Best Superficialmagic Podcasts (2024)

1
R. Derek Black, Part 1 - Former White Supremacist & Leading a Double Life 57:24

1d ago57:24

57:24

Today our guest is R. Derek Black, former poster child for white supremacy (now turned antiracist advocate) and author of the new memoir The Klansman’s Son. Derek, who came out as trans in this book, walks us through the white supremacist movement, where it stands now, what it was like growing up in a white nationalist family, being close to promin…

1
Ian Rafalko, Part 2 - Son of a YouTube Scientologist Health Guru 1:31:00

8d ago1:31:00

1:31:00

In part two with Ian Rafalko, we go deeper into how he left Scientology, what that meant for his family life, and how his dad's lucrative online presence and supplement company tows the line of multi-level marketing. Ian will talk about the viral TikTok video he posted in which he said he was going to end his own life, why he decided not to, how hi…

1
Ian Rafalko, Part 1 - Former Scientology Auditor 1:01:19

14d ago1:01:19

1:01:19

Today is part one Ian Rafalko, a former scientologist from a prominent scientologist family AND son of a prominent YouTube health guru. We explore how his family joined Scientology, what it was like growing up in a group where children are treated as adult spirits in small bodies, whether Scientology creates little sociopaths, and some of the more …

1
Aliia Roza - Former Russian Secret Agent and Sex Spy 1:25:12

21d ago1:25:12

1:25:12

Subject of the new Neil Strauss podcast "To Die For", Aliia Roza shares about her childhood in Russia, her father who worked for the government, the training school and how she was coerced into joining a secret program for sex operations, the seduction and manipulation techniques she learned, how she was sexually abused in school, how she used thos…

1
Rabia Chaudry - Serial, True Crime, & Countering Violent Extremism 1:10:07

28d ago1:10:07

1:10:07

Lawyer, advocate, podcaster, writer, and the reason you know about Adnan Syed from Serial, Rabia Chaudry, talks about her experience advocating for him, what it was like entering the true crime world, why Adnan is free now, what disappointed her about the coverage of his story, her work in CVE (countering violent extremism), how any group or religi…

1
Jessica Kahn - Y2K Cult 1:16:00

1M ago1:16:00

1:16:00

Today we chat with Jessica Kahn, former member of a group we're calling "The Narrow Road." She'll tell us about being born into this isolated fundamentalist Christian sect that was originally formed as an addiction treatment program, the leader's connection to the founders of AA, how every part of life was strictly controlled, how they believed tha…

1
Madi Stroud - Daughter of a Cult Leader: Love Has Won & Amy Carlson 1:13:43

1M ago1:13:43

1:13:43

Today our guest is Madi Stroud. She was featured on the HBO docu series Love Has Won, and is late cult leader Amy Carlson’s daughter - the one whose mummified body was found wrapped in Christmas lights in Colorado. Madi shares what she remembers of her mom as a kid, how it felt after Amy suddenly left Madi and her brothers when she was only 7, and …

1
Dr. Inna Kanevsky - Pseudoscience, TikTok Psychology, & Culty Psychologists 1:23:07

2M ago1:23:07

1:23:07

Dr. Inna Kanevsky, psychologist, professor, and debunker of pseudoscience psychology TikToks, discusses the misinformation videos that got her started on the path of debunking, why mental health labels can be helpful but can also lead us to incorrectly self-diagnose and take on labels that do not belong to us, and why it’s a problem when we make a …

1
Warren Kohl, Part 2 - The Pressures of Preaching in a Secretive Cult 1:07:16

2M ago1:07:16

1:07:16

Today is part two with Warren Kohl, former member and religious leader within the 2x2s (Meagan's secretive childhood group that technically has no name). Today we'll hear how Warren left behind his dreams of medical school to become a "worker" (a minister who stays in people's homes). He'll talk about the pressure to speak with some kind of authori…

1
Warren Kohl, Part 1 - Preparing to Preach in a Secretive Cult 48:17

2M ago48:17

48:17

Today's guest is Warren kohl, a fifth generation member and former “worker” (or minister) in the 2x2’s, the group that Meagan grew up in. Warren shares how devout he was to the group at a very young age, having your entire life controlled, and how utter heartbreak in high school led him to celibacy and a deeper commitment to the group. Trust Me is …

