Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation PodcastOne
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- Society & Culture
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A podcast about cults, extreme belief, and manipulation – from two hosts who’ve actually lived it. Hosted by Lola Blanc and Meagan Elizabeth.
Got your own story about cults, extreme belief, or manipulation? Leave a voicemail or text us at 347-86-TRUST (347-868-7878) OR shoot us an email at Trust Me Pod @gmail.com
INSTAGRAM:
@TrustMePodcast
@oohlalola
@meaganelizabeth11
TWITTER:
@TrustMeCultPod
@ohlalola
@baberahamhicks
TIKTOK:
@TrustMeCultPodcast
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Dr. Inna Kanevsky - Pseudoscience, TikTok Psychology, & Culty Psychologists
Dr. Inna Kanevsky, psychologist, professor, and debunker of pseudoscience psychology TikToks, discusses the misinformation videos that got her started on the path of debunking, why mental health labels can be helpful but can also lead us to incorrectly self-diagnose and take on labels that do not belong to us, and why it’s a problem when we make a diagnosis our identity. She comes in HOT about beloved psychology figures such as Bessel Van Der Kolk, Gabor Mate, and Dr. Amen, and how they have cult-like followings despite frequently peddling pseudoscience. Plus, we chat about the problems with polyvagal theory, why stories of resilience can be a helpful alternative to focusing on trauma, and why it is so dang painful to change our minds!
Check out our amazing sponsors!!
Trust Me is sponsored by BetterHelp! Visit BetterHelp.com/trust to get 10% off your first month!
Need a place? Check out Apartments.com - THE place to find a place!
BUY OUR MERCH!! bit.ly/trustmemerch
Got your own story about cults, extreme belief, or abuse of power? Leave a voicemail or text us at 347-86-TRUST (347-868-7878) OR shoot us an email at TrustMePod@gmail.com
INSTAGRAM:
@TrustMePodcast
@oohlalola
@meaganelizabeth11
TWITTER:
@TrustMeCultPod
@ohlalola
@baberahamhicks
TIKTOK:
@TrustMeCultPodcast -
Warren Kohl, Part 2 - The Pressures of Preaching in a Secretive Cult
Today is part two with Warren Kohl, former member and religious leader within the 2x2s (Meagan's secretive childhood group that technically has no name). Today we'll hear how Warren left behind his dreams of medical school to become a "worker" (a minister who stays in people's homes). He'll talk about the pressure to speak with some kind of authority, how he was scolded for genuinely trying to connect with the members, being told to stay out of a domestic violence situation within the group, how his mental health deteriorated, how he finally left, and his message to those still in the religion.
Check out our great sponsors!!
Trust Me is sponsored by BetterHelp! Visit BetterHelp.com/trust to get 10% off your first month!
Shopify: Run a business? Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at shopify.com/trustme
Need a place? Check out Apartments.com - THE place to find a place! -
Warren Kohl, Part 1 - Preparing to Preach in a Secretive Cult
Today's guest is Warren kohl, a fifth generation member and former “worker” (or minister) in the 2x2’s, the group that Meagan grew up in. Warren shares how devout he was to the group at a very young age, having your entire life controlled, and how utter heartbreak in high school led him to celibacy and a deeper commitment to the group.
Trust Me is sponsored by ZocDoc! Find and book a top-rated doctor at Zocdoc.com/trustme and download the Zocdoc app for FREE!
BUY OUR MERCH!! bit.ly/trustmemerch
Got your own story about cults, extreme belief, or abuse of power? Leave a voicemail or text us at 347-86-TRUST (347-868-7878) OR shoot us an email at TrustMePod@gmail.com
INSTAGRAM:
@TrustMePodcast
@oohlalola
@meaganelizabeth11
TWITTER:
@TrustMeCultPod
@ohlalola
@baberahamhicks
TIKTOK:
@TrustMeCultPodcast -
Nadine Macaluso - Recognizing, Escaping, and Healing from Trauma Bonds
Psychologist, trauma bond expert, and author of Run Like Hell: A Therapist's Guide to Recognizing, Escaping, and Healing from Trauma Bonds, Nadine Macaluso share about her relationship with ex-husband Jordan Belfort (aka The Wolf of Wall Street) and how it led her to become a therapist with a focus on trauma bonds. They also discuss "mind mapping", intermittent reinforcement, the difference between intensity and intimacy, the three phases of trauma bonds and how violence can play into them, why Nadine uses the term "pathological lover" instead of narcissist, how to tell if you're currently in a trauma bond, and green flags that are the sign of a healthy relationship.
