE.RATE THE SHOW!CLICK HERE to subscribe to our monthly podcast email to get a sneak peak into upcoming topics

Since we've been chatting about cults lately we wanted to bring back our episode with ex-NXIVM members Sarah and Nippy from A Little Bit Culty. This is an honest conversation about manipulation, the abuse of power and red flags. We could have done a whole other episode on multi-level marketing but for now we will leave you with two A Little Bit Culty episodes that discuss their view on MLM's. Enjoy!https://www.alittlebitculty.com/season-2/episode-one-yr3hz-ychpchttps://www.alittlebitculty.com/season1/ep7Want our podcasts sent straight to your phone? Text us the word "Podcast" to +1 (917) 540-8715 and we'll text you the new episodes when they're released!Tune in for new Cat & Nat Unfiltered episodes every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday!Follow @catandnatunfiltered on Instagram: https://instagram.com/catandnatunfilteredHave you tried our new Twin Truths Wine yet? It comes in either a White or a Rosé! Head to www.twintruthswine.com to try yours today!Our new book "Mom Secrets" is now available! Head to www.catandnat.ca/book to grab your autographed copy! Come see us LIVE on tour!! To see a full list of cities and dates, go to https://catandnattour.com.Become a member of The Common Parent for the parenting resources and support you need for just $5.99/month or $59.99/year: https://thecommonparent.comFollow The Common Parent over on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thecommonparentMake sure you subscribe to our YouTube channel for our new cooking show and our #momtruth videos: https://bitly.com/catnatyoutubeCheck out our Amazon Lives here: https://bitly.com/catnatamazonliveOrder TAYLIVI here: https://taylivi.comGet personalized videos from us on Cameo: https://cameo.com/catandnatCome hang with us over on https://instagram.com/catandnat all day long.And follow us on https://tiktok.com/@catandnatofficial! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hay supplies running short in SA as some farmers look to buy interstate, the ACCC hears from Riverland growers about their experience supplying to major supermarkets, and SA company Nippy's says an global orange juice shortage is prompting growers to explore planting more citrus trees.

