The Truth that Heals

Ryan hosted a solo episode of the Truth to Heals podcast, reflecting on how watching a docuseries called "Cult and Extreme Beliefs" on Hulu inspired him to start sharing his own experiences as an ex-member of a high-control religious group. He explained that while watching former members like Teddy Hose from the Unification Church and Sarah Edmondson from NXIVM share their stories, he re...

Teddy Hose was born and raised in the Unification Church, popularly known as the “Moonies” cult, led by Sun Myung Moon who believed himself to be the Second Coming of Jesus. With Teddy’s parents holding high positions as early members, his family had inner circle status which he now draws from in his whistleblower work. Teddy has been featured in docuseries Explained and How to Become a Cult Leade...

Guest Info About Gabriela D. Ayala: Gabriela is an enterprise consultant, speaker, and author of All the Pills I Swallow. After years of navigating elite academia and corporate roles while managing bipolar disorder behind a "thick mask," she founded KeepBrilliant to help organizations move from "Performance-Induced Blindness" to strategic, neuro-inclusive support. Connect with me: LinkedIn: Gabrie...

Guest Info Melissa Duge Spiers is an award-winning essayist, screenwriter, and advocate for topics of religious and narcissistic abuse, utilizing her online platforms (TikTok and Instagram, known as “The Glory Whole”). Her memoir Holy Disobedience: Sex, Sin, and Secrets in the Biggest Church No One Knows won the 2021 Book Pipeline Unpublished Nonfiction Manuscript prize, with excerpts featured in...

Melody Bio: Melody Post is a cult survivor, advocate, and storyteller. From 1989 to 1994, Melody was a member of the House of Yahweh, a cult based in Abilene, Texas, which she joined with her parents and younger sister. Her experience in the group has shaped her mission to raise awareness about cults and help others heal from similar experiences. Melody has been happily married to her husband for...

Dr. Anu Sidhu is a family and lifestyle medicine physician with nearly two decades of experience — and someone who recently made the leap from employed physician to entrepreneur, founding Spring Monarch Primary Care, a direct primary care practice. Driven by a passion for getting to the root cause of illness and helping people truly feel better, she brings that same philosophy to her work as an as...

Derek is a podcast host, storyteller, and advocate for those navigating life after high-control environments. As co-host of cult.ture, he shares real conversations about what it means to question deeply held beliefs, leave systems of control, and rebuild a sense of self. His work is rooted in lived experience, curiosity, and a commitment to creating space where people feel seen, heard, and underst...

Heather Engholm is a musician/producer, an avid Trekkie, and mother of two. Growing up in Alaska during the 80s and 90s might seem like an extreme environment, but Heather believes it is one of the things that allowed her to thrive as an undiagnosed autistic girl. - With the support of her adventure-loving parents, she learned resilience, independence, and a deep reverence for nature. These things...

Guest Info: Chananya Abraham is a psychotherapist and coach with nearly two decades of experience helping parents, teens, and families untangle the emotional, generational, and religious patterns they inherited—often without realizing it. He specializes in working with families navigating the quiet weight of generational and religious/spiritual trauma, where values, faith, culture, and expectation...

Hi, I’m Kate — co-owner of Get Fit 45, personal trainer, cancer survivor, and someone passionate about helping people become stronger mentally and physically. My fight with cancer changed my perspective on life, strength, and resilience, and it’s a big part of why I’m so passionate about fitness and helping others push past their limits. I’m known for keeping things real, bringing positive energy,...

In this powerful episode, mental health advocate and author Petrona Jacqueline Joseph joins us to break the silence around mental illness. We dive deep into trauma bonds, unsafe attachments, the impact of toxic relationships on our well-being, and the real journey toward healing. Drawing from her books Stigmatized and Unsafe Love, Petrona shares raw insights, personal stories, and practical hope f...

In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Trent—known as Trinity—co-host of the cult.ture podcast and a former Jehovah’s Witness. Trent opens up about what life was really like inside the JW community: the social dynamics, control mechanisms, family pressures, and the personal cost of questioning or leaving. We also dive into how he “woke up,” his healing process, and the story behind startin...

