IndoctriNation

Jeremy Sherman is a Ph.D. in evolutionary epistemology. He describes himself as a cradle-to-grave science researcher studying the unbroken chain, from the origins of life to humankind's grave situation today. He has written over 1,000 articles for Psychology Today’s 9 million readers on everyday practicalities. Jeremy also lived for 7 years in an eco-village commune in Tennessee known as “The Farm”, where its 1400 residents elected him to a leadership role at just 24 years old. For the past 25 years, he has been a close research collaborator with Harvard and Berkeley neuroscientist Terrence Deacon. Jeremy says he’s all about making advanced ideas intuitive, practical, and funny because from a natural science perspective, the human condition is pretty ironic. His latest book is called "What's up with Assholes? Advanced Psycho-Proctology For Beginners” Jeremy joins Rachel to share his unique insights into narcissistic leaders, the social and psychological dynamics of the high control groups they run, and the effect their pathologies have on followers. Jeremy offers his perspective of cultic dynamics through the lens of his field of evolutionary epistemology comparing notes with Rachel as she notices corresponding findings from her experience working with cult survivors. Before You Go: Rachel explores further Jeremy's ideas surrounding the dangers of shamelessness as a trait in leaders and the cumbersome nature of conscience. You can find all of Jeremy's articles, books, podcasts, and more here: https://jeremysherman.com Thanks to all of our newest Patreon supporters: Kirsten Cole, ShaSha, Allison Yena, Becca Upshaw, Vibeke J. Gardsten, Jeff Nelson, Trish Gratson, Jessica Mitchell, Jodi Springberg, Bonni Howard, and, Sarah Hinds To help support the show monthly and get bonus episodes, shirts, and tote bags, please visit: www.patreon.com/indoctrination Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link: www.paypal.me/indoctrination You can help the show for free by leaving a rating on Spotify or Apple/ iTunes. It really helps the visibility of the show! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This is just a preview of our Patreon exclusive Bonus episode, you can hear the episode in its entirety by becoming a member at: www.patreon.com/indoctrination Joseph Kelly is a cult interventionist and recipient of the lifetime achievement award from the International Cultic Studies Association(ICSA) Along with Pat Ryan, He is the co-founder of Intervention 101, where he has worked as a thought reform consultant and exit counselor since 1989. He spent 14 years in two different eastern meditation groups; Transcendental Meditation and The International Society of Divine Love. Joseph is a co-author of “Ethical Standards for Thought Reform Consultants,” published in ICSA’s Cultic Studies Journal, Mr. Kelly has also facilitated ICSA workshops for ex-members and families and has lectured extensively on cult-related topics. Joseph returns to the show to share some of his insights after 30 years of cult intervention work, explaining how his approach includes close consultation with qualified mental health professionals including Rachel. Joseph offers wise advice to those looking to help a loved one caught up in systems of control. Find more about Joseph's work here: www.intervention101.com Thanks so much to our Patrons for making this episode possible! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Andrew Pledger is a religious trauma survivor who was raised in fundamentalist Christianity. He has been homeschooled his entire life for the purpose of indoctrination. His parents would only pay for a Christian university, and he chose Bob Jones University. Andrew kept his sexuality a secret until his mental health declined due to repressing emotions, sexuality, and religious trauma. For his last year of college, he created a photo series that depicted religious trauma. To bring awareness to religious trauma; he appeared on Josh Harris’s IGTV show to talk about his photo series. Bob Jones was made aware of the video, and he was expelled the last semester of his college career. These experiences have inspired him to pursue psychology to help religious trauma survivors. He is now on a mission of using social media to share his story and bring awareness to religious trauma. ----------------------Content Warning: Discussion of Suicidal Ideation--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In this intimate and revealing conversation Andrew shares with Rachel his journey of leaving Christian fundamentalism explaining how the deeply embedded religious trauma caused undue suffering and eventually forced him to leave the church. Throughout the discussion, Rachel provides insights from a psychological perspective pointing out experiences commonly shared by recent survivors of religious trauma and coercive control. Before You Go: In this unique outro segment, Rachel is once again joined by Andrew who shares some life updates and explains how the recent Supreme Court rulings have soured his recent escape from Christian fundamentalist control. You can learn more about Andrew's projects and advocacy work here: https://liinks.co/4ndrewpledger Thanks to all of our newest Patreon supporters: Kirsten Cole, ShaSha, Allison Yena, Becca Upshaw, Vibeke J. Gardsten, Jeff Nelson, Trish Gratson, Jessica Mitchell, Jodi Springberg, Bonni Howard, and, Sarah Hinds To help support the show monthly and get bonus episodes, shirts, and tote bags, please visit: www.patreon.com/indoctrination Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link: www.paypal.me/indoctrination You can help the show for free by leaving a rating on Spotify or Apple/ iTunes. It really helps the visibility of the show! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Zack Bonnie “graduated” from Rocky Mountain Academy at age sixteen, and then attended regular high school to fill the gaps in his education. He went on to college, an acting career in New York, tournament gambling, and adventures around the world. He is now an activist for the human rights of teens confined in residential facilities. Zack makes his home near the Blue Ridge Mountains of Central Virginia, where he loves to hike. Author of the Dead, Insane, or in Jail book series, Zack takes readers into the inner workings of the facility where he lived, and the impact the school had on his hyper-stimulated young mind. Incarcerated at age fourteen at a school for troubled teens in Northern Idaho, Zack has crafted a fast-moving, plot-driven memoir, with vivid characters and telling details, where even simple English words take on sinister meanings. In this second half of their two-part conversation, Zack opens up to Rachel about his own horrific experiences in the grips of the Troubled Teen Industry, detailing his teenage years spent at Rocky Mountain Academy as well as in "wilderness therapy". Rachel provides insight into the lingering psychological effects that can occur from the "tough love" techniques commonly employed in teen residential treatment programs Before You Go: Rachel explains how rehabilitation centers whose technique of encouraging growth through suffering is counter-productive and only appears to be effective because of the visceral response displayed by its victims. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you or someone you know is seeking abortion care, go to AbortionFinder.org now to learn about your options. You can find a list of local abortion funds by state here: https://abortionfunds.org/funds/ The Yellowhammer Fund serves the Deep South, especially Alabama and Mississippi: https://www.yellowhammerfund.org/ Indigenous Women Rising has an abortion fund open to all Indigenous people in the United States and Canada: https://airtable.com/shrLw8oy9UTIPkpXv You can also donate to Planned Parenthood, which provides sex education and reproductive care around the country: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Find Zack's books on Amazon here: amzn.to/2hznZVR More information on Zack at: www.deadinsaneorinjail.com If you'd like to support Zack's work directly please consider becoming a patron: www.patreon.com/ZackDIJ Thanks to all of our newest Patreon supporters: Sarah Hinds, Anna Stanuch, Caitlin Benson, Fiona Jeyachandran, George, Atiya Wahab, Rene Steelman, Angela Marie, Ietseatapples, Anita Lehn, Deena, Lindsey, Roxanne, Megan Miller, Bobbie Andrews To help support the show monthly and get bonus episodes, shirts, and tote bags, please visit: www.patreon.com/indoctrination Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link: www.paypal.me/indoctrination You can help the show for free by leaving a rating on Spotify or Apple/ iTunes. It really helps the visibility of the show! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This is just a preview of our Patreon exclusive Bonus episode, you can hear the episode in its entirety by becoming a member at: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination Tony Ortega is a journalist and former editor of The Village Voice. He is of course best known for his daily blog about the Church of Scientology called The Underground Bunker and is one of the most prominent and influential journalists to cover Scientology which he has been doing since 1995. Tony is also the author of The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, about journalist Paulette Cooper and the Church of Scientology's attempts to silence her after her own book was published. He continues to monitor breaking developments in Scientology around the world from an undisclosed location, publishing a new article every day, and remains one of Scientology's favorite targets for harassment. Tony joins Rachel to discuss Scientology's latest controversies, his legendary work on The Underground Bunker, and the future of the dwindling authoritarian organization. Together, Rachel and Tony examine the harassment tactics Scientology employs against critics, which they have both experienced personally, and lament the forced separation so many families have suffered at the hand of Scientology. Find all of Tony's articles and links to his books here: https://tonyortega.org Thanks so much to our Patrons for making this episode possible! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Zack Bonnie “graduated” from Rocky Mountain Academy at age sixteen, and then attended regular high school to fill the gaps in his education. He went on to college, an acting career in New York, tournament gambling, and adventures around the world. He is now an activist for the human rights of teens confined in residential facilities. Zack makes his home near the Blue Ridge Mountains of Central Virginia, where he loves to hike. Author of the Dead, Insane, or in Jail book series, Zack takes readers into the inner workings of the facility where he lived, and the impact the school had on his hyper-stimulated young mind. Incarcerated at age fourteen at a school for troubled teens in Northern Idaho, Zack has crafted a fast-moving, plot-driven memoir, with vivid characters and telling details, where even simple English words take on sinister meanings. In this first half of their two-part conversation, Zack explains to Rachel the struggles and epiphanies he had in writing his first book. Together they discuss the difficult feelings that arise from reliving his time in an abusive "Troubled Teen" institute as well as the healing it has brought for him as well as his readers. He explains the complex relationships he and his peers had with staff and shares how his perspective has shifted over the years. Before You Go: Rachel explains how too often parents will unnecessarily send their children to residential treatment centers simply for typical teenage behavior. She offers advice to parents on how to thoroughly vet organizations to ensure the safety and well-being of their children in both the long and short term. Find Zack's book on Amazon here: http://amzn.to/2hznZVR More information on Zack at: www.deadinsaneorinjail.com If you'd like to support Zack's work directly please consider becoming a patron: https://www.patreon.com/ZackDIJ Thanks to all of our newest Patreon supporters: Sarah Hinds, Anna Stanuch, Caitlin Benson, Fiona Jeyachandran, George, Atiya Wahab, Rene Steelman, Angela Marie, Ietseatapples, Anita Lehn, Deena, Lindsey, Roxanne, Megan Miller, Bobbie Andrews To help support the show monthly and get bonus episodes, shirts, and tote bags, please visit: www.patreon.com/indoctrination Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link: www.paypal.me/indoctrination You can help the show for free by leaving a rating on Spotify or Apple/ iTunes. It really helps the visibility of the show! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Vanessa Reiser is a mother, entrepreneur, and groundbreaking psychotherapist specializing in narcissistic abuse using Therapist Self-Disclosure (TSD) Ms. Reiser graduated from the University of Southern California with a focus on Community Organizing, but soon realized that clients responded to her counseling techniques. Vanessa is also a founder of The Rockland County Pride Center and a Board Member for The Center for Safety and Change. She recently ran the entire state of New York in a wedding dress to raise awareness for narcissistic abuse and made international headlines. Vanessa highlights for Rachel the nuances of her work supporting those traumatized by insidious forms of domestic abuse. She explains how her personal experiences have informed the way she treats her clients. Together Rachel and Vanessa discuss the reasons why people end up in unsafe relationships and why they stay. Before You Go: Rachel explains that people with a giving and sacrificial nature often endure relationships with narcissistic personalities and offers advice on how to prevent the loss of self. Find out more about Vanessa's work here: https://tellatherapist.net/ Read about her awareness-raising wedding dress run here: https://people.com/human-interest/woman-running-wedding-dress-raise-awareness-narcissistic-domestic-abuse/?amp=true Thanks to all of our newest Patreon supporters: Ariel Trocino, Ellen Knudson. Elena Lumby, Jonathan Suds, Kaijah Bjorklund, and Ellen Golla To help support the show monthly and get bonus episodes, shirts, and tote bags, please visit: www.patreon.com/indoctrination Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link: www.paypal.me/indoctrination You can help the show for free by leaving a rating on Spotify or Apple/ iTunes. It really helps the visibility of the show! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This is just a preview of our Patreon exclusive bonus episode. You can hear the episode in full by becoming a member at: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination Returning guest, Olga Yurkova is a Ukrainian journalist and co-founder of StopFake.org, an independent Ukrainian organization that trains an international cohort of fact-checkers in an effort to curb propaganda and misinformation in the media. She spoke with us last July about her work fighting Russian propaganda campaigns in Ukraine with her projects Forbidden Facts and StopFake.org. Since then Vladimir Putin's violent invasion has ravaged the Ukrainian landscape displacing millions of people and causing thousands of civilian casualties in just a few months' time. Since internet connectivity is often unstable and services such as Zoom and Skype are currently inaccessible in Ukraine, we were only able to connect with Olga via cell phone. We are so grateful for her strength and insistence on continuing to inform people in real time of Russia's dangerous disinformation campaign even in the grips of wartime chaos. Olga spoke with us two weeks ago from the relative safety of central Ukraine. Watch Olga's Ted Talk here: https://www.ted.com/speakers/olga_yurkova Listen to our previous episode from July 2021 with Olga here: https://soundcloud.com/indoctrinationshow/weapons-of-information-wolga-yurkova?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing You can support Olga's work fighting Russian disinformation at StopFake here: https://www.stopfake.org/en/donate-en/ Olga suggests donating to these organizations that directly support Ukrainian people on the ground..... Voices of Children is a charity that focuses on helping children recover from the psychological trauma of war: https://voices.org.ua/en/ Come Back Alive is one of the most accountable and trustworthy charities working for the military in Ukraine since 2014. The charity has been providing the military with auxiliary equipment, specialized software, drones, personal body protection, training, and other supplies: https://savelife.in.ua/en/donate/ Hospitallers is a volunteer paramedic organization, that helps the wounded on the battlefield, evacuates the wounded to the hospitals, helps in the rehabilitation process, and transfers the deceased to the burial site in Ukraine. Their current focus is on supplying medicines that are in shortage: https://www.edvantis.com/blog/how-to-help-ukraine/ The Kyiv Independent, a Ukraine-based English-language newspaper: https://www.gofundme.com/f/kyivindependent-launch HelpUkraine.center is a volunteer hub for humanitarian and medical aid for Ukraine. It accepts medical supplies, food, and hygiene products for babies and moms. It also accepts donations for purchasing medications and other necessary humanitarian products in Europe: https://helpukraine.center/#donate. Sergiy Prytula’s foundations. Sergiy Prytula is a Ukrainian TV presenter and public figure. Since the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian war in 2014, he has been volunteering to provide military aid to Ukrainian Armed Forces and humanitarian and financial assistance to children with cancer: https://prytulafoundation.org/en Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week's guests Brian and Troy used to be members and leaders in Pentecostal megachurches in Australia. Troy, a 21-year-old member of the Assemblies of God (AOG), the precursor to the Hillsong church was drawn in by Revival Centres International, Now known as the Revival Centres Church. Troy was on the path to becoming a minister before “years of questions, inconsistencies and manipulation” overwhelmed him and caused an emotional breakdown leading to him abandon his faith. Brian became involved with the Christian City Churches denomination, today known as C3 Church Global, which you can hear about from our previous guest Emily, before being recruited by the Assemblies of God. He described his time as exhibiting “cultish type behaviour” Brian and Troy's Podcast "I Was A Teenage Fundamentalist" takes an honest & irreverent look at one of the world’s fastest-growing religious movements and has been causing a stir among its church leaders. Brian and Troy provide Rachel with some background on the history of the Australian Pentecostal movement and explain their respective reasons for becoming involved. They examine the controlling techniques these churches have employed to amass huge followings throughout the world. Rachel helps Brian and Troy unpack the emotional toll followers endure under the controlling hierarchy of the church's leadership and the existential anxiety that is the result of its unhealthy ideology. Both Brian and Troy describe their breaking points with Christianity and offer advice to those leaving high control groups. Before You Go: Rachel reiterates the point Brian made about pre-planning for support when leaving a high control group. She explains the appeal of absolutes and the lure of leaving behind existential angst for a group's perfect formula for happiness. Listen to I Was A Teenage Fundamentalist here: https://iwasateenagefundamentalist.podbean.com/ Learn more about Brian and Troy's story here: https://www.vice.com/en/article/3abyw8/leaving-the-church-makes-for-some-good-content Thanks to all of our newest Patreon supporters: Ariel Trocino, Ellen Knudson. Elena Lumby, Jonathan Suds, Kaijah Bjorklund, and Ellen Golla To help support the show monthly and get bonus episodes, shirts, and tote bags, please visit: www.patreon.com/indoctrination Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link: www.paypal.me/indoctrination You can help the show for free by leaving a rating on Spotify or Apple/ iTunes. It really helps the visibility of the show! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Lily Dunn is an author and mentor living in the UK. She has personal essays in Granta, Litro, Hinterland, MIRonline, The Real Story, and is a regular writer for Aeon magazine. She is in her final writing up year of her doctorate at Birkbeck, University of London. She is co-editor of A Wild and Precious Life: Recovery Anthology, with Zoe Gilbert, and co-runs London Lit Lab. Her latest book Sins of My Father: A Daughter, a Cult, a Wild Unravelling is her attempt to unravel the mysteries of a father who believed himself to be beyond reproach. When Lily was just six years old, her father left the family home to follow his guru to India, with the promise of enlightenment in the cult of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, the infamous leader who was recently covered in the popular documentary Wild Wild Country. She shares with Rachel insights from writing her recent memoir sharing memories from the long, hot summers of her teenage years in Italy in her father's commune to suffering the effects of his addiction to alcohol and prescription drugs. Rachel helps Lily unpack the complex relationship dynamics with her father and offers her insights on the familial complications inherent in so many families involved in high control groups. Before You Go: Rachel reflects on the impact suffered by the family members of those lost to cultic groups, pointing out the often unrecognized tragedies that stain so many family legacies for generations. More info on Lily is available here: https://lilydunn.co.uk/ Her book is available here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59824706-sins-of-my-father Thanks to all of our newest Patreon supporters: Ariel Trocino, Ellen Knudson. Elena Lumby, Jonathan Suds, Kaijah Bjorklund, and Ellen Golla To help support the show monthly and get bonus episodes, shirts, and tote bags, please visit: www.patreon.com/indoctrination Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link: www.paypal.me/indoctrination You can help the show for free by leaving a rating on Spotify or Apple/ iTunes. It really helps the visibility of the show! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy