Cults & The Culting of America w/ Knitting Cult Lady & Dr. Scot Loyd | 57 | Born and Razed
Cults and the Culting of America
Release Date: 11/11/2025
Cults & the Culting of America w/ Knitting Cult Lady & Dr. Scot Loyd | 65 | The Children of AA
Cults and the Culting of America
Content warnings: discussion of child abuse, child sexual abuse, sexual assault, trauma, recovery culture, substance abuse, and high-control groups. In this episode of Cults and the Culting of America, Daniella and Scot are joined by Violet, a writer and creator who grew up immersed in 12-step programs from infancy. Violet shares her lived experience of being raised in Alcoholics Anonymous, examining how recovery culture, often treated as sacred and beyond critique, can function as a high-control system, particularly for children. The conversation explores themes of indoctrination,...
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Cults & the Culting of America w/ Knitting Cult Lady | 64 | Power Coalition and Getting Involved
Cults and the Culting of America
In this special edition of Cults and the Culting of America, Daniella speaks with Ashley Shelton, founder of the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice in Louisiana, about organizing, democracy, and what it actually means to fight authoritarianism in real life. Ashley draws on her background in philanthropy, disaster recovery, and voter engagement to explain how Black and Brown communities—particularly in Louisiana—have long relied on mutual aid and organizing because government support has historically been absent or extractive. The conversation connects current political threats,...
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Cults & the Culting of America w/ Knitting Cult Lady & Dr. Scot Loyd | 63 | NA vs Opportunity
Cults and the Culting of America
In this episode of Cults and the Culting of America, Daniella Mestyanek Young and Scot Loyd are joined by hip-hop artist, author, and activist Spryte the Emcee, who shares her deeply personal journey through addiction, recovery, and eventual deconstruction from Narcotics Anonymous. Spryte recounts a childhood shaped by trauma, loss, and instability, followed by immersion in NA after a near-fatal overdose. While the program initially provided safety and structure, it later became increasingly coercive and controlling, particularly when Spryte pursued higher education and personal growth. The...
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Cults & The Culting of America w/ Knitting Cult Lady | 62 | Cognitive Dissonance Fact Check
Cults and the Culting of America
In this episode of Cults and the Culting of America, Daniella sits down with political scientist Thomas Kelly to revisit one of the most foundational ideas in cult studies: cognitive dissonance. Their conversation centers on Leon Festinger’s famous book When Prophecy Fails, which is often cited to explain why cult members double down on beliefs after predictions don’t come true. Thomas walks through his research uncovering serious methodological and ethical problems with that original study, arguing that the historical record actually shows the opposite of what Festinger claimed....
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Cults & The Culting of America w/ Dr. Scot Loyd | 61 | Jewish Black Supremacy Cult
Cults and the Culting of America
In this episode, guest Ara Jade shares her seven-year experience inside a high-control religious group adjacent to the Hebrew Israelite movement, known as the Israel of God. She recounts how she was drawn in through family influence, biblical study practices, and a strong sense of community, only to later encounter manipulation, racism-based doctrine, misogyny, surveillance, fear tactics, and emotional control. Ara describes specific red flags, including purity rules for women, the weaponization of Black identity, pressure to obey male authority, and her arranged-like marriage. She explains...
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Cults & The Culting of America w/ Knitting Cult Lady & Dr. Scot Loyd | 60 | Christian Science
Cults and the Culting of America
This episode of Cults and the Culting of America features guest Emily Hulen, a massage therapist and trauma coach who grew up in Christian Science and later navigated additional cult-like environments. Emily describes the core beliefs of Christian Science — including the denial of physical reality, rejection of medical care, and heavy reliance on prayer as a means of erasing mortal experience. She shares harrowing examples of untreated medical issues in her family and her own childhood injuries and illnesses that went unaddressed. Emily traces her early cognitive dissonance, beginning around...
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Cults & the Culting of America Podcast w/ Knitting Cult Lady | 59 | MAHA vs. Fertility Treatment
Cults and the Culting of America
In this episode, Dr. Cynthia Brown discusses her journey in women's health and fertility, emphasizing the importance of understanding these topics beyond conventional medicine. The conversation explores the Maha movement and its impact on women's health, cultural perspectives on pregnancy and motherhood, and the dangers of extreme birthing practices. The discussion also touches on the romanticization of pain in motherhood, the need for community support in parenting, and the intersection of gender and medical care. Dr. Brown highlights the boy crisis and the influence of cult mentality on...
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Cults & the Culting of America w/ Knitting Cult Lady | 58 | America Branded Fascism
Cults and the Culting of America
Content Warnings: Sexual assault and child sexual abuse Sex trafficking and the Epstein list Cult dynamics, coercive control, and brainwashing White supremacy, racism, xenophobia, and fascism Historical violence, genocide, Nazism, U.S. colonial atrocities, police violence Political extremism, MAGA, Trump administration actions Death, including anticipated death of a political figure Domestic extremism, ICE raids, and militarized responses Cult-related childhood trauma and labor camp environments In this episode Daniella (“Knitting Cult Lady”) and historian Amanda...
