OFFICIAL MEDIA APPEARANCES
My story has been reproduced and reprinted many times on various platforms, but below is the official list of media and platforms that I agreed to be a part of.
2024
Deadly Faith Podcast - April 2024
Deadly Faith is a true crime podcast that explores where the world of extreme organized religion and crime intersect. I had a great time telling my story on this podcast and was asked very poignant and interesting questions that I hadn’t yet addressed in other interviews.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5CXT2A591PkJsSRZOfdpo2
Bella Magazine - February 2024
My interview with That’s Life was reprinted in Bella Magazine in February 2024, recounting my childhood growing up in the Children of God Cult, my experience as a child bride to the cult leader David Berg, and my subsequent escape from the cult at 18. We talk about the insane religious beliefs I grew up with, having my mother as a top leader, and what I’m doing with my life now.
Link: https://www.bellamagazine.co.uk/magazine/latest-issue/forced-to-get-married-at-three-years-old/
2023
The intuitor podcast - 2023
I talk with childhood friend and fellow cult survivor Mami Onami about our time growing up in the Children of Gold cult. We discuss a typical morning routine in the cult, the abusive practices, extreme isolation and psychological manipulation we were put under on a daily basis.
Links:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5nVus6KATEFaliurmLO7uP
Google: https://shorturl.at/cfnA1
Gentle Touch Podcast - April 2023
Gentle Touch Podcast allowed me to tell my story as well as my healing modalities, with a focus on equine therapy and the importance of reconnecting with your body.
TalkTV - 2023
TalkTV reached out to me about doing an episode on my early childhood and subsequent escape from the Children of God. It was a short segment but interviewer Beau asked thoughtful questions pertaining to my early life as well as how I grew up and managed to leave the cult.
Link to the YouTube segment can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGfd0YvPYco
The Daily Mirror - 2023
The Daily Mirror also featured me in a piece that had nothing to do with my traumatic childhood! This article talks about my up and coming business of helping solo travelers get over their fear of solo travel by booking safe, cost effective and fun adventures, tailored to each person’s needs and style of traveling .
Click the link below to read the article as well as hear about some of the more scary instances I’ve experienced while solo traveling.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/travel/news/woman-cornered-man-shower-block-30235760.amp
SEEN Survivors - 2023
I was featured in a short Snapchat story series about my childhood in the The Children of Gold cult. I never knew such a complicated issue could be whittled down in a stories on Social Media, but the producers of SEEN did a great job in condensing such a delicate topic into a short story format.
Snapchat: https://t.snapchat.com/gxdkVkFj
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CranI7RpZvV/
The Mirror - 2023
I was featured in an article in The Mirror in the UK about my life. Written by John Bett, this article focuses on not only the abuse I suffered as a child, but the extreme isolation I endured due to my “celebrity status” in the cult.
Link: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/inside-vile-celebrity-sex-cult-29655057.amp
TRUE CRIME PODCAST WITH SHAUN ATTWOOD - 2023
I was invited on the critically acclaimed True Crime podcast, and interviewed by Shaun Attwood. This was the first podcast I was asked things I’d never been asked before, such as “what would you say to your mother if you ran into her at the store?” and other such questions to ponder. It was truly an honor to be on his show and I hope to be back soon!
For the Lust of God Podcast Series - 2023
For the Lust of God was a year-long collaboration project with me and two other women, giving our stories about growing up and leaving the Children of God Cult.
I love this podcast series because it shows how three women who grew up in the same cult can have three completely different experiences, ways of healing and moving on with our lives. I hope you all give it a listen and the support it deserves.
It was created by Dr. Darian Parker, creator of Dr. D’s social network, one of the top rated Apple Podcasts.
I would suggest listening to the entire podcast from the beginning, as my part is part 3 of 5.
Links:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/0SOyISkCIpY
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-1-for-the-lust-of-god-origins/id1463806552?i=1000597575851
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2W8eiDaf6XqH19Q4Gt6Vu6?si=6yEKif1fQZm69L1a2wrSfg
2022
Surviving Love Podcast
Surviving Love Podcast is a series highlighting The Children of God Cult and it’s practices of abuse, trafficking, control, religious prostitution, child marriages, family separation and more that we’re rampant in the cult. My story was highlighted in a 3 part series from my childhood to escaping the cult.
that’s life - 2022
I was featured in a print only article in Australia, once again written by the brilliant journalist Kate Graham. I’ve been blessed to have worked with her twice in sharing my story, and she never fails to report everything with complete accuracy and multiple timeline verifications.
2021
children of the cult - 2021
I was featured in the critically acclaimed UK docuseries Children of the Cult, on Discovery Plus UK. This documentary follows the story of fellow cult survivor Hope Bastine and her hunt to bring her abuser to justice. As of 2022, she is still the first and only successful Children of God cult survivor to put her cult abuser behind bars.
Featured on Amazon Prime and Discovery +
Amazon: shorturl.at/gisP3
Discovery Plus: www.discoveryplus.com/gb
daily star - 2021
The Daily Star also featured my story based on the article from The Sun.
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/world-news/sick-paedo-cult-survivor-forced-24669152
the sun - 2021
serena kelley, the child bride
I worked with the brilliant journalist Kate Graham as she retold the true story of my childhood growing up in the Children of God cult, in particular the day I was given to cult pedophile leader David Brandt Berg, as a child bride at only 3 years old.
2020
the activation podcast - part 1 & 2, 2020
Serena Kelley the Child Bride
My 2 part podcast interview with The Activation Project, where I talk about being born and raised in the COG, groomed before birth to be a child bride for the pleasure of David Brandt Berg. I also talk about meeting host Olivia Eden in Guatemala as a teenager.
Available on: Spotify, iTunes, and Audible
Audible: shorturl.at/kCGPQ
Spotify: shorturl.at/pvIX0
iTunes: shorturl.at/jpMRX
The dharma life podcast - 2020
My interview about growing up in the sex cult The Children of God, my healing journey and now how I now use my experience to help others.
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