If you have your own story of being in a cult or a high control group,

or if you've had experience with manipulation or abuse the power that you'd like to share,

leave us a message on our hotline number at 347-86-Trust.

That's 347-868-7878, or shoot us an email at TrustMePod at gmail.com.

Trust me, do you trust me? Trust me, I'm like a smart person.

Yeah, I've never lied to you. I never have lied.

If you think that one person has all the answers, don't!

Welcome to TrustMe, the podcast about cult's extreme belief and manipulation

from two hosts who've actually experienced it. I'm Megan Elizabeth.

This week we are without Lola Blonk because she is attending to an emergency,

so I am joined by producer Steve. Hi Steve. Hi everybody. Thanks for being here.

Thanks for having me. This week's episode, we are lucky enough to talk to Simon Kent Fung,

a tech and media expert who recently released the heartbreaking podcast,

Dear Alana. When Alana took her own life in 2019,

Simon read about her in the news and was shocked at the similarities and their stories and

experiences with conversion therapy. Simon delves into how conversion therapy is no longer the

lobotomies and electro shock of the past. It's become a still controversial but compelling narrative

that can draw young people in, especially those who want to be a priest or a nun just like Simon

and Alana. So usually we do a cultiest thing in the week but this week we don't have Lola and

I don't expect you to just have a cultiest thing in the week on the fly like this. Thank you Megan.

You're welcome Steve but there was something that Simon said in his podcast that really struck me

and I thought that maybe I would just share it with listeners because it's wild. Yeah I was

...