Welcome to indoctrination, a weekly conversation series about protecting yourself from systems of control.

I'm your host, Rachel Bernstein.

Hello, everyone. I just checked the podcast's latest rankings, and indoctrination is officially number one on FeedSpot's 15 best

indoctrination podcast to listen to in 2025. That means indoctrination about really any subject and

in any context. So we're very proud of that here. We're also listed as number

eight in their top 10 cult podcast list. And it is so nice to be recognized. It is so lovely that we are

thought of in that way and in that light.

If our conversations have meant something to you, please take a moment to rate and review the show wherever you listen to it.

It truly helps people like you to find the show and keeps these important discussions going.

Today on the show, we have Sarma Melanguyallis, and she is here to discuss her journey from

running a successful New York-based, plant-based restaurant to being in a highly publicized scandal.

Sarma shares her personal experiences of manipulation and betrayal by a coercive partner, and she reflects

on her story and how she was misinterpreted, misrepresented in the Netflix

docu-series in so many ways. The Netflix docu-series was called Bad Vegan, so already you

could tell it's a sensationalistic title. She opens up about the challenges of

reclaiming her narrative, her own narrative, through her memoir, which provides deeper insights

into her experiences, and it serves as a cautionary tale, and also hopefully a source of solace to others.

Sarma also explores the psychological tactics used by her abuser and the subsequent betrayal by the media

and the importance of sharing her story, the one that she got to write,

to help others understand and navigate similar situations.

The discussion delves into the emotional and psychological and physiological

aftermath of such traumatic events and the path towards healing and greater

...