
Hosted by Sarah Edmondson & Anthony “Nippy” Ames · EN

To prep for next week’s “Where are they now?” chat with Mark Vicente, we’re replaying our first convo with licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Ramani Durvasula from Season 5. Are malignant narcissists born or made? How do you recover after narcissistic abuse? Dr. Ramani tackles our burning narc-y questions. She’s the author of two books on the subject: Should I Stay or Should I Go: Surviving A Relationship with a Narcissist, and Don’t You Know Who I Am?: How to Stay Sane in an Era of Narcissism, Entitlement, and Incivility. Her work has been featured at SXSW, TEDx, the Red Table Talk, the Today Show, and Investigation Discovery.Check out Dr. Ramani’s program on healing from narcissistic relationships and follow her on Instagram, Facebook, or X @doctorramani.Also…let it be known that:The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business, individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad.Buy the A Little Bit Culty book on Amazon or order a signed copy.Check out our amazing sponsorsJoin A Little Bit Culty on PatreonGet poppin’ fresh ALBC SwagSupport the pod and smash this linkCheck out our cult awareness and recovery resourcesWatch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, ScarredCREDITS:Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony AmesProduction Partner: Citizens of SoundCo-Creator: Jess TardyAudio production: Will RetherfordProduction Coordinator: Lesli DinsmoreWriter: Sandra NomotoSocial media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke KeaneTheme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel AsselinSUPPORT OUR SPONSORS:Elevate your summer wardrobe. Go to Quince.com/culty for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too.You don’t have to say yes to everything this summer. Find support in therapy.Sign up and get 10 percent off at BetterHelp.com/culty.Patio season is here and these deals won’t last. Head to Wayfair.com right now to get your outdoor space ready for way less.Get up to 50% off your first order, plus free shipping at MeUndies.com/culty, promo code culty.To get your new wireless plan for just $15 a month, go to MINTMOBILE.com/culty.If your glasses are overdue for a refresh, now is the time. Go to Zenni.com/podcast and use code PODCAST15 for 15% off your first order.Upgrade your dad’s everyday routine. Go to BuyRaycon.com/culty to get 15% off. Thanks Raycon for sponsoring!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In Part 2 with Dr. Christine Marie, we dive into Netflix’s Trust Me: The False Prophet and why the lack of victim-shaming in the response has been a dream come true. She walks us through the strategy (and frustration) of working with the FBI on the Sam Bateman investigation, why she needed footage of Sam committing obstruction of justice to get him arrested, and the devastating mistake of housing all the underage victims together in one group home where older girls could obstruct interviews. We discuss the heartbreak of watching Nomz and other victims serve prison time despite being coerced themselves, and Christine's proposal for a new kind of facility.We talk about Sam's ongoing manipulation from jail (he's going to trial next month just to psychologically torture the girls who turned against him), the $15,000 white leather jacket that should be a crime in itself, and why coercive control laws could change everything for FLDS survivors and beyond. Christine shares why public love and dignity after shame is the most healing thing that could ever happen, her work with Voices for Dignity, and her next mission: promoting empathy, fighting online cruelty, and making kindness cool again. Plus: Christine reads her journal entry about Keith Raniere and Sarah reads the Facebook message where she told him to “de-cult” himself—spoiler: he didn't listen.Definitely watch Trust Me on Netflix and visit the websites for Dr. Christine Marie and Voices for Dignity: ChristineMarie.com, VoicesForDignity.org. And follow her on Instagram @dr.christinemarie and on TikTok @drchristinemarie.Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of child sexual abuse, ritualistic abuse, human trafficking, and the criminal justice system's treatment of cult survivors.Also…let it be known that:The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business, individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad.Buy the A Little Bit Culty book on Amazon or order a signed copy.Check out our amazing sponsorsJoin A Little Bit Culty on PatreonGet poppin’ fresh ALBC SwagSupport the pod and smash this linkCheck out our cult awareness and recovery resourcesWatch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, ScarredCREDITS:Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony AmesProduction Partner: Citizens of SoundCo-Creator: Jess TardyAudio production: Will RetherfordProduction Coordinator: Lesli DinsmoreWriter: Sandra NomotoSocial media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke KeaneTheme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel AsselinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Christine Marie joins us to talk about surviving manipulation, public shaming, and the long road to healing after her experience with a false prophet and the people around him, as documented in Trust Me: The False Prophet on Netflix. In Part 1 of our convo, she traces how her Mormon upbringing, business struggles, and search for meaning made her vulnerable to coercion, how NXIVM’s Keith Raniere first entered her life, and how she eventually began recognizing the pattern of abuse for what it was.She also shares how a docudrama distorted her story through Frankenbiting and public humiliation, and why that misrepresentation pushed her to go back to school and finish her PhD in media psychology. It’s a powerful conversation about victim shaming, cult recovery, media ethics, and turning painful experiences into something useful for others. You’ll want to listen to Part 2 this Thursday.Definitely watch Trust Me on Netflix and visit the websites for Dr. Christine Marie and Voices for Dignity: ChristineMarie.com, VoicesForDignity.org. And follow her on Instagram @dr.christinemarie and on TikTok @drchristinemarie.Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of sexual coercion, religious abuse, trafficking, suicide, and public humiliation.Also…let it be known that:The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business, individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad.Buy the A Little Bit Culty book on Amazon or order a signed copy.Check out our amazing sponsorsJoin A Little Bit Culty on PatreonGet poppin’ fresh ALBC SwagSupport the pod and smash this linkCheck out our cult awareness and recovery resourcesWatch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, ScarredCREDITS:Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony AmesProduction Partner: Citizens of SoundCo-Creator: Jess TardyAudio production: Will RetherfordProduction Coordinator: Lesli DinsmoreWriter: Sandra NomotoSocial media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke KeaneTheme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel AsselinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In Part 2, we continue our wide-ranging convo with Danny Rensch, which starts with a very pointed critique of Netflix editing and the way it framed both Sarma Melngailis and the Hans Niemann scandal in Untold: Chess Mates. He gets into the ethics of Chess.com’s cheating investigations, why nuance gets flattened in public narratives, and how hard it is to explain a private, evidence-based process to people who only see the headline version.We also moved into bigger questions about power, accountability, and self-doubt, including Danny’s reflections on running a huge platform, being called the “chess mafia,” and trying to build a system with real checks and balances. Finally, he covers why emotional timing matters, how transitions make people more vulnerable, and why taking a breath before reacting can matter just as much in life as it does in cult recovery.Be sure to watch Untold: Chess Mates on Netflix, read Danny’s memoir, Dark Squares: How Chess Saved My Life, and follow him on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X, or LinkedIn.Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of manipulation, coercion, public accusations, cheating allegations, power dynamics, and emotional abuse.Also…let it be known that:The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business, individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad.Buy the A Little Bit Culty book on Amazon or order a signed copy.Check out our amazing sponsorsJoin A Little Bit Culty on PatreonGet poppin’ fresh ALBC SwagSupport the pod and smash this linkCheck out our cult awareness and recovery resourcesWatch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, ScarredCREDITS:Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony AmesProduction Partner: Citizens of SoundCo-Creator: Jess TardyAudio production: Will RetherfordProduction Coordinator: Lesli DinsmoreWriter: Sandra NomotoSocial media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke KeaneTheme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel AsselinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Danny Rensch returns to A Little Bit Culty for a live conversation in Atlanta, where he was in town on the tour stop for his memoir, Dark Squares: How Chess Saved My Life. A fan favorite from our earlier Season 8 appearances, Danny reflects on the book, the life experiences that shaped it, and what it means to finally put language to trauma, manipulation, and survival.In Part 1, Danny opened up about the emotional core of his memoir and the idea that you can’t truly consent if you’re not being told the truth. He talks about how that idea helped him reframe deep self-blame around his own family story, why so many people struggle to name their experiences as abuse or coercion, and how much healing depends on giving yourself grace.We also touched on the Netflix documentary Untold: Chess Mates, which Danny discusses with mixed feelings, especially around editing, nuance, and how the story of the Hans Niemann scandal was framed. He explains what the documentary left out, how the chess world has responded to his memoir, and why he’s most focused on connecting with readers who actually engage with the book. Stay tuned for Part 2 of our conversation.Be sure to watch Untold: Chess Mates on Netflix, read Danny’s memoir, Dark Squares: How Chess Saved My Life, and follow him on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X, or LinkedIn.Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of coercion, family separation, cult dynamics, emotional abuse, gaslighting, manipulation, and psychological trauma.Also…let it be known that:The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business, individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad.Buy the A Little Bit Culty book on Amazon or order a signed copy.Check out our amazing sponsorsJoin A Little Bit Culty on PatreonGet poppin’ fresh ALBC SwagSupport the pod and smash this linkCheck out our cult awareness and recovery resourcesWatch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, ScarredCREDITS:Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony AmesProduction Partner: Citizens of SoundCo-Creator: Jess TardyAudio production: Will RetherfordProduction Coordinator: Lesli DinsmoreWriter: Sandra NomotoSocial media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke KeaneTheme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel AsselinSUPPORT OUR SPONSORS:You don’t have to be on this journey alone. Find support and have someone with you in therapy.Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/culty.Get the right life insurance for YOU, for LESS, and save more than 50% at SelectQuote.com/culty.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In Part 2 of our conversation with Brooke Deanne, we get into the moment the whole thing finally cracked wide open: the knife incident that became her final straw, the divorce that followed, and the painfully familiar push-pull of leaving a trauma-bonded relationship. Brooke also shared how the Jehovah’s Witness elders protected the wrong person, why the system kept men in power, and how shunning can make you feel like you’ve been erased by your own people.We follow Brooke through the aftermath: PTSD, panic attacks, therapy that didn’t have the right language for religious trauma, and the very relatable “oops, I traded one cult for another” detour into New Age spirituality. Along the way, she talks about rebuilding trust in her body, learning to spot red flags, exploring somatic work and psychedelics, and finding safer, saner ways to heal—because apparently the nervous system did not sign up for any of this nonsense.Be sure to pick up Brooke’s book, Shattered, Broken, and Beautiful: Losing My Religion and Finding Faith, or follow her on her website, brookedeanne.com, or social media.Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of cults, coercive control, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, shunning, trauma bonding, religious trauma, PTSD, panic attacks, and discussion of psychedelics.Also…let it be known that:The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business, individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad.Buy the A Little Bit Culty book on Amazon or order a signed copy.Check out our amazing sponsorsJoin A Little Bit Culty on PatreonGet poppin’ fresh ALBC SwagSupport the pod and smash this linkCheck out our cult awareness and recovery resourcesWatch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, ScarredCREDITS:Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony AmesProduction Partner: Citizens of SoundCo-Creator: Jess TardyAudio production: Will RetherfordProduction Coordinator: Lesli DinsmoreWriter: Sandra NomotoSocial media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke KeaneTheme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel AsselinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In Part 1 with Brooke Deanne, we chat about her growing up as a third-generation Jehovah’s Witness, the deliciously bad idea of confusing control with “truth,” and what it’s like to be raised in a system where curiosity gets shut down before it can even put on shoes. Brooke walks us through the culty greatest hits: conditional love, shunning, hierarchy, weirdly intense rules about sex and marriage, and the kind of spiritual bookkeeping that makes you feel like you’re always one bad decision away from being sent to the cosmic timeout corner.We also cover Brooke’s marriage, the abuse she survived, and how religious training, family dynamics, and trauma can all pile on and make it harder to see what’s actually happening in real time. She brings a therapist’s eye to the whole mess, connecting the dots between attachment, gaslighting, trauma bonding, and the very human urge to keep trying to be the “good girl” even when the whole system is rigged. You’ll want to stay tuned for Part 2 of our convo.Be sure to pick up Brooke’s book, Shattered, Broken, and Beautiful: Losing My Religion and Finding Faith, or follow her on her website, brookedeanne.com, or social media.Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of cults, coercive control, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, shunning, trauma bonding, gaslighting, and religious trauma.Also…let it be known that:The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business, individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad.Buy the A Little Bit Culty book on Amazon or order a signed copy.Check out our amazing sponsorsJoin A Little Bit Culty on PatreonGet poppin’ fresh ALBC SwagSupport the pod and smash this linkCheck out our cult awareness and recovery resourcesWatch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, ScarredCREDITS:Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony AmesProduction Partner: Citizens of SoundCo-Creator: Jess TardyAudio production: Will RetherfordProduction Coordinator: Lesli DinsmoreWriter: Sandra NomotoSocial media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke KeaneTheme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel AsselinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In Part 2 of our Where Are They Now? series with Isabella Constantino, we spill more on NXIVM, Keith Raniere, and the long shadow of cult recovery. Since first sharing her story, Isabella has been doing the brave, messy, non-linear work of rebuilding: untangling identity, processing trauma, and figuring out who she is outside a high-control group that once shaped so much of her early adult life. We talk about healing after coercive control, the surprises of post-cult growth, what still lingers years later, and how freedom isn’t always one big movie-ending moment, but a thousand small choices. Isabella reminds us that leaving a cult is one chapter; learning to live afterward is the sequel.Follow Isabella on her website, isabellaconstantino.com, or on Facebook or Instagram @ic_artconstantly.Also…let it be known that:The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business, individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad.Buy the A Little Bit Culty book on Amazon or order a signed copy.Check out our amazing sponsorsJoin A Little Bit Culty on PatreonGet poppin’ fresh ALBC SwagSupport the pod and smash this linkCheck out our cult awareness and recovery resourcesWatch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, ScarredCREDITS:Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony AmesProduction Partner: Citizens of SoundCo-Creator: Jess TardyAudio production: Will RetherfordProduction Coordinator: Lesli DinsmoreWriter: Sandra NomotoSocial media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke KeaneTheme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel AsselinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp.In the first installment of our “Where Are They Now?” series, we catch up with Season 5 guest Isabella Constantino to find out what life looks like after NXIVM when the smoke clears and the cult fog machine finally runs out of juice. Isabella shares what she’s been up to lately, including working at an art museum in Buffalo, and talks honestly about the long, weird, non-linear business of healing—because recovery is not a quick weekend workshop with flip charts and matching outfits.We also revisited her time in Albany, where the pressure was high, the logic was loopy, and the vibe was of a productivity cult with a side of emotional whiplash. We touch on her working on her Tourette’s with Nancy Salzman and the gaslighty phone calls from Mark Elliott trying to sell the miracle cure. We chat information silos, the body keeping score, and why sometimes the biggest breakthrough is simply realizing, “Oh, right… that was bananas.” Stay tuned for Part 2 on Thursday.Follow Isabella on her website, isabellaconstantino.com, or on Facebook or Instagram @ic_artconstantly.Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of cults, coercive control, emotional abuse, gaslighting, eating disorder themes, trauma, compulsive overwork, isolation, and mention of suicidal ideation.Also…let it be known that:The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business, individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad.Buy the A Little Bit Culty book on Amazon or order a signed copy.Check out our amazing sponsorsJoin A Little Bit Culty on PatreonGet poppin’ fresh ALBC SwagSupport the pod and smash this linkCheck out our cult awareness and recovery resourcesWatch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, ScarredCREDITS:Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony AmesProduction Partner: Citizens of SoundCo-Creator: Jess TardyAudio production: Will RetherfordProduction Coordinator: Lesli DinsmoreWriter: Sandra NomotoSocial media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke KeaneTheme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel AsselinSUPPORT OUR SPONSORS:You don’t have to be on this journey alone. Find support and have someone with you in therapy. Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/culty.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In Part 2, we continue our convo with Cara Cardoni and “Lina” about ISTA, the International School of Temple Arts, and the deeper red flags that pushed them to finally leave. Cara and Lina describe how the group used glossy language, spiritual framing, and “consent” rhetoric to obscure coercion, while the reality included harm, manipulation, and a system that made it hard to tell what was actually happening.They speak about the moment each of them saw the organization more clearly: Cara describes finding a survivor Facebook group, learning about patterns of abuse, and realizing when she raised concerns, she was DARVOd (Deny, Attack, and Reverse Victim and Offender, a manipulation tactic used to evade accountability). Lina shares the devastating account of being raped at an ISTA retreat, the years it took her to name it as rape, and the way ISTA’s response, including NDA pressure and refund games, exposed the hypocrisy beneath the “healing” branding. They also dig into the bigger system around ISTA, including labor exploitation, sex work versus trafficking, temple trainings as a funnel, and the overlap with other guru-led communities. The message is clear: if something feels off, leave, because these groups are built to exploit the very human instinct to belong.Also read The Cut’s article, “The Neo-Tantric Sex Group That Promised to Change,” for background on ISTA and Lina’s story. Check out Safer Sex-Positive & Spiritual Communities (3SC) at 3sc.community and Cara Cardoni’s Substack, and podcast, Fool's Gold: Discernment in the Age of Grift, on YouTube or where you listen to your pods.Trigger warning: This episode contains frank discussion of sexual assault, rape, coercive control, manipulation, gaslighting, emotional abuse, cultic behavior, trauma, labor exploitation, sex trafficking, and references to suicidal ideation.Also…let it be known that:The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business, individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad.Buy the A Little Bit Culty book on Amazon or order a signed copy.Check out our amazing sponsorsJoin A Little Bit Culty on PatreonGet poppin’ fresh ALBC SwagSupport the pod and smash this linkCheck out our cult awareness and recovery resourcesWatch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, ScarredCREDITS:Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony AmesProduction Partner: Citizens of SoundCo-Creator: Jess TardyAudio production: Will RetherfordProduction Coordinator: Lesli DinsmoreWriter: Sandra NomotoSocial media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke KeaneTheme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel AsselinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.