Best 2x2s Podcasts (2023)

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

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Daniella Mestyanek Young, Part 1 - Children of God, 9/11, & Escaping the Cult 57:35

3d ago57:35

57:35

In part one of her interview with Lola & Meagan, Children of God survivor and military veteran, Daniella Mestyanek Young, discusses being raised in the Children of God, the various forms of punishment she and the other children experienced, how child sexual abuse was not only encouraged but part of the belief system, how the youth were taught to pr…

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

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Andrew Seidel - Christian Nationalism & Information Warfare 1:11:33

9d ago1:11:33

1:11:33

Constitutional attorney, author, and YouTuber Andrew Seidel joins Lola & Meagan to discuss Christian Nationalism, why its based on a myth, how it led to cultural shifts in the U.S. during the 1950s, its impact on the Supreme Court today, the practice of cherry picking ideas from the Bible, the worst case scenario of where it can lead, and why the s…

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

101
THROWBACK: Post-Traumatic Growth with Richard Tedeschi 1:01:01

17d ago1:01:01

1:01:01

UNC Charlotte professor and psychology researcher Dr Richard Tedeschi discusses his pioneering work on post-traumatic growth, how his field is different from resilience, how core beliefs are involved in our trauma, what "integration" means, and the value of an "expert companion," having a mission, and sharing your story. Learn more about Richard's …

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

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Simon Kent Fung - Dear Alana & Conversion Therapy 1:08:10

23d ago1:08:10

1:08:10

Tech and media expert Simon Fung joins Lola and Meagan to discuss the heartbreaking story behind his new podcast, Dear Alana. When Alana Chen took her own life in 2019, Simon read about her in the news and was shocked by the similarities in their stories and experiences with conversion therapy. Simon delves into how conversion therapy is no longer …

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

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Dr. Marc Feldman & Jordyn Hope - Munchausen by Proxy aka Medical Child Abuse 1:36:55

1M ago1:36:55

1:36:55

Dr. Marc Feldman, professor of psychology and expert in Munchausen by Proxy, talks to the girls along with survivor Jordyn Hope for an information-packed episode. Dr. Feldman discusses why he prefers the term medical child abuse (MCA), some of the more extreme cases he's seen, red flags he looks out for, and how parents get doctors to believe and t…

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

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Kyle & Kari, Part 2 - The 2x2s: Uncovering Widespread Sexual Abuse 1:01:18

1M ago1:01:18

1:01:18

In part two of their interview, Kyle and Kari, former members of the 2x2s (the group that Meagan grew up in), talk about the Facebook group they created for people leaving the group, which created a forum for people to share their stories for the first time. They discuss the overseer who was found dead in a hotel and the letter that exposed his sex…

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

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Kyle & Kari, Part 1 - Deconstructing The 2x2s 1:05:28

1M ago1:05:28

1:05:28

Former members of the Two by Twos Kyle and Kari (the group that our Meagan grew up in) discuss the apocalyptic focus on the religion, personal stories of deconstructing their beliefs, the peculiar structure of the group led by pairs of ministers called "workers", how Kyle and Kari joined and met as kids, how it compared to Meagan's experience, what…

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

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Martin - Jordan Peterson, Ben Shapiro, & The I.D.W. 1:15:33

2M ago1:15:33

1:15:33

There's order. And there's chaos. Simple, right? Today our new friend Martin shares how he used to be a big fan of Jordan Peterson and Ben Shapiro, how he found videos as a teenager that helped him feel empowered as he searched for identity, the impact they had on his worldview, some of the idealogical tenants of Jordan Peterson, why so many young …

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

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Guinevere Turner, Part 2 - Group Exile, Culture Shock, & Recovery 1:04:33

2M ago1:04:33

1:04:33

In part two of her two-part interview, Guinevere Turner, renowned screenwriter (writer of films like American Psycho and Charlie Says), actress, and author of new memoir When The World Didn't End, talks about getting kicked out of the group and living with her mother after years of barely knowing her, the cognitive dissonance of suddenly going to s…

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

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Guinevere Turner, Part 1 - The Lyman Family, Compound Life, and Queen Jessie 1:00:35

2M ago1:00:35

1:00:35

In part one of her two-part interview, Guinevere Turner, renowned screenwriter (writer of films like American Psycho and Charlie Says), actress, and author of new memoir When The World Didn't End, talks about growing up in the Lyman Family cult, bouncing around between different compounds, and being raised by women in the group who were not her mot…

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

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Emily Lynn Paulson - Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy, and the Other Lies Behind Multilevel Marketing 1:11:28

