Unspun

About Unspun

Unravelling cult narratives thread by thread. A survivor-led podcast focused on recovery, rebuilding, and reclaiming life after high-control environments. What happens after you walk away from a world that told you what to think, how to feel, and who to be? Unspun explores the messy, courageous, and deeply human process of reclaiming one’s autonomy. Each episode dives into the intricate “threads” of high-control groups – from the initial pull to the eventual breaking point – and offers practical insights for those navigating the long road to recovery.

Publisher

Jaya Mangalam Gibson and Alisa Woodruff

Category

religion & spirituality

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

9 Mar 2026

Latest episode

19 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

19 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   19 Oct 2026

   EP 17 - Jaya Book Interview

   Today Alisa asks Jaya about what it was like to write his upcoming memoir "Saving Sentient Beings".

2. 

   5 Oct 2026

   EP 16 - Nicola Ranson Part 2

   For 10 years Nicola Ranson was a disciple of the guru, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (AKA Osho) from India to Oregon until the commune collapsed amid criminal activity. She became a somatic psychotherapist specialising in trauma and has worked with many cult survivors. Nicola taught Counselling Psychology for 17 years on the adjunct faculty at National University. Her memoir, A Slice of Orange: loving and leaving the Osho/Rajneesh cult will be published by Unsolicited Press this December.

3. 

   27 Sept 2026

   Bonus Decult Episode - Aaron Sharp ex Pentecostal

   Decult 2026 will be here next month. We are lucky enough to talk to the conference's very first speaker Aaron Sharp. Aaron Sharp is a psychologist and former member of high-control Pentecostal churches. He became involved with the Potter’s House Christian Fellowship at around 15 years of age and remained within high-control Pentecostal environments for approximately 25 years. After leaving in his early 40s, he began the difficult process of rebuilding his identity, beliefs and direction in life. In 2016, he began studying psychology at university and went on to complete postgraduate training in professional and clinical psychology. He is now a registered psychologist completing the Clinical Psychology Registrar Program in Australia. His professional interests include religious trauma, coercive control and recovery from high-control groups. Aaron also speaks publicly about his own experience of indoctrination, leaving, and rebuilding a life after religion. In 2026, he is speaking at the DECULT Conference in Christchurch, New Zealand, about his journey into, through and out of high-control religion. DECULT 2026 speaker profile: https://decult.net/speaker/aaron-sharp/ (https://decult.net/speaker/aaron-sharp/) New Directions Psychology: https://www.newdirectionspsychology.com.au/ (https://www.newdirectionspsychology.com.au/)

4. 

   23 Sept 2026

   EP 15 - Nicola Ranson Part 1

   For 10 years Nicola Ranson was a disciple of the guru, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (AKA Osho) from India to Oregon until the commune collapsed amid criminal activity. She became a somatic psychotherapist specialising in trauma and has worked with many cult survivors. Nicola taught Counselling Psychology for 17 years on the adjunct faculty at National University. Her memoir, A Slice of Orange: loving and leaving the Osho/Rajneesh cult will be published by Unsolicited Press this December

5. 

   23 Sept 2026

   EP 14 - Bec Sonkkila Part 2

   Bec Sonkkila survived six years in the MISA yoga cult. Rebuilding her dismantled identity became her life's work. Today, she is an international recovery and relationship coach specialising in coercive control and post-cult identity. Using somatic practices, hypnotherapy and lived experience, Bec helps clients distinguish genuine connection from compliance. She splits her time between New Zealand, Australia and Finland, and is writing a book about finding a self you can trust.

6. 

   15 Sept 2026

   Post-Decult Survivor Community Day Explainer

   This bonus podcast is about the upcoming Survivor Community Day on Labour Day the 26th October. Listen to what you can expect on the day from those who are running it. Post-Decult Conference Survivor Community Day Monday 26 October (Labour Day) | 10:00am–3:00pm Location: Multicultural Recreation and Community Centre, Hagley Park, Ōtautahi Christchurch Central Attending Decult 2026 as someone with lived experience of a high-control or cult-like group can bring up a wide range of emotions. To help create space for rest, connection and gentle processing after the conference, the Olive Leaf Network, Uncult Ōtautahi Christchurch, and the Re:Woven Charitable Trust are pleased to offer a dedicated Post-Decult Conference Survivor Community Day. This free event has been thoughtfully curated for former members and survivors of high-control or cult-like groups who are attending Decult 2026. Whether you're feeling energised, emotionally full, reflective, or simply looking to connect with others who understand, you're warmly invited to join us for a day of grounding, creativity and community. Throughout the day, participants will have opportunities to connect with others at their own pace in a welcoming, trauma-informed environment. Experienced therapists will be present throughout the day to provide support, and there will be opportunities for both individual reflection and gentle group processing. The day will include a range of supportive experiences, including: A catered lunch Trained therapists available throughout the day Individual and group reflection and processing opportunities Creative art therapy experiences, including creative journalling, clay modelling, poetry writing, and Kintsugi-inspired art Gentle somatic breathwork sessions Time to rest, connect, and simply be with others who share similar lived experiences There is no cost to attend this event; however, registration is essential. Please register in advance so we can accurately plan catering and prepare sufficient art materials for everyone attending. We look forward to welcoming you to a day of care, connection, and restoration as we gently transition from the Decult Conference back into everyday life.

7. 

   26 Aug 2026

   EP 13 - Bec Sonkkila

   Bec Sonkkila spent six years inside MISA, a Romanian yoga cult with a global reach and a guru currently imprisoned on serious criminal charges. She got out. Then she spent years figuring out what that actually meant — not just leaving, but rebuilding a self that had been systematically dismantled. That process became her work. Bec is a relationship and recovery coach specialising in coercive control, post-cult identity, and the kind of intimacy that nobody teaches you — the difference between connection and compliance, between desire and obligation, between a relationship that expands you and one that slowly erases you. Her approach is practical, body-based, and grounded in lived experience rather than textbooks. She draws on hypnotherapy, somatic work, and over a decade of deep study in human psychology and relational dynamics. She works with people who are done being confused about why their relationships feel wrong, and ready to understand what right actually feels like. Bec splits her time between New Zealand, Australia and Finland, works with clients internationally, and is currently writing about her cult experience and the long road back to a self you can trust.

8. 

   11 Aug 2026

   EP 12 - Zara Murphy

   Zara was raised as a Jehovah’s Witness, baptised at 17, and devoted her life to the organisation. At 19, after experiencing sexual assault within the organisation and being subjected to an invasive disciplinary process, she was disfellowshipped and shunned. She lost her family, community, home and sense of belonging almost overnight. But leaving wasn’t the end of Zara’s story. Fear, motherhood and deeply ingrained beliefs eventually drew her back into the organisation, where she spent years navigating doubt, coercive control and the pressure to conform. A confrontation over the safety of her children became a turning point, forcing Zara to question a system she could no longer reconcile with her own values. Today, Zara is a proud queer woman, mum and advocate for survivors of high-control religion. Through her work with Recovering from Religion, she helps others reclaim their autonomy, identity and critical thinking. In this episode, Zara talks openly about shunning, gendered control, the danger of questioning, the long process of deconstruction, and what it takes to learn to trust yourself again. Most importantly, she shares what it means to build a life that finally feels like your own. “You are enough.”

9. 

   29 Jul 2026

   EP 11 - Reflection

   After ten episodes of Unspun, Jaya Mangalam Gibson and Alisa step away from interviewing guests to reflect on what they've learned from listening to survivors of high-control groups, coercive relationships, and cults. Together, they explore the patterns that have emerged across these conversations: identity, deconstruction, creativity, healing, spirituality, coercive control, and the lifelong process of rebuilding after leaving. They discuss why recovery looks different for everyone, the power of telling your story, and why survivor voices matter. This episode also challenges the way we think about cults. Rather than focusing on labels or checklists, Jaya argues that the real conversation should centre on coercion and control—the behaviours that cause harm, regardless of whether a group is called a cult, a high-demand group, or something else. Whether you're a survivor, supporting someone who has left a controlling environment, or simply interested in understanding coercive control, this conversation offers an honest, compassionate look behind the podcast and the lessons that continue to shape it. If this conversation resonates with you, consider following Unspun, sharing the episode, or connecting with the Uncult Ōtautahi community.

10. 

    14 Jul 2026

    EP 10 - Grace Tempest

    Grace is a third-generation cult member and the first in her family to break the cycle of high-control abuse. Moving in and out of the group from her early twenties, she spent years navigating the complex pull of family, conditioning, and fear. Much of her deconstruction was done alone, learning to think critically and rebuild her identity from scratch. Recently, her sister joined her, accelerating the healing process as they unpack and make sense of their shared experiences.

