Generation Cult

The Farm and The Neon Sun with Kate

May 10, 2024 09:13 - 43 minutes - 59.6 MB

Kate grew up in the secluded High View Church Farm where children worked and lived in militant conditions, rarely saw their families, and had little contact with the outside world. She left with only a couple of dollars in her pocket and no idea if that was a lot of money or not. Education was a lifeline but it's also pretty expensive. Kate lived in her car some of the time to save money. Now she advocates for housing for students. She's also the co-founder and managing editor of Red Hen...

Rejecting Race Rhetoric with Amanda

April 30, 2024 09:14 - 55 minutes - 75.7 MB

The church Amanda grew up in was started by a man known for his ejection from the KKK for being too militant. The tight and secretive community that revolved around the church valued white supremacy, male dominance, and obedience. Amanda had a lot of questions. A girl with questions wasn't valued in this community. Neither were women who wore pants or got educations. She did a lot of things that made her congregation mad, including learning how to not be racist. Join us for a very interest...

In God's Name Pod with Grace

March 27, 2024 10:02 - 37 minutes - 50.9 MB

Yes, we are back! We're kicking off Season 4 with a conversation with Grace. She grew up in a little-known Christian fundamentalist group referred to as the Geftakys Assembly and, although her family left when she was young, she was impacted greatly by leadership's harsh rules regarding women and children. So greatly was Grace impacted that she dove into a years-long history/research project and created her own podcast about it called "In God's Name: An Unseen Cult." New episodes are being...

We Love New Books: Forager with Michelle

October 20, 2023 08:44 - 41 minutes - 57.4 MB

We're back with yet another special literary edition! For this bonus episode, we're celebrating the recent launch of the book "Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult." It's out now in bookstores and on Amazon. The author, Michelle, was raised in an end-times group that was started by her grandfather in the 1930s. As survivalists in an organization referred to as “The Field,” her family lived in isolation on a mountain, where they foraged for food and viewed basic comforts as ...

Book Launch Edition: I See You Survivor with Liz

August 29, 2023 07:36 - 48 minutes - 67.2 MB

Generation Cult is dropping back in with a bonus edition to celebrate today's launch of Liz Ianelli's new book called "I See You, Survivor: Life Inside (and Outside) the Totally F*cked-Up Troubled Teen Industry." In it, Liz details her years left at a program within the Troubled Teen Industry, a network of expensive residential programs, wilderness camps, and religious-affiliated establishments meant to set your child straight. Join us as we discuss Liz's time in one of these programs, ho...

Ep. 14: Tween Marriage and the Culture of Polygamy with Tamara

April 14, 2023 08:00 - 1 hour - 92.2 MB

Tamara grew up in a Sufi polygamist organization in the US and England. Her father joined the group when she was 5 and she soon found herself torn between a somewhat "normal" life with her mother and a bizarre, hard-working communal lifestyle with her dad. Deemed a "special child" by her father's group, she was sent to live with the leader, who put her to work caring for young children and cooking and cleaning in his mansion alongside his multiple wives. At age 12, Tamara got married -- a ...

Ep. 13: Declared Evil with Rhonda

March 31, 2023 09:54 - 51 minutes - 70.3 MB

Rhonda's parents joined the Holy Order of MANS (standing for Mysterian, Agape, Nous and Sophia in Greek, or mystery, love, mind and wisdom in English) when she was a year old. The San Francisco-based group held classes and meetings studying a mix of religions, initially leaning heavily on New Age concepts and Christianity. Children were not allowed to live with parents, so she was raised on a farm with other kids as her parents moved through the ranks of the organization. The Holy Order ch...

Ep. 12: Searching for Healthy Community with Sarah

March 24, 2023 06:43 - 36 minutes - 50.6 MB

Sarah grew up in a bible-based group in Ohio with about 400 members, many of whom are related to her. She was sexually abused throughout her childhood, something she reported to leaders of her organization, who not only didn't stop the perpetrators but told her she was one who had sinned. Sarah left in her early 20s struggling with mental health issues as she got her education, traveled the world and started her own business. Along the way, she searched for a new, healthy community where ...

Ep. 11: The Influence of Faith with Will

March 10, 2023 09:00 - 47 minutes - 65.7 MB

Will grew up devout in an evangelical community and attended Christian schools, camps and mission trips. His beliefs were so strong in his youth that he describes himself as becoming radicalized and isolated from the rest of society. But in his teens he began to question his church's strict guidelines regarding who can be saved or even considered a Christian. After conversations with people from other faiths and failed attempts to have his questions answered within his community, he left his...

Ep. 10: Cults and Courts with Carol

February 24, 2023 11:08 - 52 minutes - 72.5 MB

While listening to the stories on Generation Cult, do you ever wonder at what point people can take legal action against their abusers? Do you want to know what charges have been brought against coercive groups and taken seriously in the courts? In this episode, Dhyana interviews attorney Carol Merchasin, who has brought successful lawsuits on behalf of people who were sexually abused in Buddhist, yoga and cult-like groups. Join us as we discuss the most effective ways to approach cases a...

Bonus: Talking Twelve Tribes with Tim

February 21, 2023 23:15 - 13 minutes - 19.1 MB

****Bonus episode! Dhyana chats with Tim Elliott, host of the new podcast called "Inside the Tribe," which takes a deep dive into controversial religious sect the Twelve Tribes. This short interview is a great companion to our Ep. 9: "Finding Freedom from the Twelve Tribes with Suvav," which released to the public on Feb. 10. Suvav also appears on "Inside the Tribe," which you can find on most podcast platforms. Elliott, an investigative journalist for the Sydney Morning Herald, first beca...

Ep. 9: Finding Freedom from the Twelve Tribes with Suvav

February 10, 2023 08:51 - 1 hour - 85.2 MB

Suvav grew up in the Twelve Tribes, a controversial religious organization founded in the 1970s that has since been accused of systemic child abuse, medical neglect, labor violations, arson, murder, and even more. In 2019, Suvav -- now an adult with three children -- left with his wife and kids, and are still struggling to find housing and stability in the world outside the Twelve Tribes community. On this episode, we chat with Suvav about growing up in the group as a hard-working, misunde...

Ep. 8: End Times and Conspiracy Theories with Emily

January 27, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 96.9 MB

Emily was raised on a secluded farm in the Midwest with her six siblings before her family moved to the Pacific Northwest. Her parents were convinced that the world was going to end in 2012 and taught the children about survival, encouraged them to stay away from "outsiders," kept them minimally homeschooled, and controlled their day-to-day lives. Emily began a tough acclimation to the rest of the world after 2012 came and went, and she was allowed to attend school. When the pandemic began...

Ep. 7: Life After Mormon and Trauma Recovery with Jolyn

January 13, 2023 08:27 - 57 minutes - 79.4 MB

Welcome back to Generation Cult and Happy New Year! We are kicking off 2023 with this episode about Jolyn, who grew up in the Mormon Church. While her experiences weren't as extreme as some of the other stories we've had here, she describes a sort of "whisper campaign" she experienced as an unenthusiastic member who then left, and the harm that even subtle group pressure can do. After experiencing upheaval in her family involving the criminal justice system, Jolyn -- now a trauma recovery...

Ep. 6: The COG and the Media Part II with Amy

December 16, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 99.7 MB

Welcome to Part II in our two-part series about the Children of God (aka the Family International), the infamous group created in the late 1960s that became known for the sexual exploitation of its members. Amy grew up in the Children of God (COG) and was coerced away from her parents to be trafficked as a child entertainer through many countries to promote the COG. She was also sent to live with the group's founder David Berg. Finally, as an adult with her own children, she able to escape...

Ep. 5: The COG and the Media Part I with Christina

December 02, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 84.1 MB

Christina grew up in the Children of God (aka The Family International), a group founded in 1968 by the late David Berg. As the organization grew, its members moved all over the world and were coerced into prostitution and other labor to bring in more money and support. Many children were born overseas, moved around contently, exploited and sexually abused. Christina lived a controlled, isolated existence and was trafficked through many countries well into adulthood. Finally, as a mother...

