By high school, church wasn't just Shannon McElroy's faith, it was her community and her future. She was going to be a Christian counselor.

Then her youth group took her to something called "Acquire the Fire": a massive Christian youth conference that was part rock concert, part revival, and for Shannon, one hell of a spiritual high.

Before long, she'd be leaving college to join Teen Mania's Honor Academy. A year-long "internship" in rural Texas that promised purpose, ministry, and a chance to change the world. All she had to do was pay hundreds of dollars a month for the privilege of working for them... for free.

All she had to do was pay hundreds of dollars a month for the privilege of working for them... for free.

As you can imagine, what Shannon thought she'd signed up for was not exactly what she got.

Like the retreat where they simulated a prison and made her do wall sits. For Jesus.

And that was just one of their so-called "Life Transforming Events."

Now, to be fair, they did transform her. Just not the way it said in the brochure.

Twenty-five years later, Shannon, now a professor, therapist and social worker, still finds herself untangling from what one very intense year at Teen Mania instilled in her.

__________

FOLLOW SHANNON
Website → mendedbeing.com
Instagram → @mendedbeingcounselingllc
Facebook → Mended Being

More Teen Mania stories → Recovering Alumni

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Daniella Mestyanek Young was born three generations deep into the Children of God and today, she finally gets out.

At 15-years-old, she lands in Texas with no real education, no money and no friggin' idea how life on the outside works.

But true to form, she badasses her way through it. And excels.

Somehow, the girl who escaped one extreme, hierarchical world becomes an intelligence officer in the U.S. Army, deploys to Afghanistan, and helps make history for women in combat.

But on her very first day of basic training she thinks:

"Oh... I've joined another cult."

Part Two of Daniella's incredible story is about what happens after you escape.

Because getting out of a cult is one thing.

Figuring out who the hell you are once you're free is another.

_________

FOLLOW DANIELLA
Her website → Knitting Cult Lady
Instagram → @daniellamyoung_
YouTube → @KnittingCultLady
Her books, Uncultured and The Culting of America → here

FOLLOW US
Instagram → @wasiinacult
TikTok → @wasiinacult

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Daniella Mestyanek Young was born three generations deep into the Children of God, yet somehow, that was only the beginning.

She would go on to become a US Army intelligence officer, help make history for women in combat, become Harvard educated in organizational psychology, and write two books.

But first, she had to survive her childhood.

In Part One, Daniella takes us inside the Children of God world she was born into: child labor, child performers, massive communes, David Berg's increasingly deranged teachings, and a family history so complicated Daniella has a name for it... sex cult math.

And one rainy day at 12 years old, one casual comment from her mother about glasses changed what Daniella thought she knew about her own family forever.

_________

FOLLOW DANIELLA
Her website → Knitting Cult Lady
Instagram → @daniellamyoung_
YouTube → @KnittingCultLady
Her books, Uncultured and The Culting of America → here

FOLLOW US
Instagram → @wasiinacult
TikTok → @wasiinacult

SUPPORT THE SHOW
Join our Patreon!
Ad-free episodes, bonus content, behind-the-scenes conversations, and our forever gratitude.

HAVE A CULTY STORY?
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