We’re dropping in with a bonus two-parter featuring Lauren and Aaliyah—two former NXIVM insiders who became fast friends while navigating the pressure-cooker world of “life issues,” ranking systems, and weaponized empowerment. In part 1, we talk about how it all starts: the acting classes, the “juicy” coaching, the promises of personal growth… and how that slow creep into cult control messes with your sense of self, your relationships, and your gut instincts.

We also take a minute to sound off on some recent headlines—because when powerful men keep dodging consequences (hi, Diddy), it’s hard not to draw comparisons to Keith and the crew. And yes, we’re still waiting on that Ghislaine Maxwell client list.

This one’s about gaslighting disguised as growth, friendships forged in the fire, and the red flags that just kept waving. Stay tuned for part two next week. 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.

**PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here 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

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. This week our guest is Rachael Reign, a survivor of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG).

At just 13, Rachael was swept into UCKG’s world of fire and brimstone – where teenage exorcisms were a weekly ritual, your mental health struggles meant demons were lurking inside you, and giving your last cent to the church wasn’t just encouraged – it was demanded.

She shares how she went from being a bright, curious teenager to a youth group leader tasked with recruiting others, cleaning the church floorboards with her tears, and enduring violent “strong prayers” that left her bruised, broken, and questioning her sanity. Behind the gospel music and shiny sermons was a cult built on fear, shame, and draining its members dry in the name of salvation.

Rachael doesn’t hold back as she unpacks the manipulative recruitment tactics, the psychological torment disguised as faith, and the way UCKG weaponized scripture to justify abuse and financial exploitation. She also takes us through her escape – losing everything she knew, only to rebuild from the ashes into an advocate fighting for cult survivors and legal reform in the UK.

Because when your church tells you to give God everything, what they really mean is: give it to us – your money, your body, your mind, your freedom.

For more from Rachael, follow her on Instagram @rachaelreign.

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.

**PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here 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

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

Raw vegan queen. Netflix’s “Bad Vegan.” Culty comeback queen. Whatever label you stick on Sarma Melngailis, it’s clear she’s not done telling her side of the story – and we’re here for it.

In Part 2 of our chat, Sarma gets even realer about life after Mr. Fox. From the mind games that taught her to dissociate, to her self-diagnosed matrix moments, she opens up about rebuilding her identity in a world that still sees her as a headline villain. She talks dating post-trauma, the healing power of alone time (cue: tears, journals, and EFT tapping), and why her business decisions now come with a hefty dose of pause and reflect.

Plus, Sarma shares why she walked away from partnerships that didn’t vibe, her hot takes on the “non-reactivity” cult trend, and what Bad Vegan got oh-so-wrong about her. Spoiler: it’s a lot.

For more on Sarma, you can find her on Instagram @sarmamelngailis, on her website sarmaraw.com, or on Patreon at patreon.com/sarmasarma. Also, check out her book The Girl with the Duck Tattoo, available for pre-order now. 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.

**PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here

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

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

Raw vegan queen turned Netflix “villain”? In this episode, we sit down with Sarma Melngailis – yes, Bad Vegan Sarma – to get the real story behind the headlines. She’s back for her third culty chat, this time with the exclusive on her brand-new memoir The Girl with the Duck Tattoo (don’t worry, we ask her about the title).

Sarma dives into the psychological warfare that turned her life upside down: coercive control, gaslighting, and a manipulative Mr. Fox who left her broke, arrested, and widely misunderstood. She opens up about the pain (and relief) of telling it all, what the Netflix doc twisted, and why she’s reclaiming her narrative – duck tattoo and all.

This one’s raw, redemptive, and a stark reminder: not every headline villain is the real bad guy. For more on Sarma, you can find her on Instagram @sarmamelngailis, on her website sarmaraw.com, or on Patreon at patreon.com/sarmasarma. Also, check out her book The Girl with the Duck Tattoo, available for pre-order now.

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.

**PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here 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

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 week, we’re diving deep into the twisted world of coercive control with the one and only Dr. Laura Richards – renowned criminal behavioral analyst, podcaster, and global expert on stalking, coercive control, and violent crime. We’re also joined by Lisa Bilyeu, host of Women of Impact and queen of calling out BS wherever it lurks.

Dr. Laura breaks down how cult leaders, predators, and power-hungry narcissists (looking at you, Sean Combs) use tactics straight out of the coercive control playbook to groom, manipulate, and dominate victims. We’re talking about how the “nice guy” veneer slowly erodes, why women like Christina Corom end up as right-hand enforcers, and why media still struggles to call out abusive power structures for what they are.

We also get into:

• Why grooming is always strategic, never accidental

• The eerie parallels between Keith Raniere, Sean Combs, and other culty figures

• The hidden dangers of female lieutenants like Nancy Salzman, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Christina Coram

• How to spot coercive control before it becomes your entire world

It’s a masterclass in manipulation, and a reminder that cult tactics aren’t confined to creepy compounds in Upstate New York. They’re happening in boardrooms, bedrooms, and billionaire circles everywhere.

Catch more of Dr. Laura Richards on the Crime Analyst Podcast https://www.crime-analyst.com or Crime Analyst Squad www.patreon.com/CrimeAnalyst

Or on Instagram @laurarichards999 and @crimeanalyst

For more information and resources, the following sites can be accessed:

www.thelaurarichards.com

https://www.dashriskchecklist.com/ And don’t miss Lisa Bilyeu’s Women of Impact for your weekly dose of female empowerment.

After this one, you’ll never hear “It’s All About the Benjamins” the same way.

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.

**PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here 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

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

Long before kale smoothies went mainstream, The Source Family was seducing Hollywood with vegan food, free love, and a guru who called himself Father Yod. This wasn’t just LA’s first vegan restaurant – it was a commune where long-haired devotees in white robes took ice-cold showers at dawn, meditated for hours, and followed strict spiritual rules under their bearded leader. Celebrities like John Lennon and Cher might have stopped by for a meal, but for many teen girls – often runaways – this place became home, for better or worse.

Wendy Baker was one of those girls. At 14, she left a traumatic childhood behind for promises of love and enlightenment. Renamed Mushroom, she was swept into a life of chanting, raw vegan meals, and devotion to Father Yod. By sixteen, she had her first child; by nineteen, she was ready to escape.

In this episode, Wendy shares what life was really like in the Source Family – from malnutrition and sleep deprivation to the ego-shaming that kept members silent. She talks about her journey out, her marriage to Bart, Father Yod’s son, and how writing her memoir, My Name Was Mushroom, helped her heal.

For more on Wendy’s journey, check out her website and memoir My Name Was Mushroom.

Trigger warning: This episode discusses childhood trauma, underage relationships, and cult manipulation.

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.

**PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here 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

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 week, we’re back with Harvard professor and author Rebecca Lemov to finish what we started: unraveling the tangled web of brainwashing…past, present, and disturbingly future-facing.

In Part 2, we go deeper into the CIA’s infamous MK Ultra program and its many (many) spin-offs, asking what really went down with Charles Manson, Jack Ruby, and cult “consultant” Louis Jolyon West. From LSD to hypnosis to rebranding your science after burning the files, the government’s experiments in mind control were both extreme and incredibly hush-hush. 

We also explore how classic brainwashing tactics, like Milieu Control and loaded language, haven’t gone away; they’ve just been re-skinned for the algorithm era. Think social media rabbit holes, crypto trading cults, and belief systems that sound more like start-up pitches than spiritual awakenings.

Plus, we talk trauma: how it’s misunderstood, under-acknowledged, and all too often the gateway drug into high-control groups. 

If you thought last week was unsettling, buckle up.

Find more about Rebecca Lemov and The Instability of Truth at rebeccalemov.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.

**PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here 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

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 week, we’re diving deep into the mind games with Harvard professor and author Rebecca Lemov, because if you’ve ever wondered whether brainwashing is real, the answer is a very unsettling yes.

In Part 1 of our convo, we’re cracking open the origins of brainwashing—from communist re-education camps to the electric shock labs of the Milgram experiment—and asking why we still can’t seem to prove it in court. Rebecca's new book, The Instability of Truth, peels back the layers of mind control and thought reform, including what went down with Patty Hearst, why Stockholm Syndrome isn’t what you think it is, and how emotional trauma becomes the secret sauce in cult programming.

We also get personal. NXIVM, anyone? The parallels between modern-day cults and Maoist “unity-criticism-unity” techniques are downright eerie... and maybe uncomfortably familiar.

From groupthink to gaslighting to re-grounding in a new belief system, this episode might just mess with your head a little (in a good way).

Trigger warning: once you see the matrix, it’s hard to unsee it. Find more about Rebecca Lemov and The Instability of Truth at rebeccalemov.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.

**PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here 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

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

It’s Thursday, and you know what that means: another bonus drop. And this one? It's got orgasms, criminal charges, and courtroom drama, so buckle up.

Award-winning journalist Ellen Huet joins us to dish on OneTaste, the orgasmic meditation company that sold itself as a path to sexual liberation but now finds its top brass convicted of forced labor conspiracy. Ellen’s been deep in the trenches covering the scandal and sat through every jaw-dropping moment of the Brooklyn trial.

We get into:

• The culty underbelly of “wellness” culture

• How orgasmic meditation became a tool for manipulation

• The courtroom moment Nicole and Rachel were taken into custody

• And why Ellen’s upcoming book (Empire of Orgasm, out this November) is about to blow the lid off what really went down behind closed doors

Plus: we kick around potential names for this Thursday series (got one? DM us), tease what’s coming next on Season 7, and shout out a few upcoming cultiverse guests.

Want more from Ellen? You can find her on her website. Pre-order Empire of Orgasm here.

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.

**PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here 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

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. This week, we’re clipping in with Jess Rothschild to talk about SoulCycle: the high-octane, candlelit cardio craze that once had New Yorkers dropping $20k to ride front row. With $100M+ in revenue, instructors trained like pop stars, and a tightly curated sense of belonging (read: exclusivity), SoulCycle pedaled its way into cultural obsession—and, depending on who you ask, cult status.

Jess, a former SoulCycle regular and host of the GLAAD-nominated Finding Fire Island and new docu-podcast Cult of Body & Soul, joins us to unpack the seductive psychology of the SoulCycle experience: from spiritual monologues to the sweaty transference happening mid-sprint. We talk about limerence, manipulation, performance, and yes, the merch.

Whether you’re a front-row devotee or just cult-curious, this ride gets personal. For more from Jess, check out her podcasts Hot Takes & Deep Dives and Cult of Body & Soul, or follow her on Instagram @jessxnyc. 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.

**PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here 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

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

We’re back with Part 2 of our conversation with Jane Borden, author of Cults Like Us, where we pick up right where we left off – with the Puritans, of course. Because what’s more American than a doomsday cult in denial?

In this half, we explore how their legacy of moral perfectionism, isolationism, and a rigid “us vs. them” worldview continues to shape American institutions, politics, and even pop psychology. Jane takes us through the cult wars of the ’80s and ’90s, the rise of deprogrammers and cult apologists, and the influence of Large Group Awareness Trainings (aka LGATs) like EST and Landmark on today’s self-help landscape.

We also dive into the concept of normative dissonance, how political architects like Newt Gingrich exploited division for power, and why bridging social gaps might be the antidote to modern-day culty chaos. Along the way, Jane reminds us why humor can be a powerful tool for understanding even the darkest parts of our culture.

If you missed Part 1, hit pause and go back. We promise it’s worth it! And be sure to check out Cults Like Us and more of Jane’s work at janeborden.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.

**PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here 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

Co-Creator: Jess Tardy

Writer: Kristen Reiter

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