Speaking of Cults

Speaking of Cults...Scientology in Australia 2024

17 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Cass Filetti, aka Theta Novis, a very recently escaped ex-Scientologist from Brisbane, Australia who has a lot of updates and...

Speaking of Cults...Little Treatments, Big Effects

10 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Dr. Jessica Schleider, a Harvard-trained clinical psychologist, to discuss her new book, "Little Treatments, Big Effects" and...

Speaking of Cults...What was L. Ron Hubbard's Problem?

03 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Dr. Yuval Laor to discuss in detail the symptoms and characteristics of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy and why we believe that L. Ron...

Speaking of Cults...Trauma Awareness and Recovery with Emily Ragland

27 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Emily Ragland, trauma facilitator and coach, to discuss how to recognize trauma in others, how to deal with that and help rat...

Speaking of Cults...Post-Cult Trauma and Conflicts

20 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's episode, I am joined by Dr. Laura Anderson, a religious trauma specialist who has written When Religion Hurts You and who treats client...

Speaking of Cults...Scientology’s Rocky Future

13 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For our second episode of Speaking of Cults, I am joined by Alexander Barnes-Ross aka @ApostateAlex, fellow YouTuber and former Scientologist for a de...

Speaking of Cults...Let’s Go Over Cult Basics

06 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to the first episode of the rebranded Sensibly Speaking podcast, now re-titled and re-purposed as the Speaking of Cults podcast. This podcast ...

This Podcast is Ending (kind of)

25 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am talking about the fact I'm taking a break for December on a bunch of my work, including this podcast and that when it comes back in Jan...

Scientology, Coverups and Real Crimes ft. Mirriam Francis

18 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by former Scientologist Mirriam Francis, whose story was featured on Scientology and the Aftermath, to discuss her experiences b...

Overcoming Childhood Religious Trauma ft. Dr. Darrel Ray

11 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Dr. Darrel Ray - psychologist, researcher, author and President of the Recovering from Religion Foundation - to discuss child...

BONUS - Scientology Protest in the UK

07 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We are posting a special bonus podcast episode this week as we didn't want to wait to get this interview out. Here we talk about the big protest stage...

Psychedelics, Jolly West and Scientology ft. Jon Atack

04 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Jon Atack to finally have that talk about psychedelics, cult recovery and the drugs which can help bring about extremely alte...

The Scientology Experience in Canada ft. Jeff Beaumont

28 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Jeff Beaumont, known in the SP TV community as PTS for Life, who has quite a story to tell as a second generation Scientologi...

The Cult with No Name ft. River Wood

21 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by River Wood to discuss their upbringing in what is known as 2x2s but really is an extremist Christian cult with no official na...

The Process Church, Manson & Scientology Lore w/Jon Atack

14 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Jon Atack to discuss and debunk the conspiracy theories surrounding the Process Church, the Son of Sam and Scientology. And w...

#407:Cults and Religious Trauma w/Dr. Laura Anderson

07 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome Dr. Laura Anderson, psychotherapist and religious trauma expert, to discuss how trauma works, how it is treated and what this has ...

#406: Catholicism’s Culty Problems with Anthony Spurgin

30 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by former "tradcat" (Traditional Catholic) Anthony Spurgin to discuss his experiences and abuses growing up in a family practici...

#405: Our Biggest Barriers to Critical Thinking w/Melanie Trecek-King

23 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

  This week I am joined by educator Melanie Trecek-King to discuss the real barriers and problems people have with engaging in critical thinking and ...

#404: NXIVM, Scientology and Beyond w/Mark Vicente

16 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Mark Vicente, NXIVM survivor and film maker who joins me to discuss our cult experiences and life beyond that, including hi...

#403: Scientology Finances in the UK with Apostate Alex

09 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You're currently a free subscriber. Upgrade your subscription to get access to the rest of this post and other pa...

#402: Fighting Scientology in Europe ft. Jakub Jahl

02 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You're currently a free subscriber. Upgrade your subscription to get access to the rest of this post and other pa...

#401: Manson, Scientology and Mind Control ft. Jon Atack

26 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by channel friend Jon Atack to discuss Charles Manson, his definite connections with Scientology and how this relates to mind ...

#400: How to Become a Cult Leader - The Critical Review (live)

20 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For our 400th episode of the Sensibly Speaking Podcast, we went live to discuss and breakdown the new cult documentary on Netflix, How to Become a C...

#399: How to Change Extreme Beliefs and Cultic Behavior ft. Anthony Magnabasco

12 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Anthony Magnabasco to discuss street epistemology, a method for inquiring into deeply held beliefs and what this has to do ...

#398: From Clear to Eternity - Scientology’s OT FIlms ft. Mitch Brisker

05 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined again by Scientology veteran and film maker Mitch Brisker to discuss something NO ONE has ever talked about before, at least n...

