IndoctriNation

Rachel speaks with Dana Bristol Smith, founder and CEO of Leap to Success, about rebuilding confidence, identity, self-worth, and agency after abusive or high-control experiences. Dana explains how her work teaching public speaking led her to develop programs that help women strengthen their voices, set boundaries, challenge an inner critic, and recognize their own capabilities. They discuss the Leap to Confidence program, affirmations, self-blame, the importance of community support, and learning to distinguish what is and is not within your control. Dana also shares the “don’t pick up the rope” strategy for stepping out of emotionally charged exchanges, why leaving abusive relationships can take multiple attempts, and how recognizing the courage and resilience already demonstrated through survival can become a foundation for what comes next.Leap to Success:https://leap2success.orgNational Domestic Violence Hotline:800-799-SAFE (7233) Text “START” to 88788Connect with us on social media: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/indoctrination⁠⁠Support IndoctriNation on Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes and more: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination⁠Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link:https://www.paypal.biz/indoctriNATIONWatch full video episodes of IndoctriNation here:⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAi0T2hzH9dM029dkTfj635PzuXl67jS⁠⁠Restart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation: https://a.co/d/1ssz4RmRestart and Restore: Companion Notebook:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSCLTZN4Download a Free Chapter from Restart and Restore:https://education.rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restart-and-restore-campaignJournal App: https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restore-journal-app.htmlDownload Rachel’s Video Lectures and Webinars here:https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/videos.htmlIndoctriNation is edited by The Podcast Consultant:⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com/aboutAdvertising Inquiries:

In this episode, Rachel welcomes back researcher and author Yuval Laor to examine his hypothesis about temporal lobe epilepsy, awe, and the behavior of some cult leaders. Yuval explains how hyperactive temporal lobes may contribute to intense emotionality, certainty, religious experiences, paranoia, hypergraphia, and a sense of personal destiny. Rachel and Yuval discuss how these traits can combine with narcissism, psychopathy, or pathological lying, why a leader’s emotional intensity can feel authentic and persuasive, and how understanding these neurological patterns may help former followers make sense of their experiences.Links:⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/indoctrination⁠⁠Support IndoctriNation on Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes and more: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination⁠Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link:https://www.paypal.biz/indoctriNATIONWatch full video episodes of IndoctriNation here:⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAi0T2hzH9dM029dkTfj635PzuXl67jS⁠⁠Restart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation: https://a.co/d/1ssz4RmRestart and Restore: Companion Notebook:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSCLTZN4Download a Free Chapter from Restart and Restore:https://education.rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restart-and-restore-campaignJournal App: https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restore-journal-app.htmlDownload Rachel’s Video Lectures and Webinars here:https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/videos.htmlIndoctriNation is edited by The Podcast Consultant:⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com/aboutAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

In this insightful bonus episode, Rachel dives into the generational dynamics within cultic groups, exploring the distinctions between first-generation (first gen) members and their children, second-generation (second gen) members. She discusses the unique challenges and resentments that arise when individuals who were born into cults confront their parents, who chose to join these groups. Rachel highlights the emotional complexities both generations face, including blame, responsibility, and the struggle to understand one another.As Rachel navigates these sensitive topics, she provides valuable insights on how to foster communication and healing between parents and children affected by cultic environments. She emphasizes the importance of listening, empathy, and taking responsibility, while also acknowledging the pain and anger that can exist within these relationships. Through her compassionate approach, Rachel encourages both generations to engage in open dialogue, allowing for a path toward understanding and reconciliation.Connect with us on social media:⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/indoctrination⁠⁠Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link:https://www.paypal.biz/indoctriNATIONWatch full video episodes of IndoctriNation here:⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAi0T2hzH9dM029dkTfj635PzuXl67jS⁠⁠IndoctriNation is edited by The Podcast Consultant:⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com/aboutAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

