Podcast
IndoctriNation
Hosted by IndoctriNation · EN
Welcome to IndoctriNation: A weekly podcast covering cults, manipulators, and protecting yourself from systems of control.
29episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Justice After Coercive Control with Carol Merchasin
4d ago01:26:56Tap to summarizeCarol Merchasin returns, and this time, Rachel and Carol go deep on what it actually looks like when survivors of coercive control, spiritual abuse, and high-control groups consider taking legal action.Carol shares how her career shifted from corporate employment investigations to building a litigation practice focused on religious misconduct and cultic settings, and what landmark cases reveal about how the law interprets coercion, consent, and systems of control.What happens when a survivor wants justice, but the legal system wasn't built for them? Carol walks through the real barriers: statutes of limitations, evidence demands, credibility challenges, and the emotional toll of depositions and mediation, especially for those carrying religious trauma or the psychological weight of cult recovery.She also explains how the right litigation team can become part of the healing process, why journals and social media posts matter more than most people realize, and what truly trauma-informed support looks like when therapy and legal advocacy work together.Plus: Carol shares her role as ICSA board president and highlights the upcoming ICSA conference in San Diego on July 1 — a vital gathering for researchers, clinicians, and advocates working at the intersection of faith deconstruction, coercive control, and survivor justice.Carol’s LinksICSA Conference: https://internationalculticstudies.org/Connect with us on social media: https://linktr.ee/indoctrinationSupport IndoctriNation on Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes and more: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrinationPrefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link:https://www.paypal.biz/indoctriNATIONWatch full video episodes of IndoctriNation here:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAi0T2hzH9dM029dkTfj635PzuXl67jSRestart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation: https://a.co/d/1ssz4RmRestart and Restore: Companion Notebook:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSCLTZN4Download a Free Chapter from Restart and Restore:https://education.rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restart-and-restore-campaignJournal App: https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restore-journal-app.htmlDownload Rachel’s Video Lectures and Webinars here:https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/videos.htmlIndoctriNation is edited by The Podcast Consultant:https://thepodcastconsultant.com/aboutAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
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Reality in Ruins: How Conspiracy Theory Became an Evangelical Crisis with Jared Stacy, PhD
2w ago01:10:12Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Rachel Bernstein, LMFT, MSEd, sits down with Jared Stacy, PhD, who is a theologian and ethicist. He is the author of "Reality in Ruins: How Conspiracy Theory Became an Evangelical Crisis." They sit down for a deeply personal and clinically resonant conversation about radicalization, religious trauma, coercive belonging, and the courage it takes to say "I don't know."Jared grew up inside fundamentalist evangelical Christianity, attended Liberty University, and was a pastor before a years-long crisis of faith led him to Scotland — and eventually back home. His book draws on that journey to examine how conspiratorial thinking takes root in high-control religious communities, and why belonging and certainty can be prioritized — fueling everything from QAnon to Christian nationalism to the weaponization of forgiveness in abusive church settings. If you've ever watched someone you love disappear into a belief system you don't recognize, this conversation is for you. Jared Stacy’s LinksWebsite: https://jaredstacy.com/about/Book: https://www.amazon.com/Reality-Ruins-Conspiracy-American-Evangelical/dp/0063453754Connect with us on social media: https://linktr.ee/indoctrinationSupport IndoctriNation on Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes and more: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrinationPrefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link:https://www.paypal.biz/indoctriNATIONWatch full video episodes of IndoctriNation here:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAi0T2hzH9dM029dkTfj635PzuXl67jSRestart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation: https://a.co/d/1ssz4RmRestart and Restore: Companion Notebook:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSCLTZN4Download a Free Chapter from Restart and Restore:https://education.rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restart-and-restore-campaignJournal App: https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restore-journal-app.htmlDownload Rachel’s Video Lectures and Webinars here:https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/videos.htmlIndoctriNation is edited by The Podcast Consultant:https://thepodcastconsultant.com/aboutAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
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BONUS PREVIEW: Victim Blaming: Challenging the Myths
