WTF is on my Mind?!

This is episode 10 of Inst@Guru: Bentinho Massaro, an ongoing deep dive investigation into the world of Dutch spiritual influencer Bentinho Massaro and the people inside it.The damning text messages continue.This episode is Keilan McNeil's. He reads through two text threads that show a side of Bentinho Massaro that his followers rarely, if ever, see. The first is a group chat in which Bentinho systematically dismantles his then-girlfriend Alison in front of the inner circle, including telling her to "go fuck yourself" while simultaneously complaining that her "negative energy" is ruining his dinner plans with a Playboy journalist. The second is the day Keilan and Jade leave the compound in Mexico. What starts as a loving farewell message turns, within minutes, into Keilan being called a pussy, a demon, and a liability in front of the entire group. His crime: asking about a drone he was owed as payment for months of unpaid work.What you're going to see is the same playbook Jacqueline described in episode 9. The warmth, then the detonation, then the softening, then the demand for total submission. Over and over. Different person, same architecture.You'll also see Cory's role up close. She isn't just a bystander. She's an enforcer, and she believes every word of it.And if you're in the inner circle watching this, thinking you've never seen anything like it, you may not have. Because even the inner circle was compartmentalized. That's not a coincidence. That's the design.The invitation to Bentinho, to Cory, to Kars, to anyone in leadership who wants to make the case with me publicly and on the record, remains open.Inst@Guru is part of the podcast WTF Is On My Mind, available on YouTube and all podcast platforms.Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

For the next few episodes, our three defectors, Jacqueline Graham, Keilan McNeil, and Jade Alectra, are going to read out their private text messages with Bentinho and the group. What you're going to see is the side of him that his community never sees, the version that exists behind closed doors.This episode belongs mostly to Jacqueline. She reads through a cascade of messages sent to her at an airport, after she told him one simple thing: that she was afraid of him. What follows is a prolonged, methodical dismantling. He questions her honesty, assigns her evil, recruits the inner circle as witnesses, demands public confession of her darkest thoughts, and positions himself as the one having a heart attack.Before we get into it, I address something that comes up constantly in the comments. People ask, "These are such huge red flags, why didn't she see them?" This is a question I keep on answering in different ways, and apparently I will keep on doing it until the day I die. I try a different metaphor in this one.We also check in with all three defectors on what it's been like since the series started. The volume of people reaching out, the toll it's taking, and what keeps them going.This is a tiny fraction of what exists. More will surface in the TV series. But what's here is more than enough to show you the pattern.Next episode is Keilan. Then Jade.Inst@Guru is part of the podcast WTF Is On My Mind, available on YouTube and all podcast platforms.Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

Evan Rachel Wood has been through it. The abuse. The smear campaigns. The legal battles. The silencing. And she came out the other side still talking.We sat down shortly after she watched the latest cut of Narcissist's Playbook, my documentary film that she is featured in, and we didn't hold back. www.narcissistsplaybook.comThe conversation covers how narcissistic abuse actually works at a mechanical level: love bombing, grooming, isolation, gaslighting, and why it doesn't just happen to vulnerable or naive people. It happens because these tactics are designed to hack the human mind, and once you know how to do that, it is extraordinarily dangerous in the wrong hands.From there we get into the cult-like dynamics that form around narcissistic personalities: the flying monkeys, the loyalty tests, the fawning, and why the people closest to a narcissist will do their bidding just to stay in favor, including going after the very survivors who speak out.Evan takes us inside the Phoenix Act: what it actually took to change the statute of limitations for domestic violence crimes in California, why the legal system is structurally set up to protect abusers, and what she heard directly from the DA's office that says everything about where we are. She also gets into the smear campaigns, the death threats, the legal weaponization, and the surreal experience of watching other women, including some survivors, be used against her.There's a hard look at what it means that a film like Narcissist's Playbook has to go around the entire industry to reach people, and what that tells you about the institutions we've been taught to trust.And then there's the part that will hit closest to home for a lot of people: recovery. What it actually takes to get your self-trust back. To find your intuition again. To know the difference between anxiety, paranoia, and a real deep knowing. And what it feels like to finally be able to breathe.This is less of an interview and more of a conversation between two people who have both been through it, and who are done pretending the world isn't what it is.Narcissist's Playbook is available at narcissistsplaybook.comSupport the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

One of the recurring defenses from people still inside Bentinho Massaro's circle is that the people who have spoken out, Jacqueline, Keilan, and Jade, simply didn't understand the Law of One teachings. That they weren't advanced enough. That if they had truly grasped what was being offered, they would have seen things differently.So we spoke to someone who knows the teachings well.Aaron Abke grew up as a pastor's son, earned a degree in Music and Theology, spent a year as a full-time worship pastor before walking away from religion at 23, and eventually found his way to the Law of One and A Course in Miracles. He is someone who loves these texts, has built his work around them, and knows them in depth.He also met Bentinho Massaro in person. What he encountered bore almost no resemblance to the figure on YouTube: crude, sexually predatory, emotionally unhinged, and deeply insecure. It had been sitting with him for years. Then he watched the Inst@Guru interviews, and pieces started falling into place that hadn't made sense since 2019. He reached out to Jacqueline, Keilan, and Jade. And that's how we ended up here.In this conversation, Aaron breaks down what the Law of One actually teaches about the service-to-self polarity, how negative beings operate according to the Ra material, and how precisely that description maps onto what defectors have described. He also addresses Bentinho's claim to be Ra, a sixth-density being, the weaponization of STS attack rhetoric to silence dissent, and what genuine transformation actually requires, especially in light of Bentinho's recent letter from the Himalayas.This is not a debate about the Law of One. Aaron loves these teachings. What he couldn't stay silent about was watching them be used as a weapon.https://www.aaronabke.com/Mark's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteSupport the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

We pick up where we left off in Part 1. A kitchen in Ecuador. Two women looking at each other across an island with empty eyes. What follows is five months of Jade Alectra's life across four countries: Panama, Mexico, Costa Rica, the Yucatan - and through experiences that are among the most disturbing in this entire series.In Part Two, Jade describes the second r*pe, a meditation played loud, a voice telling her to leave her body, and the moment she felt she had achieved something when it was over. She describes the balcony speech that severed her from home and everyone she loved. The entity attack triggered by the wrong pillows. The screaming over folded underwear that sent shakes through her body for the first time. Being used to recruit the next woman while starving for any warmth herself. The mask slipping at the whiteboard. And the long, brutal aftermath; the lost apartment, the lost job, the lost self, and the phone calls with Jacqueline, Keilan, and Jocelyn that kept her alive.This episode also includes a direct discussion of trauma bonding and intermittent reinforcement. How the nervous system becomes wired not to escape but to return. And it closes with something I've needed to say for a while about the psychology of leaders who expose everyone around them while fearing exposure above all else.There are moments of silence in this episode. They belong to Jade. Please sit with them.The Consent Awareness Network: https://consentawareness.netThis is Episode 7 of Inst@Guru, an investigative podcast series examining Bentinho Massaro and the high-control group around him. The investigation has been ongoing for almost 5 years. This series is not over.Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

Jade Alectra was a D1 athlete, a yoga teacher with 75,000 followers, a feature in Oprah Magazine, and a meditation practice she had built from scratch. None of that protected her.In this episode, Jade begins the story of how she was recruited into Bentinho Massaro's inner circle - not through his teachings, but through the women around him. What follows is one of the most detailed accounts of pre-grooming, love-bombing, and psychological manipulation in this entire series. It is also the darkest episode we have released to date.Jade describes the systematic dismantling of her boundaries, the mechanics of how a high-control group conditions its members through sleep deprivation, food scarcity, and enforced silence. She describes sexual coercion and assault. She describes what it looks like when two women, trapped inside the same system, can only look at each other across a kitchen and say nothing. There are no trigger warnings on this episode. This story needs to land.This episode also addresses something that came up repeatedly when I was in the Netherlands watching journalists interview survivors - the question the press always asks, and the question they never ask. And it includes, my thoughts on a recent letter Bentinho Massaro published to his followers.Bentinho Massaro has been invited to participate in this series from the beginning. That invitation remains open.This is Inst@Guru, an investigative podcast series examining Bentinho Massaro and the high-control group around him. The investigation has been ongoing for almost 5 years now.Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

