A Little Bit Culty

A Little Bit Culty – A wise man once said: “Nobody joins a cult, they join a good thing.” A Little Bit Culty kicks off Season 3 with the wise man himself, Mark Vicente. The epic whistleblower and stone-cold silver fox joins Sarah and Nippy to get the band back together in the first of two episodes. The trio catches up on life after making headlines and what it was really like to see the whole shitshow play out on HBO’s “The Vow.” Expect a metric fuck ton of ass chapping anecdotes, and to love Mark even more than you already did. More about today’s guest: Author, speaker, and award-winning director Mark Vicente was behind the sleeper hit “What The Bleep Do We Know?!” Born in South Africa in 1965, Mark took his first photograph at age four and discovered his passion for being behind the camera. After working his way up the ranks of the camera department, his first big break came as Cinematographer on the musical “SARAFINA,” starring Whoopi Goldberg. In 1992, he relocated to Los Angeles to shoot his first studio picture for Disney entitled “FATHERHOOD” From a very young age he found himself propelled to question beliefs about the human condition. His filmmaking activism led him to make a number of films, including ‘Encender el Corazon’, about the rampant kidnapping epidemic in Mexico. It was a bittersweet victory; the film touched people deeply, but was by association supporting NXIVM. He made the difficult decision to pull the film from distribution and, with a small band of whistleblowers, expose their criminal enterprise.  Mark’s since developed a keen interest in exposing the coercive and duplicitous environments of high-control groups. His memoir: ‘QUEST’ or ‘How the BLEEP did that happen?!’ will be released shortly. It chronicles the many untold stories of what occurred in NXIVM , as well as he and his wife Bonnie’s harrowing campaign to escape and expose the organization. He’s also in production on a film about malignant narcissism, narcissistic abuse, and trauma bonding. He’s still looking for real life stories for his film and anyone who would like to share theirs can reach out to him at his official website. instagram.com/markvicente twitter.com/markvicente facebook.com/markvicente tiktok.com/@mark_vicente ~ 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. ~ A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the #IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty ~ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A Little Bit Culty – We thought about recording our Season 2 finale in dubly, but you don’t do heavy metal in dubly. In this wrap-up episode Sarah and Nippy answer your burning questions, preview what’s ahead next season, seek a patron saint of quality mattresses, and generally have a good time all the time. We think you’ll be knocked out by their exuberance, their raw power, and their punctuality. How much more Spinal Tappy could these show notes be? The answer is none. None more Spinal Tappy. ~ 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. ~ A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the #IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty ~ CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound  Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Additional Music Score by Will Retherford Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Patrick Ryan, expert in culty oral history, joins Sarah and Nippy to discuss transcendental meditation. The topics covered include the journey into TM, academic enlightenment, brainwashing in cults, hypnosis and the power of suggestion, embracing discomfort, normalization, and making time for meditation and gratitude.

A Little Bit Culty – If you think you’re too smart to fall for a cult, this episode is your wake-up call. Undue influence can poison what starts out as a ‘good thing’ and turn it into a culty shitshow. Just ask today’s guest: Gerette Buglion. She was a member of an under-the-radar cult for over 18 years. In this organization, there was no tithing, no rules about where you should live, what brand of deodorant you must use, or what clothes to wear. Instead, far more subtle techniques were used...but they were powerful, and destructive all the same. When Gerette finally emerged from the cult at age 52, she asked herself, “How did I, an educated, caring mother, wife, and business owner become that lost and for that long?” She joins us to discuss her page-turning memoir, and her journey from hopeful therapy client to enthusiastic cult member to an anti-cult crusader. Spoiler alert: You’re not too smart to fall for culty shit.  More about today’s guest: Gerette Buglion, B.A. Elementary Education and Special Education, earned her ‘Master's Degree’ in cult awareness education from the school of life. This training occurred during her eighteen-year odyssey with Doug (Fictitious name. Real person) who was the leader of the ‘Center for Transformational Learning’ (fictitious name for a real group, also simply CTL). Her memoir of her experience, An Everyday Cult, lifts the nuanced veil of controlling groups through its subtle weaving of personal experience with insight from recognized cultic phenomena. In addition to hosting retreats and her Writing to Reckon workshops, Gerette is a co-founding collaborator of the #igotout movement and igotout.org and co-host of the Everyday Cults, Everyday People  podcast. Learn more about Gerette’s work and upcoming events at her official website. ~ 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. ~ A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the #IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A Little Bit Culty – Think you’re immune to culty shit? Dr. Alexandra Stein begs to differ. She’s one of the world’s leading experts on ideological extremism and dangerous social relationships, and she makes a very convincing case that under the right set of circumstances almost anyone can be radically manipulated to engage in otherwise incomprehensible and often dangerous acts. In this episode, she joins us to discuss her experience as a former cult member, and the relationship between neuroscience, attachment, and indoctrination. More about today’s guest: Alexandra Stein, Ph.D. is a social psychologist, writer and educator specializing in cults, totalitarianism and extremism. She is currently a visiting research fellow at London South Bank University and has previously taught at Birkbeck University of London, Westminster University and the University of Minnesota. Dr. Stein is a trustee of The Family Survival Trust, a UK charity working to raise awareness about cults and support those affected. She is the author of two books: Terror, Love and Brainwashing: Attachment in Cults and Totalitarian Systems, and Inside Out, a Mmemoir of Entering and Breaking out of a Minneapolis Political Cult. Learn more about her work at her official website and follow her on Twitter @alexandraistein ~ 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. ~ A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the #IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty ~ CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound  Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Additional Music Score by Will Retherford Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A Little Bit Culty – She’s just about the most rockin’ Reverend we’ve ever met. In this episode, Nadia Bolz-Weber takes us to church on everything from sex-obsessed religious doctrine and toxic positivity to cancel culture. Also, if you’ve been searching for an episode that will illuminate what St. Augustine’s medieval boner issues have to do with purity rings, you are in the right place. More about today’s guest: Nadia Bolz-Weber is an ordained Lutheran Pastor, and founder of House for All Sinners & Saints in Denver: a progressive, queer-inclusive Lutheran congregation. She’s written three New York Times bestselling memoirs, including Shameless: A Sexual Reformation, which takes on what she sees as the harmful ideas about sexuality that Christianity has promoted throughout history. She’s the creator and host of The Confessional podcast (here’s Sarah’s episode) plus a pop-up prayer network called The Chapel and a wildly inspirational Substack called The Corners. Learn more about everything she’s up to on her official website. ~ 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. ~ A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the #IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty ~ CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound  Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Additional Music Score by Will Retherford Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A Little Bit Culty – In 2009, Laura Tucker attended a Sedona spiritual retreat and sweat lodge hosted by charismatic spiritual teacher James Arthur Ray. It all went tragically wrong, resulting in the deaths of fellow attendees Liz Neuman, Kirby Brown and James Shore. On this episode, Laura chats with Sarah and Nippy about her experience, what it means to practice safe spiritual seeking, and the dark side of self help. More about today’s guest: Laura Tucker is the host of the Free Your Inner Guru® Podcast, a photographer, writer, and a self-described ‘recovering coach.’ A creative at heart, Laura likes to explore, figure things out, create stunning visuals, and nuanced conversations. As an insight provoking leader and speaker, Laura has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and business leaders become more self aware so they can lead more intuitively. She is a former high school teacher, trainer, sales professional, multi entrepreneur, consultant and leadership coach. She survived the 2009 fatal “sweat lodge” at a self help retreat in Sedona. You may recognize her from Enlighten Us, a CNN Films/Netflix documentary about the self help industry and the Wondery Podcast Guru: The Dark Side of Enlightenment. She has also appeared on CNN Newsroom with Brooke Baldwin and William Shatner’s The UnXplained. Laura shares personal writing and nature inspired photography at lauratucker.com. Free Your Inner Guru® podcast episodes are released bi-weekly at freeyourinnerguru.com. ~ 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. ~ A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the #IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty ~ CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound  Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Additional Music Score by Will Retherford Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A Little Bit Culty If you watched “The Vow” or have followed the fall of NXIVM, you know Moira Kim Penza as the prosecutor who brought Keith Raniere to justice. Her accomplishments are mighty: Like Keith’s conviction on all counts including racketeering and sex trafficking and a brisk 120 year sentence. Moira’s groundbreaking approach to the case has been credited with paving the way for other sex trafficking prosecutions against powerful individuals. In other words: She’s a total badass. In this episode, Moira sits down with Sarah and Nippy to talk about what it’s like to take on a world-class dirtbag (our wording, not hers) and what really chaps her ass about NXIVM’s Voldemort. More about today’s guest: Moira is now in private practice as a litigator, and a partner at Wilkinson Stekloff. Crain’s New York business named her in the 40 under 40 list, she’s been ranked as one of Bloomberg Law’s 40 under 40, and her legal analysis has been featured in The NY Times, CNN, ABC, NPR and Daily Beast.  ~ 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. ~ A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the #IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty ~ CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound  Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Additional Music Score by Will Retherford Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. John Dehlin, an ex-Mormon, discusses the history of Mormonism, Joseph Smith, and LGBTQ advocacy. The conversation explores parallels between cult leaders, hidden historical facts, and the cult-like control within Mormonism. It also delves into the challenges of leaving the Mormon Church and standing up against manipulation.

A Little Bit Culty – As a high school student, Elizabeth Gilpin was taken from her bed in the middle of the night, left in the woods for three months of forced camping with 12 other girls, then remanded to a prison-like boarding school where she and other so-called ‘troubled teens’ were subjected to nightmarish conditions and psychological abuse. Her debut memoir, “Stolen” is a harrowing account of her time at Virginia’s Carlbrook school, and examines the therapeutic boarding school industry’s culty trajectory from an actual cult named Synanon to an entrepreneurial charismatic type with zero credentials named Mel Wasserman. In this episode, she joins Sarah and Nippy to discuss “Stolen”, her healing path, and how it feels to shine a light on a dark and insidious industry. Elizabeth Gilpin is an actress, writer, and producer. She starred in and produced Life Boat, a short film directed by Lorraine Nicholson which premiered at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival. The film was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize for Live Action Short Film at AFI Fest and won the Audience Award at the Napa Valley Film Festival. Elizabeth also starred in Endings, Inc. and Guerra. ‘Stolen’ is her first book.  ~ 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. ~ A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the #IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty ~ CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound  Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Additional Music Score by Will Retherford Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.