2w ago00:04:13Tap to summarizeThis is just a preview of our Patreon exclusive Bonus Episode. You can hear the full episode by becoming a member at: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination In this Patreon bonus episode, host Rachel Bernstein, LMFT, examines how victim blaming functions across abusive relationships, sexual violence, cults, and high-control religious environments — and why it remains one of the most pervasive obstacles to survivor recovery.Rachel discusses why those who cause harm often present as calm and credible while survivors, navigating the effects of trauma, are met with skepticism. She explores the role of guilt in maintaining emotional captivity, and how coercive control can be obscured through isolation, financial manipulation, reality distortion, dependency, and the gradual erosion of identity. The conversation offers language, context, and validation for survivors working to understand their experiences, as well as insight for those supporting them.Connect with us on social media: https://linktr.ee/indoctrinationSupport IndoctriNation on Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes and more: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrinationPrefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link:https://www.paypal.biz/indoctriNATIONWatch full video episodes of IndoctriNation here:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAi0T2hzH9dM029dkTfj635PzuXl67jSRestart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation: https://a.co/d/1ssz4RmRestart and Restore: Companion Notebook:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSCLTZN4Download a Free Chapter from Restart and Restore:https://education.rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restart-and-restore-campaignJournal App: https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restore-journal-app.htmlDownload Rachel’s Video Lectures and Webinars here:https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/videos.htmlIndoctriNation is edited by The Podcast Consultant:https://thepodcastconsultant.com/aboutAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
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The Culting of America with Daniella Mestyanek Young
3w ago01:13:12Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Daniella Mestyanek Young returns to IndoctriNation to discuss how cults exploit group dynamics. Born three generations into the Children of God, then a U.S. Army intelligence officer, Daniella has spent her career studying coercive control from the inside out. In her new book The Culting of America, she lays out a 10-part model of cult tactics — the same playbook used in religious cults, high-control workplaces, the military, single-family cults, and even fandoms.Rachel Bernstein and Daniella Mestyanek Young unpack why social proof makes us doubt our own eyes, why every cult seems to promise some version of "space travel," and what really separates brainwashing children from brainwashing adults. They also get into the warning signs every parent, employee, and former believer should know — and the small, daily reframes that loosen a coercive grip.Daniella’s LinksBook: https://knittingcultlady.com/products/the-culting-of-america?variant=45519679160451Website: https://knittingcultlady.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daniellamyoung_/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@knittingcultladycaptainConnect with us on social media: https://linktr.ee/indoctrinationSupport IndoctriNation on Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes and more: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrinationPrefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link:https://www.paypal.biz/indoctriNATIONWatch full video episodes of IndoctriNation here:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAi0T2hzH9dM029dkTfj635PzuXl67jSRestart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation: https://a.co/d/1ssz4RmRestart and Restore: Companion Notebook:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSCLTZN4Download a Free Chapter from Restart and Restore:https://education.rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restart-and-restore-campaignJournal App: https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restore-journal-app.htmlDownload Rachel’s Video Lectures and Webinars here:https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/videos.htmlIndoctriNation is edited by The Podcast Consultant:https://thepodcastconsultant.com/aboutAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
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Reclaiming Myself After Mormonism with Lindsey Sanders
4w ago01:20:40Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Rachel Bernstein sits down with Lindsey Sanders to talk about her memoir, The Sacred Song of a Heretic, and what it means to reclaim "sacredness" outside of a high-control religion.Lindsey was raised in a multigenerational Mormon family, where she was taught to value obedience, certainty, traditional gender roles, a limited range of acceptable emotions, and avoidance of outside sources of information. As a teenager, a relationship with another girl set off a chain of guilt, parental discipline, and repentance that pushed her to "double down" on her faith.Then, in 2019–2020, her brothers' decision to leave the church prompted Lindsey to research Mormon history for herself. Within six months, she walked away. Rachel and Lindsey dive into the long process of deprogramming — therapy, finding the online ex-Mormon community, a C-PTSD diagnosis framed through the lens of religious and spiritual abuse, and Lindsey's perspective on Mormon Church policies toward LGBTQ and trans members.This is a conversation about indoctrination, identity, leaving a high-control religion, and what healing can look like when you start trusting your own voice again.Lindsey’s LinksBook: https://a.co/d/00nrrG6sInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehealingexmo/Substack: https://thehealingexmo.substack.com/Connect with us on social media: https://linktr.ee/indoctrinationSupport IndoctriNation on Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes and more: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrinationPrefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link:https://www.paypal.biz/indoctriNATIONWatch full video episodes of IndoctriNation here:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAi0T2hzH9dM029dkTfj635PzuXl67jSRestart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation: https://a.co/d/1ssz4RmRestart and Restore: Companion Notebook:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSCLTZN4Download a Free Chapter from Restart and Restore:https://education.rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restart-and-restore-campaignJournal App: https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restore-journal-app.htmlDownload Rachel’s Video Lectures and Webinars here:https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/videos.htmlIndoctriNation is edited by The Podcast Consultant:https://thepodcastconsultant.com/aboutAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
