Shows
A Little Bit CultyCults to Consciousness: Shelise Ann Sola on Post-Mormon Podcast Life (Part 2)In Part 2 with artist and ex-Mormon creator Shelise Ann Sola, we pick up with what happens after you walk away from the LDS Church: family fallout, reclaiming your body and sexuality from modesty/purity culture, and learning how to trust your own inner authority instead of a prophet, bishop, or priesthood holder. Shelise talks about healing religious trauma, unpacking scrupulosity and intrusive fears about hell and worthiness, and the messy, funny, and sometimes dark reality of building a new life, new boundaries, and new beliefs in the “post-Mormon” wilderness.We also get into her onli...
2026-01-0847 min
A Little Bit CultyCults to Consciousness: Shelise Ann Sola on Post-Mormon Podcast Life (Part 1)In the first part of our conversation, artist, podcaster, and former Mormon Shelise Ann Sola joins us to talk about growing up in a devout Latter-day Saint (LDS) family. She internalized “perfect girl” expectations and slowly deconstructed the high-demand beliefs that shaped her identity and relationships. Shelise shares how modesty culture, purity messaging, temple worthiness interviews, and the LDS obsession with eternal marriage impacted her mental health, sexuality, and sense of self, and how leaving the church meant losing community, certainty, and family approval all at once. We also got into her creative life after...
2026-01-0542 min
A Little Bit CultySetting Healthy Boundaries: Elicia Ybarra on Red Flags in Martial Arts (Part 2)In Part 2 of our conversation with Elicia Ybarra, she unpacks her path to healing through EMDR trauma therapy. She realized how buried triggers from years of grooming and abuse sabotaged her marriage and self-defense curriculum development, leading to a near-separation and inability to be touched even by her son. She broke down her "Pretty Hands, Hard Punches" empowerment model. We also discussed why stats show 975/1000 sexual assault perpetrators walk free, the red flags of abuse, multi-layered boundaries (emotional, time, social), and the "think, yell, run, fight, tell" progression with simple, realistic strikes like palm heels to the nose (tested...
2026-01-0137 min
A Little Bit CultySetting Healthy Boundaries: Elicia Ybarra on Red Flags in Martial Arts (Part 1)In Part 1 of our conversation with martial artist and empowerment self-defense instructor Elicia Ybarra, we trace how a childhood love of ninja turtles and karate turned into a 30-year journey through grooming, coercive control, and abuse in multiple martial arts settings, and how she eventually turned all of it into a curriculum to help other women fight back before it ever gets physical.Elicia described being groomed by a trusted instructor from ages 13–16, losing her community when she tried to set boundaries, getting pulled into a second “family” TaeKwonDo organization where a grandmaster weaponized rank...
2025-12-2946 min
A Little Bit CultyA Little Bit Extra: A Casual Xmas Chat, AMA, and Listener VoicemailsRing the sleigh bells for this A Little Bit Extra Thursday Christmas bonus. We navigate thorny territory around recent NXIVM-adjacent podcasts we legally can't discuss yet. Trust us, we have thoughts, and Sarah spills her feelings about all the drama on her hour-long debrief with Mark Vicente. We reflect on our favorite episodes from 2025—ones that surprised us, moved us, and occasionally got us in trouble—and tease what's coming in 2026: our book is finally landing, and we're doing a live Patreon interview with Marc Headley that you won't want to miss.We respond to t...
2025-12-2536 min
First Coast ConnectVax attacksWhy do some lawmakers believe in “old school” vaccines but fear modern ones? We preview a state meeting where health officials will consider abolishing four mandatory school vaccinations — chickenpox, hepatitis B, Hib and pneumococcal vaccines. The Department of Health workshop is being held Friday in a remote part of the state but is expected to be well attended by doctors, educators and child health advocates who oppose the move. The DeSantis administration has moved aggressively to roll back vaccine mandates in the state, with the state surgeon general comparing school immunization requirements to slavery. That comes even as state lawmak...
