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  • Dianne Lake – The Manson Family, Part 1: Meeting Charlie

    Episode 30: You’re a teenage girl in the late 60s, bouncing between communes, when a charismatic man and his group of young women welcome you with open arms. You were looking for a family, and now you’ve found one. In part one of an incredible interview, Dianne Lake, aka “Snake,” and her co-author Deborah Herman discuss growing up in 1960s counter-culture, the dark side of the sexual revolution, and what it was like becoming the youngest member of Charles Manson’s family. Stay tuned next week for part two, in which she tells Lola & Meagan how she learned about the murders!

    If you have your own story about cults, high-control groups, manipulation, or abuse of power, shoot us an email at trustmepod@gmail.com.

    FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:

    @trustmepodcast

    @oohlalola

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    OR TWITTER:

    @trustmecultpod

    @ohlalola

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    podtrac.com
  • Daniella Mestyanek Young, Part 1 - Children of God, 9/11, & Escaping the Cult

    In part one of her interview with Lola & Meagan, Children of God survivor and military veteran, Daniella Mestyanek Young, discusses being raised in the Children of God, the various forms of punishment she and the other children experienced, how child sexual abuse was not only encouraged but part of the belief system, how the youth were taught to practice for raids and lie to protect the group, why 9/11 was a turning point in her beliefs, and how she finally left the cult.

    Trust Me is brought to you by Prose! Take your FREE in-depth hair consultation and get 15% off your first order at Prose.com/trust 

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

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    INSTAGRAM:

    @TrustMePodcast

    @oohlalola

    @meaganelizabeth11

    TWITTER:

    @TrustMeCultPod

    @ohlalola

    @baberahamhicks

    TIKTOK:

    @TrustMeCultPodcast 

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  • Conspiracy Month: Lisa Fazio - Why Fake News Feels Real

    It's Conspiracy Month! In our first episode of the series, Lisa Fazio, Associate Professor of Psychology at Vanderbilt University, discusses how we come to believe falsehoods, why none of us are experts at discerning fact from fiction, and how repetition can make false information seem more true. She'll discuss why misinformation spreads so easily on the internet, ways we can protect ourselves from bad information (spoiler: it's hard), and how human memory is wildly unreliable - and, unfortunately, manipulatable.

    PLUS: Lola shares how her mom and stepdad spent the last year working to secretly take down polygamous cult leader Samuel Bateman.

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

    INSTAGRAM:
    @TrustMePodcast
    @oohlalola
    @meaganelizabeth11

    TWITTER:
    @TrustMeCultPod
    @ohlalola
    @baberahamhicks

    TIKTOK:
    @TrustMeCultPodcast 

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  • G Charles Wright: Growing up Bisexual, Natural Disasters & Abusive Parenting

    Casting director and former Christian G Charles Wright talks about growing up Christian and struggling with his sexuality, a natural disaster he was caught in the middle of, why he calls his mom a psychopath, and how he shed the influence of his upbringing and finally accepted himself and his sexuality.

    Got your own story about cults, extreme belief, or abuse of power? Leave a voicemail or text us at 347-86-TRUST (347-868-7878?) OR shoot us an email at Trust Me Pod @gmail.com

    FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:

    @trustmepodcast

    @oohlalola

    @vibehigherbitch

    OR TWITTER:

    @trustmecultpod

    @ohlalola 

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  • Maggie Rowe - Sinning Bravely and Moral Scrupulosity

    Today our guest is Maggie Rowe, former writer on Arrested Development and author of Sin Bravely, a book about her experiences with moral scrupulosity, or sin-focused OCD. We talk a lot about OCD on this show, so here’s a guest who wrote an entire book about growing up with religious obsessions! She’ll tell us about her first obsessions about what was and was not sin, how she started to analyze the Bible with a critical mind to try to understand how to avoid hell, and how her parents tried to help but her church leaders didn’t understand OCD and made it worse.

    We’ll talk about the compulsions she would engage in to make sure she was being the right amount of righteous, how she checked herself into a treatment facility for Christians, the incorrect diagnosis of bulimia she received, and how she finally got diagnosed with moral scrupulosity and began getting the treatment she actually needed.

    Trust Me is sponsored by ZocDoc! Stop putting off those doctors appointments! Go to ZocDoc.com/trustme to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor TODAY!

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

    INSTAGRAM:

    @TrustMePodcast

    @oohlalola

    @meaganelizabeth11

    TWITTER:

    @TrustMeCultPod

    @ohlalola

    @baberahamhicks

    TIKTOK:

    @TrustMeCultPodcast 

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  • The Cult of Hollywood

    Episode 48: Can success be its own cult? Lola & Meagan delve into how abuse of power plays into the entertainment industry, the experiences they've had firsthand with people in power, and the dark side of the pursuit of stardom.

