Cults to Consciousness

Latest Episodes:

INSIDE “SISTER WIVES”: What the Polygamist TV Show Didn’t Show (Daughter Speaks Out) Jun 03, 2026

Show notes

Mykelti Brown & her husband Tony Padron reflect on the behind the scenes of her upbringing in the polygamist family from TLC’s Sister Wives TV show.

Click here to watch on YouTube

Watch Mykelti's initial interview here

Follow and support Mykelti & Tony!

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/u85780932

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mykeltip/

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Venmo @sheliseann

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Host Instagram @sheliseann

Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_

TikTok @cults.to.consciousness

Twitter @cultstocon

**Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**

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Inside SISTER WIVES: What It’s REALLY Like Being Kody Brown’s Daughter (ft. Mykelti Brown) Jun 01, 2026

Show notes

Mykelti Brown Padron reflects on her upbringing in the polygamist family from TLC’s Sister Wives TV show, describing both the perceived benefits and deep challenges of that lifestyle. For her growing up, polygamy felt normal and even appealing due to the built-in community, multiple parental figures, and constant companionship, but also reveals significant downsides including emotional neglect, lack of individual attention, inconsistent parenting, and poverty. She recounts a strained relationship with her father due to his divided time among many children and wives, as well as negative experiences with certain family dynamics, including fear of one mother figure in particular. While she still sees some appeal in the idea of plural family structure—likely shaped by early conditioning—she ultimately acknowledges that religious polygamy often suppresses women’s autonomy and creates imbalance, leaving her conflicted between nostalgic positives and the harsher realities she later recognized.

Click here to watch on YouTube

Watch our follow up LIVE stream with Mykelti & husband Tony

Follow and support Mykelti!

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/u85780932

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mykeltip/

Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!

Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.

Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!

Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness

Venmo @sheliseann

Find us on Social media!

Instagram @cultstoconsciousness

Host Instagram @sheliseann

Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_

TikTok @cults.to.consciousness

Twitter @cultstocon

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I Spent 11 Years Rising Rank Inside a SECRET OCCULT Society (Why Whistleblower is Speaking Out) May 29, 2026

Show notes

James Luceno is a former fifth degree ranked member of the Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO), an initially welcoming, symbol-rich spiritual society rooted in Aleister Crowley’s philosophy of Thelema. According to James, it gradually reveals a hierarchical, secretive structure emphasizing obedience, loyalty, and authority through rituals and initiations, while presenting ideals like personal freedom and enlightenment, yet in practice, the organization fosters enmeshment, suppresses criticism, and protects high-ranking members accused of misconduct—including serious SA allegations—while discouraging accountability.

Over time, what begins as an immersive and meaningful community experience becomes increasingly controlling and ethically troubling, ultimately leading James to view it as a h*rmful, cult-like system. One in which he had to step away from, getting him ostracized from the community he invested 11 years into.

Click here to watch on YouTube

Watch our follow up live stream with James

Follow and support James!

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Entelecheia

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/turningofthesky

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/turningsky/

X: https://x.com/LapisMercurii

Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!

Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.

Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!

Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness

Venmo @sheliseann

Find us on Social media!

Instagram @cultstoconsciousness

Host Instagram @sheliseann

Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_

TikTok @cults.to.consciousness

Twitter @cultstocon

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The STRICT Parenting Style of the Swartzentruber AMISH (what I'd do differently) ft. Lovina Zook May 27, 2026

Show notes

Following up our recent interview @lovina_zook about Amish pregnancies, today we are going LIVE with her to further discuss what it was like being parented in the strictest Amish settlement— the Swartzentruber Amish— versus how she now plans to parent outside of it.

Click here to watch on YouTube

Watch our initial interview with Lovina

Watch our follow up LIVE with Lovina answering your questions

Our latest interview with Lovina

Find Lovina on social media!

YT: https://www.youtube.com/@lovina_zook/videos

IG: https://www.instagram.com/lovina_zook/

TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@lovina_zook

Website: https://socialsbylovina.com/

Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!

Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.

Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!

Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness

Venmo @sheliseann

Find us on Social media!

Instagram @cultstoconsciousness

Host Instagram @sheliseann

Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_

TikTok @cults.to.consciousness

Twitter @cultstocon

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Shocking Truth About Pregnancy in AMISH Communities (ft. Lovina Zook) May 26, 2026

Show notes

Lovina Zook grew up in a strict Amish community where sex education was virtually nonexistent and anything related to the body, sex, or pregnancy was treated as taboo and often shameful. ChiIdren were not taught basic anatomy or reproduction, forcing her to piece together understanding through secretly reading books, accidental discoveries, and observation, often leading to confusion and misinformation well into her teens and even adulthood. Pregnancy, while expected and valued in terms of having chiIdren, was paradoxically hidden and associated with embarrassment, reinforcing a culture of silence and modesty. After leaving the Amish at 18, Lovina struggled initially but eventually found success on social media by embracing her background, and she now reflects on how her upbringing shaped her views on pregnancy, autonomy, and education.

Click here to watch on YouTube

Watch our latest LIVE with Lovina furthering this discussion

Watch our initial interview with Lovina

Watch our follow up LIVE with Lovina answering your questions

Find Lovina on social media!

YT: https://www.youtube.com/@lovina_zook/videos

IG: https://www.instagram.com/lovina_zook/

TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@lovina_zook

Website: https://socialsbylovina.com/

Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!

Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.

Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!

Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness

Venmo @sheliseann

Find us on Social media!