On today's Cold Cuts, Jase gets a new hoodie, we ask the hard questions about clothing on dogs, and Keyzie's away for the weekend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're talking about how one of the characteristics of a cult is that they often present as a really good thing. A lot of times, they are doing really good things on the surface. If this weren't the case, people wouldn't be joining them. Additionally, not every cult starts as a cult. Sometimes it starts as on organization with really good intentions to help people. We'll discuss all of that, in this episode. https://www.ted.com/talks/sarah_edmondson_how_to_spot_a_cultSarah Edmondson is a Canadian actress who has starred in the CBS series Salvation and more than twelve films for the Hallmark Channel and Lifetime. She is also a well-established voice-over artist for popular series such as Transformers: Cybertron and My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. In 2005, when NXIVM, a personal and professional development company, promised to provide the tools and insight Sarah needed to reach her potential, she was intrigued. Over her twelve-year tenure, she went from student to coach and eventually operated her own NXIVM center in Vancouver. Questions kept coming up about the organization's rules and practices, which came to a head in 2017 when she accepted an invitation from her best friend to join DOS, a “secret sisterhood” within NXIVM.In 2019, Sarah published Scarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult that Bound My Life, with Kristine Gasbarre. In this tell-all memoir, she shares her story from the moment she takes her first seminar to her harrowing fight to get out. Her full story as a whistleblower is featured in the CBC podcast Uncover: Escaping NXIVM (downloaded over 25 million times) and The Vow, the critically acclaimed HBO documentary series on NXIVM. Now with the launch of “A Little Bit Culty,” Sarah and her co-host/husband Anthony “Nippy” Ames are keeping the conversation going by discussing the healing process with the help of experts and fellow survivors.Uncertain is a podcast of Tears of Eden, a community and resource for those in the aftermath of Spiritual Abuse. If you're enjoying this podcast, please take a moment to like, subscribe, or leave a review on your favorite podcasting listening apparatus. You can support the podcast by going to TearsofEden.org/supportTo get in touch with us please email tearsofeden.org@gmail.comFollow on Instagram @uncertainpodcastTranscript is unedited for typos and misspellings:Katherine: Well, hello, Sarah, Sarah: how are you? I'm great. How are you Katherine: doing? Okay. Do you know? Okay. It has been gloomy and St. Louis and today the first sign of sunshine and I like went outside to like be in the sun, but it was 30 degrees. And so I didn't stay there very long, but. It's beautiful today. Beautiful to see the sun.How are, how's the weather in your area? Sarah: I'm in Atlanta. We're in our very brief winter and it's, it's, it's just a couple of weeks, I think. And it really fluctuates on a day to day basis and I have no idea what's in store and I'm just getting used to that as a concept. Yeah. Katherine: I just kind of ups and downs.Yeah. Yes. I have relatives in the Atlanta area and I hear about the bipolar weather. Of yeah, very [00:02:00] similar to St. Louis fun times. Well, thank you so much for being here and your openness to telling your story here. Really excited to hear from you just about The impact of your experience in NXIVM and then your recovery process.You also have your podcast, a little bit culty that I highly recommend to everyone. It's just entertaining. It's good stuff and you learn a lot, but then it's also super entertaining. And so I hope folks will listen to that as well, but you get to interact with a lot of cult survivors through that. And so I w I'm very interested to hear.Just patterns and things that you have seen as you have been doing your podcast and working with folks in this, this area. But just to just start us, start us off for folks who may not know who you are or have not seen the vow or maybe haven't. About on HBO or the, or have listened to your podcast and you give us a little summary of who you are and why you are here. Sarah: [00:03:00] Sure. So my cliff notes slash, you know, elevator story, which I've had to use a fair bit since moving to Atlanta is that I am, you know, from Canada, born and raised, I. I pursued acting as a teenager and young adult, and I took a little tangent, a little detour when I joined a personal and professional development program, which I was taking to help me with my goals as an actor and my relationship at the time.And that was really wonderful in many ways for a long time at first. And it ended up being 12 years later, after many missed red flags, I didn't understand what I was looking at. A high control group or some, some people know this term as a cult, but I realized there's basically bad things going on behind closed doors and the personal development program that I'd been touting for many years as an advocate and as a recruiter for the company.I say company loosely was really a front [00:04:00] for our pipeline, for the leadership. To coerce and manipulate and ultimately not in all cases and not not for me, but for many people sex traffic as well So that's why it is now known as the sex cult in the in the newsletter And I newsletter sorry in the newspapers The headlines media does love a good sensational story.Sure do. Yes, as they sure do. And my role in that was that I was one of the whistleblowers that showed the physical abuse, which is the physical manifestation of emotional abuse, which had been going on for years in the form of branding. And I showed that on the New York times cover and that led to an investigation and the trial and eventual conviction of the leader.Six week trial led to 120 year conviction of the leader. And that was I left six years ago. The trial was about four years ago and three years ago, two and a half years ago. My sense of time is a [00:05:00] little off. My husband and I were in a docuseries that, that documented this whole journey, how we got in and how we escaped on HBO max called the vow.And that really propelled us into this really interesting space where, where we were now sharing something that a lot of people could relate to is like, Oh, I would've, I would've totally joined that. And that's flipped the script as a lot up until then. So many people we encountered, especially since leaving and shouting from the rooftops, we were in a cult you know, they were watching it going.I could have, I could have fallen for that when that's very different when the past people would say I would never have fallen for that. And that's opened up a whole, you know, set of bizarre doors and opportunities for us as whistleblowers and survivors to speak about our experience. Educate people. And that's been like a phenomenally rewarding thing.And ironically, and I didn't say this at the beginning, I, one of the reasons I joined next team as well was to help people. I was, you know, I really enjoyed that process and [00:06:00] now I get to do it for real on the other side and help educate, shine light, prevent, help people get out. If they're already in something, help people heal.If they've already gotten out. All the different stages along the way and help families. And overall just bring awareness to this topic that is kind of become a lot more mainstream now. Narcissism, cultic abuse, gaslighting. It's much more accessible and people are more aware of it. So it's been an interesting time to be part of the zeitgeist in that way.And and then now we have a podcast that emerged in COVID when we had stopped acting. So it's been a interesting, organic progression to be a podcaster as I wrote a book and also and now doing more speaking events and panels on the topic. So yeah, here we are. There we are. Yeah. Cliff notes.Katherine: Yes. I remember watching the vow. I don't remember. I think it was in during COVID watching it and [00:07:00] had just left an abusive church. And that was cult cults like they're definitely very high control, very lot of, you know, stuff being hidden by religiosity and God speak and Jesus talk. And I, I, a lot of us.who had left were like, have you seen The Vow? Have you guys been watching The Vow? Are you watching The Vow? Because The Vow is like very, very, very similar to what we just went through. And I think that that was the thing that stood out to me as well as how engaging it was. And it just I was like, that sounds like Christianity, like so much of so much of the, the attraction and the way that like the evangelizing that was happening and the way that people were getting brought into this thing that, that was presented as this very good thing.And in some ways it seemed like it actually was a good thing. Yeah. Tell me a little bit about that part of [00:08:00] it of like what attracted you to this. And like, what, what drew you in as a very professional human being? Sarah: Yeah. You know what? There's every single group that we've ever talked to anyone about in our podcast.There is always good stuff on the outside. And that's actually one of the first questions we ask people so that others can. See what some of those red flags are of like, you know, what's the catch with this perfect, shiny, amazing, happy community. Well, what, what drew me in was a number of things. And, and partly it was, you know, the age that I was.Where I was, you know, doing this acting work and it wasn't really filling my soul. It wasn't filling my cup in terms of like, this is not the meaningful work that I want to be doing. And the thought of. Cause really they offered a lot of things. The community was presented almost in a way that would appeal to whatever the person wants.And I later learned to do that for others. Like what, what is it that you're looking for? What I was looking for was a, [00:09:00] a community, a supportive, helpful community. I was looking for more meaning and purpose in my life being a, you know, Being in a Budweiser commercial wasn't like really that meaningful to me, even though it paid well, but it was like, this is not what I signed up for or what I wanted as an actor.And I've always been into personal development. I've always believed that. And I still believe actually that you can work on yourself or be, you know, be better or like work through. And there was a term that they used. I don't think I was really using this term before was limiting beliefs. That there's beliefs that we have, and I actually do believe that we have still believe that we have limiting beliefs about ourselves.Like Katherine: something like, I can't do it. Like, yeah. Sarah: Yeah. Yeah. Just like, you know, even as an actor, like even thinking things, thinking something like, which was had at the time, like I always get nervous and auditions, there's some beliefs under that about myself that caused me to be nervous. [00:10:00] Which would limit me about, you know, without, with auditions, cause that's like a big part of being an actor.So I really love the idea of working through my limiting beliefs, being, the best version of myself and, and striving to follow this model. And one of the things that appealed to me, I mean, I didn't like it at the beginning, but I eventually did like it after my first five day training, which is my first foray into Nexium is they offered this growth path in the form of.Like a martial arts system with different levels and stripes and colors and I liked that. Like I, there was something about that that was measurable for me. If I do this, I'll go to the next level and that, that appealed to me because an actor, we don't have that either, like get the job or you don't, you don't really know why you do or you don't, and you could do all the right things, but not actually go to the next level.So I liked the concept of being able to. Complete a task, work on a skill, and, and evolve. It was certainty. With certainty. Yeah, it was [00:11:00] certainty in a very uncertain world. Needless to say, I mean, it was all bullshit, but if it was what it was supposed to be, it would have been great. Katherine: Yeah. And if it is, if it is something that like is actually delivering what it's promising, then it would be a really awesome. Yes, exactly. Yeah, so, so those were some of the good things that drew you in just to create some context for folks what were some of the, like, things that started alarms, that started going off that were like, Hmm, maybe this isn't what it, what it's promising.Sarah: I mean, Honestly, there were, there were red flags right from the beginning, but I didn't know what I was looking at. If I had done, if I, if somebody invited me to something now that was. And with the education I have, I wouldn't have even signed the paperwork, let alone attended because I would have known, Oh, I'm feeling pressured and they're using a scarcity mentality in order to, you know, [00:12:00] like this is the only one.And when, you know, when are you going to do this and when are you going to change your life? And any hesitation I had would be. Proof of how I was not ready to commit to my goals. Like it was a lot of manipulation tactics just getting me there. And then once I was there a lot of red flags in regards to what I now know as setting the stage for future abuse.Even as simple as they said, like, you're going to feel uncomfortable and you're going to feel like you're going to, you're going to doubt that maybe even this is the right place for you to be. That internal dialogue is an indication of what they call the disintegration. So you're either integrated on a concept or disintegrated and any internal questioning was just a sign that you needed to work on something.I know. So, if you agree to that, which I did. Because I'm, I'm assuming that these people who, I just never, I never projected bad intent because that's the thing is when you give yourself over to a higher power or a higher authority, [00:13:00] you're saying, you know, better than I do. And tell me, tell me what to do.Tell me how to be. And I was, I was like, okay, well, I pay just paid like 20. 2, 100 is 2, 500 Canadian to spend five days in a room and I want to work on my issues. I am saying, I trust you. You got to tell me what you see and if what they're saying is different than how I feel, that's a problem. Katherine: Yeah, absolutely. Oh, and that's such a such an easy thing to happen and then it's presented as you're like to listen to someone else tell you and name you and tell you what you need to work on and listen to someone else outside of you is. Is held up as like a humble thing and like a character quality.Yes. And if you were to resist and ask questions or say, I don't feel comfortable with Sarah: this. And that's, Oh, then I'm also being defiant. Katherine: Yeah. Yeah. Or selfish or, or you don't want to work on your issues or you don't really care Sarah: about this. Yeah. I mean, they said that you should be able to ask [00:14:00] questions and put your hand up, but it was very clear when people did ask questions, you know, how they felt about that.And also like it was, I learned very quickly that there were names for the feelings I was having that weren't good. So I was just suppress them. And I want also, I'm a good girl, I want to be a good girl, I want to get it right, I like the gold stars. Yeah. I like the validation. Katherine: Absolutely. And there was a very clear like type of person that fit and you like, learned to Sarah: fit.Yes. I learned to fit and I wanted to get the, I wanted to go up the levels and I wanted to get the next stripe. And I learned to override the feelings because the other thing they said is like, you're here to work on your shit. You're here to work on your stuff. So. Yeah. You know, don't leave. We're just talking about these things.If the sash around your neck, there was a sash systems for the martial arts ranks. If that bothers you, why can't you even talk about it in a room? Like we're just talking about it. So I should be able to talk about it. And so therefore don't leave. If I'm leaving, I'm just running away from my issues.so [00:15:00] many double binds. We call them massive double. Katherine: Yes, literally the phrase that popped into my head. Yes. Well, I, I want folks to be able to hear your whole story. And so I'll just plug your book, which is called scarred. Correct. Sarah: Yes, thank you. And I don't know if you ever do giveaways on your podcast, but we can do that too.Katherine: Let's do it. Why not? Yeah, I haven't done one of those in a long time. Let's do it. And then a little bit culty, and then also the vow on HBO, or not HBO on max. So those are places that folks can get more. About your story and actually get your get your full story and all the details about that.And so I want to step into talking about the impact of this. And if you want to talk about the impact like while you were in it and like what, what this coercive control manipulation was doing to you while you were in it. And then very specifically after after you left, like how was so I'm going to ask you to tell us a little [00:16:00] bit about how you experienced this, this trauma showing up for you and what, what did this experience do to you?And if you want to also share some examples of just similar patterns you've seen in folks that you have been interviewing on your podcast as well. Yeah, just paint us a picture of what happens after this experience. Sarah: After leaving? Yes. I mean, there was many different stages, I would say, like I've been out for six years and there was a lot of just grief, like I was, I had a massive PTSD reaction or potentially CPTSD just from the sort of ongoing abuse, but I, in many ways, I was like kind of the, one of the least Can I swear on this podcast?I was one of the least fucked with because, because I was a recruiter and I brought so many people in many ways, they kind of left me alone. I, I had, I was in Vancouver. I was running, I had been running my center. Which is sort of like a. You know, a separate, like, it's sort of like a franchise. Like I had my, I had [00:17:00] my center and I was using the tools and the parts of the program that were good and that I liked.And I, you know, brought people in that were going up the pipeline to the leadership. So they kind of left me alone, but I, so I didn't have the same amount of. 100 percent commitment. Like I'd never moved to Albany. I'd never moved and given up my whole life. And I always had my foot in reality. In other words, like my foot outside of the compound, it wasn't an actual compound, but some people gave up everything to be there, you know?And so that kept me in many ways, it protected me and gave me a soft place to land. There's a lot of people I could go to and that I always knew that we. Were you know, people thought that we were in a cult. I, I knew that. And I, and I thought that they just didn't understand. Mm-Hmm. , right. I just, I was like, oh, they don't get it.And for, for the first couple of weeks. And, you know, I was just going through those people and being like, okay, you were right. And I'm sorry. And I'm really kind of fucked up right [00:18:00] now. Shouting from the rooftop and like doing all the stuff that we did to get the media attention and things like that so there was like different stages of first I was on this yeah rampage of like I got to take this thing down and I felt like I was one of the There's a few of us that were at the forefront of that and I think in many ways It was the ones that of us that could whereas other people were so had been so head fucked and so gaslit and so manipulated that they were like, you know, literally in bed depressed Couldn't move or, or just had to shut down and like pretend it never happened and move cities and like not even deal with it, which people dealt with it in different ways.My dealing with it was because I've been so public and so such a vouching you know, zealot. I was like a fundamentalist personal growth junkie. Yeah. This is the way, this is the only way, red flag, to person to, you know, to grow and to reach enlightenment or whatever. Like. And so then on the other side, I had to be just as loud.So that was like one big stage, and I spent [00:19:00] like a long time just on the phone with people, trying to de enroll them, trying to explain like, yes, I was branded, and no, I didn't consent, and no, I didn't know it was Keith's initials, and like, trying to show them that it was bad. And for the people who are real diehards, there's some people who still don't think that was bad.Because they've, they've so committed their lives to this path. They're so bought in and to look now and go like, Oh, maybe this isn't good is just too hard for them. Like they're just, yeah, it's Katherine: just too much given to it and it's Sarah: just, yeah, it's easier to go. No, this was good. You know, Keith may have. I've heard them say you know, this is, maybe he's not conventional, but he always, he's a good person.Like they, they can't even fathom that maybe he's a bad person. So. That was one of the stages also was like just reallycoming to terms with like I lost so many of my of my good friends and I and I and I lost them [00:20:00] quickly. I lost them overnight. So that was a big part of it. Like leaving my community again because I had some community and friends outside of it. I think that was partly what saved me. I, you know, I hadn't burnt all my bridges, I'd burnt many bridges, for sure, but not all of them.Thankfully there were some friendships I never touched, I never tried to recruit, even though I did try to recruit many people. So I'd say all of, you know, that was a big stage. And then and then I got pregnant. I got pregnant with my second child a couple years after we got out as I was writing a book.And that was, I was, I was really working through and like having a big catharsis with that process. And having to also say no to, like, I was at that time I was going to do a Tedx talk and I was going to do a bunch of things. I was like, that's gonna be too stressful. And I want to like create a safe, loving incubator for my baby.And that kind of forced me to block out a lot of the stuff that I've been doing. There was like a sort of an ongoing campaign still to [00:21:00] expose and destroy and I mean, by say destroy, like, Make sure that nobody else was recruited into NXIVM and those things happen. Like NXIVM itself does no longer exist.There's no company. Are there people who still believe Keith is good? Yes. So I, that's part of the reason why I'm still talking because I want to get everybody out. . And then, and then, and then I'd say that like, I'm most, I think it's a lifelong healing journey, but there's a lot of things that