1
Nadine Macaluso - Recognizing, Escaping, and Healing from Trauma Bonds 1:27:10

2M ago1:27:10

1:27:10

Psychologist, trauma bond expert, and author of Run Like Hell: A Therapist's Guide to Recognizing, Escaping, and Healing from Trauma Bonds, Nadine Macaluso share about her relationship with ex-husband Jordan Belfort (aka The Wolf of Wall Street) and how it led her to become a therapist with a focus on trauma bonds. They also discuss "mind mapping",…

1
Zoe & Lillian, Part 2 - Troubled Teens, Midwest Academy, and Solitary Confinement 53:07

3M ago53:07

53:07

In part two with Zoe and Lilly, survivors of Midwest Academy, one of the abusive troubled teen programs in the same organization that was spotlighted in the docuseries The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping, we dig deeper into Lily’s experience. She’ll tell us how she was in solitary confinement for two months, and how her reaction was to rebel i…

1
Zoe & Lillian, Part 1 - The Program, Ivy Ridge and Casa by the Sea 55:45

3M ago55:45

55:45

Survivors of the infamous WWASP schools, Zoe & Lillian, share about their experiences being forced to join Ivy Ridge, Midwest Academy, and Casa by the Sea; All schools featured in the current Netflix docudrama, The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping. Lola & Meagan dig into how these programs were marketed to parents, the dramatic ways Zoe & Lilli…

1
Roberta Blevins, Part 2 - Leaving The LuLaRoe Family 58:43

3M ago58:43

58:43

In part two with former LuLaRoe seller, Roberta Blevins, they discuss everything about LuLaRoe's founder DeAnne Brady and her family, the mother figure role DeAnne provided in Roberta's life, dealing with toxic positivity, and a thorough list of MLM red flags to look out for. Plus, how Roberta finally realized that she was in a cult and how startin…

1
Roberta Blevins, Part 1 - Inside LuLaRoe 1:14:27

4M ago1:14:27

1:14:27

In part one with former LuLaRoe seller and Life After MLM podcast host, Roberta Blevins, she'll share how she first got involved in MLMS, what LuLaRoe was like, what the deal was with the wet smelly leggings, and what made realize that she did not want to be a part of MLM life anymore. We'll discuss how MLMs make good people act badly, what "huns" …

1
Lola & Meagan - Am I in a Cult (or Just a Group)? 1:05:08

4M ago1:05:08

1:05:08

This week, Lola and Meagan's guests are... Lola and Meagan! They talk about the cult of seeing everything as a cult, discussing how things that might seem a little culty don’t necessarily inherently mean that a group IS a cult. They’ll discuss political polarization, online miscommunication, group dynamics that happen in ALL groups, and the differe…

1
Katelyn Jade Hlavaty, Part 2 - Satanic Ritual Abuse & Becoming a Spokesperson 1:20:14

4M ago1:20:14

1:20:14

In part two of this listener story with Operation Light Force survivor, Katelyn Hlavaty, Lola and Meagan unpack how the leader's bogus healing protocol, which involved digging into old trauma, eventually led to Satanic Ritual Abuse. Katelyn shares how isolation from her family and a period of spontaneous remission from her bout Crohn's disease deep…

1
Katelyn Jade Hlavaty, Part 1 - Joining Operation Light Force 1:07:32

4M ago1:07:32

1:07:32

In part one of this wild listener story, Katelyn Hlavaty chats with Lola and Meagan about her experience in the evangelical healing ministry group, Operation Light Force. Katelyn shares how she joined the group when she was isolated and struggling with Crohn's disease, and how the group's promises of community, God, and literal physical healing see…

1
Sara Gorman - Science, Healthcare, and Why We Ignore Facts 1:25:05

4M ago1:25:05

1:25:05

Sara Gorman, public health expert, CEO & founder of Critica, and author of Denying to the Grave: Why We Ignore the Facts That Will Save Us, joins Lola and Meagan to discuss the importance of the scientific method, why presenting evidence can feel like an attack, common debunked beliefs that persist in American culture, and the role that media plays…

1
Jenna Miscavige, Part 2 - Escaping Scientology 51:56

5M ago51:56

51:56

Former Sea Org member and niece of Scientology leader David Miscavige, Jenna Miscavige, talks about leaving "The Ranch" in order to join the Sea Org, getting involved in higher level management, how she barely knew her own parents, the constant level of paranoia she saw from everyone at all levels, what it was like to date within the Sea Org, how s…

