A Little Bit Culty

Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Jaime Mahler, MS, LMHC, is a New York-based psychotherapist and mental health educator who recently published her book TOXIC RELATIONSHIP RECOVERY: Your Guide to Identifying Toxic Partners, Leaving Unhealthy Dynamics, and Healing Emotional Wounds After A Breakup. She’s also the powerhouse behind the explosively popular social media brand, Recollected. Her podcast, ‘Unlearned,’ helps people of all sexual orientations and genders to heal from relationship trauma, narcissism, and beyond…certainly a lot of the BS we find ourselves tackling on this podcast.  But today, in episode one of this two-parter, we’re focusing somewhat on Mahler’s past, which involved growing up with a self-described “cult-like version of Catholicism.” She revists the types of shame and guilt she experienced within religious surroundings, despite their being a shade less extreme than others we’ve encountered on this show. Even Jaime’s OCD played a role in her religious fervor by tricking her brain into believing one is either purely good or purely evil—wholy faithful or 100% a sinner—eventually leading to semi-neurotic level praying on a daily basis.  Ultimately, Jaime's odyssey of self-discovery and faith, coupled with her distinguished therapeutic training, makes her our favorite type of guest: a badass individual who has directly encountered some culty shit, complemented by a sophisticated educational background that not only helped her understand her own experiences, but those of others, too.    Find Recollected Self on social media: Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, or visit their website   Purchase Toxic Relationship Recovery: Your Guide to Identifying Toxic Partners, Leaving Unhealthy Dynamics, and Healing Emotional Wounds after a Breakup on Amazon   Also…   Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that…   The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad.   OTHER LINKS: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources   CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Writer: Mathias Rosenzweig Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp.  Jane Marie is the Peabody and Emmy Award-winning journalist, author, and producer of This American Life. Now, she’s hosting the hit investigative podcast The Dream where she’s examined pyramid schemes and culty, late-stage, self-care capitalism. In season 3, she gives the side-eye to all the gurus and life coaches that promise new and improved secrets to living our best lives as they empty the pockets of working class people. Check out this podcaster-insider convo on the culty dynamics of selling the American dream via prosperity gospel.   If you missed ALBC’s shows on MLMs, check ‘em out:  Emily Lynn Paulson describes suburban mom-squad MLMs;  Douglas Brooks represents victims of MLM schemers;  and trainer Roberta Blevins testified against LuLaRoe.    NOTES Jane Marie and her partner – former Modest Mouse guitarist Dann Gallucci – started Little Everywhere, a podcast production house and recording studio renowned for Michelle Obama’s The Light Podcast and The Dream. Jane Marie’s forthcoming book Selling the Dream exposes the scourge of multilevel marketing schemes and how they have profited off the evisceration of the American working class. It’s available for preorder at www.Jane-Marie.com.   Find Jane on social media: Twitter, Instagram & TikTok.   Also…   Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that…   The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad.   OTHER LINKS:   Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources   CREDITS:    Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Writer: Holly Zadra Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is a short preview of an episode Sarah & Nippy recorded for the A Little Bit Culty Patreon. If you want to hear the whole thing, plus get bonus to ad-free episodes and other exclusive content, sign up at: www.patreon.com/alittlebitcultySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp.  Julie Bogart homeschooled her five children for seventeen years and participated in a Cincinnati homeschool co-op of 100 families with over 300 youngsters. But it wasn’t merely homeschoolers that were a little bit culty in her life. With experiences of missionary evangelical Christianity, the New Thought movement, Scientology, and four years as an  e s t  devotee, Julie Bogart’s got some culty notches in her belt. Now she’s helping cult-proof parents and their kids by teaching families to think well. In this episode, Julie shares insight into susceptibilities for cult-jumping, our perceptions of “trusted” authority/expertise, and the power of wonder and curiosity. We’re also reminded of the parental golden rule: seek therapy yourselves before subjecting your kiddos to any kind of psychotherapy. For a deep dive into those waters, rewind to our episode with Meg Appelgate who navigated the Troubled Teen Industry firsthand. NOTES: Julie Bogart has devoted her life to the triumvirate of writing, kids, and parents and is known for her common sense parenting and education advice on how to raise critical thinkers. She created Brave Writer, an online writing and language arts program that coaches folks to discover their own original thoughts. She has scores of professional writing credentials including a weekly column for United Press International, Brave Writer's Home Study Courses, and two books, The Brave Learner and Raising Critical Thinkers. Mother of five and grandmother to three, Julie lives in Cincinnati, Ohio.   You can find her on Twitter  and Instagram.   Also…   Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that…   The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad.   OTHER LINKS: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources   CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Writer: Holly Zadra Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel AsselinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is a replay of an episode Sarah & Nippy recorded for the A Little Bit Culty Patreon. If you want to access to all of our content bonuses, ad-free episodes and other goodies, sign up at: www.patreon.com/alittlebitcultySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Yasmine Mohammed, a human rights advocate, discusses the dynamics of destructive fundamentalist religion and the challenges in Western culture. She shares her personal story of manipulation and coercion, as well as her journey of self-discovery and forgiveness. The podcast highlights the lack of outrage and bravery in exposing extreme fundamentalism, calling for support.

This is a short preview of an episode Sarah & Nippy recorded for the A Little Bit Culty Patreon. If you want to hear the whole thing, plus get bonus to ad-free episodes and other exclusive content, sign up at: www.patreon.com/alittlebitcultySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp.  The self-help book industry alone is expected to grow from $10.5 billion annually to $15 billion by 2025. Of course, with that kinda dough floating around, a raging demand for personal growth has led to a plethora of tools aimed at achieving it. Unfortunately, there are people that seek to take advantage of this, leading to dangerous—or even deadly—consequences.  When Kirby Brown was only 38 years old, a man named James Arthur Ray pushed her to stick out an incredibly hot sweat lodge session in Sedona, Arizona. A self-proclaimed “guru,” Ray allegedly urged participants to disregard their physical discomfort, even ignoring their pleas for help. Tragically, Brown and two other individuals lost their lives during the hellish experience.  On today’s episode, we’re joined by two guests: Jean Brown, who is Kirby’s sister and the co-author of This Sweet Life: How we lived after Kirby died, a memoir she wrote with her mother about what happened to Kirby and its larger implications for the self-help industry. Joining her is Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle, a psychologist who has teamed up with Jean and the SEEK SAFELY non-profit org and podcast. Founded by George and Ginny Brown, Kirby and Jean’s parents, SEEK SAFELY is aimed at passing legislation within the self-help industry to prevent abuse in the future.    You can follow Dr. Doyle on Instagram, Facebook, and X.   You can follow Jean Brown on Instagram and X.   You can follow SEEK SAFELY on Instagram, Facebook, and X.    NOTES: Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle is a licensed psychologist who works with people struggling with complex trauma and dissociative disorders, including survivors of coercive control, cult abuse, medical trauma, clergy abuse, religious trauma, and childhood abuse and neglect.  Jean is a writer and work-from-home-mom to two young children. She has Bachelor's degrees in political science and writing from Loyola University Maryland, and a Master’s in Public Policy and Public Administration from Concordia University in Montreal. She is active in creating content for SEEK Safely Inc.’s website, social media, brand outreach, and legislative effort. Jean lived in Thailand and has traveled extensively, including treasured memories of traveling with her sister Kirby. She grew up in the US but has been in Canada since 2007.   Also… Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad.   OTHER LINKS: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources   CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Senior Writer: Holly Zadra Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is a short preview of an episode Sarah & Nippy recorded for the A Little Bit Culty Patreon. If you want to hear the whole thing, plus get bonus to ad-free episodes and other exclusive content, sign up at: www.patreon.com/alittlebitcultySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp.  Let’s admit it. Despite the billions of people on earth, the world can be a friggin lonely place. And for the VIP-lonely among us, Jeff and Shaleia charge a mere $8888 for all the answers to life’s big love questions. If you’re seeking a first-person narrative about what it’s like to pay to play in Twin Flames Universe, check out Keely Griffin on ALBC.  For this show, we features Alice Hines – the Emmy-award winning investigative journalist and executive producer of Desperately Seeking Soulmate: Escaping Twin Flames Universe, a new docuseries chronicling the two kooky, creepy founders Jeff – a real Keto Keith Raniere – and his partner Shaleia as they go from run-of-the-mill influencers to building what Vice has called a ‘cult empire’.  Hines dives right into her curiosity around the creepy repercussions of internet culture on IRL relationships and how that led her to explore, report on, and be invited into Jeff and Shaleia’s home where she filmed the duo. You can watch that footage in the docuseries.  For now, take a listen for the inside scoop on the culty couple.   NOTES  Alice Hines is a writer, documentary film producer, and news correspondent that speaks truth to power and sheds light on unseen subcultures. She’s contributed to The New York Times, Vanity Fair, and New York Magazine, among others. She introduced the term “Chads” – the ideal, buff, white, manly man at the heart of incels’ standards of attractiveness. And she won a News Emmy for her work on-camera for a Vice News series. Based on her reporting for Vanity Fair, Alice executive-produced the Amazon Prime docuseries, Desperately Seeking Soulmate. Alice grew up in South Carolina, got her writing creds at Brown University, and even worked as an editor at the sartorial Vestoj, a research vessel with fascinating pieces that explore the bridge between fashion theory and sales – that is, why we wear what we wear.   If you really want to go down the word salad rabbit hole and you’re armed with many grains of salt, you can read Jeff and Shaleia’s response to Alice’s Vanity Fair exposé.    Here’s Alice’s website, her Instagram, and her Tik Tok.   Also…   Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that…   The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad.   Other Links: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources   CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Senior Writer: Holly Zadra Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.