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Cults & The Culting of America w/ Knitting Cult Lady & Dr. Scot Loyd | 57 | Born and Razed
Cults and the Culting of America
Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of religious and institutional abuse, child abuse, disordered eating, family estrangement, mental illness, trauma recovery, and medication withdrawal. Listener discretion is advised. In this episode of Cults and the Culting of America, hosts Dr. Scot Loyd and Daniella Mestyanek Young speak with Beth Granger, author of Born and RAZED: Surviving the Cult Was Only Half the Battle. Beth shares her experience growing up at Grenville Christian College, a Canadian boarding school later revealed to be a religious cult connected to the Community of...
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Cults & The Culting of America w/ Knitting Cult Lady | 56 | Brazilian Dictatorship and Resilience
Cults and the Culting of America
In this special episode, Daniella Mestyanek Young (“Knitting Cult Lady”) speaks with Dr. Bryan Pitts, Assistant Director of UCLA’s Latin American Institute, about the Brazilian military dictatorship (1964–1985) and how studying Brazil’s political history can help Americans understand current threats to democracy. They compare U.S. and Brazilian political systems, the cultural myths that obscure inequality (the “American Dream” vs. Brazil’s “racial democracy”), and the interplay between religion, class, and authoritarianism. The discussion explores how political elites,...
info_outlineContent Warning:
This episode contains discussions of religious and institutional abuse, child abuse, disordered eating, family estrangement, mental illness, trauma recovery, and medication withdrawal. Listener discretion is advised.
In this episode of Cults and the Culting of America, hosts Dr. Scot Loyd and Daniella Mestyanek Young speak with Beth Granger, author of Born and RAZED: Surviving the Cult Was Only Half the Battle. Beth shares her experience growing up at Grenville Christian College, a Canadian boarding school later revealed to be a religious cult connected to the Community of Jesus.
She describes the systematic control, emotional and physical abuse, and the long process of recovery and rediscovery that followed her escape. The conversation dives into the complexities of grief, family estrangement, and the enduring impact of coercive religious systems. Beth also discusses her role as a representative plaintiff in a landmark class-action lawsuit against the institution, and how advocacy, writing, and community have shaped her healing.
The episode ends with a reflective discussion about deconstruction, the search for meaning after leaving high-control groups, and what it means to “live with it” as an adult survivor.
Disclaimer:
This conversation is for educational and storytelling purposes only. It is not medical, legal, or therapeutic advice.
If you or someone you know is struggling, resources are available:
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National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): 1-800-950-6264
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Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 (US)
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National Eating Disorders Association Helpline: 1-800-931-2237
Beth's Book:
Daniella's Links:
Preorder for Culting of America: The Culting of America PRE-SALE (SHIPS BY JANUARY 20, 2026) – Knitting Cult Lady
Daniella Mestyanek Young's book:
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Uncultured Autographed:
Connect with Daniella on social media
Other Podcasts
Daniella's other podcast: Hey White Women
Scot's Socials
TikTok: @thescotloyd
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thescotloyd
Haley's Tiktok
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Religious abuse can hide in plain sight: Grenville Christian College operated for decades as a “prestigious” Anglican school while functioning as a coercive cult.
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Systemic control dismantled family bonds: Children were separated from parents, spied upon, and punished under the guise of spiritual discipline.
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Recovery is lifelong: Leaving a cult is only the beginning—true healing often unfolds over decades.
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Grief is complex for survivors: Survivors grieve not only their past but also the version of themselves and families they never got to fully have.
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Weaponized religion causes lasting harm: Faith can be used as a tool of control, and rebuilding a healthy spiritual or secular identity takes time.
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Community resilience matters: The class-action lawsuit gave survivors both validation and voice, setting legal precedent in Canada.
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Art and storytelling as healing: Beth’s memoir and Daniella’s creative work illustrate how expression can help survivors reclaim their narratives.
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Ambiguity is part of recovery: Many survivors find peace not in certainty, but in learning to live with doubt.
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Intergenerational healing is possible: Rebuilding family connection and emotional fluency can break the cycle of silence.
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Living with it: Healing doesn’t erase trauma—it integrates it into a fuller, more authentic life.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Cult Experiences
01:39 Beth Granger's Journey as a Cult Survivor
03:02 Life Inside the Cult: A Personal Account
05:16 Surviving and Recovering from Cult Life
10:17 The Importance of Recovery Narratives
11:27 The Breaking Point: Realizations and Escape
18:44 Grief and Loss After Leaving the Cult
24:43 Navigating Faith and Doubt Post-Cult
26:37 Navigating Personal Beliefs and Cult Influence
31:30 The Role of Music in Healing and Identity
37:36 Grief and Family Dynamics Post-Cult
40:59 Community Resilience Against Coercive Organizations
47:54 The Impact of Trauma and the Journey to Healing
Produced by Haley Phillips, Meghan Picmann, and Lizy Freudmann