1
Jenna Miscavige, Part 1 - Growing up in Scientology's Sea Organization 1:01:05

5M ago1:01:05

1:01:05

Former Scientology Sea Org member and niece of current Scientology leader David Miscavige, Jenna Miscavige, talks about being a third generation member, growing up in the infamous Sea Organization, doing child labor in a place called The Ranch, the strong snitching culture and knowledge reports that made it hard to trust anyone, bizarre educational…

1
Crystal Hefner - Surviving The Playboy Mansion 1:14:58

5M ago1:14:58

1:14:58

Crystal Hefner, former Playboy Playmate, Hugh Hefner's widow, author of Only Say Good Things: Surviving Playboy and Finding Myself shares how she ended going to the Playboy Mansion for the first time, getting invited by Hef to stay, her tightly controlled lifestyle and the weekly rituals that were designed to please Hef and no one else, how she fel…

1
Michelle Dowd, Part 2 - From the Mountain to the Hospital to Forging Her Own Path 1:09:50

5M ago1:09:50

1:09:50

In part two of their conversation with Michelle Dowd, Lola & Meagan dig into when Michelle and her family moved to the mountain, why discomfort was considered a virtue, getting sick with an autoimmune disease at the age of ten, spending many months in the hospital away from The Field and her family, what happened after her cult leader grandfather p…

1
Michelle Dowd, Part 1 - Becoming a Forager in The Field 57:50

6M ago57:50

57:50

Professor, survivor of The Field, and author of Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult, Michelle Dowd, discusses growing up in the cult founded by her grandfather in the 1930s, how it started as an after school program for boys and evolved into something more sinister, the wild claims that her grandfather made, traveling to perform plays …

1
Thomas & Micah, Part 2 - Mormon Mission, Scientology, & Disney Adults 1:08:29

6M ago1:08:29

1:08:29

Two formerly closeted religious men, Thomas and Micah, share how they came out to their families and left their beliefs behind. Thomas talks about going on a Mormon mission as a gay man, Micah shares how learning about scientology was a turning point in his life, the group shares their thoughts on #DISNEYADULTS, and Thomas and Michah give their adv…

1
Thomas & Micah, Part 1 - God, Goofy, and Growing Up Gay in Religion 48:46

6M ago48:46

48:46

One is a former Mormon. The other was a child of evangelical missionaries teaching a doctrine called Accelerated Christian Education. Both of them were closeted gay men growing up in strict religious households. Today, Thomas and Micah share about their upbringings, how they met working at Disneyland (a type of cult unto itself), the personalized B…

1
Marji Mozart, Part 2 - Life After the FLDS 1:10:37

7M ago1:10:37

1:10:37

Musician and former FLDS member, Marji Mozart, discusses her wedding day as an underage bride who had never been taught about sex, her multiple marriages including one to her sister's husband, the pain of feeling that her dreams of becoming a musician were dead, how spending time in the hospital with her child led staff to suspect that she was in a…

1
Marji Mozart, Part 1 - Growing up in the FLDS 1:21:27

7M ago1:21:27

1:21:27

Musician and former FLDS member, Marji Mozart, shares about her childhood in Colorado City, living with a rebellious mother within a high control community, how she dreamed of being a musician instead of someone's wife, getting married to a grown man when she was only 17, and how that impacted her relationship with her mom. Check out our holiday sp…

1
Barak Hardley - Where Belief Intersects Creativity 1:06:09

7M ago1:06:09

1:06:09

Lola's friend, actor, artist, director, and the next Bob Ross, Barak Hardley talks about his previous life as an evangelical pastor, getting kicked out of the church, and transitioning to life as an actor in LA. Lola and Barak dive into the philosophy of art, the creative process, skepticism, self reflection, and how art can inform your beliefs abo…

1
Annie Taylor - The Garden: Commune or Cult 1:14:28

7M ago1:14:28

1:14:28

Annie Taylor, Executive Producer of Discovery's The Garden: Commune or Cult, shares about her time living in an off the grid community that went viral on TikTok for accusations of being a cult and disturbing allegations about a cat. Annie tells how she and the crew showed up and gradually earned the trust of the community, filming on one of the gro…

