Best Gerette Buglion Podcasts (2025)

1
Cult Bride & Providence/JMS with Liz Cameron 1:27:11

2d ago1:27:11

1:27:11

In 2011, an 18-year-old Liz Cameron joined a Bible study group she only knew as ‘Sarang Church’. Over the coming months, she lost more and more of her life and identity to the group that eventually revealed it was part of a larger South Korean organisation called Providence or JMS – which she was told not to google. Liz managed to find her way out …

1
Interview Episode: Victorian Inquiry into Cults with Ryan & Catherine Carey 55:57

16d ago55:57

55:57

The Parliament of Victoria has launched an Inquiry into the recruitment methods and impacts of cults and organised fringe groups, which is open for submissions until 31 July 2025. If you or anyone you know has been involved with a cult that has a presence in Victoria, Australia, you're highly encouraged to make a submission. There’s also an anonymo…

1
Falun Gong 1:11:51

1M ago1:11:51

1:11:51

Falun Gong is familiar to many as a spiritual exercise movement, and a sect that has been persecuted by the People’s Republic of China. In Sydney you'll often see practitioners demonstrating by Town Hall with flyers sharing stories of organ harvesting of wrongfully imprisoned members. But former devotees have come forward with stories of coercion a…

1
Children in Scientology with Mirriam Francis 1:11:03

2M ago1:11:03

1:11:03

In the wake of updates to Child Safety Standards emerging from Australia’s Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Mirriam Francis wrote to Victoria’s Commission for Children and Young People outlining the ways in which she sees Scientology teachings and practices to be violating these standards. While concepts of relig…

1
SGAs with Maria Esguerra 1:21:02

2M ago1:21:02

1:21:02

Maria Esguerra escaped the Children of God at the age of 22 with her two children who have disabilities. Maria’s firsthand experience drives her passion to support fellow survivors of cults and institutions, advocating for specialised understanding, interventions and access to governmental schemes such as Redress. Maria has actively engaged in medi…

1
Interview Episode: An Everyday Cult with Gerette Buglion 57:22

2M ago57:22

57:22

Gerette Buglion holds a B.A. in Elementary Education and Special Education, and earned her ‘Master's Degree’ in cult awareness education from the school of life. She emerged from her 18-year cult odyssey in 2014 at age 52, and asked herself, "How did I, an educated, caring mother, wife, and business owner become that lost and for that long?" Gerett…

1
Interview Episode: The Community of Jesus 50:00

3M ago50:00

50:00

Ewan Whyte's feature essay, ‘The Cult That Raised Me’ – about the United States based Community of Jesus and Grenville Christian College – includes the introduction, “When I was 11, my parents sent me to Grenville Christian College, a prestigious Anglican boarding school in Brockville. It turned out to be a perverse fundamentalist cult that brainwa…

1
S3: The Price for Freedom - Cerese’s Pilgrimage 55:39

3M ago55:39

55:39

Please note this episode has been edited to keep some names and identifiers confidential. Having grown up in a religious cult, Cerese shares the confusion, doubts, and even self hate - especially as an adolescent - feeling betrayed by her maturing body. The prescribed norms of the church dictated her reality, severing the healthy bonds with her fat…

1
ISKCON / Hare Krishnas – Part 2 46:51

4M ago46:51

46:51

When asked about the Hare Krishnas, most people will conjure images of dancing, chanting people with colourful robes and joyful dispositions. Members of the general public, whom Hare Krishnas refer to as 'karmis', may have encountered devotees through their vegetarian food offerings at music festivals or city restaurants. Their anti-LGBTQI+ and pat…

1
S3: Finally Free: Lori Unravels Her Binds to a Controlling Virtual "School" 42:24

4M ago42:24

42:24

Lori shares her story of how she became deeply involved in an online school that blurred the line between education and coercion. She opens up about the power of community, the subtle ways control takes hold, and the moment she realized she had to break free. In this candid conversation, Lori reflects on the challenges of leaving, rebuilding her li…