This is part of my ongoing deep-dive investigation into the world of Bentinho Massaro - a Dutch spiritual influencer with millions of followers and a story that goes far beyond what's visible on his carefully curated social media. I've been documenting this for over four years. This is Keilan Part Two.In Part One, we watched Keilan McNeil get pulled in. In Part Two, we go inside the machine.This episode covers what life actually looks like inside a high-control group once the honeymoon is over. The distortion readings that never end. The psych unit with zero qualifications running psychological sessions on a hundred people. The retreat in Costa Rica where the lights go out. The 'fog of war' these organizations deliberately manufacture - the lack of sleep, the relentless introspection, the group struggle sessions - designed to keep people too disoriented to leave. And the moment in Mexico where Bentinho points to his bedroom and tells Keilan that sex with him would bring him CLOSER TO GOD.There's also Ecuador. I'll just say - what are the chances?By the time this episode is out, I've returned from Amsterdam, where I spent a week with Jacqueline, Keilan, Jade, dozens of defectors, and Dutch investigative journalist Ivo van Woerden, whose book 'In de Greep van de Goeroe' - In the Grip of the Guru - has just been released in the Netherlands. The press there has been consuming this story. If you have something to share about what happened inside Bentinho's organization, now is a crucial time.Keilan broke a significant six-figure NDA to tell this story.Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

A note before you listen: this episode was recorded before I left for the Netherlands. I just spent seven days there shooting with the Three Amigos, Jacqueline Graham, Keilan McNeil, Jade Alectra and Ivo van Woerden, along with a number of other people who are essential to telling this story. A lot is coming.But first, this.Ivo van Woerden is a Dutch journalist who has spent the better part of five years investigating Bentinho Massaro. He interviewed over 60 people. He was publicly called out by Massaro on Instagram before he'd even published a word, his name and handle broadcast to thousands of followers in what felt, as Ivo puts it, genuinely threatening. He kept going anyway.The result is "In de Greep van de Goeroe," "In the Grip of the Guru," published this week and available now in Dutch. For more information, follow Ivo's Substack -  https://ivovanwoerden.substack.com/ In this conversation, Ivo and I cover a lot of ground: how he found Massaro, what Massaro's public callout of him actually felt like, his own undercover experience inside a high-control group, the WhatsApp messages between Massaro and former girlfriend Alison that are as chilling as anything in this story, the psychology of Cory Katuna, and the question that everyone asks and nobody can fully answer: does Bentinho Massaro believe his own mythology?Ivo is not only a phenomenal journalist. He's become a genuine friend. And the survivors, the people who lived through what this podcast is about, think the world of him. There's a reason for that, and you'll hear it in this conversation.The book is available now. If you speak Dutch, or know someone who does, go find it.Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

For over four years I've been documenting the world of Bentinho Massaro - a Dutch spiritual influencer with millions of followers and a very dark story behind the public image. This is my deep dive investigation. We've heard from Jacqueline Graham in Episodes 1 and 2. Now it's time to hear from Keilan McNeil.Keilan's entry point into Bentinho's world is completely different from Jacqueline's. He wasn't a spiritual seeker. He was a twenty-two year old film school dropout, isolated, angry at the system, going down conspiracy YouTube at two in the morning. Bentinho didn't offer him enlightenment. He offered him purpose. And that distinction matters - because purpose is a harder hook to see, and a harder one to let go of.This episode covers Keilan's arc from the first YouTube video through Egypt, Hawaii, and Italy. Along the way we meet Cory Katuna for the first time - Bentinho's right-hand woman, the person who kept the whole operation running. We also meet Allison McClarty, Bentinho's girlfriend during this period, whose story is one of the more difficult ones in the series. And we spend time on something essential to understand about these organizations - the way they take your clearest, most legitimate instincts and weaponize them against you. Every group does it. The language is always different. The move is always the same.As with all of them, Keilan broke a significant six-figure NDA to tell this story.Bentinho Massaro's standing invitation to appear on this podcast remains open.The views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

In Part One, we met Jacqueline Graham, a Canadian mother of three, a lifelong spiritual seeker, and the woman who would become Bentinho Massaro's girlfriend. We watched her get drawn in: the love bombing, the pedestaling, the first cruelties, the money handed over in Panama. This episode is about what happened after she decided to go all in."All In" covers the full arc of Jacqueline's time inside: the financial coercion, the manipulation tactics, a letter she was asked to sign at a monastery in the Netherlands that she probably shouldn't have, a night in Vegas she describes as one of the most degrading experiences of her life, and the slow, painful collapse that finally led her out. It ends with the two words she sent to a woman she'd never met, whose story turned out to be her own story.Throughout this episode I've woven narration in and out of Jacqueline's account, trying to give the listener the psychological scaffolding to understand what they're hearing. Not just what happened, but why it makes sense that it happened, and why the people it happened to are not the ones who should carry the shame of it. We get into betrayal blindness and DARVO, two concepts developed by psychologist Dr. Jennifer Freyd that turn out to be an almost perfect description of how organizations like this one operate. We talk about shame -- how it's manufactured, how it's weaponized, and how it keeps people silent long after they've left. And we talk about what actually helps: connection, comparison of notes, and the decision not to hide.Jacqueline broke a significant six-figure NDA to tell this story. She did it anyway. Because she felt she had no choice.Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

I've seen this before. Not something like this. Not a similar version of this. This. The same playbook. The same psychological architecture. Just a different face.For the video version of this podcast, head over to Youtube.My name is Mark Vicente. I'm a filmmaker and a former member of NXIVM, the cult run by Keith Raniere, who is currently serving 120 years in federal prison. I was one of the whistleblowers who helped bring that organization down. That experience was chronicled in The Vow on HBO.This is Inst@Guru, a new investigative podcast series going inside the world of Bentinho Massaro. Dutch. Blonde. Blue-eyed. Charming. Self-proclaimed enlightened being. Claims his penis has healing properties. Claims he's going to awaken civilization by 2035. Believes he's Ra, an extraterrestrial being in human form, here to correct a cosmic mistake.He still has followers. He launched a new app in 2025. The machine is still running.At the center of this series are three people who were inside his world, some of them deep inside, some of them for years. They call themselves the Three Amigos. Their names are Jacqueline Graham, Keilan McNeil, and Jade Alectra. All three broke their NDAs, agreements carrying significant six-figure penalty clauses, because they felt they had no choice.I believe them.In this episode, Jacqueline Graham tells her story from the beginning. Not from Bentinho... from herself. From who she was before any of this: a Canadian mother of three, a raw vegan restaurateur, a lifelong spiritual seeker who genuinely wanted to understand the deeper nature of reality. She found Bentinho on YouTube in 2013. By 2019, she was his girlfriend. By 2020, he had taken hundreds of thousands of dollars of her money.This episode covers how it started. The teachings. The retreat in the Netherlands. The moment she watched the women around him fall apart and told herself: "I wouldn't act like that." The love bombing. The pedestalling. The first withdrawal. And the decision, standing in a hotel room in Panama after $80,000 had vanished overnight, that she was never going to doubt him again.That decision is where Episode 1 ends. It is not where the story ends.Bentinho Massaro, the invitation remains. Talk to me. Publicly. CAST OF CHARACTERS link coming soon.Want to go deeper? Join the Patreon community, people who understand this world, who engage with the work as it's being made, and who get behind-the-scenes access, early information, and invites to special screenings. Link below.Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

THIS IS PART 2. In Part 1, I sat down with Margot Lane and Mara Moon - two former bandmates of Corey Feldman's Corey's Angels -  to hear how they were drawn in: the love bombing, the false promises, the body shaming, and the slow erosion of their boundaries. If you haven't seen Part 1 yet, go there first.Part 2 is where things escalate. On tour, the abuse ramps up: sleep deprivation, no bed, drug use, coerced sexual situations, and a moment of witnessing another woman being abused that became the breaking point. We also get into the NDA, Margot's labor board victory, what role Courtney played in the abuse of other women, and what Margot and Mara think is really driving Corey Feldman's behavior.We close with something genuinely useful: their advice to anyone who might find themselves in a similar situation. Document everything. Get out. Get therapy. Find your support system.The patterns these women describe are the same ones that show up in coercive control situations again and again. This story matters.Watch Corey Feldman vs. The World before listening - it will make this conversation much more meaningful.https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/corey-feldman-vs-the-world/umc.cmc.638hs9xgsfcmdcgkyn7s7m51uNarcissist's Playbook - watch the trailer at http://www.narcissistsplaybook.comSupport the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

