A Little Bit Culty

We’re back with Part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Mara Einstein, diving even deeper into the unsettling connections between cults, multi-level marketing (MLMs), higher education, and the digital world. In this episode, we unpack how MLMs use tactics like love bombing, upselling, and deception to recruit and retain members — and how these same strategies show up in places you might not expect, li...

You don’t have to join a cult to get manipulated—just log onto the internet. This week on A Little Bit Culty, we’re diving into the marketing matrix with Dr. Mara Einstein, professor, media critic, and author of Hoodwinked: How Marketers Use the Same Tactics as Cults . From influencer culture and MLMs to “brand cults” and rage farming, Mara breaks down how modern marketing preys on fear, insecurit...

This episode is sponsored in part by BetterHelp. New Age isn’t just sage bundles and Instagram affirmations. It can also be a fast track to conspiracy-laced belief systems, grifty gurus, and straight-up cults. In this episode, we’re joined by journalist and podcaster Leah Sottile, whose new book Blazing Eye Sees All takes a sharp look at how New Age spirituality has seeped into American culture, a...

Alcoholics Anonymous has become a household name. You’ve probably heard of the 12 steps, sponsors, and sobriety chips. At its best, AA can be life-changing. But in some chapters, things can take a darker turn, and when they do, there’s no centralized structure to step in. In this episode, we’re talking with April McLean—a blogger and former member of AA who found herself deep in a high-control gro...

This episode is sponsored in part by Betterhelp. We’re back with behavioral science expert Laura Richards for Part 2 of our deep dive into coercive control—and how it shows up in some of today’s most talked-about celebrity cases. Laura, who spent ten years at New Scotland Yard and helped establish the UK’s coercive control laws, joins us again to unpack the ways power and control are used to manip...

This episode is sponsored in part by Betterhelp. What do serial killers, cult leaders, and domestic abusers have in common? According to criminal behavior analyst Laura Richards, quite a lot. In this powerful conversation, Laura explains the concept of coercive control—the psychological abuse tactic often at the core of these crimes—and how it plays out across intimate relationships, cults, and hi...

This episode is sponsored in part by Betterhelp. Ishayas’ Ascension—also known as the Bright Path—is a new-agey meditation movement that promises spiritual enlightenment through “stillness” and expensive courses. But behind the soothing mantras and lofty ideals lurks a leader who demands total submission. Followers are taught that their thoughts, emotions, and even their sense of self aren’t real—...

We’re bringing you a spicy one today on ALBC! Our guest is Ariel Anderssen, a professional BDSM model and sex-positive author. Raised as a Jehovah’s Witness, Ariel grew up in a world where sexuality was strictly controlled, desire was equated with sin, and the end of the world was always just around the corner. But after leaving the faith, she embarked on a journey of self-discovery that led her t...

This episode is sponsored in part by Betterhelp. Novelist, screenwriter, and publishing consultant Shelly Snow Pordea grew up in the Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) church, an insular and oppressive religious environment that shaped her childhood. She survived religious trauma and abuse before finding her path to healing through storytelling. In this episode, ALBC sit down with Shelly to dis...

This is Part 2 of our conversation with Beth Granger, who was born into Grenville Christian College and spent over 20 years trapped within its cult-like control. If you haven’t yet listened to Part 1, we recommend starting there to understand the full context of Beth’s powerful story. In this episode, Beth shares her long road to recovery after leaving Grenville, detailing the emotional toll of th...

This episode is sponsored in part by Betterhelp.  Beth Granger was born into a nightmare disguised as an elite Christian boarding school. Raised within the walls of Grenville Christian College, she endured decades of coercion, public shaming, and physical abuse—hidden behind the institution’s polished reputation. As a child of staff members, she was subjected to even harsher discipline, forced to...

Long-time listeners might remember Dr. Christine Cocchiola (aka Dr. C) from Season 5, where she shared how she and her kids survived her ex-husband’s coercive control and psychological abuse. This week, she’s back to dig deeper into the ways coercive control operates like a cult—through gaslighting, mind games, and manipulation—and how it impacts families, especially children. Dr. C is a social ju...

