Get Obsessed : With Living Your Best Life

In this episode of the Get Obsessed podcast, hosts Julie Lokun and Mika Altidor speak with Anne Gollert Hill about Scientology, her years in the Sea Org, and her eventual escape from Scientology after nearly two decades inside the organization. 

Anne is a Canadian writer, survivor, and creator of the blog My Scientology Story, where she shares her experiences inside one of Scientology's highest-ranking divisions and her journey toward rebuilding her life after leaving.

Anne shares how a search for purpose led her into Scientology and eventually into the Sea Org, where she signed the Billion-year contract and spent years inside the organization's inner ranks. She discusses life under David Miscavige, the influence of celebrity Scientologists, including Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, and Leah Remini, and her journey toward freedom after leaving.

In this episode, we discuss:

Anne’s background and how she became involved with Scientology

How Scientology recruited her through emotional vulnerability

What Scientology is and how it presents itself publicly

The path to joining the Sea Organization and signing the billion-year contract

Recruitment to international management and life inside Scientology leadership

David Miscavige’s leadership and the atmosphere of fear inside the Sea Org

Community inside the Sea Org and the policy prohibiting children

ABOUT THE GUEST:

Anne Gollert Hill is a Canadian writer, survivor, and creator of the blog My Scientology Story, where she shares her experiences inside Scientology and her journey toward freedom. After joining Scientology in 1988 during a difficult chapter in her life, she became deeply involved in the organization and was eventually recruited into the Sea Org's international communications division, serving at some of Scientology's highest-level facilities, including Gold Base.

After nearly two decades inside the organization, Anne left Scientology on August 3, 2007, walking out of the Flag Land Base in Clearwater, Florida, with only the clothes on her back. Today, she speaks openly about coercive influence, recovery, personal freedom, and the lasting impact of life inside a high-control organization. Through her writing and advocacy, she helps others better understand the realities of indoctrination, escape, and rebuilding life after leaving Scientology.

MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

(Book) Troublemaker by Leah Remini - https://www.amazon.com/Troublemaker-Surviving-Scientology-Leah-Remini/dp/1101886986

(Video) Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath (Netflix) - https://www.netflix.com/title/81229101

(Reference) BITE Model of Authoritarian Control - https://freedomofmind.com/cult-mind-control/bite-model-pdf-download/

CONNECT WITH ANNE GOLLERT HILL:

Website: My Scientology Story: http://agollerthill.wordpress.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annehillwriter/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/agollerthill 

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@annegollerthill 

ABOUT GET OBSESSED

Website: www.getobsessedpodcast.com

Be a Guest! http://www.getobsessedguest.com 

Reach Out To Us! hello@getobsessedmedia.com 

The Get Obsessed podcast is dedicated to exploring the passions, mindsets, and habits that drive high performers. We believe that what you obsess over defines your future.

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LEGAL DISCLAIMER: 

The views, personal accounts, and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the guest, Anne Gollert Hill, based on her own lived experiences and recollections. This podcast makes no independent factual claims regarding the Church of Scientology or any of its members, leaders, or affiliated individuals. All statements reflect the guest's personal perspective and memory and should not be construed as established legal fact. The Church of Scientology denies many of the claims made by former members. Neither this podcast, its hosts, its production team, nor its parent company endorses, verifies, or assumes legal responsibility for the guest's account. This episode is produced for informational and entertainment purposes only. Listeners are encouraged to seek out multiple sources when forming their own conclusions. Nothing in this episode constitutes legal advice.

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In this episode of the Get Obsessed podcast, Julie Lokun sits down with Kim D, the Bravo personality, boutique owner, and author, for a candid conversation about power, love, and fear. The discussion draws on her memoir My Life with the Big Boys, which Julie co-authored.

Kim describes growing up in New Jersey with a mother who clawed her way out of poverty and a stepfather she says held a high-ranking role in the Gambino crime family. She recalls a childhood of fur coats, expensive dresses, and nights at the Copacabana, alongside the moment her mother realized the true cost of that life. She also shares how fashion and animals became lifelong sources of comfort.

The conversation moves through Kim’s relationships, from her high school love to a dangerous marriage and her escape from it, to the partner she calls the love of her life. Kim offers frank advice on choosing the right person to have children with, explains why she is happy living on her own terms today, and encourages listeners who are struggling to reach out for support.

In this episode, we discuss:

How Kim’s mother rose out of poverty and shaped her strength

Growing up in the orbit of her stepfather’s world and what she understood about it as a child

The confirmation and communion weekend that changed her mother’s view of that life

Why clothes and animals became Kim’s refuge, plus the story of Rocco-turned-Coco

A high school love story and the choices that led to a very different kind of relationship

Advice on how to tell a great boyfriend from a good husband and father

Leaving a violent marriage and why preparing before you leave matters

Kim’s soulmate, the life they built, and why she now enjoys her solitude

Why getting the right professional help matters, and where to find support

ABOUT THE GUEST:
Kim DePaola, known to fans as Kim D, is a television personality, entrepreneur, and author best known for her recurring role on Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New Jersey.

She is the founder of Posche, a women’s fashion boutique established in 2007 and featured on the show. Kim is the author of the memoir My Life with the Big Boys, co-authored with Julie Lokun, and the host of the podcast Get Real with Kim D, where she covers reality TV and the cases making headlines.

MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

(Book) My Life with the Big Boys by Kim D and Julie Lokun - https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Life-Big-Boys-Kim-Paola/dp/B0D6LTQT5V

(Podcast) Get Real with Kim D

(Book) My Life in the Mafia by Vincent Teresa

(Support) Call 988 if you are struggling emotionally and need someone to talk to

CONNECT WITH KIM D:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimdposche
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Kim-DePaola-100078877961747/
X: https://x.com/KimDPosche
Podcast, Get Real with Kim D: https://www.patreon.com/cw/GetRealwithKimD
Shop Posche & the book: https://www.poschebykimd.com
ABOUT GET OBSESSED
Website: www.getobsessedpodcast.com
Be a Guest! http://www.getobsessedguest.com
Reach Out To Us! hello@getobsessedmedia.com
The Get Obsessed podcast is dedicated to exploring the passions, mindsets, and habits that drive high performers. We believe that what you obsess over defines your future.
LISTEN, RATE, REVIEW AND SUBSCRIBE - Get Obsessed : With Living Your Best Life - Podcast - Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/get-obsessed-with-living-your-best-life/id1559480972

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In this episode of the Get Obsessed podcast, Julie Lokun and co-host Mika sit down with Markus Kaulius, author of Play a Bigger Game, to explore how a 15-year-old with no confidence made a decisive choice to change the direction of his life.

Markus shares what rock bottom looked like for him, why habits and daily action matter more than long hours, and why changing the people around you can transform how you think and what you believe is possible. He also takes on the excuses of money and time, and explains why consistency over years, not overnight success, is what builds a bigger life.

The conversation also covers how to handle setbacks when life gets in the way, how to choose mentors and role models who reflect the values you want for yourself, and how Markus came to see growing up without a father as a gift. He challenges listeners to find one answer to the question “what if my biggest scar was actually my greatest gift?”

In this episode, we discuss:

Markus’s rock bottom at 15 and the decision that changed his trajectory

What rock bottom looks and feels like, and why habits and same-day action matter

Why changing your environment and surrounding yourself with growth-minded people accelerates change

Moving past the excuses of money and time

Consistency, the myth of overnight success, and how to handle setbacks

Choosing role models and mentors with integrity and the life you want

Reframing family trauma and a father’s absence as a gift

ABOUT THE GUEST:
Markus Kaulius is a serial entrepreneur and the founder of multiple eight and nine-figure businesses. He is a USA Today top 10 best-selling author and a speaker who mentors CEOs and executives on growth, mindset, health, and faith.

He is best known as the founder of Magnum Nutraceuticals, the supplement brand he grew from a startup to over $170 million in global sales before selling it in 2023. His work and insights have been featured on major media including PBS, Fox News, and CNN.

Markus is the author of Play a Bigger Game: Seven Universal Principles to Experience True Fulfillment and Win at Life. His latest venture is Five Talent Capital, an investment fund that pairs uncorrelated investing with a mission to pull one million children out of the sex trade.

MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

(Book) Play a Bigger Game - https://playabiggergame.com

CONNECT WITH MARKUS KAULIUS:

Website: https://playabiggergame.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markus.kaulius

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markuskaulius/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markuskaulius/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarkusKaulius

ABOUT GET OBSESSED
Website: www.getobsessedpodcast.com
Be a Guest! http://www.getobsessedguest.com
Reach Out To Us! hello@getobsessedmedia.com
The Get Obsessed podcast is dedicated to exploring the passions, mindsets, and habits that drive high performers. We believe that what you obsess over defines your future.
LISTEN, RATE, REVIEW AND SUBSCRIBE - Get Obsessed : With Living Your Best Life - Podcast - Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/get-obsessed-with-living-your-best-life/id1559480972
Timestamp:

00:00 Cold open: “are you ready to play a bigger game?”

01:03 Introducing Markus Kaulius and Play a Bigger Game

01:55 How Julie and Mika met Markus at the Bookthinkers event

03:23 Hitting rock bottom at 15 and deciding to change

04:37 What rock bottom looks and feels like, and why habits matter

06:43 Keeping the change going when your environment stays the same

10:25 What to do when money, time, or a bad situation feel like blockers

14:21 What happens when life gets in the way of the steps you take

16:28 The myth of overnight success and why consistency wins

18:36 The “excuse generation” and who to trust for guidance

19:45 Finding mentors with integrity (and the values you want)

23:32 Why growing up without a dad became Markus’s greatest gift

25:59 Julie and Mika’s closing message

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In this episode of the Get Obsessed podcast, Julie Lokun sits down with Janelle Brown, a mother of six, farmer, life coach, and one of the best-known faces of reality TV, to talk about 25 years of plural marriage, the decision to leave, and the new chapter she is building on her own terms.

Janelle looks back at why her family went public, what it was like to live on camera for years, and how she learned to manage jealousy by understanding her own worth. She talks about raising children in the spotlight, loving her stepchildren as her own, and how the family's approach to mental health changed after the loss of her son Garrison. She also reflects on his legacy, including a room dedicated to him at a local Humane Society.

The conversation then turns to the unraveling of her marriage, the moment she knew it was truly over, and her views on empowering women through education, choice, and legal protection. Janelle shares her coaching work, her cross-country move to North Carolina to build a farm with her daughter Maddie and son-in-law Caleb, and her advice for anyone afraid to leave what feels familiar and start a second chapter.

In this episode, we discuss:

Life before the cameras and the ideal of the big, loving family

Why the family went public and what it meant to be unscripted on TV

Learning to move past jealousy and build self-worth

Raising children in the spotlight and loving stepchildren as her own

Garrison's legacy and normalizing open conversations about mental health

The unraveling of the marriage and what made the final break permanent

Why empowering women changes everything

Starting over with a coaching business, a North Carolina farm, and a peaceful new life

Advice for women who are afraid to leave and start a second chapter

ABOUT THE GUEST:
Janelle Brown is best known as one of the stars of TLC's Sister Wives, which premiered in 2010 and followed her family for more than a decade. She is a mother of six who left a decades-long plural marriage and rebuilt her life on her own terms.

Janelle holds an accounting degree and has worked in financial services and real estate. In 2019 she became a certified health coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and founded the wellness and coaching business Strive with Janelle.

Her work now focuses on women in their second chapter, including empty nesters and women navigating major life transitions, helping them reclaim confidence, rediscover their passions, and design a life that feels like their own through Second Chapter Coaching. Janelle also co-founded Taeda Farms, a flower farm in North Carolina, with her daughter Maddie and son-in-law Caleb.

MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

(TV show) Sister Wives (TLC) - https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/1390/sister-wives

(Coaching business) Strive with Janelle - https://www.secondchaptercoaching.com/

(Netflix documentary) Trust Me: The False Prophet - https://www.netflix.com/title/81758532

CONNECT WITH JANELLE BROWN:

Website: https://www.secondchaptercoaching.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/STRIVEwithJanelle

X (Twitter): https://x.com/JanelleBrown117

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janellebrown117/

ABOUT GET OBSESSED
Website: www.getobsessedpodcast.com
Be a Guest! http://www.getobsessedguest.com
Reach Out To Us! hello@getobsessedmedia.com
The Get Obsessed podcast is dedicated to exploring the passions, mindsets, and habits that drive high performers. We believe that what you obsess over defines your future.
LISTEN, RATE, REVIEW AND SUBSCRIBE - Get Obsessed : With Living Your Best Life - Podcast - Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/get-obsessed-with-living-your-best-life/id1559480972

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Cold open and guest introduction
0:34 Life before the cameras and chasing the ideal family
2:05 Why the family went public
3:21 Learning to move past jealousy and build self-worth
7:03 Was the scrutiny worth it?
7:59 Raising children in the spotlight
9:06 Loving stepchildren as her own
11:15 The fear before the show premiered
11:58 Garrison's legacy and normalizing mental health conversations
15:36 The unraveling of the marriage
17:16 The on-camera fight that fans cheered
19:09 The moment she knew it was over
21:24 Why empowering women changes everything
23:17 Becoming the family bookkeeper
24:27 Life after divorce and starting her coaching business
25:34 The move to North Carolina and building a farm
27:41 Dating, peace, and what's next
28:35 Advice for women who are afraid to leave

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In this episode of the Get Obsessed podcast, Julie Lokun and Mika sit down with Gina Cloud, who has spent more than 25 years teaching women to strip away the lies they've absorbed about their bodies, sex, aging, and worth.

Gina opens by reframing the idea that a woman's power expires at 40, explaining that her work spans every stage of a woman's life starting with her first period, and that women actually grow more powerful with age once they stop absorbing the messaging fed to them since girlhood. She and Julie trace that conditioning back through generations of mothers, media, and advertising, and touch on the added layer that racialized beauty standards place on women of color. The conversation then moves into the shame surrounding menstruation, perimenopause, and menopause, the medicalization of women's bodies, and a ritual Gina teaches for honoring menstrual blood rather than treating it as something to hide.

Gina and the hosts also dig into what she calls the masculinization of women in corporate life and modern dating, the loneliness she sees in how men and women relate to each other now, and her frustration with a version of feminism she feels has drifted into resentment rather than partnership. The conversation turns personal as Gina reflects on raising her daughter Alana, the values she tried to model rather than simply lecture about, and closes with a call for listeners to honor both their feminine and masculine sides instead of choosing one over the other.

In this episode, we discuss:

Why a woman's power has no expiration date, starting with her first period

Generational conditioning around beauty, aging, and self worth

The added layer of racialized beauty standards for women of color

Shame and stigma around menstruation, perimenopause, and menopause

The medicalization of women's bodies and a ritual for honoring menstrual blood

The masculinization of women in corporate life, dating, and modern relationships

Rethinking feminism, independence, and wanting to be protected and provided for

Raising her daughter Alana and modeling rather than lecturing about self worth

ABOUT THE GUEST:

Gina Cloud has spent more than 25 years teaching women, working across every stage of a woman's life beginning with her first menstrual period. She has appeared on the Ricki Lake Show, been interviewed on Playboy Radio, delivered a TEDx talk, and written a book called WOMAN that reframes what it means to be a woman.

Her work focuses on helping women release the shame attached to their bodies, sexuality, and aging, including the stigma surrounding menstruation, perimenopause, and menopause. She created the Sacred Facts of Life workshop to give young girls an honoring framework around their bodies before they get their first period, and she coaches women, including executives and former military service members, on reconnecting with their feminine power.

Gina also hosts her own podcast, where she has been doing deep personal work with her daughter Alana ahead of a mother daughter episode the two of them are recording together.

MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

(Book) WOMAN by Gina Cloud - https://ginacloud.com/book/

(Book) Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret - https://judyblume.com/middle-margaret/

CONNECT WITH GINA CLOUD:

Website: https://ginacloud.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Gina-Clouds-All-Things-Women/61560726219305/

X (Twitter): https://x.com/GinaCloud

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ginacloud/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/redefiningwoman/videos

ABOUT GET OBSESSED

Website: www.getobsessedpodcast.com

Be a Guest! http://www.getobsessedguest.com

Reach Out To Us! hello@getobsessedmedia.com

The Get Obsessed podcast is dedicated to exploring the passions, mindsets, and habits that drive high performers. We believe that what you obsess over defines your future.

LISTEN, RATE, REVIEW AND SUBSCRIBE - Get Obsessed : With Living Your Best Life - Podcast - Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/get-obsessed-with-living-your-best-life/id1559480972

TIMESTAMPS

00:01 - Welcome to Gina Cloud, and why a woman's power has no expiration date

02:36 - Generational conditioning around beauty, aging, and self worth

05:21 - The added layer of racialized beauty standards for women of color

05:59 - Shame and stigma around menstruation, perimenopause, and menopause

07:52 - The medicalization of women's bodies and a ritual for honoring menstrual blood

13:20 - The masculinization of women in corporate life, dating, and modern relationships

15:51 - Rethinking feminism, independence, and wanting to be protected and provided for

29:05 - Raising her daughter Alana and modeling rather than lecturing about self worth

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