Generation Cult

By Dhyana Levey

Society & Culture Social Sciences

What's Generation Cult about?

An interview show about people who grew up in cults and how they adjusted to mainstream society after they left.

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Generation Cult episodes:

06.24.2024
3HO Reparations with Philip and Stacie
Philip and Stacie wrote about a recent reparations program meant to address complaints made for decades against 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy Organization), led by the late Yogi Bhajan, who started Kundalini Yoga. Join us for a discussion with these two...
06.21.2024
BONUS: *Season 2 Rebroadcast* No Horses in India with Narangkar
We're rebroadcasting an episode from 2019 to remind you about a guest from Generation Cult's first episode of Season 2. Narangkar is an artist who grew up in 3HO (Healthy, Happy Holy Organization), which is connected to Kundalini Yoga and...
05.10.2024
The Farm and The Neon Sun with Kate
Kate grew up in the secluded High View Church Farm where children worked and lived in militant conditions, rarely saw their families, and had little contact with the outside world. She left with only a couple of dollars in her...
04.30.2024
Rejecting Race Rhetoric with Amanda
The church Amanda grew up in was started by a man known for his ejection from the KKK for being too militant. The tight and secretive community that revolved around the church valued white supremacy, male dominance, and obedience. Amanda...
03.27.2024
In God's Name Pod with Grace
Yes, we are back! We're kicking off Season 4 with a conversation with Grace. She grew up in a little-known Christian fundamentalist group referred to as the Geftakys Assembly and, although her family left when she was young, she was...
10.20.2023
We Love New Books: Forager with Michelle
We're back with yet another special literary edition! For this bonus episode, we're celebrating the recent launch of the book "Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult." It's out now in bookstores and on Amazon. The author, Michelle,...
08.29.2023
Book Launch Edition: I See You Survivor with Liz
Generation Cult is dropping back in with a bonus edition to celebrate today's launch of Liz Ianelli's new book called "I See You, Survivor: Life Inside (and Outside) the Totally F*cked-Up Troubled Teen Industry." In it, Liz details her years...
04.14.2023
Ep. 14: Tween Marriage and the Culture of Polygamy with Tamara
Tamara grew up in a Sufi polygamist organization in the US and England. Her father joined the group when she was 5 and she soon found herself torn between a somewhat "normal" life with her mother and a bizarre, hard-working...
03.31.2023
Ep. 13: Declared Evil with Rhonda
Rhonda's parents joined the Holy Order of MANS (standing for Mysterian, Agape, Nous and Sophia in Greek, or mystery, love, mind and wisdom in English) when she was a year old. The San Francisco-based group held classes and meetings studying...
03.24.2023
Ep. 12: Searching for Healthy Community with Sarah
Sarah grew up in a bible-based group in Ohio with about 400 members, many of whom are related to her. She was sexually abused throughout her childhood, something she reported to leaders of her organization, who not only didn't stop...
03.10.2023
Ep. 11: The Influence of Faith with Will
Will grew up devout in an evangelical community and attended Christian schools, camps and mission trips. His beliefs were so strong in his youth that he describes himself as becoming radicalized and isolated from the rest of society. But in...
02.27.2023
Generation Cult Promo
Find Generation Cult where ever you get your podcasts! Season 3 is now underway. Want to start your own podcast? We've been using Libsyn since 2018! Get a discount when you sign up with Libsyn and use the promo code GENCULT
02.24.2023
Ep. 10: Cults and Courts with Carol
While listening to the stories on Generation Cult, do you ever wonder at what point people can take legal action against their abusers? Do you want to know what charges have been brought against coercive groups and taken seriously in...
02.21.2023
Bonus: Talking Twelve Tribes with Tim
****Bonus episode! Dhyana chats with Tim Elliott, host of the new podcast called "Inside the Tribe," which takes a deep dive into controversial religious sect the Twelve Tribes. This short interview is a great companion to our Ep. 9: "Finding...
02.10.2023
Ep. 9: Finding Freedom from the Twelve Tribes with Suvav
Suvav grew up in the Twelve Tribes, a controversial religious organization founded in the 1970s that has since been accused of systemic child abuse, medical neglect, labor violations, arson, murder, and even more. In 2019, Suvav -- now an adult...
01.27.2023
Ep. 8: End Times and Conspiracy Theories with Emily
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...
01.13.2023
Ep. 7: Life After Mormon and Trauma Recovery with Jolyn
Welcome back to Generation Cult and Happy New Year! We are kicking off 2023 with this episode about Jolyn, who grew up in the Mormon Church. While her experiences weren't as extreme as some of the other stories we've had...
12.16.2022
Ep. 6: The COG and the Media Part II with Amy
Welcome to Part II in our two-part series about the Children of God (aka the Family International), the infamous group created in the late 1960s that became known for the sexual exploitation of its members. Amy grew up in the...
12.02.2022
Ep. 5: The COG and the Media Part I with Christina
Christina grew up in the Children of God (aka The Family International), a group founded in 1968 by the late David Berg. As the organization grew, its members moved all over the world and were coerced into prostitution and other...
11.25.2022
Ep. 4: Scientology Confessionals with Chris
Chris, a former classmate of Dhyana and Ashlen in the Psychology of Coercive Control graduate program, grew up in Scientology. He stayed through adulthood, marrying another Scientologist, working for Scientology, joining the Sea Org. ... until he couldn't put up...
11.11.2022
Ep. 3: Weight Loss & Coercive Control with Megan
When Megan was young, her mom introduced her to Gwen Shamblin and her Weigh Down Workshop diet seminar. Gwen taught that God wanted them to be thin and helped Megan and her mom lose weight by cutting their food intake....
11.04.2022
Ep. 2: Denial with Dhyana
Want to know more about the host of Generation Cult? Join us as co-host Ashlen Hilliard interviews Dhyana Levey.
10.28.2022
Ep. 1: What is a Cult? with Ashlen
Welcome to the first episode of Season 3! We are so excited to be back, and also thrilled to welcome Ashlen Hilliard as a co-host. Since you'll be hearing her voice throughout the new season, we wanted you to get...
04.22.2020
Ep. 10: You Don't Have to Tell Them Anything
On the final episode of Generation Cult, we wrap up Season 2 with a conversation with Meghan, an ex-Jehovah's Witness. She left as a young adult when the mental anguish she experienced within the organization threatened to take her life....
03.02.2020
Ep. 9: TM Redux
Do you remember Gina from Season 1? She discussed growing up in the Transcendental Meditation movement during the height of its guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's fame. Well, due to some pretty poor sound issues in that last episode, we've brought...
02.11.2020
Ep. 8: The Cult Pseudo Identity
In this expert episode, we talk to Gillie, a psychotherapist and the director of the UK-based Hope Valley Counselling, which for the past 16 years has provided post-cult counseling to those recovering from extreme, “high-demand” organizations. Join us as we...
01.24.2020
Ep. 7: Devastating Disconnections
When Aaron and his twin brother were 4, their mom joined Scientology. The boys grew up with the organization as a main focus in their lives. Their formal education ended after Aaron finished the seventh grade. He then worked full...
12.23.2019
Ep. 6: The Medium and the Time Machine
When Katharina was 10 years old, her parents packed up their possessions, moved out and joined "The Family," a New Age cult that started in Germany and moved around a bit before settling in a Belize jungle. The group was...
11.21.2019
Ep. 5: You Might As Well Be a Therapist!
It's time to bring in an expert! As much as we love hearing personal stories, we'd also like to add commentary about cults and coercive control from someone who has studied the subject matter and worked directly with patients. In...
11.01.2019
Ep. 4: Fright-Based Faith
During this week of Halloween, we discuss fear -- fear of punishment, fear of the apocalypse, fear of God. Tammie grew up with these fears in an ultra fundamentalist Christian organization that subjected children to harsh punishments and encouraged its...
10.14.2019
Ep. 3: Moonies (But Don't Call Them Moonies) 2
In Part 2 of our two-part series about The Unification Church (Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity) otherwise known as the "Moonies," we chat with Lisa Kohn, author of the recent memoir "To the Moon and Back:...
10.01.2019
Ep. 2: Moonies (But Don't Call Them Moonies) 1
In Part 1 of our two-part series about The Unification Church (Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity) otherwise known as the "Moonies," we sit down for a chat with San Francisco artist and comedian Teddy Hose. He...
09.16.2019
Ep. 1: No Horses in India
*Artwork: oil on canvas by Narangkar Glover Shangri-La Girls School: A Thousand Stairs 2011 (60 x 60 inches) **This episode contains descriptions of child abuse and other content that listeners might find disturbing. Welcome back to Generation Cult! We are...
05.23.2019
Promo: Generation Cult Preparing for Season 2!
Generation Cult is working on a Season 2! Come support the show at StudioToBe in Oakland on Friday, May 31 and enjoy a happy hour plus a Q&A; with guests from Season 1. Tickets are available on eventbrite: www.eventbrite.com/e/a-happy-hour-…ets-61544020823 Join us...
11.09.2018
Ep. 9: Sandy Footprints
Wrap things up with us for the season during a chat with Lalita, who was raised in the Science of Identity Foundation. This group, developed in the 1970s, has similarities to the Hare Krishna movement and revolves around a. ......
10.26.2018
Ep. 8: Escaping Utopia; A Conversation with Janja Lalich
We had a visit from Dr. Janja Lalich, an author and educator who has a new book out about children raised in cults called "Escaping Utopia: Growing Up in a Cult, Getting Out and Starting Over." Janja chats with us...
10.19.2018
Ep. 7: The Age of Enlightenment
Welcome back! Now we are talking Transcendental Meditation, focusing on the story of one women who grew up in the TM community during the reign of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Gina, the focus of this episode, talks about being a child...
09.14.2018
Ep. 6: God's Chosen People
On this episode we learn about the harsh rules and restrictions for members --- especially children -- in Eugene Spriggs' The Twelve Tribes, which began in 1970s Tennessee. Samie, founder of a nonprofit to assist people raised in cults, tells...
08.30.2018
Bonus Ep. 5b: IndoctriNation Interview w/Dhyana Levey
Dhyana Levey, host of Generation Cult, was recently interviewed on another podcast called IndoctriNation. It's hosted by Rachel Bernstein, who was just a guest on our last episode titled "Let's Call an Expert!" Today we will share the interview from...
08.20.2018
Ep. 5: Let's Call An Expert!
Although we love a good personal story, we also love a good expert -- so we're going to call one. For this show we're chatting with family therapist and cult specialist Rachel Bernstein, who has spent 27 years counseling people...
08.03.2018
Ep. 4: The Perpetual Armageddon
Why do some people consider being a Jehovah Witness being part of a cult? Our first guest is Kourtney, who grew up a true believer in the religion only to lose her whole family when she began to question it....
07.20.2018
Ep. 3: Thetans Anonymous
Scientology is such a large topic that we need two guests. First up we have someone going by a false name to explain the fall out of leaving the group after a questionable accusation. We also chat with Christi (real...
07.05.2018
Ep. 2: A Recovering Monk
We catch up with Nitai, a student at Columbia University who just recently left his life as a monk with the The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, also known as ISKCON or the Hare Krishnas. What's our problem with these...
06.20.2018
Ep. 1: The Real Guru
Welcome to the first episode! Why am I talking about cults? Find out. Also, we chat with Eva, a Texan who spent part of her upbringing in an Indian ashram. But all she wanted to do was go back to...
05.31.2018
Promo: Generation Cult launches June 20
New podcast Generation Cult will be available on iTunes, Stitcher and SoundCloud starting June 20! Please give us a listen.
05.18.2018
Preview featuring full song The Road (The Chaw)
Samples of quotes from the new podcast Generation Cult featuring song "The Road" by the Chaw (full song)