Check out our great sponsors!
Quince: Love affordable luxury? Go to Quince.com/trust for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns!
Shopify: Run a business? Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at shopify.com/trustme
BUY OUR MERCH!! bit.ly/trustmemerch
Got your own story about cults, extreme belief, or abuse of power? Leave a voicemail or text us at 347-86-TRUST (347-868-7878) OR shoot us an email at TrustMePod@gmail.com
INSTAGRAM:
@TrustMePodcast
@oohlalola
@meaganelizabeth11
TWITTER:
@TrustMeCultPod
@ohlalola
@baberahamhicks
TIKTOK:
@TrustMeCultPodcast -
Zoe & Lillian, Part 2 - Troubled Teens, Midwest Academy, and Solitary Confinement
In part two with Zoe and Lilly, survivors of Midwest Academy, one of the abusive troubled teen programs in the same organization that was spotlighted in the docuseries The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping, we dig deeper into Lily’s experience. She’ll tell us how she was in solitary confinement for two months, and how her reaction was to rebel in any way she could. We’ll get into how they both left, and how no one believed them for years - in some cases, up until just last month - how this was and still is a multi-billion dollar industry, and where they’re both at in their healing journey.
Trust me is sponsored by BetterHelp! Visit BetterHelp.com/trust to get 10% off your first month!
Learn more about WWASP awareness below:
https://icapanetwork.org/
https://wwaspsurvivors.com/
CHECK OUT OUR MERCH!! bit.ly/trustmemerch
Got your own story about cults, extreme belief, or abuse of power? Leave a voicemail or text us at 347-86-TRUST (347-868-7878) OR shoot us an email at TrustMePod@gmail.com
INSTAGRAM:
@TrustMePodcast
@oohlalola
@meaganelizabeth11
TWITTER:
@TrustMeCultPod
@ohlalola
@baberahamhicks
TIKTOK:
@TrustMeCultPodcast -
Zoe & Lillian, Part 1 - The Program, Ivy Ridge and Casa by the Sea
Survivors of the infamous WWASP schools, Zoe & Lillian, share about their experiences being forced to join Ivy Ridge, Midwest Academy, and Casa by the Sea; All schools featured in the current Netflix docudrama, The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping. Lola & Meagan dig into how these programs were marketed to parents, the dramatic ways Zoe & Lillian were brought to the facilities as teenagers, the levels inside the program that were impossible to climb, how they could only communicate with their eyes, and how they were kept from their families.
Check out our great sponsors!!
Quince: Love affordable luxury? Go to Quince.com/trust for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns!
Shopify: Run a business? Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at shopify.com/trustme
ZocDoc: Need a doctor? Go to Zocdoc.com/trustme and download the Zocdoc app for FREE!
CHECK OUT OUR MERCH!! bit.ly/trustmemerch
Got your own story about cults, extreme belief, or abuse of power? Leave a voicemail or text us at 347-86-TRUST (347-868-7878) OR shoot us an email at TrustMePod@gmail.com
INSTAGRAM:
@TrustMePodcast
@oohlalola
@meaganelizabeth11
TWITTER:
@TrustMeCultPod
@ohlalola
@baberahamhicks
TIKTOK:
@TrustMeCultPodcast
Customer Reviews
Compassionate
I started listening randomly and did not have particularly high expectations. And yet! I've been consistently impressed with the hosts' treatment of their guests. Often times the folks they are talking to has been through some great trauma, yet they manage to draw out powerful stories in a way that feels respectful and compassionate.
Mixed Review
On the positive side, I appreciate the perspectives that the hosts bring as former cult members and the quality of some of the guests. I’ve listened to other podcasts who discussed cults who just wanted to make fun of everything. On the negative side, the intro is too long. Many other podcasts save the personal stuff for the last segment of the podcast so that those who are not interested can skip it. Next, it would be nice if you could skip the political talk. I am so tired of having to hear about Trump. Finally, the vocal fry makes you two sound like Kardashians, which is sad because Lola sounded authoritative on Netflix, but on this podcast you sometimes sound like an adolescent.
Great podcast with considerate hosts!
The stories and insight into cults are so interesting!! It’s incredible to hear about how easy it is to fall into one and heartbreaking to hear about the many struggles people deal with on their way out. There is much more candidness than I would expect which I attribute to the safe and open environment created by the hosts. Time and again the hosts prove their humanity with the way they speak to their guests and their awareness of what’s happening around the world. Highly recommend!