The Sensibly Speaking Podcast

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Sensibly Speaking Podcast #376: Emotional Intelligence and Cults Feb 25, 2023

Show notes

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 understanding your own emotional life and dealing with your emotions is the only way to avoid being controlled by others. Enjoy!

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#375: What Brainwashing Really is About ft. Jon Atack Feb 18, 2023

Show notes

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 works, despite the claims of religious studies scholars and cult apologists that there’s no such thing. There is and it’s a very serious problem and in this podcast we break it all down. Enjoy!

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#374: Stolen Youth - A Cult Story Feb 11, 2023

Show notes

This week I had the opportunity to interview cult survivor Daniel Barban-Levin and director Zach Heinzerling about the new documentary they produced called Stolen Youth which just dropped on Hulu. This is the story of how eight college students from Sarah Lawrence University were enthralled and trapped in a sex/abuse cult run by Larry Ray, the father of one of the eight. It’s a harrowing story and in this talk we discuss the story and its aftermath, including the very happy ending of Ray ending up in prison for the rest of his life and recovery for each of the victims.

The post Sensibly Speaking Podcast #347: Stolen Youth – A Cult Story appeared first on The Sensibly Speaking Podcast.

#373: Lisa Marie Presley and Scientology ft. Tony Ortega Feb 02, 2023

Show notes

This week I’m dropping the podcast a couple of days early, a special interview with journalist Tony Ortega about his bombshell conversations with Lisa Marie Presley. She was a fighter and she worked behind the scenes to help expose David Miscavige and Scientology’s abuses. We break it all down here. Enjoy!

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#372: 10 Things I’ve Learned Since Leaving a Cult Jan 28, 2023

Show notes

This week I’m offering something slightly different from usual in describing some valuable life lessons I’ve learned since leaving Scientology which I thought other people might appreciate as well. Enjoy!

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#371: Emotional Health and Giving a Fuck Jan 21, 2023

Show notes

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 ideas on how one can deal with difficult emotions and delve into emotional manipulation as a coercive method. Enjoy!

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Sensibly Speaking Podcast #370: Hubbard, Scientology and Mysticism Jan 14, 2023

Show notes

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. This information sometimes makes ex-Scientologists uncomfortable because it’s basically so diabolical, no one wants to think they were part of something that bad. But Jon and I had a good time discussing some follow up thoughts on Hubbard and mysticism. Enjoy!

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#369: How to Stay Out of a Cult Jan 07, 2023

Show notes

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 involved in a destructive cult or predatory relationship. Enjoy!

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#368: Cult Recovery After 10 Years Dec 31, 2022

Show notes

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 Org and embarking on what would become my escape from the destructive cult of Scientology. In this podcast, I offer some backstory and some of my best life lessons/recommendations for anyone else who has had to do the “hard reset” on their life. Enjoy!

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#367: China’s CCP and Nation-State Cults with John P. Capitalist Dec 24, 2022

Show notes

This week I welcome back John P. Capitalist to cover in some detail how authoritarian governments around the world solve the “dictator problem” by adopting cultic methods to control their population and thereby stay in power. We especially detail China’s recent history and the way President Xi has adopted the Cult Leader Playbook to maintain his position. This is a deep dive into a very important subject and one I hope my viewers will enjoy and learn from.

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