The Write Your Own Story Podcast
Grab your fav pen ladies, because it’s time to write the story of how your life goes! The Write Your Own Story podcast is here to encourage women to live the life they dream about by sitting with women business owners, game changers, community leaders and friends in the most honest, no perfect allowed, just girls gabbin way, about all things life and womanhood. Stories are rooted in meaning, connection, and understanding and so often are the clues for our future selves. It’s so important for all of us to hear what other women are doing with their lives. Their successes, their struggles, their perseverance, what failure has taught them, how they show up in this world, and what sets their heart on fire. It’s these stories that make us realize we’re not alone and motivate us to take a closer look at our own dreams. I promise it will be down to earth, super real and honest, funny, and feel like we’re all just gabbin over a cup of coffee or a glass (glasses) of wine. At the end of each show, my hope ist women are inspired to block out the societal “should’s” and the inner voices of “Why me?” and “Am I enough?” so they can pick up the pen with confidence and write their own stories of their lives.
The Write Your Own Story Podcast
I Escaped a Sex Cult: Scary Tactics Cults Use to Recruit You | NXIVM Survivor Sarah Edmondson (Part 1)
In this week’s episode of the Write Your Own Story podcast, Betsy sits down with Sarah Edmondson — actress, author, podcast host, and survivor of the NXIVM cult — to uncover how she was recruited and why intelligent, ambitious women can be especially vulnerable to manipulation.
In Part 1, Sarah opens up about:
🔹 Her early life as a “seeker” and what made her open to self-improvement groups
🔹 The subtle tactics NXIVM used to draw people in and build dependency
🔹 The MLM-style structure hidden beneath a “personal growth” program
🔹 Red flags she missed — and how they apply not just to cults, but also to relationships, communities, and families
🔹 Why anyone can fall prey to manipulation, and the psychology that keeps people stuck
👉 Part 2 (coming next week, 9/24) will reveal Sarah’s breaking point, the shocking branding ritual, and how she finally escaped to become a whistleblower.
If you’ve ever wondered how someone ends up in a cult — or how to recognize the red flags before it’s too late — this conversation is a must-listen.
✨ Connect with Sarah Edmondson:
Follow Sarah: sarahedmondson.com
Facebook: facebook.com/sarahjedmondson
Instagram: @sarahedmondson
X: @sarahjedmondson
YouTube: youtube.com/@SarahEdmondsonActor
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahjedmondson
Watch Sarah’s TEDx talk on TED.com: https://www.ted.com/talks/sarah_edmondson_how_to_spot_a_cult?subtitle=en
Listen to A Little Bit Culty wherever you listen to podcasts: alittlebitculty.com
Connect with Betsy:
Website: writeyourownstory.co
Email: betsy@writeyourownstory.co
Instagram: write_your_own_story_co Or betsyleo
Youtube:writeyourownstorypodcast
More:
SHOP MY AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/shop/write_your_own_story_co
FEMALE FOUNDERS MASTERCLASS: https://writeyourownstory.co/ffa-courses
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