The Convergence of Cult Experience and Military Indoctrination with Former Army Captain Daniella Mestyanek Young

In 2022, I was honored to have an enlightening discussion with Daniella Mestyanek Young shortly after the release of her acclaimed memoir Uncultured. In this conversation a year later, we delved into the intricacies of her early departure from the Children of God (COG) religious sex cult, her military journey as a former Army Captain in the Intelligence Corps, and the unsettling convergence of undue influence. Since our last exchange, Daniella earned her Master’s in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from the Harvard Extension School.