Showing results by author "Daniella Mestyanek Young" in All Categories

Daniella Mestyanek Young is a captivating figure in the study of cults and group psychology. Raised in the notorious Children of God cult, she escaped as a teenager and later joined the U.S. military, where she specialized in studying terrorists and other extreme groups as a military intelligence officer. Daniella holds a master's degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Harvard Extension School and is the author of "Uncultured," a critically acclaimed memoir. Today, she is a scholar of cults, extreme groups, and toxic leadership, leveraging her unique experiences to illuminate the ...

In The Culting of America, cult survivor, military veteran, and bestselling author of Uncultured Daniella Mestyanek Young delivers a gripping investigation into the invisible systems of control shaping our lives. Raised in the notorious sex cult the Children of God, she escaped to America as a teenager—only to find herself inside another rigid institution: the U.S. Army. Years later, as a Harvard-trained expert in organizational psychology, she began asking a dangerous question: What if we’re all in cults—and America is built to keep us there?

In this insightful and candid conversation, Daniella Mestyanek Young, a scholar of cults, extreme groups, and extremely leadership, joins Rebecca, known as White Woman Whisperer on TikTok and Patreon, to delve into their experiences and revelations about cult dynamics, white supremacy, and systemic racism. Daniella, who grew up in the notorious Children of God cult and later served in the military, shares her journey of understanding and deconstructing white supremacy as a pervasive cult. Rebecca, a Black Jewish woman, discusses her own realizations about systemic racism and the similarities ...

"It’s a dark story that forced me to think more expansively about what constitutes a cult." —The New York Times' Ernesto Londoño "Although this is Mestyanek Young’s first time narrating, listeners will appreciate hearing this deeply personal story told by the author herself. Share with...