A Little Bit Culty

• Teenage Exorcisms & Mega-Church Millions: Rachael Reign’s UCKG Story

  This episode is sponsored in part by Betterhelp. This week our guest is Rachael Reign, a survivor of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG). At just 13, Rachael was swept into UCKG’s world of fire and brimstone – where teenage exorcisms were a weekly ritual, your mental health struggles meant demons were lurking inside you, and giving your last cent to the church wasn’t just encouraged – it was demanded. She shares how she went from being a bright, curious teenager to a youth group leader tasked with recruiting others, cleaning the church floorboards with her tears, and enduring violent “strong prayers” that left her bruised, broken, and questioning her sanity. Behind the gospel music and shiny sermons was a cult built on fear, shame, and draining its members dry in the name of salvation. Rachael doesn’t hold back as she unpacks the manipulative recruitment tactics, the psychological torment disguised as faith, and the way UCKG weaponized scripture to justify abuse and financial exploitation. She also takes us through her escape – losing everything she knew, only to rebuild from the ashes into an advocate fighting for cult survivors and legal reform in the UK. Because when your church tells you to give God everything, what they really mean is: give it to us – your money, your body, your mind, your freedom. For more from Rachael, follow her on Instagram @rachaelreign. Also… let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. **PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah’s TEDTalk CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Amphibian.Media Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Associate producers: Amanda Zaremba and Matt Stroud of Amphibian.Media   Audio production: Red Caiman Studios Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin  

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• Memoir of Madness in a Cult of One - Sarma Melngailis Spills All the Tea on Healing (Part 2)

  Raw vegan queen. Netflix’s “Bad Vegan.” Culty comeback queen. Whatever label you stick on Sarma Melngailis, it’s clear she’s not done telling her side of the story – and we’re here for it. In Part 2 of our chat, Sarma gets even realer about life after Mr. Fox. From the mind games that taught her to dissociate, to her self-diagnosed matrix moments, she opens up about rebuilding her identity in a world that still sees her as a headline villain. She talks dating post-trauma, the healing power of alone time (cue: tears, journals, and EFT tapping), and why her business decisions now come with a hefty dose of pause and reflect. Plus, Sarma shares why she walked away from partnerships that didn’t vibe, her hot takes on the “non-reactivity” cult trend, and what Bad Vegan got oh-so-wrong about her. Spoiler: it’s a lot. For more on Sarma, you can find her on Instagram @sarmamelngailis, on her website sarmaraw.com, or on Patreon at patreon.com/sarmasarma. Also, check out her book The Girl with the Duck Tattoo, available for pre-order now. Also… let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. **PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah’s TEDTalk CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Amphibian.Media Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Associate producers: Amanda Zaremba and Matt Stroud of Amphibian.Media Audio production: Red Caiman Studios Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin

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• Memoir of Madness in a Cult of One - Sarma Melngailis Spills All the Tea on Healing (Part 1)

  Raw vegan queen turned Netflix “villain”? In this episode, we sit down with Sarma Melngailis – yes, Bad Vegan Sarma – to get the real story behind the headlines. She’s back for her third culty chat, this time with the exclusive on her brand-new memoir The Girl with the Duck Tattoo (don’t worry, we ask her about the title). Sarma dives into the psychological warfare that turned her life upside down: coercive control, gaslighting, and a manipulative Mr. Fox who left her broke, arrested, and widely misunderstood. She opens up about the pain (and relief) of telling it all, what the Netflix doc twisted, and why she’s reclaiming her narrative – duck tattoo and all. This one’s raw, redemptive, and a stark reminder: not every headline villain is the real bad guy. For more on Sarma, you can find her on Instagram @sarmamelngailis, on her website sarmaraw.com, or on Patreon at patreon.com/sarmasarma. Also, check out her book The Girl with the Duck Tattoo, available for pre-order now. Also… let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. **PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah’s TEDTalk CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Amphibian.Media Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Associate producers: Amanda Zaremba and Matt Stroud of Amphibian.Media   Audio production: Red Caiman Studios Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin  

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• Bonus Drop: Dr. Laura Richards & Lisa Bilyeu on Cults, Control & Dirty Diddy Secrets

  This week, we’re diving deep into the twisted world of coercive control with the one and only Dr. Laura Richards – renowned criminal behavioral analyst, podcaster, and global expert on stalking, coercive control, and violent crime. We’re also joined by Lisa Bilyeu, host of Women of Impact and queen of calling out BS wherever it lurks. Dr. Laura breaks down how cult leaders, predators, and power-hungry narcissists (looking at you, Sean Combs) use tactics straight out of the coercive control playbook to groom, manipulate, and dominate victims. We’re talking about how the “nice guy” veneer slowly erodes, why women like Christina Corom end up as right-hand enforcers, and why media still struggles to call out abusive power structures for what they are. We also get into: Why grooming is always strategic, never accidental The eerie parallels between Keith Raniere, Sean Combs, and other culty figures The hidden dangers of female lieutenants like Nancy Salzman, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Christina Coram How to spot coercive control before it becomes your entire world It’s a masterclass in manipulation, and a reminder that cult tactics aren’t confined to creepy compounds in Upstate New York. They’re happening in boardrooms, bedrooms, and billionaire circles everywhere. Catch more of Dr. Laura Richards on the Crime Analyst Podcast https://www.crime-analyst.com or Crime Analyst Squad www.patreon.com/CrimeAnalyst Or on Instagram @laurarichards999 and @crimeanalyst For more information and resources, the following sites can be accessed: www.thelaurarichards.com https://www.dashriskchecklist.com/ And don’t miss Lisa Bilyeu’s Women of Impact for your weekly dose of female empowerment. After this one, you’ll never hear “It’s All About the Benjamins” the same way. Also… let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. **PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah’s TEDTalk CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Amphibian.Media Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Associate producers: Amanda Zaremba and Matt Stroud of Amphibian.Media   Audio production: Red Caiman Studios Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin

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• My Name Was Mushroom: Wendy Baker’s Journey Beyond the Source Family Cult

  Long before kale smoothies went mainstream, The Source Family was seducing Hollywood with vegan food, free love, and a guru who called himself Father Yod. This wasn’t just LA’s first vegan restaurant – it was a commune where long-haired devotees in white robes took ice-cold showers at dawn, meditated for hours, and followed strict spiritual rules under their bearded leader. Celebrities like John Lennon and Cher might have stopped by for a meal, but for many teen girls – often runaways – this place became home, for better or worse. Wendy Baker was one of those girls. At 14, she left a traumatic childhood behind for promises of love and enlightenment. Renamed Mushroom, she was swept into a life of chanting, raw vegan meals, and devotion to Father Yod. By sixteen, she had her first child; by nineteen, she was ready to escape. In this episode, Wendy shares what life was really like in the Source Family – from malnutrition and sleep deprivation to the ego-shaming that kept members silent. She talks about her journey out, her marriage to Bart, Father Yod’s son, and how writing her memoir, My Name Was Mushroom, helped her heal. For more on Wendy’s journey, check out her website and memoir My Name Was Mushroom. Trigger warning: This episode discusses childhood trauma, underage relationships, and cult manipulation.   Also… let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. **PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah’s TEDTalk CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Amphibian.Media Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Associate producers: Amanda Zaremba and Matt Stroud of Amphibian.Media   Audio production: Red Caiman Studios Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin  

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