2025-12-1151 min
A Little Bit CultyAmanda Montell: Cultish and Coded Language, Revisited (Part 2)Amanda Montell returns for round two, diving into what she's learned since Cultish dropped: Instagram comment wars as tribal battlegrounds, "platforming" as a thought-terminating cliché, and why understanding opposing views could get you canceled. We bonded over podcast economics, navigated controversy around Sounds Like a Cult episodes on Waldorf and fertility, discussed which cult she'd have joined (artist-led, obviously), and took a truly unhinged detour into vampire raves, Gen Z slang, and the etymology of "no cap." Chaos, warmth, and peak cult-nerd energy abound.Be sure to follow Amanda on...
2025-12-1135 min
A Little Bit CultyAmanda Montell: Cultish and Coded Language, Revisited (Part 1)Amanda Montell—author, linguist, and our reigning three-time champion guest—returns in studio to talk about the newly released paperback edition of Cultish, the book that launched a thousand cult-discourse hot takes and made us all think twice about our SoulCycle memberships. We dove into what it's like to write a cult book when you're 27, watch it blow up unexpectedly, and face the onslaught of feedback (good, bad, and "I want to ruin your life"). Amanda opened up about the changes she made for the paperback after years of listening, learning, and hiring her own s...
2025-12-0835 min
A Little Bit CultyA Little Bit Extra: Post-Thanksgiving Word Salad and Listener VoicemailsWe’re back for A Little Bit Extra Thursday filled with Thanksgiving word salads and gallows humor. We chat about the last few truly bonkers weeks, share a long-awaited update on the book (spoiler: it’s actually finished and with our copy editor!), and talk about why we can’t publicly comment on certain NXIVM-adjacent podcasts just yet.We listen to your voicemails about the podcast featuring Allison Mack, Nippy’s growth arc, Westerners hijacking Eastern spirituality, and a culty resort in Costa Rica that’s been pinging your radar. There’s also wild OneTaste/Mor...
2025-12-0427 min
A Little Bit CultyAnthia Gillick on OneTaste: Strokes, Sex, and ShameWhen does sexual empowerment cross the line into cult control? Following Ellen Huet’s OneTaste expose, we sat with Anthia Gillick—former OneTaste “insider,” survivor, and truth-teller—for a deep dive into the mechanics of manipulation inside one of the most controversial so-called “wellness” groups of the last decade. Anthia shares her journey from lost post-grad to commune life, revealing how boundaries were vaporized, “personal growth” was weaponized, and manufactured intimacy masked abuse and exploitation. She breaks down the OneTaste playbook on love-bombing, sales, shame, and consent, plus what helped her finally get out—and how healing (and...
2025-12-0154 min
Elis Iluht & MrDEGHT D, M & P Company3rdFM Show 059 Exclusive Guest Mix by Kat H the Sinister3rd Firmament Music Show Episode 059 Exclusive Guest Mix by Kat H the Sinister
Tracklist
01. Edmondson - On & On (Original Mix)
02. Dan Kye - Change
03. Retromigration - Say What
04. Jad & The - Pollock Street Blues
05. Chaos In the CBD - Observe, Pt. 2
06. Tour- Maubourg - Nite People (Edmondson Remix)
07. Retromigration - Stop the Presses
08. Nick Holder feat. Zaki - Swimming (Dub Mix)
09. Jimpster - Got a Hold on Your Soul
1 1. Rodney Hunter - Take A Ride (Andre Lodemann Club Ride)
1 2. Danny Clark, Jay Benham, Nica Brooke - Giving Only (Atjazz Mix)
1 3. Fizzikx - Dark Side (Original Mix)
1 4. Laroye - Uku Dub
1 5...
2025-11-291h 17
A Little Bit CultyReal Housewife and Bad Mormon: Heather Gay on Surviving Mormonism (Part 2)We’re back with the second half of our conversation with the unstoppable Heather Gay: housewife, truth-teller, and newly minted slayer of Mormon silence. Heather gets real (and really funny) about what she’s gained since stepping away from the church: self-discovery, creative freedom, and the kind of joy 10-year-old her would’ve fainted over. We dig into her docuseries Surviving Mormonism, the tidal wave of stories she’s helping bring to light, and the church’s (let’s call it) “creative” approach to handling abuse reports. Heather opens up about the personal cost of speaking out...
2025-11-2739 min
A Little Bit CultyReal Housewife and Bad Mormon: Heather Gay on Surviving Mormonism (Part 1)Heather Gay, Real Housewife, “Bad Mormon,” and faith deconstruction trailblazer, joined us to talk about her journey from devout church girl to outspoken survivor. She shares what made Mormonism so magnetic, how family, secrets, and ritual shaped her upbringing, and the pivotal moments that cracked her certainty wide open, including appearing on past ALBC guest Dr. John Dehlin’s Mormon Stories Podcast. From endowment ceremonies and culinary faux pas to finding her voice outside the fold, Heather dishes on the unique mix of pressure, community, and hope that comes with leaving a high-demand religion. This fi...
2025-11-2438 min
A Little Bit CultyEmpire of Orgasm: Ellen Huet on the Different Strokes of OneTaste (Part 2)We dive even deeper in Part two with Ellen Huet to unpack what drove OneTaste’s inner circle, its culty sales playbook, and the strange tangle of power, personal growth, and manipulation. Ellen reveals the hidden pressures—financial, sexual, emotional—that kept members tied to the group (and often hemorrhaging money), and explains how buzzwords like “aversion practice,” “getting off on any stroke,” and “rapidly changing reality” were really tools for bulldozing boundaries and controlling thought. Our conversation traces OneTaste’s journey from wellness trend to federal courtroom, busts modern myths about female-led groups, and highlights why charismatic leadership is always more about...
2025-11-2046 min
A Little Bit CultyEmpire of Orgasm: Ellen Huet on the Different Strokes of OneTaste (Part 1)This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp.What happens when the pursuit of female pleasure blurs into high-pressure sales, psychological control, and a federal criminal trial? In this two-part episode, we’re joined by journalist Ellen Huet for a candid dive into the rise and fall of OneTaste and the controversial practice of orgasmic meditation. Ellen unpacks how a wellness company promising sexual healing and empowerment became a high-control, high-demand group, luring seekers with mindfulness and “goalless” pleasure, then pushing boundaries, demanding loyalty, and turning taboo into currency. We covered OneTast...
2025-11-1741 min
A Little Bit CultyMy Cult Your Cult: Sean Prophet on the Church Universal and Triumphant (Part 2)What actually happens when the world doesn’t end, the “shelf” breaks, and the self-proclaimed prince of a doomsday empire is left standing amid the fallout? In this powerful follow-up, Sean Prophet takes us through the final years of apocalyptic shelter drills, shattered prophecies, and how an edict about near-beer triggered a total loss of faith in his mother’s spiritual authority at the Church Universal & Triumphant (CUT). Sean shared how leaving wasn’t a single dramatic leap but a slow unraveling—pushed by impossible hierarchies, small acts of rebellion, and the radical idea that you get to decide how to live...
2025-11-1344 min
A Little Bit CultyMy Cult Your Cult: Sean Prophet on the Church Universal and Triumphant (Part 1)What’s it like to grow up the so-called “prince” inside one of America’s most notorious new religious movements—where your mother is a celebrated channeler, your father founds a church, and the end of the world is just another family discussion over dinner? In the first of this two-part episode, we’re joined by Sean Prophet, author of My Cult, Your Cult, for a deep dive into the strange realities of life inside the Church Universal and Triumphant (CUT).Sean unpacks his childhood in sprawling mansions turned cult compounds, the roots of the group’s...
2025-11-1044 min
A Little Bit CultyDr. Ingrid Clayton and Fawn Stars: The Hidden Cost of People Pleasing (Part 2)How do you actually stop fawning, and what does healing look like in real life? In Part 2 of our convo with Dr. Ingrid Clayton, we dove into boundaries, agency, and what it really takes to step out of survival mode. Ingrid shared her go-to body-based tools—like orienting with the senses, making nature your therapist, building a “pillow palace” like Sarah’s, and giving yourself full permission to take up space. Expect honest stories about parenting and relationships as radical acts of autonomy, plus some real-talk on microdosing mushrooms, nervous system hacks, and learning to say wh...
2025-10-3044 min
A Little Bit CultyDr. Ingrid Clayton and Fawn Stars: The Hidden Cost of People Pleasing (Part 1)What if the thing you’ve been calling “people-pleasing” is actually your nervous system doing a full-blown survival routine? In this episode, we welcomed Dr. Ingrid Clayton, clinical psychologist, trauma therapist, and author of Fawning: Why the Need to Please Makes Us Lose Ourselves--and How to Find Our Way Back. Part memoir, part emotional mic-drop, Ingrid’s work reframes “fawning” as a deeply human, body-based response—not a character flaw—and helps us see how our most selfless instincts can actually mask self-abandonment. We unpacked the messy truth about over-apologizing, over-functioning, and why some of us can’t bring ourselves to hit “...
2025-10-2756 min
A Little Bit CultyJoshua Paddison: Unraveling America’s First Sex Cult Scandal (Part 2)Think cult scandal is just a modern phenomenon? Think again. In Part 2, historian Joshua Paddison unpacks America’s original sex cult, Fountain Grove—complete with group bathing, soulmate mysticism, financial abuse, and a scandal that turned “cult” from a neutral word into a headline-grabbing accusation. Josh guides us through all the weirdness: the rise and fall of Thomas Lake Harris, survivor red flags, bitter public smear campaigns, historical cover-ups, and the jaw-dropping parallels between 1890s California communes and today’s cult headlines. Plus: why California became cult central, how cult terminology shapes survivor stories, and what historians wrestle with when label...
2025-10-2243 min
A Little Bit CultyJoshua Paddison: Unraveling America’s First Sex Cult Scandal (Part 1)This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp.Today’s guest is Joshua Paddison, a US historian, author, and bona fide expert in the wild world of American cults, spiritualist communes, and utopian experiments. Josh spent years hunting down primary sources and unearthing the surprising connections between 19th-century scandal, religious innovation, and the birth of cult culture as we know it. His tale includes international intrigue, breathwork mystics, spiritual seekers, and even sex scandals that laid the groundwork for the culty headlines we see today. If you’ve ever wondered about the OG roots of groupthink, word...
2025-10-2038 min
A Little Bit CultyA Little Bit Extra: Diddy’s Sentence, Sarma’s Salads, & Listener VoicemailsIn this A Little Bit Extra ep, Sarah dishes all about her recent trip to New York City—think walks on The High Line, big shroom feels, and some serious kitchen magic courtesy of Sarma Melngailis. What happens when two culty survivors share homemade meals and chat about upcoming guest Dr. Ingrid Clayton’s Fawning? You get a new club: “Fawn Stars”—and Sarah is a founding member.We also break down the latest courtroom jaw-dropper (yep, the Diddy sentence), spill on where we’re at with our forthcoming book, and it’s open mic time for l...
2025-10-1633 min
A Little Bit Culty"Holy Disruptor" Amy Duggar King: Healing Beyond the SpotlightWhat’s it like to survive chaos at home, culty control next door, and a national TV spotlight that labels you “crazy cousin”—all before breakfast? In this episode, we sat down with Amy Duggar King to talk about finally telling her real story after years of reality TV, IBLP dogma, and generational trauma behind the Duggar family empire. Amy gets candid about finding her voice after childhood abuse, navigating gaslighting on and off the set, and why her memoir aims to help others break free from toxic family systems. From confronting red flags and speaking out about Shiny Happy Pe...
2025-10-1358 min
A Little Bit CultyInside Cult Intervention: Lessons from Joe Szimhart (Part 1)In this gripping episode of 'A Little Bit Culty,' hosts welcome Joe Szimhart, a veteran cult interventionist with over 40 years of experience. Joe delves into the history and evolution of cult deprogramming, sharing intricate details of his personal journey from an art student to an expert in cult interventions. The conversation covers key figures and movements in esotericism and theosophy, drawing connections between early and modern cult practices. Joe's fascinating anecdotes and practical advice on effective intervention methods offer valuable insights into the complexities of steering loved ones away from high control groups. This is part one of...
2025-10-0635 min
A Little Bit CultyWho's Your Granddaddy? Stefan Kolesar on Amway and World Wide Group (Part 2)Ready for the breaking point? In Part 2, we continue Stefan Kolesar’s deep dive into the world of Amway—where all those red flags on the shelf finally came crashing down. From mounting disillusionment and classic gaslighting to the pain of leaving behind loyal friends and an imagined future, Stefan shares the raw reality of waking up, grieving, and healing after 13 years inside the culty clutches of MLM life. Plus: why nearly 99% of recruits lose money, what really chaps Stefan’s ass about the so-called American Dream, and how true recovery means laughter, therapy, and building community with fellow ex-IBO...
2025-09-2535 min
A Little Bit CultyWho's Your Granddaddy? Stefan Kolesar on Amway and World Wide Group (Part 1)What happens when the “American Dream” turns out to be more like the “Amway Nightmare”? On this episode of A Little Bit Culty, we sit down with Stefan Kolesar to dig into his 13 years inside the OG of all MLMs—the so-called “granddaddy” that’s even entangled with NXIVM history. From coffee shop pitches and overpriced toothpaste to the hidden “tools” racket that keeps recruits hooked, Stefan breaks down how the system lures people in with promises of purpose, community, and certainty—while quietly bleeding them dry. This is Part 1 of his story: how he and his wife went al...
2025-09-2237 min
A Little Bit CultyInside the Pyramid: Bridget Read on the History & Hype of MLMs (Part 2)In Part 2 with Bridget Read, we explore the complexities and legal nuances that allow multi-level marketing (MLM) companies to operate as legitimate businesses, despite the similarities to illegal pyramid schemes. With historical context and references to key legal cases like Amway and the Koscot test, the script dives into how MLMs managed to skirt around laws and thrive. The discussion also ties in political influences, such as the Amway founders' connections with influential conservative movements, and the insidious spread of MLMs globally, exploiting vulnerable populations. Additionally, it touches on the intersection of self-help movements a...
2025-09-1836 min
A Little Bit CultyInside the Pyramid: Bridget Read on the History & Hype of MLMs (Part 1)In Part 1 of this much-anticipated interview, journalist and New York Magazine reporter Bridget Read discusses the pervasive and nuanced issues surrounding multi-level marketing (MLM) companies. Read explains her journey from writing a short article to diving into the complex history, politics, and ideology of MLMs, culminating in a comprehensive book on the subject. Her research uncovered alarming contradictions and historical roots in fraud and pseudoscience, particularly connected to early 20th-century new thought movements and eugenics. The conversation also touches on the evolution of MLMs, their psychological tactics, and their exploitative nature, especially targeting women. W...
2025-09-1537 min
A Little Bit CultyA Little Bit Extra: Fanny Packs, Volleyball, and HazingBuckle up, cultiverse: it’s our bonus round, where we give you a little bit extra. In this episode, we eavesdrop on the spicy, kooky, and downright cathartic voicemails waiting in our inbox from listeners who are ready to dish out their “a little more culty” revelations, rants, and burning questions.Also…let it be known that:The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of t...
2025-09-1120 min
A Little Bit CultyThe Dark Side of Influence: Chico Felitti on Kat TorresWhat does it take to unravel the sinister side of internet fame—and how do influencers become a little bit culty? In this episode, we sit down with BuzzFeed journalist and chronic digital deepdiver Chico Felitti, whose reporting on influencer Kat Torres inspired Season 2 of Wondery’s hit Guru series, “Don’t Cross Kat.” Chico shares how seemingly glamorous social media personas can mask disturbing stories of manipulation and missing followers, and why Brazil’s obsession with the American dream made Kat’s rise—and the disappearances connected to her—even more chilling. We unpack the magnetic allure of online personaliti...
2025-09-0841 min
A Little Bit CultyYou're Not My Daddy: Veena Dinavahi Survives “The True Happiness Company” (Part 2)In part two of our revealing conversation with Veena Dinavahi, we dig deeper into the tangled web of coercion, isolation, and control she experienced inside the manipulative “true happiness” community. Veena opened up about the crushing mental health struggles that pushed her to the edge—and how that intersected with “Bob”, the coercive leader of the Mormon-adjacent self-help group who triangulated power with other members. We explore her desperate search for solace in faith amid chaos, the complexities of motherhood under control, and the raw realities of reclaiming autonomy in a world built to keep her small. We talked about the...
2025-09-0434 min
A Little Bit CultyYou're Not My Daddy: Veena Dinavahi Survives “The True Happiness Company” (Part 1)What happens when the story you thought you were living collides with a reality you can’t ignore? Kicking off Season 8 of A Little Bit Culty, we sit down with author, mother of three, and fashion writer Veena Dinavahi for part one of a powerful conversation about growing up in a white American suburb with a high suicide rate. Veena shared her journey meeting “Bob,” the leader of a Mormon-adjacent self-help group she calls “the true happiness company,” at 19 years old, and the red flags that kept her trapped in the group for years. This convo’s raw, real, and exactly...
2025-09-0146 min
A Little Bit CultyWelcome to Season 8 of A Little Bit Culty!Hey culty listeners! Season 8 is loading…and we’re not even gonna pretend this is chill. It’s BIG. Like, two-new-episodes-every-week big. Fresh culty convos, enough snark to keep your brain buzzing, and if you’ve been obedient, maybe some spicy word salads from Nippy. We’re back in your ears Monday for Season 8—so buckle up, buttercup.Also… let it be known that:The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests...
2025-08-2901 min
Working ItWhy successful companies need to be good at failureAmy Edmondson is a professor of leadership and management at Harvard Business School and one of the world’s most influential management thinkers. She talks to host Isabel Berwick about her new book, Right Kind of Wrong, in which she argues that companies can only hope to succeed when they make it ‘psychologically safe’ for their teams to fail. Plus, Brooke Masters, the FT’s US financial editor, tells Isabel about the time, early on in her career, when she made a mistake. What did she learn from the experience and how does Amy’s thesis play out across the US cor...
2023-10-1117 min
A Little Bit CultyBreaking Character: Ex-Acting Students Speak Up (Part 2)Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Last week, Alberta Mayne Bligh, Brooke Henderson, and Erin Boyes dove into what attracted them to Michèle Lonsdale-Smith’s acting classes – the good, the bad, and the messy. Our three guests are ex-students, each with their own thriving careers in film, theater, television, directing, development and even art therapy. And they are among the 26 ex-students who recently spoke up about their experience under the tutelage of Lonsdale-Smith in a revelatory story published in The Cut. If you missed Part 1, go back and take a listen. Now, in Part 2, they share th...
2023-07-3147 min
A Little Bit CultyBreaking Character: Ex-Acting Students Speak Up (Part 1)Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Alberta Mayne Bligh, Brooke Henderson, and Erin Boyes are among the 26 ex-students who recently spoke up about their experience under the acting tutelage of Michèle Lonsdale-Smith in a revelatory story published in The Cut. Lonsdale Smith is, by many accounts, a dogmatic leader who claims her techniques help actors tell the truth about their unresolved human motivations and make the world a better place. But what happens when details of your personal life are put on stage? What if your teacher fat shames you? Makes personal accusations, belittles, and berat...
2023-07-241h 02
A Little Bit CultyGuru-Free: Laura Tucker on Safety for SeekersA Little Bit Culty – In 2009, Laura Tucker attended a Sedona spiritual retreat and sweat lodge hosted by charismatic spiritual teacher James Arthur Ray. It all went tragically wrong, resulting in the deaths of fellow attendees Liz Neuman, Kirby Brown and James Shore. On this episode, Laura chats with Sarah and Nippy about her experience, what it means to practice safe spiritual seeking, and the dark side of self help. More about today’s guest: Laura Tucker is the host of the Free Your Inner Guru® Podcast, a photographer, writer, and a self-described ‘recovering coach.’ A creative...
2021-11-291h 17
Ecstasy: The Battle Of RaveAdrian Edmondson as The EntrepreneurHe saw the need to party - and the cash that could be made from raves. He'd hit it big on both, running parties for thousands every week. Until, as 88 turned to 89, the politicians got involved. #BattleOfRave
All characters portrayed by the dramatic actors are fictional. This drama contains strong language and references to drug use.Credits
Performed by Adrian Edmondson
Written by Danny Brocklehurst
Producer and Director: Gary Brown
Sound Design and Mixing: Steve Brooke
Editor and Executive Producer: Ciaran Tracey
2020-09-1115 min