We meet with Geoffrey Wallis, author of 'A Voice From the Inside: Notes on Religious Trauma in a Captive Organization.' He shares his experience of leaving the Jehovah's Witness church, which he identifies as a captive organization, and the psychological and emotional trauma that ensued once he began to seriously question his beliefs and deconstruct from his religion.
Read moreEp: 237 - Escaping the House of Yahweh - The Psychology of Cults
Professor Michael Drane meets with Debryah Hawkins, a survivor of the House of Yahweh Cult. What started out as an innocent adventure and a 3-day feast quickly spiraled into a 10-year trap. They discuss how she was recruited, the lengths required for loyalty and submission, and how she Got The Hell Out!
Read moreEp: 236 - The Psychology of Cobra Kai Season 3 (Part 2) - (Preview)
In this week's episode, Professor Michael Drane meets with Brihana Davidson of the 'Cobra Kai Kompanion' podcast and Andrew Baker, Admin for UPC and fellow Psych Grad Student, to discuss Cobra Kai, Season 3
Read moreEp: 223 - The Day After Doomsday: The Psychology of the Strong City Cult (Preview)
Michael Drane explores the Strong City Cult and what happens the day after doomsday. How do they live with the cognitive dissonance? What do they say to their leader once the prophecy fails?
Read moreEp: 217 - Cult Vibrations & The Legacy of Teal Swan (RELOADED) - The Psychology of The Teal Swan Cult
In This Episode: Teal Swan stands in the center of controversy. This is the story of a female Cult Leader/Spiritual Teacher who recruits members via YouTube & Facebook. Is she responsible for leading her followers to suicide?
Read moreEp: 203 - Cults vs Military (Preview) - The Psychology of Cults vs Military
In this episode we talk about the difference and similarities between cults and military. Both groups are known to break down their members to psychologically rebuild them.
Read moreEp: 177 - The Psychology of Tiger King - The Psychology of Cults and Tigers
We sit down to talk about the Netflix television show “The Tiger King”. We each share our psychological analysis of Joe Exotic, Carol Baskin, and Doc Antle. We compare each of their zoo cultures to cult criteria. Are they zookeepers or cult leaders? Are they narcissists ? .
Read moreEp: 175 - (The John Frum Cult) Cults Vs. Religions - The Psychology of Cults
What are the fabled “Cargo Cults” of the pacific? Indigenous tribes that were overwhelmed by technology. So much that they began to worship the American Servicemen as gods. We explore religions vs. cults. What makes a cult?
Read moreEp: 158 - Manson Vs. Jones - The Psychology of Cult Leaders and Serial Killers (Preview)
We delve into what's the difference between a "Serial Killer" and a "Cult Leader". What is the psychological profiles of Jim Jones, and Charles Manson? We also discuss the differences between spree murder, and mass murder, using two of the most notorious villains in history.
Read moreEp: 146 - Scale of Evil (Part 7) Cornered Killers - The Psychology of Murder
In May of 1977 a sadistic Mormon cult leader Ervil Lebaron orders his cult to walk into a clinic and gun down a rival cult leader. This is where our episode on the level 12 scale of evil begins- With a warning about what it means to follow your own killer down a path of weaponized religiosity. Michael drane, true crime, forensics, killer, dr. Michael Stone, gradation of evil, scale of evil,
Read moreEp: 123 - Cult Psychology: Order Of The Solar Temple
In this episode Michael Drane discusses the Order of the Solar Temple cult. Solar Temple gained worldwide notoriety when the burnt bodies of 74 of its members were found in Switzerland, Canada and then France. 23 bodies were discovered in a burnt-out farm in canton Fribourg. Another 25 bodies were found in canton Valais.
Read moreEp: 106 - Cult Vibrations - The Psychology of Teal Swan and Cults
Teal Swan stands in the center of controversy. This is the story of a female Cult Leader/Spiritual Teacher who recruits members via YouTube & Facebook. Is she responsible for leading her followers to suicide?
Read moreEp: 90 - The Handmaid's Tale VS The FLDS Cult
A theocratic totalitarian government and a cult. What are the differences in the dystopia of the Handmaid’s Tale Vs. the oppression of the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saint Cult. What are the psychological similarities between them, and how is Warren Jeffs still holding power over his followers?
Read moreEp: 61 - Why We Fall for Stuff - The Psychology of Being Gullible
Psychotherapist and professor Michael Drane is interviewed by The Reasonable Risk Podcast about why people join Cults and Multi-level Marketing Schemes and how YOU can protect yourself.
Read moreEp: 48 - Top 10 Most Toxic Cults (Preview)
This episode is 2 and a half hours long and covers cult-logic, and the specific stories and qualifying factors of ten unique cults..1. Heaven's Gate Cult 2. Scientology 3. KKK 4. Aum Shinrikyo 5. ISIS 6. Branch Davidians Cult 7. Restoration of the Ten Commandments Cult 8. Vampire Clan 9. Superior Universal Alignment 10. Jehovah's Witness Cult.
Read moreEp: 45 - The Children of Thunder Cult- The Psychology of Shared Psychotic Disorder
Glenn Taylor Helzer and his small, but powerful cult known as the Children of Thunder. He was bred to be a prophet by, his faithfully Mormon family. They groomed Taylor to be the spiritual leader. This episode is a reminder that it's not the size of the cult that matters, but the purpose. A cult doesn't have to be big, to be deadly.
Read moreEp: 25 - Cult Leaders Vs. Serial Killers - Psychology of Cult Leaders, Serial Killers, & Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
We are here to answer these questions. 1: What are the differences between the infamous cult leader Jim Jones vs. Serial Killers? And our favorite serial killer? 2: Do you believe in self-diagnosis? Should we be able to diagnose ourselves or should it be done by a professional?
Read moreEp: 10 - Jim Jones And The Jonestown Massacre- The Psychology of Cults and Mass Suicide
“The Peoples Temple” cult leader Jim Jones moved his flock to South America and named the compound Jonestown. After percieved intervention from the American government a string of murder’s takes place. Jim Jones then leads ( or in some cases forces) more than 900 people to commit mass suicide by drinking poison.
Read more