11. 

    30 Jun 2026

    EP 9 - Tristan Phipps - Ex 2x2

    Tristan was born and raised in a high-control religious group now known as the 2x2 Church. After being out for more than 20 years, he has taken a new path in his deconstruction journey by stepping into the advocacy space. Over the past two years, he has been helping raise awareness and speak out on issues including religious trauma, indoctrination, coercive control, high-control groups, and men’s mental health. His advocacy began when abuse within the 2x2 Church started reaching the public news cycle, while most communities still had no idea who this group was and very few people were publicly naming that it even existed. What started in online support groups grew into media appearances, podcasts, and an ongoing social media presence. Outside of advocacy, the spaces that bring him healing and peace are music, both collecting and DJing, long-distance trail running, and more recently, creating art. And from September, he will also be stepping into a new role: becoming a dad and welcoming a new arrival into the family.

12. 

    16 Jun 2026

    EP 8 - Rusty - exJW

    Rusty is a highly regarded New Zealand comedian based in Christchurch, known for his award-winning stand-up and energetic live performances. He has been a staple of the South Island comedy scene and has been described as a "cult classic" comedian. Rusty is known for his fast-paced, often chaotic, and "hilarious" storytelling, with reviews calling his work a "finely polished masterwork". His material often focuses on absurd observations and personal stories. He is a long-standing performer in the New Zealand comedy circuit, with a career spanning over 17 years as of 2018. Rusty grew up as a Jehovah’s Witness and walked away as a teenager — and now he turns that world into comedy gold. His humour is dark, a little irreverent, and deeply personal, pulling from the strange, intense, and sometimes surreal moments of life inside a high-control religion. We met him at the Doomsday Comedy Event, loved his set, and invited him on the pod to unpack the story behind the jokes.

13. 

    12 Jun 2026

    EP 7 - Royden Gibbs - exJW

    Roydon Gibbs grew up as a second-generation member of a Jehovah's Witness family. In the early 1950s, his mother, grandmother and father were recruited by Jehovah's Witnesses and became members. A decade later, Roydon was born, the youngest of five children in a family fully immersed in the world of Jehovah's Witnesses. At the age of 15, he became a ‘dedicated’ member and left school to become an enthusiastic and committed full-time recruiter. In his early twenties, he became a worker at the national headquarters for Jehovah's Witnesses in New Zealand bringing him in close contact with national and international leaders of the Jehovah's Witnesses. By the age of 26, Roydon was burnt out and found himself shamed, shunned, and ostracised by the only community he had ever known. This plunged Roydon into a dark period of addictions, depression and despair followed by recovery and the creating of a new life. Roydon is now in his 60s and his life is very different from the one he experienced in the first 26 years of his life.

14. 

    19 May 2026

    EP 6 - Jonas Skogstroll - exJW

    Jonas Skogstroll is a Swedish comedian, human rights activist, and—perhaps most famously—a goat farmer living in Norway. Having grown up within the strict confines of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jonas spent his early life being told that the world outside the organization was a place of darkness and despair. Since leaving, he has dedicated himself to proving the exact opposite: that there is a wealth of joy, absurdity, and freedom to be found on the "outside." Jonas is the mastermind behind Doomsday Comedy, a stand-up collective featuring comedians who have survived fundamentalist backgrounds. By transforming religious trauma into punchlines, he provides a cathartic space for survivors to laugh at the very things that once controlled them. Recently, Jonas made waves in New Zealand during his 2026 tour, where he balanced sold-out comedy sets with peaceful protests at Jehovah’s Witness conventions. Known for his "one-man Muppet Show" energy and his recent ADHD diagnosis (which he weaves brilliantly into his storytelling), Jonas brings a refreshing, high-energy perspective on what it means to truly reclaim your life. In this episode, we discuss: The transition from "religious fanatic" to stand-up comedian. The healing power of humor in cult recovery. His mission to show young people still inside high-control groups that there is a vibrant life waiting for them. And, of course, what life is really like as a Swedish goat farmer in Norway.

15. 

