{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Justified Resentment: When AA Goes Culty with April McLean","description":" Alcoholics Anonymous has become a household name. You\u2019ve probably heard of the 12 steps, sponsors, and sobriety chips. At its best, AA can be life-changing. But in some chapters, things can take a darker turn, and when they do, there\u2019s no centralized structure to step in. In this episode, we\u2019re talking with April McLean\u2014a blogger and former member of AA who found herself deep in a high-control group that looked a lot like a cult. April bravely walks us through her journey across three different AA groups, where love bombing, spiritual shaming, and manipulation were passed off as \u201ctough love.\u201d What started as a path to recovery became a minefield of emotional abuse, gaslighting, and coercive control. We explore what happens when sponsors exploit their position of power, how AA\u2019s decentralized model leaves members vulnerable, and why it\u2019s so important to listen to your gut when something feels off, even in a space that\u2019s supposed to help you heal. Trigger warning for addiction and alcohol abuse. Note: We\u2019re not here to bash AA as a whole\u2014it\u2019s helped a lot of people. But as April\u2019s story shows, it\u2019s possible for helpful frameworks to become harmful when the wrong people are in charge. If you\u2019re struggling with substance abuse or any mental health crisis, please call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. And if you're feeling trapped in a culty or coercive environment, visit our resource page for support. To read more of April\u2019s story, check out her blog: substack.com\/@aprilmclean Also\u2026 let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody\u2019s mad at you, just don\u2019t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our lovely sponsors Join \u2018A Little Bit Culty\u2019 on Patreon Get poppin\u2019 fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah\u2019s TEDTalk CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Amphibian.Media Writer & Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Associate producers: Amanda Zaremba and Matt Stroud of Amphibian.Media   Audio production: Red Caiman Studios Theme Song: \u201cCultivated\u201d by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin   ","author_name":"A Little Bit Culty","author_url":"http:\/\/www.alittlebitculty.com","html":"