Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation
Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts
Trust Me is a weekly interview podcast about cults, extreme belief, and the fine line between devotion and delusion—told through firsthand accounts from the people who lived it. Hosted by two women who’ve been in cults themselves, Lola Blanc and Meagan Elizabeth, the show features survivors from groups like Heaven’s Gate, the Manson Family, NXIVM, OneTaste and more–sharing personal stories of how they got in, how they got out, and everything in between.
Each week, they invite these guests alongside experts who can dive deep into seductive leaders, the darker aspects of organized religion, and the subtler shades of groupthink and the psychology of influence. Trust Me explores it all with unfiltered honesty, dark humor, and a lot of heart. This isn’t a sensationalized deep dive into cults—it’s a compassionate, first-person exploration of what it means to believe, to belong, and to break free. At the end of the day, wanting to believe in something bigger than yourself is one of the most human instincts there is.
Each week, they invite these guests alongside experts who can dive deep into seductive leaders, the darker aspects of organized religion, and the subtler shades of groupthink and the psychology of influence. Trust Me explores it all with unfiltered honesty, dark humor, and a lot of heart. This isn’t a sensationalized deep dive into cults—it’s a compassionate, first-person exploration of what it means to believe, to belong, and to break free. At the end of the day, wanting to believe in something bigger than yourself is one of the most human instincts there is.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jan 27, 2021 • 1h 6min
Yuval Laor - Fervor, Awe, and Hyperreligiosity
Episode 17: Lola and Meagan interview Dr. Yuval Laor, behavioral and cultural scientist who studies evolutionary biology and religion. Yuval describes his theories on awe experiences and fervor, and how cult leaders manipulate these emotional states to earn and keep their followers' loyalty. He also talks about belief attachment and why it's not so different from parental or romantic attachment, and the hyperreligiosity that can occur with temporal lobe epileptic seizures. 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 @ohlalolaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 19, 2021 • 59min
Lucien Greaves - The Satanic Temple, Satanic Panic, & Recovered Memory
Episode 16: Meagan and Lola interview Lucien Greaves, co-founder of the Satanic Temple, about how the Satanic Temple was founded and why their (hilarious) stunts and lawsuits are actually deeply important for religious freedom and the separation of church and state. They also discuss the Satanic panic of the 80s and 90s and how it's had a resurgence in the form of QAnon, plus why "recovered" memories, and organizations like the ISSTD that champion fringe science, can have dangerous consequences. 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 @ohlalolaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 13, 2021 • 1h 17min
Jitarth Jadeja - Former QAnon Believer
Episode 15: Lola and Meagan interview Jitarth Jadeja, former QAnon believer. He tells the girls about how, despite being Australian, he first was a Bernie supporter, then shifted his support to Trump before becoming obsessed with conspiracy theories. They discuss the two years of his life in which he believed in Q, the moment he realized it was all a lie, how he'd have gone to the Capitol if he'd still believed, and what he suggests you should do if a loved one has fallen into QAnon. 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 @ohlalolaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 6, 2021 • 55min
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. FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @trustmepodcast @oohlalola @vibehigherbitch OR TWITTER: @trustmecultpod @ohlalolaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 30, 2020 • 59min
Amanda Montell - The Language of Cults and Fanaticism
Episode 13: Meagan and Lola interview Amanda Montell, linguist and author of Wordslut and now Cultish, her new book about the language of fanaticism. They discuss loaded language, thought-terminating cliches, cultish jargon that can be found in wellness communities and beyond, and the surprising characteristic those who join cultish groups have in common. Plus, how the key may just be to join a whole bunch of cults. 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 @ohlalolaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 23, 2020 • 1h 12min
Cliff "Fifth" Henderson - Jehovah's Witnesses
Episode 12: Meagan and Lola interview rapper Fifth, also known as Cliff Henderson, about his experiences as a Jehovah's Witness. Fifth tells the girls how he was a devout member until he lost his faith in his 20s, when he was disfellowshipped and subsequently shunned by his family and community at large. He also talks about the dangerous practices that the church advocates, and how he channels it all into his music. 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 @ohlalolaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 17, 2020 • 1h 14min
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 @ohlalolaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 10, 2020 • 1h 15min
Frank Meeink - From Neo-Nazism to Anti-Racism
Episode 10: Meagan and Lola interview Frank Meeink, author of Autobiography of a Recovering Skinhead, about his journey from neo-Nazism as a teenager to present-day anti-racism. They discuss how he was indoctrinated into his white supremacist group, the crimes he committed that landed him in prison, the moment that changed everything for him, where he is now, and the importance of the Fourth Amendment. 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 @ohlalolaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dec 2, 2020 • 51min
Naomi Gibson – Children of God and NXIVM, Part 1: Life on an Abusive Commune
Episode 9: Lola and Meagan interview Naomi Gibson, former member of both the Children of God (aka the Family) and NXIVM. In part one of this two-part episode, she talks to the girls about living on a commune in the Philippines with the Family, the abuse that went on there, how her mother decided to leave, and why it's so hard to leave a group without a strong support system on the other side. She also touches on the parallels between both groups... to be continued in part two! 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 @ohlalolaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 25, 2020 • 55min
Vikram Gandhi - Being Kumaré, the Fake Guru
Episode 8: Lola and Meagan interview filmmaker Vikram Gandhi about the making of his documentary Kumaré, in which he pretended to be a spiritual leader from a fictional village in India--and quickly built a following in Phoenix, Arizona. They discuss how it happened, why he did it, and how his followers reacted when he revealed his true identity. They also talk about the prevalence of gurus in Indian culture, whether it matters if someone's fake if they're actually helping, and why we give spirituality a little too much weight in our lives. 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 @ohlalolaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
