IndoctriNation

Mark Vicente is an author, speaker, and award-winning Writer/Director/Producer most well-known for directing the sleeper documentary hit "What The Bleep Do We Know?!" Being born in apartheid-era South Africa, and witnessing a number of atrocities, Mark found himself propelled to question certain fundamental assumptions at a very young age. He spent a good part of the late 80's and earl...

Mark Vicente is an author, speaker, and award-winning Writer/Director/Producer most well-known for directing the sleeper documentary hit "What The Bleep Do We Know?!" Being born in apartheid-era South Africa, and witnessing a number of atrocities, Mark found himself propelled to question certain fundamental assumptions at a very young age. He spent a good part of the late 80's and earl...

In this week's episode, Rachel gives her unique perspective on QAnon, a far-right conspiracy theory whose dangerous and cult-like ideas are spreading at an alarming rate. She provides insights on what followers find appealing about the group and why it is so difficult for their loved ones to reason with them. To hear more of Rachel's insights on the group, listen to her recent interview on...

Todd Brown continues telling his story of recovery as an ex-member of the independent sect of Sufism called Sufi Dayemi Tariqat. He describes the abuse he endured from the guru who continually belittled Todd for not living up to binary gender norms. Todd speaks openly about how he struggled with his homosexuality within the group and explains what led him to finally leave the community just a few...

Todd Brown is an ex-member of an independent sect of Sufism called Sufi Dayemi Tariqat. He reclaimed his identity as a gay man after 23 years with the group. He is currently working towards his PhD and hopes to help people get out of coercive groups. Todd describes the life experiences and vulnerability that lead him to joining this manipulative and controlling group in their Southern Illinois cen...

Welcome to IndoctriNation: A weekly podcast covering cults, manipulators, and protecting yourself from systems of control. I’m Rachel Bernstein, LMFT. I’ve been working with victims of cults and emotional abusers for over 30 years. Given the right set of circumstances, it’s all too easy for anyone to fall prey to sociopaths and manipulators. I wanted to start a show that gives survivors a chance t...

Jonathan DePeyer is a professional counselor who grew up in an organization called The Process Church of The Final Judgment later known as The Foundation, a religious group established in the United Kingdom in 1966 that some scholars of religion have classified as a form of Satanism. His parents' marriage was arranged by the group's leaders in order to receive passports and citizenship to...

Author and Educator Maria Peregolise grew up as the daughter of a "spiritual prophet". A follower of The Urantia Book, her father used the theology of that religious text to justify his narcissistic abuse. Maria's father claimed to have channeled the voice of Jesus and acted as God's Prophet in order to exercise control over her. Rachel and Maria discuss the signs and symptoms of b...

Eric Navas is a graduate of Cal State Dominguez Hills. It is there where he got involved with the group University Bible Fellowship, an organization that started in South Korea in 1961 by Samuel Chang-Woo Lee and Sarah Barry. It was originally associated with the Presbyterian Church but when they moved to the U S in the mid-seventies, they broke off from the Presbyterian church and became involved...

Audrey Brewer lives in the Carolinas and is a resource for homeless women and girls. This week she continues telling her story about working in multi level marketing, how she chose to leave, and the loss, anger and fear she was left with. Audrey shares the ways that she taught her team to be successful salespeople through a process called "duplication". The idea is to foster several other...

Audrey was formerly a high-ranking member of a multi-level marketing scheme. She was drawn to the opportunity to start paying off her student debts. Because of personal safety concerns, we are keeping some details anonymous. However, many pyramid schemes have successfully marketed themselves as notable brands. It was a group that fostered positivity by pushing each team of hungry entrepreneurs lik...

Dr. Michelle Haslam offers her personal experience with a self-described 'modern Buddhist' group called The New Kadampa Tradition. She has produced lots of educational materials that explain the process of indoctrination within Buddhist cultic groups. She defines 'dissociation' and explains it within the context of her time at Nagarjuna Kadampa Meditation Centre in Northamptonshire...

Dr. Michelle Haslam is a clinical psychologist who became involved with The New Kadampa Tradition in 2016 while living in the Nagarjuna Kadampa Meditation Centre in Northamptonshire, England. Michelle experienced spiritual abuse within the group and despite her training as a psychologist, came to believe that she should be destroying her ego, instead of practicing self-care and self-compassion. No...

Rachel finishes part two of a conversation with the Peck family. Carey and Chris Peck continue to talk about social justice and intervention, the influence of the media on social issues, and the legacy of their Academy Award-winning forefather Gregory Peck. Chris Peck is currently a teacher of youth language arts. He talks about how modern history has been rewritten into an "us" vs. "t...

Two generations of social activists discuss the legacy of Gregory Peck, famously known for many films including his role as Atticus Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird. His son Carey and grandson Chris take us behind the scenes and talk about what inspired Gregory to take on Harper Lee's pivotal character, as well as powerful and controversial roles in other classic films dealing with antisemitism...

Scientology famously takes its members' best talents and passions and tries to make the most of them. For Lucas Catton, that came in the form of his recruitment as a program manager-- and his presidency of Scientology's front group rehabilitation facility. Narconon, located at the old Chilocco reservation in Oklahoma, is not just an isolated facility. The program is promoted in schools acr...

Lucas Catton is a former Scientologist who got recruited through their Narconon Rehabilitation Program at a place formerly known as Chilocco in Oklahoma. Lucas was appointed President of that Narconon program, through which he met some of Scientology's heavy hitters including the leader David Miscavige. He had no connections to Scientology before he was sent to their facility which incorporate...

Kelly Weill is a reporter at The Daily Beast where she covers disinformation, the far right, and internet culture. She is currently at work on a book about the Flat Earth movement, forthcoming from Algonquin Books. Conspiratorial health movements and Coronavirus misinformation can contain seemingly sound arguments, because they ground themselves in real experiences. Conspiracy theories use sexism...

In part 2 of our interview with Irish filmmaker Roisin Kearney, we cover a lot of ground and she also talks about how shocked she was to discover such high levels of both women AND men experiencing domestic violence in the US - 1 in 7 men, and 1 in 4 women. Watch the trailer for "Run" here: https://documentfilms.com/our-work/run Its next screening will be at The Flying Broom International...

Roisin Kearney is an Irish filmmaker from Dublin, Ireland whose most recent film sheds light on the issue of domestic violence. "Run", co-directed and written by Carolyn Grace Cassidy, explores the subtleties to being a victim of a controlling person. Her film highlights the signs of coercive control & emotional abuse after Ireland has taken a huge step and recognized these actions as...

When Sarabeth felt ready to leave her Bible-based cult, one of the first things she wanted to do was talk to her mom, Cyndy. Today we finish the three-part episode by reminiscing on their first secret reunion, and their long journey of rebuilding their connection. Sarabeth's abusive pastor painted all types of female independence as a sin. Cyndy was demonized for choosing to get a divorce. The...

Earlier in the season, Rachel spoke with Cyndy Rudd: a mother who fought to free her daughter from not one, but two cultic situations. This week we hear the inside story from her daughter, Sarabeth. Sarabeth grew up in a cult for 25 years before falling into another group masquerading as a Baptist church. In both groups, members were not allowed to question authority because that would be challeng...

Joe Szimhart found his path to cultic studies through his art community in Santa Fe and the Agni Yoga Society. Here he met Margaret Singer of the anti-cult movement as well as the notorious mystic theosophist Madame Blavatsky. Helena (Madame) Blavatsky was known for openly plagiarizing existing gnostic theories as the doctrine for the Church Universal Triumphant cultic group. Joe helps us cite her...

CW: violence & terrorism Artist & activist Jamie DeWolf returns for part two of his interview to discuss how cult mechanics have been used to manipulate spirituality across history. Bouncing off of Rachel with his knowledge of cultic groups, Jamie invites us to contemplate the origins and purpose of malignant intolerance toward outsiders. The adrenaline released when fighting a common ‘ene...

Jamie DeWolf, performer and activist, updates us on his most recent projects and discusses how pride plays a role in being susceptible to a cult. When he was last on the show he opened up about his great-grandfather L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzohjqHlJAY&t=2s This week with Rachel he talks more broadly about cult leaders and how they are so succ...