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Former NXIVM member reflects on how her search for purpose went horribly wrong

Part 2 of the TED Radio Hour episode Escaping the modern world and your noisy mind

Sarah Edmondson joined NXIVM hoping to find her purpose... until she realized it was a dangerous cult. She shares the harrowing story of her escape—and how she helps others watch for warning signs.

About Sarah Edmondson

Sarah Edmondson is a Canadian actress and a whistleblower of the infamous cult, NXIVM. She wrote a memoir called, Scarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult that Bound My Life and was featured in and the HBO documentary series The Vow. Her podcast, A Little Bit Culty, cohosted by her husband and fellow NXIVM whistleblower Anthony "Nippy" Ames, explores the fads, beliefs and trends that blur the line between devotion and dysfunction.

This segment of the TED Radio Hour was produced by Katie Monteleone and edited by Sanaz Meshkinpour. You can follow us on Facebook @TEDRadioHourand email us at TEDRadioHour@npr.org.

Web Resources
Related TED Bio: Sarah Edmondson
Related TED Talk: Are birds real? How a conspiracy takes flight
Related TED Talk: What you can learn from people who disagree with you

Related NPR Links
Pop Culture Happy Hour: NXIVM cult saga continues in 'The Vow Part 2"
Fresh Air: After Growing Up In A Cult, Lauren Hough Freed Herself By Writing The Truth
All Things Considered: Experts In Cult Deprogramming Step In To Help Believers In Conspiracy Theories

Copyright 2025 NPR

Manoush Zomorodi
Manoush Zomorodi is the host of TED Radio Hour. She is a journalist, podcaster and media entrepreneur, and her work reflects her passion for investigating how technology and business are transforming humanity.
Katie Monteleone
Katie Monteleone is a producer for TED Radio Hour. She started out as an intern for the show in January 2019. After her internship, Monteleone began producing for Life Kit before returning to the TED Radio Hour team in October 2019 as a full-time producer.
Sanaz Meshkinpour
[Copyright 2024 NPR]