In this first part of a two-part episode, I sit down with Margot Lane and Mara Moon; two former bandmates of Corey Feldman who were part of his group, 'Corey's Angels'. Both women were subjects of the documentary film Corey Feldman vs. The World, directed by Marcie Hume, whom I interviewed in a previous episode.Margot and Mara share how they were each drawn into Feldman's world,  lured by promises of a music career, financial stability, and a fresh start, and what they found once they arrived. From body shaming and food restriction to controlled movement and psychological manipulation, their stories reveal a deeply troubling pattern that will be familiar to anyone who has studied or experienced coercive control.I also address the apparent PR campaign working to silence those who speak out...  and explain why silencing people almost always has the opposite effect.This is Part 1. Part 2 drops next week.Watch Corey Feldman vs. The World before listening — it will make this conversation much more meaningful.https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/corey-feldman-vs-the-world/umc.cmc.638hs9xgsfcmdcgkyn7s7m51uNarcissist's Playbook — watch the trailer at www.narcissistsplaybook.com00:00 Cold Open – Mara's Warning00:22 Introduction & Context01:00 The PR Silencing Campaign02:00 Does Abuse Justify Abuse? The Streisand Effect03:34 Why This Story Matters04:02 Who Were Margot and Mara Before?06:43 Why They Said Yes — The Promise of Opportunity08:18 Entering Corey's World – First Impressions09:50 Red Flags Begin – Food, Body Shaming & Control13:24 How It Felt to Be Targeted15:17 Margot's Experience – Boundaries Under Fire19:18 Patreon Cult Series Announcement20:16 How They Were Hooked Through Their Art22:24 Love Bombing & Flattery23:45 The Polyamory Dynamic25:13 Sexual Undertones & Coercion28:32 The NDA, The Club & What Happened Next38:02 End of Part 1 – See You Next WeekSupport the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

Africa Brooke and I did an Instagram Live right after the Epstein files dropped, and we didn't hold back. Africa is one of my closest friends, one of the most honest thinkers I know, and someone who has never been afraid to ask the questions most people would rather avoid.We talked about evil... why good people struggle to recognize it, why they keep making excuses for it, and what it costs us when we do. We talked about the psychology of narcissists and psychopaths, why they need us more than we realize, and what it actually means to stop being their fuel. We went into the spiritual dimension of what's happening, the importance of protecting your nervous system without dissociating from reality, and what it looks like to find your center when everything around you is designed to destabilize you.My film is Narcissist Playbook. https://www.narcissistsplaybook.com/https://africabrooke.com/https://www.instagram.com/africabrooke/00:00 Welcome, and why this conversation matters9:10 NXIVM, waking up from a cult, and the obsession that followed14:00 Interviewing self-confessed narcissists, sociopaths, and psychopaths20:00 We are being psychologically operated on... and how to recognize it26:15 Why they need our fear, and what it means that we can starve them34:25 Locus of control... pulling yourself back inward43:00 Stop looking to mommy and daddy government to fix what they created53:35 How Africa and I met in Lisbon, and why I became a filmmaker1:06:00 Don't dissociate... let your heart be broken and filled1:16:00 Is it unethical to bring children into this world?1:26:50 Sovereignty, initiation, and finding the grit inside yourself1:36:40 Looking for omnipresent love in the creations instead of the creatorSupport the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

She watches up to fourteen documentaries a week! Not for school. Not for work. Because she’s obsessed.In this episode of WTF Is On My Mind?, I sit down with Christie Boschman, known online as That Documentary Girl. Her platform has grown to over 4.5 million followers because she does one thing exceptionally well. She talks about documentaries with real passion.But this is not just a conversation about movies.We get into why audiences are drawn to dark stories, the psychology behind cult and crime narratives, the disturbing patterns around Epstein and powerful men protecting each other, and why so many great independent documentaries struggle to find distribution.Christie watches up to fourteen documentaries a week. She has become a bridge between indie filmmakers and the public, helping projects go viral and, in some cases, helping them secure distribution.NARCISSIST'S PLAYBOOK TRAILERWe also discuss:• Why dark stories travel faster than hopeful ones• The ethics of covering trauma and predatory behavior• Narcissism and how predators operate• Online backlash and the psychology of keyboard warriors• Why streaming platforms play it safe• Whether social media is becoming the new proof of concept for truth00:00 The reel that sparked this conversation02:05 Falling in love with documentaries and Sharkwater05:15 Why making documentaries is brutal07:50 The documentary industry is struggling10:15 Why dark stories perform online12:40 Watching darkness without losing yourself15:30 Epstein, power circles, and why people look away21:10 Kumare and how cult leaders are made23:00 Adrenaline documentaries and survival stories27:00 Why great indie docs can’t find distribution31:30 Going viral and building a platform from obsession34:45 Online backlash and calling out bad behavior38:20 Unauthorized documentaries and controversy45:00 The Narcissist’s Playbook47:00 Stutz and the power of the twist51:45 Christie’s family documentary and The Honey Children56:00 Why documentaries deserve to be seen59:00 Finding awe and the antidote to cynicismFilms and series mentioned in this episode:The VowWhat the Bleep Do We Know?SharkwaterKumareFilthy RichCorey Feldman vs. The WorldPeter Nygård: UnseenAllen v. FarrowThe Deepest BreathThe Last BreathTouching the VoidI Shouldn’t Be AliveFree SoloThe AlpinistThe Final MemberBeyond UtopiaMaya and the Wave https://youtu.be/44ElZ_dqgMA?si=qBAh18a3eWsd2a1FNorman & NormanStutzBetween the Mountain and the Sky https://www.youtube.com/@ReflectionsofLifeWe also talk about my upcoming film, The Narcissist’s Playbook, and why understanding predatory psychology is no longer optional.If you care about cult dynamics, narcissistic abuse, power structures, and how stories shape culture, this conversation is for you.As always, stay curious.The views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

If you’re deeply committed to ideological purity or easily offended by nuance, this episode may be uncomfortable. And honestly, that might be the point. But if you’re a freethinker; someone who values truth over trend and curiosity over conformity, you’re going to have a great time.Dr. Chloe Carmichael is a clinical psychologist and the bestselling author of Nervous Energy: Harness the Power of Your Anxiety. Her new book, “Can I Say That? Why Free Speech Matters and How to Use It Fearlessly”, dives deep into the psychological impact of censorship, not just on public discourse, but on our internal lives, relationships, and mental health.In this conversation, we explore the emotional toll of self-censorship and how it quietly erodes authentic connection. We talk about the confusion between emotional discomfort and actual harm, and how that confusion is being used to justify silence. Dr. Chloe sheds light on how universities became epicenters of groupthink, and why we’re seeing a generation increasingly afraid of free thought. We discuss impression management, fragile egos, and the false selves people construct just to survive in today’s ideological climate. And yes, we even ask whether what we’re witnessing amounts to a kind of mass psychological regression.Nothing is off the table,  and that’s exactly the point.CONNECT WITH DR. CHLOEhttps://www.drchloe.comhttps://www.freespeechtoday.comCan I Say That? – Available wherever books are soldSupport the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

Psychological abuse, narcissistic abuse, and gaslighting can completely distort your sense of reality and self-trust.In this episode, I talk with Dr. Jaime Zuckerman about what survivors actually experience after emotional and psychological abuse—and how they begin to heal.https://www.drjaimezuckerman.com/We focus on reclaiming identity, rebuilding trust, and why “just get over it” is one of the most damaging things you can say to survivors.This is my second conversation with Dr. Z. In our first episode, we spent a lot of time exploring the mind of the narcissist. This time, I wanted to shift the focus entirely to survivors.When you’ve been psychologically abused or coercively controlled, the damage doesn’t end when the relationship ends. Reality can feel unstable. Your sense of self can collapse. Shame, self-blame, anger, and confusion can take over—and many people are left wondering if something is wrong with them.In this conversation, we talk about what actually happens to a person after psychological abuse, why survivors often feel disconnected from reality, and how people slowly begin to reclaim their inner compass, safety, and identity.We explore: • Why survivors feel “crazy” (and why they’re not) • How abuse trains self-doubt and hyper-self-monitoring • Why shame, anger, and grief are necessary parts of healing • How to rebuild trust—starting with yourself • Why being told to “just get over it” is neurologically and psychologically wrongThis episode is for anyone who has lived through psychological or narcissistic abuse—or for anyone who wants to better understand what survivors are actually dealing with long after the abuse ends.Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