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BONUS PREVIEW: Inside the Cult of Two
May 2900:06:44Tap to summarizeThis is just a preview of our Patreon exclusive Bonus Episode. You can hear the full episode by becoming a member at: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination In this Patreon bonus episode, host Rachel Bernstein unpacks the idea of "cults of two" — one-on-one relationships that can carry the same coercive control, manipulation, and reality-distortion found in larger high-control groups.How does a single person create cult-like power without a group? Rachel breaks down the tactics manipulators use to isolate, discredit, and slowly reshape a victim's sense of reality — and why leaving these relationships can feel impossible, even like betrayal.If you've ever wondered how narcissistic abuse, trauma bonding, and gaslighting take hold in a relationship, this episode offers language and clarity for what's really happening beneath the surface.Connect with us on social media: https://linktr.ee/indoctrinationSupport IndoctriNation on Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes and more: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrinationPrefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link:https://www.paypal.biz/indoctriNATIONWatch full video episodes of IndoctriNation here:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAi0T2hzH9dM029dkTfj635PzuXl67jSRestart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation: https://a.co/d/1ssz4RmRestart and Restore: Companion Notebook:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSCLTZN4Download a Free Chapter from Restart and Restore:https://education.rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restart-and-restore-campaignJournal App: https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restore-journal-app.htmlDownload Rachel’s Video Lectures and Webinars here:https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/videos.htmlIndoctriNation is edited by The Podcast Consultant:https://thepodcastconsultant.com/aboutAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
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I Belong to Me with Tia Levings
May 2701:24:01Tap to summarizeIn this episode, host Rachel Bernstein welcomes back author Tia Levings to discuss her new book, 'I Belong to Me: A Survivor’s Guide to Recovery and Hope After Religious Trauma.'Tia opens up about surviving church-sanctioned domestic abuse and the long, deliberately paced process of rebuilding selfhood after leaving Christian patriarchy. She and Rachel explore how reclaiming body awareness, personal boundaries, and the simple practice of "I statements" can counter indoctrination.The conversation moves through the disorientation and shock that follow leaving a high-control environment or cult, the heightened vulnerability to further exploitation, and the grief of being exiled from former communities. Tia and Rachel discuss how reframing language can reduce shame, and why relearning consent and the freedom to say "no" is central to recovery.They also examine "story wounds," the mistranslations used to uphold patriarchal systems, the lasting harms of religious patriarchy, and a nuanced understanding of forgiveness — one framed not as obligation, but as a release that becomes possible only after tending to the injury and refusing self-betrayal.This episode of IndoctriNation explores religious trauma, coercive control, spiritual abuse, fundamentalism recovery, and the path to reclaiming autonomy and identity after a high-control group.Tia’s LinksBook: https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/belong-to-me-9781250374271/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tialevingswriter/Linktree: https://linktr.ee/TiaLevingsConnect with us on social media: https://linktr.ee/indoctrinationSupport IndoctriNation on Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes and more: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrinationPrefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link:https://www.paypal.biz/indoctriNATIONWatch full video episodes of IndoctriNation here:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAi0T2hzH9dM029dkTfj635PzuXl67jSRestart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation: https://a.co/d/1ssz4RmRestart and Restore: Companion Notebook:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSCLTZN4Download a Free Chapter from Restart and Restore:https://education.rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restart-and-restore-campaignJournal App: https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restore-journal-app.htmlDownload Rachel’s Video Lectures and Webinars here:https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/videos.htmlIndoctriNation is edited by The Podcast Consultant:https://thepodcastconsultant.com/aboutAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
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American Trickster: The Hidden Lives of Carlos Castaneda with Ru Marshall
