Filmmaker and former NXIVM member Mark Vicente returns to discuss his new documentary, The Narcissist's Playbook, using both his experience exposing NXIVM and years of research into narcissistic personalities to explain why destructive leaders across cults, abus*ve relationships, and even public life often follow the same psychological pattern. Drawing from his own journey through multiple spiritual movements before becoming one of the key figures who helped bring down Keith Raniere, Mark explores how idealistic, empathetic people are especially vulnerable to manipulation. He reflects on the emotional aftermath of discovering just how calculated Keith Raniere's deception had been and how that realization reshaped his understanding of evil. Watch our follow up LIVE with Mark: https://www.youtube.com/live/fzOlTRKZzgI?si=KGKfhUHkB6jBkJ6H Find and support Mark! Donate to & watch “Narcissist’s Playbook”: https://www.narcissistsplaybook.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/ Use code CULTFREE at jonesroadbeauty.com to get a Free Gift with your first purchase! #JonesRoadBeauty #ad We want to meet you in real life! Join us on our Costa Rica vacation! There are only 2 spots left… Check out the itinerary: https://trovatrip.com/trip/central-america/costa-rica/costa-rica-with-shelise-sola-aug-2027?earlybird=true Chapter Marks 00:00:00 – Intro - Mark Vicente Reveals the Moment Everything Changed 00:07:05 – Mark Explains Why Spiritual Seekers Become Easy Targets 00:13:00 – Mark Breaks Down the Psychology Behind NXIVM's Control 00:20:00 – Mark Reveals the Dark Psychology Keith Raniere Was Teaching 00:27:00 – Mark Shares What Real Narcissists Admitted on Camera 00:34:00 – He Explains Why Narcissists Cannot Be Loved Into Change 00:41:00 – He Identifies the Traits Every Cult Leader Shares 00:48:00 – He Reveals the Psychological Tricks That Silence Victims 00:55:00 – He Explains How Survivors Can Spot Red Flags Earlier 01:02:00 – Mark Reflects on Healing After Escaping a Cult 01:09:00 – Mark Explains Why Narcissists Target Empathetic People 01:16:00 – He Reveals How Healthy Love Was Reframed as Weakness 01:23:00 – Mark Shares the Moment He Realized DOS Was Real 01:30:00 – He Explains Why Survivors Must Stop Blaming Themselves 01:33:20 – Linda, Listen 01:35:00 – Mark Shares His Mission to Expose the Narcissist's Playbook Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! https://www.youtube.com/@CultstoConsciousnessClips Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! https://cults-to-consciousness-shop.fourthwall.com/en-usd Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness https://www.instagram.com/cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann https://www.instagram.com/sheliseann/ Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ https://www.instagram.com/jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness https://www.tiktok.com/@cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon https://twitter.com/cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**