182 | Sarah Edmondson | NXIVM Cult Whistleblower Teaches Us How To Take Down A Cult And Reclaim Your Life

How do you reclaim your life after exiting a cult? Cults often prey on vulnerable individuals, offering them a sense of community, belonging, and purpose. They use tactics such as manipulation, mind control, and emotional abuse to keep their members in line, making it challenging for individuals to leave and regain their freedom. Escaping a cult can be a difficult and traumatizing experience, requiring immense courage and strength. One of the most challenging aspects of escaping a cult is the process of deprogramming. Members of a cult have been subjected to intense indoctrination, where their thoughts, beliefs, and behavior have been shaped by the organization's leaders. Sarah Edmondson, a Canadian actress, voice actor, and podcaster, joins us on the Greatness Machine to talk about her experience as a former member of NXIVM, a now-defunct multi-level marketing company. In this episode, Darius and Sarah dive deep into the effects of cult manipulation and how cults rewire the brain of their members. Now a cult recovery advocate, Sarah also shares her story of being a member of NXIVM, which she later exposed for their abusive practices. Topics include: What drew Sarah to join the NXIVM group How Sarah found out about the disturbing activities within the group The factors that contribute to joining cults What it was like for Sarah working as an actor while being a member of the NXIVM Sarah talks about the HBO documentary series “The Vow” The story behind A Little Bit Culty podcast And other topics… Connect with Sarah: Website: https://www.sarahedmondson.com/ Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-little-bit-culty/id1553334816 Book: https://www.amazon.com/Scarred-Story-Escaped-NXIVM-Memoir/dp/1452184267 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahedmondson/ Connect with Darius: Website: https://therealdarius.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708