Cults to Consciousness

**Content Warning: DV, rape, SA** Tia Levings discusses her dark reality in Christian fundamentalism, with evangelical patriarchy and religious trauma.  Having appeared in the Amazon docu-series, Shiny Happy People, and written a harrowing memoir, A Well-Trained Wife she reveals how she had to save herself and her family and details the ways that extreme views can manifest in a marriage.Recruited into the fundamentalist Quiverfull movement as a young wife, Tia Levings learned that being a good Christian meant following a list of additional life principles––a series of secret, special rules to obey. Being a godly and submissive wife in Christian Patriarchy included strict discipline, isolation, and an alternative lifestyle that appeared wholesome to outsiders. Women were to be silent, “keepers of the home.” But in the patriarchy, a woman with opinions is in danger, and eventually, Tia faced an urgent and extreme choice: stay and face dire consequences, or flee with her children.Click here to watch on YouTubePre order Tia’s book: A Well-Trained WifeFind Tia on social media!IG:  @tialevingswriterThe Anti-Fundamentalist **FULLY BOOKED** Our C2C vacation where we can meet you in real life and go on adventures together has sold out! However,  you can add yourself to our waitlist in case of cancellations.   Click here to go to the official booking page How Tia was raised that led to falling prey to her husband Did Tia's parents read her book? Nightmarish doctrine Tia learned in her youth All that's needed is a submissive and willing spirit You will drown in a lake of fire if you are not pleasing to God Selling the patriarchal movement to women- what that literally means Not allowed to have anything for yourself as a woman TW: Domestic ab*se- calling it a "correction" How Tia emerged from the isolation through secret online communication with women What it was like being a mother within this ab*sive reality Tia decided to escape when she saw how it was hurting her chiIdren  Tia's escape story How Tia's children handled it all  When did Tia feel safe enough to deconstruct and begin healing? Advice for someone going through a similar situation Our Merch!Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannAny donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcastWebsite CultsToConsciousness.comFind Shelise on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousnessHost Instagram @sheliseannTikTok @cults.to.consciousnessTwitter @cultstoconTheme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara**Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cults-to-consciousness/support

Outsiders often criticize Mormonism for its wild beliefs and the scandalous actions of the founding prophet Joseph Smith, but the member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are left in the dark about the truth of it history. Carah Burrell  @CarahBurrell  and Shelise, examine the life and actions of Joseph Smith from a non-faith promoting, historical view, different from their Mormon upbringing. From the ugly truth about polygamy, a Mormon Militia, and original secret temple rituals to Joseph Smith’s personal hit man, we cover it all! Carah's Greece opportunity has passed Find Carah on social media: YouTube IG @nuancehoe **FULLY BOOKED** Our C2C vacation where we can meet you in real life and go on adventures together has sold out! However, you can add yourself to our waitlist in case of cancellations. Click here to go to the official booking page https://trovatrip.com/trip/central-america/costa-rica/costa-rica-with-shelise-sola-aug-2024 Support Shelise Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! https://cults-to-consciousness-shop.fourthwall.com/en-usd Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find Shelise on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness https://www.instagram.com/cultstoconsiousness Host Instagram @sheliseann https://www.instagram.com/sheliseann/ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness https://www.tiktok.com/@cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon https://twitter.com/cultstocon Chapter Marks 00:00:00 Intro 00:04:01 Different branches of the Mormon church 00:08:57 Joseph Smith's early life & the fraud he was committing 00:11:59 The Book of Mormon as the keystone to the religion 00:16:27 Joseph Smith 00:29:13 Using women to manipulate other women 00:30:26 The "Happiness Letter" used to manipulate a young girl into marrying JS 00:37:27 The tactics JS used to score wives 00:42:27 Revelations at convenient times 00:45:48 How JS "translated" these holy revelations 00:55:29 How the LDS church hides truth 01:01:55 Ritualistic Free Mason temple ceremonies 01:11:25 Original temple rituals that were taken out 01:12:28 How did it end for JS? 01:26:19 Porter Rockwell- a hit man for JS 01:28:02 Back to the martyrdom of JS 01:34:59 Emma, the first wife of JS started her own branch 01:37:56 Why is there so much Mormon true crime happening now? 01:42:49 Linda, Listen Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cults-to-consciousness/support