I've done over the years that have really propelled me to another level of healing and yeah, having kids being kind of forced to stay present and not be in that war, that campaign pulled me to another stage.And then there's just lots of things I do for self care that I wasn't kind of, I wasn't allowed to do. It just wasn't a lot of time for it. Purpose probably. Yeah. On purpose. Yeah. And just like family time and being able to change my schedule and do things like You know, go to the farmer's markets on the [00:22:00] weekend and the old days when in the cult days that like there was never a free weekend, there was never every weekend if there was a free weekend where there wasn't a training and be like, Who should we fly out from the mothership to like, do a coach summit or, you know, oh, there's nothing happening.Let's organize a, you know, nationwide or citywide barbecue and like, it'll be a great enrollment opportunity. Like every weekend there was something going on with the You know, with my center and you know, three nights a week as well, Monday and Wednesday. And anyways, it was like always just go, go, go, go, go.So to be able to get my, you know, reclaim my time and, and like clear my schedule, which I think anyone is in any kind of group doesn't realize until they get out of something and they clear their schedule. They're like, wow, there's so much time devoted to this thing. Right. Katherine: Absolutely. And then probably like a reward for that time commitment is always more and always more and always pushing and, and, and to some extent that's just like wired into our our society.So when we get into a group that's like that, that just [00:23:00] feels so, so normal. It's like, that's just what you do in this group. I remember being in the, the abusive church and like. It was going through a lot and a lot of people were leaving and there would be these like events that we would have every year.And there were a few times where we were like looking around and we're like, we've lost staff. We are exhausted. Can we just not do this event? Can we just Not do this this year, because we're so tired and the leadership was like, it was always like, you know, PR move like no we have to pretend like everything is fine and you have to present like a united front to the, to the, you know, congregation and like having to like, you know, just kind of power through these events, and there wasn't this like posture of like what's best.For you and care. I mean, like want to like intentionally care for this community. That idea of like, no, we know what's best for you and we know what's best. And this is what what's best looks like and always moving and always pushing. [00:24:00] And yeah, just that, that's that environment that I think so many people can relate with, even like a work culture, you know, like, just like.Work cultures can be like that too. And I think it's safe for us to say, well, then that's an unhealthy work culture. We're allowed to say that, like, we don't have to just say, this is just normal. This is just the way it is. Like, no, we can say that's toxic. Like that's not a, not a helpful environment. Did you have any else thing else you wanted to say just about Impact on you, the CPTSD, PTSD, like how is that showing up for you? Sarah: Yeah, I mean, again, different stages. There was a time at the beginning where I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat, I lost a ton of weight. I was just like, I was, Nippy called it sniper mode.We were just so hypervigilant. Yeah. I didn't know if we were being, you know, like, you know, spied on, if they were coming to get us. We just, yeah, we were a mess. That didn't last too, too long in the scheme of things, but I'm still a little [00:25:00] jumpy. Yeah. Like if, you know, it's so funny. I just said that my husband just made a loud nose in the kitchen and I was like, what was that?Like, you know, I've been broken into. So, you know, things like that. My trust in humanity is definitely restored. Like, it's amazing how, when we stepped away from that. That world, all these incredible people sort of showed up and you'd think maybe I wouldn't trust them right away. But I was like, I, I felt the difference to like a good versus, I wouldn't say bad person, but like, you know, I just, some, some angels showed up and kind of swooped us up and took really good care of us, especially the people that made the vow.Like that was a really wonderful experience and that impact of doing the vow. You know, that could have, that could have gone so many different ways. Like that could have, that could have been a shit show for us. And it wasn't. And like you said, you're, you and your friends were listening and watching going, have you seen the vow?I can tell you, I still get messages from people in all different groups and relationships, mostly things like different [00:26:00] religious offshoots or like particularly closed communities or like the Jehovah's witnesses, a ton of Mormons message, the Mormons especially were like, Oh my goodness, we were in lockdown watching tiger King.And then we were watching the vow and they're like, Holy shit, we're, you know, in a really not good situation. So that, that continues to be very rewarding for me. And, you know, I think that if had there not been so many silver linings from this experience. You know, I don't know if I would have like recovered like I, it was, it was such a, I didn't mention this before the betrayal, the betrayal wound is one of my, one of the things in my, my therapist, I call it therapist Dan Shaw helped me with and who's a, who's a narcissist expert really helped me see is that when you're people that you trust betray you on that level, it can be a wound that is, takes a while to heal.And these were like. People I considered family who knew what Keith was up to and they were lying to us. And that's something that I never, you know, [00:27:00] and I always say we underestimated people's capacity to lie. We just totally took things at face value. Oh, Keith is celibate. Oh, okay, cool. He doesn't need sex.Great. What are all these women around him? Oh, that's part of his team. Like, okay. mean, it's so obvious and I feel probably like I was very naive. Now, but, Katherine: and, yeah, I'm a trusting person, go into relationships thinking, oh, they're lying to me. Yeah. Most Sarah: people don't. Yeah. But I do, what I do know now, and I see in almost every group, there's some term for it, which is basically like in a group like ours and every, every group we've looked at, there's this sort of.Belief that it's okay to lie for the greater good, and it's okay to lie to protect the leader. Or, you know, for, there's some other greater reason it's okay to say, you know, no, we're not doing X, Y, and Z if it means to, to print like. The big picture. It's okay. The ends justify the means. Katherine: Yeah, that ends justify the mean things.Means [00:28:00] thing. You said that people came in like as you were leaving and kind of supported you and you said it felt different. Can you describe what that different feeling was? I mean, there was just no manipulation. Like I remember once having a conversation with, it wasn't even my therapist, just somebody who's a, who was a family friend who was a therapist. And I had shared briefly sort of what had happened and his first response was, wow, that sounds like.Sarah: That sounds really horrible. It sounds really hard. Mm-Hmm. And, and then I was like, whoa. Because in nex Im, if I shared, shared something that bad that had happened, the an the question would be, you know, well, how did you cause that? Mm-Hmm. , and you know, what, you know, or, or, or, how did you author that? Or, what's your responsibility in it?Mm-Hmm. . Or what's missing in you that you felt like you needed to create that? Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. So all that kind of bullshit was, really upsetting. Katherine: It sounds like they believed Sarah: [00:29:00] you. Yeah, they believed me. Yeah. And that's, that's the thing. And also, I had a lot of moments like that where I was like, whoa.That other way was actually really bad. And I had no idea how toxic it was until I was No longer dealt with that way. Katherine: Yeah. Yeah. And in the church world, it's called the, the, the reverse of that is like, well, what's your responsibility or, you know, why don't you give, or you're being bitter or you're angry or whatever.And then, and then they'll call that accountability and character development and, and it's framed as this like good thing. When it's just. Invalidation and bypassing. Sarah: Yeah, I definitely see that in almost every religion is that people are shamed into like to not express a concern because then they're then they're complaining or they're stinking thinking or it's negative or whatever.So they learn to not say it so there's no there's no place to bring forward a concern. And that's a that's a really that's a [00:30:00] really, you know, great protective mechanism for somebody who's a. Cult a hole. Do you know what I mean? Like, or somebody who's just being a, you know wants to abuse power or do bad things if there's no place for the people around them to, to question it or say, you know, is this good or is this bad?Then that's, that makes the, the clo we call it the closed loop system, right? Katherine: Mm-Hmm. . Yeah. And all of the accountability is like outward towards everyone else, but then that like, yeah. Leader or leadership doesn't, it doesn't, they don't play by the same rules, Sarah: like, right. Well, that, and that was something also that I saw as a consistent thing is that all of the dogma and, and, you know, there's like a lot of great truth to taking responsibility for things that happen in your life and that's, it can be a good thing, but if it's always.It's always your fault. And the other person didn't have any responsibility. Then, and that's, that's something I say all the time. Wait, especially in XM. There's no victims and you create everything in your life. Now, Keith is in jail. And he's the [00:31:00] victim. Like he's the victim of the like, Oh, the FBI plan. Oh, the FBI must have planted evidence.Oh, but, but Keith, how did you cause this? How did you get yourself into jail? Like, where is that? Where is it now? Where is it now? You know, and that, that's, that's such a huge inconsistency and inconsistencies are something that if you, you know, you bring up then you're. Not trusting the process or in the yoga communities, like you have resistance.What's with your resistance? Katherine: Oh my goodness. Wow. Yeah. Like the inconsistency thing in the as a, as a red flag is, is something that's It seems to happen a lot. And these groups, there's a, there's a double standard where there's between two different people or it's between the leadership and everyone else or whatever.That double standard inconsistency is definitely something that pops up I would love to hear from you just a little bit about. Recovery has been like, [00:32:00] and what are things that have helped you? Sarah: Again, different stages. I think the biggest part of my recovery at first was just talking about it and being with other X members and being able to speak freely without the shackles of the language constraints to be able to say, Oh, Oh, remember that time when so and so did this.That was a really mean thing to do. We never could have talked that way because that would have been. You know, breaking rank and, you know, all sorts of rules, broken images, expressing that way. And I didn't realize how suppressed I was. I couldn't go up line in my, in the authoritarian, you know, thing because they didn't get in trouble.And if I went down, that's bad leadership. So I was kind of like, you know, hogtied. I could talk to my husband, which is, I think, kind of a rare situation. And most people in my situation, we just couldn't talk to anybody. And also Mark Vicente, who was the person who brought me in. If you've seen The Vow, he's the director that.That brought me in, but also got me out. So speaking about it, and then you know, Reclaiming my time educating [00:33:00] myself. I did a lot of watching of other documentaries and podcasts and movies and all sorts of things that really helped me connect the dots. And I have notes from my early days of watching movies like going clear and Scientology or holy hell about Buddhafield and just seeing.Like, holy shit. This is the, it's, it's the exact same. Like really even in our podcast, every time we interview someone, it's like the, it's the exact same template. Yeah. I mean, some of the content, yeah, some of the content points. It always the same school and learned. We did the same school, even like with holy hell, the leaders doing this, forced ballet classes and with us it was volleyball.But it's the same kind of like obsession with this one thing. Physical, yeah. Just yes. And like, you got to get this thing right, but the performance and the adulation of the leader and all that stuff. So that was really helpful. And then there's a lot of things that I've done, I guess. So therapy wise at different stages, having an actual cult therapist was really helpful for me.And I saved a lot of time there because not only did he understand the dynamics, but he actually already knew [00:34:00] Nexium, which was great. So if I said, well, Nancy did this to me once, or Keith said this to me or whatever, he knew what I was talking about. Having a psychologist that didn't have cult training was laborious, but also really helpful because I would have to explain things that, that I realized, like, as, as explaining it, I was out of deprogramming myself.You know, in one particular moment I was saying to him, Oh, well, in our, in our belief system, we. Believed that needs were like survival based, you know, air, shelter, water, whatever. And anything else was considered a desire and therefore a non integrated fixation. You need to work on like, why did you think you needed this thing to be okay?Love, connection, community, blah, blah, blah. So then he, I remember, cause he didn't know anything about cults and he was like, well, those are needs to survive. But what about needs to thrive? And I was like, Oh, they didn't want us to thrive. And I always thought that the people in Albany who live there look fricking miserable.And I was like, [00:35:00] that's why they were miserable. They weren't allowed to have a career or relationship because then they were, they were shamed into like, that that was just a deficiency based desire. In other words, there's something wrong with you that you're even searching. Like, why do you even need that from the outside world to be complete?So that was you know, an interesting process to have a you know, a cult. A therapist and then a regular therapist, but I think a lot of my therapy came from just talking and educating myself and talking to other survivors. And then there's a whole series of things that I've done and continue to do.Like I'm, I do yoga, but I do like a not culty yoga. Like there's no dogma. There's no education. There's no leader. There's no, it's just more of like a fitness thing. Because that's how I protect myself, like I don't do kundalini or, yeah, like that. I walk a lot, you know, after this podcast, I will walk and, and like, clear my mind.Some like sort of spiritual, somebody, some might say woo woo practices that I do, but there's no It's not, it's not like a [00:36:00] tied to a certain school or program. It's just like a little practice here, a little practice there. I take my green juice. I'm very health oriented. I'm all about like getting good sleep and all the things that we weren't allowed.Like I remember when I started Nexium, I was They would say I have, I would have had an attachment to comfort because I was like, I'm getting my eight hours. And they're like, well, why do you think you need eight hours? And I'm like, well, that's just what, how I function best. And I'm like, why do you think that would if it's a limiting belief?And by the end of it, I was having like four or five hours of sleep a night to prove to them how much sleep I didn't need and how I could be like such a bad ass, you know, but really I do need, like I, I do best on as much sleep as I possibly can get. So prioritizing that and prioritizing what's right for me and not going with somebody else.Going on what somebody else says is right for me has been also huge. A lot of baths. I take Epsom salt baths for my CPTSD almost every night. Putting a lot of money on hot water. I'm sure. Katherine: Hey, it's very sensory and it like, yeah, it's you and [00:37:00] your body. It helps you be present. It's Sarah: yes. Yes. And you could cut this out if you want, but I also microdose psilocybin a fair bit, which also does, does all of those things keeps me, my body has to be present.I don't get, I'm not doing it to hallucinate or get high on mushrooms, but it just helps me not be anxious. Yes. So yeah, that's, that's kind of, those are my main, lots of variety. Yeah. Lots of variety. And oh, and hiking, I like love being in nature and that's like super important to me. I try to get out at least once a week.Katherine: What would you say this is something that like is I think just like a constant question that a lot of folks have and something that I'm, I'm kind of exploring as well is like the difference between having someone help you like a therapist and like that language versus a guru who was like telling you what to do and like, what does it feel like to have that difference.Or what does that difference feel like? [00:38:00] Sarah: Yeah, I'd say that that like a healthy therapist feels like they're on a journey with me and they're just, , questioning and , it's like they're going down in the cave with me. We're both shining lights and we're looking together. Whereas the, the guru approach or, you know, like an axiom, I always felt like there was literally like a.Such a power power difference. Like I'm sitting down here and they would be sitting up there like even the seats were raised and we're kind of looking up at and tell me what to do, like, what do you think and Reclaiming that has been definitely been a huge part of my healing.Katherine: Yeah, so the guru is more like the expert Mm hmm or life telling you how to do it Sarah: And I have to be so careful with that too, because I do love to give people unsolicited advice. You know, especially in our podcast. I do like to be Katherine: like, that's not a good thing. Don't do this. Sarah: And I'm like, you really need to be taking more baths.Okay. I'm just kidding. But I'm like, well, what, how do I try to phrase it now? I was like, this is what's worked [00:39:00] for me. This is what works for me. And you can do whatever you want. I don't care. Katherine: Yeah, no, I like the phraseology. I have to do the same thing. It's like, well, you know, I have that same situation and this is what I try.Yeah. Do with that what you'll exactly. Yeah. And then that would be as opposed to someone who is like, partnering with you in this journey and, and just like being empathetic to the experience rather than telling Yes. That they know better what you need than you do. Yes. Yeah. Exactly. I love that.That's great. Any, any final things that you would like to share as we wrap up put all of your information in the show notes, but if you have any information that you want to give folks about how to interact with you, Sarah: I mean, I'd say like if they want to know the full story, my book in combination with the vow, I think is a really good balance because the vow has my story, but also massive gaps in some things that happen.But the vow [00:40:00] has a lot of other people's stories. And if you want to go down an axiom rabbit hole, there's tons of other memoirs out there. But I think that our podcast I've, I've been told is very therapeutic for people of all different groups, religions you know, even abuse situations because you're hearing the stories from different, different people's perspectives that.You're not maybe necessarily as attached to like defending or being protective of your group, whatever that is. So when you hear when other people's stories, you're like, Oh yeah, I relate to that. And it can be, well, it's free. It's free therapy. So not that it's not in lieu of therapy. I'm not saying like, don't do therapy, but it's gonna be a bonus.And I also say, like, there's some episodes that will resonate and some that won't. Just skip them. You don't have, you don't have to listen to all of them. If it's something that that, that is resonant for people, there's a, we're also on Patreon and we do a lot, we do another bonus episode every week.And that's more casual. And we answer questions from the audience. We do voicemails. And we also have a Goodreads account. I recommend a lot of books [00:41:00] and I interview a lot of authors. So all of the books that we love are on our little bit culty Goodreads account. And I think the best way if you want to just reach out to me personally is on my Instagram.I, I answer every message. A little bit culty is a little bit backlogged, but people can check us out there as well. And if they want to be a guest, a little bit culty, they can apply through our website. Oh, the one thing I would say also that's really cool, I think that I did recently is a TEDx talk.I don't know if you had a chance to see it or hear it. Yeah. It's 15 minutes of like the summary of why people need to educate themselves about cults. It's very, it's like a lot. It's like some people call it the best of a little bit culty in a very short period of time. So it's a lot of quick nuggets.Yeah. And I think, I think your community would like it. Katherine: That sounds good. I might reach out to you. I might reach out to you later about that because a couple of years ago I had talked to someone about doing a TEDx talk about spiritual abuse and they kind of discouraged me from [00:42:00] it because it's supposed to be inspirational and it didn't, they're like, Sarah: that's inspirational.Well TEDx actually has some kind of like a little bit quality rules. Like you can't talk about politics or religion. Okay. It's in, it's in their rule book. But. So talking about spiritual abuse, I don't know how you would frame it in a different way. You have to frame it in a different way. Yeah. Go ahead and talk about spiritual bypassing and just not mention religion.Ah, Katherine: yeah, that's true. True, true, true. Cool. Well, thank you so much for giving us your time. I'm excited to just see what, see what develops. Thank you for all the work Sarah: that you're doing. My absolute pleasure. It's, it's a total joy to talk about and I will continue to talk about it until everybody is out.So everyone. Yes. Free the slaves. Katherine: Free the slaves.

Discover the secrets of peak athletic performance with high school baseball coaching phenom Jeff Boulware, as we dissect the mental game in our most recent podcast episode. With his background at Bishop Watterston High School, Jeff brings to the table a wealth of knowledge on building confidence, combating negative self-talk, and the surprising influence of maintaining a neutral mindset. His insights provide a playbook for anyone looking to foster resilience in the face of adversity, much like the lesson we learn from the legacy of players such as Bill Buckner.When it comes to shaping the future leaders of the diamond, it's not just about the game—it's about cultivating character. That's why we take a close look at the integral role of trust and decision-making in coaching, the art of delegation, and the developing culture beyond the scoreboard. Jeff and I get into the nitty-gritty of guiding high school athletes through their journeys to college baseball, weighing the implications of the transfer portal and the vital importance of finding a college experience that enriches life both on and off the field.Our conversation takes a turn into the intimate corners of coaching, where family ties and sportsmanship intertwine with strategy and playbooks. Laugh along with us at the lighter moments of the sport, including a misadventure with an assistant coach named Nippy, and get inspired by the way we integrate mindfulness and respect into the game. Rapid-fire questions peel back the layers of Jeff's coaching philosophy, revealing the sports legends he admires, and the values that steer his decisions. Join us for an episode that's as heartwarming and informative as it is a testament to Jeff Boulware's unwavering dedication to his players and the game of baseball.Support the show Follow: Twitter | Instagram @Athlete1Podcast https://www.athlete1.net Sponsor: The Netting Professionals https://www.nettingpros.com

In our latest podcast episode, we took a closer look at the tough topic of leaving cults and the importance of thinking for ourselves. We had a deep chat with Sarah Edmondson and Nippy Ames, who shared their brave story of getting out of the NXIVM cult. This episode isn't just about their story; it's about how we all can learn to think more critically and stand up for our own beliefs.Resources:Sarah's book, Scarred: sarahedmondson.com/bookA Little Bit Culty Podcast: alittlebitculty.comSarah's website: sarahedmondson.comWatch Sarah's TEDx Talk: youtube.com/watch?v=9K_CZbu-UAUThe Vow on Max: https://www.max.com/shows/vow/9dc0d8ae-fba1-4fd3-9479-c5824fec1421Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that's sure to grab and keep your child's attention!Curious about Brave Writer but not quite sure what it's all about? Join our free 7-Day Writing Blitz to transform your writing program in just one week!Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Head over to bravewriter.com/getting-startedSign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we're doing in 2022 and you'll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitzConnect with Julie:Instagram: @juliebravewriterThreads: @juliebravewriterTwitter: @bravewriterFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriterConnect with Melissa:Website: melissawiley.comSubstack: melissawiley.substack.comInstagram: @melissawileybooksTwitter: @melissawileyFacebook: facebook.com/authorMelissaWileyProduced by NOVA Media

