{"store":{"baseInfo":{"podcastTitle":"Speaking of Cults","slug":"ChrisSheltonMsc","podcastDescription":"A podcast about cults, coercive control and recovery. Formerly called the Sensibly Speaking podcast, in this weekly show host Chris Shelton interviews cult survivors, psychologists and other professionals and specialists about the topics of cult recruitment, retention and recovery. This also includes non-religious cults and extreme political movements including the more divisive elements of MAGA and left-wing culture war issues. There is nothing off-limits but we always try to be respectful of the people involved even if we do not respect the beliefs or actions involved.","podcastLogo":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/17280792/SoC-square-logo.jpg","podcastShareLogo":"https://d2bwo9zemjwxh5.cloudfront.net/image-logo/17280792/SoC-square-logo_1200x628.jpg?s=b081c31436ca14849f66a03740ccbeb8&e=jpg","podcastUrl":"https://www.speakingofcults.com","podcastCanSearched":true,"feedUrl":"https://www.speakingofcults.com/feed.xml","theme":"podisc","podcastDeepLink":"https://www.podbean.com/pw/pbblog-feavt-107af18?from=usersite","removePodbeanBranding":"no","brandingLogo":null,"timeZone":{"timeZoneId":9,"gmtAdjustment":"GMT-07:00","useDaylightTime":1,"value":-7,"text":"(GMT-07:00) Mountain Time (US & Canada)","daylightStartTime":"Second Sunday Of March +2 Hours","daylightEndTime":"First Sunday Of November +2 Hours","timezone":"America/Denver"},"podcastDownloads":null,"totalEpisodes":421,"showComments":true,"iOSAppDownloadLink":null,"customizeCssUrl":null,"androidAppDownloadLink":null,"showPostShare":true,"showLike":true,"author":"Chris Shelton","enableEngagementStats":true,"shareEmbedLink":"https://admin5.podbean.com/embed.html?id=pbblog-feavt-107af18-playlist","language":"en","sensitivitySessionExpireTime":3600,"podcastApps":[{"name":"Apple Podcasts","link":"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sensibly-speaking-podcast/id1030984057","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/apple-podcast.png","title":null},{"name":"Podbean App","link":"https://www.podbean.com/pw/pbblog-feavt-107af18?from=usersite","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/podbean-app.png","title":null},{"name":"Spotify","link":"https://open.spotify.com/show/5xKCBOQMYaMUvd0l25L4eL","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/spotify.png","title":null},{"name":"Amazon Music","link":"https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/bdb16444-5e14-4f83-b2cd-8971b8819ebd/the-sensibly-speaking-podcast","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/AmazonMusic.png","title":null},{"name":"iHeartRadio","link":"https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-sensibly-speaking-podc-70651961/","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/iHeartRadio.png","title":null},{"name":"PlayerFM","link":"https://player.fm/series/the-sensibly-speaking-podcast","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/PlayerFM.png","title":null},{"name":"Listen Notes","link":"https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-sensibly-speaking-podcast-the-sensibly-t0v7zMVw1sU/","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/ListenNotes.png","title":null},{"name":"Podchaser","link":"https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-sensibly-speaking-podcast-198440","image":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1/site/images/admin5/Podchaser.webp","title":null}],"components":{"base":[{"id":"MainStyle","val":"dark"},{"id":"Font","val":"EB Garamond"},{"id":"SecondaryFont","val":"PT Sans"},{"id":"PlayerColor","val":"#FFCE00"},{"id":"Favicon","val":null},{"id":"CookiesNotice","val":"hide"},{"id":"CookiesNoticeContent","val":"

Cookies Notice

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. By using our website you agree to our use of cookies.

"},{"id":"EpisodePageListenOn","val":"hide"},{"id":"EpisodePageCustomizeComponent","val":"hide"}],"home-header":[{"id":"HomeHeaderTextColor","val":"#ffffff"},{"id":"BackgroundImage","val":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/jku9jt/Home-Page-Header03.jpg"},{"id":"BackgroundImageForMobile","val":"/assets/podisc-mobile-banner-light.jpg"}],"page-header":[{"id":"PageHeaderTextColor","val":"#ffffff"},{"id":"SecondaryPageBackgroundImage","val":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/jku9jt/Home-Page-Header03.jpg"},{"id":"SecondaryPageBackgroundImageForMobile","val":"/assets/podisc-mobile-banner-light.jpg"}],"episode-list":[{"id":"EpisodeListType","val":"list"},{"id":"EpisodesPerPage","val":8},{"id":"EpisodeStats","val":"show"}],"navigation":[{"id":"NavigationFontColor","val":"#FFFFFF"},{"id":"NavigationBackgroundColor","val":"#000000"},{"id":"NavigationSearch","val":"show"},{"id":"NavigationLinks","val":[{"id":"Home","type":"Link","value":"/","text":"Home","subitems":[]},{"id":"Subscribe","type":"Link","value":"https://www.podbean.com/site/podcatcher/index/blog/37qdjMiMoSJx","text":"Subscribe","subitems":[]},{"id":"Profile","type":"Link","value":"https://www.podbean.com/user-15z71RsaAuDq","text":"Profile","subitems":[]}]}],"footer":[{"id":"FooterType","val":"Footer1"},{"id":"FooterFontColor","val":"#ffffff"},{"id":"FooterBackgroundColor","val":"#000000"},{"id":"FooterCopyright","val":"Copyright 2025 All rights reserved."},{"id":"SocialMediaLinks","val":{"facebook_username":"","twitter_username":"","instagram_username":"","youtube_username":"","linkedin_username":""}}],"customize-container1":[],"customize-container2":[{"id":"ComponentImageText-1","val":{"ComponentFontColor":"#ffffff","ComponentBackgroundColor":"#000000","ComponentImage":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/q63u2v/2022_inside-_med-size_e4370fbb-9d92-db47-6957-7d4b0367c144.jpg","ComponentContent":"

Your Host

Hello, my name is Chris Shelton and I am an author, consultant, podcaster, videographer, and former cult member. Welcome to my podcast!

Who is Chris Shelton?

Chris started a YouTube channel which has over 45,000 subscribers, produces the Sensibly Speaking podcast each week and has produced hundreds of videos laying out the scam of Scientology, educating on critical thinking and interviewing former members of Scientology and other destructive cults, as well as a range of therapists, cult exit counselors, educators and media personalities. Chris has also given talks and presentations around the United States about his experiences and has been featured on numerous podcasts and television shows. He was featured on Leah Remini’s Scientology and the Aftermath on A&E and served as a consultant to the show for its first two seasons. He has also written a critical analysis of Scientology and L. Ron Hubbard called Scientology: A to Xenu – An Insider’s Guide to What Scientology is Really All About, available on Amazon in printed form, e-book format and as an audio book.

"}}]},"allLinks":[],"mainStylesDefaultSettings":null,"defaultCustomizeComponents":null,"scripts":[],"metas":null,"appConfig":{"package":"com.podbean.app.podcast","app_store_id":973361050,"app_name":"Podbean","scheme":"podbean"},"customizeCss":null,"canEditCss":null,"enableJsCodeInCustomizeContent":false,"enabledIframeCodeInCustomizeContent":true,"sectionMaxCount":10,"enableEditorLink":true,"enableEditCookiesNotice":true,"siteRedirectToFeed":false,"podcatcherRssUrl":null,"showFeed":true,"showTopBar":true,"enableWebSiteLike":true,"organizationName":null,"organizationPageLink":null},"backToListUrl":"/","tinymceLoaded":false,"listEpisodes":[],"userLikedEpisodes":[],"userLikeCheckedEpisodes":[],"topBarIframeLoaded":false,"listTotalCount":0,"listTotalPage":0,"listPage":0,"listType":"all","listValue":"","listName":"","pageLoading":false,"apiBaseUrl":"http://www.speakingofcults.com","apiV2BaseUrl":"","apiCommonParams":{"t":"6a0880ba","clientSignature":"5cb6a5c441d5171f426d6b46b410ad5f","u":null,"customizing":null},"apiCommonHeaders":{},"comments":[],"commentsTotalCount":0,"commentsTotalPage":0,"commentsPage":1,"commentEpisodeId":"pb27956287-mh5w8","episode":{"id":"pb27956287","idTag":"mh5w8","title":"Speaking of Cults...The Scientology Experience with Natalia Hirsch (Part 1)","logo":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/17280792/SoC-square-logo_300x300.jpg","shareLogo":"https://d2bwo9zemjwxh5.cloudfront.net/image-logo/17280792/SoC-square-logo_1200x628.jpg?s=b081c31436ca14849f66a03740ccbeb8&e=jpg","largeLogo":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/17280792/SoC-square-logo.jpg","previewContent":null,"content":"

This week I welcome former Scientologist Natalia Hirsch, originally from Ecuador but who had a wide-ranging life and Scientology experience she is sharing with us starting in today's first part. We cover her beginnings in the mission of Ecuador and run-ins with \"higher level\" Scientology in Venezuela and with WISE. More to come - enjoy!

","publishTimestamp":1777096800,"duration":5684,"mediaUrl":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/t3vqwuqkrkbjfya3/SoC_111.mp3","mediaType":"audio/mpeg","shareLink":"https://admin5.podbean.com/embed.html?id=pb-mh5w8-1aa943f","likedCount":0,"deepLink":"https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-mh5w8-1aa943f","transcriptUrl":null,"permalink":"/e/speaking-of-cultsthe-scientology-experience-with-natalia-hirsch-part-1/","downloadLink":"https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-mh5w8-1aa943f?download=1","fallbackResource":null,"fallbackResourceMimetype":null,"downloadCount":1485,"status":"publish","hasMoreContent":false,"chaptersUrl":null,"explicit":true},"episodeShareLink":null,"deepLink":"https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-mh5w8-1aa943f","playlist":{"episodes":[],"current":0,"start":0,"stop":0,"playing":true,"playerLoading":true,"playbackRate":1,"playbackRateIndex":1,"volume":1},"toasts":[],"confirm":null,"customizeEditorFormZIndex":999,"lastRequestTime":null,"validateChangesOnBeforeunload":true,"windowWidth":1000,"VITE_FS1_CDN_URL_PREFIX":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/fs1","reloadStats":false,"userIdEncrypted":null,"userProfilePicture":null,"username":null,"isVerified":false,"loadUserInfo":false,"loginUrl":"https://www.podbean.com/site/user/login?return=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.speakingofcults.com%252Fe%252Fspeaking-of-cultsthe-scientology-experience-with-natalia-hirsch-part-1%252F&rts=f56ca9844b198a2e1a0db3f8ecdbc0311aaf8508","recaptchaV3Loaded":false,"recaptchaV2Loaded":false,"likesLoaded":false,"commentLikeMap":{},"commentOffset":0,"widgetCommentsLoaded":false},"episode":{"id":"pb27956287","idTag":"mh5w8","title":"Speaking of Cults...The Scientology Experience with Natalia Hirsch (Part 1)","logo":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/17280792/SoC-square-logo_300x300.jpg","shareLogo":"https://d2bwo9zemjwxh5.cloudfront.net/image-logo/17280792/SoC-square-logo_1200x628.jpg?s=b081c31436ca14849f66a03740ccbeb8&e=jpg","largeLogo":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/17280792/SoC-square-logo.jpg","previewContent":null,"content":"