What's Generation Cult about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Generation Cult episodes:

3HO Reparations with Philip and Stacie

BONUS: *Season 2 Rebroadcast* No Horses in India with Narangkar

The Farm and The Neon Sun with Kate

Rejecting Race Rhetoric with Amanda

In God's Name Pod with Grace

We Love New Books: Forager with Michelle

Book Launch Edition: I See You Survivor with Liz

Ep. 14: Tween Marriage and the Culture of Polygamy with Tamara

Ep. 13: Declared Evil with Rhonda

Ep. 12: Searching for Healthy Community with Sarah

Ep. 11: The Influence of Faith with Will

Generation Cult Promo

Ep. 10: Cults and Courts with Carol

Bonus: Talking Twelve Tribes with Tim

Ep. 9: Finding Freedom from the Twelve Tribes with Suvav

Ep. 8: End Times and Conspiracy Theories with Emily

Ep. 7: Life After Mormon and Trauma Recovery with Jolyn

Ep. 6: The COG and the Media Part II with Amy

Ep. 5: The COG and the Media Part I with Christina

Ep. 4: Scientology Confessionals with Chris

Ep. 3: Weight Loss & Coercive Control with Megan

Ep. 2: Denial with Dhyana

Ep. 1: What is a Cult? with Ashlen

Ep. 10: You Don't Have to Tell Them Anything

Ep. 9: TM Redux

Ep. 8: The Cult Pseudo Identity

Ep. 7: Devastating Disconnections

Ep. 6: The Medium and the Time Machine

Ep. 5: You Might As Well Be a Therapist!

Ep. 4: Fright-Based Faith

Ep. 3: Moonies (But Don't Call Them Moonies) 2

Ep. 2: Moonies (But Don't Call Them Moonies) 1

Ep. 1: No Horses in India

Promo: Generation Cult Preparing for Season 2!

Ep. 9: Sandy Footprints

Ep. 8: Escaping Utopia; A Conversation with Janja Lalich

Ep. 7: The Age of Enlightenment

Ep. 6: God's Chosen People

Bonus Ep. 5b: IndoctriNation Interview w/Dhyana Levey

Ep. 5: Let's Call An Expert!

Ep. 4: The Perpetual Armageddon

Ep. 3: Thetans Anonymous

Ep. 2: A Recovering Monk

Ep. 1: The Real Guru

Promo: Generation Cult launches June 20

Preview featuring full song The Road (The Chaw)

Other shows like Generation Cult:

BONUS: Season 2 Rebroadcast No Horses in India with Narangkar