ALT: a group of people are standing in a grassy field with mountains in the background and one of them is dressed as a bigfoot

Dave speaks with Carli McConkey about her 13.5 years in the New Age personal development business Universal Knowledge (formerly Life Integration Programmes, Survivor Principles) run by Natasha Lakaev. Carli shares a personal account of the abuse she suffered within the organisation and her long public legal battle to hold Lakaev to account and prevent harm to others. The impact of prolonged coercive control in a cult environment is discussed, including its capacity to render once-autonomous individuals subservient to a charismatic leader and their ideology.

By Tony Scauzillo Golden and ChatGPT

Carli McConkey was a naive 21yr old seeking self-improvement when she was recruited into a new age cult where she spent over 13yrs trapped and enslaved. Carli bravely shares her experience of being manipulated, coerced, and abused, explaining the psychological tactics employed by cult leaders to maintain control. After finally escaping, Carli’s struggles continued when she fought and won a defamation lawsuit brought upon her by her former cult leader. She also shares her frustration that her cult leader is currently a registered psychologist in Australia and the UK, despite regulatory bodies in both countries being made aware of the judges' rulings in this case. Carli sheds light on the complexities of recovery from cult abuse. Through sharing her story, she educates us about the red flags of cults, and highlights the importance of professionals being equipped to support cult survivors in the aftermath of their experience. For support and websites referenced in this episode: Cult Information and Family Support (CIFS) Australia https://www.cifs.org.au/ Cult Education Institute (Rick Ross) https://culteducation.com/ Connect with Carli www.carlimcconkey.com (https://www.carlimcconkey.com)