Cult Chat

Looking for something from the cultiverse to listen to while driving on your summer roadie? Or perhaps you need help to tune out the kids as you flip the sausages on the barbie? Well, let the Cult Chat trio help! In this episode Lindy, Liz and Caz bring you their favourite 2023 podcasts recommendations to help you deepen your knowledge of the cultiverse - but only after you’ve listened to the fort...

It’s nearly Christmas! Are you looking for a holiday read? Caz, Lindy and Liz have taken a break from mince-pie-making and present-shopping to record an episode all about books! These books are the ones which jumped out as our best books from the cultiverse in 2023. Grab your pen and pad and jot down some of our recommended best reads of the year. You might still have time to get down to your loca...

In this episode, we delve into the crucial topic of Safeguarding Children and share insights on navigating the challenges within high control, cultish groups. Drawing from personal experiences, the hosts shed light on vulnerability factors, resiliency, and the complexities of identifying abuse or neglect in such environments. Tune in for a thoughtful discussion on the collective responsibility we...

Need a way to come back down to earth again after listening to Hopeful & Victory Disciple’s interview? Come along as Liz, Lindy and Caz reflect together. Our hosts talk developmental regression, what it really means to be a second or multigenerational child of a cult, and they dig into the physical manifestation of trauma for children. What does it mean for a child to learn to deny their needs...

Dive into the gripping continuation of the 'Kids in Cults' miniseries with Hopeful and Victory Disciple as they unveil more about life inside Gloriavale. In Part Two, they discuss the intricate web of friendship, social status, and snitches. Discover how high-control groups set children up for failure and hear Victory's emotional poem, providing a heartbreaking glimpse into her childho...

Join Hopeful and Victory Disciple in a gripping two-part interview as they share their journey growing up in Gloriavale. They delve into their upbringing in a socially entrapped society, discussing the profound impacts on kids in cults. From bed-wetting to false personas, they shed light on the hidden struggles within high-control groups, unraveling the lasting damage inflicted on the inner selves...

How do harmful organizations respond when they are accused of abuse? What are the indicators that the response lacks substance or is part of a strategic ploy to maintain control and protect an image? Today our hosts talk about defenses used by abusive groups, including denial, excuses, justifications and comparisons, using examples they have encountered personally. Listen in to learn what real apo...

Join us for part 2 of Lindy’s conversation with Shayne and Rachael about the JWs application to be exempt from the NZ Royal Commision of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. They examine the arguments that played out in court, providing a fascinating case study of a faith-based group’s reaction to being investigated by outsiders. Lindy, Liz and Caz then unpack the interview and ask if the behaviour display...

Lindy interviews Shayne Mechen and Rachael Jackson after a week in the High Court. The NZ branch of the Jehovah’s Witnesses are arguing their case for why they should be exempt from the NZ Royal Commision of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. Shayne and Rachel are both former JWs, and are advocates for former members of the JW faith. In the episode - part 1 of a 2 part interview - Shayne, Rachel and Lind...

The leader of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church (Exclusive Brethren) tells its New Zealand fellowship to urgently gather together, with very short notice, and 7000 Brethren drop tools and flood airports all over New Zealand in their urgency to show their obedience. Why? Is the world about to end? Is there something we need to know? Meanwhile, Lindy’s dearly beloved Nana Anna passes away and h...

Part B: He said what?! Gloriavale Leavers and some current members provide commentary around journalist Rebecca Wright’s visit to Parliament where they asked the head of NZ’s Child Protection Agency whether the children at Gloriavale were safe. You won’t believe what he said! Leavers think it’s time the politicians & government agencies get educated. Today we set the record straight. Show Note...

Part A: Articulate Gloriavale Leavers hit back at the politicians! Journalist Rebecca Wright (Newshub) went to Parliament to ask whether children are safe at Gloriavale. The Prime Minister’s answers elicited quite a reaction among 20 former and current members. Their contributions to this episode are priceless. Your hosts have tied it together with commentary on the Government’s response to cults....

Laura was a young adult just starting her career in Auckland when she was recruited into Shincheonji - a Korean high-demand religious group. In this interview Laura describes how she was pursued and recruited, and how fear, deceit and a desire to please others was used to trap her. She became a leader herself and used these same destructive tactics on others. Five years later she extracted herself...

A chance encounter with a Centrepoint survivor at a festival a decade ago set Anke Richter on a labyrinthine journey into understanding the aftermath of cults. The result of this work was “Cult Trip”, Anke’s book about her investigation into cults inside and outside New Zealand. Today's chat between Anke and Caz discusses trauma-informed, survivor-centric journalism, how impossible it is to st...

Are you reaching for your dictionary far too often as you learn more about the cultisphere? If that’s you, you’ll love hearing our hosts slice and dice their way through the most common culty words and phrases. Sit back as our trio define concepts like narcissism, psychopathy, authoritarianism, machiavellianism, and gas-lighting. By the end of our chat you’ll be ready to butt-in on the next conver...

Are cults simply harmless fringe groups with unusual ideas, or something more? Are they always religious? Are they always harmful? Who gets to decide if the word cult is applied to a group, and what if people disagree? Are there some objective measures we can use to define cults? Today Lindy, Liz and Caz talk about some of the different ways cults are defined, drawing on common definitions and exp...

How many lawyers does it take to overthrow a coercive controlling system of oppression? Twenty? A hundred? Listen to today’s bonus episode to find out the answer to this age old question as Liz asks the Gloriavale Leavers legal team - Brian, Dennis and Steve - the hard questions about the recent employment case. This bonus episode is being released in response to the July 2023 girls employment cou...

Discover what drives Liz Gregory, founder of the Gloriavale Leavers’ Support Trust, as she shares her journey from being a teacher and business owner to unexpectedly providing support to survivors of a cult. Liz firmly believes that by thoroughly understanding the root causes of problems, we can develop more effective solutions for the future. Uncover the source of Liz's unwavering energy as s...

Caroline talks about how her family became involved in Centrepoint, the time she spent there as a 7 year old, and the silence that surrounded the topic after she left. She explains the slow waking up to the impacts Centrepoint had on her life, and how she started to uncover the history which eventually led to her starting the Centrepoint Restoration Project. She discusses the motivation which drov...

Listen to more of Lindy’s story, as she shares what it was like to grow up in the Exclusive Brethren, the unexpected outcomes of asking too many questions, and the difficult process of leaving.  We talk about the long-term impacts that former members of high-demand groups can have, especially in groups that practice familial shunning.  Lindy shares with us about the heartbeat of the Olive Leaf Net...

Meet Caroline, Liz and Lindy on this first episode as they talk about how they met and introduce us to their own projects in the cultisphere: the Centrepoint Restoration Project, Gloriavale Leavers Support Trust, and Olive Leaf Network. The trio talk about what listeners can expect from Cult Chat; cult awareness, impacts of coercive control, cult recovery, and questions about accountability. Show...