Cults to Consciousness

Layla Matson was born into a deeply entrenched, multi-generational polygamist FLDS family with direct ties to church leadership. From a young age, her life was shaped by strict religious expectations, economic hardship, and normalized control, ranging from modesty rules and limited education to chiId labor and rigid gender roles. Sacrifice was emphasized, while serious issues like infant de*ths, lack of medical care, and emotional suppression were widespread but rarely questioned. Layla’s her story took a dark turn at 17 years old when her father “turned her in” to Warren Jeffs, leading to her forced marriage within 24 hours to the “prophet”. She reflects on the grooming process that began in her early teens, illustrating how young women were coerced into marriages and stripped of autonomy under the guise of faith.
Click here to watch on YouTube
Watch pt 2 of Layla's interview
Watch our full interview with Jude Bateman, Sam's sister
Find and Support Layla!
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@layla_ex_ofwarrenjeffs
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaylaMatson
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Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_
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**Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mykelti Brown & her husband Tony Padron reflect on the behind the scenes of her upbringing in the polygamist family from TLC’s Sister Wives TV show.
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Watch Mykelti's initial interview here
Follow and support Mykelti & Tony!
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/u85780932
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mykeltip/
Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!
Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.
Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!
Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness
Venmo @sheliseann
Find us on Social media!
Instagram @cultstoconsciousness
Host Instagram @sheliseann
Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_
TikTok @cults.to.consciousness
Twitter @cultstocon
**Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mykelti Brown Padron reflects on her upbringing in the polygamist family from TLC’s Sister Wives TV show, describing both the perceived benefits and deep challenges of that lifestyle. For her growing up, polygamy felt normal and even appealing due to the built-in community, multiple parental figures, and constant companionship, but also reveals significant downsides including emotional neglect, lack of individual attention, inconsistent parenting, and poverty. She recounts a strained relationship with her father due to his divided time among many children and wives, as well as negative experiences with certain family dynamics, including fear of one mother figure in particular. While she still sees some appeal in the idea of plural family structure—likely shaped by early conditioning—she ultimately acknowledges that religious polygamy often suppresses women’s autonomy and creates imbalance, leaving her conflicted between nostalgic positives and the harsher realities she later recognized.
Click here to watch on YouTube
Watch our follow up LIVE stream with Mykelti & husband Tony
Follow and support Mykelti!
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/u85780932
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mykeltip/
Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!
Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.
Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!
Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness
Venmo @sheliseann
Find us on Social media!
Instagram @cultstoconsciousness
Host Instagram @sheliseann
Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_
TikTok @cults.to.consciousness
Twitter @cultstocon
**Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

James Luceno is a former fifth degree ranked member of the Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO), an initially welcoming, symbol-rich spiritual society rooted in Aleister Crowley’s philosophy of Thelema. According to James, it gradually reveals a hierarchical, secretive structure emphasizing obedience, loyalty, and authority through rituals and initiations, while presenting ideals like personal freedom and enlightenment, yet in practice, the organization fosters enmeshment, suppresses criticism, and protects high-ranking members accused of misconduct—including serious SA allegations—while discouraging accountability.
Over time, what begins as an immersive and meaningful community experience becomes increasingly controlling and ethically troubling, ultimately leading James to view it as a h*rmful, cult-like system. One in which he had to step away from, getting him ostracized from the community he invested 11 years into.
Click here to watch on YouTube
Watch our follow up live stream with James
Follow and support James!
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Entelecheia
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/turningofthesky
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/turningsky/
X: https://x.com/LapisMercurii
Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!
Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.
Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!
Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness
Venmo @sheliseann
Find us on Social media!
Instagram @cultstoconsciousness
Host Instagram @sheliseann
Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_
TikTok @cults.to.consciousness
Twitter @cultstocon
**Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Following up our recent interview​ @lovina_zook about Amish pregnancies, today we are going LIVE with her to further discuss what it was like being parented in the strictest Amish settlement— the Swartzentruber Amish— versus how she now plans to parent outside of it.
Click here to watch on YouTube
Watch our initial interview with Lovina
Watch our follow up LIVE with Lovina answering your questions
Our latest interview with Lovina
Find Lovina on social media!
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@lovina_zook/videos
IG: https://www.instagram.com/lovina_zook/
TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@lovina_zook
Website: https://socialsbylovina.com/
Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel!
Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast.
Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here!
Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness
Venmo @sheliseann
Find us on Social media!
Instagram @cultstoconsciousness
Host Instagram @sheliseann
Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_
TikTok @cults.to.consciousness
Twitter @cultstocon
**Disclaimer: This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.