Beyond the Documentary: Dr. Christine Marie on Cults, Coercion, and Giving Voice To The Voiceless

In this episode of the Get Obsessed podcast, Julie Lokun continues her conversation with Dr. Christine Marie, going behind the scenes of Trust Me The False Prophet and the years she spent building trust inside the FLDS community. Dr. Christine explains how vulnerability and the need to belong can make people susceptible to religious cults, how destructive groups can control thoughts, relationships, information, behavior, and emotions, and how she began recognizing troubling behavior surrounding Sam Bateman. She also shares what happened after recording evidence of abuse, the challenges of working with law enforcement, and the eventual investigation that led to Sam Bateman’s arrest and 50-year sentence. The conversation also explores the impact on women and families, the importance of speaking up when someone is being harmed, and why survivors should have the freedom to tell their stories in their own time. In this episode, we discuss: How vulnerability and the need to belong can make people susceptible to cult control Cult control and its influence on thoughts, relationships, information, and behavior Early rumors about Sam Bateman and his relationships with underage girls A confession that revealed ritualistic sexual abuse within Sam’s group The investigation, law enforcement challenges, and the events that led to Sam’s arrest The lasting effects on women, children, and families connected to the community Why speaking up against harm matters and how survivors can reclaim their stories ABOUT THE GUEST: Dr. Christine Marie holds a PhD in Psychology specializing in media psychology, along with an MBA and a specialization in Positive Psychology. She is an author, speaker, researcher, educator, kindness advocate, and certified Trauma and Resiliency Life Coach. Her work focuses on coercive control, cult psychology, media trauma, public shaming, critical thinking, kindness, and resilience. In 2021, she received the Outstanding Dissertation Award from the American Psychological Association’s Division of Media Psychology and Technology. Christine is the founder of Voices for Dignity, a nonprofit supporting marginalized communities and survivors. She has spent the past decade doing humanitarian and dignity work in Short Creek and has extensive experience working with members of the FLDS community. In 2026, she was featured in the Netflix documentary Trust Me: The False Prophet. MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE: (Netflix documentary) Trust Me: The False Prophet - https://www.netflix.com/title/81758532 (Episode) Inside the Cult of Scientology with Anne Gollert Hill Part 1: https://www.getobsessedpodcast.com/podcast/episode/2d75b703/inside-the-cult-of-scientology-with-anne-gollert-hill-part-1 Part 2: https://www.getobsessedpodcast.com/podcast/episode/4aeb558d/inside-the-cult-of-scientology-with-anne-gollert-hill-part-2 CONNECT WITH DR. CHRISTINE MARIE: Website: https://christinemarie.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christinemariePhD/ X (Twitter): https://x.com/christinemariek Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.christinemarie ABOUT GET OBSESSED Website: www.getobsessedpodcast.com Be a Guest! http://www.getobsessedguest.com  Reach Out To Us! [email protected]  The Get Obsessed podcast is dedicated to exploring the passions, mindsets, and habits that drive high performers. We believe that what you obsess over defines your future. LISTEN, RATE, REVIEW AND SUBSCRIBE - Get Obsessed : With Living Your Best Life - Podcast - Apple Podcasts  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.