    If you have your own story about cults, high-control groups, manipulation, or abuse of power, shoot us an email at trustmepod@gmail.com.

    FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:

    @trustmepodcast

    @oohlalola

    @vibehigherbitch

    OR TWITTER:

    @trustmecultpod

    @ohlalola

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    podtrac.com
  • Ashlen Hilliard - The Evolution of Cult Intervention Practices

    Cult interventionist and founder of People Leave Cults, Ashlen Hilliard, talks about her path to working in cult intervention and recovery, her personal religious experience that led her to this work, how interactions with Mormons in Utah affected her worldview, how she defines what a cult is, why accusing a group of being a cult isn't always helpful, how cult intervention today is different from how it was in the 70s, how it used to involved kidnapping and unethical practices, how her model takes a harm reduction approach, and when cult intervention practices can become culty themselves!

    We have deals for you!!

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    BUY OUR MERCH!! bit.ly/trustmemerch

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

    INSTAGRAM:

    @TrustMePodcast

    @oohlalola

    @meaganelizabeth11

    TWITTER:

    @TrustMeCultPod

    @ohlalola

    @baberahamhicks

    TIKTOK:

    @TrustMeCultPodcast

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    podtrac.com
  • Naomi Gibson - Children of God and NXIVM, Part 2: Recruited into NXIVM

    Episode 11: Lola and Meagan finish their interview with Naomi Gibson, former member of both the Children of God (aka the Family) and NXIVM. In part two of this two-part episode, she talks to the girls about how Mark Vicente recruited her into NXIVM, what she loved about J'ness, and how she was involved in the cult's unraveling. www.trustmepod.com 

    If you have your own story about cults, high-control groups, manipulation, or abuse of power, shoot us an email at trustmepod@gmail.com.

    FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:

    @trustmepodcast

    @oohlalola

    @vibehigherbitch

    OR TWITTER:

    @trustmecultpod

    @ohlalola

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    podtrac.com
  • Banachek, Part 1 - Mentalism vs Psychic Ability

    Episode 62: World famous mentalist and magician Banachek joins Lola & Meagan to discuss the difference between mentalists, magicians and psychics, how he became involved in a parapsychology research project called Project Alpha, and how you can become emotionally invested in something that you know is an illusion!

    If you have your own story about cults, high-control groups, manipulation, or abuse of power, shoot us an email at trustmepod@gmail.com.

    FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:

    @trustmepodcast

    @oohlalola

    @vibehigherbitch

    OR TWITTER:

    @trustmecultpod

    @ohlalola

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    podtrac.com
  • Allison Miller - Interstitial Cystitis, Orthorexia, and an Alternative Medicine Cult

    A Million Little Things star Allison Miller shares with Lola & Meagan how she was once a client of a culty alternative medicine clinic run by a couple who claimed to know how to heal her chronic bladder condition, Interstitial Cystitis (also known as Painful Bladder Syndrome). They dig into the societal reason why women have to resort to these measures to begin with, the extremely controlled diet and lifestyle she was told to adhere to—even when she began feeling worse, and how she became severely orthorexic, terrified of most foods, chemicals, and places. Plus, how she eventually stepped away from the group. 

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

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

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

    CHECK OUT OUR MERCH!! bit.ly/trustmemerch

    INSTAGRAM:

    @TrustMePodcast

    @oohlalola

    @meaganelizabeth11

    TWITTER:

    @TrustMeCultPod

    @ohlalola

    @baberahamhicks

    TIKTOK:

    @TrustMeCultPodcast

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    podtrac.com
  • Dr. Marc Feldman & Jordyn Hope - Munchausen by Proxy aka Medical Child Abuse

    Dr. Marc Feldman, professor of psychology and expert in Munchausen by Proxy, talks to the girls along with survivor Jordyn Hope for an information-packed episode. Dr. Feldman discusses why he prefers the term medical child abuse (MCA), some of the more extreme cases he's seen, red flags he looks out for, and how parents get doctors to believe and treat their children's fictional illnesses.

    Jordyn shares how they were medicated by their mom as a child, receiving surgery and treatments for conditions they never had, how they came to realize they had experienced MCA, and what it was like discovering evidence on their medical records, including learning that one doctor had tried to help.

    Plus, can perpetrators be treated? Can it be passed down? What's the difference between hypochondria and MCA, and what's the path to recovery for survivors? AND: resources for people who've experienced medical child abuse including:

    - https://www.munchausen.com

    - https://www.munchausensupport.com

    - https://www.nobodyshouldbelieveme.com

    - https://www.amazon.com/Dying-be-Ill-Marc-Feldman/dp/1138063835 

    Trust Me is brought to you by Prose! Take your FREE in-depth hair consultation and get 15% off your first order at Prose.com/trust 

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

    CHECK OUT OUR MERCH!! bit.ly/trustmemerch

    INSTAGRAM:

    @TrustMePodcast

    @oohlalola

    @meaganelizabeth11

    TWITTER:

    @TrustMeCultPod

    @ohlalola

    @baberahamhicks

    TIKTOK:

    @TrustMeCultPodcast

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    podtrac.com
  • Marji Mozart, Part 2 - Life After the FLDS

    Musician and former FLDS member, Marji Mozart, discusses her wedding day as an underage bride who had never been taught about sex, her multiple marriages including one to her sister's husband, the pain of feeling that her dreams of becoming a musician were dead, how spending time in the hospital with her child led staff to suspect that she was in an unhealthy relationship, and how she eventually left rekindled her life of pursuing music.

    Check out our holiday deals!

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

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

    INSTAGRAM:

    @TrustMePodcast

    @oohlalola

    @meaganelizabeth11

    TWITTER:

    @TrustMeCultPod

    @ohlalola

    @baberahamhicks

    TIKTOK:

    @TrustMeCultPodcast  

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  • Robert Fitzpatrick - The History of MLMs

    Time to level up. MLM expert and author of Ponzinomics, the Untold Story of Multi-Level Marketing, Robert Fitzpatrick, discusses the history of MLMs including why they took off in the 80s, their connection to the American Dream and economic inequality, the biggest scams he's seen over the years, how MLMs disconnect people from their identities, and what we can do about it if its happening to someone we love.

    Trust Me is sponsored by Progressive! Quote your car insurance at Progressive.com to join the over 29 million drivers who trust Progressive!

    Learn more about Robert's work at https://www.pyramidschemealert.org/ 

    Support victim survivors and prevent further abuse at https://voicesforthetruth.org/

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

    CHECK OUT OUR MERCH!! bit.ly/trustmemerch

    INSTAGRAM:

    @TrustMePodcast

    @oohlalola

    @meaganelizabeth11

    TWITTER:

    @TrustMeCultPod

    @ohlalola

    @baberahamhicks

    TIKTOK:

    @TrustMeCultPodcast

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  • Christy Carlson Romano - Child Actors & the Toddler to Trainwreck Pipeline

    From Even Stevens to Kim Possible, Disney Channel legend and Vulnerable podcast host Christy Carlson Romano talks about the difficulties of being a working actor from such a young age, what it was like to be well-known, and the pressures of stage parents. She also discusses the "toddler to trainwreck pipeline" and the lack of an exit strategy from child stardom, the flaws in the existing infrastructure meant to support young performers, and how the film industry can do better.

    Check out our great sponsors!!!

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

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

    Quote your car insurance at Progressive.com to join the over 29 million drivers who trust Progressive! 

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

    CHECK OUT OUR MERCH!! bit.ly/trustmemerch

    INSTAGRAM:

    @TrustMePodcast

    @oohlalola

    @meaganelizabeth11

    TWITTER:

    @TrustMeCultPod

    @ohlalola

    @baberahamhicks

    TIKTOK:

    @TrustMeCultPodcast

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  • Jillian Lauren, Part 1 - Life in a Harem

    Episode 64: You're young and struggling to make ends meet. Then you get invited to live in the lap of luxury in a place far away... with no guarantee of your safety. Writer Jillian Lauren recounts the events from her book Some Girls: My Life in a Harem as the guest of the Prince of Brunei, including how she was first recruited, how what she went through was similar to the Bachelor and the Hunger Games, the level of sadism she experienced, and the backlash received from her family for writing the book.

    If you have your own story about cults, high-control groups, manipulation, or abuse of power, shoot us an email at trustmepod@gmail.com.

    FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:

    @trustmepodcast

    @oohlalola

    @vibehigherbitch

    OR TWITTER:

    @trustmecultpod

    @ohlalola

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    podtrac.com
  • Adam Levin - Romance Scams, Hackers, & Protecting Your Identity

    Have you been scammed? Lola and Meagan have... and one of them was even part of one. What the Hack podcast host Adam Levin joins Trust Me to chat about phishing, romance scams that target the elderly, social engineering, who the scammers ARE, and tips on how to protect your identity online.

