Nitai Joseph was a part of a Hare Krishna offshoot sect called Audarya, led by Swami Tripurari in California. He currently studies the power of coercive control across contexts, and has found a scholarly way to understand his experience.
Nitai currently works at nonprofits serving victims of coercive subjugation. Through his studies, he has been able to more fully understand cult dynamics. He speaks about threat responses, and how they can grow to be maladaptive even after the threat has been removed, if left unaddressed. The long term effects of betrayal trauma are discussed, as well as how to empower yourself to fully see the reality of your situation.
Nitai assisted the leader of the cult and had knowledge of the cult's operations, which led him to part with his position. The cult's crimes included human trafficking, illegal contracting, and racketeering.
Nitai started his studies at Columbia University and now studies at the University of Salford.
Stay tuned, Before You Go: Rachel emphasizes the importance of taking the time to understand and treat your trauma so you don't go through life protecting yourself rather than connecting with life and fully connecting with others.
