CLOSER LOOK, E1 - Get Over It, Kids are Resilient

American Nightmares

Gamut Podcast Network

True Crime

0.0 • 0 Ratings

🗓️ 31 March 2026

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

After the events of Gardens of Evil, the story doesn’t end for the survivors.

In the first episode of our bonus series A Closer Look, we examine the lasting psychological impact of growing up inside the Zion Society cult. Survivors describe a childhood defined by constant monitoring, shame, and control—where even a child’s body weight was tied to spiritual worthiness.

Host Mike King speaks with survivors about the lifelong effects of coercive control: broken trust, complicated family relationships, and the challenges of parenting after trauma. Cult expert and sociologist Dr. Janja Lalich also joins the conversation to explain how cult recruitment works, why people stay, and why it can take decades for survivors to rebuild their lives.

This episode is dedicated to victims of child abuse, to those who escaped destructive mind control, and to the advocates who fight every day to protect children.

If you or someone you know is experiencing sexual abuse, help is available. Support your local Children’s Advocacy Center and organizations that serve survivors.

Use code NIGHTMARES at jonesroadbeauty.com to get a Free Shimmer Face Oil with your first purchase. #JonesRoadBeauty #ad

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Transcript

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0:00.0	This message is brought to you by Quince.
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0:16.3	Now available in Canada, too.
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0:24.5	Quince.com slash nightmares. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E dot com slash nightmares to get free shipping and
0:31.8	365 day returns. Quince.com slash nightmares. This message is brought to you by Quince. Hi, it's Megan, and you never know what the weather has in store for spring. In the same day, you may need a rain jacket, a sweater, and a pair of shorts. Layering is the name of the game, and that's where Quince comes in. They've got the layers to get you through this unpredictable time of year. My go-to is the
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0:59.8	oh-so-refined. Quince makes high-quality wardrobe staples using premium fabrics like 100% silk,
1:07.2	European linen, and organic cotton poplin. Versatile well-made pieces stand out and will help simplify the daily quandary.
1:15.0	What am I going to wear?
1:16.5	Go to quince.com slash nightmares for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.
1:22.3	Now available in Canada, too.
1:24.6	That's quince.com slash nightmares to get free shipping and 365 day returns.
1:30.5	Quince.com slash nightmares. That's QU-I-N-C-E dot com slash nightmares. People love to say,
1:38.2	get over it. Kids are resilient. And look, kids can be resilient. They can grow up, get degrees, build careers, raise
1:47.3	families, and look fine from the outside. But resilience isn't proof that harm wasn't created.
1:55.7	Resilience is proof that they adapted and survived. If you gain three pounds and you were damned to hell, and also if you could maintain your
2:04.4	weight, then you knew you were getting into heaven. But in order for us to maintain our weight,
2:09.3	they would force us to weigh in every day. And Carla or someone else would look at our number
2:15.6	and then write it down on a chart, which was right next to everyone else's weight.
2:19.4	So we were directly compared to each other.
	...

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