Instagram @cultstoconsciousness

Host Instagram @sheliseann

Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_

TikTok @cults.to.consciousness

Twitter @cultstocon

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

My Brutal Near Death Relationship with the Jehovah’s Witnesses May 20, 2026

Show notes

Meg was raised in the Jehovah’s Witnesses and grew up under intense pressure, surveillance, and emotional control. Her upbringing lead to isolation, fear, and a lack of understanding around autonomy and consent. After experiencing SA in young adulthood, she blamed herself due to purity-based teachings and remained in the relationship out of guilt before ultimately confessing to church elders, where she endured invasive and degrading questioning. She was then disfellowshipped, resulting in total social shunning by her community and much of her family, which deepened her shame, loneliness, and self-destructive coping behaviors. Even after being cut off, during a traumatizing miscarriage, she refused a blood transfusion out of devotion to the Jehovah’s Witness blood doctrine that nearly took her life.though she eventually found support outside the group and began rebuilding her sense of identity and independence.

Click here to watch on YouTube

Find and Support Meg

IG @megreadsandreads

Relentless Shadows: A Book of Poetry

Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!

Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.

Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!

Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness

Venmo @sheliseann

Find us on Social media!

Instagram @cultstoconsciousness

Host Instagram @sheliseann

Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_

TikTok @cults.to.consciousness

Twitter @cultstocon

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Recruiting For to Imprisoning NXIVM Cult Leader (exposing SEX CULT Hidden Inside Self-Help Program) May 18, 2026

Show notes

Sarah & Nippy, creators of the podcast “A Little Bit Culty” and former NXIVM members, reveal how people are drawn into high-control groups and how manipulation operates beneath the surface. What started as an empowering, goal-driven self-improvement program in NXIVM gradually revealed itself as a calculated system of manipulation, where trust, financial commitment, and personal vulnerabilities were leveraged to override instincts and deepen involvement. Through subtle psychological pressure, social proof, and a sense of higher purpose, members are often justified red flags along the way—while leader Keith Raniere and those around him expertly explo*ted emotional wounds and desires for validation. What most people didn’t know, was that self-proclaimed-celibate Keith, had a secret harem of women and a growing, devious, “master/slave” program called DOS that Sarah’s best friend recruited her into.

Click here to watch on YouTube

Find and support Sarah & Nippy!

Their new book: “A Little Bit Culty: Navigating Cults, Control and Coercion”

Sarah’s Memoir: “Scarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, The Cult that Bound My Life”

Instagram: @sarahedmondson

@anthonyames11

@alittlebitculty

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/alittlebitculty

Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!

Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.

Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!

Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness

Venmo @sheliseann

Find us on Social media!

Instagram @cultstoconsciousness

Host Instagram @sheliseann

Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_

TikTok @cults.to.consciousness

Twitter @cultstocon

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JEHOVAH’S WITNESS Blood Doctrine Suddenly Changing? (ft. Alt Worldly) May 15, 2026

Show notes

The group's 75 year old ban on blood transfusions is changing. Sort of. It's a big deal, and it isn't. Joined by Jake at @altworldly to give us the full details!

Click here to watch on YouTube

The JW dot org video

Original leak by larchwood

jwfacts breakdown of blood policy evolution

Find and support Jake on YouTube: @altworldly

Other video collaborations:

Ex-Mormon & Ex-Jehovah’s Witness React to LEAKED Upcoming Convention Tapes (ft. ‪@altworldly‬)

Ex-Mormon and Ex-Jehovah's Witness Compare CULTure (ft. @altworldly )

Ex- Mormon and Ex-Jehovah's Witness Compare Doctrine (ft @altworldly)

Fear of End Times: Ex-Jehovah's Witness Confessions ft. @altworldly

An ex-Mormon and ex-Jehovah's Witness Compare Notes (w/ @CultstoConsciousness )

Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!

Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.

Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!

Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness

Venmo @sheliseann

Find us on Social media!

Instagram @cultstoconsciousness

Host Instagram @sheliseann

Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_

TikTok @cults.to.consciousness

Twitter @cultstocon

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jehovah's Witnesses: No One Tells You What Happens After You Escape May 13, 2026

Show notes

Désirée Ohrbeck grew up in Denmark in the rigid control of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. She survived CSA from her stepfather, and when she sought help from religious leaders, she was dismissed, blamed, and told to retract her statement to the police. She explains how she went from a house where books were banned, to becoming a professor. However, deconstruction is incredibly lonely and challenging. Lingering effects of the trauma impact her daily life.

Click here to watch on YouTube

Watch our initial interview with Désirée here

Find and support Désirée!

Book: The Scandinavian War Bride

IG: https://www.instagram.com/desireeohrbeck/

Website: https://www.desireeohrbeck.com/

Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!

Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.

Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!

Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness

Venmo @sheliseann

Find us on Social media!

Instagram @cultstoconsciousness

Host Instagram @sheliseann

Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_

TikTok @cults.to.consciousness

Twitter @cultstocon

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Dark Truth on CONVERTING to Jehovah’s Witnesses in Denmark May 11, 2026

Show notes

Désirée Ohrbeck grew up in Denmark in an extremely chaotic and traumatic home environment that later transitioned into the rigid control of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Her early childhood was marked by instability—an absent father, a violent stepfather, poverty, neglect, and exposure to unsafe situations. When her mother joined Jehovah’s Witnesses, the family life shifted from chaos to extreme control. As Desiree grew older, the environment became increasingly harmful. She survived CSA from her stepfather, and when she sought help from religious leaders, she was dismissed, blamed, and told to retract her statement to the police. She explains how she went from a house where books were banned, to becoming a professor.

Click here to watch on YouTube

Watch our follow up LIVE with Désirée

Find and support Désirée!

Book: The Scandinavian War Bride

IG: https://www.instagram.com/desireeohrbeck/

Website: https://www.desireeohrbeck.com/

Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!

Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.

Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!

Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness

Venmo @sheliseann

Find us on Social media!