Let's Talk About Sects

18/11/2025

Ellen Huet's new book about OneTaste, Empire of Or**sm, is out today. It was such a pleasure to speak with about her work and her insights into Nicole Daedone's start-up centred on the female or**sm. Ellen has spoken with numerous former members and watched endless hours of footage of the group's teachings, and her book is riveting. For those who listened to the LTAS deep dive back in 2020, a lot has happened since then, so this was also a great opportunity to catch up on the FBI investigation and trial of Nicole and her second-in-command, Rachel Cherwitz.

06/11/2025

Inspiring and heartbreaking to hear survivors and advocates (and previous guests on LTAS) Mirriam Francis, Maria Esguerra and Anke Richter speak yesterday at the public hearings for the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into Cults.

A Victorian parliament probe into the impacts of cults and organised fringe groups hears lived experience testimony from two women who grew up in high-control religious groups.

08/10/2025

A quick reminder that with the Exclusive Brethren (now known as the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church) in the news again in Australia (inviting Murdoch journos to services that unlikely resemble their usual ones much), if anyone wants some background info Michael Bachelard’s book ‘Behind the Exclusive Brethren’ is fantastic and LTAS did a deep dive ep with Michael and former NZ member Lindy Jacomb back in 2021

Special Guest: Lindy Jacomb Lindy Jacomb loves questions of faith, truth and meaning. She was raised in the Exclusive Brethren (now rebranded as the PBCC) and was excommunicated alone at age 20. She loves the freedom that her post-brethren life has brought, but lives with the ongoing costs of the

07/10/2025

“When you take a closer look, a cult leader often exhibits a classic set of traits and behaviors. Although there is variety in how these traits present, certain themes tend to ring true.” – Ashlen Hilliard, founder of People Leave Cults

Cult and mental health experts reveal the characteristics often found in those who seek to control and manipulate others.

02/10/2025

A fun evening chatting to a local book group about Do As I Say, cults, common misconceptions and survivor advocacy ❤️

01/10/2025

LTAS is back soon after a short break, but in the meantime (if you haven’t already) you may want to take a listen to Cult Chat digging into a topic of some interest (and some controversy) here.

This might be our most controversial episode yet... *WARNING: This episode might raise your blood pressure.*

Following our conversation with Dr Steve Hassan in Part 1 about cult apologists and defenders, we just kept talking! In this part 2 of the conversation we talk about why some researchers listen to cult leaders instead of survivors, the arguments they use to defend cults, the importance of survivor voices in research. We also share some illuminating (and frightening) facts about specific cult apologists, and how a minimising narrative from apologists has had impacts in New Zealand.

Listen up and be prepared for your blood to boil!

You Tube: https://youtu.be/vqEuqF56lVY
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1nfUyVEskYPLIHDuZAkCVq
Plains Media: https://plains.org.nz/episode/f8b9b125-a859-4124-9628-e48b44c5a84e

16/09/2025

The Victorian Parliament has published ‘Lived experiences of cults and high‑control groups: Insights from the anonymous questionnaire’ as part of the current inquiry, and it’s worth a read.

“Most people reported a combination of psychological coercion, emotional abuse, and social isolation. They reported that their involvement in a cult or high‑control group completely changed their beliefs and behaviours.”

As part of our inquiry into how cults and high‑control groups are using harmful tactics to recruit and control their members, the Legislative Assembly’s Legal and Social Issues Committee asked people to share their lived experiences through an online questionnaire. Recognising the sensitivity of...

14/09/2025

Very proud to share that Sarah has received a Freedom Express Award from The Freedom Train Project Incorporated for Ethical Media coverage of cults and coercive control. It's a big honour to be recognised by a survivor-led organisation, huge thanks for the nomination and the award – a three-way tie with Anke Richter Writer and Summer Cooke. Wonderful to be in the company of another LTAS friend, Maria Esguerra, who took out the Inspirational Survivor Award, and the Decult Conference which deservedly received the Champion of Change Advocate Award. Big congratulations to all of the winners and nominees!

13/09/2025

Upsetting though the content is, it’s good to see the Brethren political ties getting more coverage (outside of the always great work of Michael Bachelard too).

The Sydney-based church has been described by former members and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as a "cult".

08/09/2025

Had a chat to the lovely guys at I was a Teenage Fundamentalist. An Exvangelical podcast about some of the overlaps between their work and mine. – Sarah

New episode out now in the usual places.
Let's Talk About Sects

03/09/2025

Danny Rensch grew up in the Church of Immortal Consciousness, a cult he usually refers to as ‘the Collective’. The group was led by Steven and Trina Kamp, and Trina would share the teachings via trance of a Dr Pahlvon Duran, whose spirit first visited her when she was 9.

The Collective’s Shelby School became renowned for the performance of its chess team, and Danny Rensch was its star. By 14 he was a US Chess Federation national master, which was an Arizona state record at that age, and at 19 he was ranked first in the United States for his age, when he also achieved his first international master norm. Today he is the Chief Chess Officer and co-founder of Chess.com. His memoir, 'Dark Squares: How Chess Saved My Life', is out on 6 September and available for pre-order now.