Episode 65: Help! My Kid has been Sucked into a Cult with Renee Spencer
Did you wake up one day to the realisation that your child has joined a cult? Are you struggling to know what to do? In today’s episode we discuss the challenges of having a cult controlling your relationship with your child, and trying to navigate the best path forward. Parent Renee Spencer talks to Lindy about the journey to understanding what happened and her efforts to reclaim an authentic relationship with her daughter after she was recruited into the Jesus Christians (aka the Kidney Cult).Show notesDocumentary - The Dark Reality of the Kidney Cult - 7 News SpotlightPodcast of Liz's experiences of witnessing her daughter join a cult in on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WbUnis4Vyp8Podcast: Let’s Talk About Sects - The Jesus Christians Part One and Part TwoPodcast: Let’s Talk About Sects - Cult Bride and Providence/JMS with Liz CameronBook - Carol Giambalvo - Exit Counseling: A Family InterventionArticle - Carol Giambalvo - Family Interventions for Cult-Affected Loved Ones Book - Steve Hassan - Combatting Cult Mind ControlISCA Article - What Impact Does Cult Involvement have on a Family Member ISCA Article - Steve K. D. Eichel (ICSA) For Families Who Suspect That a Loved One May Be Involved With a High-Demand Group (Cult)ISCA Website - general information about cult indoctrination for familiesRenee’s Website: www.recoverfromcoercivecontrol.com
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Episode 64: The Rewards of Leaving (Mini Series Part 3)
Today our Cult Chat hosts share what listeners have told them are the best things about life after leaving a cult. From finding space to be who you truly are, to getting the chance to make mistakes, and to being allowed to have the full range of human emotions, this episode digs right down into the wonderful things that leavers can experience once they set out on their new post-cult lives. Be prepared to be moved to tears in this hopeful episode about what you might find on the other side.Show notesWebsite: The Religious Trauma Collective Annual Event - 19-21 June, web-based conferenceWebsite Inquiry into the recruitment methods and impacts of cults and organised fringe groups - Parliament of VictoriaWebsite: DecultBook: Take Back Your Life - Janja LalichSong: What a Wonderful World - Louis ArmstrongResource: Thinking of Leaving - Olive Leaf NetworkArticle: 10 Reasons People Should Leave GloriavaleArticle: 10 Reasons People Remain at Gloriavale
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Episode 63: The Grief of Leaving a Cult with Liz Sallows (Mini-Series Part 2)
In this second of three episodes on leaving, Lindy is joined by Liz Sallows, Canadian psychotherapist and grief expert. Liz and Lindy discuss the unexpected (and often unrecognised) sadness which accompany the freedoms of leaving a cult. There is a lot to grieve - loss of a community, loss of an ideal, loss of everything you have known and love. We will hear about ambiguous loss, the importance of rest after leaving, and why going slow is absolutely ok. Liz shares practical tips and hope for the grieving.Show notes:Website: Thresholds of Life Counselling - Liz’s website
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Episode 62: Leaving a cult (Gloriavale) with Theophila Pratt (Mini-Series Part 1)
Theophila Pratt, author of “Unveiled - A Story of Surviving Gloriavale” joins the team for our first of three episodes about leaving cults. This compelling conversation explores the immediate challenges, discusses identity construction, and the difficulties of finding people to help along the way. Theo and our hosts explore these topics and more, with a focus on those born and raised in a cult, inviting those thinking of leaving to sit up and listen.LinksWebsite: Theo’s website where you can buy her bookBook: Unfollow by Megan Phelps-RoperBook: Excommunicated by Craig HoyleWebsite: NZ Community Growth Trust therapy fund - For information about funded therapy for survivors of cults in NZEvent: Religious Trauma Collective - Annual event - to find out about the June 19-21 2025 eventEvent: Decult Fund & Film night - June 13 2025 eventResource: Olive Leaf Network - Thinking of Leaving? booklet
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Episode 61: What's Happening in the Cultiverse May 2025
There’s a lot going on in the cultiverse! We thought it time for an update on the culty happenings in our neck of the woods. In this episode you'll hear more than you want to know about chickens, rats, and mice, and heaps about cults. From news from the Olive Leaf Network, to Caz's connections with professionals & researchers, to Liz sharing culty tree metaphors with professionals on the West Coast. This episode has everything, including some really odd census data about Gloriavale!Show notes:Webpage: Olive Leaf Network and how to donateWebpage: International Cultic Studies Association home page and Montreal annual conference Podcast: Cult Chat Episode 58: 2x2s and Survivor Advocacy with Tristan Phipps and Kyle EggletonPodcast: Cult Chat Episode 55, 56 and 57 - Are the Jehovah Witnesses a Cult? (Parts one and two) and Waking Up - with Dr Andre JacksonArticle: One News coverage of Two By TwosArticle: Inquiry into cults prompted by media attention on Geelong Revival Centre in Victoria. Facebook group: Stop Religious Coercion Australia run by Ryan CareyPodcast: Secrets We Keep - Pray Harder - series about Geelong Revival CentreArticle: BBC - Japan court dissolves controversial 'Moonies' churchArticle - The Saints cult and the convictions for the manslaughter of 8 years old Elizabeth Struhs - BrisbaneReligious Trauma Collective and the on-line conferenceWebpage: Theophila Pratt - Unveiled - A Story of Surviving GloriavaleArticle: Press - Gloriavale population falls while 100 babies born, census shows
Join Dr Caroline Ansley, Lindy Jacomb and Liz Gregory as they traverse the cultiverse. Journey with them as they unpack the cult playbook, talk to leavers of coercive and controlling groups in New Zealand, and share their stories. On “Cult Chat” our hosts talk with experts to gain greater understanding of cultishness and call for Kiwis to cult-proof their lives. "Cult Chat" is a home-grown Kiwi podcast where each of the hosts are uniquely positioned to host a survivor-centric podcast, bringing their individual experiences of high control groups to the conversation.
New Zealand