May 2001:20:37Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Rachel Bernstein interviews Ru Marshall about the hidden world surrounding the guru Carlos Castaneda. Marshall shares insights from their research into Castaneda’s history, manipulation tactics, spiritual abuse, and the disturbing aftermath surrounding his inner circle after his death.The conversation explores charismatic narcissism, cult control, and how high-control spiritual leaders exploit vulnerability and emotional dependency. Rachel and Marshall also discuss the psychological impact on former followers, institutional denial, and the warning signs of manipulative groups and cult leaders.Topics include cult psychology, spiritual abuse, manipulation tactics, narcissistic leaders, Carlos Castaneda’s legacy, coercive persuasion, and recovery from high-control groups.Ru’s LinksWebsite: https://rmarshallstudio.com/writingBook: https://www.amazon.com/American-Trickster-Hidden-Carlos-Castaneda/dp/1682194612/ref=sr_1_1Connect with us on social media: https://linktr.ee/indoctrinationSupport IndoctriNation on Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes and more: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrinationPrefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link:https://www.paypal.biz/indoctriNATIONWatch full video episodes of IndoctriNation here:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAi0T2hzH9dM029dkTfj635PzuXl67jSRestart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation: https://a.co/d/1ssz4RmRestart and Restore: Companion Notebook:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSCLTZN4Download a Free Chapter from Restart and Restore:https://education.rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restart-and-restore-campaignJournal App: https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restore-journal-app.htmlDownload Rachel’s Video Lectures and Webinars here:https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/videos.htmlIndoctriNation is edited by The Podcast Consultant:https://thepodcastconsultant.com/aboutAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
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BONUS PREVIEW: Identity After Indoctrination: Rebuilding Yourself After Control
May 1500:05:56Tap to summarizeThis is just a preview of our Patreon exclusive Bonus Episode. You can hear the full episode by becoming a member at: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination In this Patreon bonus episode, Rachel Bernstein explores how survivors of narcissistic families, manipulative relationships, and cultic systems can rebuild their identity after years of control, conformity, and emotional conditioning. Many survivors leave asking, “Who am I really?” after individuality has been shamed, punished, or replaced by loyalty and performance.Rachel discusses identity loss after narcissistic abuse and cult involvement, including why some survivors experiment with new names, values, interests, and lifestyles as they reconnect with themselves outside of trauma and coercive control. She shares practical ways to begin healing through small experiments, body awareness, boundary setting, and learning to separate authentic values from programming.Topics include narcissistic abuse recovery, cult recovery, people-pleasing, trauma and identity, coercive control, self-discovery, emotional manipulation, and rebuilding self-worth after toxic relationships.Connect with us on social media: https://linktr.ee/indoctrinationSupport IndoctriNation on Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes and more: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrinationPrefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link:https://www.paypal.biz/indoctriNATIONWatch full video episodes of IndoctriNation here:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAi0T2hzH9dM029dkTfj635PzuXl67jSRestart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation: https://a.co/d/1ssz4RmRestart and Restore: Companion Notebook:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSCLTZN4Download a Free Chapter from Restart and Restore:https://education.rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restart-and-restore-campaignJournal App: https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restore-journal-app.htmlDownload Rachel’s Video Lectures and Webinars here:https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/videos.htmlIndoctriNation is edited by The Podcast Consultant:https://thepodcastconsultant.com/aboutAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
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Mind Games: Investigating NLP with Alice Hines
May 1300:52:11Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Rachel Bernstein welcomes investigative journalist Alice Hines to discuss neurolinguistic programming (NLP), its origins, and the fine line between empowerment and manipulation. Known for her reporting on Twin Flames Universe and co-hosting Mind Games, Alice explores how NLP techniques have influenced therapy, sales culture, pickup artists, and groups like NXIVM.Rachel and Alice examine rapid rapport-building, mirroring, “conscious resistance,” and public claims like instant phobia cures, while unpacking how these methods can become dangerous when combined with coercion, exhaustion, fear, and social pressure. They also discuss ethical concerns, cult psychology, emotional influence, and how to recognize manipulative tactics in self-help and personal development spaces.This episode of IndoctriNation explores manipulation, coercive persuasion, trauma recovery, and the importance of discernment when evaluating therapeutic or self-help modalities.Alice Hines LinksALICE HINES: X: @alicehinesINSTAGRAM: @alicehines_TIKTOK: alicehines_KALEIDOSCOPE: X: @kscope_nycINSTAGRAM: @kscope_nycIHEARTPODCASTS: X: @iHeartPodcastsINSTAGRAM: @iheartpodcast Connect with us on social media: https://linktr.ee/indoctrinationSupport IndoctriNation on Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes and more: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrinationPrefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link:https://www.paypal.biz/indoctriNATIONWatch full video episodes of IndoctriNation here:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAi0T2hzH9dM029dkTfj635PzuXl67jSRestart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation: https://a.co/d/1ssz4RmRestart and Restore: Companion Notebook:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSCLTZN4Download a Free Chapter from Restart and Restore:https://education.rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restart-and-restore-campaignJournal App: https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restore-journal-app.htmlDownload Rachel’s Video Lectures and Webinars here:https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/videos.htmlIndoctriNation is edited by The Podcast Consultant:https://thepodcastconsultant.com/aboutAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
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