# How Cults Take Over Your Mind And How to Escape (Preview)

An episode of [What It Was Like](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1614354774), 10 Oct 2026, 7:17.

Audio: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/6200ee776bcd50001215d4e7/e/6ac9ac9737f0bd18cca7e912/media.mp3

How do ordinary, intelligent people end up in cults, and how do they get out? In this subscriber ep preview, we talk to Ingo Michehl, who spent six years in the Moonies before a single phrase from a friend set him free. He later did a master’s in psychology with a thesis on mind control. He tells us about his journey in and out, and we unpack the eight criteria of “ideological totalism”. Get in touch with Ingo at Balance With Ingo. Subscribe to WIWL PLUS+ to hear the full episode and get access to loads more exclusive content. Join our membership on Spotify here or on Apple Podcasts here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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