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

    CHECK OUT OUR MERCH!!! bit.ly/trustmemerch 

    INSTAGRAM:

    @TrustMePodcast

    @oohlalola

    @meaganelizabeth11

    TWITTER:

    @TrustMeCultPod

    @ohlalola

    @baberahamhicks

    TIKTOK:

    @TrustMeCultPodcast

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    podtrac.com
  • Gareth Gore - Opus Dei, Human Trafficking, & Project 2025

    Today our guest is Gareth Gore, journalist and author whose new book Opus is about Opus Dei, an ultra-conservative Catholic sect, its harmful practices, its history of dark money, and its connections to modern day right-wing American politics. Gareth shares how he came to this story while investigating the shady practices at a bank in Spain, the history of the group and the leader’s goals of recruiting elite members of society, and its cultic practices like living in gender segregated homes with a highly controlled life and doing body mortification rituals. He tells about how members would groom kids as young as 11 or 12 to become people of influence in the group, how there are a number of reports of trafficking low-income young women and girls in various countries to exploit their labor at Opus Dei retreats, how some people were fed a cocktail of prescription drugs they didn’t need, and whether there’s been any accountability for these practices—which the group tries to officially distance themselves from. Plus, its ties to prominent US conservative activist Leonard Leo, who’s had an outsized influence in naming three of our current Supreme Court appointees and who’s tied to Project 2025, seeking to “crush liberal dominance.”

    Check out our great sponsors!!

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    BUY OUR MERCH!! bit.ly/trustmemerch

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

    INSTAGRAM

    @TrustMePodcast

    @oohlalola

    @meaganelizabeth11

    TWITTER

    @TrustMeCultPod

    @ohlalola

    @baberahamhicks

    TIKTOK

    @TrustMeCultPodcast

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    podtrac.com
  • Rethinking Trauma: The Power Threat Meaning Framework with Lucy Johnstone

    UK consultant clinical psychologist and one of the authors of the power threat meaning framework Lucy Johnstone shares how her work is meant to re-conceive how we think of mental illness, why the DSM is flawed, the position of why labels are problematic, how "ideological power" factors in, how "mental illnesses" can be adaptive, and the importance of creating your narrative. PLUS!! A bonus interview with Lola's mom Dr Christine Marie!!

    Learn more about Lucy's below: 

    https://www.bps.org.uk/power-threat-meaning-framework 

    https://www.pccs-books.co.uk/products/a-straight-talking-introduction-to-the-power-threat-meaning-framework-an-alternative-to-psychiatric-diagnosis 

    If you have your own story about cults, high-control groups, manipulation, or abuse of power, shoot us an email at trustmepod@gmail.com

    FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:

    @trustmepodcast

    @oohlalola

    @vibehigherbitch

    OR TWITTER:

    @trustmecultpod

    @ohlalola 

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    podtrac.com
  • Priscilla Tucker, Part 1: The Kingstons, Polygamy, and a Cousin Engagement

    Priscilla Tucker, friend of the show and survivor of Mormon-offshoot polygamist group the Kingstons, talks about the origins of the group and how it differs from other polygamist sects, why so many members become doctors and lawyers, and her upbringing, including how she began working for pennies from the age of 8. They also discuss the leader of the group, its history of incest and underage marriages, and her brief underage engagement to her first cousin.

    Check out our amazing sponsors!!!

    Thrive Causemetics: Get an exclusive 15% off your first order at ThriveCausemetics.com/trustme

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    Progressive: Quote your car insurance at Progressive.com to join the over 29 million drivers who trust Progressive!

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

    CHECK OUT OUR MERCH!!! bit.ly/trustmemerch

    INSTAGRAM:

    @TrustMePodcast

    @oohlalola

    @meaganelizabeth11

    TWITTER:

    @TrustMeCultPod

    @ohlalola

    @baberahamhicks

    TIKTOK:

    @TrustMeCultPodcast

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    podtrac.com
  • Natascia Mallin – Therapy Cult, Part 2: Trauma Bonding & Lifting the Veil

    Episode 47: In part two of their discussion with author of The First 50, Natascia Mallin, Lola and Meagan discuss the trauma bonding that happened within the group, whether or not the program really worked, and the importance of staying anchored to the outside world.

    If you have your own story about cults, high-control groups, manipulation, or abuse of power, shoot us an email at trustmepod@gmail.com.

    FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:

    @trustmepodcast

    @oohlalola

    @vibehigherbitch

    OR TWITTER:

    @trustmecultpod

    @ohlalola

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    podtrac.com
  • Gerardo Lopez - MS-13, Part 1: LA in the 80s and 90s

    Episode 24: Meagan & Lola interview Gerardo Lopez, gang interventionist and former member of gang MS-13. In part 1, he tells the ladies about growing up in gang territory in LA in the 80s and 90s, getting jumped in to MS-13, and what life was like in the gang. They discuss getting arrested, gaming the system, and how being approached by an interventionist began to change things. In part 2, they'll discuss his journey through the criminal justice system during the era of the Rampart Scandal. IG: @trustmepodcast @oohlalola @vibehigherbitch Twitter: @trustmecultpod @ohlalola www.trustmepod.com

    If you have your own story about cults, high-control groups, manipulation, or abuse of power, shoot us an email at trustmepod@gmail.com.

    FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:

    @trustmepodcast

    @oohlalola

    @vibehigherbitch

    OR TWITTER:

    @trustmecultpod

    @ohlalola

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    podtrac.com
  • Torah Bontrager – Growing Up Amish, Part 1: Corporal Punishment & Rumspringa

    Episode 40: No cars, electricity, or indoor bathrooms - think you could do it? Activist / Amish Girl in Manhattan author TORAH BONTRAGER shares about her upbringing in an Amish community in Wisconsin, speaking the Amish language, the real meaning of Rumspringa, her tumultuous family relationships, the use of corporal punishment in Amish culture, and some of the abuse she experienced firsthand.

    If you have your own story about cults, high-control groups, manipulation, or abuse of power, shoot us an email at trustmepod@gmail.com.

    FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:

    @trustmepodcast

    @oohlalola

    @vibehigherbitch

    OR TWITTER:

    @trustmecultpod

    @ohlalola

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    podtrac.com
  • Erika Lantz & Elin Lantz Lesser - Book Burnings, Rapture Drills, & the River Road Fellowship

    Guests Erika Lantz and Elin Lantz Lesser join to discuss season 3 of their investigative podcast The Turning, which follows the journey of a young woman named Lindsay, a former member of a Christian group in Minnesota called River Road Fellowship. They talk about the background of the leader Victor Bernard, how Lindsay’s parents moved the family to the cult compound, and what it was like living there—with rapture drills that required the members to never venture far from the compound, a massive bonfire designed to destroy the members’ attachments to their pasts, and other forms of strict control. 

    They discuss how Lindsay was selected as a teenager to be one of Victor’s ten “maidens,” a group of girls and women living next to his lodge who were subjected to coerced labor and eventually sexual exploitation in what Lindsay only later learned was meant to be a lifelong commitment, the escape plans she was making, and how glimpses of the outside world led her to finally leaving.

    SOURCES: 

    The Turning: River Road

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    podtrac.com
  • Sarma Melngailis - Part 2: Isolation, Deeper into the Scam, & Getting Arrested

    In part 2, Sarma Melngailis, subject of the docuseries Bad Vegan and author of The Girl with the Duck Tattoo, tells Lola & Meagan how Mr. Fox consumed her time, overwhelmed her with information, and dangled promises of financial freedom that was always JUST around the corner as a way to get her to send him more and more money.

    She’ll share about the fabricated online personas he created as part of the manipulation, how he always knew things it seemed like he couldn’t have known, and the tactics he used to keep her in a constant state of confusion and dependence, driving across the country until they were finally both arrested. Plus, how she felt about her time in Rikers, and the current status of her restaurant.

    SOURCES

    The Girl With the Duck Tattoo

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    podtrac.com
  • Taylor Brown - Tech CEOs

    Episode 32: Charisma. Grand Ideas. Unchecked narcissism. What's stopping the world's tech CEOs from becoming our new 21st century cult leaders? Former corporate executive Taylor Brown joins Lola & Meagan to discuss all things WeWork, Elon Musk, Donald Trump, group retreats - and the psychology of corporate culture.

    If you have your own story about cults, high-control groups, manipulation, or abuse of power, shoot us an email at trustmepod@gmail.com.

    FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM:

    @trustmepodcast

    @oohlalola

    @vibehigherbitch

    OR TWITTER:

    @trustmecultpod

    @ohlalola

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    podtrac.com
  • April Snow - Scientology & the Sea Org, Part 2: Leaving & The Aftermath

    Episode 37: In part two of Trust Me's first interview with a former Scientologist, April Snow shares her thoughts on how the church treats drug and alcohol addiction, the fallout from her appearance on Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, and the division it caused within her family.

    If you have your own story about cults, high-control groups, manipulation, or abuse of power, shoot us an email at trustmepod@gmail.com.

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  • Amber Dawn Lee - Zion Society (Fundamentalist Mormon Cult)

    Episode 14: **TW: This episode contains detailed descriptions of sexual assault and child abuse.** Meagan and Lola interview Amber Dawn Lee about her childhood in Zion Society, a Fundamentalist Mormon group run by self-proclaimed prophet Arvin Shreeve. They discuss how she lived in poverty with extremist parents, what it was like in the abusive cult, and what the "sexual way of life" was. They also discuss life afterward, and how she doesn't let the trauma of the experience rent space in her brain.  