1
ISKCON / Hare Krishnas – Part 1 37:02

4M ago37:02

37:02

When asked about the Hare Krishnas, most people will conjure images of dancing, chanting people with colourful robes and joyful dispositions. Members of the general public, whom Hare Krishnas refer to as 'karmis', may have encountered devotees through their vegetarian food offerings at music festivals or city restaurants. Their anti-LGBTQI+ and pat…

1
Interview Episode: Two by Twos Update 1:28:27

4M ago1:28:27

1:28:27

Let’s Talk About Sects did a deep dive episode about the Two by Twos, also known as The Truth, in October 2020. In the years since we recorded, huge numbers of followers in the USA in particular have left as more and more allegations of child sexual abuse have been made against workers, and the FBI is currently investigating the organisation. It wa…

1
S3: Breaking Free: Mariama’s Journey of Healing and Self Discovery 53:45

5M ago53:45

53:45

In this powerful episode, Mariama shares her deeply personal journey of growing up in a high-control religious group. She reflects on her upbringing, the constraints on personal expression, and the challenges of finding her identity while under constant scrutiny. Mariama opens up about the pivotal moments that led her to question the group's teachi…

1
Interview Episode: Geelong Revival Centre with Richard Baker 44:08

5M ago44:08

44:08

Richard Baker's Pray Harder podcast for LiSTNR's Secrets We Keep series delves into the world of the Geelong Revival Centre, which Richard describes as “one of Australia’s most extreme” Pentecostal churches. The GRC has the same roots as the Revival Fellowship, and its pastor was a man named Noel Hollins who died in April 2024 after 65 years in lea…

1
The Jesus Christians – Part 2 52:47

5M ago52:47

52:47

In Melbourne you might have picked up a book or a comic from a Jesus Christian outside Flinders Street Station, or you could have seen their religious graffiti messages along Sydney’s railway lines. But while they portray themselves as an altruistic Christian community living life by faith and rejecting the money motivation of work, former members …

1
The Jesus Christians – Part 1 46:53

6M ago46:53

46:53

The media coverage of the Jesus Christians tends to outweigh their size. Most people who have heard of them recognise the name ‘The Kidney Cult’, derived from an initiative where numerous members have donated one of their kidneys to a stranger. What may be surprising is that the person who first suggested that name was the Jesus Christians’ founder…

1
Bonus Episode: A New Media Narrative at Decult 1:01:05

6M ago1:01:05

1:01:05

Sarah moderated a panel discussion at the recent Decult conference in Christchurch, New Zealand, entitled 'A new media narrative: Survivor-focussed cult reporting'. The panel featured MISA survivor Bec Sonkkila, documentary filmmaker Natalie Malcon, RNZ investigative reporter Anusha Bradley, and media law Professor Ursula Cheer. This bonus episode …

1
The Revival Fellowship 1:07:36

7M ago1:07:36

1:07:36

The Revival Fellowship is a Pentecostal Australian sect that believes in Bible Numerics, a thoroughly debunked theory about numerical patterns found within the Bible. It also teaches British Israelism, generally considered to be unscientific and ahistorical and by some as a justification for racism. The Fellowship would say its teachings are in lin…

1
Running River: the Divine Madness School 1:05:04

8M ago1:05:04

1:05:04

AJ was sent to the Running River school in around 2007, to attend kindergarten when she was five or six years old. The school was headed up by longtime Divine Madness community member Nancy Monson, and founder Marc ‘Yo’ Tizer didn’t have a whole lot to do with it. AJ stayed in the school up until sixth grade, when a new teacher became concerned and…

1
S3: Finding Home: Elad's Journey Into and Out of Hasidic Judaism 46:35

8M ago46:35

46:35

Elad shares how he grew up a secular Jew with Israeli parents and went on a spiritual journey, seeking meaning and community. This led him to a Hasidic community where he found “beauty, truth and beautifully true people.” Over time, though, he realized that ongoing acceptance within this religious family required a “total sublimation of my selfhood…

1
ICAM & The Freedom Train Project 52:12

9M ago52:12

52:12

Dr Tabitha Chapman is the founder of The Freedom Train Project, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides crucial services for individuals exiting cults or coercive environments. One initiative of the project is International Cult Awareness Month (ICAM) which just concluded its third annual instalment in August 2024 with a focus on policy and cults. In …

1
Cults & Healthcare Neglect 1:00:37

10M ago1:00:37

1:00:37

Dr Caroline Ansley is the founder of Centrepoint Restoration Project, a website that serves as a connection point, archive of information and safe landing space for former children of New Zealand’s notorious Centrepoint cult – with which Caroline has personal experience. She is also a General Practitioner, with over 20 years' clinical experience in…

1
S3: Rebecca’s Story: The Profound Impact of Religious Cults on Personal Identities 34:13

10M ago34:13

34:13

Rebecca’s story transcends individual experience to illuminate universal themes of resilience, identity, and healing. It underscores the power of community, self-discovery, and the ongoing process of healing from psychological and emotional wounds inflicted by cults and similar restrictive groups while celebrating the courage and strength required …

1
Universal Predator with Esther Rockett 58:36

11M ago58:36

58:36

You may recall the name ‘Esther Rockett’ from episode 2, season 3 of this podcast, which was all about Universal Medicine – Serge Benhayon’s esoteric healing cult in the Northern Rivers region of NSW. Esther has been blogging about the more alarming elements of Serge’s ‘modalities’ since 2012, and he sued her for defamation in 2015. The case went t…

1
S3: Ciara’s Story: Is it a Sin to Talk About It? 1:00:04

11M ago1:00:04

1:00:04

Grappling with existential questions about the origins of her thoughts, the influence of external forces on her autonomy, and her experiences within a religious cult, Ciara reflects on themes of control, deception, and the struggle for personal identity and freedom within a structured belief system. Listen to find out how Ciara finds bursts of insp…

1
Cult Information and Family Support with Tore Klevjer 46:33

12M ago46:33

46:33

Tore Klevjer has been involved with the volunteer charity organisation Cult Information and Family Support (CIFS) since its very formation almost three decades ago, in 1996. Avid listeners of this podcast will know that the end of every episode mentions CIFS. We’re lucky in Australia to have this incredibly dedicated group of volunteers who support…

1
Escaping Twin Flames with Cecilia Peck & Inbal B. Lessner 58:31

1y ago58:31

58:31

Cecilia Peck and Inbal B. Lessner are the director/producer/editor team behind the award-winning Escaping Twin Flames, a three-part documentary series for Netflix about Twin Flames Universe – a cult you may remember from season 5. This powerhouse duo has turned their talents to investigating high-control groups over their last couple of projects, w…

1
Interview Episode: LGATs with John Hunter PhD 1:34:28

1y ago1:34:28

1:34:28

For his 2017 PhD, John Hunter put forward a hypothesis that offers insights into both the “transformational” experiences associated with large group awareness training (LGAT) participation and the common claims of psychological harm and problematic behaviour associated with participation. Dr Hunter presented his work at the 2023 International Culti…

1
Message from Sarah 5:25

1y ago5:25

5:25

A little update from Sarah about what to expect with Let's Talk About Sects now that we're winding up the sixth season of the show. Don't worry, we're not going anywhere! But there are a few small changes to make sure that this project remains sustainable. Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/ltaspod https://www.ltaspod.com/supporters Hosted o…

1
The Retreat: a Divine Madness Update 1:34:25

1y ago1:34:25

1:34:25

In the last episode of season 5, we looked into a Boulder, Colorado community then known as Divine Madness and led by Marc Tizer, usually referred to as 'Yo'. Its members were recognised for some amazing results in ultramarathons. At the time of researching that episode, updates about the current status of the group were hard to come by. Deru Youma…

1
Interview Episode: The Troubled Teen Industry with Emma Lehman 35:45

1+ y ago35:45

35:45

Journalist Emma Lehman is the creator of the independent podcast Gooned, which dives into the Troubled Teen Industry or TTI – a network of for-profit congregate care facilities for youth ranging from wilderness programs to therapeutic boarding schools. In the podcast, Emma interviews survivors, parents, staff members, experts and activists. Across …

1
Avatar 49:44

1+ y ago49:44

49:44

Harry Palmer created Avatar after his presidency of the Church of Scientology's Elmira Mission ended in the mid-1980s, as a result of legal proceedings around trademark infringement. Avatar says that it aims to create an 'enlightened planetary consciousness' or EPC through its courses, which are expensive and numerous. Former students say they have…

1
Interview Episode: Thomas Parsons 1:15:57

1+ y ago1:15:57

1:15:57

Thomas Parsons joined the Twelve Tribes community in Hiddenite, North Carolina in April 2019, and left in November 2021. With Hiddenite being the unofficial headquarters of the organisation, he had direct contact with a number of senior leaders of the Tribes. Following last week’s live episode release, this conversation with Thomas provides an inte…

1
Woodford Folk Festival Live Show: The Twelve Tribes 1:15:22

1+ y ago1:15:22

1:15:22

This episode was recorded live at Woodford Folk Festival on 1 January 2024. Many people in the audience would have come across the Twelve Tribes previously at that very festival, as they used to build a big Common Ground cafe by the lake where tens of thousands of festival-goers ate and drank over the years. Numerous wonderful people have devoted t…

1
Interview Episode: The Hate Next Door with Matson & Tawni Browning 43:26

1+ y ago43:26

43:26

Matson Browning is a law enforcement officer who, along with his wife Tawni, spent years undercover infiltrating various hate groups to research and report on the rise of hate crimes and white supremacy in the United States. Together they wrote the book The Hate Next Door: Undercover Within the New Face of White Supremacy, which was published in Ju…

1
Interview Episode: Chabad and Zionism 1:24:43

1+ y ago1:24:43

1:24:43

Yaakov Aharon and Shula Kirovsky’s lives in Sydney’s famous beach suburb of Bondi were lived largely separate from mainstream society, within the Chassidic sect of Chabad. Their families’ lifestyles were a world away from the fashionable bikini and boardshorts-wearing demographics usually associated with the area. Though Yaakov disconnected himself…

1
Interview Episode: IndoctriNation with Rachel Bernstein 53:48

1+ y ago53:48

53:48

Rachel Bernstein is an LA-based therapist who has specialized in cult intervention and re-acclimation for over 30 years. She serves on the advisory board of the International Cultic Studies Association and has worked with the Department of Justice providing support to cult survivors. Over the years she has made many media appearances as a cult expe…

1
Xenos / Dwell – Part 2 1:03:59

1+ y ago1:03:59

1:03:59

Xenos was originally set up as a leaderless group that rejected the structures and trappings of mainstream churches. Springing forth from the Jesus Movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s, it focused on meeting in people’s homes and embracing members from the youth counter-cultures. So why does the church’s own website admit to a history that in…

1
Xenos / Dwell – Part 1 57:21

1+ y ago57:21

57:21

Xenos was originally set up as a leaderless group that rejected the structures and trappings of mainstream churches. Springing forth from the Jesus Movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s, it focused on meeting in people’s homes and embracing members from the youth counter-cultures. So why does the church’s own website admit to a history that in…

1
Theatre of All Possibilities / Odyssey Study Group 1:02:25

1+ y ago1:02:25

1:02:25

In many ways, this theatre troupe and Fourth Way school became the most secretive this podcast has looked into yet. Most members didn’t know each other’s jobs, marital status, or even surnames. They didn’t see each other outside of what they referred to as ‘the work’, they didn’t know the classes they were going to each week had anything to do with…

1
International Cult Awareness Month: Andrew Pledger and BJU 1:59:33

2y ago1:59:33

1:59:33

Andrew Pledger was raised in the Independent Fundamental Baptist movement, and after completing his homeschool education, attended Bob Jones University. He is the creator of the limited podcast Surviving Bob Jones University: A Christian Cult. His podcast explores the school’s history, the psychology of fundamentalism, the criteria for cults, and s…

1
International Cult Awareness Month: Sarah 47:33

2y ago47:33

47:33

Sarah is a cult survivor, domestic violence survivor, and a survivor of trafficking and modern slavery. She wouldn’t have been able to name these things as she was experiencing them, or even for some time in the aftermath. Like many cult survivors, Sarah can draw a line between the coercive behaviours that she experienced in the high-demand organis…

1
International Cult Awareness Month: Carol Merchasin 53:12

2y ago53:12

53:12

Carol Merchasin spent many years as an employment lawyer. She has also been a partner in the Philadelphia office of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius and director of Morgan Lewis Resources. She has conducted dozens of workplace investigations and taught investigative techniques to human resource professionals at many Fortune 50 companies. She has since joine…

1
International Cult Awareness Month: Lisa Kendall 46:39

2y ago46:39

46:39

Lisa Kendall spent the ages of 9-19 in The Move of God, Sam Fife's apocalyptic cult. Today, she devotes her time to working on policy changes that will help former cult members and children in high-demand organisations. For International Cult Awareness Month 2023, she updates us about her work with Counter Cult Coalition and the work of others in t…

1
Interview Episode: When the World Didn't End with Guinevere Turner 59:37

2y ago59:37

59:37

Guinevere Turner grew up in The Lyman Family, a group she now understands was a cult, but at the time was the only family she knew. Guinevere has recently released her memoir When the World Didn't End. In it, she recounts her childhood experiences, including the abusive family situation she found herself in when she was pulled out of the cult. She …

1
Interview Episode: Rosanna Overcomer 51:26

2y ago51:26

51:26

Gloriavale Christian Community has been in the news recently in New Zealand for court cases around labour and servitude, and there are further cases happening as well. To understand more about the history of the organisation, you can listen to our 2-part episode about the group. Rosanna Overcomer recently celebrated 10 years out of Gloriavale, at t…

1
Divine Madness 1:03:35

2y ago1:03:35

1:03:35

Divine Madness Running Club boasted some spectacular results in ultramarathons and became known for their excellent support teams and low-impact style of running. But the Boulder, Colorado based group was also notorious for their strange ways, whereby members were expected to follow the directions of their teacher in all aspects of their lives. UPD…

1
The Ishayas' Ascension / The Bright Path 1:16:42

2y ago1:16:42

1:16:42

Carolyn Millemon learned about a form of meditation called ‘Ascending’ at a weekend workshop in Western Australia when she was 21. A couple of years later, in North Carolina, she decided to dedicate her life to the teachings. A decade later, some of the behaviours of her own teachers weren’t sitting so well with her. Full research sources listed he…

1
Interview Episode: Matthew Klein 1:18:31

2y ago1:18:31

1:18:31

Matthew Klein’s story is featured on the podcast Inside the Tribe, and Matt sat down with LTAS for a chat about what he learned from his time in the Twelve Tribes, and what he thinks society could be doing about organisations like this. Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some…

1
Brisbane Christian Fellowship 1:15:26

2+ y ago1:15:26

1:15:26

Brisbane Christian Fellowship sounds like a fairly innocuous name for a church. But the BCF and its network of organisations across Australia have been the subject of a Four Corners investigation and a detailed book, speaking with former members who have numerous stories of families being torn apart as a result of their involvement. Author Morag Zw…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Gerette Buglion Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide