True Crime: Sullivanian Sex Cult

All Episodes

June 16, 2025 • 53 mins

We discuss the Sullivanians, a 1970s psychotherapy sex cult in New York City’s Upper West Side. We outline their disturbing evolution, as patient-members were lured and ensnared with promises of sex, parties, low rent, and “chumships” among six hundred cult followers. CW | TW: This episode discusses a psychoanalytic sex cult, which includes mind and bodily control, talk of sex, abuse, child neglect, and the mention of suicide. Listener discretion is advised. Email: ⁠⁠⁠severedpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠severedpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@severed_podcast⁠⁠⁠ Hosts: Harry Chambers + Drew Hudson Logo Art: Drew Hudson Theme Song Composer | Podcast Editor: Harry Chambers Show Concept | Researcher | Lead Writer: Drew Hudson Available on ⁠⁠⁠RadioGardenState⁠⁠⁠ Available on ⁠⁠⁠Rogue Media Network⁠ Sources Book: The Sullivanians: Sex, Psychotherapy, and the American Life of the Commune by Alexander Stille Article: “The Upper West Side Cult That Hid In Plain Sight” by Jessica Winter (New Yorker) Article: “The Upper West Side Therapy Cult That Broke All the Rules” by Nellie Hermann (TNR) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know

If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce

Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!

24/7 News: The Latest

The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

.css-15opob5{left:0;position:absolute;top:0.8rem;} All Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}True Crime: Sullivanian Sex Cult