    If you have your own story about cults, high-control groups, manipulation, or abuse of power, shoot us an email at trustmepod@gmail.com.

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  • An Exciting Update from Lola and Meagan!

    The rumors are true—Trust Me is coming back this summer on the Exactly Right podcast network! This teaser has everything you need to know about our next chapter.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  • Caleb Ward, Part 1 - Kingdom Life Ministries and Evangelical Youth Culture

    Former pastor's son Caleb Ward joins Lola and Meagan to share his experience about the height of evangelical culture in the early 2000s in a church called Kingdom Life Ministries. Caleb discusses growing up in an environment where everyone was speaking in tongues and having loud prophecies in the middle of church, the pressures that come with being the son of a pastor, how heightened emotional experiences keep people connected to their churches, wild evangelical youth culture involving Christian rock, how good church leadership can actually exist, and why shunning is one of the worst parts of modern Christian religion.

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  • Will Allen - Buddhafield

    Episode 3: The girls interview Will Allen, director of the documentary Holy Hell, about his time in Buddhafield, the 80s New Age cult. They discuss how he lived with the group's guru for years, putting on performances, receiving the "Knowing," and filming everything--all while dealing with abuse. Follow Will on Instagram: @will_allen405 

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  • Aliia Roza - Former Russian Secret Agent and Sex Spy

    Subject of the new Neil Strauss podcast "To Die For", Aliia Roza shares about her childhood in Russia, her father who worked for the government, the training school and how she was coerced into joining a secret program for sex operations, the seduction and manipulation techniques she learned, how she was sexually abused in school, how she used those skills to survive, what her first missions were like... and of course... whether she ever killed anyone. Plus, how she wants to use her knowledge now to help women who are struggling to find love.

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  • J. Wesley Boyd - When Physician Health Programs Go Wrong

    Today our guest is J. Wesley Boyd, psychiatrist, professor, and the director of education at the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics. He joins us to talk about Physician Health Programs, (or PHPs) which are under-the-radar programs that most states have. They're supposed to be a place where doctors who are struggling with substance abuse or mental illness can go to recover. But Wes shares how a shocking number of doctors who do *not* have a substance use disorder are coerced into for-profit inpatient treatment that rips them away from their lives and costs them tens of thousands of dollars of their own money. And if they don’t comply with every demand, they’ll very likely lose their medical licenses. We’ll talk about the benevolent origin of PHPs, the profit motives that corrupted so many them over time, examples of folks who experienced this coercion at the expense of their mental health and career, and how no one believes people who were victims of them - which is why it’s important for people like Wes, who worked for one as a psychiatrist, to speak out. And as always, we will discuss the exceptions, because of course there are people who have been helped by them too.

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  • Jonathan Hirsch, Part 2 - Meditation, Getting Blessed, and Leaving Adidam

    In part 2 with podcaster & writer Jonathan Hirsch (creator of podcasts like Dear Franklin Jones), Lola & Meagan discuss life in the cult of Franklin Jones, aka Adi Da. They discuss the dramatic meditation rituals in the group, what it felt like to get blessed by the leader, and how different members saw some of the same things that had happened completely differently, depending on whether they still believed in him later or not.

    They discuss the lawsuits and allegations against Jones and how the cult panic of the time impacted the way his followers saw them, the importance of being able to admit when you’re wrong, and how ultimately Jonathan left.

    SOURCES

    Dear Franklin Jones

    The Mind Is Burning

     

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  • Hoyt Richards - From Supermodel to Cult Member

    Episode 38: What do you model your life after? For producer, actor, and former supermodel Hoyt Richards, it was the teachings of a charming man from Nantucket who spoke about the impending apocalypse and a distant star named Arcturus. Hoyt shares how he was indoctrinated into the Eternal Values cult as his modeling career was taking off, what he describes as "cultic relationships," and how Fabio (yes, that Fabio) was involved in his recovery.

    If you have your own story about cults, high-control groups, manipulation, or abuse of power, shoot us an email at trustmepod@gmail.com.

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  • Uriah Wesman, Part 2 - Growing Up in Three Cults (The Hearts Center and The Ideal Society)

    Today is part 2 with Uriah Wesman, former member of THREE different cults. This week he’ll talk to us more about cult #2, the Hearts Center (which was an offshoot of cult #1 from last week), what it was like being a rebellious emo kid slowly starting to realize inconsistencies in the church, and how his dad discovered cult #3 in Canada, the Ideal Society.

