IndoctriNation

When today's guest Jonathan was 15, he felt lost, alone, and unable to voice the feelings and thoughts that were troubling him. The domestic roles he was fulfilling as a young man and full-time student, including caring for his ill mother while navigating his parent's divorce, eventually led to him seeking help from a therapist. This therapist gained Jonathan's trust by appearing to understand and relate to him. Jonathan did not have the experience to know that the healthy boundaries of a therapeutic relationship were never actually there. From the beginning, this therapist used Jonathan's vulnerabilities to manipulate his emotions, and to control his relationships with his family and friends in order to isolate him and then insert himself and his wife into those roles. After 11 years of being manipulated, even being made to feel responsible for his therapist's life and personal needs, Jonathan was able to find a way out. Today, for the first time anywhere, Jonathan bravely shares his story in order to help others. He wants people to know there is light at the end of the tunnel. Along the way, Rachel provides some important insights on how to recognize the dangers of an unhealthy therapeutic relationship and how to better protect yourself from manipulation. Before You Go: Rachel further examines the dangers of therapists who blur the lines of client/therapist boundaries. She explains the common tactics that narcissistic therapists often employ and the damage that they can cause to their clients. If you have experienced an unhealthy relationship with a therapist and would like to be in touch, Jonathan has kindly offered to communicate with you via email to provide insight from his experience in order to help others heal. You can reach out to him at: connectwithjonathan2021@gmail.com To hear more of Rachel's tips on how to recognize an unhealthy therapeutic relationship check out her video here: https://youtu.be/EEBo_Z2VTqE Thanks to our newest Patreon supporters: Karin Levitas and Lisa Maria Martin! To help support the show and sign up for cool Indoctrination stickers and tote bags please visit: www.patreon.com/indoctrination Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Daniel is an entrepreneur and was raised inside the church. His journey into understanding the nature of fraud and its application to religion started when he was excommunicated from his church for exposing sexual abuse. This has led him to ask the hard questions around his most deeply held beliefs. He has found healing through conversations around faith and abuse. He shares very personal stories with the hope that it will help others to find strength and healing. Rachel and Daniel have a wide-ranging discussion examining the logic behind the ideology of creationism. Daniel points out the common misconceptions of biblical literalism and by extension highlights the presuppositions that lead to vastly different interpretations of the biblical texts. Daniel explains why often in the most divisive issues the truth lies somewhere in the middle. He also expands on why difficult and honest conversations are key to unifying the most divided factions in both religion and politics. Before You Go: Rachel revisits Daniel's idea that religion is a sense-making apparatus. She examines the most important sense-making mechanism, the question, "Why?" Thanks to our newest Patreon supporters: Adrienne Martasin, Virginia Smith, and Adam Arnold! To help support the show and sign up for cool Indoctrination stickers and tote bags please visit: www.patreon.com/indoctrination Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In a special episode, this week Rachel speaks about Heaven's Gate, the UFO religious cult based near San Diego, California. Founded in 1974. Rachel provides some background on the group's leaders Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles and their teachings. She explains the importance in our times specifically of remembering the tragedy of the group's ritual suicide. In March 1997, 18 women and 21 men drank a lethal mixture of phenobarbital and vodka and then laid down to die, hoping to leave their "bodily containers', and enter an alien spacecraft. Rachel considers the mindstate of these lost individuals by examining their "Exit Statements". These statements were recorded directly before the suicides in an attempt to explain the motivations behind their actions to the public. These videos, while often disturbing, provide an intimate insight into the psyche of seemingly intelligent and logical people who have been so fully indoctrinated that they can plainly and fully justify their extreme actions. Rachel provides an analysis of the deep-seated issues, vulnerabilities, and tragic misinterpretations of the victims as well as the leaders that ultimately lead to their untimely demise. CONTENT WARNING: SUICIDE Thanks to our newest Patreon supporters: Paul Canchester, Sarah G. and Ellen Perreira To help support the show and sign up for cool Indoctrination stickers and tote bags please visit: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Dan Shaw is a licensed clinical social worker and a psychoanalyst in private practice in New York City and in Nyack New York. He was originally trained as an actor at Northwestern University with the renowned teacher Uta Hagen in New York City. Dan later worked as a missionary for an Indian guru. His eventual recognition of cultic aspects of his organization led him to become an outspoken activist in support of individuals and families. Traumatically abused in cults, simultaneous with leaving this group, Dan began his training in the mental health profession becoming a faculty member and supervisor at the National Institute for the Psychotherapies in New York publishing papers on psychoanalytic inquiry, contemporary psychoanalysis, and psychoanalytic dialogues and most recently published his book, Traumatic Narcissism, Relational Systems of Subjugation for the relational perspective series, which was nominated for the distinguished Gradiva Award in 2018, the International Cultic Studies Association awarded him the Margaret Thaler Singer Award for advancing the understanding of coercive persuasion and undue influence. Dan's book, Traumatic Narcissism and Recovery, Leaving the Prison of Shame and Fear, will be published by Routledge in 2021. Dan and Rachel discuss how the collective disassociation of the U.S. from its own brutal origins has shaped the current political landscape and is in fact a case of "history not remembered is repeated" They consider possible solutions by utilizing early education and collaborative de-radicalization. Dan provides his analysis of the roots of the sociological issues in the country that have led to tragic events such as the Capitol Insurrection. Before You Go: Rachel explains the dangers of under-educating citizens about the historical abuses perpetrated by systems of control. She describes the part of human nature that can ultimately lead to a cyclical repetition of historical tragedies. Thanks to our newest Patreon supporters: Ron Mortenson, Katherine Matheson, Sarah Wood, and Marlene Pine Help us continue the show at: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Dan Shaw is a licensed clinical social worker and a psychoanalyst in private practice in New York City and in Nyack New York. He was originally trained as an actor at Northwestern University with the renowned teacher Uta Hagen in New York City. Dan later worked as a missionary for an Indian guru. His eventual recognition of cultic aspects of his organization led him to become an outspoken activist in support of individuals and families. Traumatically abused in cults, simultaneous with leaving this group, Dan began his training in the mental health profession becoming a faculty member and supervisor at the National Institute for the Psychotherapies in New York publishing papers on psychoanalytic inquiry, contemporary psychoanalysis, and psychoanalytic dialogues and most recently publishing his book, Traumatic Narcissism, Relational Systems of Subjugation for the relational perspective series, which was nominated for the distinguished Gradiva Award in 2018, the International Cultic Studies Association awarded him the Margaret Thaler Singer Award for advancing the understanding of coercive persuasion and undue influence. Dan's book, Traumatic Narcissism and Recovery, Leaving the Prison of Shame and Fear, will be published by Routledge in 2021. Dan and Rachel discuss the current U.S. political landscape as it relates to traumatic narcissism. They go in-depth on the delusion of the current conspiracy theories that are a result in part of the political indoctrination created by malignant narcissists in power. Before You Go: Rachel discusses the destructive potential inherent when narcissists gain significant political power. She continues by expanding on Dan's idea of invisible mania as it relates to political extremists such as Qanon supporters. Thanks to our newest Patreon supporters: Evanne Heath and Muriel Barton! To help support the show and get cool benefits like bonus content and merchandise, please become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination Already a patron? Follow this link to learn how to upgrade your tier on Patreon to get even more benefits! https://support.patreon.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000126286-Editing-your-membership#:~:text=Switching%20your%20tier%20on%20the%20Patreon%20app&text=Select%20the%20pencil%20icon%20to,d%20like%20to%20switch%20to Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, and Co-owners of The Therapy Group, Emmalee Bierly and Jennifer Chaiken are the hosts of Shrink Chicks Podcast. They invited Rachel on their show after seeing her in the STARZ documentary Seduced. They ask Rachel about how she got started in the field of cult psychology, the complications of providing therapy to vulnerable cult survivors, and the lack of educational opportunities for therapists interested in this specialized field. Rachel also speaks about the need for more professionals to join the field to meet the needs of survivors and provides some great advice for the family and friends of people caught up in high control groups. Before You Go: Rachel shares a preview of our new Patreon exclusive segment, The Weekly Check-In which will be available every Friday on Patreon to all levels of supporters. Sign up for any amount to access these exclusive recordings at https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination Thanks to our newest supporters: Djamilla, Todd Brown, and Jeanie Gaskill For more information on Emmalee and Jennifer, or to hear more episodes of Shrink Chicks please visit: https://www.shrinkchicks.com/ Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Lola Binkerd is an Author and Actress who was born and raised as a fourth-generation member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon) in Salt Lake City, Utah. She has lived in Los Angeles for 16 years and her horror anthology "The River God and Other Stories" and short story "4-H" are available as eBooks on Gumroad and Amazon. Lola details how being raised in a particularly patriarchal Mormon Church set her up to seek out unhealthy relationships with men as an adult. She shares her experiences dealing with a manipulative and narcissistic love interest. Lola breaks down the learned mindset that allowed her to be drawn into a problematic relationship rife with gaslighting and deception. Before You Go: Rachel explains how growing up love-starved as a child can leave you very confused about what love is and make you vulnerable to manipulation in your adult relationships. Rachel also shares her thoughts on the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol last week. She gives insight into how people can so easily be indoctrinated into an ideology of hate and be driven to participate in tragically violent incidents. ***Rachel is speaking today about the Capitol Hill riots only to show the power of a leader's influence as it connects to the theme of the podcast. She is not taking a political stance (Republican vs. Democrat) and therefore is not inviting political debate or political comments. Thank you!*** Thanks to our newest Patreon supporters: Jonas Schaller, Niamh Quinn, Jenny Vogels, and ShinyCorviknight Help support the show at: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Lola Binkerd is an Author and Actress who was born and raised as a fourth-generation member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon) in Salt Lake City, Utah. She has lived in Los Angeles for 16 years and her horror anthology "The River God and Other Stories" and short story "4-H" are available as eBooks on Gumroad and Amazon. Lola shares with Rachel her experiences as a child growing up in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and explains how those experiences have affected her as an adult. She describes the toxic effects of raising girls to believe blind obedience and total self-sacrifice are feminine virtues, and how teaching girls to marry and defer to the right kind of man sets them up to be the victims of narcissists and high-control groups, even if they leave the religion/group itself. Before You Go: Rachel expands on Lola's childhood experience of being made to feel that her needs are secondary to those perceived to be higher up in the religious hierarchy of the church. She compares it to her own childhood experiences as the "baby" of the family and how it affected her relationships as an adult. Thanks to our newest Patreon supporters: Kate Donnellon, The MLM Police, Kara Fink, James Gussen, Joseph Carpenito, and Jennifer MacPherson Help support the show at: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination To get in touch with Rachel please write her at indoctrinationshow@gmail.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Stacie Stukin is an arts and culture journalist who grew up in Los Angeles. She was a contributing editor at Yoga Journal and she’s also written about yoga for the Los Angeles Times and Time Magazine. Over the years, she’s had the opportunity to write about and practice many different forms of the practice including Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan. This past July, she wrote a comprehensive investigative piece for Los Angeles Magazine about the current sexual misconduct allegations against Yogi Bhajan and the subsequent reckoning within the 3HO community. Philip Deslippe is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara and holds an MA from the University of Iowa. He has written articles for several academic journals including Ameriasia and the Journal of Yoga Studies, and pieces for numerous popular venues such as Yoga Journal and Tricycle. Philip was a member of 3HO for about a decade after taking a Kundalini Yoga class at his undergraduate college in the mid-1990s. He left in 2008 and went on to conduct research into the origins of Yogi Bhajan's Kundalini Yoga that culminated in the ground-breaking 2012 article "From Maharaj to Mahan Tantric" for Sikh Formations. Rachel continues her wide-ranging discussion with these foremost 3HO researchers as they go in-depth about their respective work exposing Yogi Bhajan. Stacie and Phillip talk about their experiences covering the group and the aftermath of their revelatory reporting. Before You Go: Rachel discusses "SGA's" or second-generation cult members and explains the damage that can be done, especially to children who are born into the isolation of compound life. She shares her experiences working with people leaving these sheltered environments and the struggles they have integrating into the greater society. The story Rachel mentions from a previous episode can be heard here: https://soundcloud.com/indoctrinationshow/maybe-jesus-isnt-coming-back-next-tuesday-w-andie-redwine-episode-20 Thanks to our newest Patreon supporters: Jennifer MacPherson and Fritha Land Help support the show at https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination Find more resources and information on Stacie and Phillip here: www.staciestukin.com/ www.philipdeslippe.com/ More indoctrination episodes on this subject can be found here: https://soundcloud.com/indoctrinationshow/jules-hartley To be in touch with Rachel, please write to indoctrinationshow@gmail.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Stacie Stukin is an arts and culture journalist who grew up in Los Angeles. She was a contributing editor at Yoga Journal and she’s also written about yoga for the Los Angeles Times and Time Magazine. Over the years, she’s had the opportunity to write about and practice many different forms of the practice including Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan. This past July, she wrote a comprehensive investigative piece for Los Angeles Magazine about the current sexual misconduct allegations against Yogi Bhajan and the subsequent reckoning within the 3HO community. Philip Deslippe is a PhD candidate in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara and holds an MA from the University of Iowa. He has written articles for several academic journals including Ameriasia and the Journal of Yoga Studies, and pieces for numerous popular venues such as Yoga Journal and Tricycle. Philip was a member of 3HO for about a decade after taking a Kundalini Yoga class at his undergraduate college in the mid-1990s. He left in 2008 and went on to conduct research into the origins of Yogi Bhajan's Kundalini Yoga that culminated in the ground-breaking 2012 article "From Maharaj to Mahan Tantric" for Sikh Formations. Rachel moderates an in-depth conversation with two of the leading experts on 3HO revealing the history of both the 3HO organization as well as Yogi Bhajan himself. Before You Go: Rachel explains the damage that disbelief can cause to victims of controlling groups. She dissects how societal prejudices can help hold up the power structures that allow abusive groups to avoid accountability sometimes for decades. Thanks to our newest Patreon supporters: Katie Smith, Paul K, Katie Lacy, and Parker Radbourne Help support the show at: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination Find more resources and information on Stacie and Phillip here: https://www.staciestukin.com/ https://philipdeslippe.com/ More indoctrination episodes on this subject can be found here: https://soundcloud.com/indoctrinationshow/jules-hartley Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy