The rumors are true—Trust Me is coming back this summer on the Exactly Right podcast network! This teaser has everything you need to know about our next chapter.

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Today our guest is Amanda Rae, host of YouTube channel by the same name and former member of the Kingston Clan, or the Order, a polygamist group in Utah, not to be confused with the FLDS. Some of you may remember our previous guest Priscilla from the same group - both of these gals were on Escaping Polygamy. Amanda’s going to tell us who the Kingstons are, how many mothers she had, and the principle of “pure Kingston blood” that led to people sometimes intermarrying with relatives - some of whom were underage girls.

She’ll tell us about how her 2 years at public school helped her think critically about the differences between what the cult SAID about outsiders and people of color - versus the reality that they were just normal people, how children as young as 9 are sent to work after school, and why the day she left began with a physical altercation with a grown man in the group.

See resources below if you're in need of therapy or support:

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• https://voicesfordignity.com/ 

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Cult interventionist and founder of People Leave Cults, Ashlen Hilliard, talks about her path to working in cult intervention and recovery, her personal religious experience that led her to this work, how interactions with Mormons in Utah affected her worldview, how she defines what a cult is, why accusing a group of being a cult isn't always helpful, how cult intervention today is different from how it was in the 70s, how it used to involved kidnapping and unethical practices, how her model takes a harm reduction approach, and when cult intervention practices can become culty themselves!

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Actor, director, and activist Rosanna Arquette discusses her childhood growing up on a commune that was part of the Subud spiritual movement, her mom's journey from her own abuse to helping other women, the racism she saw in the community outside of the commune, her own personal experience with Harvey Weinstein's harassment, the subsequent changes she felt in her career, speaking out against Weinstein, and being a part of a movement that changed the world.

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Survivor's of Larry Ray's sex cult Felicia and Daniel discuss how they came to meet Larry, how he leveraged his memory and connections to craft an image of authority, how Larry gained control of their lives under the guise of helping them, when the manipulation elevated into sexual abuse and violence, and how they're doing now that Larry is going to jail for the harm he has caused.

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Get your pocket constitution ready. Antonio Perez, a former conspiracy theorist who followed Alex Jones, shares why Jones' over-the-top theories about the New World Order appealed to him, how Antonio's addiction factored into his dopamine-seeking thinking, and why building an internal locus of control can help avert conspiratorial thinking. Plus, how he finally stepped away from the deep state obsession, and the book he's writing on how to help people think for themselves again.

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Cognitive anthropologist Chris Kavanagh and psychologist Matthew Browne, hosts of the podcast Decoding the Gurus, share some of their criteria for what makes a guru, discussing a few of the many personalities they've covered on their podcast: Elon Musk and Jordan Peterson and Joe Rogan, oh my. They discuss the horrors of social media, the importance of trusting experts (but how academic credentialism can lead people astray too), how the biggest internet gurus tend to skew male, and why basically we need more scientists with mass appeal. 

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In part two of their discussion with former Westboro Baptist Church member Lauren Drain, she'll share how she was kicked out of the group and struggled to build a new social circle, the fear mongering that the Church used, and her healing journey including the use of fitness, EMDR, and ayahuasca. PLUS an incredible update on her family's current status!

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Banished author, fitness model, and registered nurse Lauren Drain joins Lola and Meagan to talk about her upbringing in the Westboro Baptist Church. They'll discuss the group's hateful and cruel picketing of public events, how Lauren's family joined after her dad intended to make a mockumentary about the church, how tightly controlled everyday life was, the very normal thing that got her kicked out, and the tragic end days of the founder Fred Phelps.

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Groups!... I did it again. Jay Van Bavel, NYU Associate Professor of Psychology and Neural Science, Director of the Social Identity and Morality Lab, and co-author of The Power Of Us, discusses how our social identities change depending on our environment and context, how the groups we identify with affect our decisions and perception, and the importance of instilling healthy hierarchy in a group to prevent unhealthy leadership. They also discuss how emotionally charged situations can forge shared identities, how cults replace individual identities with group identities, what to do when someone has fallen prey to groupthink, and whether groups are even... good? 

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Learn more about Jay's work here! https://www.powerofus.online 

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Metal musician and filmmaker Pablo "Morbid" Vergara, who appeared in the Netflix docuseries "Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel," shares what drew him to metal music and its horror-centric imagery, and how his dark persona led to him being accused by strangers of murdering Elisa Lam--despite the fact that he was there a full year before her. He'll discuss the suffering he experienced as a result of the harassment, including a suicide attempt, making art again, and the importance of mental health awareness.