Ep. 4: Scientology Confessionals with Chris

November 25, 2022 10:00 - 47 minutes - 64.7 MB

Chris, a former classmate of Dhyana and Ashlen in the Psychology of Coercive Control graduate program, grew up in Scientology. He stayed through adulthood, marrying another Scientologist, working for Scientology, joining the Sea Org. ... until he couldn't put up with all the lying anymore. After Chris left, he wrote a book about his time in Scientology and went on to amplify his voice through his YouTube channel and podcast Sensibly Speaking. Join us as we hear Chris' story and discuss hi...

Ep. 3: Weight Loss & Coercive Control with Megan

November 11, 2022 10:03 - 58 minutes - 80.5 MB

When Megan was young, her mom introduced her to Gwen Shamblin and her Weigh Down Workshop diet seminar. Gwen taught that God wanted them to be thin and helped Megan and her mom lose weight by cutting their food intake. Megan's life became steadily more controlled as Gwen, who also started the Remnant Fellowship, demanded absolute obedience to herself and the group. Megan stayed under the control of her mother, the diet workshop, Gwen and the Remnant Fellowship until she was a young adult....

Ep. 2: Denial with Dhyana

November 04, 2022 12:07 - 56 minutes - 78.2 MB

Want to know more about the host of Generation Cult? Join us as co-host Ashlen Hilliard interviews Dhyana Levey.

Ep. 1: What is a Cult? with Ashlen

October 28, 2022 10:37 - 1 hour - 88.3 MB

Welcome to the first episode of Season 3! We are so excited to be back, and also thrilled to welcome Ashlen Hilliard as a co-host. Since you'll be hearing her voice throughout the new season, we wanted you to get to know her better, so she's also our guest for this episode. Ashlen grew up in the conservative Church of Christ while living in the midst of Utah's Mormon culture. Mormons were constantly trying to convert her, while she was trying to convert them. When the strict rules handed d...

Ep. 10: You Don't Have to Tell Them Anything

April 22, 2020 09:00 - 1 hour - 143 MB

On the final episode of Generation Cult, we wrap up Season 2 with a conversation with Meghan, an ex-Jehovah's Witness. She left as a young adult when the mental anguish she experienced within the organization threatened to take her life. But that departure sent her on a roller coaster of family detachments that she still rides to this very day. Although relieved to flee the bible-based religion, she continued to believe its teachings and was convinced she was going to die in Armageddon. S...

Ep. 9: TM Redux

March 02, 2020 08:00 - 44 minutes - 103 MB

Do you remember Gina from Season 1? She discussed growing up in the Transcendental Meditation movement during the height of its guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's fame. Well, due to some pretty poor sound issues in that last episode, we've brought Gina back for Season 2! Hence, the "TM Redux" title. While Gina does talk again about her unattended childhood in the movement, which led to a relationship with a much older man and, subsequently, children, we also discuss other issues with TM overal...

Ep. 8: The Cult Pseudo Identity

February 11, 2020 08:00 - 34 minutes - 78 MB

In this expert episode, we talk to Gillie, a psychotherapist and the director of the UK-based Hope Valley Counselling, which for the past 16 years has provided post-cult counseling to those recovering from extreme, “high-demand” organizations. Join us as we chat about the mental health services she provides to patients as well as the training she offers for other therapists who want to work with people coming out of cults. Gillie also discusses her doctoral research and thoughts about what...

Ep. 7: Devastating Disconnections

January 24, 2020 08:00 - 1 hour - 155 MB

When Aaron and his twin brother were 4, their mom joined Scientology. The boys grew up with the organization as a main focus in their lives. Their formal education ended after Aaron finished the seventh grade. He then worked full time for Scientology as a staff member from age 12 to 26. But soon came a wave of family rifts, including a great tragedy that severed him from someone he loved. Aaron left Scientology in 2014 and appeared on the first season of A&E's "Leah Remini: Scientology a...