❄️ Winter blues hitting you where it hurts?

This is a replay of an episode Sarah & Nippy recorded for the A Little Bit Culty Patreon. If you want to access to all of our content bonuses, ad-free episodes and other goodies, sign up at: www.patreon.com/alittlebitculty

Today's episode is sponsored by BetterHelp.  We made you a mixtape of some of our fave segments from our full episodes with Daniel Shaw, LCSW,  Dr. Ramani, and Dr. Natalie Feinblatt. Think of this as our Chicken Soup for the Culty Soul power-medley. We've got Dan Shaw dropping knowledge on why traumatizing narcissists are so…traumatizing. We've got Dr. Ramani on how to recover from narcissistic abuse. And we've got Dr. Natalie Feinblatt on Trauma, Addiction & Cult-Informed Therapy. It's practically a super group!  Pull up a box of tissues, and get ready for all the feels. If you've heard these chats before when they were first born as full ALBC episodes, we still think you'll get some good nuggets out of them. And yes, we love the word ‘nugget' in any form in a way that may border on problematic. We'll be sure to talk to our therapist about that.    NOTES: Daniel Shaw, LCSW  is a psychoanalyst in private practice in New York City and in Nyack, New York. He originally trained as an actor at Northwestern University and with the renowned teacher Uta Hagen in New York City, and later worked as a missionary for an Indian guru. His eventual recognition of cultic aspects of this organization led him to become an outspoken activist in support of individuals and families traumatically abused in cults. Simultaneous with leaving this group, Dan began his training in the mental health profession, becoming a faculty member and supervisor at the National Institute for the Psychotherapist in New York. His book, Traumatic Narcissism: Relational Systems of Subjugation, was published by Routledge in 2014 and was nominated for the distinguished Gradiva Award. In 2018, the International Cultic Studies Association awarded him the Margaret Thaler Singer Award for advancing the understanding of coercive persuasion and undue influence. Shaw's book Traumatic Narcissism and Recovery: Leaving the Prison of Shame and Fear will be published by Routledge in 2021. Dan joined Sarah and Nippy to share his story, drop some knowledge about the shameless ways of traumatizing narcissists, and provide insights on the recovery process. Dr. Ramani Durvasula is the author of two books on the subject: Should I Stay or Should I Go: Surviving A Relationship with a Narcissist and Don't You Know Who I Am?: How to Stay Sane in an Era of Narcissism, Entitlement, and Incivility. Her work has been featured at SXSW, TEDx, the Red Table Talk, the Today Show, and Investigation Discovery. You can also find her on her wildly popular YouTube channel where she dispenses wisdom on protecting yourself from hoovering, gaslighting and other narc trademarks. Or put her Navigating Narcissism podcast in your ears, on repeat: It's good stuff. Dr. Natalie Feinblatt is a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice in Los Angeles, California who specializes in the treatment of addiction and trauma. And one of her trauma sub-specialties is working with former cult members. She received her BA from UCSD and her Masters & Doctorate from Pepperdine University, where she wrote her doctoral dissertation on psychotherapy with former cult members and has specialized in helping them ever since. She also does EMDR, Brainspotting, and other trauma-specific therapies. She was also featured on the series finale of ‘Leah Remini: Scientology & The Aftermath.' Follow her on Instagram for tips, tools, and healing resources.     Also…Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear 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 fuckwad.   OTHER LINKS: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty' on Patreon Get poppin' fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources   CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Co-Creator & Writer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin  

This is a short preview of an episode Sarah & Nippy recorded for the A Little Bit Culty Patreon. If you want to hear the whole thing, plus get bonus to ad-free episodes and other exclusive content, sign up at: www.patreon.com/alittlebitculty

The one where we revisit the Cultiverse with four former members of high-demand groups and current members of the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA): science writer Paul Jensen (fmr. member of the Assemblies of God), trauma therapist Jackie Johnson (fmr. Jehovah's Witness), and Sarah Edmondson and Anthony "Nippy" Ames (fmr. leading members of NXIVM).  We'll also talk about the Twin Flames Universe--the newest cult scam for lonely lovers and new-agey drifters--and the way cults and conspiracists both use scapegoating as a tool for control and self-defense.Brought to you by the latest anti-guru self-defense tool. TIME STAMPS:1. Introduction/Conversation about the Twin Flames Universe (0:04:34)2. Chapter 3: A Conversation about NXIVM with Sarah Edmondson and Nippy Ames (0:32:39)3. A word from our sponsor (1:18:18)4. Conversation with Sarah and Nippy (continued) (1:22:15)5. Outro and outtakes (2:22:15)NOTE: None of these timestamps were left alone with Keith Raniere.  Transition DrillFirst responders and military members start planning today for tomorrow's transitionListen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showVisit our website at www.paranoidplanet.ca

The one where we revisit the Cultiverse with four former members of high-demand groups and current members of the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA): science writer Paul Jensen (fmr. member of the Assemblies of God), trauma therapist Jackie Johnson (fmr. Jehovah's Witness), and Sarah Edmondson and Anthony "Nippy" Ames (fmr. leading members of NXIVM).  We'll also talk about the Twin Flames Universe--the newest cult scam for lonely lovers and new-agey drifters--and the way cults and conspiracists both use scapegoating as a tool for control and self-defense.Brought to you by the latest anti-guru self-defense tool.  TIME STAMPS:1. Introduction/Conversation with Paul Jensen (0:03:16)2. Essay: "The High Cabal and the Lynch Mob"  (0: 48:54) 3. A Conversation with ICSA executive director, Jackie Johnson (1:12:11)4. Resources for victims of high-demand groups (1:46:02)     See also the bibliographies to episodes 3.1 to 3.5 on our website Reading Room NOTE: None of these timestamps were shamed into submission.)  Transition DrillFirst responders and military members start planning today for tomorrow's transitionListen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showVisit our website at www.paranoidplanet.ca

The one where we revisit the Cultiverse with four former members of high-demand groups and current members of the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA): science writer Paul Jensen (fmr. member of the Assemblies of God), trauma therapist Jackie Johnson (fmr. Jehovah's Witness), and Sarah Edmondson and Anthony "Nippy" Ames (fmr. leading members of NXIVM).  We'll also talk about the Twin Flames Universe--the newest cult scam for lonely lovers and new-agey drifters--and the way cults and conspiracists both use scapegoating as a tool for control and self-defense.Brought to you by the latest anti-guru self-defense tool.  Support the showVisit our website at www.paranoidplanet.ca

This is a short preview of an episode Sarah & Nippy recorded for the A Little Bit Culty Patreon. If you want to hear the whole thing, plus get bonus to ad-free episodes and other exclusive content, sign up at: www.patreon.com/alittlebitculty

This is a short preview of an episode Sarah & Nippy recorded for the A Little Bit Culty Patreon. If you want to hear the whole thing, plus get bonus to ad-free episodes and other exclusive content, sign up at: www.patreon.com/alittlebitculty

It's been a few years since the Bloody Good Film Podcast tackled a Bruce Lee film, but today we're finally getting back to him. Well half of us are. Jesse decided that instead of talking Bruce Lee he wanted to do a 24 hour marathon on the Tea Cup ride at Disneyland. So Josh decided to bring in the big guns to talk Fist of Fury, repeat guest Kenneth Leonard.But this isn't only a Fist of Fury episode. In the 90s the remake Fist of Legend was released that had Jet Li trying to fill some pretty big shoes. Josh and Kenneth fill in all the nips and crannies that anyone could possibly be interested in with these two films.Most importantly by the end of the episode Josh and Kenneth will let you know whether Fist of Fury and Fist of Legend are... BLOODY GOOD FILMS!?We encourage everyone to watch along while you listen and make sure to comment and let us know what you think. If you haven't already please follow us on Facebook, TikTok, "X" and Instagram @bloodygoodfilmpodcast and remember...Keep it bloody buddies!!!https://linktr.ee/BloodyGoodFilmPodcast....#fistoffury#brucelee #jetli #fistoflegend #enterthedragon #dannythedog #unleased #chucknorris #donnieyen #Movie #Movies #Action #Horror #ActionFilm #ActionMovie #ActionMovies #HorrorFilm #HorrorFilms #HorrorMovie #HorrorMovies #ActionPodcast #HorrorPodcast #Slasher #80s #80sHorror #NewPodcast #explorepage

