Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

From:Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts

English

Website
Trust Me is a weekly interview podcast about cults, extreme belief, and the fine line between devotion and delusion—told through firsthand accounts from the people who lived it. Hosted by two women who’ve been in cults themselves, Lola Blanc and Meagan Elizabeth, the show features survivors from groups like Heaven’s Gate, the Manson Family, NXIVM, OneTaste and more–sharing personal stories of how they got in, how they got out, and everything in between. Each week, they invite these guests alongside experts who can dive deep into seductive leaders, the darker aspects of organized religion, and the subtler shades of groupthink and the psychology of influence. Trust Me explores it all with unfiltered honesty, dark humor, and a lot of heart. This isn’t a sensationalized deep dive into cults—it’s a compassionate, first-person exploration of what it means to believe, to belong, and to break free. At the end of the day, wanting to believe in something bigger than yourself is one of the most human instincts there is.

Madison McGhee - The Dark Side of Sorority Life

3 years
Madison McGhee - The Dark Side of Sorority Life
1 h 15m

Christy Carlson Romano - Child Actors & the Toddler to Trainwreck Pipeline

3 years
Christy Carlson Romano - Child Actors & the Toddler to Trainwreck Pipeline
1 h 21m

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

3 years
Lindsey Williams, Part 2: Going to IBLP Headquarters & The Downfall of Bill Gothard
1 h 18m

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

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

Allison Miller - Interstitial Cystitis, Orthorexia, and an Alternative Medicine Cult

3 years
Allison Miller - Interstitial Cystitis, Orthorexia, and an Alternative Medicine Cult
1 h 22m

Jimanekia Eborn - Reclaiming Your Sexuality After Trauma

3 years
Jimanekia Eborn - Reclaiming Your Sexuality After Trauma
1 h 23m

Mubin Shaikh, Part 2: 9/11, Reinterpreting Islam, and Going Undercover

3 years
Mubin Shaikh, Part 2: 9/11, Reinterpreting Islam, and Going Undercover
59m

Mubin Shaikh, Part 1: Islamic Extremism, Meeting the Taliban, and Getting Radicalized

3 years
Mubin Shaikh, Part 1: Islamic Extremism, Meeting the Taliban, and Getting Radicalized
1 h 4m

Jennings Brown & Justice - Liana Shanti's Conspiracy Sisterhood

3 years
Jennings Brown & Justice - Liana Shanti's Conspiracy Sisterhood
1 h 29m

Kara Goucher - Alberto Salazar and the Nike Oregon Project

3 years
Kara Goucher - Alberto Salazar and the Nike Oregon Project
1 h 18m

Perfectionism & Purity

3 years
Perfectionism & Purity
52m

Robert Fitzpatrick - The History of MLMs

3 years
Robert Fitzpatrick - The History of MLMs
1 h 9m

Priscilla Tucker, Part 2: Escaping the Kingstons, Forced Rehab, and a Billion Dollar Tax Fraud

3 years
Priscilla Tucker, Part 2: Escaping the Kingstons, Forced Rehab, and a Billion Dollar Tax Fraud
55m

Priscilla Tucker, Part 1: The Kingstons, Polygamy, and a Cousin Engagement

3 years
Priscilla Tucker, Part 1: The Kingstons, Polygamy, and a Cousin Engagement
50m

Adam Levin - Romance Scams, Hackers, & Protecting Your Identity

3 years
Adam Levin - Romance Scams, Hackers, & Protecting Your Identity
1 h 17m

Zacch Comfort, Part 2: The Bride of Christ Church, and an Important Story From Lola

3 years
Zacch Comfort, Part 2: The Bride of Christ Church, and an Important Story From Lola
1 h 13m

Zacch Comfort, Part 1: The Bride of Christ Church and a Sex Offender Turned Prophet

3 years
Zacch Comfort, Part 1: The Bride of Christ Church and a Sex Offender Turned Prophet
1 h 2m

Sam Ciavarella - When CrossFit Gets Culty

3 years
Sam Ciavarella - When CrossFit Gets Culty
1 h 16m

Keith Page - From Megachurch Pastor to Secular Death Doula

3 years
Keith Page - From Megachurch Pastor to Secular Death Doula
1 h 30m

Rosanna Arquette - Commune Life, Racism, & Harvey Weinstein

3 years
Rosanna Arquette - Commune Life, Racism, & Harvey Weinstein
47m

Felicia Rosario and Daniel Levin - Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence

3 years
Felicia Rosario and Daniel Levin - Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence
1 h 8m

Antonio Perez - Alex Jones, the New World Order, and Conspiracy Theory Addiction

3 years
Antonio Perez - Alex Jones, the New World Order, and Conspiracy Theory Addiction
1 h 2m

Chris Kavanagh & Matthew Browne - Decoding the Gurus

3 years
Chris Kavanagh & Matthew Browne - Decoding the Gurus
1 h 11m

Lauren Drain, Part 2: Life After Westboro

3 years
Lauren Drain, Part 2: Life After Westboro
1 h 3m

Lauren Drain, Part 1: Joining The Westboro Baptist Church

3 years
Lauren Drain, Part 1: Joining The Westboro Baptist Church
52m

Jay Van Bavel - Groupthink, Social Identity, and Cult Psychology

3 years
Jay Van Bavel - Groupthink, Social Identity, and Cult Psychology
1 h 7m

Conspiracy Month: Morbid - Elisa Lam, False Accusations, & the Dangers of Web Sleuthing

3 years
Conspiracy Month: Morbid - Elisa Lam, False Accusations, & the Dangers of Web Sleuthing
1 h 5m

Conspiracy Month: Aja Romano & The Satanic Panic

3 years
Conspiracy Month: Aja Romano & The Satanic Panic
1 h 16m

Conspiracy Month: Mikey Biddlestone - What Makes Conspiracy Theorists Double Down

3 years
Conspiracy Month: Mikey Biddlestone - What Makes Conspiracy Theorists Double Down
1 h 3m

Conspiracy Month: Lisa Fazio - Why Fake News Feels Real

3 years
Conspiracy Month: Lisa Fazio - Why Fake News Feels Real
54m