Emily was raised on a secluded farm in the Midwest with her six siblings before her family moved to the Pacific Northwest. Her parents were convinced that the world was going to end in 2012 and taught the children about survival, encouraged them to stay away from "outsiders," kept them minimally homeschooled, and controlled their day-to-day lives. Emily began a tough acclimation to the rest of the world after 2012 came and went, and she was allowed to attend school.

When the pandemic began, her parents doubled down on their end times belief and fell deeper into conspiracy theories, particularly regarding the COVID vaccine. While Emily has since moved out of their home, she worries about her siblings who remain.

Emily didn't think she could call herself someone who grew up in a cult but Dhyana and Ashlen disagree and explain why. Join us as we hear her story and discuss family cults, coercion in less recognized settings, and the timely prevalence of conspiracy theories.