This is a replay of an episode Sarah & Nippy recorded for the A Little Bit Culty Patreon. If you want to access to all of our content bonuses, ad-free episodes and other goodies, sign up at: www.patreon.com/alittlebitculty

This is a short preview of an episode Sarah & Nippy recorded for the A Little Bit Culty Patreon. If you want to hear the whole thing, plus get bonus to ad-free episodes and other exclusive content, sign up at: www.patreon.com/alittlebitculty

Happy halloweeeeeen spooky sisters! Tat and Bend are here---WIGS and all-- to celebrate the spooky season with y'all! First things first, a tight 40 minutes raving about Wicked in honor of its 20th anniversary. Then, hot topics include Travis Kelce's clown flop of a publicist, TSwizzle's latest album release, the power of the Kardashian brand (and Bendy's distaste for famous tween North West), and so much more!FOLLOW THE DIVAS!Instagram:@bestfriend_podcast@tdoelg@kend_edwardsTiktok:@ebf_podcast

This is a short preview of an episode Sarah & Nippy recorded for the A Little Bit Culty Patreon. If you want to hear the whole thing, plus get bonus to ad-free episodes and other exclusive content, sign up at: www.patreon.com/alittlebitculty

This is a short preview of an episode Sarah & Nippy recorded for the A Little Bit Culty Patreon. If you want to hear the whole thing, plus get bonus to ad-free episodes and other exclusive content, sign up at: www.patreon.com/alittlebitculty

This epiosde is sponsored by Better Help. Hey Listener, you asked for a greatest hits medley of all our NXIVM related guests in one or two meaty episodes.And hear ye, hear ye we have delivered. This is our second NXIVM extravaganza, and we hope you dig it. We'll be back soon with all new episodes, and until then you can always hang out with us on Patreon at patreon.com/alittlebitculty if you can't get enough of our culty, culty content.  But now…let's dig into the main course shall we? Keith Raniere's trial was at the center of The Vow Season 2 – and this episode is taking you even further into the courtroom circus.   We're featuring insights from three people who had as close a look as one could get.   First, you'll hear from Moira Kim Penza – the prosecutor who brought Keith Raniere to justice. Her accomplishments are mighty: Like Keith's conviction on all counts including racketeering and sex trafficking and a brisk 120 year sentence. Moira's groundbreaking approach to the case has been credited with paving the way for other sex trafficking prosecutions against powerful individuals. In other words: She's a total badass. In this episode, Moira sits down with Sarah and Nippy to talk about what it's like to take on a world-class dirtbag (our wording, not hers) and what really chaps her ass about NXIVM's Voldemort. More about today's guest: Moira is now in private practice as a litigator, and a partner at Wilkinson Stekloff. Crain's New York business named her in the 40 under 40 list, she's been ranked as one of Bloomberg Law's 40 under 40, and her legal analysis has been featured in The NY Times, CNN, ABC, NPR and Daily Beast.    Next you'll hear from Robert Gavin. Robert  has been a news reporter for 28 years, having also worked for two years as an editor. Originally from Staten Island, Gavin began his career by covering the New York City police and fire departments, the NYS Capitol, State and Federal Courts, various murder trials, and cases involving terrorism, the mafia, street gangs, and political corruption. And eventually, Robert's role in the NXIVM trials and their coverage would play a crucial part in bringing down Keith Raniere.   Finally, you'll hear from  Vanessa Grigoriadis, who is an award-winning longform journalist and podcaster, having published profiles on the likes of Karl Lagerfeld, Lady Gaga, and Arianna Huffington. So how did she get tied up in NXIVM's bullshit while also reporting on the cult? Well, the short answer is: anyone and everyone is susceptible to coercive control and persuasion, even members of the press. The long answer? Well, you'll just have to listen to find out.    Without further adieu. Here's our NXIVM medley part two. Also… Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear 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 fuckwad. Other Links: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty' on Patreon Get poppin' fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Senior Producer: Jess Tardy Writer: Holly Zadra Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin  

On episode 11 of A Mexico Moment with Nate and Alexis, we talk about our experience at the Sacred Mayan Journey, whose dog peed on a guy at the beach, how we experienced a nip slip at a birthday party, answers to more of your questions about living in Mexico, and we give you another Mexican Slang Word of the Day! All that at more on today's episode! Follow us on Instagram @HansonsOnHiatus Tell a friend to become a subscriber of The BS: https://podcastthebs.com/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-bs-network/message

This episode is sponsored by Better Help. You know the old adage; person A joins an organization, person B joins the same organization, persons A and B learn organization is a cult and, after getting married, decide to escape. Wait, is that not normal? Well, thankfully Sarah and Nippy aren't the only ones who've experienced this. Gwenith Kikkawa (they/them) and Kevin Alexander (they/them) are multiple-cult survivors, meaning they've experienced culty horrors not just once (like a great majority of our guests), but numerous times. Now, the couple has channeled their experiences into art via playwriting, songwriting, and more, narrowing in on how one can reclaim identity after traumatic coercive thought control over several years.  #IGotOut (taking place on October 21st, 2023) GoFundMe Follow #IGotOut on Instagram Follow #IGotOut on Facebook Please note, this series includes details of sexual abuse. Listener discretion is strongly advised. If you, or someone who know, is a survivor of sexual assault, abuse, grooming, child abuse, or human trafficking, RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline offers support at 800.656.HOPE (4673). Also… Hear Ye, Hear Ye: 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 fuckwad. Other Links: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty' on Patreon Get poppin' fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Senior Producer: Jess Tardy Writer: Mathias Rosenzweig Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Liz and Sarah talk to H Schuster about her plan to democratize and diversify access to the entertainment industry. The mission of H's new company HUSSLUP is to transform Hollywood's old clique with one click. Then, in The Mailroom, Liz and Sarah answer a question about TV writer Elisabeth Finch who notoriously lied her way up the ladder on hit shows like Grey's Anatomy and Vampire Diaries. This week's Hollywood Hack will make working out more fun: Fitness Dice. Finally, Liz has three podcast recommendations — Two T's In A Pod, Bachelor Party, and A Little Bit Culty. Get in touch on Twitter: @sarahmfain & @elizabethcraft Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraft Visit our website: https://happierinhollywood.com Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/ Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,' a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts—Happier with Gretchen Rubin, Side Hustle School, Do The Thing, and Everything Happens with Kate Bowler . If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends! LINKS: HUSSLUP: Transforming Hollywood From Clique To Clickhusslup.com Elisabeth Finch: The 'Grey's Anatomy' Liar Confesses it Allgoogle.com Fitness Dice: Fitness Dice | workoutuncommongoods.com Two T's In A Pod: Two Ts In A Pod with Teddi Mellencamp and Tamra JudgeiHeartPodcasts Bachelor Party: Bachelor PartyThe Ringer A Little Bit Culty: A Little Bit Culty with Sarah and Nippy.alittlebitculty.com Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode is sponsored by Better Help and was originally released on Zen Parenting Radio. Here's a scary thought: fully-grown adults are susceptible to cults, or cult-adjacent behavior (there is truly cultish influence all around us in politics, wellness communities, and so on). So imagine how dangerous this whole world is for children, who are far less likely to have the wherewithal to identify and refute coercive persuasion. If you're one of our regular listeners, you already know how ubiquitous this shit is (unfortunately); so what can we do to protect our youth?  Well, that's exactly what we got into with our friends over at Zen Parenting Radio, where Cathy Cassani Adams (a self proclaimed “spiritual and emotional mom”) and Todd Adams (“a logical and practical dad'') get into all things parenting. On their show, we not only recount our own story with NXIVM (perhaps you've heard about, read about, or seen it by now?), but also the importance of talking to kids about how relationships that might initially feel exciting or just “good” in some way—friends, coaches, teachers, bosses, etc.—can quickly pivot into something abusive. How can we teach kids to identify culty behavior and help them feel safe enough to ask for help?  This one's for anyone who believes we need to keep our kids safe from evil, shitty shitheads. Also… Hear Ye, Hear Ye: 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 fuckwad. Other Links: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty' on Patreon Get poppin' fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Senior Producer: Jess Tardy Writer: Mathias Rosenzweig Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah Edmondson (@sarahjedmondson) and Anthony "Nippy" Ames (@nippyames) are two former NXIVM cult members turned whistleblowers. Together, they host the podcast A Little Bit Culty, and are featured in HBO's series The Vow. Sarah's 12-year ordeal is chronicled in Scarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult That Bound My Life. [This is part two of a two-part conversation. Find part one here!] What We Discuss with Sarah Edmondson and Nippy Ames: How NXIVM began as a community of like-minded individuals who were committed to personal growth and self-improvement and devolved into a cult under the leadership of its narcissistic founder, Keith Raniere. How Hollywood celebrities came to be courted and ultimately controlled by Raniere and the NXIVM cult. The endless abuses suffered by NXIVM's victims — from mind games to being branded as property and trafficked as a way to fund Raniere's lavish lifestyle. Where Sarah and Nippy existed within NXIVM's hierarchy, the parts they played, and what broke the spell that held them enthralled in the cult's sinister machinations. How Sarah and Nippy are coping with the aftermath of their traumatic experiences, and what they're doing to raise awareness of how cults like NXIVM ruin people's lives. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/771 Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course! Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!