In this episode, Rachel Bernstein welcomes back Andrew Jasko, a religious trauma and cult specialist, for a thought-provoking discussion on the potential pitfalls of the Law of Attraction, also known as manifestation. Andrew delves into the historical roots of this philosophy, tracing its connections to the New Thought Church movement, and examines how its teachings can lead to psychological harm and victim-blaming.As they explore the nuances of spirituality and personal responsibility, Rachel and Andrew address the dangers of magical thinking and the misconceptions surrounding the idea that one's thoughts alone can shape reality. They discuss the implications of this belief on mental health, including the pressure it creates for individuals to take sole responsibility for their circumstances, often leading to denial and shame when things go wrong.Through this engaging conversation, listeners will gain insight into the complexities of manifestation, the importance of critical thinking, and the necessity of acknowledging all emotions—both positive and negative. Andrew emphasizes the value of integrating various aspects of our experience to foster genuine healing and empowerment, rather than succumbing to the oversimplifications of the Law of Attraction.Andrew’s Links:Website: https://lifeafterdogma.org/Connect with us on social media: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/indoctrination⁠⁠Support IndoctriNation on Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes and more: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination⁠Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link:https://www.paypal.biz/indoctriNATIONWatch full video episodes of IndoctriNation here:⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAi0T2hzH9dM029dkTfj635PzuXl67jS⁠⁠Restart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation: https://a.co/d/1ssz4RmRestart and Restore: Companion Notebook:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSCLTZN4Download a Free Chapter from Restart and Restore:https://education.rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restart-and-restore-campaignJournal App: https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restore-journal-app.htmlDownload Rachel’s Video Lectures and Webinars here:https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/videos.htmlIndoctriNation is edited by The Podcast Consultant:⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com/aboutAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

This is just a preview of our Patreon-exclusive Bonus Episode. You can hear the full episode by becoming a member at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination In this Patreon bonus episode, Rachel Bernstein discusses how difficult it can be to be the lone dissenting voice when others admire a narcissistic partner or cult leader. She describes serving on a jury involving an unhoused African American man accused of a store break-in based on grainy security footage, where other jurors argued the evidence was “close enough” and pushed for a quick unanimous verdict to avoid discomfort. When Rachel insisted there wasn’t enough evidence, they faced shunning and personal attacks, which strengthened their resolve. The experience is used to illustrate scapegoating, social pressure, and how crucial it is for friends and family to reassure isolated people in controlling or cultic situations that they’re not alone and safe to change their minds. Connect with us on social media: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/indoctrination⁠⁠Support IndoctriNation on Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes and more: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination⁠Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link:https://www.paypal.biz/indoctriNATIONWatch full video episodes of IndoctriNation here:⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAi0T2hzH9dM029dkTfj635PzuXl67jS⁠⁠Restart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation: https://a.co/d/1ssz4RmRestart and Restore: Companion Notebook:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSCLTZN4Download a Free Chapter from Restart and Restore:https://education.rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restart-and-restore-campaignJournal App: https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restore-journal-app.htmlDownload Rachel’s Video Lectures and Webinars here:https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/videos.htmlIndoctriNation is edited by The Podcast Consultant:⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com/aboutAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

In this episode of IndoctriNation, Rachel Bernstein, LMFT, MSEd, welcomes back Andrew Jasko, psychotherapist and comparative religion scholar, for a deep and honest conversation about growing up inside evangelical and Pentecostal Christianity — and the long road to recovery from religious trauma.Andrew grew up as a minister's son, immersed in a world of intense devotion, purity culture, missionary ambitions, and fear of eternal punishment. What he didn't yet have language for were the lasting psychological effects: shame, anxiety, religious OCD, sexual repression, thought policing, and hell trauma. Through therapy, he came to understand these not as personal failings, but as predictable outcomes of a high-control, fear-based system — one that functions much like narcissistic abuse.Rachel and Andrew also explore the broader cultural forces that sustain spiritual abuse, including biblical mistranslations, harmful theological ideologies, and evangelism as a guilt-driven form of religious imperialism. Their conversation closes on the themes at the heart of cult recovery: reclaiming agency, rebuilding self-trust, learning to set boundaries, and finding wholeness within lived experience.Andrew’s LinksWebsite: https://lifeafterdogma.org/Connect with us on social media: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/indoctrination⁠⁠Support IndoctriNation on Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes and more: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination⁠Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link:https://www.paypal.biz/indoctriNATIONWatch full video episodes of IndoctriNation here:⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAi0T2hzH9dM029dkTfj635PzuXl67jS⁠⁠Restart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation: https://a.co/d/1ssz4RmRestart and Restore: Companion Notebook:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSCLTZN4Download a Free Chapter from Restart and Restore:https://education.rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restart-and-restore-campaignJournal App: https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restore-journal-app.htmlDownload Rachel’s Video Lectures and Webinars here:https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/videos.htmlIndoctriNation is edited by The Podcast Consultant:⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com/aboutAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Carol Merchasin returns, and this time, Rachel and Carol go deep on what it actually looks like when survivors of coercive control, spiritual abuse, and high-control groups consider taking legal action.Carol shares how her career shifted from corporate employment investigations to building a litigation practice focused on religious misconduct and cultic settings, and what landmark cases reveal about how the law interprets coercion, consent, and systems of control.What happens when a survivor wants justice, but the legal system wasn't built for them? Carol walks through the real barriers: statutes of limitations, evidence demands, credibility challenges, and the emotional toll of depositions and mediation, especially for those carrying religious trauma or the psychological weight of cult recovery.She also explains how the right litigation team can become part of the healing process, why journals and social media posts matter more than most people realize, and what truly trauma-informed support looks like when therapy and legal advocacy work together.Plus: Carol shares her role as ICSA board president and highlights the upcoming ICSA conference in San Diego on July 1 — a vital gathering for researchers, clinicians, and advocates working at the intersection of faith deconstruction, coercive control, and survivor justice.Carol’s LinksICSA Conference: https://internationalculticstudies.org/Connect with us on social media: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/indoctrination⁠⁠Support IndoctriNation on Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes and more: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination⁠Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link:https://www.paypal.biz/indoctriNATIONWatch full video episodes of IndoctriNation here:⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAi0T2hzH9dM029dkTfj635PzuXl67jS⁠⁠Restart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation: https://a.co/d/1ssz4RmRestart and Restore: Companion Notebook:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSCLTZN4Download a Free Chapter from Restart and Restore:https://education.rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restart-and-restore-campaignJournal App: https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restore-journal-app.htmlDownload Rachel’s Video Lectures and Webinars here:https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/videos.htmlIndoctriNation is edited by The Podcast Consultant:⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com/aboutAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

This is just a preview of our Patreon exclusive Bonus Episode. You can hear the full episode by becoming a member at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination In this Patreon bonus episode, host Rachel Bernstein, LMFT, examines how victim blaming functions across abusive relationships, sexual violence, cults, and high-control religious environments — and why it remains one of the most pervasive obstacles to survivor recovery.Rachel discusses why those who cause harm often present as calm and credible while survivors, navigating the effects of trauma, are met with skepticism. She explores the role of guilt in maintaining emotional captivity, and how coercive control can be obscured through isolation, financial manipulation, reality distortion, dependency, and the gradual erosion of identity. The conversation offers language, context, and validation for survivors working to understand their experiences, as well as insight for those supporting them.Connect with us on social media: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/indoctrination⁠⁠Support IndoctriNation on Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes and more: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination⁠Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link:https://www.paypal.biz/indoctriNATIONWatch full video episodes of IndoctriNation here:⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAi0T2hzH9dM029dkTfj635PzuXl67jS⁠⁠Restart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation: https://a.co/d/1ssz4RmRestart and Restore: Companion Notebook:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSCLTZN4Download a Free Chapter from Restart and Restore:https://education.rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restart-and-restore-campaignJournal App: https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/restore-journal-app.htmlDownload Rachel’s Video Lectures and Webinars here:https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/videos.htmlIndoctriNation is edited by The Podcast Consultant:⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com/aboutAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands