The psychology of Bad Vegan: Sarma Melngailis on narcissistic abuse and life after

The psychology of Bad Vegan: Sarma Melngailis on narcissistic abuse and life after

The documentary "Bad Vegan" was about Sarma Melngailis’s nightmarish journey from successful New York City restaurant owner to Rikers inmate jailed for stealing millions. How did this happen? Sarma was the victim of a narcissistic con man named Anthony Strangis, who manipulated her into believing (or semi-believing) a number of wild, delusional ideas (like that he might be a non-human being with immense, other-worldly powers). He used this strange hold over her to persuade her to give him large amounts of money (much of which he blew at casinos). I talk to Sarma about her experiences. We talk about: what led to her being so emotionally vulnerable that someone like Strangis could manipulate her; the factors that can lead someone to believe things that most people see as clearly ridiculous lies; why she dislikes the “Bad Vegan” documentary maker for his editing choices; the huge emotional challenge of trying to rebuild and stay positive after such nightmarish, debilitating events; her new book "The Girl With the Duck Tattoo." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jaksot(205)

Are you a psychopath? Debunking myths and looking for nuance in "dark" traits

Are you a psychopath? Debunking myths and looking for nuance in "dark" traits

What does the word “psychopath” really mean—and how often are we getting it wrong? Can someone have some psychopathic traits and still be empathetic? How often are we embracing simplistic ideas of wha...

9 Elo 20251h 8min

Penalty kick mind games: Reading and using body language in sports

Penalty kick mind games: Reading and using body language in sports

I talk with sports psychology and behavior researcher Philip Furley about how athletes' body language communicates far more than we realize — and how it can affect teammates, opponents, judges, and ev...

2 Elo 20251h 4min

Madness explained: How trauma and stress can break the mind

Madness explained: How trauma and stress can break the mind

I talk to psychologist Richard Bentall about psychosis, schizophrenia, and the psychological roots of mental illness. Bentall is the author of the well known book "Madness Explained." We explore how s...

26 Heinä 202559min

Our memory and sense of self are full of illusions | with Anne Wilson

Our memory and sense of self are full of illusions | with Anne Wilson

Psychologist Anne Wilson studies how we construct our identities over time—how we remember the past, imagine the future, and tell ourselves stories that shape who we believe we are. In this episode, w...

19 Heinä 202552min

Are you a narcissist? The psychology and spectrum of narcissism

Are you a narcissist? The psychology and spectrum of narcissism

What if we’ve been thinking about narcissism all wrong — and some forms of it are not only normal, but healthy? Why do we so often confuse genuine confidence or ambition with something pathological? C...

12 Heinä 20251h 8min

The "deep whys" behind autistic behaviors | with Barry Prizant

The "deep whys" behind autistic behaviors | with Barry Prizant

I talk to Barry Prizant, author of the popular book "Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism," about the often misunderstood world of autism. We explore the idea that many so-called “autistic...

27 Kesä 20251h 10min

The psychology of how we react when our sense of meaning is threatened

The psychology of how we react when our sense of meaning is threatened

Why do we feel so unsettled and agitated when the world doesn’t make sense? In this episode, I talk with psychologist Steven Heine about his Meaning Maintenance Model — a theory that explains how we r...

15 Kesä 20251h 5min

A Bitcoin for news? Could Aemula.com revolutionize journalism and reduce polarization?

A Bitcoin for news? Could Aemula.com revolutionize journalism and reduce polarization?

Can blockchain tech reinvent journalism—and reduce toxic political polarization in the process? Zach Elwood talks with Don Templeman, founder of Aemula (Aemula.com), a radically new kind of news platf...

11 Kesä 20251h 2min

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