As a therapist, I spend much of my professional life immersed in topics like trauma, anxiety, OCD, and self‑esteem struggles. Those are my primary areas of focus in my therapy practice. But outside of session time, there are certain areas of psychology that light up my curiosity and deepen my own understanding of how people heal and reclaim their sense of self.
One of those areas is cult psychology and the study of coercive, high‑control groups.
Even though cult recovery is not one of my formal specialties, I find the psychological patterns that show up in cults incredibly relevant to broader conversations about human behavior, resilience, and healing. Many of the dynamics that make cults so damaging, such as: loss of autonomy, manipulation of fears, and the erosion of self‑trust, also appear in abusive relationships, toxic workplaces, or family systems that stifle individuality.
Over the years, I’ve found myself gravitating toward podcasts that unpack these dynamics with depth, compassion, and clarity. Today, I want to share some of my favorite shows in this area. If you’ve ever been curious about cult psychology, or simply want to understand more about how people break free from controlling environments, these podcasts are excellent starting points.
Note: I’m sharing these as educational resources I personally enjoy. My own therapy practice does not currently specialize in cult recovery, but I believe learning about these topics can expand anyone’s understanding of autonomy, influence and power, healthy versus unhealthy relationship dynamics, healing, and human resilience.
1. Seek Safely
This podcast grew out of the heartbreaking story of Kirby Brown, a vibrant woman who died in a self‑help retreat gone terribly wrong. Her family created the Seek Safely Foundation to advocate for safe, ethical practices in self‑improvement spaces.
The Seek Safely podcast offers thoughtful conversations about the “self‑help” industry, how certain leaders can cross ethical lines, and what consumers can do to protect themselves. What I love most is how balanced it is: it’s not anti‑self‑help, but rather pro‑accountability.
As a therapist, I find it refreshing to hear nuanced discussions about empowerment without manipulation. Listening to this podcast reminds me how important it is to stay anchored in critical thinking and to seek healing spaces that truly honor your autonomy.
2. A Little Bit Culty
Hosted by Sarah Edmondson and Anthony “Nippy” Ames (two former members of the infamous NXIVM organization) A Little Bit Culty brings a mix of personal experience, expert interviews, and dark humor to the topic of cults and high‑control groups.
Sarah and Nippy’s story is both sobering and inspiring. They escaped NXIVM and now use their platform to shed light on coercive control tactics and recovery journeys. Each episode dives into different organizations, survivor stories, and the subtle ways manipulation can look like empowerment at first glance.
What resonates with me is how their conversations often circle back to rebuilding trust in yourself after leaving a controlling environment. That rebuilding process (whether you’ve left a cult, a toxic relationship, or a job that drained your sense of worth) is profoundly therapeutic work.
3. The Dream
The Dream is a narrative podcast that digs into industries and movements that often promise transformation but operate with questionable practices. Season one unpacks the multi‑level marketing (MLM) industry, and season two dives into the wellness industry’s gray areas.
While not strictly about cults, The Dream brilliantly highlights the psychology of persuasion: how charismatic leaders sell hope, how groupthink operates, and how we’re all vulnerable to wanting belonging and quick solutions.
Listening to this podcast often makes me think of people who’ve shared experiences of being swept up in systems (whether family dynamics or corporate cultures) that once felt like they offered meaning, only to find out the cost was self‑neglect.
4. The Influence Continuum with Dr. Steven Hassan
Dr. Steven Hassan is a leading expert in cult psychology and author of Combating Cult Mind Control. On The Influence Continuum, he interviews survivors, experts, and advocates about how undue influence works, and how people can recover their freedom of mind.
What sets this podcast apart is the depth of Dr. Hassan’s framework. He doesn’t just talk about cults in the classic sense (like religious sects). He also explores political cults, therapy cults, and high‑control relationships. His model of healthy vs. unhealthy influence is incredibly useful when thinking about any dynamic where power and control are at play.
As a therapist, I appreciate how he combines research, real‑world examples, and compassion for survivors. It reinforces something I deeply believe in my own work: healing begins when we start to name and understand the forces that shaped us.
5. Cults to Consciousness
Hosted by Shelise Ann Sola, Cults to Consciousness focuses on stories of people leaving high‑control groups and rebuilding their lives. Each episode offers a blend of personal storytelling and thoughtful analysis of how controlling systems function.
What I appreciate most is how the show doesn’t stop at the escape; it’s about what comes after. How do you rebuild identity? How do you learn to trust your own mind again? How do you find community that’s truly supportive rather than controlling?
These are questions that echo far beyond cult recovery. Many of my clients, even those never involved in a formal cult, grapple with similar questions when leaving relationships or patterns that diminished their sense of self.
Why I Love Sharing These Resources
Writing about cult psychology might (or might not?) seem like an unexpected topic for a therapist who primarily treats trauma, anxiety, OCD, and self‑esteem challenges. But I believe therapy (and healing in general) is about understanding the forces that shape us, both externally and internally.
When I listen to these podcasts, I hear stories of human resilience. I hear about people learning to discern truth from illusion, learning to trust their own voice after years of suppression, and learning that they deserve lives defined by freedom and authenticity.
These are the same themes I witness every day in therapy, even if the context is different. Healing is not linear. It often involves untangling from beliefs, systems, or relationships that once felt like the answer but ultimately caused harm.
A Gentle Invitation
If you’re curious, I encourage you to explore these podcasts. Let them spark your own reflections about autonomy, influence, and the kind of communities you want to build around yourself. And if you notice parallels in your own life (relationships that feel one‑sided, environments that don’t honor your individuality) know that you’re not alone, and support is available.
I don’t yet offer specialized cult‑recovery therapy, but I do offer depth‑oriented therapy for people who want to better understand their patterns, heal from past wounds, and create lives rooted in their own values and truths.
If you’d like to learn more about my therapy practice or explore working together, feel free to reach out here. In the meantime, I hope these podcasts offer insight, validation, and maybe even a spark of empowerment.
Have a favorite podcast or resource in this area?
I’d love to hear what resonates with you. Feel free to send me a note, I’m always up for thoughtful conversations about the many ways we learn, grow, and reclaim our freedom of mind.
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Meet Rebecca Steele: Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist
Rebecca Steele is a Waterloo therapist offering trauma therapy, anxiety therapy, and virtual counselling across Kitchener-Waterloo and Ontario. With over a decade of experience, she provides individualized, one-on-one support.
Her work helps individuals navigate a wide range of challenges, including trauma, grief, major life transitions, relationship stress, low self-esteem, boundary issues, and depression. She also specializes in treating anxiety-related concerns such as generalized anxiety, panic attacks, social anxiety, insecure or anxious attachment styles in relationships, health anxiety, separation anxiety, performance anxiety, perfectionism-related anxiety, and postpartum anxiety. In addition, she supports individuals with Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) experiences and with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), particularly "Pure O" OCD, Relationship OCD, and Religious OCD/Scrupulosity. Rebecca aims to create a safe, insight-driven space where clients can explore the deeper roots of their struggles, engage in meaningful self-understanding and self-compassion, and develop strategies for lasting change.
If you’re ready to begin depth-oriented, transformative therapy, you can learn more about Rebecca’s online counselling services offered in Kitchener-Waterloo and across Ontario here.
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