Bethany Joy Lenz

This episode originally aired on April 15, 2025. If you or someone you love is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit www.thehotline.org ----- This week on Bitch Is a Bad Word , actress, singer, author, and podcaster Bethany Joy Lenz joins us for a powerful, no-holds-barred conversation about surviving a cult — all while starring on one of TV’s most iconic teen dramas, One Tree Hill . Bethany opens up about her upcoming memoir, her journey of breaking free from coercive control , and how reclaiming her faith helped her heal from spiritual abuse and toxic relationships . She shares how being in the public eye shaped her recovery and how she's using her platform to empower others. 🎙️ In this episode: What it was like to be in a cult while starring on a cult-favorite TV show Escaping spiritual manipulation and finding her own truth Understanding the difference between intuition and trauma responses Healing from abusive relationships and psychological control Why storytelling and visibility matter in recovery Whether you're a lifelong One Tree Hill fan, a survivor of spiritual or emotional abuse, or someone seeking truth and healing, Bethany’s story will resonate deeply. #BethanyJoyLenz #SurvivingACult #CoerciveControl #SpiritualAbuse #OneTreeHill #TraumaHealing #ToxicRelationships #Memoir2025 #BitchIsABadWordPodcast If you or someone you know needs immediate help, please reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 Visit Joy's linktr.ee/bethanyjoylenz to PURCHASE: - Joy's book Dinner For Vampires: Life On A Cult TV Show (While In An Actual Cult) - Listen to Joy on the ONE TREE HILL podcast Dramaqueens - Subscribe to Joy's print magazine MODERN VINTAGE - And so much more! ***Give yourself the ultimate in sleep comfort with a 40% Discount from Cozy Earth Visit CozyEarth.com and use my exclusive code BESTIES for 40% off best-selling sheets, towels, pajamas, and more. And if you get a post-purchase survey, let them know you heard about Cozy Earth right here. ------- Listen wherever you get your podcasts Watch: YouTube Join: Patreon Follow: Instagram TikTok Subscribe: Newsletter Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:g

This week, we’ll hear from Bethany Joy Lenz , an actor, singer, director, and now author, who shares a deeply personal story of her time in a spiritually abusive community and the journey of healing and rediscovering faith that followed. Later in the episode, we’ll hear from speaker and non-profit founder JT Mestdagh . Born with a rare and complex condition that led to over a dozen major surgeries before the age of sixteen, JT’s life has been anything but ordinary. From long hospital stays to reaching the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro , he’s faced life’s toughest challenges with an optimism and heart for helping others. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned : Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Amy Downs Upcoming interview: Chrissy Metz Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith on UPTV Bethany Joy Lenz Dinner for Vampires Richard Barrett Brooklyn College of Opera Guiding Light One Tree Hill Hebrews 11:1-2 NIV www.bethanyjoylenz.org JT Mestdagh Mount Kilimanjaro JT Mestdagh Foundation VACTERL syndrome Dyslexia Children’s Hospital Colorado ww.JTMestdagh.com No Bad Days Interview Quotes: “I fundamentally believed—not in my head, but in my body and my heart—that if I did all the right things, if I checked off everything on the Christian girl list, then God would be pleased with me, and I would have a good life.’ - Bethany Joy Lenz “You need your brain in order to have faith. God is so big. He’s not afraid of us thinking. The more you think, the more you understand, the more Christianity makes sense out of everything else in the world.” - Bethany Joy Lenz “When you understand what you believe—when you think about it and you research it and you journal about it, the further you dissect it, the more intricate and fascinating it becomes.” - Bethany Joy Lenz “God is big enough to not be intimidated or afraid of your questions, your mess, that spaghetti bowl of confusion. God is big enough to untangle it and to

This week, we’ll hear from Bethany Joy Lenz , an actor, singer, director, and now author, who shares a deeply personal story of her time in a spiritually abusive community and the journey of healing and rediscovering faith that followed. Later in the episode, we’ll hear from speaker and non-profit founder JT Mestdagh . Born with a rare and complex condition that led to over a dozen major surgeries before the age of sixteen, JT’s life has been anything but ordinary. From long hospital stays to reaching the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro , he’s faced life’s toughest challenges with an optimism and heart for helping others. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned : Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Amy Downs Upcoming interview: Chrissy Metz Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith on UPTV Bethany Joy Lenz Dinner for Vampires Richard Barrett Brooklyn College of Opera Guiding Light One Tree Hill Hebrews 11:1-2 NIV www.bethanyjoylenz.org JT Mestdagh Mount Kilimanjaro JT Mestdagh Foundation VACTERL syndrome Dyslexia Children’s Hospital Colorado ww.JTMestdagh.com No Bad Days Interview Quotes: “I fundamentally believed—not in my head, but in my body and my heart—that if I did all the right things, if I checked off everything on the Christian girl list, then God would be pleased with me, and I would have a good life.’ - Bethany Joy Lenz “You need your brain in order to have faith. God is so big. He’s not afraid of us thinking. The more you think, the more you understand, the more Christianity makes sense out of everything else in the world.” - Bethany Joy Lenz “When you understand what you believe—when you think about it and you research it and you journal about it, the further you dissect it, the more intricate and fascinating it becomes.” - Bethany Joy Lenz “God is big enough to not be intimidated or afraid of your questions, your mess, that spaghetti bowl of confusion. God is big enough to untangle it and to

This week, we’ll hear from Bethany Joy Lenz , an actor, singer, director, and now author, who shares a deeply personal story of her time in a spiritually abusive community and the journey of healing and rediscovering faith that followed. Later in the episode, we’ll hear from speaker and non-profit founder JT Mestdagh . Born with a rare and complex condition that led to over a dozen major surgeries before the age of sixteen, JT’s life has been anything but ordinary. From long hospital stays to reaching the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro , he’s faced life’s toughest challenges with an optimism and heart for helping others. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned : Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Amy Downs Upcoming interview: Chrissy Metz Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith on UPTV Bethany Joy Lenz Dinner for Vampires Richard Barrett Brooklyn College of Opera Guiding Light One Tree Hill Hebrews 11:1-2 NIV www.bethanyjoylenz.org JT Mestdagh Mount Kilimanjaro JT Mestdagh Foundation VACTERL syndrome Dyslexia Children’s Hospital Colorado ww.JTMestdagh.com No Bad Days Interview Quotes: “I fundamentally believed—not in my head, but in my body and my heart—that if I did all the right things, if I checked off everything on the Christian girl list, then God would be pleased with me, and I would have a good life.’ - Bethany Joy Lenz “You need your brain in order to have faith. God is so big. He’s not afraid of us thinking. The more you think, the more you understand, the more Christianity makes sense out of everything else in the world.” - Bethany Joy Lenz “When you understand what you believe—when you think about it and you research it and you journal about it, the further you dissect it, the more intricate and fascinating it becomes.” - Bethany Joy Lenz “God is big enough to not be intimidated or afraid of your questions, your mess, that spaghetti bowl of confusion. God is big enough to untangle it and to

Dinner for Vampires by Bethany Joy Lenz is a memoir about her decade-long entrapment in a manipulative Christian cult during her time on One Tree Hill . The book details how the group controlled her life, career, and finances—until motherhood and the support of friends gave her the strength to break free. My guest this week is the lovely Magan Vernon , an author who has been living off reader tears since she wrote her first short story in 2004. She now spends her time killing off fictional characters, pretending to plot while she really just watches Netflix, and she tries to do this all while her kids run amok around her Texas ranch. Subscribe to her Newsletter and join her Facebook Fan Group here: Magan’s Minions (Reader Group) Strawberry Champagne Margarita fresh strawberries, trimmed 2 oz. tequila 1 oz. fresh lime juice .25 cups sparkling wine Optional: 4 oz. triple sec or 2 tablespoons agave syrup, for a sweeter margarita Place strawberries in a large glass. Using a muddler, muddle the strawberries until they resemble puree. Add tequila, lime juice, and strawberry puree to a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake. If you would like to add a sweetener to the cocktail, add triple sec or agave syrup to the cocktail shaker as well. Fill cocktail glass or champagne flute halfway full with ice. Top with sparkling wine and garnish with a strawberry or lime. In this Episode Dinner for Vampires by Bethany Joy Lenz One Tree Hill Tex Watson The White Lotus Cocktail Book <a href="https://specsonline

Breaking the Spell — Motherhood, Escape & Reclaiming her Voice | Part 2 In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Bethany Joy Lenz — actor, singer, and author of Dinner for Vampires — continues her story of life inside a high-control religious group while navigating fame on One Tree Hill. This episode picks up where we left off: unpacking the emotional, spiritual, and psychological cost of living under manipulation — and what it takes to reclaim your voice once you’re out. We talk about: - The lingering effects of indoctrination - The intensity of public life versus private suppression - Shame, perfectionism, and the fear of being “bad” - Narcissistic dynamics in spiritual systems - Expressing rage and grief through art Joy speaks with clarity, insight, and zero performative fluff — just one survivor speaking truthfully about the systems that tried to define her… and the long process of becoming herself again. 📚 Buy the Book 📖 Dinner for Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show (While Also in an Actual Cult!) by Bethany Joy Lenz Follow Bethany Joy Lenz → https://www.instagram.com/msbethanyjoylenz/ Support the show The views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicente Website: www.markvicente.com Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/ X: https://x.com/markvicente TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicente Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

Living Two Lives — Hollywood Fame & Hidden Cult Control | Part 1 “You can’t be human here.” In Part 1 of this raw and revelatory conversation, One Tree Hill star Bethany Joy Lenz opens up about the decade she spent inside a high-control religious group — all while filming a hit TV show and hiding a double life. We talk about: - The slow creep of coercive control masked as faith - The emotional and spiritual suppression that comes with people-pleasing - The inner split of being both artist and captive - How spiritual language is used to dominate - What it feels like to finally scream, “Fck God, Fck Jesus, Fck everything”* — and why that moment was sacred This isn’t just an interview. It’s a conversation between two people who’ve lived inside systems that punished authenticity and praised obedience. What emerged is a vulnerable, unfiltered exchange about waking up, falling apart, and coming home to yourself. 👉 Part 2 drops next week, where we go even deeper into Joy’s escape, motherhood, financial exploitation, and her journey to rebuild trust and voice. 📚 Buy the Book 📖 Dinner for Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show (While Also in an Actual Cult!) by Bethany Joy Lenz Follow Bethany Joy Lenz → https://www.instagram.com/msbethanyjoylenz/ Support the show The views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicente Website: www.markvicente.com Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/ X: https://x.com/markvicente TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_vicente Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markvicente/

The girls are back discussing their April book club pick, Dinner for Vampires by Bethany Joy Lenz. Not to spoil anything, but this was a success for The Step Sisters Book Club. Scarlett and Jenae dive deep into the details surrounding Bethany Joy Lenz’s time in a manipulative religious cult, their admiration for the actress, and their favorite people who helped turn her life around. Jenae shares a Throne of Glass update, and it’s safe to say that she will be quite busy for the foreseeable, while Scarlett shares her most recent read, Red Rising by Pierce Brown. Our May book club pick is The Women by Kristin Hannah! Read along with us all month long, and come back at the end of the month for our book club discussion episode! Have a listener question? Send it to thestepsisterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: ⁠@stepsisters.bookclub To receive your 30 day free trial for Audible, click the link below: ⁠https://www.audibletrial.com/stepsisterspodcast⁠ To advertise on the show, contact us!

This week on Bitch Is a Bad Word , actress, singer, author, and podcaster Bethany Joy Lenz joins us for a powerful, no-holds-barred conversation about surviving a cult — all while starring on one of TV’s most iconic teen dramas, One Tree Hill . Bethany opens up about her upcoming memoir, her journey of breaking free from coercive control , and how reclaiming her faith helped her heal from spiritual abuse and toxic relationships . She shares how being in the public eye shaped her recovery and how she's using her platform to empower others. 🎙️ In this episode: What it was like to be in a cult while starring on a cult-favorite TV show Escaping spiritual manipulation and finding her own truth Understanding the difference between intuition and trauma responses Healing from abusive relationships and psychological control Why storytelling and visibility matter in recovery Whether you're a lifelong One Tree Hill fan, a survivor of spiritual or emotional abuse, or someone seeking truth and healing, Bethany’s story will resonate deeply. #BethanyJoyLenz #SurvivingACult #CoerciveControl #SpiritualAbuse #OneTreeHill #TraumaHealing #ToxicRelationships #Memoir2025 #BitchIsABadWordPodcast If you or someone you know needs immediate help, please reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 Visit Joy's linktr.ee/bethanyjoylenz to PURCHASE: - Joy's book Dinner For Vampires: Life On A Cult TV Show (While In An Actual Cult) - Listen to Joy on the ONE TREE HILL podcast Dramaqueens - Subscribe to Joy's print magazine MODERN VINTAGE - And so much more! ***Give yourself the ultimate in sleep comfort with a 40% Discount from Cozy Earth Visit CozyEarth.com and use my exclusive code BESTIES for 40% off best-selling sheets, towels, pajamas, and more. And if you get a post-purchase survey, let them know you heard about Cozy Earth right here. ------- Listen wherever you get your podcasts Watch: YouTube Join: Patreon Follow: Instagram TikTok Subscribe: Newsletter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bethany Joy Lenz ’s acting career took off in 2003, when she got the role of Haley James Scott on the hit show One Tree Hill . Fans of the Wilmington-based show didn’t know that while Lenz enjoyed success on-screen, her personal life was being manipulated by leaders of a religious cult. Lenz’s bestselling 2024 memoir, Dinner for Vampires , details how she was lured into ‘The Family’ and later found the courage to escape with her daughter. Years later, Lenz has now become a Queen , in a city that feels like home.

Join Julie Jancius and actress-author Bethany Joy Lenz ( One Tree Hill ) for a raw, transformative conversation about her memoir Dinner for Vampires —a deep dive into surviving cults, narcissistic abuse, and reclaiming spiritual autonomy. Discover how to spot manipulation, set boundaries, and heal through faith and critical thinking. 🌟 Key Topics: Cults vs. Narcissistic Abuse: Why "cult" is outdated—and what to call it instead. Biblical Misinterpretations: How spiritual authority is weaponized. Healthy Boundaries: Loving detachment vs. toxic isolation. Healing Through Writing: Bethany’s journey from trauma to empowerment. 💫 Julie’s Offerings: Angel Reiki School: Master mediumship and energy healing (in-person or online). Membership: March’s focus: Discover Your Spiritual Gifts . 👉 Grab Bethany’s Book: Dinner for Vampires – Available now! 📚 Follow Bethany: @bethanyjoylenz #CultSurvivor #SpiritualHealing #NarcissisticAbuse #FaithJourney #Boundaries Subscribe for soul-shifting conversations every week! ✨ TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Introduction to Angels and Awakening Podcast 02:04 Bethany Joy Lenz Introduces Dinner for Vampires 03:10 Defining Narcissistic Abuse vs. Cult Dynamics 06:00 Spiritual Authority and Church Trauma 10:00 Reconciling Faith, Justice, and Divine Love 15:09 Healing from Spiritual Manipulation 21:09 Boundaries vs. Isolation in Toxic Systems 25:00 Raising Critical Thinkers in Spiritual Communities 31:00 Biblical Context and Modern Misinterpretations 35:00 Surviving Narcissistic Abuse in Family Dynamics 40:00 CS Lewis’ Wisdom on Healthy Relationships 45:60 Writing as Healing: Bethany’s Book Journey 50:00 Closing: Hallmark Films and Final Takeaways 👉 Free Resources & Enrollment: theangelmedium.com #AngelMessages #SpiritualHealer #IntuitionAwakening #ArchangelGuidance #SoulPurpose Subscribe for weekly divine insights! ✨ Join the Angels and Awakening community at theangelmedium.com and begin your own journey from isolation to illumination. 🌟 Angel Membership ✨ It’s not too late to join! ✨ The Angel Membership is your pathway to a life aligned with your angels’ guidance. Each month, you’ll receive a new course, join live weekly events, and connect with a supportive community of like-minded souls. 👉 https://theangelmedium.com/angelmembership Angel Reiki School Feeling called to step into your spiritual gifts? Start online today and receive FREE tuition for an in-person training this spring (April 11-13, 2025, in OakBrook, IL) or fall. Become a certified healer through mediumship, angel messages, and energy healing. 👉 https://theangelmedium.com/get-certified New Readings with Julie Book a 25-minute reading recorded for the podcast and social media. Hear what your angels have to say and share their guidance with others! 👉 https://calendly.com/juliejancius/promoreadings Not Sure Where to Start? Email me at julie@theangelmedium.com or book a free discovery call. 👉 https://calendly.com/juliejancius/discovery-call Day 31 of 31 Miracles: Your soul is already perfect, just as it is. Today, your Spirit Team invites you to see yourself through the eyes of the divine—whole, complete, and worthy of love. Release the need to strive for perfection and embrace the beauty of who you are in this moment. You are a unique expression of divine love, and the world is better because you’re in it. Keywords: Bethany Joy Lenz, Dinner for V

Today on the Sisterhood of Sweat, I sit down with Bethany Joy Lenz Did you know Bethany Joy Lenz was a victim of manipulation and "love bombing"? It makes sense now, knowing the kind of toxic environment she escaped. I am so grateful that she was able to share such a vulnerable, deeply personal story. I had no idea that even on the set of One Tree Hill she was trying to escape a cult. Her memoir, "Dinner for Vampires," is more than just a book. To me it's a beacon of hope for anyone who has gone through emotional abuse.