Online sextortion scams are on the rise, targeting young victims—especially teen boys—by coercing them into sharing explicit images, then blackmailing them into silence. These predators use fear, humiliation, and intimidation to trap their victims, often with devastating consequences. Our guest today, South Carolina Representative Brandon Guffey, knows this horror firsthand. In 2022, his 17-year-o...

This week we  continue to explore corruption within the Hare Krishna movement, this time through the eyes of former member Nori Muster. From 1978 to 1988, Nori worked in the movement’s PR and media department, where she was tasked with spinning headlines and managing ISKCON's public image. However, what began as a spiritual refuge soon revealed a dark underbelly of corruption, cover-ups, and even...

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com/CULTY to get started today. Remember the Hare Krishnas? The ones with the shaved heads and orange robes who used to chant and panhandle at airports? What started as a movement promoting inner peace and material detachment descended into chaos, corruption, and crime. In this week’s episode, Sarah and Nippy sit down with filmmaker Jason L...

This week, we’re honoring the life and legacy of our dear friend and hero, Mike Rinder. Mike was a pivotal figure in the fight against cultic abuse, and his courage and compassion set the gold standard for turning a difficult past into a powerful force for good. To celebrate his incredible contributions, we’re re-releasing this conversation from March 2021, where Mike shared his remarkable journey...

This show/episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com/CULTY to get started today. This is the second part of a 2 part interview with Jonathan Hirsch. Listen to Part 1 Here . Jonathan Hirsch is an award-winning podcaster and journalist who grew up in the Adidam hippie cult. His podcast, “Dear Franklin Jones”, is about that experience. Today, he’s here to discuss the less famous—but equ...

Jonathan Hirsch is an award-winning podcaster and journalist who grew up in the Adidam hippie cult. His podcast, “Dear Franklin Jones”, is about that experience. Today, he’s here to discuss the less famous, but equally culty, Jones and what it’s like for children who grow up with religious abuse.  And for more of Jonathan's work, Be sure to check out his latest podcast, “Scary Terri”, which unrave...

What’s it like to grow up in a world where your life’s only purpose is to serve the men around you? Cait West knows firsthand. Raised in a household steeped in Christian patriarchy—a radical movement that places men in absolute control over their families—Cait was homeschooled, groomed to be an obedient wife and mother, and forbidden from pursuing a career or formal education. By the time she esca...

This episode is brought to you in part by Squarespace. Head to  https://www.squarespace.com/CULTY to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code CULTY. This week, we sit down with medium Jonathan Mark, who brings closure to grieving families and assists law enforcement in solving cold cases. Jonathan opens up about his journey from reluctant medium to trusted investigator, s...

This episode is brought to you in part by Squarespace. Head to https://www.squarespace.com/CULTY to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code CULTY. John Ramsey knows a lot about culty thinking within police investigations. He experienced it firsthand after his daughter, JonBenét Ramsey, was murdered in 1996. JonBenét was the six-year-old beauty queen found strangled and b...

Bringing you an extra special Part 2 for today's bonus episode with Jules Hartley.  You may have heard of Kundalini yoga from its popularity with celebrities, but you might be less familiar with its culty history. Invented in the late 60s by a guru-turned-cult leader named Yogi Bhajan, Kundalini is an intensive form of yoga that weirdly uses breathing exercises to manipulate people. After its foun...

You may have heard of Kundalini yoga from its popularity with celebrities, but you might be less familiar with its culty history. Invented in the late 60s by a guru-turned-cult leader named Yogi Bhajan, Kundalini is an intensive form of yoga that weirdly uses breathing exercises to manipulate people. After its founder died in 2004, one of his followers, Guru Jagat, picked up where he left off. Jag...

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp.  In this week's episode, Sarah and Nippy welcome friend and comedian Whitney Cummings to the podcast to explore the nuanced overlaps of culty dynamics and Hollywood culture. Whitney shares her unique perspective on vulnerability, healing, and her fascination with neuroscience, while also opening up about her personal quest for meaning. From the allure...

Author and podcaster Amanda Knox sits down with Sarah and Nippy to discuss the culty nature of the Italian justice system. Amanda shares how she was coerced by the police into confessing to a crime she did not commit and details her experience with a media that is more concerned with ratings than truth. She also discusses the ongoing process of healing from trauma and her ongoing work in criminal...