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Surviving Satchidananda: The Dark Secrets of an International Yoga Movement

Brianna Patten

Booking Overview

This show investigates allegations of toxicity and abuse within the Satchidananda Ashram-Yogaville/Integral Yoga world, combining insider accounts with expert interviews. For PR outreach, it’s a strong platform for cult, abuse-prevention, psychology, and deprogramming specialists who can speak on safeguards and harms in spiritual organizations.

Metrics

Episodes: 12

Frequency: Irregular

Rating: 4.9/5.0

Estimated listeners: 100 - 1,000

Gender skew: Female

Listener location: USA

Contact Information

Publicly listed emails

wtjupodcasts@virginia.edu

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Host

Brianna Patten - Former Yogaville resident and insider who exposes the toxic underbelly of Satchidananda Ashram-Yogaville through raw personal stories and interviews with experts. Host of Surviving Satchidananda (s...

Booking Intelligence

Booking Requirements

medium
Typical Credentials:  
Researchers/clinicians in psychology; cult education/deprogramming specialists; experienced insiders/witnesses and survivors with credible public documentation (e.g., prior media features) related to Integral Yoga/Yogaville and comparable spiritual organizations.
Required Achievements:  
PhD-level or formal academic credentials in psychology, Notable work in cult education/deprogramming, Prior high-visibility media coverage related to the subject (e.g., documentary/series interviews), Long-term involvement and/or testimony regarding harms within a spiritual community

Recent Guest Discussions

Rick Alan Ross - Deprogramming Process; Interactions With Yogaville Leadership; Mystery Surrounding Catherine Cheng

Joan Cichon - Involvement With Integral Yoga; Patterns Of Harmful Behavior; Worship Of Swami Satchidananda; Community Response To Antle Impregnating An Underage Girl; How Spiritual Teachings Can Be Manipulated And Weaponized

Maxim Kramer - Psychological Profile Of Abusive Gurus; Analysis Of Mindset Of Sex Offenders And Cult Victims; Being Silenced After Disclosing Assault As A Minor In Integral Yoga's Care

Recent Topics

Cult, Abuse, Psychology, Deprogramming, Sexual Assault

Episodes

Here's the recent few episodes on
Surviving Satchidananda: The Dark Secrets of an International Yoga Movement
:

What Happens When Spiritual Teachers Abuse Their Power? with Matthew Remski

September 20, 2026

What can Yogaville teach us about abuse in modern yoga organizations? In this episode, Matthew Remski, author of Surviving Modern Yoga, explains the dynamics that allow spiritual abuse to persist in our communities. Matthew brings his own experiences in high-demand groups to his work and offers a framework for understanding vulnerability, coercion, cult dynamics, and the complicated process of recognizing harm within the communities we belong to. Support Brianna and the show: https://ko-fi.co...

Yogaville Lawsuit Analysis with Legal Expert Marci Hamilton: What the Joint Statement Really Means

July 07, 2026

In this episode, we analyze the most recent Yogaville lawsuit and the settlement statement released by Integral Yoga and two of Swami Satchidananda's victims. Brianna examines what the statement acknowledges, what it omits, and how Yogaville’s accompanying letter to the community contrasts with its aggressive legal strategy over the past four years.  Professor Marci Hamilton, leading expert on clergy sexual abuse and statutes of limitation, visited the show to help us better understand this c...

What Happened to Catherine Cheng at Yogaville? Featuring Rick Alan Ross

June 01, 2026

Catherine Cheng went to Yogaville for a month long retreat and didn't come back home. What happened to her? Famous Cult Deprogrammer and Archivist Rick Alan Ross worked with Catherine and her family over 20 years ago. He visited the show to talk about the deprogramming process, his interactions with Yogaville leadership, and the mystery surrounding what happened to Catherine. If anyone has any information about Catherine and her family, or if you are Catherine and you want me to stop talking ...

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Frequently asked questions

Here's some frequently asked questions for
Surviving Satchidananda: The Dark Secrets of an International Yoga Movement
:

How do I get in touch with Surviving Satchidananda: The Dark Secrets of an International Yoga Movement?

Surviving Satchidananda: The Dark Secrets of an International Yoga Movement is hosted by Brianna Patten. Its publicly listed email is wtjupodcasts@virginia.edu. For guest bookings, the host or producer is usually the best person to reach. Podseeker helps you find direct host and producer contacts and pitch from your own inbox.

What is the email for Surviving Satchidananda: The Dark Secrets of an International Yoga Movement?

The publicly listed email for Surviving Satchidananda: The Dark Secrets of an International Yoga Movement: wtjupodcasts@virginia.edu.

How many listeners does Surviving Satchidananda: The Dark Secrets of an International Yoga Movement have?

Podseeker estimates Surviving Satchidananda: The Dark Secrets of an International Yoga Movement reaches 100 to 1,000 listeners per episode. Only the publisher has exact numbers.

Who is an ideal guest for Surviving Satchidananda: The Dark Secrets of an International Yoga Movement?

Surviving Satchidananda: The Dark Secrets of an International Yoga Movement typically books working professionals with real expertise. Typical guest background: Researchers/clinicians in psychology; cult education/deprogramming specialists; experienced insiders/witnesses and survivors with credible public documentation (e.g., prior media features) related to Integral Yoga/Yogaville and comparable spiritual organizations. Common among recent guests: PhD-level or formal academic credentials in psychology; Notable work in cult education/deprogramming; Prior high-visibility media coverage related to the subject (e.g., documentary/series interviews). Recent guests include Rick Alan Ross, Joan Cichon, and Maxim Kramer.

How hard is it to get booked on Surviving Satchidananda: The Dark Secrets of an International Yoga Movement?

Medium. Guests usually need solid credentials in the topic and an idea that fits the show.

What topics does Surviving Satchidananda: The Dark Secrets of an International Yoga Movement cover?

Recent episodes cover Cult, Abuse, Psychology, Deprogramming, and Sexual Assault. Pitch an idea tied to one of these topics and mention a recent episode.

Publicly listed emails

wtjupodcasts@virginia.edu

Looking for the right person? Join Podseeker to find direct host and producer contacts and manage your podcast outreach.

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