Lisa Kohn: “The Best Seats I Ever Had At Madison Square Garden Were At My Mother’s Wedding, And The Best Cocaine I Ever Had Was From My Father’s Friend, The Judge.”

Lisa Kohn is the author of her award-winning memoir To the Moon and Back: A Childhood Under the Influence . Born in NJ to hippie parents and raised in New York City’s East Village in the 1970s, Lisa’s early years were a mixture of encounter groups, primal screams, macrobiotic diets, communes, Indian ashrams, Jefferson Airplane concerts in Central Park, and watching naked actors on off-Broadway stages during the musical HAIR . By the time her older brother was ten, Lisa’s father had him smoking pot. By the time Lisa was ten, Lisa’s mother had them pledging their lives to the Unification Church, also called the “Moonies,” and the Moonies’ self-appointed Messiah, the Reverend Sun Myung Moon. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL HEAR ABOUT THINGS LIKE: Lisa’s comfort of inclusion in a cult she experienced as a child and the torment of rebelling against the cult as a teenager How Sun Myung Moon founded his religious cult and declared himself the Messiah Going back and forth her mother’s fanatical, puritanical cult and her father’s world of sex, drugs, and squalor The abuse, addictions, and inner demons Lisa struggled with that led her to almost jump off a bridge, become anorexic, take lots of cocaine, and get into dysfunctional relationships Lisa’s journey of healing and finding her sense of self-worth The lessons Lisa learned from her experiences and how she’s now inspiring other people and helping them move through their own trauma Lisa’s inspiring message of hope for those who feel hopeless and beyond repair Why it’s important for people to go to all the trouble to confront their pain Lisa’s tips for joy in life SOME QUESTIONS IRENE ASKS LISA: Describe the ecstatic comfort of inclusion in a cult that you experienced when you were a child and the torment of rebelling against the cult as a teenager. What happened when you rebelled against the cult? What abuse, scars, addictions, and inner demons did you struggle with that led you to almost jump off a bridge, become anorexic, take lots of cocaine, and get into dysfunctional relationships? How did you heal from the trauma? What lessons have you learned from your experiences? Can you share your wisdom about extremist situations - how to stay out of them or how to get out of them? What is your advice for anyone who feels hopeless or damaged beyond repair? What inspired you to share your story? Guest Links: Lisa Kohn’s book: The Power of Thoughtful Leadership Lisa Kohn’s book: To the Moon and Back: A Childhood Under The Influence Lisa Kohn’s website: LisaKohnWrites.com Connect with Lisa Kohn on Twitter , Facebook , and Instagram Host Links: Irene Weinberg on Instagram Irene Weinberg on Facebook Irene Weinberg on Twitter Irene Weinberg – Grief, Rebirth + Healing Podcast on YouTube