Sarah Edmondson (@sarahjedmondson) and Anthony "Nippy" Ames (@nippyames) are two former NXIVM cult members turned whistleblowers. Together, they host the podcast A Little Bit Culty, and are featured in HBO's series The Vow. Sarah's 12-year ordeal is chronicled in Scarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult That Bound My Life. [This is part one of a two-part conversation. Stay tuned for part two later this week!] What We Discuss with Sarah Edmondson and Nippy Ames: How NXIVM began as a community of like-minded individuals who were committed to personal growth and self-improvement and devolved into a cult under the leadership of its narcissistic founder, Keith Raniere. How Hollywood celebrities came to be courted and ultimately controlled by Raniere and the NXIVM cult. The endless abuses suffered by NXIVM's victims — from mind games to being branded as property and trafficked as a way to fund Raniere's lavish lifestyle. Where Sarah and Nippy existed within NXIVM's hierarchy, the parts they played, and what broke the spell that held them enthralled in the cult's sinister machinations. How Sarah and Nippy are coping with the aftermath of their traumatic experiences, and what they're doing to raise awareness of how cults like NXIVM ruin people's lives. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/770 Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course! Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!

TUESDAY!! Been waiting to talk to todays guests forever. We are so lucky to have Sarah Edmondson and Anthony "Nippy" Ames from the podcast A Little Bit Culty (www.alittlebitculty.com) IG:@alittlebitculty. If you want to skip straight to the interview use the timestamps! 3:15-Show Notes/Todd and Julie Chrisley sentenced/History of the Vow, NXVIM and Keith Raniere 31:27-Sarah and Nippy from A Little Bit Culty This weeks pods are sponsored by our friends at MASTERCLASS!! I highly recommend you check it out. This holiday, give one annual membership and get one free! Go to MASTERCLASS.com/SOBAD today. That's MASTERCLASS.com/SOBAD. Terms apply. Go sign up for the patreon too if you want to be added to our What'sApp BravoCon message list! Released two new patreon only eps this weekend! patreon.com/sobaditsgood If you want to watch this on youtube go and subscribe to the so bad its good YouTube page! Go check it out! https://youtu.be/ngGQDuwbBRw I have decided to cover my new favorite reality show Netflix's Selling the OC from the creator of Selling Sunset. It's insane! Kate Legako (friend of the pod @middlekate) joins me to recap. If you want to hear recaps of the 8 episodes go sign up at patreon.com/sobaditsgood. Also, the Kardashian episodes will all be on the patreon only starting next week. Also, So Bad It's Good has merch now! Go to www.sobaditsgoodmerch.com to order yours TODAY! Also, So Bad It's Good has a voicemail now! 323-425-9542. Pleas feel free to call with your thoughts! If you do you are giving me full permission to use on the show! Also, I'm on CAMEO. I'll be filming in Dorit's Room so sign up today at cameo.com and search Ryan Bailey! Have a great week guys! Remember to subscribe and join me Monday thru Thursday for interviews with podcasters and reality stars, show recaps, Garth and Justin, Bill and Becky Bailey and so much more!! Plus, tell your friends. I, honestly, think there is something for everyone in these pods. The more the merrier!  ALSO GO CHECK OUT THE PATREON patreon.com/sobaditsgood. Support what we are doing here. THANK YOUUUUUUU!!!!! If you're enjoying the insane amount of blood, sweat and literal tears of this pod consider telling a friend or rating us 5 stars on iTunes! Special shoutout to Maritza Lopez (Insta: @maritza.gif) for all of her insanely hard work creating these beautiful pieces of art on my instagram and patreon page!!  Instagram: @sobaditsgoodwithryanbailey, @ryanbailey25 Twitter:@ryanabailey25 TIKTOK @sobaditsgoodwithryanb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Legal expert Emily D. Baker gives an update on the Jen Shah case and December sentencing post-BravoCon. Sarah Edmondson and Nippy Ames from The HBO Original six-part documentary series THE VOW, PART TWO. Set against the backdrop of the federal trial of The United States against Keith Raniere, THE VOW, PART TWO offers a rare view into Raniere's innermost circle, including NXIVM co-founder Nancy Salzman. It follows the legal and emotional journeys of the group's founders, supporters, and defectors as new evidence and stunning revelations come to light, while federal prosecutors and defense attorneys engage in a trial in the national spotlight. Reality Life with Kate CaseyPatreon: http://www.patreon.com/katecaseyCameo: https://cameo.com/katecaseyTwitter: https://twitter.com/katecaseyInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/katecaseycaTik Tok: http://www.tiktok.com/itskatecaseyClubhouse: @katecasey Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/113157919338245Amazon.com: www.amazon.com/shop/katecaseySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Continuing with cult month, today we are diving into the world of NXIVM where we welcome two survivors turned whistleblowers of a very famous cult masked as an MLM company. NXIVM became widely known during their high profile RICO case involving celebrities, billionaire heiresses, and the FBI. This week on Almost Adulting, Violet speaks with Sarah Edmondson and Anthony “Nippy” Ames, hosts of A Little Bit Culty podcast and former members of NXIVM. Founded by Keith Raniere, NXIVM posed themselves as a self-improvement group, only to later be exposed as a “sex cult” by extorting, sex trafficking, and implementing force labor upon its members. Sarah and Nippy open up about the details of how they were lured into NXIVM, what it was like on the inside, and the horrifying secrets they discovered after Sarah was forcibly branded. Sarah and Nippy tell the story of how they were integral to the downfall of NXIVM and the arrest of its leaders. The couple is also recently featured in HBO's The Vow, a documentary diving into the world of NXIVM, and Sarah is also the author of Scarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult That Bound My Life.TW: sexual abuseCOME TO MY SHOW AT THE HOLLYWOOD IMPROV ON OCT. 24! BUY TICKETS HERE: https://improv.com/comic/violet+benson/ THIS WEEK'S PODCAST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:Dave: Download the Dave app to get the financial relief they need with ExtraCash.Athletic Greens: http://www.athleticgreens.com/VIOLETBENSONAdvertise with Almost Adulting at Gumball.fm What to Listen For:00:00 Introduction01:06 What is NXIVM?02:24 All cults have a mission of ‘saving the world'07:54 “That will not happen to me.”10:28 Why is it important for cults to isolate themselves?12:38 NXIVM is a personality cult17:22 How did it become an MLM cult?23:39 Ranking within the cult27:56 Feeling guilty for recruiting people33:04 The women sub-group: DOS42:12 When women take advantage of other women45:11 Triggering the downfall of the cult48:10 Removing the branding49:56 Are there any people right now that should be in jail? Connect with Sarah and Nippy on:A Little Bit CultyScarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult That Bound My LifeSarah EdmondsonAnthony AmesGet more content on:@almostadulting on Instagram@violetbenson on Instagram@daddyissues_ on InstagramYouTubeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.