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Speaking of Cults

Podcast · www.speakingofcults.com · EN
Hosted by Chris Shelton

Speaking of Cults, hosted by Chris Shelton, is a weekly podcast interviewing cult survivors, psychologists and specialists on recruitment, retention and recovery, including non-religious cults and political movements. The show has 300 episodes and typical episodes run about 83 minutes. Estimated downloads are 5,000 to 25,000 per episode, with a rate of $90 to $625 per host-read mid-roll.

Why brands sponsor Speaking of Cults

A dedicated weekly audience engaged with cults, abuse recovery and coercive control

  • 300 episodes with a steady weekly cadence since 2020 build a loyal back catalogue
  • Apple Podcasts shows 271 ratings averaging 4.7 stars, a strong engagement signal for a niche show
  • Serious, guest-led interviews with survivors and psychologists suit trust-based brands
Best formental health and wellness servicesbooks and education productsawareness and recovery campaigns
Watch forHeavy subject matter and political content may not suit lighter lifestyle brands.

Brand fit report

Content

Topics, IAB taxonomy
Religion & Spirituality45%
Health & Fitness0%
Society35%
Politics10%
Education10%
Formats
interview, solo monologue, narrative
Tone
serious, candid
Language
English
Production
Clean, edited audio
Typical length
70 to 100 minutes

Audience

Commercial intent10/100
Comments asking for links, prices or where to buy
Sentiment65/100
Estimated from titles, descriptions and engagement
Est. downloads per episode5k–25k
Estimated, confidence 60%: 271 Apple ratings (band 200 to 1,000 implies 5,000 to 25,000), 300 episodes, weekly cadence, Podbean hosting and Podcast Index popularity 9.
Audience asks aboutHow do cults recruit and retain members?How do survivors recover from coercive control?What is the history of specific groups such as Scientology or Mormonism?
Age
20%18-24
30%25-34
25%35-44
25%45+
Gender
50%women
50%men
Countries
🇺🇸 United States70%
🇬🇧 United Kingdom10%
🇨🇦 Canada10%
Other10%
LanguagesEnglish 100%

Commercial

0%of the last 20 episodes had a sponsor
None seenno sponsor mentions in the last 20 episodes
Brands seen
None yet
Categories promoted
None yet
Affiliate links
No

No sponsor mentions found in the feed. Funding links are empty.

Suitability GARM Brand Safety Floor + Suitability

Profanitymedium
Adultlow
Drugslow
Violencemedium
Politicshigh

Explicit flag is set in the feed, and the description covers extreme political movements and abuse, including the episode 'Abusive Family Cults and the Foster System'.

We classify content, never people. No age, gender, ethnicity, religion or political views are inferred about the creator. Audience figures are estimates unless marked verified. Creators can correct anything on their profile.

Where to listen

Benchmark score: 85 / 100

Public rule, same for everyone. How it works.

Consistency Latest episode within the usual cadence50 / 50
Activity Episodes in the last 90 days, weekly is full marks30 / 30
Reach Estimated downloads per episode, 20k is full marks15 / 20

Recent episodes

Last six episodes from the show's feed, latest 2 days ago, a new one about every 7 days.

A podcast about cults, coercive control and recovery. Formerly called the Sensibly Speaking podcast, in this weekly show host Chris Shelton interviews cult survivors, psychologists and other professionals and specialists about the topics of cult recruitment, retention and recovery. This also includes non-religious cults and extreme political movements including the more divisive elements of MAGA…
Speaking of Cults's own show description from the podcast feed

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About Speaking of Cults

Speaking of Cults is a weekly podcast hosted by Chris Shelton, according to the show feed and the website at speakingofcults.com. Each episode interviews cult survivors, psychologists and other specialists about cult recruitment, retention and recovery. The show also covers non-religious cults and divisive political movements. It was formerly called Sensibly Speaking.

The show has 300 episodes, released weekly, with a typical length of about 70 to 100 minutes. Apple Podcasts lists 271 ratings with an average of 4.7 stars. Based on those signals, listeners are estimated, not confirmed, at roughly 5,000 to 25,000 downloads per episode, mostly adults in the United States, with an estimated audience skewing toward adults aged 25 to 44. No sponsors appear in the feed.

A host-read mid-roll is estimated at $90 to $625 per episode, based on the estimated download range. The show suits brands in mental health, education and recovery services, or campaigns that want to reach an engaged, serious-minded audience.

Written from the show's public RSS feed, its Podcast Index listing and episode titles. Numbers updated 2026-10-19. Speaking of Cults can edit or remove this page at any time.

Questions about Speaking of Cults

How much does Speaking of Cults charge for a podcast sponsorship?

Based on an estimated 5,000 to 25,000 downloads per episode, a host-read mid-roll is estimated at $90 to $625. Rates are estimates derived from download ranges, not confirmed by the host.

What is Speaking of Cults about?

Speaking of Cults is a weekly podcast hosted by Chris Shelton. It interviews cult survivors and specialists about recruitment, retention and recovery, including non-religious cults and political movements.

How do I contact Speaking of Cults about sponsoring an episode?

The show's contact email unlocks on Starbooked for $0.80. Boosted shows can also be booked through Starbooked.

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