Cults to Consciousness

By Shelise Ann Sola

Survivor stories of claiming independence after leaving high-control groups & people.

Cults to Consciousness is a YouTube channel and podcast, hosted by Shelise Ann Sola—a former devout Morm... more

· Society & Culture

4.9

403403 ratings

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FAQs about Cults to Consciousness:

How many episodes does Cults to Consciousness have?

The podcast currently has 229 episodes available.

Cults to Consciousness episodes:

May 14, 2024The Bad Cadet: Growing Up in the Church of Scientology's Sea Organization
At age six, Katherine Spallino is separated from her parents and sent to train for her future in the Church of Scientology’s clergy—the Sea Organization. She rarely sees her parents and never goes to a normal school. Later, Katherine is sent to live at a secluded ranch with other young prospective Sea Org members, called cadets, where she studies Scientology and does manual labor—weeding fields, digging trenches, and works in the galley. The indoctrination escalates, and her family slips even farther into the background. But as she enters her teenage years, a host of new, more immediate concerns emerge, along with fantasies of what else life has to offer. Should she commit herself to the church, or reject everything she’s ever known for a chance at a different life?

Click here to watch on YouTube
Find Katherine on Social!
IG @thebadcadet
Her Book: The Bad Cadet: Growing Up in the Church of Scientology's Sea Organization

**FULLY BOOKED** Our C2C vacation where we can meet you in real life and go on adventures together has sold out! However, you can add yourself to our waitlist in case of cancellations. Click here to go to the official booking page
Katherine was born in a Scientrology building with no SSN

At a young age, Katherine saw L Ron Hubbard as a God

Confimation bias when it comes to having super powers

Did Katherine know she was growing up differently?

Katherine joins a bootcamp for youth who want to become Sea Org members

The jobs Katherine had to do as a SeaOrg member

Incentivized to write knowledge reports (snitch on each other)

The youth ran themselves, which is how they were kept in line

Scientology getting around labor laws

Katherine gets shamed for only being able afford 1 pair of underwear

Did Katherine have non-scientologist extended family?

Racism was so bad, she thought she was a completely different race as a kid

Some medical care was provided among neglect

What made Katherine want to leave the Sea Org

High school shock- not like the movies

How she ended up back in LA with other ex-cadets

Why Katherine was declared a suppressive person

How she started writing "The Bad Cadet"

Katherine tries to reconnect with family after being cut off

How Katherine's family treats her today

How Katherine is doing now
Our Merch!
Patreon: Patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness
Venmo @sheliseann
Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast
Website CultsToConsciousness.com
Find Shelise on Social media!
Instagram @cultstoconsciousness
Host Instagram @sheliseann
TikTok @cults.to.consciousness
Twitter @cultstocon
Theme Song Produced and Composed by Christian Guevara
**Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.**

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1h 24min
May 13, 2024 How Scientology Almost Killed His Elderly Mother
Raised by Scientology and forced into the Sea Org and labor intensive youth camps, Mike Brown didn’t have a choice but to be indoctrinated and used by the organization. After he managed to escape, leaving behind his mother and wife, years later he learned of the extreme elder ab*se that was happening. Determined to save his mother who was quickly being worked to death, he devised a plan to break her out and nurse her back to health before it was too late. Click here to watch on YouTubeFi...

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1h 31min
May 12, 2024 Sentenced to Torturous Christian Extremist Boarding School for 365 days
The troubled teen industry has been in the limelight lately for its more than questionable tactics to “reform” kids. Add in a heavy dose of religious extremism and you have the sometimes fatal Independent Fundamental Baptist all-girl’s school Ashley attended. The most common sentence was 1 year of brutal manual labor, peer-inflicted punishments and psychological warfare. Click here to watch on YouTubeFind Ashley on Social!IG @ashfilet Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ashley.kellam**FULLY BOO...

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1h 15min
May 11, 2024 Let Us Prey: Exposing the Circle of Hope Girls' Ranch & the Troubled Teen Industry
Disguised as a wholesome Christian school for troubled youth, was a house of horrors for those unlucky enough to be placed there. Diabolical and dangerous punishm*nts, intense physical labor left these girls scarred in more ways than one. The documentary “Let Us Prey”, finally started to expose the secrets behind the walls of the school and within the IFB (Independent Fundamental Baptist) churches as a whole. Amanda shares her story, as a young one of parents who ran one of these school...

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1h 8min
April 08, 2024 The Erasure of Gays in the AMISH & Mennonite Settlements
Joined for a second time by Mary (former Amish) and Hannah (former Holdeman Mennonite), we discuss the ways in which being gay/bi in their settlements harshly affected them and how queer plain people are generally erased from society. Bringing awareness and visibility to the LGBTQ community, they share their experiences openly and shed light on the disproportionate harm they faced.Watch Mary's original episodeWatch Hannah's original episodehttps://www.lgbtamish.com/The Trevor ProjectHannah's ...

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1h 1min
April 06, 2024 Forced into AMISH Settlement, Narrowly Escaped Bishop Abuser
*Content Warning : SA, CA, CSA, mentions of rape* After enduring an excruciating youth at the hands of her mother and step father, isolated on a mountainside, Misty was forced into an Amish settlement at 18 years old. Though in many ways this new lifestyle was far more liberating than what she was used to, it came with darker days than she could’ve ever imagined. Hurt and blamed by those most trusted she took a risk and tried to escape. Http://www.Change.org/childrightsact to sign Misty’s pet...

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1h 28min
April 05, 2024 AMISH: How Growing Up in the Strictest Settlement Led to Drugs and Sex Work
*Content Warning: sexual assault, rape, prostitution, attempted murder* Due to lack of education when she left the strict Swartzentruber settlement, Naomi slipped into exotic dancing, prostitution, drugs, and almost getting murdered. In this episode, she opens up about her trials and tribulations with growing up Amish, her dark reality afterward, and eventually finding the light at the end of the tunnel.Naomi’s book: The Amazing Adventures of an Amish StripperFind and support Naom...

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1h 22min
April 03, 2024 They tried to claim my sexuality, I fought back
*Content Warning: eating disorders, mentions of homophobia* In this follow up episode we’re going to continue with Oceana’s story growing up under the strict Institute in Basic Life Principles run by Bill Gothard who was recently exposed for preying on young girls. She opens up about coming home from the IBLP training camps, her parents’ reaction, how it led to further untreated eating d*sorders, how all of the programming and IBLP culture permeated into her adult life, and how it’s sti...

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53min
April 02, 2024 Surviving IBLP Training Center at 15 Years Old & 90 lbs
*Content Warning: eating disorders, self harm* Further shedding light on the Institute in Basic Life Principles run by Bill Gothard who was recently exposed for preying on young girls, is Oceana who grew up living by their rules. Extreme patriarchy, silencing and sexualization of women and blaming those who are being hurt, are just a few things that create compounded trauma. Oceana fought through untreated eating d*sorders, because therapists were considered sinful, as well as the mental heal...

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1h 5min
March 15, 2024 “Let Us Prey” | Survivors Seek Justice Against IFB Youth Pastors
The Independent Fundamental Baptist church is known for having extreme views on “worldly” things. Women are over-sexualized to the point where even the very young are blamed and punished for “temping” men into hurting them. Kathy was one of those young women. Her pastor purposely protected the perp and she was ostracized by family, friends and other church members. Our previous episode with her (linked below) illustrates the awful details of her childhood. In this episode, we speak more on th...

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1h 34min

FAQs about Cults to Consciousness:

How many episodes does Cults to Consciousness have?

The podcast currently has 229 episodes available.

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