Inside Cult Intervention: Lessons from Joe Szimhart (Part 2)

A Little Bit Culty

Sarah Edmondson & Anthony “Nippy” Ames

True Crime, Society & Culture, Education

4.6 • 2.7K Ratings

🗓️ 9 October 2025

⏱️ 46 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In the second part of this conversation, Joe Szimhart delves into the intricate preparations and challenges of conducting cult interventions. He discusses the importance of understanding individual situations and the role of family dynamics in intervention success. Through vivid anecdotes, Joe explains the historical and sociological aspects of cult deprogramming, touching on controversial figures like Ted Patrick. He also highlights the psychological concepts such as cognitive dissonance, thought reform, and the significant impact of maintaining rapport and active listening. The episode encapsulates Joe's extensive experience and offers valuable advice for families dealing with loved ones entangled in high-control groups.

Timestamp menu:

00:00 Introduction and Recap
00:29 Preparing for an Intervention
02:37 When to Use Force in Interventions
02:55 The History of Deprogramming
06:40 Challenges in Interventions
08:36 Cases of Misunderstood Cult Influence
13:50 Current Concerns in Cult Activities
17:46 Understanding Brainwashing and Cognitive Dissonance
18:26 Intervention Stories and Psychological Changes
21:06 Breaking Cognitive Dissonance
24:47 Personal Experience vs. Vicarious Experience
29:11 Active Listening and Engaging Conversations
33:41 Advice for Loved Ones of Cult Members
36:46 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

You can contact Joe at jszimhart.com, follow him on his YouTube channel or on X @jszimhart, and check out his memoir, Santa Fe, Bill Tate, and me. Check out his site dedicated to "culty" work: www.cultbehaviorconsultant.com.

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CREDITS:

Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames

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Writer: Sandra Nomoto

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Transcript

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0:29.8	This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, medical,
0:34.6	or mental health advice. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily
0:38.2	reflect the official policy or position of the podcast and are not intended to malign any religion,
0:42.9	group, club, organization, business, individual, anyone, or anything.
0:58.1	I'm Sarah Edmondson.
1:01.2	And I'm Anthony Nippy Ames, and this is a little bit culty.
1:06.4	We woke up from a cult, and that journey was captured in The Vow on HBO and in my memoir, Scarred.
1:18.7	Now, in this podcast, we break down the shame and secrets that make these experiences so destructive with honest conversations on how seemingly benign groups can cross into the cultiverse and how to spot and recover from trouble if it happens to you.
1:26.0	Each week, we bring an expert, survivors, and whistleblowers to explore red flags, resilience, and even share a few laughs because sometimes you got to laugh.
1:28.7	Subscribe to our Patreon for early and ad-free listening,
1:32.9	some live Q&A and exclusive content at patreon.com slash A Little Bit Culty.
1:35.6	Welcome to Season 8 of A Little Bit Culty.
1:40.1	Seeking down to the depths of the ocean.
1:44.6	Hanging on to win my love. back to the part of your feed you
2:00.6	We'd like to the previous episode and your feed and see you soon for part two. Here we go. I'm What do you do to prep for doing an intervention with somebody?
2:32.5	It varies a lot. And everyone that's done this in my small peer group, there aren't that many people that have been in.
2:40.3	There are hundreds of them in and out of it, but not as long as like someone like I or Steve Hassan or Patrick Ryan or those kinds of people that you might know.
2:49.2	So everyone has their own way of doing it, but in general,
2:52.1	you try to get to know the situation as best you can through the phone, through email, through
2:56.7	Zoom, or through personal meeting with the concerned family, the concerned party. And the best way
	...

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