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Don't panic! Writer Aja Romano shares how they became interested in the history of the Satanic Panic in the US, how it ramped up in the 60s and 70s, the societal impact of horror films like The Exorcist, books like Satan Seller and Michelle Remembers, rising fear and trials that arose in the 80s, its impact on the LGBTQ community, and how these kinds of ideas persist today!

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Lola and Meagan chat with Mikey Biddlestone, post-doc researcher at the Cambridge social decision making lab whose focus is on conspiracy beliefs, misinformation, and political psychology. They'll dig into what factors make someone more likely to believe in conspiracies, the values they do or DON'T bring to people's lives, how discrimination against conspiracy theorists can backfire, PRE-bunking vs DE-bunking, the connection between narcissism and conspiracy theories, and what we can do about the real world danger of conspiracies.

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You're a child living on a remote compound in West Texas. One day authorities show up at your front door and an exchange of gunfire breaks out. Just as you expected would happen. Survivor of the Branch Davidians and the Waco massacre, Joann Vaega, discusses her earliest memories of living on the compound, what cult leader David Koresh was like in person, why she did not feel fear when the siege began, how her mom bravely acted to save her, learning about the fire that killed 76 people, including her own parents, and how she's currently defying how people said she would turn out. Original Airdate: 08/03/2022

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It's Conspiracy Month! In our first episode of the series, Lisa Fazio, Associate Professor of Psychology at Vanderbilt University, discusses how we come to believe falsehoods, why none of us are experts at discerning fact from fiction, and how repetition can make false information seem more true. She'll discuss why misinformation spreads so easily on the internet, ways we can protect ourselves from bad information (spoiler: it's hard), and how human memory is wildly unreliable - and, unfortunately, manipulatable.

PLUS: Lola shares how her mom and stepdad spent the last year working to secretly take down polygamous cult leader Samuel Bateman.

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Filmmaker and Lola's pal Josh Lobo shares his experiences as a teenager dealing with a militant small-town religious group in Wyoming. He'll discuss how trolling the group on Facebook led to them seeking revenge, escalating over time to the point of shooting his car up, how he sought legal action to protect himself, and whether or not he regrets his behavior. 

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Jan Broberg, kidnapping survivor and subject of the Peacock documentary Friend of the Family: True Evil (plus scripted series Friend of the Family), describes how Robert Berchtold seduced Jan's mom to get to Jan, and what it was like the second time he abducted her, keeping her hidden for 4 months in Southern California. She discusses how deeply brainwashed she was even after she was rescued and had limited contact with Berchtold, how he continued to try to intimidate Jan's family, and what the recovery process was like for her and her family. Plus, the advocacy work she's doing now with the Jan Broberg foundation.

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Jan Broberg, kidnapping survivor and subject of the Peacock documentary Friend of the Family: True Evil (plus scripted series Friend of the Family), shares her story of how a man from church befriended her family when she was a child, grooming and seducing both of her parents to get to Jan. She discusses how the man, Robert Berchtold, kidnapped her and set up an elaborate scheme to convince her that she had a mission involving an alien race... and the way to complete it was to have his baby. And that's just the first kidnapping. 

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Lola and Meagan celebrate their 100th episode by looking back at some of their most awe-inspiring, informative, and touching moments from their interviews with former Moonie Steve Hassan, NXIVM survivor India Oxenberg, former Manson girl Dianne Lake, Heaven's Gate survivor Frank Lyford, and more!

This episode of Trust Me is brought to you by the Amazon Music exclusive podcast - SUSPECT: Vanished in the Snow - Download the Amazon Music App today!

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Lola and Meagan continue their conversation with Elishaba Doerksen, author of Out of the Wilderness: Escaping My Father's Prison and My Journey to Forgiveness. Elishaba discuess her family's move to Alaska, how her father's physical abuse turned sexual after years of grooming, how she finally escaped, how she mentally adjusted to life in normal society, and the process of healing that many layers of trauma.

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Elishaba Doerksen, author of Out of the Wilderness: Escaping My Father's Prison and My Journey to Forgiveness, describes how her father rejected his well-to-do upbringing, became a hippie, and eventually found Christianity, deeming himself a sort of prophet. In part one of her story, she shares how he moved their entire family into a cabin in the wilderness with no electricity or running water, the gaslighting and physical abuse he inflicted on her, and how in the midst of her trauma she found comfort in their animals. 

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Actor Abigail Kochunas and our very own Meagan Elizabeth share stories of what they saw and were subjected to as students in Gloria Gifford's Acting Conservatory including classes that would go on for hours, public humiliation, and the unusual level of control Gloria had over the lives of her members. Abigail shares how much time and money she invested into her education with Gloria, missing nearly every christmas with her family for over a decade, Gloria's ties to Scientology and the Hollywood Reporter article in which numerous former students spoke out.

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Sari Crawford, host of podcast The Sunshine Place, details her father's involvement with Synanon, the notorious drug rehabilitation program turned cult. Sari shares what led Charles Dederich to found the group in the 1950s, Synanon's early success helping addicts recover, and practices like "the game" and "the trip." She also discusses how the group's attitudes towards violence changed as Dederich became more controlling, how her father became a leader within the group and why he eventually left, and how growing up around former Synanon members has impacted her own life.

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Author and anti-revenge porn activist Charlotte Laws details her battle against the infamous founder of IsAnyoneUp.com and the subject of Netflix's The Most Hated Man on the Internet, Hunter Moore. She shares how her daughter Kayla's photos were hacked and stolen by Hunter, how he refused to take down his victim's photos, how his online following became cult-like and scary, and how Charlotte continues to fight Hunter and revenge porn.

Learn how to battle revenge porn below:

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https://www.cyberrightsproject.com/ 

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FOR OUR 200th EPISODE, we are joined by eating disorder therapist, author, and expert Carolyn Costin to discuss her own experiences that led to her starting her practice, why so many cults control the eating habits of their members, why having an eating disorder is like having a little cult leader in your brain, and how Carolyn helped Meagan with her own eating disorder.

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Lola & Meagan re-open up the hotline to Stephanie in Los Angeles as she shares how she was stalked and subjected to financial abuse by her narcissist ex-husband, and Annie in Utah who discusses coming out as a lifelong Mormon, the hardship she experienced on her mission, how she left the LDS church, and her work today supporting LGBT+ youth.

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Chris Bail, professor and director of the Polarization Lab at Duke University, talks about his work in computational social science, why social echo chambers don't work the way we think they do, how our needs for identity and community factor into extremism, and why the moderate majority is the quietest online. Plus, what online trolls are like in real life, how society's attraction to narcissists is part of the problem, and what a better social media could look like.

Learn more about Chris' work HERE!!! 

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Filmmaker and subject of Freeform's "Keep This Between Us," Cheryl Nichols, shares how her high school teacher groomed her for a sexual relationship when she was 16, isolating her from her loved ones, testing the waters with a series of inappropriate emails, and giving her the book Lolita. PLUS: The societal expectations for teenage girls, the patriarchal culture where Cheryl grew up, how "passing the trash" keeps predators at schools from facing consequences... and how she learned she wasn't the only one.

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You're a bisexual Libra living in the south trying to make friends when a guy you're dating invites you to attend a coven meeting... just as the prophecy foretold.

Two former members of a southern coven, Camille & Trillium share what drew them to the group, the dubious claims their leader "Kathy" made about her powers, the elaborate courses she designed for her followers, how "Kathy" tried to isolate them from their loved ones, how Camille was ostracized after being abused by "Kathy's" son, why "Kathy" called CPS to take away Trillium's son, and how Camille & Trillium's experience brought them together.

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 Trust Me Pod @gmail.com

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Why do people stalk? The answer is more complicated than you think. Jaimie Beebe & Jake Deptula of the Strictly Stalking podcast drop by to discuss scary stories from stalking survivors, how Hollywood romanticizes controlling relationship dynamics, what triggers people to stalk, the parallels with fandom, the empathy many victims feel for their stalkers, the importance of establishing and keeping boundaries,and whether restraining orders do anything.

PLUS: Lola and Meagan discuss Joe Dispenza.

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 Trust Me Pod @gmail.com

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You're struggling to advance your writing career. You reach out to a mysterious book agent who seems to be the key to success, along with his exclusive group of intellectual heavy hitters. Little do you know, that group is not all it seems... and it's closely connected to an absolute monster.

Journalist Virginia Heffernan shares the origins of male-dominated intellectual organization Edge, its promise of merging the arts and the sciences to create a "third culture," how she joined through founder John Brockman, and the lengthy list of prominent academics, billionaires, and artists involved, from Elon Musk to Richard Dawkins--to Jeffrey Epstein. Plus, the "billionaires' dinners," its close financial ties to Epstein, and the overlap with the Intellectual Dark Web.

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 Trust Me Pod @gmail.com

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You're a child living on a remote compound in West Texas. One day authorities show up at your front door and an exchange of gunfire breaks out. Just as you expected would happen.

Survivor of the Branch Davidians and the Waco massacre, Joann Vaega, discusses her earliest memories of living on the compound, what cult leader David Koresh was like in person, why she did not feel fear when the siege began, how her mom bravely acted to save her, learning about the fire that killed 76 people, including her own parents, and how she's currently defying how people said she would turn out.

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 Trust Me Pod @gmail.com

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Can you keep a secret? Lawyer and author of Manhattan Cult Story: My Unbelievable True Story of Sex, Crimes, Chaos, and Survival discusses his attraction to esoteric philosophy, how he joined Sharon Gans' secretive group School, the strict social rules members had to follow and the similarities it shared with Fight Club, the financial and psychological abuse the members suffered, and how he finally left after being a member for 23 years.

PLUS: Lola and Meagan discuss the intersection of social media and mental health, high rise jeans, death doulas, and open casket funerals. 

FOR MORE INFO AND RESOURCES:

https://nyc-wellness.com/ 

http://www.cultrevolt.com/ 

https://www.spencer-schneider.com/ 

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 Trust Me Pod @gmail.com

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Jesus bootcamp, anyone? Musician Luis Favela shares what it was like attending the Christian youth training camp Honor Academy, part of an evangelical youth organization called Teen Mania Ministries. Luis shares his story about growing up as a religious youth leader, attending Honor Academy only for it to turn into a military style bootcamp, the physical and mental stress the "interns" had to endure in the name of Jesus, and how cat food factored in.

PLUS: Lola & Meagan discuss Young Life and climate change avoidance. 

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 Trust Me Pod @gmail.com

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Today is part 2 of our interview with Yoni Shrira, former student at the Family Foundation School, also known as Allynwood, the remote troubled teen program known for a series of lawsuits brought against it as well as over a hundred deaths from overdose or suicide by its former attendees. Last week, we talked about how and why Yoni ended up in the abusive school and the culture of required snitching, and this week he’s going to tell us about the punishments the kids endured, including hard labor and isolation.

He’ll tell us about trying to run away, the origins of the group and the man who created it, how the kids were kept isolated from their families, the way it impacted him after he left, and why he thinks so many of its former students have died.

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Check out the work Lola's mom has been up to!

https://www.sltrib.com/news/polygamy/2024/12/06/polygamous-prophet-how-flds/ 

12 Step / Substance Abuse Resources

• https://americanaddictioncenters.org/rehab-guide/12-step 
• https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/treatment-program/aftercare/types-12-step-programs/ 
• https://www.addictioncenter.com/treatment/12-step-programs/ 
• 988 -- Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

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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

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TIKTOK:

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Writer and author of several books including Hazing: Destroying Young Lives, Hank Nuwer, discusses the various forms that hazing can take, why he started tracking data of deaths and injuries, a history of tragic incidents, the functions and alternatives of hazing, how it varies between fraternities and sororities, and general discussions of group dynamics. 

PLUS: Lola and Meagan discuss hearing voices, a wholesome bigfoot hunting trip gone wrong, the 1997 sci-fi flick Contact, why space is Lola's new religion, and how we might be living in a simulation!

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 Trust Me Pod @gmail.com

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Filmmaker Evan McNary discusses his childhood in an exorcism focused church, believing in demons, helping with church exorcisms, having "possessed" people living in his home, and attending a Pentecostal church where members would laugh and scream for hours on end. PLUS: an interesting conversation about how a world with less religion is a double-edged sword, and Evan's theory on pastor's who wear sunglasses.

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 Trust Me Pod @gmail.com

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Casting director and former Christian G Charles Wright talks about growing up Christian and struggling with his sexuality, a natural disaster he was caught in the middle of, why he calls his mom a psychopath, and how he shed the influence of his upbringing and finally accepted himself and his sexuality.

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 Trust Me Pod @gmail.com

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Sara & Danny, hosts of Not Another True Crime Podcast, join Lola and Meagan to discuss the tragic cases of Matthew Coleman and Anthony Todt and delusional conspiracy theories that they believed, the recent wave of con men documentaries, the cults of Reddit and SoulCycle, the link between Mormonism and MLMs, and Meagan's family connection to the BTK Killer.

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 Trust Me Pod @gmail.com

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Former One Direction stan Monia Ali shares her involvement in various fandoms throughout her life, how old she was when she became a One Direction stan, the conspiracy theory she became wrapped up in, the online bullying she experienced when she left the fandom, and the role of identity and community in these groups.

