Cult Chat

Imagine your former group launching a legal challenge over your use of a cartoon mascot, just as you begin speaking out about the abuse you experienced at the hands of an elder in the same group. Sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction.
In today’s episode, Cheryl Hope Bawtinheimer and Braden Simmons, former members of the PBCC (Plymouth Brethren Church/Exclusive Brethren) join us to explore what happens when whistleblowing meets litigation. We talk about courage, consequences, public voice and accountability and, in a twist few could have predicted, the unexpected role played by the PBCC Kookie mascot and our own dear co-host Lindy.

In this interview, Lindy Jacomb sits down with Heidi Clemons, Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC®) and founder of Managed Expectations, to unpack the often-overlooked topic of financial trauma. Heidi explores how financial trauma affects former cult members on their path to self-efficacy and recovery, and shares practical tools, insights, and first steps for getting support if money has become a source of fear, shame, or control.

What do cult recruitment tactics and a high-end kitchen gadget have in common? More than you might expect. In this episode, we unpack Cialdini’s Seven Principles of Influence, using Liz’s enthusiastic love of her new Thermomix (and some playful attempts to persuade Lindy to buy one) as a light-hearted case study. We then turn the lens to how these same persuasion techniques are deliberately used in cult recruitment and control, revealing how influence works, why it’s so powerful, and where it crosses the line into manipulation.

Why are the Cult Chat trio recording this week's episode on a beach? What have glamping and fire-dancing got to do with cults? Something? Nothing? Join us as we chat from a summer beach location while reflecting on our learnings from 2025. We get an update from Liz on the Gloriavale School closure and the criminal conviction of the cult’s leader, and we share our hopes for the 2026 NZ cult awareness movement. 
Show Notes
Interview: RNZ Doomsday Comedy with Jonas Skogstroll and NZ Tour Dates
Interview:  Get a Life Podcast with Steve Simmons (Ex Exclusive Brethren - Lindy’s Dad).
Article: Convicted sex offender Howard Temple attends the community market while on bail
Article: RNZ What Will Happen to Gloriavale’s students over the school closes?

What is awe, and how is this emotion exploited by cults? How is awe related to infatuation, to the experience of falling in love romantically, and what has it got to do with babies and cults? How can humour be used to breakdown the residual after effects of awe for those who have left cults? Join us for a fascinating conversation with Dr Yuval Laor about these emotions and how they are manipulated in cults and how understanding their effects can support recovery.