1
Alice Hines & Lorraine - Desperately Seeking Soulmate: Escaping Twin Flames Universe 1:19:13

7M ago1:19:13

1:19:13

Journalist Alice Hines and former Twin Flames Universe member Lorraine, both featured in the Amazon docuseries Desperately Seeking Soulmate: Escaping Twin Flames Universe, discuss the online community that was Twin Flame Ascension, what attracted people to it, how founders Jeff and Shaleia became more controlling and abusive over time, why encourag…

1
Jill Duggar Dillard & Derick Dillard 1:10:51

8M ago1:10:51

1:10:51

Members of the Duggar family, former cast members of TLC's 19 Kids and Counting, and Counting The Cost authors, Jill Duggar Dillard & Derick Dill discuss the family's involvement in the very strict Institute in Basic Life Principles, what it was like being on TV at such a young age, how her dad (Jim Bob) convinced the family that the show served th…

1
Marlene Winell - Leaving The Fold, Religious Trauma, and Emotional Recovery 1:07:03

8M ago1:07:03

1:07:03

Psychologist, educator, and Leaving The Fold author, Marlene Winell, talks with Lola & Meagan about how she came to study the negative impacts of religion, how some basic concepts of Christianity can be harmful, why authoritarian structures of religion can sometimes lead to trauma, how we can rationally understand something but emotionally reject i…

1
Listener Stories - Independent Baptist Movement & Capoeira Teacher 56:03

9M ago56:03

56:03

Two new listener stories! One from Shelly about her time in the Independent Baptist Movement under pastor Jack Hyles and the cult recovery work she is doing now, and one from Claire about the manipulation she experienced under her capoeira teacher. Trust Me is brought to you by Progressive! Quote your car insurance at Progressive.com to join the ov…

1
Daniella Mestyanek Young, Part 2 - Military Life & Parallels to The Children of God 1:11:33

9M ago1:11:33

1:11:33

In part two of her interview with Lola & Meagan, Children of God survivor and military veteran, Daniella Mestyanek Young, talks about joining the military after high school, being a woman in a hyper masculine culture, and unsettling parallels between what she saw in the military and the Children of God. Check out our great sponsors!! Shopify: Run y…

1
Daniella Mestyanek Young, Part 1 - Children of God, 9/11, & Escaping the Cult 57:35

9M ago57:35

57:35

In part one of her interview with Lola & Meagan, Children of God survivor and military veteran, Daniella Mestyanek Young, discusses being raised in the Children of God, the various forms of punishment she and the other children experienced, how child sexual abuse was not only encouraged but part of the belief system, how the youth were taught to pr…

1
Andrew Seidel - Christian Nationalism & Information Warfare 1:11:33

9M ago1:11:33

1:11:33

Constitutional attorney, author, and YouTuber Andrew Seidel joins Lola & Meagan to discuss Christian Nationalism, why its based on a myth, how it led to cultural shifts in the U.S. during the 1950s, its impact on the Supreme Court today, the practice of cherry picking ideas from the Bible, the worst case scenario of where it can lead, and why the s…

1
THROWBACK: Post-Traumatic Growth with Richard Tedeschi 1:01:01

10M ago1:01:01

1:01:01

UNC Charlotte professor and psychology researcher Dr Richard Tedeschi discusses his pioneering work on post-traumatic growth, how his field is different from resilience, how core beliefs are involved in our trauma, what "integration" means, and the value of an "expert companion," having a mission, and sharing your story. Learn more about Richard's …

1
Simon Kent Fung - Dear Alana & Conversion Therapy 1:08:10

10M ago1:08:10

1:08:10

Tech and media expert Simon Fung joins Lola and Meagan to discuss the heartbreaking story behind his new podcast, Dear Alana. When Alana Chen took her own life in 2019, Simon read about her in the news and was shocked by the similarities in their stories and experiences with conversion therapy. Simon delves into how conversion therapy is no longer …

1
Dr. Marc Feldman & Jordyn Hope - Munchausen by Proxy aka Medical Child Abuse 1:36:55

10M ago1:36:55

1:36:55

Dr. Marc Feldman, professor of psychology and expert in Munchausen by Proxy, talks to the girls along with survivor Jordyn Hope for an information-packed episode. Dr. Feldman discusses why he prefers the term medical child abuse (MCA), some of the more extreme cases he's seen, red flags he looks out for, and how parents get doctors to believe and t…

1
Kyle & Kari, Part 2 - The 2x2s: Uncovering Widespread Sexual Abuse 1:01:18

10M ago1:01:18

1:01:18

In part two of their interview, Kyle and Kari, former members of the 2x2s (the group that Meagan grew up in), talk about the Facebook group they created for people leaving the group, which created a forum for people to share their stories for the first time. They discuss the overseer who was found dead in a hotel and the letter that exposed his sex…

1
Kyle & Kari, Part 1 - Deconstructing The 2x2s 1:05:28

11M ago1:05:28

1:05:28

Former members of the Two by Twos Kyle and Kari (the group that our Meagan grew up in) discuss the apocalyptic focus on the religion, personal stories of deconstructing their beliefs, the peculiar structure of the group led by pairs of ministers called "workers", how Kyle and Kari joined and met as kids, how it compared to Meagan's experience, what…

1
Martin - Jordan Peterson, Ben Shapiro, & The I.D.W. 1:15:33

11M ago1:15:33

1:15:33

There's order. And there's chaos. Simple, right? Today our new friend Martin shares how he used to be a big fan of Jordan Peterson and Ben Shapiro, how he found videos as a teenager that helped him feel empowered as he searched for identity, the impact they had on his worldview, some of the idealogical tenants of Jordan Peterson, why so many young …

1
Guinevere Turner, Part 2 - Group Exile, Culture Shock, & Recovery 1:04:33

11M ago1:04:33

1:04:33

In part two of her two-part interview, Guinevere Turner, renowned screenwriter (writer of films like American Psycho and Charlie Says), actress, and author of new memoir When The World Didn't End, talks about getting kicked out of the group and living with her mother after years of barely knowing her, the cognitive dissonance of suddenly going to s…

1
Guinevere Turner, Part 1 - The Lyman Family, Compound Life, and Queen Jessie 1:00:35

11M ago1:00:35

1:00:35

In part one of her two-part interview, Guinevere Turner, renowned screenwriter (writer of films like American Psycho and Charlie Says), actress, and author of new memoir When The World Didn't End, talks about growing up in the Lyman Family cult, bouncing around between different compounds, and being raised by women in the group who were not her mot…

1
Emily Lynn Paulson - Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy, and the Other Lies Behind Multilevel Marketing 1:11:28

11M ago1:11:28

1:11:28

When #BossBabe culture goes wrong. Author of Hey, Hun: Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy, and the Other Lies Behind Multilevel Marketing and former member of an MLM she calls Rejuvinat, Emily Paulson, shares how she was first introduced to the group by a friend from school, how it seemed to be the perfect way to bring purpose and extra income to her sta…

1
Madison McGhee - The Dark Side of Sorority Life 1:15:28

12M ago1:15:28

1:15:28

Ever joined a sorority? It's all Greek to us! Former sorority member and Ice Cold Case podcast host Madison McGhee shares how she always dreamed of joining a sorority, which one she chose after growing up Christian, what the process of joining was like, being the only person of color in the sorority, how she was punished for not straightening her c…

1
Christy Carlson Romano - Child Actors & the Toddler to Trainwreck Pipeline 1:21:09

12M ago1:21:09

1:21:09

From Even Stevens to Kim Possible, Disney Channel legend and Vulnerable podcast host Christy Carlson Romano talks about the difficulties of being a working actor from such a young age, what it was like to be well-known, and the pressures of stage parents. She also discusses the "toddler to trainwreck pipeline" and the lack of an exit strategy from …

1
Lindsey Williams, Part 2: Going to IBLP Headquarters & The Downfall of Bill Gothard 1:18:35

1y ago1:18:35

1:18:35

Shiny Happy People's Lindsey Williams shares how Institute in Basic Life Principles leader Bill Gothard would recruit young girls to headquarters, the inappropriate questions he asked and physical boundaries he repeatedly crossed, how controlling he was over who Lindsey dated, the website where women began connecting the dots about his behavior, th…

1
Lindsey Williams, Part 1: Shiny Happy People, The Institute in Basic Life Principles, and Meeting Bill Gothard 1:12:38

1y ago1:12:38

1:12:38

Makeup artist, podcaster, and former Institute in Basic Life Principles member, Lindsey Williams (who is featured in Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets), delves into the Duggar family connection into the IBLP, being home schooled using "wisdom booklets", how physical punishment was a tenant of the faith, why women lived under the authority o…

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