#397: When Therapists are Predators ft. Emma Stevens

29 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Coercive control is not just isolated to cults. This week we go on a different tangent to explore coercive control in the adoption system and in une...

#396: The Art of Propaganda ft. Mitch Brisker

22 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I have Mitch Brisker back to discuss more of his work for the Church of Scientology as a professional film director and creative. Today, w...

#395: Gaslighting In and Out of Cults ft. Dr. Robin Stern

15 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by pyschologist and author Dr. Robin Stern to discuss her specialty, gaslighting. We cover how this is done, how to spot it wh...

#374: Controversies, Cults and Science ft. Jon Atack

08 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by long-time friend and researcher Jon Atack to discuss cancel culture, controversies, cult nonsense and science – a broad m...

#393: Sex, Lies and Scientology Films ft. Mitch Brisker

01 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Mitch Brisker, a professional film maker who went to work as a non-Sea Org member back in the 1980s and worked for decades ...

#392: A New Look at Coercive Control ft. Kate Amber, MSc

24 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Kate Amber, MSc educator and fellow graduate of the Salford Master’s program on the psychology of coercive control, to di...

#391: Cult Influence and Recovery ft. Dr. Janja Lalich

17 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Dr. Janja Lalich, sociologist and long-time cult warrior who has a great deal to say about her model of “bounded choice,”...

#390: Why Do People Act the Way They Do? ft. Jon Atack

10 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by show favorite Jon Atack to discuss a model of human behavior I’ve been formulating which has everything to do with cultic...

#389: The Scientology Experience in Australia ft. Jason Horvatic

03 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Jason Horvatic, a second-generation and now ex-Scientologist turned academic who has taken on studying Scientology from an ...

#388: Religious and Atheist Conflicts ft. Barry Purcell

27 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Barry Purcell, an Irish writer/blogger, and as you’ll see we had a pretty wide-ranging discussion from Irish politics and...

#387: David Koresh and the Waco Tragedy ft. David Bunds

20 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by David Bunds, a former member of the Branch Davidians prior to the disastrous tragedy of 1993. In this conversation, David h...

#386: What No One is Talking About with AI ft. Jon Atack

13 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by show favorite Jon Atack to discuss the psychological aspects and criticisms of AI development, a conversation that no one i...

#385: Should Religions Have Tax Exemption with Liz LaPoint

06 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Liz LaPoint (“Godless Liz”), a fellow content creator and promoter of skepticism and critical thinking, to discuss tax ...

#348: Doug Wilson, Christian Cult Leader ft. Dr. Clint Heacock

29 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by old friend and fellow podcaster Dr. Clint Heacock, a former Evangelical pastor, to discuss some disturbing religious/politi...

#383: Katherine Spallino - The Bad Cadet

22 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Katherine Spallino, a member of the Sea Organization’s “lost generation,” children raised in the 1980s and 90s within...

#382: Liana Shanti and Online Cults ft. Kacey Cult Vault

15 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Kacey from The Cult Vault to discuss, in detail, the online predations of Liana Shanti, a so-called internet guru who has b...

#381: Post-Cult Life, Hypnotism and Scientology ft. Jon Atack

01 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined once again by Jon Atack for an almost satirically long podcast ranging over such things as post-cult behavior in our various c...

#380: Social Media, Scientology and Cultic Thinking ft. Alexander Barnes-Ross

25 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined once again by Alexander Barnes-Ross to discuss social media, Scientology rules and experiences and how this all relates to cul...

Sensibly Speaking Podcast #379: Why Knowledge is Not Enough

18 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome educator Melanie Trecek-King to discuss her methods and philosophy behind teaching critical thinking not just as a set of ideas ...

#378: Scientology and Bad Press with Dodge Landesman

11 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Dodge Landesman, a TV news reporter who was fired from his job at an NBC affiliate in Arizona because he dared to report on...

#377: The NXIVM Experience with Susan Dones

04 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Susan Dones, a former member of NXIVM and one of the first people to whistleblow to the authorities about the shady practic...

Sensibly Speaking Podcast #376: Emotional Intelligence and Cults

25 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I am joined again this week by Dr. Alex Wills to discuss how emotions are a key tool of manipulation by cult leaders and “gurus” and why underst...

#375: What Brainwashing Really is About ft. Jon Atack

18 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, I am again joined by Jon Atack so we can cut through all the nonsense out there about “brainwashing” and talk about how this really w...

#374: Stolen Youth - A Cult Story

11 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I had the opportunity to interview cult survivor Daniel Barban-Levin and director Zach Heinzerling about the new documentary they produced...

#373: Lisa Marie Presley and Scientology ft. Tony Ortega

02 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I’m dropping the podcast a couple of days early, a special interview with journalist Tony Ortega about his bombshell conversations with ...

#372: 10 Things I’ve Learned Since Leaving a Cult

28 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I’m offering something slightly different from usual in describing some valuable life lessons I’ve learned since leaving Scientology w...

#371: Emotional Health and Giving a Fuck

21 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome Dr. Alex Wills, psychiatrist and author of the new book Give a F*ck Actually. We discuss emotional health, some science-based id...

Sensibly Speaking Podcast #370: Hubbard, Scientology and Mysticism

14 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Jon Atack and I do a follow-up discussion to our last podcast about L. Ron Hubbard and the occult origins of Dianetics and Scientology. T...

#369: How to Stay Out of a Cult

07 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

To kick off 2023, I’ve put together a no-nonsense podcast with my “collected wisdom” of the last 10 years on how to stay out of getting involv...

#368: Cult Recovery After 10 Years

31 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am breaking tradition with our usual “year in review” episode because this month marks the 10-year anniversary of my leaving the Sea...

#367: China’s CCP and Nation-State Cults with John P. Capitalist

24 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome back John P. Capitalist to cover in some detail how authoritarian governments around the world solve the “dictator problem” ...

#366: Going Deep on Cult Recovery w/Christian Szurko

17 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome back Christian Szurko, a practicing cult recovery specialist who helps me take perhaps our deepest dive yet on what it takes to ...

#365: The Danny Masterson Jury Foreman Speaks

08 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today I have a special, early podcast release of an interview Tony Ortega and I did with the jury foreman of the Danny Masterson rape trial. Last we...

#364: Fear and Loathing in Scientology London ft. Alexander Barnes-Ross

03 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Alexander Barnes-Ross, a former Scientology staff member in London who has some things to say about his short but deep expe...

#363: The Occult Foundation of Scientology with Jon Atack

26 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Jon Atack to finally put in one place the explanation of how Scientology is based purely and wholly on L. Ron Hubbard’s o...

#362: Christian Nationalism and the Supreme Court

19 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by attorney, author and advocate Andrew Seidel to discuss his latest book, American Crusade, and how a minority religious extr...

#361: Second Generation Scientology ft. Ian Rafalko

12 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome back former Scientologist Ian Rafalko, a man who has fascinating stories to tell about growing up in a Scientology household tha...

#360: Sex, Lies and a Manhattan Cult ft. Spencer Schneider

05 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome Spencer Schneider, a cult survivor, lawyer and life guard trainer from New York who wrote the fascinating book Manhattan Cult St...

#359: Some Comments on the Masterson Trial ft. Ciprian Ivanof

29 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I’ve invited DC lawyer Ciprian Ivanof back to the show to discuss some ins and outs of what has happened in the first two weeks of the D...

#358: Helping a Scientologist Escape ft. John Christansen

22 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome guest John Christansen, the man who helped ex-Sea Org member Katherine Olson to escape Scientology and go to the Aftermath Found...

#357: A Billion Years with Mike Rinder

15 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I’m very happy to welcome Mike Rinder, former Sea Org executive and Emmy-award winning co-host of Scientology and the Aftermath, now doi...

#356: Scientology and the Masterson Trial with Ciprian Ivanof

08 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome back DC lawyer Ciprian Ivanof to help me dissect some legal points and predictions for the upcoming trial of Scientologist Danny...

#355: Being a Second Generation Scientologist with Ian Rafalko

01 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We all know Scientology is a really bad thing but what about growing up in a Scientology household? What’s that like? What happens to kids who nev...

#354: Getting an Education After Leaving a Cult (Part 2) with Pat Henrickson

24 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Well it only took us a year, but educator Pat Hendrickson and I have put together a part two of our talks on how to go about getting an education af...

#353: Deconstructing Narcissism with Jon Atack

17 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’re back and with a bang – a 2-hour discussion with Jon Atack to talk turkey about narcissism, what it is and what it isn’t. This being a ch...

#352: The Internet and Cults of Opportunity with John P. Capitalist

13 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome back John P. Capitalist to discuss recent news about internet-based cults converting over into real-life activities and the oppo...

#351: Extremist Thinking and Ex-Cult Members

06 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I’m joined by my good friend and former Scientologist, Mark Turi, to discuss issues we’ve encountered in ex-cult or ex-religion groups...

#350: The Hindu Cult of Nithyananda - An Update w/Sarah Landry

30 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome back Sarah Landry to give us an update on her former guru, Nithyananda, and the fact that he’s currently on the run from the l...

#349: Teaching Critical Thinking w/Julie Bogart

23 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome Julie Bogart, educator and critical thinker, to discuss her views and work on teaching critical thinking. In the process, we end...

#348: How Cult Relationships Work w/Dr. Alexandra Stein

16 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Dr. Alexandra Stein, author of the book Love, Terror and Brainwashing and a fantastic expert on the subject of attachment t...

#347: Cult Recovery 101 - Some Basics with Rachel Bernstein

09 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by licensed therapist and cult exit counsellor Rachel Bernstein to discuss some of the basic principles behind cult recovery a...

#346: An Insider’s View of Scientology (Part 2)

02 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, I welcome back my anonymous guest, identified merely as The Insider, who has some very interesting things to say about current inside eve...

#345: The Future of Scientology’s Demise ft. John P. Capitalist

25 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am again joined by John P Capitalist (a pseudonym), a skilled Wall Street analyst who has worked with me in the past to analyze some of ...

#344: Katherine Olson Escapes Scientology (Part 3)

18 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am again joined live for the third and final installment of my long-form interview with Sea Org escapee Katherine Olson. Here we discuss...

Sensibly Speaking Podcast #343: Katherine Olson Escapes Scientology (Part 2)

11 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am again joined live in the studio by Katherine Olson, a woman who escaped from the Sea Org a little less than a year ago and has a weal...

#342: An Insider’s Look at Scientology

04 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For everyone anticipating part 2 of my interview with Katherine Olson, that will be coming next week. Instead, I have an interview with yet another ...

#341: Katherine Olson Escapes Scientology (Part 1)

28 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined live in the studio by Katherine Olson, a woman who escaped from the Sea Org a little less than a year ago and has a wealth of ...

#340: Why Scientology Auditing is Bad For You

21 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by Jon Atack for a detailed look into why it is that we think Scientology auditing procedures are inherently harmful to anyone...

#339: Scientology’s History of Man and Mythology

07 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am doing a deep dive into the book Scientology: A History of Man and the mythology/cosmology of Scientology. It’s not a very deep well...

#338: Scientology, Danny Masterson and the Law ft. Phil Lord

16 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome first-time guest Phil Lord, professor of law in Ontario, Canada, to discuss the legal system, Scientology’s shenanigans in and...

#337: Will Smith, Scientology and Violence

09 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I thought we’d talk a bit about Scientology, violence and Will and Jada Smith, former Scientologists and purveyors of bad vibes all over...

#336: Talking to Cult Members (Live)

02 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week we went live in our new studio space to give some information and tips on talking to people who have a very different mindset from yours. ...

#335: Cults and Emotional Needs, Part 3 ft. Rachel Bernstein

19 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am once again joined by therapist Rachel Bernstein, a long-time friend and associate who has been on the show many times and helps us th...

#333: Growing Up in the Moonies (Part 1) ft. Jen Kiaba

05 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am once again joined by second-generation former Moonie (Unification Church) Jen Kiaba, this time to discuss her personal story. This is...

#332: Cults and Emotional Needs (Part 2) with Rachel Bernstein

26 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am once again joined by therapist Rachel Bernstein, a long-time friend and associate who has been on the show many times and helps us th...

#331: Being Raised by a Narcissist with Anna Dau

19 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome guest Anna Dau who has a story to tell of abuse and escape from an ultra-conservative family situation involving coercive contro...

#330: The Psychology of Coercive Control

12 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I thought I should deliver a rundown on what exactly it was I have been studying for the last 1.5 years in the Psychology of Coercive Cont...

#329: Cults and Emotional Needs (Part 1) ft. Rachel Bernstein

05 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by therapist Rachel Bernstein, a long-time friend and associate who has been on the show many times and helps us this time dis...

#328: Cults, Education and Controversy ft. Jen Kiaba

22 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined again by Jen Kiaba, a second-generation survivor of the Unification Church (the Moonies) and a fellow student on the same psyc...

#327: Critical Thinking and Human Predators with Jon Atack

15 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week Jon Atack and I had a critical conversation on the topics of critical thinking, what it is and isn’t and the pros and cons of thinking i...

#326: Thought Policing in Scientology

08 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week I did a rare live show to discuss some of the thoughts I had based in the research I’m doing for my Masters thesis about Scientology, co...

#325: 2021 Scientology Year in Review

01 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week we are doing our annual Year in Review episode to cap off 2021 and begin 2022. It’s almost pure Scientology as we walk through the event...

#342: Scientific Literacy for the Holidays with Melissa Huff

25 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I am joined by my beautiful wife Melissa to first share our Holiday Crack (a tasteless and yet tasteful joke inspired by Delicious Dish) a...

#323: Walking Away from a Cult with Jen Kiaba

18 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome back cult survivor Jen Kiaba, who also happens to be doing the same Masters program I am in the psychology of coercive control. ...

#322: NXIVM and Its Aftermath with Sarah Edmondson

11 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I welcome Sarah Edmondson – actress, author, podcaster and survivor of NXIVM – to talk turkey about her experiences and the aftermath ...