Self Help Hostage w/ Kelly Thiel

03/02/22 • 55 min

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Kelly Thiel is a highly sought-after speaker and consultant to families and organizations regarding high-demand groups, cults, and narcissistic personalities. She is dedicated to helping people reclaim their freedom and begin their own healing journeys. Kelly has experience as a member of the Executive Success Program/NXIVM, a high-demand group whose leader was convicted of federal crimes, including sex trafficking. Kelly was also featured with Rachel in the STARZ documentary Seduced: Inside The NXIVM Cult. Her involvement with NXIVM led her to study other high-demand groups and cults of personality like Bhagwan Shri Rajneesh (Osho) and Bikram Choudhury. Her lifelong journey and personal experience as a seeker of human potential and spirituality taught her to identify the many methods used by high-demand groups, cults of personality, and narcissists to attract, indoctrinate, and control their followers and people in their circle of influence. She understands how to identify the red flags, suggest a course of action, and recommend professional resources for interventions to help affected families and organizations. Kelly is set to release her first book this year, “Unapologetically Glorious”, inspiring others to be their own guru and to take ownership, take action and take back control. In this intimate and bravely vulnerable conversation, Kelly shares invaluable insight into her time in NXIVM. She outlines the dangerous and traumatic "Exploration of Meaning"sessions she witnessed and experienced herself as a member of the "Executive Success Program" Throughout the conversation Rachel gives Kelly the opportunity to reexamine her impressions of the NXIVM community in retrospect. Kelly explains the relationship dynamics she had with the leaders, some of whom are now serving prison time for their roles in the group. Finally, Kelly explains the gradual shift away from the group and the catalyst that ultimately led to her freedom. Before You Go: Rachel addresses some of the red flags that are heavily pronounced in the inflated egos of narcissistic leaders like Keith Ranerie, reflecting on the epic hypocrisy of their demand for accountability. You can see Rachel, and Kelly in the documentary Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult: https://seduceddocumentary.com/ Find more info on Kelly and her upcoming book here: http://kellythielbook.com/ Find Rachel's book "Now I Know: Kids Talking To Kids About Divorce..." here: www.amazon.com/Now-I-Know-Rachel...ein/dp/1620867893 Thanks to our newest Patreon supporters: Heather Christiansen, Rachel Biffin, MaryBeth Dorn, Esther Friedman, and Kateland Harte!! To help support the show monthly and sign up for cool Indoctrination shirts and tote bags, please visit: www.patreon.com/indoctrination Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link: www.paypal.me/indoctriNATION You can help the show for free by leaving a rating on Spotify or Apple/ iTunes. It really helps the visibility of the show!

Previous Episode

Collateral Damage w/ India Oxenberg

India Oxenberg is a successful film producer, writer, and actress. India is a national ambassador for RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization. She is also the daughter of our previous guest Catherine Oxenberg who Rachel worked with while India was involved in NXIVM, the infamous multi-level marketing company that was later exposed as a sex cult. While in NXIVM, India was introduced to the cult's inner circle and was groomed to be a sexual partner of NXIVM's founder and leader, Keith Raniere. In 2020, she published the book Still Learning: A Memoir. She produced and starred in the documentary series Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult, in which Rachel is also featured documenting her work with the Oxenbergs as India transitioned out of NXIVM. In this second part of Rachel and India's intimate two-part episode, India reveals her thoughts about the complex and troubling dynamics of her relationship with Allison Mack, one of the people she describes as her main abusers in NXIVM who was recently sentenced to prison for her role in the group. Throughout the conversation, Rachel helps India to deconstruct her experiences, as she shares deep insights into her indoctrination and ongoing healing. Before You Go: Rachel details the slippery and deceptive path that leads to indoctrination, pointing out how disassociating from your identity helps to lower your defense mechanisms and clouds critical thinking. For resources on sexual violence visit RAINN here: www.rainn.org/ Hear India's mother Catherine speak to Rachel about their shared experience here: https://soundcloud.com/indoctrinationshow/catherine-re-release You can see Rachel, Catherine, and India in the documentary Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult: youtu.be/SmogBLEhbjY Find Rachel's book "Now I Know: Kids Talking To Kids About Divorce..." here: www.amazon.com/Now-I-Know-Rachel...ein/dp/1620867893 Find Catherine Oxenberg's book featuring Rachel here: www.amazon.com/Captive-Mothers-C...ook/dp/B07C2C393X Find India's audiobook telling her story in her own words here: www.amazon.com/Still-Learning-A-...oir/dp/B08L3TW37N Thanks to our newest Patreon supporters Catherine Greninger, and Allison!! To help support the show monthly and sign up for cool Indoctrination shirts and tote bags, please visit: www.patreon.com/indoctrination Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link: www.paypal.me/indoctriNATION You can help the show for free by leaving a rating on Spotify or Apple/ iTunes. It really helps the visibility of the show!

Next Episode

Trauma Bond Pose w/ Journey Into Yoga Cults

Rachel Nelson, Chelle Swierz, and Melissa Longfellow were all teachers and leaders for many years in the Baptiste Yoga organization - a high-control yoga system led by Baron Baptiste that claims to be changing the world through its “methodology.” During that time they dedicated their careers and much of their personal lives to the group and the leader, believing that what they were doing was healing the planet. After each having their pivotal moment at different times, they re-connected to process their experience together and discover that what felt indescribably “off” was the result of cult indoctrination techniques. They subsequently started a podcast to share their experiences and educate people about the dangers in Baptiste Yoga: thought control, manipulation, and coercion and the charismatic leader. Each of them is now focused on taking back their own life and enjoying life exactly as they choose it. They join Rachel to talk about their collective experience in hopes of informing others about the dark side of this very popular and powerful organization. In the first half of this two-part conversation, the three guests introduce themselves and explain how they first got involved with Baptiste yoga, their first impressions of Baron, and some red flags they've come to understand in retrospect. Before you go: Rachel offers further insights into some of what the guests shared with her, pointing out some of the ridiculous ironies of the group's "empowering self-help" message and the dangers inherent in this type of deception. Listen to Journey Into Yoga Cults here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/journey-into-yoga-cults/id1599860304 Follow Journey Into Yoga Cults on IG: @bpyi_yoga_truth @yogacultspod Find Rachel's book "Now I Know: Kids Talking To Kids About Divorce..." here: www.amazon.com/Now-I-Know-Rachel...ein/dp/1620867893 Thanks to our newest Patreon supporter Alana H! To help support the show monthly and get bonus episodes, shirts, and tote bags, please visit: www.patreon.com/indoctrination Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link: www.paypal.me/indoctriNATION You can help the show for free by leaving a rating on Spotify or Apple/ iTunes. It really helps the visibility of the show!