Kaleidoscope, a media company based in New York, and iHeartPodcasts have announced the launch of a new investigative podcast series called “Mind Games.” The show will examine Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), exploring its origins, influence across different industries, and the potential dangers associated with its use. The first episode is scheduled to be released on January 20, 2026, with subsequent episodes airing weekly on Tuesdays.
The podcast is created and hosted by journalists Alice Hines and Zoë Lescaze. “Mind Games” follows the journey of NLP from its beginnings in a New Age commune in California during the 1970s to its spread into areas such as corporate boardrooms, military training programs, professional sports, wellness communities, and groups like NXIVM. The series highlights how NLP techniques have been used by therapists, life coaches, self-help figures including Tony Robbins and Jordan Belfort, pickup artist Ross Jeffries, and NXIVM co-founder Nancy Salzman.
Kate Osborn, executive producer of the show and chief strategy officer at Kaleidoscope, said: “Kaleidoscope thrives on telling unique stories from the most interesting niches of science and technology, and Mind Games is the perfect new addition to our slate, allowing listeners to unlock the truth behind one of psychology’s most underground and controversial topics. Mind Games explores the renegade psychological phenomenon of NLP through a story that’s experimental and open-minded. We’re thankful for our continued partnership with iHeart, which allows us to bring thoughtful, meaningful science and technology storytelling like Mind Games to a wide range of audiences.”
Alice Hines commented on the subject matter: “Neuro Linguistic Programming is one of those forces that hides in plain sight. It promises agency, confidence, and control over your own mind, yet it has been used by cults and other nefarious actors to manipulate people and deliver the exact opposite of those promises. What drew us to this series was that tension. NLP can genuinely change lives, but it can also quietly take them over.”
Zoë Lescaze added: “As a journalist, I was naturally skeptical of the wild claims surrounding NLP. People swear these techniques can cure everything from stage fright to cancer, that they can make you happier, more persuasive, or irresistibly seductive. One of the most exciting parts of reporting the series for me was myth-busting some of these claims, and experimenting with NLP for ourselves. We separate the snake oil from legitimately helpful methods I’ll continue to use.”
Episodes will be available on the iHeartRadio app as well as other major podcast platforms.
Kaleidoscope was founded in 2022 by Oz Woloshyn and Mangesh Hattikudur. The company produces science- and technology-focused podcasts reaching millions each month.
