Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

Episode: REWIND: Felicia Rosario and Daniel Levin - Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence

Release Date: December 24, 2025
Hosts: Lola Blanc & Meagan Elizabeth
Guests: Felicia Rosario & Daniel Levin

Episode Overview

This episode features an in-depth conversation with Felicia Rosario and Daniel Levin, survivors of Larry Ray’s notorious Sarah Lawrence cult, as depicted in Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence (Hulu). Hosts Lola and Meagan explore how two intelligent, driven students were systematically manipulated and abused by Ray—a master manipulator—who weaponized psychological tactics, charisma, and coercion. The conversation focuses on how abuse and cult dynamics work beneath the surface, highlighting the stepwise progression from initial attraction to total control, and ultimately escape.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Backgrounds of the Survivors

• Felicia Rosario:
  • Harvard graduate, medical doctor, psychiatry resident at USC.
  • “I was planning to be a forensic psychiatrist, do research, work with the underserved... help as many people as possible.” (10:36)
• Daniel Levin:
  • Scholar at Sarah Lawrence, studied literature and philosophy.
  • “It was the first time... I was surrounded by people who were like me.” (11:31)

Both grew up high achievers but faced personal vulnerabilities that Ray would later exploit.

2. How Larry Ray Entered Their Lives

• Ray arrives as Talia’s recently released father; described as “charismatic” and “brilliant.”
• Initially seems benevolent, offering “help” to students experiencing depression, anxiety, or aimlessness.
  • “He leveraged his photographic memory and government connections to craft a persona of ultimate authority.” (02:51)
• Creates a “regimented,” single-minded environment among Talia’s friends.
  • “Suddenly... they became a lot more regimented, I would say... They were talking... about how great Larry was, how much he was helping them.” —Daniel (15:03)

3. Grooming & Manipulation: From Help to Harm

• Ray used psychological manipulation and “therapy” tactics, establishing himself as the group’s authority and sole interpreter of their problems.
  • “He would challenge us and be like, take a book off of the shelf... and like, read like three words to me. And then I'll tell you the rest...” —Felicia (31:12)
• Would offer simplistic, black-and-white answers to complex issues, fostering dependency.
  • “The idea of there just being actually one person who... really believing that they do know, and then they just tell you, this is who you are... It’s awesome.” —Daniel (20:31)

4. Escalation to Abuse—Isolation and Control

• Isolation: Ray monopolized their time, cutting off contact with family and outside support.
  • “He is taking up all of your free time and hijacking all of your ability to think for yourself.” —Lola (45:33)
• Emotional Abuse: Long, interrogative conversations aimed at eroding self-esteem.
• Paranoia: Claimed they or their families were being watched or targeted by powerful people.
• Sexual Coercion: Orchestrated and forced sexual encounters under guise of “education” or “healing.”
  • “He like sent her out into the living room to perform oral sex on me. And I have a distinct memory of feeling like frozen... non-consensual from top to bottom.” —Daniel (25:20)

5. Mechanics of Control

• Hierarchy and Scapegoating:
  • “There was a kind of hierarchy... but who is at the very bottom would cycle... you would do everything you could to be good.” —Daniel (51:03)
• Weaponizing Authority & Knowledge:
  • Faked government and law enforcement ties.
  • “He did know people in the government... former New York City detectives, DEA agents...” —Felicia (31:39)
• Gaslighting: Convinces victims they are the source of problems.
  • “He starts saying, I love you... but he got me so paranoid that I believed that I was being followed... he persisted and he just made this story...” —Felicia (41:24)

6. Breaking Point and Escape

• Daniel:
  • “Once you start to question one thing... what is he doing in the bedroom for all those hours with Isabella?” (53:34)
  • Solitude broke the spell: “I just needed like a couple hours by myself to get my brain back...” (57:23)
  • “If that fundamentally isn’t true... then a lot of other things must not be true. And... I don’t deserve to be hurt this way... and can just stop it.” (55:32)
• Felicia:
  • Endured worsening psychological and physical abuse (public beatings, starvation, threats).
  • “Anything you could do to somebody, he did to me.” (61:49)
  • Hospitalized after a suicide attempt, only to be further manipulated.
  • “I’m so glad the justice system worked... I felt so validated.” (63:59)

7. Aftermath: Justice and Recovery

• Larry Ray sentenced to 60 years; survivors express relief and validation.
  • “We get to be in the very small group of people who can say that they put their abuser in prison...” —Daniel (64:49)

8. Understanding Why It Happens

• Highlights how “smart” or educated people can fall prey; it’s about circumstance, vulnerability, and psychological need—not intelligence.
  • “It really shows what can happen to anyone.” —Megan (03:49)
• Both hosts admit under similar conditions, they could have been lured in.

9. Reflection on Other Victims & the Series

• Empathy for other group members prosecuted.
  • “With Isabella... she was his first victim... she didn’t know anything but Larry... what Larry made her do is a prison sentence in and of itself...” —Felicia (65:35)
• Reference to the Hulu docuseries and Daniel’s memoir (Sloaneham Woods 9).

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Daniel, on Ray’s authority:

  “The idea of there just being actually one person who, if you can imagine actually trusting them... and then they just tell you, this is who you are. Yeah. It's awesome.” (20:31)

• Felicia, on Ray’s manipulation:

  “He got me so paranoid that I believed that I was being followed... he was so good at controlling and manipulating people... he was in my head.” (41:24)

• Lola, on indoctrination:

  “He is taking up all of your free time and hijacking all of your ability to think for yourself... you have no time alone. That is the classic way people indoctrinate...” (45:33)

• Daniel, on breaking free:

  “If that fundamentally isn’t true... I don’t deserve to be hurt this way and can just stop it, you know?” (55:32)

• Felicia on seeing justice:

  "He was just sentenced January 20th. 60 years in prison... I’m just so glad the justice system worked and the judge really nailed it. I felt so validated." (63:59)

Important Timestamps

• [10:05] – Felicia & Daniel describe their pre-cult lives & ambitions.
• [13:49] – Daniel’s first impressions and the group’s dynamic shift.
• [18:56] – Felicia on observing her siblings’ rapid changes.
• [20:31] – Daniel explains the psychological relief of Ray’s “savior” persona.
• [25:20] – Daniel details first sexual coercion; onset of abuse.
• [31:12] – Felicia describes Ray’s memory feats as manipulation.
• [34:48] – Felicia’s first meeting with Ray: charm and emotional targeting.
• [45:33] – Lola explains how Ray consumed their time/thoughts.
• [51:03] – Daniel: escalation of violence and scapegoating.
• [55:32] – Daniel’s moment of clarity and escape.
• [61:00] – Felicia recounts the worst period of the abuse.
• [63:59] – Felicia on justice and post-Ray recovery.
• [65:35] – Felicia’s empathy for other victims.

Episode Tone & Approach

• Candid, empathetic, deeply personal. By survivors, for survivors.
• Hosts use dark humor and self-reflection to make sense of the experience, repeatedly stressing that cult manipulation can happen to anyone—regardless of intellect or background.
• Direct language; occasional expletives for impact (e.g., “what an idiot—filming all of his abuse”).
• Ends with positive note on survival, justice, and hope for healing.

Additional Resources

• Hulu Docuseries: Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence
• Daniel Levin’s memoir: Sloaneham Woods 9
• National resources for those affected by cults or coercive relationships

For anyone interested in abuse recovery, cult dynamics, or simply how intelligent people can be controlled, this is a powerful, honest episode—equal parts harrowing and hopeful.