In Season 2 we look at a world just as shady and mysterious as MLMs, but one whose promises are at times even more bombastic and unfathomable: WELLNESS. What is it? Who sells it? And will it bring you eternal happiness…and, perhaps, eternal life?
Bonus 2: Caller Episode
The Dream listeners called in to share their own experiences with life coaches: the good, the bad and the absurd.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/13/2023 • 44 minutes, 3 seconds
Bonus 1: Coaching or Culting?
Sarah Edmonson publicly left NXIVM, a life coaching MLM made famous by the HBO documentary, The Vow, in 2017 shortly after being branded with the founder's initials. Jane and Sarah sit down to discuss the fine line between coaching and culting. Sarah and her husband, Nippy Ames, host the podcast A Little Bit Culty.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/6/2023 • 28 minutes, 13 seconds
S3 E10: We Die The Way We Lived
Days after the debut of this season, Jessie Lee Ward, who was featured in episodes one and nine, passed away after a short battle with cancer. Jane reconnects with Erin Bies to discuss her former friend’s legacy and talks with Death Coach, Megan Carmichael, about what to make of death when you had a complicated relationship with the person who has passed on. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/1/2023 • 37 minutes, 23 seconds
S3 E9: Coaching the Uncoachable
To our surprise, the OG coach Jessie Lee Ward agrees to an interview. She seems surprised to find out that Jane is not a fan of her work. It turns out that the feeling goes both ways. After ugly exchanges with Jessie Lee, Jane checks back in with her coach and with Dann. Has Jane actually improved as a person? Is she better or worse after six months of self-improvement?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/1/2023 • 32 minutes, 31 seconds
S3 E8: Striving Is Bad for Your Health
Who does coaching work least well for? Turns out it’s the exact people who could benefit most from it, according to the industry. Dr. Sherman James and Dr. Arline Geronimus discuss the downsides of positive thinking, bootstrapping, and mindset culture. For some people, striving has negative impacts on health and happiness.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/25/2023 • 38 minutes, 6 seconds
S3 E7: The Inmates Running the Asylum
Who becomes a life coach? Jane talks to Patrick Sheehan, a researcher who has found a surprising answer: many coaches couldn’t find success elsewhere. Why do people who can’t do teach? We also learn more about Jane’s life coach, her bona fides, and what sets her apart from the scammers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/18/2023 • 32 minutes, 14 seconds
S3 E6: The MVP of NLP
Neuro-linguistic programming, or NLP, is the communication technique used by coaches and cult leaders alike. John James Santangelo—a fan of Napoleon Hill— is an NLP expert who gives Jane a crash course. Jane is mesmerized, and according to Santangelo, might've even been hypnotized.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/11/2023 • 29 minutes, 24 seconds
S3 E5: I Never Said Hate
Now a life coach herself, Jennifer Rajala is lauded at Rankmakers; she’s a hustler who can inspire others to buy coaching packages better than just about anyone else. That is, until she realizes she’s selling empty promises.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/4/2023 • 35 minutes, 14 seconds
S3 E4: Think and Grow Duped
Napoleon Hill, ever heard of him? He wrote "Think and Grow Rich," one of the favorite self-help handbooks of all time. His fans include Tony Robbins and life coaches of all stripes. But Napoleon Hill was not a genius of self-help. He was a scam artist who never practiced what he preached. Journalist Matt Novak tells Jane what he’s found (and what he hasn’t) about one of the biggest architects of modern coaching.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/27/2023 • 33 minutes, 43 seconds
S3 E3: The MLM-to-coaching pipeline
Jennifer Rajala got sucked into the MLM-to-coaching pipeline. A social worker from northern Michigan, Jennifer rose quickly through the Arbonne ranks. She earned the right to lease an Arbonne branded Mercedes. But she still wasn’t making any real money. Then Jenn discovered Rankmakers, the life coaching program that promised to truly maximize her potential.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/20/2023 • 43 minutes, 4 seconds
S3 E2: What Ever Happened to Happy Jane?
Despite regular therapy, Jane is in a funk. She and Dann discuss what's happened to them, and what she hopes (and fears) life coaching might do for her — or teach her to do for herself. Jane embarks on a hunt for a professional life coach of her own.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/13/2023 • 32 minutes, 8 seconds
S3 E1: Becoming a #Boss
What's it like to hand your life over to someone who claims they’ll make it better? Jessie Lee Ward, the self-proclaimed “#1 network marketer in the world,” charges her coaching clients thousands of dollars for a trip to Colombia that's described like a work retreat. The reality is more like a brutal 15 hour hike, with late night hypothermia. Is this what it takes to be successful in life and business?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/13/2023 • 28 minutes, 48 seconds
Coming Soon...The Dream Season 3
From Little Everywhere and Pushkin Industries, and hosted by Jane Marie, comes the third season of The Dream. Past seasons of this award-winning investigative podcast looked at pyramid schemes and the world of wellness. This season we're getting to know the gurus and life coaches who claim they know the secret to living our best lives. Is it all in our mindset? Or our privilege? Or are we all under a spell? Find out this September.
If you want to binge the entire season early and ad-free starting September 13, sign up for Pushkin+ on our Apple Show page or at pushkin.fm/plus now.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
