PODCAST · society
Generation Cult
by Dhyana Levey
An interview show about people who grew up in cults and how they adjusted to mainstream society after they left.
Episodes
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**Live Show in San Francisco: Season 4 finale**
Generation Cult's live show and literary event happened on stage at The Lost Church San Francisco in front of a fabulous audience on June 26, 2025. If you missed it, you're in luck because the recording is finally out now! It was a late night in North Beach deep down in the Victorian...
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Opening the 2X2s Floodgates with Mike
Mike and Abbi grew up going to something they called "the truth" or "the way" or sometimes it didn't have a name at all. But it wasn't a church. A church was something the other kids attended. They went to "meetings" at people's houses and had leaders called "workers" who stayed with them. After...
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Special Film Edition: Beyond the Fence with Lindsey and Ashlen
We're dropping back in with a Special Film Edition as Generation Cult's Season 4 draws to a close! For this bonus episode, we're bringing back our old friend and former Season 3 co-host Ashlen, who's been hard at work helping people recover from controlling groups through her LLC People Leave...
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System Breakdowns & Perpetual Coercion with Brenda
Brenda was "mentored" by the former leader of Students of Light, a Toronto-based esoteric group inspired by teachings by Carl Jung and H.P. Blavatsky, from the age of 11 to almost 17. She pursued legal action against him in 1997, and he was eventually arrested in 2019 and extradited to Canada to…
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Another Legal Chat with Carol!
We've brought back a fan favorite from Season 3 for an update on litigation cult survivors can bring against their abusers, and this time we're also tackling the dreaded topic of defamation. Carol Merchasin, an attorney with the firm McAllister Olivarius, has had some success bringing lawsuits on...
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Estranged from Mormon Royalty with Lynn
Estrangement is a traumatic topic, no matter your family of origin, but it feels unavoidable when you reject your tribe's religious ideologies. Lynn knows this well. She was raised in Salt Lake City on a Mormon pedestal: the great-great grand-niece of Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon Church.…
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The Cult of Oregon with Jesse
Jesse grew up in "the perfect church," or so he was told. The small, albeit pushy congregation his life centered around in the town of Oregon, IL seemed almost ideal as a small child. But then the immortal leader died. She didn't come back to life like she was supposed to. And the new leader…
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Leaving Christian Science Pod with Hilary
Most people have heard of Christian Science and passed by the reading rooms, but how much do you know about it? Hilary grew up as a radical reliant Christian Scientist, which meant her family avoided medical intervention in favor of prayer to try to cure ailments. She lived to talk about it, but...
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Sharing the Knowledge with Susan
When Susan was 13, her stepdad brought her into what was then known as the Divine Light Mission, an organization led by Prem Rawat (aka Guru Maharaj Ji, aka The Boy Guru, aka Lord of the Universe, aka The Perfect Master. ... etc.) She became a believer and eventually moved into one of the ashrams...
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3HO Reparations with Philip and Stacie
Philip and Stacie wrote about a recent reparations program meant to address complaints made for decades against 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy Organization), led by the late Yogi Bhajan, who started Kundalini Yoga. Join us for a discussion with these two writers about the second generation of 3HO. The...
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BONUS: *Season 2 Rebroadcast* No Horses in India with Narangkar
We're rebroadcasting an episode from 2019 to remind you about a guest from Generation Cult's first episode of Season 2. Narangkar is an artist who grew up in 3HO (Healthy, Happy Holy Organization), which is connected to Kundalini Yoga and Sikh Dharma. Narangkar and her two sisters navigated a...
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The Farm and The Neon Sun with Kate
Kate grew up in the secluded High View Church Farm where children worked and lived in militant conditions, rarely saw their families, and had little contact with the outside world. She left with only a couple of dollars in her pocket and no idea if that was a lot of money or not. Education was a...
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Rejecting Race Rhetoric with Amanda
The church Amanda grew up in was started by a man known for his ejection from the KKK for being too militant. The tight and secretive community that revolved around the church valued white supremacy, male dominance, and obedience. Amanda had a lot of questions. A girl with questions wasn't valued...
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In God's Name Pod with Grace
Yes, we are back! We're kicking off Season 4 with a conversation with Grace. She grew up in a little-known Christian fundamentalist group referred to as the Geftakys Assembly and, although her family left when she was young, she was impacted greatly by leadership's harsh rules regarding women and...
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We Love New Books: Forager with Michelle
We're back with yet another special literary edition! For this bonus episode, we're celebrating the recent launch of the book "Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult." It's out now in bookstores and on Amazon. The author, Michelle, was raised in an end-times group that was started by…
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Book Launch Edition: I See You Survivor with Liz
Generation Cult is dropping back in with a bonus edition to celebrate today's launch of Liz Ianelli's new book called "I See You, Survivor: Life Inside (and Outside) the Totally F*cked-Up Troubled Teen Industry." In it, Liz details her years left at a program within the Troubled Teen Industry, a...
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Ep. 14: Tween Marriage and the Culture of Polygamy with Tamara
Tamara grew up in a Sufi polygamist organization in the US and England. Her father joined the group when she was 5 and she soon found herself torn between a somewhat "normal" life with her mother and a bizarre, hard-working communal lifestyle with her dad. Deemed a "special child" by her father's...
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Ep. 13: Declared Evil with Rhonda
Rhonda's parents joined the Holy Order of MANS (standing for Mysterian, Agape, Nous and Sophia in Greek, or mystery, love, mind and wisdom in English) when she was a year old. The San Francisco-based group held classes and meetings studying a mix of religions, initially leaning heavily on New Age...
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Ep. 12: Searching for Healthy Community with Sarah
Sarah grew up in a bible-based group in Ohio with about 400 members, many of whom are related to her. She was sexually abused throughout her childhood, something she reported to leaders of her organization, who not only didn't stop the perpetrators but told her she was one who had sinned. Sarah...
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Ep. 11: The Influence of Faith with Will
Will grew up devout in an evangelical community and attended Christian schools, camps and mission trips. His beliefs were so strong in his youth that he describes himself as becoming radicalized and isolated from the rest of society. But in his teens he began to question his church's strict...
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Ep. 10: Cults and Courts with Carol
While listening to the stories on Generation Cult, do you ever wonder at what point people can take legal action against their abusers? Do you want to know what charges have been brought against coercive groups and taken seriously in the courts? In this episode, Dhyana interviews attorney Carol...
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Bonus: Talking Twelve Tribes with Tim
****Bonus episode! Dhyana chats with Tim Elliott, host of the new podcast called "Inside the Tribe," which takes a deep dive into controversial religious sect the Twelve Tribes. This short interview is a great companion to our Ep. 9: "Finding Freedom from the Twelve Tribes with Suvav," which...
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Ep. 9: Finding Freedom from the Twelve Tribes with Suvav
Suvav grew up in the Twelve Tribes, a controversial religious organization founded in the 1970s that has since been accused of systemic child abuse, medical neglect, labor violations, arson, murder, and even more. In 2019, Suvav -- now an adult with three children -- left with his wife and kids,...
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Ep. 8: End Times and Conspiracy Theories with Emily
Emily was raised on a secluded farm in the Midwest with her six siblings before her family moved to the Pacific Northwest. Her parents were convinced that the world was going to end in 2012 and taught the children about survival, encouraged them to stay away from "outsiders," kept them minimally...
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Ep. 7: Life After Mormon and Trauma Recovery with Jolyn
Welcome back to Generation Cult and Happy New Year! We are kicking off 2023 with this episode about Jolyn, who grew up in the Mormon Church. While her experiences weren't as extreme as some of the other stories we've had here, she describes a sort of "whisper campaign" she experienced as an...
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Ep. 6: The COG and the Media Part II with Amy
Welcome to Part II in our two-part series about the Children of God (aka the Family International), the infamous group created in the late 1960s that became known for the sexual exploitation of its members. Amy grew up in the Children of God (COG) and was coerced away from her parents to be...
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Ep. 5: The COG and the Media Part I with Christina
Christina grew up in the Children of God (aka The Family International), a group founded in 1968 by the late David Berg. As the organization grew, its members moved all over the world and were coerced into prostitution and other labor to bring in more money and support. Many children were born...
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Ep. 4: Scientology Confessionals with Chris
Chris, a former classmate of Dhyana and Ashlen in the Psychology of Coercive Control graduate program, grew up in Scientology. He stayed through adulthood, marrying another Scientologist, working for Scientology, joining the Sea Org. ... until he couldn't put up with all the lying anymore. After...
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Ep. 3: Weight Loss & Coercive Control with Megan
When Megan was young, her mom introduced her to Gwen Shamblin and her Weigh Down Workshop diet seminar. Gwen taught that God wanted them to be thin and helped Megan and her mom lose weight by cutting their food intake. Megan's life became steadily more controlled as Gwen, who also started the...
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Ep. 2: Denial with Dhyana
Want to know more about the host of Generation Cult? Join us as co-host Ashlen Hilliard interviews Dhyana Levey.
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Ep. 1: What is a Cult? with Ashlen
Welcome to the first episode of Season 3! We are so excited to be back, and also thrilled to welcome Ashlen Hilliard as a co-host. Since you'll be hearing her voice throughout the new season, we wanted you to get to know her better, so she's also our guest for this episode. Ashlen grew up in the...
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Ep. 10: You Don't Have to Tell Them Anything
On the final episode of Generation Cult, we wrap up Season 2 with a conversation with Meghan, an ex-Jehovah's Witness. She left as a young adult when the mental anguish she experienced within the organization threatened to take her life. But that departure sent her on a roller coaster of family...
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Ep. 9: TM Redux
Do you remember Gina from Season 1? She discussed growing up in the Transcendental Meditation movement during the height of its guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's fame. Well, due to some pretty poor sound issues in that last episode, we've brought Gina back for Season 2! Hence, the "TM Redux" title....
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Ep. 8: The Cult Pseudo Identity
In this expert episode, we talk to Gillie, a psychotherapist and the director of the UK-based Hope Valley Counselling, which for the past 16 years has provided post-cult counseling to those recovering from extreme, "high-demand" organizations. Join us as we chat about the mental health services…
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Ep. 7: Devastating Disconnections
When Aaron and his twin brother were 4, their mom joined Scientology. The boys grew up with the organization as a main focus in their lives. Their formal education ended after Aaron finished the seventh grade. He then worked full time for Scientology as a staff member from age 12 to 26. But soon...
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Ep. 6: The Medium and the Time Machine
When Katharina was 10 years old, her parents packed up their possessions, moved out and joined "The Family," a New Age cult that started in Germany and moved around a bit before settling in a Belize jungle. The group was led by a controlling man who managed a woman claiming to be a medium. Both...
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Ep. 5: You Might As Well Be a Therapist!
It's time to bring in an expert! As much as we love hearing personal stories, we'd also like to add commentary about cults and coercive control from someone who has studied the subject matter and worked directly with patients. In this episode, we sit down with Colleen Russell, a San Francisco Bay...
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Ep. 4: Fright-Based Faith
During this week of Halloween, we discuss fear -- fear of punishment, fear of the apocalypse, fear of God. Tammie grew up with these fears in an ultra fundamentalist Christian organization that subjected children to harsh punishments and encouraged its members not to interact with the rest of...
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Ep. 3: Moonies (But Don't Call Them Moonies) 2
In Part 2 of our two-part series about The Unification Church (Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity) otherwise known as the "Moonies," we chat with Lisa Kohn, author of the recent memoir "To the Moon and Back: A Childhood Under the Influence." Lisa joined the church…
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Ep. 2: Moonies (But Don't Call Them Moonies) 1
In Part 1 of our two-part series about The Unification Church (Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity) otherwise known as the "Moonies," we sit down for a chat with San Francisco artist and comedian Teddy Hose. He was a "blessed child" -- the result of a marriage…
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Ep. 1: No Horses in India
*Artwork: oil on canvas by Narangkar Glover Shangri-La Girls School: A Thousand Stairs 2011 (60 x 60 inches) **This episode contains descriptions of child abuse and other content that listeners might find disturbing. Welcome back to Generation Cult! We are kicking off the second season of the...
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Promo: Generation Cult Preparing for Season 2!
Generation Cult is working on a Season 2! Come support the show at StudioToBe in Oakland on Friday, May 31 and enjoy a happy hour plus a Q&A with guests from Season 1. Tickets are available on eventbrite: www.eventbrite.com/e/a-happy-hour-…ets-61544020823 Join us for a fun time and help us raise...
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Ep. 9: Sandy Footprints
Wrap things up with us for the season during a chat with Lalita, who was raised in the Science of Identity Foundation. This group, developed in the 1970s, has similarities to the Hare Krishna movement and revolves around a. ... let's say. ... very demanding leader. We'll discuss germaphobia…
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Ep. 8: Escaping Utopia; A Conversation with Janja Lalich
We had a visit from Dr. Janja Lalich, an author and educator who has a new book out about children raised in cults called "Escaping Utopia: Growing Up in a Cult, Getting Out and Starting Over." Janja chats with us about her research for this project as well as her time working and writing with…
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Ep. 7: The Age of Enlightenment
Welcome back! Now we are talking Transcendental Meditation, focusing on the story of one women who grew up in the TM community during the reign of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Gina, the focus of this episode, talks about being a child in the group and then becoming mother of three who had to struggle...
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Ep. 6: God's Chosen People
On this episode we learn about the harsh rules and restrictions for members --- especially children -- in Eugene Spriggs' The Twelve Tribes, which began in 1970s Tennessee. Samie, founder of a nonprofit to assist people raised in cults, tells us all about growing up in this group and her…
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Bonus Ep. 5b: IndoctriNation Interview w/Dhyana Levey
Dhyana Levey, host of Generation Cult, was recently interviewed on another podcast called IndoctriNation. It's hosted by Rachel Bernstein, who was just a guest on our last episode titled "Let's Call an Expert!" Today we will share the interview from Rachel's show IndoctriNation. We hope you…
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Ep. 5: Let's Call An Expert!
Although we love a good personal story, we also love a good expert -- so we're going to call one. For this show we're chatting with family therapist and cult specialist Rachel Bernstein, who has spent 27 years counseling people who grew up in high-demand groups. She'll tell us about common...
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Ep. 4: The Perpetual Armageddon
Why do some people consider being a Jehovah Witness being part of a cult? Our first guest is Kourtney, who grew up a true believer in the religion only to lose her whole family when she began to question it. This is another two-guest episode: We'll also meet Andre, a makeup artist who tried...
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Ep. 3: Thetans Anonymous
Scientology is such a large topic that we need two guests. First up we have someone going by a false name to explain the fall out of leaving the group after a questionable accusation. We also chat with Christi (real name) who appeared recently on A&E's Scientology and the Aftermath to discuss her...
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Generation Cult have?
Generation Cult currently has 54 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Generation Cult about?
An interview show about people who grew up in cults and how they adjusted to mainstream society after they left.
How often does Generation Cult release new episodes?
Generation Cult has 54 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Generation Cult?
You can listen to Generation Cult on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Generation Cult?
Generation Cult is created and hosted by Dhyana Levey.
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