    5 May 2026

    EP 5 - Jennie Burt - ExJW

    Jennie Burt was born into the Jehovah’s Witness faith, a world that shaped every aspect of her childhood. Raised within a strict and insular belief system, she was baptized at just 12 years old and quickly became a door-to-door Pioneer, dedicating her young life to the teachings she had been raised to believe without question. But by the age of 15 or 16, Jennie’s life took a dramatic turn when she was disfellowshipped—cut off from the only community she had ever known and subjected to the painful practice of shunning. Her early years were marked by intense control, coercion, and abuse. Being cast out so young left Jennie vulnerable, and the decades that followed were spent in another deeply controlling and abusive relationship and marriage that lasted from the age of 16 until she was 49. Yet Jennie’s story is not defined by what was done to her—it is defined by how she survived it. At 50, Jennie began rebuilding her life on her own terms. Now 66, she is a proud mother of two incredible children and a loving grandmother to four beautiful grandchildren. Supported by loyal friends, caring family, and the guidance of an exceptional psychologist, Jennie has reclaimed her voice, her identity, and her future. Today, she shares her story to show others that life after a cult is possible. Her journey is one of resilience, healing, and rediscovery—a powerful reminder that no matter how long you’ve been controlled or silenced, it is never too late to find yourself and create a new life.

16. 

    21 Apr 2026

    EP 4 - Scott Homan - 21 April 2025

    Scott is a first time filmmaker. He was raised in the Northwoods of Wisconsin in the heart of the Great Lakes region, where the culture is fiercely DIY. His dad joined the Jehovah’s Witnesses when he was child. Taught by eccentric parents to defy cultural norms, Scott created his first two student documentaries at 17 in a high school program. He worked at Channel 7 News running camera and sound in Wausau, WI and then went to photography school in Minneapolis during the transition from film to digital. In his late 20s, Scott came to the conclusion he didn’t believe in their God, Jehovah, and realised he was an atheist. For this, he was completely cut off by his family that remained in the religion. He later lived abroad for seven years in Ecuador and Vietnam where he primarily focused on developing the skills to run a boutique documentary production studio. He and two friends in Hanoi created Banana Island Films, a music video and documentary production company that he runs to this day. scott@bananaislandfilms.com

17. 

    6 Apr 2026

    EP 3 - Laura Muir - 7 Apr 2026

    Laura was recruited into Shincheonji, a Korean Christian cult, in Auckland at the age of 27 and was a member for 5 years, giving up her job, savings and distancing herself from friends and family. She has been out for over 5 years now and has slowly rebuilt her life, rediscovering who she is, from running a marathon to taking hip hop classes, dipping her toes into the world of dating apps, travelling and moving back to her hometown of Christchurch. She has spoken out about her experience over the past few years including the Decult Conference in 2024 in the hope that others can avoid being recruited, and so current members know there is life after leaving.

18. 

    24 Mar 2026

    Unspun - Episode 2 - Alisa Woodruff

    An incredible conversation with Alisa Woodruff and Jaya Mangalam Gibson. We’re really excited for you to hear this one. Alisa Woodruff is a counsellor, artist, based in Christchurch, New Zealand. She recently completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Creative Arts Therapy and is interested in how creativity, storytelling, and reflection can help people make sense of complex life experiences. As a second-generation cult member of Subud herself, Alisa brings both personal insight and professional curiosity to conversations about leaving high-control groups. On Unspun, she helps create thoughtful spaces where people can share their stories and explore what rebuilding life beyond those systems can look like. Having grown up within high-control environments, including Subud, Alisa brings lived experience to the conversations Unspun exists for — life after, recovery, and rebuilding on the outside. Unravelling cult narratives, thread by thread.

19. 

    9 Mar 2026

    Episode 1 – ex-Falun Gong Survivor – Jaya Mangalam Gibson

    A survivor of both the Fourth Way and Falun Gong, Jaya Mangalam Gibson has spent over a decade deconstructing the complexities of high-control environments. As a volunteer organiser for Uncult Ōtautahi survivors group and a key member of the Decult team, Jaya is dedicated to building peer-led support systems for those navigating the aftermath of spiritual and psychological abuse. Through Unspun, he brings a blend of raw lived experience and a passion for helping others reclaim their autonomy. Based in Ōtautahi Christchurch, Jaya is committed to untangling the threads of the past to help survivors weave a future defined by their own voices.

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