About Dr. Jen Draper Dr. Jen Draper is a former integrative medical doctor, Medical Longevity Strategist, and holistic transformation coach. She is the creator of The Insourcing Method™ and The UNpatient Way™. Through her work at Well Being Holistic, she helps high-achieving adults move beyond survival mode and reconnect with their body’s innate healing intelligence. Resources & Links Website:...

In this powerful and honest conversation, my good friend Anna opens up about her experience growing up in “The Truth” — also known as the 2x2 cult or “The Way.” With no official church buildings, Sunday services held in homes, and a tight-knit community that calls itself simply “The Truth,” this group operates largely under the radar. Anna shares what life was really like inside the cult — the rul...

Voice, music, healing, journey of self, and self love. Voice is a beautiful tool for singing, but it is most definitely useful for calming, grounding, presence, relaxation, softness, meeting and breaking internal limits and boundaries, some silliness, having fun in your life, and for inner peace. Voice, music, and rhythm are part of my daily life. And healing, growth, the journey of self is a path...

Episode Overview: In this deeply moving episode of The Truth That Heals, host Ryan Anthony Ernnandez welcomes back author Peter Young for an update on his journey of recovery and healing. Peter, who spent 20 years in a destructive religious cult, shares his ongoing transformation, the challenges of rebuilding his life as a single father, and his process of learning to trust and love again. If you...

Guest Bio: Known as “A”, the antiMLM kid was raised in the ultimate commercial cult - Amway. She now creates content rooted in lived experience inside the Amway culture. Her work focuses on the systematic indoctrination baked into the organization, how grooming and boundary violations are normalized, and why people are trained to override their own discomfort in the name of faith, family, and “opp...

Short bio:Eva / Ieva Brown is a Latvian-born writer and content creator based in the UK who spent 22 years as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. She now shares lived experience and psychological insight into high-control religion, indoctrination, identity, trauma, and life after leaving. Her debut memoir, The Kingdom Hall Effect, explores life inside Jehovah’s Witnesses, the process of waking up, and the...

Guest Info: Hey! I'm Sandrine, a French-Canadian Wellness Coach, kinesiologist, Author and Speaker. My first memoir "Uncensored First-time Mom Confessions" was about women's taboo and all of the bittersweetness of the motherhood experience. I wanted to show the real side of it. My second memoir "Bowing to Predators" is about physical, emotional abuse and grooming and my healing experience from it....

Whether you are a sports fan, an aspiring creator, or looking for a dose of resilience, this conversation explores what it means to stay true to your craft and build a life of purpose. Connect with Payal Doshi:Follow her on Instagram at @payaldoshitv, @passionprojectswithpayal, and @vegansofmiami, and find her podcast, Passion Projects, on all major streaming platforms. If you would like to suppor...

This episode of The Truth That Heals features author Angela Legh, who emphasizes the vital importance of processing emotions rather than repressing them to prevent long-term physical and mental health issues (0:00-0:50, 7:46-8:11). She introduces her "Feel, Name, Allow" method as a practical tool for managing feelings in real-time, explaining that emotions only last about 90 seconds biologically w...

For more information about Melanie Whittaker please visit: www.youareyourmarketing.com

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Lydia Knight is a paradigm-shifting author, speaker, and executive coach. Her memoir Split chronicles her deprogramming from indoctrination, while her upcoming book Thought Leader explores the personal and social impact of our thought patterns. As founder and CEO of The She Center, a top 2% woman-owned businesses globally, Lydia’s innovative work has been featured on CBS, NBC, and Fox News, among...

In this episode of The Truth That Heals, host Ryan Anthony Hernandez sits down with Stephanie Riel—a somatic guide, intuition mentor, and energy interpreter—to explore how to move beyond burnout and reconnect with your authentic self. Key highlights from the episode include: ​ The Somatic Journey (2:44 - 3:18): Stephanie shares her personal transformation from a high-achieving marketing agency own...