Ep. 6: The Medium and the Time Machine

December 23, 2019 08:00 - 1 hour - 148 MB

When Katharina was 10 years old, her parents packed up their possessions, moved out and joined "The Family," a New Age cult that started in Germany and moved around a bit before settling in a Belize jungle. The group was led by a controlling man who managed a woman claiming to be a medium. Both favored inappropriate relationships with minors and encouraged other members of the cult to do the same. Katharina's childhood experiences included separation from her parents, sexual abuse, underag...

Ep. 5: You Might As Well Be a Therapist!

November 21, 2019 08:00 - 37 minutes - 86.5 MB

It's time to bring in an expert! As much as we love hearing personal stories, we'd also like to add commentary about cults and coercive control from someone who has studied the subject matter and worked directly with patients. In this episode, we sit down with Colleen Russell, a San Francisco Bay Area therapist who has spent about 20 years counseling people who were raised in or joined cults. Colleen has not only helped people recover from controlling group or one-on-one experiences but sh...

Ep. 4: Fright-Based Faith

November 01, 2019 09:30 - 52 minutes - 121 MB

During this week of Halloween, we discuss fear -- fear of punishment, fear of the apocalypse, fear of God. Tammie grew up with these fears in an ultra fundamentalist Christian organization that subjected children to harsh punishments and encouraged its members not to interact with the rest of society. Tammie was taught everyone outside her church and school was sinful, but what she ended up fearing most was the group itself. And now that she's out, she sees some pretty scary things in curr...

Ep. 3: Moonies (But Don't Call Them Moonies) 2

October 14, 2019 04:00 - 46 minutes - 106 MB

In Part 2 of our two-part series about The Unification Church (Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity) otherwise known as the "Moonies," we chat with Lisa Kohn, author of the recent memoir "To the Moon and Back: A Childhood Under the Influence." Lisa joined the church at age 10 with her mom and little brother and thought it was the answer to her family's problems. She hadn't approved of her parents' counter-culture lifestyle and craved the stability she believed ...

Ep. 2: Moonies (But Don't Call Them Moonies) 1

October 01, 2019 04:00 - 52 minutes - 72 MB

In Part 1 of our two-part series about The Unification Church (Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity) otherwise known as the "Moonies," we sit down for a chat with San Francisco artist and comedian Teddy Hose. He was a "blessed child" -- the result of a marriage between two church members brought together by the Rev. Sun Myung Moon -- and grew up close to the Moon family. Join us as we discuss Moon's children, the church, concerns about its use of guns and Teddy...

Ep. 1: No Horses in India

September 16, 2019 04:00 - 1 hour - 309 MB

*Artwork: oil on canvas by Narangkar Glover Shangri-La Girls School: A Thousand Stairs 2011 (60 x 60 inches) **This episode contains descriptions of child abuse and other content that listeners might find disturbing. Welcome back to Generation Cult! We are kicking off the second season of the podcast with a story about Narangkar, an artist who grew up in 3HO (Healthy, Happy Holy Organization), which is connected to Kundalini Yoga and Sikh Dharma. Narangkar and her two sisters navigat...

Generation Cult Preparing for Season 2!

May 23, 2019 20:24 - 2 minutes - 2.56 MB

Generation Cult is working on a Season 2! Come support the show at StudioToBe in Oakland on Friday, May 31 and enjoy a happy hour plus a Q&A with guests from Season 1. Tickets are available on eventbrite: www.eventbrite.com/e/a-happy-hour-…ets-61544020823 Join us for a fun time and help us raise money for editing, sound engineering and more! If you can't make the event or just want to donate, check out our GoFundMe page: www.gofundme.com/f/generation-cult-season-2 Thanks for your support!

Promo: Generation Cult Preparing for Season 2!

May 23, 2019 20:24 - 2 minutes - 2.56 MB

Generation Cult is working on a Season 2! Come support the show at StudioToBe in Oakland on Friday, May 31 and enjoy a happy hour plus a Q&A with guests from Season 1. Tickets are available on eventbrite: www.eventbrite.com/e/a-happy-hour-…ets-61544020823 Join us for a fun time and help us raise money for editing, sound engineering and more! If you can't make the event or just want to donate, check out our GoFundMe page: www.gofundme.com/f/generation-cult-season-2 Thanks for your support!

Ep. 9: Sandy Footprints

November 09, 2018 08:00 - 53 minutes - 49.4 MB

Wrap things up with us for the season during a chat with Lalita, who was raised in the Science of Identity Foundation. This group, developed in the 1970s, has similarities to the Hare Krishna movement and revolves around a. ... let's say. ... very demanding leader. We'll discuss germaphobia, child labor, arranged marriages, eating sand out of footprints and pursuing a long-overdue education. We hope you enjoyed this season and hope to discuss cults with you again next year!

Ep. 8: Escaping Utopia; A Conversation with Janja Lalich

October 26, 2018 07:00 - 30 minutes - 28.3 MB

We had a visit from Dr. Janja Lalich, an author and educator who has a new book out about children raised in cults called "Escaping Utopia: Growing Up in a Cult, Getting Out and Starting Over." Janja chats with us about her research for this project as well as her time working and writing with the late Margaret Singer, a prominent psychologist known for her studies on undue influence. *A few sound issues on this one, too. Please bear with us -- the content is good!

Ep. 7: The Age of Enlightenment

October 19, 2018 07:00 - 55 minutes - 50.4 MB

Welcome back! Now we are talking Transcendental Meditation, focusing on the story of one women who grew up in the TM community during the reign of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Gina, the focus of this episode, talks about being a child in the group and then becoming mother of three who had to struggle once she left. *There were some noise issues during this episode including spotty microphone quality and what sounded like a large group of people having a party outside the studio during recording....

Ep. 6: God's Chosen People

September 14, 2018 07:00 - 54 minutes - 50 MB

On this episode we learn about the harsh rules and restrictions for members --- especially children -- in Eugene Spriggs' The Twelve Tribes, which began in 1970s Tennessee. Samie, founder of a nonprofit to assist people raised in cults, tells us all about growing up in this group and her detachment from mainstream society. Her first attempt to escape at age 18 was unsuccessful. She'll talk to us about how she got out and where she went.

Bonus Ep. 5b: IndoctriNation Interview w/Dhyana Levey

August 30, 2018 21:00 - 57 minutes - 52.9 MB

Dhyana Levey, host of Generation Cult, was recently interviewed on another podcast called IndoctriNation. It's hosted by Rachel Bernstein, who was just a guest on our last episode titled "Let's Call an Expert!" Today we will share the interview from Rachel's show IndoctriNation. We hope you aren't confused. Just listen.

Ep. 5: Let's Call An Expert!

August 20, 2018 10:00 - 42 minutes - 59 MB

Although we love a good personal story, we also love a good expert -- so we're going to call one. For this show we're chatting with family therapist and cult specialist Rachel Bernstein, who has spent 27 years counseling people who grew up in high-demand groups. She'll tell us about common struggles these people face when trying to get on with their lives, and where anyone seeking resources can go to get help.

Ep. 4: The Perpetual Armageddon

August 03, 2018 04:00 - 1 hour - 56.5 MB

Why do some people consider being a Jehovah Witness being part of a cult? Our first guest is Kourtney, who grew up a true believer in the religion only to lose her whole family when she began to question it. This is another two-guest episode: We'll also meet Andre, a makeup artist who tried desperately to fit in with his Jehovah Witness community until accepting that the community had rejected him.

Ep. 3: Thetans Anonymous

July 20, 2018 16:00 - 1 hour - 61 MB

Scientology is such a large topic that we need two guests. First up we have someone going by a false name to explain the fall out of leaving the group after a questionable accusation. We also chat with Christi (real name) who appeared recently on A&E's Scientology and the Aftermath to discuss her chaotic childhood within the church. Warning: This episode contains descriptions of sexual abuse.

Episodes

Books

Twitter Mentions