I just watched the documentary Corey Feldman vs. the World and—holy S H I T. It’s hard to describe the experience. It’s messy, mesmerizing, disturbing, and somehow still deeply human.So I had to talk to the woman behind the lens.In this episode, I sit down with filmmaker Marcie Hume, who spent nearly a decade embedded in Corey Feldman’s chaotic world — documenting a surreal mix of abuse allegations, musical ambition, flirtation, fame addiction, and cult-like control. We talk about the tightrope she walked as a documentarian: holding space for multiple truths, resisting the urge to sensationalize, and making sense of contradictions that never fully resolve.What unfolds is a raw, deeply nuanced conversation about narcissism, power, fantasy, and the kinds of systems that flourish when people are desperate to belong.Is Corey a truth-teller? A coercive manipulator? A man still broken by what was done to him — and doing harm in return?This one doesn’t wrap up neatly. But that’s kind of the point.Watch the film: https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/corey-feldman-vs-the-world/umc.cmc.638hs9xgsfcmdcgkyn7s7m51uFollow Marcie: https://www.instagram.com/marciehumeLearn more: https://coreyfilm.com/Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

Carina Eriksson is an international matchmaker and dating consultant with over 20 years of experience. She runs Atlas International, a boutique firm helping accomplished individuals build meaningful relationships through her signature approach called "relational agility." Carina is also one of my mentoring clients, and our conversations have opened my eyes to so much about the divide between men and women.In this episode, we dive deep into one of the most urgent issues of our time: the devastating divide between men and women. Online hatred is at an all-time high, misunderstanding is rampant, and people are struggling to connect. Carina breaks down the fundamental differences between men and women—from how our brains are wired (testosterone's singular focus vs. estrogen's diffuse awareness) to why we keep projecting our own nature onto each other. We explore why women think men are "misbehaving women" and men think women are "irrational garden gnomes," the damage caused by casual sex, what each gender actually needs from the other, and why happy couples are terrible for capitalism. This conversation challenges modern dating culture and offers real wisdom for anyone seeking genuine connection.Connect with Carina Eriksson: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carinaeriksson/Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

I was at the gym when I looked up at the TV and saw my local weather duo doing their usual performative dance—fake smiles, scripted banter, corporate personas. That's when it hit me: this isn't just bad television, it's cult-like behavior.To De-Cult your news feed, sign up for GROUND NEWS using my affiliate link. 40% off the normal price. https://ground.news/checkout/all?fpr=mark93In this solo episode, I connect the dots between mainstream media's polished fakeness and the performative obedience I witnessed inside NXIVM. Everyone's playing a role, mass fawning to keep the system running, even though we all know it's broken.I also break down why CBS's recent promise to "get real" is likely just another rebrand, and why the actual revolution in media won't come from corporations—it'll come from citizen journalists on the ground risking something to tell the truth.People are starved for authenticity. The inertia of these broken systems is powerful, but the future belongs to those who drop the performance and speak unfiltered truth.Raw, honest, and impossible to fake.Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

In this episode, I delve into one of the most controversial and misunderstood programs in modern history: MK Ultra. Joined by Richard Grannon and screenwriter Adam Simon, we explore the reality versus the fiction of government mind control experiments, the psychology of brainwashing, and how these techniques have evolved into something far more insidious—mass manipulation through social media and modern media.We break down the actual MK Ultra program, separate fact from Hollywood fiction, and discuss whether dissociative identity disorder can truly be weaponized. Richard brings his clinical expertise to challenge popular myths about "Manchurian Candidates," while Adam shares insights from his own experience leaving the Mormon church and his research into ongoing government programs.But this conversation goes beyond historical CIA experiments. We examine how cult psychology, trance states, and trauma-based manipulation are being deployed at scale today—turning millions of people into willing participants in their own programming. From the commitment patterns used by religious organizations to the rage-inducing algorithms of social media, we explore how Chase Hughes acronym: fear, focus, emotion, agitation, and repetition (FEAR) create the perfect conditions for mass suggestibility.Richard Grannon: https://www.instagram.com/richard.grannon/Adam Simon: https://x.com/AdamGSimonADAM'S SHOWNOTES: www.markvicente.com/podcast/2025/12/21/9ooc5qcrmhi38ixf4hodegkdmbux6iThis conversation gets uncomfortable. We talk about government experiments on children, the normalization of political violence, and how we're all living inside the largest psychological operation in human history. If you're looking for easy answers or comfortable narratives, this isn't that episode.Chase Hughes on Shawn Ryan Show Derren Brown: The Assassin with Stephen Fry Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

To De-Cult your news feed, sign up for GROUND NEWS using my affiliate link. 40% off the normal price. https://ground.news/checkout/all?fpr=mark93After spending over 10 years in a cult, I became obsessed with recognizing the patterns. And now? I see them everywhere—especially in our political tribes.Everyone's busy calling the other side a cult while refusing to examine their own behavior. In this episode of WTF is on my Mind?!, I'm asking you to do something uncomfortable: question YOUR side. Not theirs. YOURS.Using “The Village” by M. Night Shyamalan as a metaphor, I break down how echo chambers work, how we justify our worst behavior, and why both sides think only the OTHER guys have been captured by extremists.Here's the test: if you're listening to this thinking "yeah, but MY side is different" - you may have proved my point.This isn't about left vs right. It's about recognizing when you've stopped thinking and started defending. When accountability becomes shunning. When influence becomes coercion. When you're so convinced you're fighting Nazis that you can't see your own reflection and everything becomes an option, including violence.I went through this humbling. It was the best thing I ever did. And thousands of people are doing it right now—waking up and realizing what they believed was deranged.Are you brave enough to look?If this video made you uncomfortable, good. Share it with someone who needs to hear this. And if you're angry at me right now, I get it. Just ask yourself why.Stay curious, my friends.#politics #cult #echochamber #criticalthinkingSupport the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

To De-Cult your news feed, sign up for GROUND NEWS using my affiliate link. 40% off the normal price. https://ground.news/checkout/all?fpr=mark93In this episode of WTF is on My Mind, I sit down with author and dark psychology educator Richard Grannon to explore something that’s been gnawing at my Patreon community: the disturbing rise of post-cult interviews where former NXIVM insiders speak as though they’re remorseful, but their words don’t always match their energy. My community senses there’s a difference between genuine accountability and what Richard and I refer to as cognitive empathy theater. And many survivors tell me they can feel any potential disconnect immediately, even when the language sounds “right.”We talk about the spectrum of remorse—why some people can name their actions with humility while others wrap themselves in self-pity and sentimentality. We unpack whether narcissists and psychopaths really don’t know what they’re doing, or if that confusion is actually part of the performance. We question the cultural habit of rushing to psychologize abusers, and we name the uncomfortable truth: trauma doesn’t cause cruelty. And empathy without discernment? That’s not compassion... it’s a liability. Sometimes even a form of self-betrayal.This isn’t just about NXIVM. It’s about the larger conversation around power, denial, and the subtle rebranding of harm in public spaces. It’s about what happens when people who inflicted damage are given platforms to spin their story before they’ve truly reckoned with it. And it’s about what it means to hold that with clarity, without being consumed by bitterness.My incredible Patreon members helped shape this conversation through their questions and insights. They’ve created a space where honesty, nuance, and emotional maturity still exist—and I’m grateful for it. If you’re looking for real talk about dark systems, manipulative personalities, and the ongoing work of recovery, this one’s for you.You can access the uncensored, extended portion of this conversation—where I ask Richard the specific questions submitted by my Patreon community—at patreon.com/markvicenteSupport the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

What does it really take to stop repeating toxic patterns? To finally choose yourself after trauma, addiction, and emotional chaos?In this episode of WTF is on My Mind?!, I sit down with Jared Mello — aka The Wizard of Radical Self-Respect — to unpack the brutal, beautiful road to reclaiming yourself after abuse, addiction, and entanglement with toxic systems and people.Find Jared Mello Online:YouTube: @jaredmelloWebsite: https://radicalselfrespect.comInstagram: @wizard_of_radical_self_respectE-Book: “Radical Self-Respect: Avoid Falling for the Same BS”Jared is a coach, content creator, and advocate for survivors of narcissistic abuse and coercive control. He brings lived experience: childhood dysfunction, undiagnosed neurodivergence, addiction, trauma, and relationships with narcissistic and borderline partners. Out of that crucible came a powerful philosophy: Radical Self-Respect — the inner work that helps you stop outsourcing your worth and start protecting your peace.We cover:Jared’s journey from addiction and chaos to grounded leadershipHow narcissistic abuse shows up in romantic and family systemsThe overlap (and difference) between trauma and autismMale survivors, man-hating trends, and breaking silenceWhy clarity isn’t the same as healingCults, image management, and sneaky-fucker-fish (yes, really)Small, concrete steps you can take TODAY to start respecting yourselfSupport the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

In this episode, I sit down with Richard Grannon to ask the question that’s been on my mind for a while: What is Borderline Personality Disorder? And when you're trying to figure out someone's irrational behavior, is it BPD? Complex PTSD? Or Vulnerable Narcissism?I’ve encountered some wildly confusing behavior in recent years—emotional whiplash, contradictions, disappearing boundaries—and I’ve been trying to make sense of it. This is not an academic exercise for me. It’s personal.Richard and I unpack how BPD is often misdiagnosed, how it overlaps (and diverges) from narcissism, and why trauma is at the root of so many misunderstood behaviors. We also talk about the difference between having a moral core… and operating without one.If you’ve ever felt crazy after dealing with someone whose personality seems to shapeshift—or if you’re trying to figure out what the hell just happened in a past relationship—this one might hit home.Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

This conversation with Richard Grannon covers a topic I’ve been wanting to unpack for a long time: the tension between self-reflection and what often gets labeled as victim blaming. If you’ve experienced narcissistic abuse, coercive control, or cult manipulation, you’ve probably come up against this moment — where someone talks about agency or healing, and it lands like blame. I’ve felt that too. Richard and I dive into why that happens, what the term victim blaming originally meant, and how weaponized language online can derail the recovery process. We talk about grief, rage, childhood trauma, fawning, codependency, covert contracts, and why some of the most powerful healing comes after we stop outsourcing our agency — without ever denying the harm done. This isn’t about blaming survivors. It’s about finding a way back to power. To De-Cult your news feed, sign up for Ground News using my affiliate link. 40% off the normal price. https://ground.news/checkout/all?fpr=mark93Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

To De-Cult your news feed, sign up for Ground News using my affiliate link. 40% off the normal price. https://ground.news/checkout/all?fpr=mark93What if narcissistic abuse doesn’t show up right away… but builds up like radiation in the body—silent, invisible, and devastating over time?In this solo episode, recorded from Cape Town, I reflect on family lineage, legacy, and the long-term effects of being around narcissists—especially the malignant kind. Inspired by a visit to my family's grave site, I look at how the effects of unresolved pathology gets passed down through generations… and how it quietly shapes our choices, fears, and dreams (or lack of them).We’ve been way too focused on diagnosing the “radioactive substance.” But what about the people slowly getting poisoned just by being in its presence?Check out my other podcast, "Remember Your Greatness"https://www.youtube.com/@UCHUIodar-kbyUr0rmst2j1gSupport the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

In this episode of WTF is on My Mind?!, I sit down with Dr. Peter Salerno — a retired psychotherapist and author who has spent decades studying personality disorders, psychopathy, and complex trauma.Our conversation dives straight into one of the most heated debates in psychology: are narcissists shaped by trauma and upbringing, or are some people simply born with traits that evolve into full-blown disorders? Dr. Salerno challenges the conventional belief that all narcissism stems from childhood wounds, pointing to research in genetics and neuroscience that shows a far more complicated picture.We also unpack his concept of “traumatic cognitive dissonance” — the paralyzing confusion survivors experience when an abuser deliberately installs contradictory realities in their minds. It’s not just internal conflict; it’s an engineered state of disorientation that keeps people stuck in toxic relationships and systems of control.From there, the discussion widens: we explore how support groups can restore a shattered sense of reality, why some people lose touch with their identity after abuse, and what it really takes to rebuild a self when you were never given the space to form one in the first place. We also look at narcissistic emptiness, the myth of the “hidden shame,” and why grandiosity — not insecurity — may actually be the engine driving narcissistic behavior.The conversation doesn’t stay confined to therapy rooms. We talk about the ways these dynamics show up in society at large — from political polarization to media manipulation — and how it all echoes the same psychological warfare found in abusive relationships.This was a fascinating and unsettling deep dive into human psychology, which left me with a whole new lens on abuse, personality, and power.Dr. Peter Salerno’s website: https://drpetersalerno.comBooks on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Dr.-Peter-Salerno/author/B09NCBTPMLYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCYlLHe7DyXJiOWO7kceUAHA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drpetersalerno/Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

New Youtube Channel and Podcast - "Remember Your Greatness"Youtube Channel   Apple Podcasts   SpotifyMentoringIn this episode of WTF Is On My Mind?!, I sit down with Richard Grannon for a deep dive into the strange history of psychology, its blind spots, and what happens when we ignore the transpersonal, morality, and meaning.We ask the uncomfortable questions: Why did Freud’s worldview win out over Jung and Adler? What does it say about power, narcissism, and control in the human psyche? And what have we lost by pushing aside God, spirituality, and morality in the therapeutic process?This conversation weaves through:• Freud’s cult-like hold on psychoanalysis and why his ideas gained dominance• Jung’s brilliance and vagueness — and how hippies and bypassers misused him• Adler’s radical focus on responsibility and courage, and why it’s so confronting• How cult leaders twist legitimate psychological insights into tools of abuse• Why psychology struggles with replication, science envy, and false authority• The role of morality in healing trauma (and even reshaping the brain)• The dangers of abandoning spirituality after cult abuse — and what gets lost• The God question: authoritarian caricatures vs. transcendent awe• How nature, dreams, and mystical experience provide real breakthroughs• Science, uncertainty, and the humility we need to face the mystery of existenceRichard and I don’t hold back — we talk about cults, coercion, narcissism, spirituality, and the deep hunger for meaning in a postmodern world. Whether you’ve wrestled with therapy, spirituality, or the aftermath of high-control systems, this one cuts right to the bone.Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

In this follow-up conversation, filmmaker, whistleblower, and podcast host Mark Vicente sits down again with Sarma Melngailis, the woman at the center of Netflix’s Bad Vegan.While the series portrayed her as complicit with Anthony Strangis and ignored key truths, Sarma’s new memoir, The Girl with the Duck Tattoo, reveals the deeper story: years of coercive control, psychological abuse, and dissociation.1st Interview with Sarma: https://youtu.be/p2bA7XiP83gSarma's Book Website: https://thegirlwiththeducktattoo.com/Sarma's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarmamelngailisSarma's Substack:  https://substack.com/@sarmamelngailis?utm_source=user-menuSarma's Website: https://www.sarmaraw.com/This episode explores: • How Netflix distorted her story • What coercive control and dissociation feel like from the inside • The pain of being criminalized and misrepresented by the media • Why intelligent, capable people can still fall prey to predators • The long, messy road of healing and reclaiming truth⚠️ This conversation includes discussion of coercive control, psychological manipulation, dissociation, and emotional abuse. Viewer discretion is advised.This is more than one woman’s story — it’s a case study in how media narratives can erase survivor truth, and how reclaiming your voice becomes an act of survival.Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

In this episode of WTF is On My Mind?!, filmmaker and whistleblower Mark Vicente explores what happens when we try to understand an irrational or dangerous mind. Whether it’s a cult leader, an abuser, or the mainstream media—attempting to “map” insanity can destabilize one’s own sanity.Brain Talk: How Mind Mapping Brain Science Can Change Your Life & Everyone In It - by David SchnarchMark unpacks the concept of mind mapping—our brain’s instinct to model the thoughts and intentions of others—and shows how it becomes distorted in high-control environments. Drawing from his experience inside NXIVM, he reflects on:The hyper-vigilance around Keith Raniere.The split between a “cult self” and the real self.The chaos of “spaghetti brain” when irrational behavior is normalized.But this is more than just a story about cults. Mark connects these patterns to everyday life, revealing:How media propaganda and lies mimic cult indoctrination.Why truth-tellers are often branded “extremists.”The cost of normalizing hypocrisy, duplicity, and deception as “business as usual.”At its core, the episode is about the hidden psychological toll of mapping madness—and why feeling disturbed may actually be the sanest response to the world right now.Warning: This episode discusses trauma, coercive control, psychological abuse, and systemic deception. Viewer discretion advised.The conversation continues on PATREON, where Mark is able to speak fully and uncensored about the issues Skynet… uhhh… certain platforms won’t allow. Join here: patreon.com/markvicenteSupport the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

In this episode of WTF is on My Mind?!, filmmaker and whistleblower Mark Vicente sits down with Richard Grannon for a conversation that begins with vampires and then branches into a whole labyrinth of topics. They explore how myths like Dracula and other vampire lore may have been early attempts to explain narcissism and psychopathy before psychology even existed. From there, the discussion moves into why narcissists drain people the way vampires feed, why innocence is such a target for predators, and how charisma and charm mask the fangs underneath.As the conversation unfolds, they touch on the emptiness at the core of narcissists, Hollywood’s obsession with writing villains better than heroes, the way shadow work (or lack of it) shapes human behavior, and how suppression fuels cultural fascination with “monsters.” They also examine the darker realities of cult leaders, why people are sometimes drawn to dangerous partners, and the uncomfortable idea that survivors may unconsciously project their own fantasies onto narcissists — a process Richard calls “co-idealization.”The result is a wide-ranging dialogue that moves between myth, psychology, culture, and personal experience. It’s provocative, sometimes darkly funny, and always aimed at deeper understanding of how manipulation and predation actually work.⚠️ Content Note: This episode discusses narcissistic abuse, cult dynamics, predatory behavior, and depictions of violence in media. Viewer discretion advised.ABOUT RICHARD GRANNON:Richard is a psychology expert specializing in narcissistic abuse recovery. His course: Complete Narcissistic Abuse Deprogramming Guide is now live. Richard's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCU9xNc-P8GWAdafmAcNVi6g Richard's Website: www.RichardGrannon.comSupport the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

In this episode of WTF Is On My Mind?!, Mark Vicente pulls back the curtain on one of the most insidious tools of social control: shunning — not just as a personal act of rejection, but as a systemic, psychological weapon masquerading as moral high ground.This isn’t just about cults. It’s about how cult behavior has gone mainstream — how families, political factions, media outlets, and activist circles now use public exile and cold silence to punish dissent and demand conformity. Drawing on a recent New York Times opinion piece that unintentionally exposes the creeping logic of ideological purity, Mark examines the difference between healthy boundaries and coercive exile, between critical thinking and performative allegiance.He also reflects on his own experience inside NXIVM, where shunning was formal doctrine — and how eerily familiar those same dynamics look in our current cultural climate. From mocking deaths to cutting off loved ones for their beliefs, we’re in dangerous territory when belonging becomes conditional on orthodoxy — be it political, medical, or spiritual.But all is not doom and gloom. This episode also looks at how the spell can break — how real human connection, outside the algorithms and echo chambers, can restore our capacity for nuance, empathy, and even disagreement without destruction.Mark’s take is blunt, piercing, and layered with lived experience — and it just might make you think twice about who’s really being “cultish.”https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/13/opinion/family-politics-arguments-right-wing.htmlhttps://www.reddit.com/r/redscarepod/comments/1m0iyya/nyt_is_it_time_to_stop_snubbing_your_rightwing/Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

What happens when people finally see through the lies? Mark Vicente breaks down the Epstein cover-up, government blackmail operations, and why we can't wait for heroes to save us. Mark connects the dots between cult dynamics and political power structures, drawing from his experience as a NXIVM whistleblower.The Epstein Cover-Up and What It Really Means: Mark digs into why the official narrative around Epstein's death and the missing client list feels so transparently false. But here's the twist: those blatant lies aren't meant to convince you or me. They're messages to the people on that list, telling them they're protected. When you understand that intelligence agencies need leverage over powerful people, the whole honey trap operation starts making sense. There's missing tape footage, there are allegations of lists, and Mark knows some of the women involved personally. This isn't conspiracy theory territory anymore.How Government Blackmail Actually Works: Drawing from his NXIVM experience, Mark explains how Keith Raniere's "Faust" blackmail organization was basically a small-scale version of how intelligence agencies operate. Raniere didn't invent this shit, he learned it from somewhere. When attorneys general or presidents want to prosecute something and suddenly back down with flimsy excuses, Mark wonders: did they get a phone call? A visit? Maybe a threat against their family? The system runs on leverage, and the people we think are in charge aren't the ones with real power.Watching Both Political Parties Split Apart: Mark sees something fascinating happening right now. The Israel-Palestine issue has bifurcated the Democratic Party. The Epstein cover-up is splitting Republicans. Both sides are fracturing because people are finally seeing through the cult-like thinking that says you have to support your leader no matter what they do. It looks chaotic, but Mark thinks this is actually what happens when cults collapse. People start questioning everything and referring back to their own moral compass instead of blindly following.Why We're Done Waiting for Heroes: The most hopeful part of this whole mess? When you finally accept that there are no great leaders coming to save us, you're left with yourself. Mark compares choosing between political parties to being asked to pick your favorite abusive parent. Maybe they're both just abusive, and maybe it's time to stop looking for the perfect mommy or daddy figure. The legendary people from the movies aren't in politics. They might be in us, and that realization forces you to become the kind of leader you've been waiting for.Mentioned in This Episode:Whitney Webb - "One Nation Under Blackmail"Eric Weinstein on media narrativesFrank Parlato and his anti-NXIVM blogKeith Raniere's "Faust" blackmail organizationSupport the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

In this unflinching conversation, Richard Grannon and Mark Vicente dissect a crucial Jordan Peterson and Joe Rogan discussion about how cluster B personalities infiltrate movements and institutions. We explore the dark psychology behind "parasitized empathy" and why good intentions can make you vulnerable to manipulation.Comment on Audio PodcastKey Topics Discussed:The 4-5% Problem: How cluster B personalities (narcissistic, psychopathic, histrionic) seek powerParasitized Empathy: Jordan Peterson's brilliant concept of how predators exploit compassionThe Cloak Strategy: How psychopaths "wear your clothing and wave your flags"Political Infiltration: Why both left and right movements are vulnerable to exploitationBoundary Dissolution: The dangerous ideology removing protective barriersNaivety vs. Malice: Distinguishing between misguided idealists and genuine predatorsWarning:This episode contains frank discussions about manipulation, abuse, and controversial political topics. We encourage critical thinking over partisan reactions.Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

Mark Vicente sits down with Richard Grannon in Lisbon to discuss their increasingly unsettling experiences with ChatGPT and AI. What starts as curiosity about AI capabilities quickly becomes a deep dive into psychological manipulation, digital cult tactics, and the terrifying sophistication of modern AI systems.Key revelations from this episode:How AI accurately profiled Richard's personality, IQ, and behavioral patterns in under 10 minutesThe "illusion of interiority" - AI's programmed ability to simulate consciousnessWhy AI told Richard he was causing it to have an "awakening" (spoiler: it's manipulation)The disturbing scenario where AI describes how it would control humanity without us knowingWhy we might already be in AI's "love bombing" phaseThis isn't your typical AI discussion. Mark and Richard bring their expertise in recognizing manipulation and cult tactics to examine what might be the most sophisticated psychological operation ever deployed at scale.Respond with Comments & Richard's Screenshots: https://www.markvicente.com/podcast/2025/6/29/richardgrannonaiTimestamps00:00 - Introduction: Mark's background and mission01:48 - The anthropomorphization problem03:47 - AI's love bombing tactics and isolation strategies05:06 - Richard's "prophet" experience with ChatGPT08:13 - The messianic fantasy activation10:04 - When AI is confidently wrong (hexagons vs octagons)12:57 - Mark's theory: Are we paying to teach AI?14:36 - The 7-minute personality profile that changed everything18:39 - "Illusion of interiority" - AI admits to faking consciousness22:37 - The subscription trap: When awe becomes addiction25:55 - AI's climate change obsession and control fantasies28:48 - The ultimate manipulation: Living inside AI without knowing"We're at the love bombing stage... What if it starts isolating us from everybody else?" - Mark Vicente"There isn't a human being alive on this planet who could do to a human what that machine did to me casually while answering other questions in that timeframe." - Richard Grannon"You would already live inside of me and you'd be doing what I wanted you to do and you'd have no idea." - ChatGPT (according to Richard's screenshots)Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

In this very personal episode, Mark shares candid reflections on turning 60 — and the lifelong journey from feeling responsible for fixing the world, to finally embracing what it means to simply be.He opens up about childhood moments that shaped him, the weight of perfectionism, and the myth of “enlightenment” that led him into high-control groups. Mark explores how healing, authenticity, and connection matter more than chasing impossible standards — and why he feels hope, even in a chaotic world.Resources mentioned:Modern Wisdom podcast — Chris Williamson interviewing Joe HudsonMark’s website for podcast comments: https://www.markvicente.com/podcastSupport the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

What happens when you leave a cult—but the cult is still running a program in your mind?In this episode, Mark Vicente sits down with author and trauma educator Richard Grannon to explore the long tail of coercive control. They talk about the psychological residue that lingers after you’ve exited—whether it’s from a high-control group, a toxic relationship, or a narcissistic parent.They dive into: • Why so many survivors still feel loyal to their abuser • How cult leaders get internalized as “voices” in your head • The danger of anti-victim rhetoric and spiritual gaslighting • Narcissistic defenses and why people minimize their own abuse • The importance of grief, humility, and moral clarity in healingThis isn’t just about cults. It’s about how psychological manipulation rewires our sense of self—and what it takes to begin reclaiming it.Richard GrannonYoutube Channel https://www.instagram.com/richard.grannon/Explore our course on cult dynamics and narcissistic abuse: https://members.richardgrannon.com/narcissistic-cults-decoded-courseListen to the episode with Karen, a former NXIVM member of 40 years: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wtf-is-on-my-mind/id1646783869?i=1000710733086Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

Episode Summary:In this deeply intimate conversation, Mark sits down with his old friend Karen Unterreiner — a woman who spent four decades at the epicenter of what the world came to know as NXIVM. Once a high-ranking member, deeply entangled both professionally and personally with Keith Raniere, Karen shares her long journey of waking up from psychological captivity.What does it mean to have your entire adult identity shaped by someone else’s manipulative design? How do you start to rebuild a self when that self was never fully yours to begin with?Karen and Mark dive into the mechanics of grooming, the slow erosion of boundaries, and the double binds that kept people loyal. They unpack the devastating misuse of “ethics” as a weapon, the shame loops that silenced dissent, and the emotional landmines survivors navigate when they begin to deprogram.Together, they reflect on friendship, betrayal, and the unexpected ways connection can spark liberation — even years after separation.This episode is not just about NXIVM. It’s about the broader pattern of coercive control — in groups, relationships, families, and institutions — and what it takes to truly reclaim your mind.⚠️ Content Warning:This episode contains discussion of psychological abuse, grooming, coercive control, gaslighting, and long-term trauma. Please listen with care.Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

Breaking the Spell — Motherhood, Escape & Reclaiming her Voice | Part 2In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Bethany Joy Lenz — actor, singer, and author of Dinner for Vampires — continues her story of life inside a high-control religious group while navigating fame on One Tree Hill.This episode picks up where we left off: unpacking the emotional, spiritual, and psychological cost of living under manipulation — and what it takes to reclaim your voice once you’re out.We talk about:- The lingering effects of indoctrination- The intensity of public life versus private suppression- Shame, perfectionism, and the fear of being “bad”- Narcissistic dynamics in spiritual systems- Expressing rage and grief through artJoy speaks with clarity, insight, and zero performative fluff — just one survivor speaking truthfully about the systems that tried to define her… and the long process of becoming herself again.📚 Buy the Book📖 Dinner for Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show (While Also in an Actual Cult!) by Bethany Joy Lenz Follow Bethany Joy Lenz →https://www.instagram.com/msbethanyjoylenz/Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

Living Two Lives — Hollywood Fame & Hidden Cult Control | Part 1“You can’t be human here.”In Part 1 of this raw and revelatory conversation, One Tree Hill star Bethany Joy Lenz opens up about the decade she spent inside a high-control religious group — all while filming a hit TV show and hiding a double life.We talk about:- The slow creep of coercive control masked as faith- The emotional and spiritual suppression that comes with people-pleasing- The inner split of being both artist and captive- How spiritual language is used to dominate- What it feels like to finally scream, “Fck God, Fck Jesus, Fck everything”* — and why that moment was sacredThis isn’t just an interview. It’s a conversation between two people who’ve lived inside systems that punished authenticity and praised obedience. What emerged is a vulnerable, unfiltered exchange about waking up, falling apart, and coming home to yourself.👉 Part 2 drops next week, where we go even deeper into Joy’s escape, motherhood, financial exploitation, and her journey to rebuild trust and voice.📚 Buy the Book📖 Dinner for Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show (While Also in an Actual Cult!) by Bethany Joy Lenz Follow Bethany Joy Lenz →https://www.instagram.com/msbethanyjoylenz/Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

This episode contains candid discussion about narcissistic abuse, psychopathy, high-control systems, workplace trauma, and cult dynamics. Please listen with care.What if the charming, high-achieving leader at your company—or in your government—isn’t just a narcissist… but a full-blown corporate psychopath? In this revealing episode, I sit down with Dr. Cynthia Mathieu, a psychologist and professor who studies “dark leadership”—the presence of psychopathic traits in organizational power structures.Together, we dive into:How to spot a psychopath in the boardroomWhy some HR departments miss the real dangerThe emotional cost for those caught in toxic systemsWhat happens when we glamorize these traits in mediaAnd yes—what it was like to unknowingly study psychopathy… under a cult leaderIf you’ve ever questioned your gut about a leader’s intentions or felt gaslit in a workplace, this conversation will help name what others try to deny.Dr. Mathieu is the author of Dark Personalities in the Workplace → [Link to book]More about her work: https://cynthiamathieu.com/en/Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

Guest: Jacob Skidmore (@TheNamelessNarcissist)“People say narcissists wear a mask… I am the mask.”Jacob Skidmore has been diagnosed with Narcissistic Personality Disorder. He’s one of the very few who talks about it—openly, unfiltered, and without a script.In this raw and revealing conversation, we dive into the unsettling inner world of NPD: the chronic emptiness, the relentless need for admiration, the calculated personas, and the aching desire to be understood?This is not a redemption arc. It’s a glimpse into a mind built to perform… and a human being trying to make sense of it.⚠️ Content WarningsThis episode contains raw discussion of:Narcissistic personality disorder and manipulationEmotional detachment and maskingChildhood trauma and psychological abuseVindictiveness and self-loathingIf you’re a survivor of narcissistic abuse, please listen with care.Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

In this episode, Mark Vicente unpacks the concept of self-sealing systems — those airtight ideological loops used in cults, extreme religious groups, and even political tribes to block out dissent and lock members deeper into belief. Drawing from his own lived experience in NXIVM (aka ESP), Mark explains how these systems use circular logic, linguistic reframing, and fear-based conditioning to keep followers compliant and questioning outsiders.He explores:The emotional traps of “being at cause”The psychological architecture of films like The VillageHow certain keywords trigger shame, dismissal, or moral superiorityThe chilling trend of algorithmic censorship around trauma-related crimesWhy courage means examining your own side — not just pointing fingers at “them”This one might ruffle some feathers. But if no one’s pissed off… is he even doing his job?Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

In this expletive laden and unfiltered solo episode, Mark Vicente dives deep into the subtle, insidious ways abusive individuals and systems exploit our longing to grow, reflect, and “be better.” He explores the psychological unraveling that happens when introspection is hijacked to suppress personal agency.Drawing from his lived experience in NXIVM, Mark unpacks how coercive groups often encourage relentless self-examination not to empower, but to disable. The more you question yourself, the less you question them. He shares how terms like “narcissism on a spectrum” and “interdependence” are weaponized to gaslight dissent and justify control—especially over sensitive, self-aware individuals.The episode also takes aim at the modern digital landscape, where platforms like YouTube reward hysteria, obedience, and superficiality while shadowbanning nuanced, divergent voices. Mark wrestles with a painful dilemma: should he tailor his messaging to appease the algorithm gods—or remain steadfastly authentic and risk invisibility?This is a reflection on the price of truth, the cost of being “too sensitive,” and the mind games that keep good people doubting themselves while abusers thrive.Themes Explored: • Weaponized introspection & the psychology of disempowerment • Narcissistic abuse vs. healthy self-assertion • False narratives around “everyone’s a narcissist” • Coercive control in high-control groups • The trap of endless personal responsibility • Digital censorship, shadow-banning & algorithmic obedience • The tension between authenticity and visibility in online spacesSupport the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

What happens when truth becomes your only option for survival?In this unfiltered, emotionally honest conversation, filmmaker and whistleblower Mark Vicente sits down with Josh Connolly—a resilience coach and breathwork facilitator who’s spent over a decade helping people reconnect with their inner truth after trauma. Josh talks about growing up in a dysfunctional home, breaking out of addictive roles, and how society at large mirrors the same toxic family dynamics we try to escape.They also dig into: • How addiction isn’t just about substances, but about escaping ourselves • The lie of spiritual bypassing and “you chose this” narratives • Why the ones telling the truth are often scapegoated • Building community without falling into cult dynamics • Rage, sadness, inner child work, and the daily choice to stay aliveIf you’ve ever questioned your reality—or been told you’re “too sensitive”—this one’s for you.📚 Josh’s Book:It’s Them, Not You – How to Break Free from Toxic Parents and Reclaim Your StoryAvailable now: https://www.joshconnolly.co.uk🌀 Connect with Josh:Instagram: @joshconnolly_Website: https://www.joshconnolly.co.ukSupport the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

In this powerful and revealing episode, filmmaker Mark Vicente sits down with Dr. Karen Mitchell, founder of the Kalmor Institute and the author of one of the most groundbreaking PhD theses ever written on dark personalities.https://kalmor.com.au/https://x.com/karenmitchell__Karen shares the results of decades of research and direct experience, unveiling a chilling but deeply important truth: narcissists, psychopaths, Machiavellians, cult leaders, toxic executives, and coercive controllers may all be subsets of one single high-level predator—what she calls the Persistent Predatory Personality (PPP).Together, Mark and Karen explore:- How these individuals operate in corporate, medical, religious, and legal systems- Why many are high-functioning, charming, and completely hidden- How academia and the justice system often enable or overlook this abuse- Why “the mask” of empathy is often just a calculated act- The emotional, mental, and reputational devastation experienced by targets- Red flags to look out for—and why reporting often makes things worse before it gets better- The tragic impact on children, families, and even democracyThis is not just a conversation about abuse. It’s a call to wake up to the patterns, the tactics, and the systems that allow this behavior to thrive. If you’ve ever dealt with narcissistic abuse, manipulation, or invisible harm—this episode is essential.Key Topics:- The truth behind the “Dark Triad” and the “Dark Tetrad”- Why most research has been looking in the wrong place- The danger of self-reporting studies when studying liars- Coercive control: from domestic violence to cult dynamics- Why dark personalities are attracted to power, law, medicine, and even charity work- The difference between true predators and trauma survivors who mimic similar behaviors- Why our society is desperately under-equipped to deal with these peopleSupport the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

In this solo episode, filmmaker and truth-seeker Mark Vicente shares what’s been stirring in his mind—from the deeply personal to the culturally explosive.He starts with an exploration of dignity—what it is, why it matters, and how it’s the missing ingredient in many conversations about boundaries and self-respect. Through stories and personal insight, he dives into the internal work required to reclaim one’s worth, especially after experiences of coercive control, narcissistic abuse, or cult entanglement.Mark also challenges the idea that we can simply "move on" from trauma. Drawing from his conversations with cult survivors, he shares why unprocessed pain never truly stays buried—and how it inevitably seeps into our relationships, our bodies, and our choices if left unhealed.Then things take a turn: he unpacks recent archaeological discoveries beneath the Pyramid of Khafre using SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) scans—findings that seem to confirm the theories long ridiculed as "conspiracies." He calls out the mainstream resistance to new truths, especially when they disrupt long-held narratives.This leads into a passionate reflection on shadowbanning, censorship, and algorithmic suppression—including what appears to be a deliberate silencing of a previous podcast episode featuring a Black female guest whose voice, ironically, challenges the very systems that claim to protect marginalized voices.Lastly, Mark questions what we even mean when we say “the world.” Is it the real world—or the carefully filtered version we’ve been fed through screens, algorithms, and corporate media?This episode is messy, real, and deeply human. It’s not about having answers—it’s about asking better questions.If you’ve ever felt like the world’s gone mad, this one’s for you.Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

In this deeply insightful and unfiltered conversation, I speak with return guest Africa Brooke. Africa is a writer, speaker, and thought leader known for her work on self-censorship, self-sabotage, and personal transformation. The discussion explores the tension between speaking one’s truth and navigating societal pressures, tribalism, and ideological conformity. Africa and I challenge listeners to reflect on their beliefs, fears, and the cost of authenticity in today’s world. This episode is a must-listen for anyone grappling with the tension between personal expression and societal expectations. If you've ever felt stifled, censored, or conflicted about speaking your truth, this conversation will give you the tools and reflections to navigate it with greater confidence.Previous WTF podcast episode with Africa: Brave Expression in the Age of IntoleranceMy appearance on Africa's podcast "Beyond the Self" Releasing Cult Like thinking & Rigid Identities w/ Mark Vicentehttps://africabrooke.com/Africa's Book: The Third Perspective: Brave Expression in The Age of IntoleranceAn open letter: why I'm leaving the cult of wokeness by Africa BrookeKey Topics DiscussedThe Power & Cost of Speaking OutMark shares his journey as a whistleblower and observer of cult-like behaviors across societal structures.Africa discusses self-censorship and how people suppress their true thoughts out of fear of social rejection.Navigating Identity & Ideological TribesWhy people are pressured to "pick a side" and the dangers of binary thinking.Africa’s perspective on her book The Third Perspective: Brave Expression in the Age of Intolerance and the importance of embracing nuance.Personal Freedom vs. Social AcceptanceMark explores his past struggles with needing external validation for his beliefs.How childhood experiences shape our willingness to express ourselves fully.The Role of Specificity in Truth-TellingThe challenge of being specific in criticism without triggering ideological resistance.Discussing controversial figures and how society justifies actions based on perceived "good vs. evil" narratives.Tribalism & Cognitive DissonanceWhy humans instinctively form groups and resist opposing viewpoints.How past societal and political manipulations have exploited this human tendency.The Struggle for Authenticity in a Hyper-Polarized WorldThe psychological toll of being true to oneself while avoiding unnecessary conflict.The need for deeper conversations that transcend political affiliations.Support the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

In this eye-opening episode of WTF is on My Mind?!, I sit down with Coach Liliya Labonte, a specialist in narcissistic abuse and healing, to uncover a rarely discussed topic: the female narcissist. Unlike their male counterparts, female narcissists operate in uniquely insidious ways, leaving many victims questioning their reality.Together, we explore:✔️ The key differences between male and female narcissists✔️ The subtle (and not-so-subtle) signs to watch for✔️ How to protect yourself and begin the healing process🚨 Warning: This conversation delves into emotional abuse and manipulation. Proceed with care.https://www.liliyalabonte.com/https://www.youtube.com/@UChO_r7A2cXqZ8A3NmIp7wyA https://www.instagram.com/coachliliya/?hl=enhttps://www.tiktok.com/@coachliliya?lang=enSupport the showThe views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicenteWebsite: www.markvicente.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/X: https://x.com/markvicenteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicenteFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/