*Content Warning: self harm, physical abuse*  Anonymous YouTuber Apostate Aladdin shares his story of becoming a man in an environment that used fear to keep boys and girls and men and women separated. This intense fear that men need to be kept away so they don’t act on their uncontrollable desires, left him feeling scared, targeted, alone and shameful. Here we learn about purity culture through a different lens and how he was able to overcome his fear of interacting with women so he could create positive friendships and relationships.Click here to watch on YouTubeLive episodes together where we discuss the similarities and differences between Islam and Mormonism:Part 1Part 2Part 3Find Apostate AladdinYouTube: @apostatealaddinIG: @apostatealaddinLinkTree**FULLY BOOKED** Our C2C vacation where we can meet you in real life and go on adventures together has sold out! However,  you can add yourself to our waitlist in case of cancellations.   Click here to go to the official booking page Why AA wears a mask and has a pseudonym Specifically AA's experience & not every Muslim's experience Apostate as a derogatory term What kind of interactions were allowed with the opposite sex A young AA getting in trouble for liking a girl TW: CA- What happened when AA was caught texting a girl Vague rules within the purity culture he experienced Even young boys weren't allowed certain places alone What these restrictions did to the minds of boys and men The nightmare of puberty What happened when AA realized masturbation was considered a sin The pilgrimage- feeling unworthy  Was dating allowed? Does the hypersexualizaiton create odd turn ons? When did AA start pushing the boundaries? When did AA begin to have healthy interactions with women? What did AA find about Islam that he didn't resonate with? Did he convert his GF to being a Muslim? Where did AA land in his spirituality and relationships? --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cults-to-consciousness/support

*Content Warning: Many mentions of physical abuse &  sexual abuse*  Tricked into moving to Iraq at age 14, Ellaf was separated from her mother and forced into a chiId marriage by her father who felt she was too much of a burden to raise. Ellaf’s husband was even more controlling than her father and knew that he could get away with hurting her in many ways, because she was alone in an unfamiliar country and didn’t know the culture or the language. Forbidden to use birth control, she had 3 chiIdren before she was 21 years old and after years of suffering, courageously stood up to both her husband and father and got away. This is her story of perseverance and victory against all odds.Click here to watch on YouTubeConnect with EllafIG @ellaf_altamimi**FULLY BOOKED** Our C2C vacation where we can meet you in real life and go on adventures together has sold out!  However, you can add yourself to our waitlist in case of cancellations.  Click here to go to the official booking page  Our Merch! Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast Website CultsToConsciousness.com Find Shelise on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cults-to-consciousness/support

*Content Warning: Domestic Violence, SA, CA* Determined to fight for the human rights of the oppressed, Yasmine Mohammed speaks out and shares her experiences with Islam extremism.  Her mother forced her to marry a terrorist and it wasn’t until she fell pregnant with a daughter that made her realize she had to escape in order to secure her a better life. In search of freedom, she also found her voice and now she platforms countless other people who share their experiences.Find and support Yasmine!Her book: “Unveiled: How Western Liberals Empower Radical Islam”The Yasmine Mohammed PodcastYouTube: @yasminemohammedxxNon-Profit: Free Hearts Free MindsWebsite: https://www.yasminemohammed.com/IG @yasmohammedxx**FULLY BOOKED** Our C2C vacation where we can meet you in real life and go on adventures together has sold out! However,  you can add yourself to our waitlist in case of cancellations.   Click here to go to the official booking page Why is critiquing Islam is such a sensitive subject? What are some of the dangers of speaking out against Islam? Muslims vs the Islamic religion as a whole Yasmine on the current situation in Gaza TW: R*pe, SA- prisoners of war  How does this relate to Islamic doctrine? The nuance of Islam vs Palestine  Some of the good that has happened How Yasmine’s mother got more fundamentalist Forced to marry a member of Al-Qaeda What were some of the rules Yasmine had to follow as a chiId? TW: CA & SA- What was her stepfather like outside of his religious adherence? Did Yasmine ever fully believe in Islam? TW: DV& r*pe- Yasmine's first week of marriage How did racism effect Yasmine's ability to get help? Yasmine gets pregnant and has a daughter How University opened her mind What was the deconstruction process like for Yasmine? Creating your own values and morals after leaving a high demand religion  How did Yasmine's daughter impact her drive to change their lives?  Our Merch! Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast Website CultsToConsciousness.com Find Shelise on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann TikTok @cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cults-to-consciousness/support

Daniella grew up in the Children of God and Mike in Scientology. Together they discuss ways that the military, of which they were both in for many years,  is cultic and their differing perspectives.Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Mike!YouTube: @mikebrown101Mike’s Interview: “How Scientology Almost Killed His Elderly Mother”Find Daniella!IG: @daniellamyoung_TikTok: search #groupbehaviorgalWebsite: https://www.uncultureyourself.com/Amazon: "Uncultured: A Memoir"Previous episodes with Daniella“Her Horrific Childhood in the CHILDREN OF GOD S*x Cult ft. Daniella”“Her Parallels Between Children of God S*x Cult & the US Military ft. Daniella Mestyanek Young”“Escaping CHILDREN OF GOD, the Aftermath (ft. Daniella Mestyanek Young)”  **FULLY BOOKED** Our C2C vacation where we can meet you in real life and go on adventures together has sold out! However,  you can add yourself to our waitlist in case of cancellations.   Click here to go to the official booking page https://trovatrip.com/trip/central-america/costa-rica/costa-rica-with-shelise-sola-aug-2024 Daniella's cult backstory Mike's cult backstory When Daniella redefined what a cult was after learning about non Christian cults Comparisons Mike drew between Scientology and the Military upon joining Daniella's culty comparisons of the military and Children of God cult Difference in cultic experiences based on gender Mike's thoughts on r*pe culture in the military- Daniella responds  Difficulties of a misogynistic environment When the "process" works When "the process" to protect women doesn't work and why Combat barbie and her non-regulation hair Is the Military a cult? Daniella's perspective- Mike's perspective Group motivation in cult think The issue with talent management Is the fix giving back individualism and identity? Change? Mike says why the military isn't like a cult Daniella's differing opinion on camaraderie  Mike acknowledges why Daniella had a different experience than him Does the military HAVE to be like a cult for max effectiveness? Our Merch!Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannAny donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcastWebsite CultsToConsciousness.comFind Shelise on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousnessHost Instagram @sheliseannTikTok @cults.to.consciousnessTwitter @cultstoconTheme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara**Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cults-to-consciousness/support

Cait West was completely under her father’s rule down to all her decisions. She was told he would even make the biggest decision of her life for her— who she was going to marry. She was gr**med to be a submissive wife under the patriarchy movement and stay-at-home daughters movement. Her homeschooling was completely unregulated and not much attention was paid to her education, because her sole purpose was to be a mother who eventually belonged to her husband. Terrified that anything less than strict obedience would land her in the fiery depths of Hell, she felt she had no choice but to go along with it well into her 20s. This is how she gained her independence and escaped that lifestyle.Click here to watch on YouTubeFind and Support Cait!Buy her book Rift: https://www.caitwest.com/bookWebsite: https://www.caitwest.com/Substack: https://caitwest.substack.com/IG: @CaitWestWritesFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/caitwestwrites/TikTok: @CaitWestWrites**FULLY BOOKED** Our C2C vacation where we can meet you in real life and go on adventures together has sold out! However,  you can add yourself to our waitlist in case of cancellations.   Click here to go to the official booking page  What is the patriarchy movement and where does it come from? What were some of the gender roles her dad believed in? How isolating was Cait's childhood? How did Cait's religion focused education impact her life? Did Cait ever yearn for a better education while being homeschooled? How did Cait's fear begin and impact her life? How did Cait's religious upbringing view mental health? Cait's scrupulosity and taking communion Cait learned s*x ed from movie reviews Feelings for men outside of a courtship What was courtship like for Cait? What is the Stay-At-Home Daughter Movement? What was Cait's parents' relationship like? How did Cait's dad become their church's courtship expert? When did Cait start to understand what she actually wanted? How did Cait's husband help her find her way? What was it like for Cait to discover her sexuality? What are some resources for those who are struggling? What was Cait's first Our Merch!Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannAny donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcastWebsite CultsToConsciousness.comFind Shelise on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousnessHost Instagram @sheliseannTikTok @cults.to.consciousnessTwitter @cultstoconTheme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara**Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cults-to-consciousness/support

Isolated in a cult within a cult within a cult, Ashley was completely sheltered from the outside world. From infancy she was labeled as unruly and even demon-possessed. Determined to break her as a toddler, then later brag about it, her pastor grandfather took it too far. She would be forced into submission and gr**med to be a “stay-at-home daughter” until her father transferred authority to her betrothed husband. This is how she accidentally escaped the prison in her mind.Click here to watch on YouTubeFind and support Ashley!https://www.ashleyeaster.com/IG @iamashleyeasterTwitter: @ashleymeasterCults Hidden In Plain Sight- FREE Ebook:https://www.ashleyeaster.com/booksGet intuitive texts from Ashley! Text “Intuition” to 917-809-7311Courage 365: A non-profit for ab*se survivors:https://www.courage365.org/Watch Ashley’s TEDx Talk: Why You Could Be Vulnerable To A Cult | Ashley Easterhttps://youtu.be/eDvhN7rSLK4?si=uv9J4CYkuTZZVx3p**FULLY BOOKED** Our C2C vacation where we can meet you in real life and go on adventures together has sold out! However,  you can add yourself to our waitlist in case of cancellations.   Click here to go to the official booking page https://trovatrip.com/trip/central-america/costa-rica/costa-rica-with-shelise-sola-aug-2024 Ashley's IFB background IFB vs Southern Baptists Drum Beats and Racism Was there scripture to back their racism? What types of music was Ashley allowed to listen to? What it was like being isolated in the IFB home school The Patriarchy Movement What is the 200 year Quiverfull plan? How did submitting to these types of men affect Ashley? Ashley's grandfather locks her in the basement Ashley's trauma responses Starting the blog, The Stay-At-Home-Daughter Ashley's relationship with her mom How many siblings did Ashley have? What was Ashley's big goal? What was courtship like for Ashley? "I kissed dating goodbye" Were courtship relationships transactional? What was Ashley's breaking point? How Ashley's husband held space for her How is Ashley doing now? Our Merch!Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannAny donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcastWebsite CultsToConsciousness.comFind Shelise on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousnessHost Instagram @sheliseannTikTok @cults.to.consciousnessTwitter @cultstoconTheme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara**Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cults-to-consciousness/support

At age six, Katherine Spallino is separated from her parents and sent to train for her future in the Church of Scientology’s clergy—the Sea Organization. She rarely sees her parents and never goes to a normal school. Later, Katherine is sent to live at a secluded ranch with other young prospective Sea Org members, called cadets, where she studies Scientology and does manual labor—weeding fields, digging trenches, and works in the galley. The indoctrination escalates, and her family slips even farther into the background. But as she enters her teenage years, a host of new, more immediate concerns emerge, along with fantasies of what else life has to offer.  Should she commit herself to the church, or reject everything she’s ever known for a chance at a different life?Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Katherine on Social!IG @thebadcadetHer Book: The Bad Cadet:  Growing Up in the Church of Scientology's Sea Organization**FULLY BOOKED** Our C2C vacation where we can meet you in real life and go on adventures together has sold out! However,  you can add yourself to our waitlist in case of cancellations.   Click here to go to the official booking page Katherine was born in a Scientrology building with no SSN At a young age, Katherine saw L Ron Hubbard as a God Confimation bias when it comes to having super powers Did Katherine know she was growing up differently? Katherine joins a bootcamp for youth who want to become Sea Org members The jobs Katherine had to do as a SeaOrg member Incentivized to write knowledge reports (snitch on each other) The youth ran themselves, which is how they were kept in line Scientology getting around labor laws Katherine gets shamed for only being able afford 1 pair of underwear Did Katherine have non-scientologist extended family? Racism was so bad, she thought she was a completely different race as a kid Some medical care was provided among neglect What made Katherine want to leave the Sea Org High school shock- not like the movies How she ended up back in LA with other ex-cadets Why Katherine was declared a suppressive person How she started writing "The Bad Cadet" Katherine tries to reconnect with family after being cut off How Katherine's family treats her today How Katherine is doing now Our Merch!Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannAny donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcastWebsite CultsToConsciousness.comFind Shelise on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousnessHost Instagram @sheliseannTikTok @cults.to.consciousnessTwitter @cultstoconTheme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara**Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cults-to-consciousness/support

Scientology doesn’t believe in the young. They teach that they are trillion year old beings in small bodies. Therefore, they are not treated developmentally correct. Neglected, exploited for work and severely mistreated, they suffer the most in this organization. Serge Del Mar tells his story of growing up in Scientology and his advocacy work to make people wake up and listen to the lost souls who are begging silently for help.Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Serge on Social!YouTube: @literallysergeIG @literallysergeIf you need help escaping Scientology, visit:https://www.theaftermathfoundation.org/https://sptvfoundation.org/ **FULLY BOOKED** Our C2C vacation where we can meet you in real life and go on adventures together has sold out! However,  you can add yourself to our waitlist in case of cancellations.   Click here to go to the official booking page  Our Merch!Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousnessVenmo @sheliseannAny donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcastWebsite CultsToConsciousness.comFind Shelise on Social media!Instagram @cultstoconsciousnessHost Instagram @sheliseannTikTok @cults.to.consciousnessTwitter @cultstoconTheme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara**Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cults-to-consciousness/support

Raised by Scientology and forced into the Sea Org and labor intensive youth camps, Mike Brown didn’t have a choice but to be indoctrinated and used by the organization. After he managed to escape, leaving behind his mother and wife, years later he learned of the extreme elder ab*se that was happening. Determined to save his mother who was quickly being worked to death, he devised a plan to break her out and nurse her back to health before it was too late. Click here to watch on YouTubeFi... --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cults-to-consciousness/support

The troubled teen industry has been in the limelight lately for its more than questionable tactics to “reform” kids. Add in a heavy dose of religious extremism and you have the sometimes fatal Independent Fundamental Baptist all-girl’s school Ashley attended. The most common sentence was 1 year of brutal manual labor, peer-inflicted punishments and psychological warfare. Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Ashley on Social!IG @ashfilet Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ashley.kellam**FULLY BOO... --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cults-to-consciousness/support

Disguised as a wholesome Christian school for troubled youth, was a house of horrors for those unlucky enough to be placed there. Diabolical and dangerous punishm*nts, intense physical labor left these girls scarred in more ways than one. The documentary “Let Us Prey”, finally started to expose the secrets behind the walls of the school and within the IFB (Independent Fundamental Baptist) churches as a whole. Amanda shares her story, as a young one of parents who ran one of these school... --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cults-to-consciousness/support

Joined for a second time by Mary (former Amish) and Hannah (former Holdeman Mennonite), we discuss the ways in which being gay/bi in their settlements harshly affected them and how queer plain people are generally erased from society. Bringing awareness and visibility to the LGBTQ community, they share their experiences openly and shed light on the disproportionate harm they faced.Watch Mary's original episodeWatch Hannah's original episodehttps://www.lgbtamish.com/The Trevor ProjectHannah's ... --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cults-to-consciousness/support

*Content Warning : SA, CA, CSA, mentions of rape* After enduring an excruciating youth at the hands of her mother and step father, isolated on a mountainside, Misty was forced into an Amish settlement at 18 years old. Though in many ways this new lifestyle was far more liberating than what she was used to, it came with darker days than she could’ve ever imagined. Hurt and blamed by those most trusted she took a risk and tried to escape. Http://www.Change.org/childrightsact to sign Misty’s pet... --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cults-to-consciousness/support

*Content Warning: sexual assault, rape, prostitution, attempted murder* Due to lack of education when she left the strict Swartzentruber settlement, Naomi slipped into exotic dancing, prostitution, drugs, and almost getting murdered. In this episode, she opens up about her trials and tribulations with growing up Amish, her dark reality afterward, and eventually finding the light at the end of the tunnel.Naomi’s book: The Amazing Adventures of an Amish StripperFind and support Naom... --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cults-to-consciousness/support

*Content Warning: eating disorders, mentions of homophobia* In this follow up episode we’re going to continue with Oceana’s story growing up under the strict Institute in Basic Life Principles run by Bill Gothard who was recently exposed for preying on young girls. She opens up about coming home from the IBLP training camps, her parents’ reaction, how it led to further untreated eating d*sorders, how all of the programming and IBLP culture permeated into her adult life, and how it’s sti... --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cults-to-consciousness/support

*Content Warning: eating disorders, self harm* Further shedding light on the Institute in Basic Life Principles run by Bill Gothard who was recently exposed for preying on young girls, is Oceana who grew up living by their rules. Extreme patriarchy, silencing and sexualization of women and blaming those who are being hurt, are just a few things that create compounded trauma. Oceana fought through untreated eating d*sorders, because therapists were considered sinful, as well as the mental heal... --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cults-to-consciousness/support

The Independent Fundamental Baptist church is known for having extreme views on “worldly” things. Women are over-sexualized to the point where even the very young are blamed and punished for “temping” men into hurting them. Kathy was one of those young women. Her pastor purposely protected the perp and she was ostracized by family, friends and other church members. Our previous episode with her (linked below) illustrates the awful details of her childhood. In this episode, we speak more on th... --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cults-to-consciousness/support

*Content Warning: child sex abuse, child abuse, rape, mentions of attempted suicide* When purity culture is front and center in a strict religious organization, youth are blamed for being preyed on by adults. It creates an unsafe environment for those who don’t understand boundaries, consent, grooming, or have any s*x education at all to even have proper vocabulary for what might be happening to them. Kathy Durbin explains this harmful culture and how she was ultimately a survivor of it. She ... --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cults-to-consciousness/support