Everybody Loves a Cult Story | Our Cult Exposé | Episode 1

Being processed- or finding yourself on the chopping block-was something every cult kid experienced over and over again.In this episode, we take a deeper look at what processing actually looked and felt like, what it was like to experience it as children, and how being repeatedly scrutinized, shamed, and broken down shaped our relationship with ourselves- and with our nervous systems.Because when you grow up believing you’re always one wrong move away from being put on the chopping block, your body learns to live differently.This is one episode you won’t want to miss.Welcome to My Sister’s Take.We’re sisters who were born into and raised in a religious cult. After leaving, each of us has spent years making sense of our childhood, our family, and the lasting impact of growing up in a high-control environment.This podcast is where we share our story- the memories, the questions, the difficult truths, and the moments that still make us laugh. Along the way, we explore cult dynamics, family relationships, trauma, healing, identity, and what it means to build a life after leaving.Whether you’re a fellow survivor, someone fascinated by the psychology of cults, or simply looking for honest conversations about resilience and healing, we’re glad you’re here.🎧 Listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts.And if you’re following along with our story, like, subscribe, and share this episode with someone who might want to understand what life inside a cult can really look like.

This week, we dive into one of the most confusing- and foundational- aspects of our life inside the cult: trance.What did it actually mean to be put into a trance? What happened when the spirit came through? And why did something that felt so mysterious and powerful become such an important part of how we understood ourselves, our reality, and the world around us?For us, trance wasn’t simply an unusual spiritual experience. It was woven into the structure of the cult and the beliefs that shaped our childhood.In this episode, we begin unpacking what trance looked like from the inside- and what we believe it really was now as adults on the outside. Some of the things we experienced as children are difficult to explain. But to understand our story, you have to understand trance.🎧 Listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts.And if you’re following along with our story, like, subscribe, and share this episode with someone who might want to understand what life inside a cult can really look like.🎙️ Subscribe to follow our story as we continue uncovering what it was like growing up inside a high-control religious group- and what healing has looked like on the other side.

Not every dangerous leader looks dangerous.In this episode of My Sister’s Take, we talk about the final two ordained ministers in the cult we grew up in - people we’ll call Buttercup and The Lawyer.To many, they seemed different. Softer. Kinder. More approachable than the ministers who came before them.But as we learned, abuse doesn’t always arrive with yelling, intimidation, or obvious cruelty.Sometimes it wears a smile.Sometimes it sounds reasonable.Sometimes it feels safe- until you realize the same system of control is still operating beneath the surface.We share our experiences of how manipulation can evolve, how power protects itself, and why “nice” doesn’t always mean harmless.If you’ve ever questioned your own experiences because someone “seemed like a good person,” this conversation is for you.🎙️ Subscribe to follow our story as we continue uncovering what it was like growing up inside a high-control religious group- and what healing has looked like on the other side.

Just a few years older than us, Trunchbull held a level of power that surpassed even the adults around us. She became the ultimate childhood bully- not just a peer, but someone wrapped in the authority and influence of someone much older.Left unchecked, that power shaped our childhood in ways we’re still unraveling today. She introduced us to things we were far too young to understand, blurred boundaries that should have protected us, and left a lasting impact that echoed through generations.This is the story of what happens when power goes unchecked- and how the wounds left behind can reach far beyond the moment they were created.

Some people use the power they’re given to protect others. Some use it to control them.In this episode, we talk about “Cersei” -the nickname we’ve given to one of the two ministers of the Church of Immortal Consciousness. The wife of Dr. Death and the cult leader’s oldest daughter, she occupied one of the most powerful positions in the church.To us, she embodied nearly every form of abusive power. Her rage was unpredictable and terrifying. Her manipulation was constant. She used intimidation, psychological games, humiliation, favoritism, and fear to maintain control, while fiercely protecting and advancing her own children within the hierarchy.Growing up, we lived in fear of becoming the target of her wrath while simultaneously being pulled into the web of her manipulation. The confusion, the power dynamics, and the impossible standards shaped much of our childhood.We share what it was like to grow up under her influence, how her abuse impacted us, and why understanding people like Cersei is essential to understanding how high-control groups maintain their grip on those inside them.

Within the Church of Immortal Consciousness, there was one person who seemed to exist to enforce the rules. We knew him as Dr. Death.If Steven and Trina Kamp built the belief system, Dr. Death made sure people followed it. Fear, intimidation, punishment, and absolute obedience shaped daily life for both children and adults.For us, he became one of the most terrifying figures of our childhood. The effects of his abuse didn’t end when we left the cult- they lived on in our bodies, our nervous systems, and the ways we learned to survive.This episode isn’t the full story. It couldn’t be. It’s simply the beginning of a much bigger conversation about the man we called Dr. Death and the lasting impact he had on so many lives.Thank you for listening and for witnessing these stories with us. If this episode resonates with you, we’d love for you to subscribe, share it with someone who might need it, and join us as we continue telling the stories behind growing up inside a religious cult.

To the members of the Church of Immortal Consciousness, Trina Kamp was the spiritual leader at the center of the group.In this episode, we take a closer look at the woman who shaped the culture, beliefs, and daily life of the community we were born into. Trina co-founded the Church of Immortal Consciousness and became known for her claims of channeling- or “trancing”-a spiritual entity called Dr. Pahlvon Duran. Through these trance sessions and teachings, she became the central authority figure within the group.Although Trina was technically our grandmother, that relationship was often overshadowed by the role she played within the church. Our experience of her was not primarily as a grandmother, but as the woman around whom everything revolved.In this conversation, we share our memories of growing up in her orbit and offer a behind-the-scenes look at the person behind the teachings, the trance sessions, and the public image. We discuss how her influence shaped the community, affected those closest to her, and created dynamics that extended far beyond a typical family relationship.This is not a biography of Trina Kamp. It’s a personal account of what it was like to grow up near the center of her world.

In this episode of My Sister’s Take, sisters Sefa and Rose discuss Steven Kamp, the founder and leader of the Church of Immortal Consciousness (COIC), the religious cult where they were born and raised.While Trina Kamp was known as the spiritual voice of the organization, Steven Kamp was the architect of the community itself- shaping its structure, culture, hierarchy, and day-to-day life. As both the leader of the organization and their grandfather, his influence extended far beyond the community and deeply impacted their family and childhood.In this conversation, Sefa and Rose share their memories, observations, and personal experiences of Steven Kamp, exploring the role he played within the cult and the lasting effects of the system he created.

In this episode, we give a broad overview of the religious cult we were raised in to help set context for future conversations.We explain the core beliefs, teaching philosophies, and the structure that shaped everyday life inside the group. This episode is meant to give listeners a foundational understanding of how the system worked and what cult life was like within it.This context will help ground the personal stories we share in later episodes.

Episode 1: Introduction- Our Story and Why We-re Starting This PodcastIn this first episode, we introduce ourselves and share why we decided to start the podcast. Our cult expose.We are sisters who were born into and raised in a religious cult. We talk about who we are today, what that experience was like growing up, and how it has shaped our lives since leaving.We also share why now is the time to speak publicly about our story, and what we hope this podcast will explore in future episodes - including personal experiences, dipper context, and reflections on life inside and after a high-control environment.This is the beginning of our story.