    We’ll talk about why he loved Canada so much, how he became obsessed with Alex Jones in his rebellious phase, and what that third cult - a vegan meditation cult - was like, being surrounded by adults who spoke French and didn’t want him there. Plus, how he ended up leaving, and how creating a one man show helped him process his experiences.

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  • Spencer Schneider: Sharon Gans, School, & a Manhattan Cult Story

    Can you keep a secret? Lawyer and author of Manhattan Cult Story: My Unbelievable True Story of Sex, Crimes, Chaos, and Survival discusses his attraction to esoteric philosophy, how he joined Sharon Gans' secretive group School, the strict social rules members had to follow and the similarities it shared with Fight Club, the financial and psychological abuse the members suffered, and how he finally left after being a member for 23 years.

    PLUS: Lola and Meagan discuss the intersection of social media and mental health, high rise jeans, death doulas, and open casket funerals. 

    FOR MORE INFO AND RESOURCES:

    https://nyc-wellness.com/ 

    http://www.cultrevolt.com/ 

    https://www.spencer-schneider.com/ 

    Got your own story about cults, extreme belief, or abuse of power? Leave a voicemail or text us at 347-86-TRUST (347-868-7878) OR shoot us an email at Trust Me Pod @gmail.com

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  • Glynn Washington - The Worldwide Church of God

    Episode 39: End time prophecies? Memorizing the bible? Required church vacations your family can't afford? Snap Judgment host and creator Glynn Washington shares his experiences growing up in the apocalyptic religion the Worldwide Church of God. He tells the girls about believing the end of the world was imminent, the white supremacist roots of the group and how he was forbidden from dating outside of his race, and the book that began to change his thinking.

    If you have your own story about cults, high-control groups, manipulation, or abuse of power, shoot us an email at trustmepod@gmail.com.


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  • Keith Page - From Megachurch Pastor to Secular Death Doula

    It's the episode you've been dying to hear. Keith Page, funeral celebrant, hospice chaplain, and death doula/midwife, shares what it was like being a pastor of large church and why parts of that experience made him uncomfortable, his fall from grace that led him to turn away from religion, and how he found his calling by helping people deal with death from a secular perspective. Plus, how you can find meaning and define your own values without religion, what Keith's end of life work actually entails (yes, sometimes there's dry ice involved), and the importance of normalizing death in our society. 

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  • REWIND: Frank Lyford - Heaven's Gate, Part 1: The Nomadic Lifestyle

    Episode 22: Lola & Meagan interview Frank Lyford, survivor of Heaven's Gate who left after 18 years--just a few years before discovering his friends and loved ones in the group had died by suicide. In part 1, he tells the girls how he began following the leaders Ti and Do, what it was like living a nomadic lifestyle with his "check partner," and what happened when they all settled in one place for "Class." They discuss being separated from the love of his life, how the rules became more strict and controlling, and how much darker things got after Ti got cancer. Stay tuned next week for part 2! Original Airdate: 03/10/2021

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  • Christina Babin - Children of God, Part 2: Reprogramming Camps

    Episode 45: In part two of their interview with Children of God survivor, Christina Babin, Lola and Meagan discuss life in the "reprogramming camps," the difficulty coming forward about these kinds of experiences, and finding love after leaving the group.

    If you have your own story about cults, high-control groups, manipulation, or abuse of power, shoot us an email at trustmepod@gmail.com.

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  • Jane Borden - Cults Like Us: Puritans, Demagogues, and America’s Doomsday Obsession

    Journalist Jane Borden joins the girls to discuss her book Cults Like Us, a gripping investigation into how cultic thinking is woven into the fabric of American life. Jane delves into the radical roots of early Protestant settlers, how the deep-rooted American mythology of a strong rebel cowboy who can save us from the bad guys makes us more susceptible to demagogues and authoritarians, and why pronatalism is just another form of doomsdayism.
    They talk about how fear of the end of the world, fear of not being good enough, and fear of “the other” influence us. They discuss everything from the bootstraps myth to mass marketing to self-help empires, and how the promise of salvation has shaped the American psyche more than we like to admit.

    SOURCES:
    Jane Borden
    Cults Like Us: Why Doomsday Thinking Drives America

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  • REWIND: Glynn Washington - The Worldwide Church of God

    Trust Me has joined Exactly Right Media. Hosts Lola Blanc & Meagan Elizabeth will be back with new episodes on Wednesday, July 30th.