2M ago1:11:28

1:11:28

When #BossBabe culture goes wrong. Author of Hey, Hun: Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy, and the Other Lies Behind Multilevel Marketing and former member of an MLM she calls Rejuvinat, Emily Paulson, shares how she was first introduced to the group by a friend from school, how it seemed to be the perfect way to bring purpose and extra income to her sta…

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

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Madison McGhee - The Dark Side of Sorority Life 1:15:28

3M ago1:15:28

1:15:28

Ever joined a sorority? It's all Greek to us! Former sorority member and Ice Cold Case podcast host Madison McGhee shares how she always dreamed of joining a sorority, which one she chose after growing up Christian, what the process of joining was like, being the only person of color in the sorority, how she was punished for not straightening her c…

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

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Christy Carlson Romano - Child Actors & the Toddler to Trainwreck Pipeline 1:21:09

3M ago1:21:09

1:21:09

From Even Stevens to Kim Possible, Disney Channel legend and Vulnerable podcast host Christy Carlson Romano talks about the difficulties of being a working actor from such a young age, what it was like to be well-known, and the pressures of stage parents. She also discusses the "toddler to trainwreck pipeline" and the lack of an exit strategy from …

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

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Lindsey Williams, Part 2: Going to IBLP Headquarters & The Downfall of Bill Gothard 1:18:35

3M ago1:18:35

1:18:35

Shiny Happy People's Lindsey Williams shares how Institute in Basic Life Principles leader Bill Gothard would recruit young girls to headquarters, the inappropriate questions he asked and physical boundaries he repeatedly crossed, how controlling he was over who Lindsey dated, the website where women began connecting the dots about his behavior, th…

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

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Lindsey Williams, Part 1: Shiny Happy People, The Institute in Basic Life Principles, and Meeting Bill Gothard 1:12:38

4M ago1:12:38

1:12:38

Makeup artist, podcaster, and former Institute in Basic Life Principles member, Lindsey Williams (who is featured in Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets), delves into the Duggar family connection into the IBLP, being home schooled using "wisdom booklets", how physical punishment was a tenant of the faith, why women lived under the authority o…

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

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Allison Miller - Interstitial Cystitis, Orthorexia, and an Alternative Medicine Cult 1:22:19

4M ago1:22:19

1:22:19

A Million Little Things star Allison Miller shares with Lola & Meagan how she was once a client of a culty alternative medicine clinic run by a couple who claimed to know how to heal her chronic bladder condition, Interstitial Cystitis (also known as Painful Bladder Syndrome). They dig into the societal reason why women have to resort to these meas…

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

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Jimanekia Eborn - Reclaiming Your Sexuality After Trauma 1:23:51

4M ago1:23:51

1:23:51

Jimanekia Eborn, sex educator, trauma counselor, podcast host, and founder of non-profit Tending the Garden, shares the traumas she's experienced in her own life, what her healing journey has been like, and what led her to help others in her work. They discuss sex after trauma, going on self-dates to learn what you like (and don't like), the import…

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

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Mubin Shaikh, Part 2: 9/11, Reinterpreting Islam, and Going Undercover 59:26

4M ago59:26

59:26

In part two of their conversation with deradicalized extremist and former Canadian government operative, Mubin Shaikh, Lola and Meagan dig into Mubin's meet-cute with his now-wife (who was not Muslim when they met), how little she knew about his extremism, why 9/11 was the turning point in his radical beliefs, and his deeper exploration into Islami…

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

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Mubin Shaikh, Part 1: Islamic Extremism, Meeting the Taliban, and Getting Radicalized 1:04:32

5M ago1:04:32

1:04:32

Mubin Shaikh, deradicalized Islamic extremist and former security intelligence & counter-terrorism operative, discusses his upbringing balancing secular and Muslim life in Toronto, the party he threw as a young man that made him feel ashamed enough to become more deeply religious, and how an encounter with the Taliban pushed him toward radicalizati…

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

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Jennings Brown & Justice - Liana Shanti's Conspiracy Sisterhood 1:29:50

5M ago1:29:50

1:29:50

Journalist Jennings Brown returns, this time with a guest who goes by Justice, to talk about a new internet cult leader named Liana Shanti and her social media presence, which targets women with wellness cleanses, women's empowerment, wild conspiracy theories, and grandiose claims about her supernatural powers. They discuss Shanti's followers' patt…

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

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Kara Goucher - Alberto Salazar and the Nike Oregon Project 1:18:50

5M ago1:18:50

1:18:50

Accomplished Olympic runner and The Longest Race author Kara Goucher shares how she and her partner were invited to join the prestigious Nike Oregon Project and coach Alberto Salazar, how Alberto's methods seemed effective at first but became more controlling and inappropriate over time, what led her to become a whistleblower, and the stark contras…

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

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Perfectionism & Purity 52:32

5M ago52:32

52:32

No one is perfect. Not even Lola and Meagan. Today the ladies delve into the extreme belief of perfectionism, its connection to purity culture, Lola and Meagan's firsthand experience with OCD and religious trauma, how to address your inner cult leader, the intersectionality with cancel culture, and the importance of staying connected to those with …

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

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Robert Fitzpatrick - The History of MLMs 1:09:41

5M ago1:09:41

1:09:41

Time to level up. MLM expert and author of Ponzinomics, the Untold Story of Multi-Level Marketing, Robert Fitzpatrick, discusses the history of MLMs including why they took off in the 80s, their connection to the American Dream and economic inequality, the biggest scams he's seen over the years, how MLMs disconnect people from their identities, and…

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

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Priscilla Tucker, Part 2: Escaping the Kingstons, Forced Rehab, and a Billion Dollar Tax Fraud 55:32

6M ago55:32

55:32

In the second half of their conversation with Kingston Clan survivor Priscilla Tucker, Lola and Meagan learn more about the leader of the group, why being sent to a bad kid camp turned out to be a positive experience for Priscilla, and how she worked for billion-dollar fraudster Jacob Kingston, ultimately helping the FBI take him down. Plus, how Pr…

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

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Priscilla Tucker, Part 1: The Kingstons, Polygamy, and a Cousin Engagement 50:30

6M ago50:30

50:30

Priscilla Tucker, friend of the show and survivor of Mormon-offshoot polygamist group the Kingstons, talks about the origins of the group and how it differs from other polygamist sects, why so many members become doctors and lawyers, and her upbringing, including how she began working for pennies from the age of 8. They also discuss the leader of t…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

2x2s Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

1
Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

PodcastOne

1
Daniella Mestyanek Young, Part 1 - Children of God, 9/11, & Escaping the Cult 57:35

1
Andrew Seidel - Christian Nationalism & Information Warfare 1:11:33

101
THROWBACK: Post-Traumatic Growth with Richard Tedeschi 1:01:01

1
Simon Kent Fung - Dear Alana & Conversion Therapy 1:08:10

1
Dr. Marc Feldman & Jordyn Hope - Munchausen by Proxy aka Medical Child Abuse 1:36:55

1
Kyle & Kari, Part 2 - The 2x2s: Uncovering Widespread Sexual Abuse 1:01:18

1
Kyle & Kari, Part 1 - Deconstructing The 2x2s 1:05:28

1
Martin - Jordan Peterson, Ben Shapiro, & The I.D.W. 1:15:33

1
Guinevere Turner, Part 2 - Group Exile, Culture Shock, & Recovery 1:04:33

1
Guinevere Turner, Part 1 - The Lyman Family, Compound Life, and Queen Jessie 1:00:35

1
Emily Lynn Paulson - Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy, and the Other Lies Behind Multilevel Marketing 1:11:28

1
Madison McGhee - The Dark Side of Sorority Life 1:15:28

1
Christy Carlson Romano - Child Actors & the Toddler to Trainwreck Pipeline 1:21:09

1
Lindsey Williams, Part 2: Going to IBLP Headquarters & The Downfall of Bill Gothard 1:18:35

1
Lindsey Williams, Part 1: Shiny Happy People, The Institute in Basic Life Principles, and Meeting Bill Gothard 1:12:38

1
Allison Miller - Interstitial Cystitis, Orthorexia, and an Alternative Medicine Cult 1:22:19

1
Jimanekia Eborn - Reclaiming Your Sexuality After Trauma 1:23:51

1
Mubin Shaikh, Part 2: 9/11, Reinterpreting Islam, and Going Undercover 59:26

1
Mubin Shaikh, Part 1: Islamic Extremism, Meeting the Taliban, and Getting Radicalized 1:04:32

1
Jennings Brown & Justice - Liana Shanti's Conspiracy Sisterhood 1:29:50

1
Kara Goucher - Alberto Salazar and the Nike Oregon Project 1:18:50

1
Perfectionism & Purity 52:32

1
Robert Fitzpatrick - The History of MLMs 1:09:41

1
Priscilla Tucker, Part 2: Escaping the Kingstons, Forced Rehab, and a Billion Dollar Tax Fraud 55:32

1
Priscilla Tucker, Part 1: The Kingstons, Polygamy, and a Cousin Engagement 50:30

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