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August 11, 2025 β€’ 50 mins

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πŸŒ• Lisa Kohn spent her childhood inside the Moonies cult (Unification Church) and reveals what really happened behind closed doors.

In this shocking conversation, Lisa exposes the truth about life inside one of America's most notorious cults:

πŸŒ• Mom married a stranger with 2,074 other couples at Madison Square Garden
πŸŒ• At 10 years old, she begged her mom to abandon her children for "God"
πŸŒ• She was taught that missing her mother was literally "breaking God's heart"
πŸŒ• Best friends with cult leader Reverend Moon's daughter until she was banished
πŸŒ• The bridge where she almost ended her life rather than leave the cult

The programming was so deep that Lisa couldn't say anything negative about Moon until 2018 - decades after escaping.
From surviving extreme childhood trauma to becoming a successful leadership coach, Lisa's story of healing will change how you see resilience.

Key revelations:

πŸŒ• How cults use "heavenly deception" to recruit new members
πŸŒ• Why she couldn't say anything negative about Moon until 2018 (decades after leaving)
πŸŒ• The moment she realized it would be "better to die than leave"
πŸŒ• How loving yourself first becomes the ultimate shield against manipulation

Chapters:
[00:00] Introduction & Hosts Preview
[02:50] Meet Lisa Kohn
[04:11] What Are the Moonies?
[06:07] How Lisa's Mother Got Recruited
[08:25] First Meeting With Reverend Moon
[09:34] Believing Moon Was the Messiah
[11:08] Satan Inside You If You Question
[12:16] Telling Mom to Abandon Them for God
[14:12] Love Bombing and Self-Love as Protection
[16:14] Childhood Trauma Before the Cult
[19:09] Lost in New York City at Age 8
[23:02] The Slow Process of Leaving
[26:27] Standing on the Bridge, Ready to Jump
[29:06] The Bizarre Marriage Rituals
[30:40] Why Cults Feel Amazing
[32:12] Dad Steps In During Anorexia
[34:27] Finding Healing and Purpose
[39:53] How Cult Recruiting Really Works
[45:23] Working With Corporations Now
[48:38] Speaking Circuit and Future Plans

Lisa now helps leaders and organizations through her coaching practice and powerful keynote speaking. Her book "To the Moon and Back: A Childhood Under the Influence" has helped countless cult survivors find their path to healing.

Website: LisaCohn.com | Book available at MainPoint Books

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