    End time prophecies? Memorizing the bible? Required church vacations your family can't afford? Snap Judgment host and creator Glynn Washington shares his experiences growing up in the apocalyptic religion the Worldwide Church of God. He tells the girls about believing the end of the world was imminent, the white supremacist roots of the group and how he was forbidden from dating outside of his race, and the book that began to change his thinking. Original Airdate: 07/14/2021. 


    Subscribe on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. 

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  • Andrea Dunlop, Part 1 - Munchausen by Proxy, a Faked Miscarriage, and a Perpetrator in the Family

    Today our guest is Andrea Dunlop, novelist and host of the podcast Nobody Should Believe Me, which is all about Munchausen by Proxy. She talks about Munchausen by Proxy, or medical child abuse, from a new point of view: what it’s like being related to the perpetrator. She’ll tell us about what her sister was like growing up, how she had exhibited Munchausen behaviors from a very young age, making herself seem to be sick before she had children, and how common that and other forms of deception are among people who later develop Munchausen by Proxy. We discuss how her sister faked a pregnancy and miscarriage, how the discovery of that messed with Andrea’s reality, the overlap of characteristics with people who exhibit signs of narcissism and psychopathy, and how actual medical misogyny complicates the whole thing.

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  • Dan Olson, Part 2 - Charismatic Leaders and the Cult of Crypto

    This week, Dan Olson, creator and host of YouTube channel Folding Ideas, returns to continue the conversation on cryptocurrency and NFTs. They discuss how these bubbles are driven primarily by charismatic leaders, why success rates of investment are similar to MLMs (read: the vast majority of investors don’t win big), and how there’s a lot of shame around having lost money in this arena–but why more men should come forward with their stories.

    Dan explains why there’s no inherent difference between scam cryptocurrencies and so-called “real” cryptocurrencies, since all are rooted in speculation and faith, where the line is between greed and just being a victim of American prosperity gospel, and what to look out for to prevent yourself from getting scammed.

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  • Rethinking Trauma: Post-Traumatic Growth with Richard Tedeschi

    UNC Charlotte professor and psychology researcher Dr Richard Tedeschi discusses his pioneering work on post-traumatic growth, how his field is different from resilience, how core beliefs are involved in our trauma, what "integration" means, and the value of an "expert companion," having a mission, and sharing your story.

    Learn more about Richard's work at https://bouldercrest.org/

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  • Zoe & Lillian, Part 2 - Troubled Teens, Midwest Academy, and Solitary Confinement

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

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  • Abigail Kochunas - The Gloria Gifford Conservatory for the Performing Arts

    Actor Abigail Kochunas and our very own Meagan Elizabeth share stories of what they saw and were subjected to as students in Gloria Gifford's Acting Conservatory including classes that would go on for hours, public humiliation, and the unusual level of control Gloria had over the lives of her members. Abigail shares how much time and money she invested into her education with Gloria, missing nearly every christmas with her family for over a decade, Gloria's ties to Scientology and the Hollywood Reporter article in which numerous former students spoke out.

    Got your own story about cults, extreme belief, or abuse of power? Leave a voicemail or text us at 347-86-TRUST (347-868-7878) OR shoot us an email at Trust Me Pod @gmail.com

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  • Rabia Chaudry - Serial, True Crime, & Countering Violent Extremism

    Lawyer, advocate, podcaster, writer, and the reason you know about Adnan Syed from Serial, Rabia Chaudry, talks about her experience advocating for him, what it was like entering the true crime world, why Adnan is free now, what disappointed her about the coverage of his story, her work in CVE (countering violent extremism), how any group or religion is capable of becoming fundamentalist or extreme, why extremism is not a strictly Muslim problem, and the power of story to change people's minds.

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  • Annie Taylor - The Garden: Commune or Cult

    Annie Taylor, Executive Producer of Discovery's The Garden: Commune or Cult, shares about her time living in an off the grid community that went viral on TikTok for accusations of being a cult and disturbing allegations about a cat. Annie tells how she and the crew showed up and gradually earned the trust of the community, filming on one of the group's properties with a fascinating cast of characters, dumpster diving as their primary food source, surviving a tornado without proper shelter, their attempts at a leaderless society, the founder's connection to Rainbow Gatherings... and whether or not The Garden is actually a cult!

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  • Brian Holoyda - Folie à Deux & Shared Delusions

    Episode 35: Can delusional beliefs be passed on to others? Forensic psychiatrist Brian Holoyda discusses the science of shared psychotic disorders (also known as folie à deux), how cult beliefs can mimic this phenomenon, and why Qanon doesn't necessarily count as a delusion.

    If you have your own story about cults, high-control groups, manipulation, or abuse of power, shoot us an email at trustmepod@gmail.com.

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