How girls like us fall for cults like those
Veena Dinavahi on The True Happiness Company
Today’s podstack interview promises to be unlike any I’ve done before, subscriber. Though Veena Dinavahi isn’t the first memoirist I’ve invited on the show, she’s the first one to have survived membership in a Mormon cult whose misogynistic leader began wreaking havoc on her life when she was just a teenager.
Now an adult with young children of her own, Veena has written an incredible memoir about her experience called The True Happiness Company, which debuted last month from Penguin Random House to much well-deserved praise.
When I first learned of Veena’s book, I knew right away that I wanted to invite her on the show. Anyone who’s been following this very essay-dispatch will know that Veena and I share a mutual interest in raising awareness of cults and coercive control. These groups are pernicious, more prevalent than you might think, and don’t discriminate when it comes to choice of victim. I knew Veena would be a font of wisdom on this important topic, and she was.
Veena’s also a fantastic writer, the kind whose blend of wit, candor, and self-insight can alchemize even the most painful experiences into a book that will help countless readers feel less alone — and may even keep them out of harm’s way. Our conversation was truly delightful, a valuable reminder that there’s humor and growth to be found in even the most off-the-wall situations. I hope you’ll enjoy our chat, and order a copy of Veena’s book!
Some resources on cults and coercive control: how they work, and how to respond
From Veena:
One Love (organization educating youth on abusive relationships)
Three Women by Lisa Taddeo
DARVO (deny, attack, reverse victim and offender)
From me:
BITE Model of Authoritarian Control from Dr. Steven Hassan
The Vow, a documentary series about the NXIVM cult
Stolen Youth, a documentary miniseries about the cult at Sarah Lawrence