If you have your own story about cults, high-control groups, manipulation, or abuse of power, shoot us an email at trustmepod@gmail.com

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Want to learn how to levitate? Cult Interventionists and Founders of Cult News 101, Patrick Ryan and Joe Kelly, talk about their work with ICSA (the International Cultic Studies Association), how levitation played into their experiences with Transcendental Meditation, early cult deprogramming and why it was problematic, how most people leave cults of their own volition, and why exploring someone's beliefs are better than attacking them.

Learn more about Patrick and Joe's work here:

cultmediation.com 

cultnews101.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

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UK consultant clinical psychologist and one of the authors of the power threat meaning framework Lucy Johnstone shares how her work is meant to re-conceive how we think of mental illness, why the DSM is flawed, the position of why labels are problematic, how "ideological power" factors in, how "mental illnesses" can be adaptive, and the importance of creating your narrative. PLUS!! A bonus interview with Lola's mom Dr Christine Marie!!

Learn more about Lucy's below: 

https://www.bps.org.uk/power-threat-meaning-framework 

https://www.pccs-books.co.uk/products/a-straight-talking-introduction-to-the-power-threat-meaning-framework-an-alternative-to-psychiatric-diagnosis 

If you have your own story about cults, high-control groups, manipulation, or abuse of power, shoot us an email at trustmepod@gmail.com

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UNC Charlotte professor and psychology researcher Dr Richard Tedeschi discusses his pioneering work on post-traumatic growth, how his field is different from resilience, how core beliefs are involved in our trauma, what "integration" means, and the value of an "expert companion," having a mission, and sharing your story.

Learn more about Richard's work at https://bouldercrest.org/

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:
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How do we self-regulate when faced with triggers? CEO of the Arizona Trauma Institute and President at the Trauma Institute International Dr Robert Rhoton digs into the physiology of trauma, why the particular therapeutic model isn’t THAT important (as long as our therapists are trauma-informed), how being dysregulated is akin to a certain Marvel character, and why it’s important for our therapists to be regulated themselves. Plus, how our culture might not promote emotional regulation, practical ways to get regulated, and how we can actually begin to heal our trauma over time.

Learn more about Robert's work at https://aztrauma.org/ 

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:

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In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we're taking May to dive into trauma: how we think about it, how it works, and what we can actually DO about it if we're struggling. How can we live our best lives, even if we've had difficult or terrifying experiences?

In part 1 of the Rethinking Trauma series, Lola and Meagan chat with Columbia professor and PhD George Bonanno about his pioneering research into trauma and resilience, how we aren't necessarily doomed to be traumatized when we experience something terrible, why "coping ugly" is okay, and how flexibility can help us become more resilient.

https://www.mentalhealth.gov/ 

If you have your own story about cults, high-control groups, manipulation, or abuse of power, shoot us an email at trustmepod@gmail.com.

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Today our guest is Yoni Shrira, friend of the show and survivor of the Family Foundation School, a troubled teen sobriety school that became notorious for how many of its former students died after going through the program. In part one today, he’s going to talk about what he was like as a teenager, how he was genuinely out of control when it came to drugs and alcohol, and why his parents believed the school was the best option to help him.

He’ll tell us about the religious undertones of the group, how the students were separated into groups they called “families,” the culture of constant fear and snitching, and why he thinks so many kids died. Plus next week, we’ll talk about some of the harrowing punishments the kids experienced and what it felt like to finally leave.

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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

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TIKTOK:

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Podcast veteran Jordan Harbinger joins Lola and Meagan to talk magical thinking, the law of attraction, influence vs manipulation, how to be an ethical leader, how he himself has been scammed, and what makes people susceptible to scams!

If you have your own story about cults, high-control groups, manipulation, or abuse of power, shoot us an email at trustmepod@gmail.com.

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A little meditation never hurt anyone... right? Lola and Meagan chat with former Hare Krishna monk Nitai Joseph about meditation and how it isn't necessarily always the cure-all it's cracked up to be. They discuss Sam Harris, whether you can divorce meditation from its religious roots, and the work Nitai does with Cheetah House to help those with adverse meditation experiences.

Learn more about Nitai's work at https://www.cheetahhouse.org/ 

SUPPORT LOLA'S FILM: bit.ly/pruningfilm 

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:

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Nitai Joseph, talks about being a former Hare Krishna Monk, what the general beliefs are, going to California to learn from a seemingly cooler guru, devoting his life to the group, the labor exploitation he experienced, and the dangers of the guru structure.

SUPPORT LOLA'S FILM: bit.ly/pruningfilm

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:

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