Dear Katie: Survivor Stories

'I knew in this moment, this happened to me.'  Emily Dinova is constantly curious and always looking to empower others through her art. She has spent years learning to find, forgive, and love herself. Bringing her journey to the page, her latest novel, The Antagonist, is a cathartic release from her childhood trauma. She is deeply passionate about connecting with others and helping them find a voi...

Sharing her journey through learning and teaching, Kim Shively brings light to insights that storytelling in professional acting can provide. She reveals how navigating the personal can help us understand how to better set boundaries and tell stories in ways that honor ourselves and others.  Kim Shively is a typical 21st-century multi-hyphenate: an actor, director, Intimacy Choreographer/Coordinat...

'The workplace is more often about are you willing to do X, Y, and Z.' Bringing consent-informed practices to Hollywood, Amanda Blumenthal shares her experiences coordinating intimate scenes to protect the safety of performers and crew while channeling an artistic vision for viewers. Examining the nuances of workplace and interpersonal consent, she sheds light on ways the industry sets standards f...

This week, Helene Weiss and Grant Boyd share their experiences advocating for survivors and working tirelessly to protect their rights in the courtroom. They share visions of hope and victory, bringing to light brave survivors who have pushed to make their voices heard and fight for themselves and their community.  Helene Weiss is a partner at Marsh Law Firm and works on a wide range of cases repr...

Find new insights with this classic episode of the Dear Katie Podcast, featuring Laura Davis.  Laura Davis has helped survivors world over with her book The Courage To Heal, co-authored by Laura Bass. She has now written a memoir of her fraught relationship with her mother. The Shining Light of Two Stars is a riveting story of the love and anger that drew them together and pulled them apart in the...

'We all have had a very different journey and therefore have different wounds or scars and different needs and abilities and strengths and weaknesses.' This week, Mandeep Rai, the author of The Values Compass: What 101 Countries Teach Us About Purpose, Life and Leadership, tells us about cultural humility and what is necessary to listen to and understand others. She shares the considerations that...

'I didn't get the chance to know what my life would have been like if I hadn't been assaulted.' New to campus and excited about college, Mary Simmerling starts her life in Los Angeles at a party, where she is assaulted while trying to rest. Initially faced with harsh denial of her experiences, she is pushed back into herself and continues to live in fear. Mary shares with us her journey from the t...

Sheila Wood, an Intuitive Healing Coach with a PhD in Clinical Pathology, holds a distinct space in trauma healing. Her unique fusion of energy healing, mediumship, and Akashic Record insights with her academic alignment create prolific healing environments. Rooted in a mission to heal the generational echoes and lifetime impacts of sexual assault trauma, Sheila's method locates and liberates deep...

This week, revisit our episode Got That Swing, featuring Antuan Raimone.  The first time Antuan Raimone spoke out as a survivor, he had 90 seconds. But those 90 seconds were all he needed to secure funding for the sexual assault organization he was working with for the following year. In this interview, he details how he dealt with his trauma, how the theater helps him find his strength, and how h...

This week, clinical psychologist Dr. Sabina Mauro shares her expertise on the non-linear process of healing. She shares multiple analogies to help us better understand our nervous systems, bringing to light the many paths and facets of processing our trauma, thoughts, and experiences.  Dr. Sabina Mauro is a clinical psychologist specializing in treating trauma survivors. She operates a private pra...

'This isn't violent, in an alley, with a gun to my head, he didn't throw me in a dumpster after, does this even count?' Sydney Williams is a dynamic speaker, author, and the visionary founder of Hiking My Feelings, an organization that helps folks from all walks of life find healing in nature. Her new book, Hiking Your Feelings: Blazing a Trail to Self-Love, captures her transformative journeys ac...

Chris McGhee is a father of three daughters, living an average life. His youngest, then 15 years old, is groomed by a police officer who uses his position of power to gain her trust. When he assaults her, their family is suddenly forced to fight for justice, but the officer pleas for a misdemeanor that allows him to evade punishment. Chris later learns that this is a common plea given to law enfor...

This week, listen to one of our favorite classic episodes to reabsorb new insights from Jennifer Hirsch and Samus Khan, authors of Sexual Citizens.  On our first expert episode, Katie and Claire sit down with Jennifer Hirsch and Shamus Khan to discuss their book Sexual Citizens: Sex, Power, and Assault on Campus. Published in January 2020, Sexual Citizens analyzes why sexual assault is so prevalen...

Suddenly haunted by repressed memories, Deb's healing journey started once she found the courage to face the past. Her experiences of recovery and healing inform her work as a coach today, as she shares her voice and expertise with us to help us resist the ever-looming temptation to return to harmful familiarity.  Deborah Halvorson is a Certified Trauma-Informed Coach, as well as the owner and fou...

Gretchen Carlson is a fierce, fearless, and internationally recognized advocate for women’s rights, whose bold actions against Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes helped pave the way for the global #MeToo movement. A former CBS News and Fox News journalist, author, TED talk alum, and champion for workplace equality, Carlson was named one of Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World.” She...

Devon Price, PhD, is a social psychologist, professor, author, and proud Autistic person. His research has appeared in journals such as the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, and the Journal of Positive Psychology. This week, he discusses his experiences with neurodiversity and what that means for healing.  Hosts: Katie Koestner and Claire Kaplan...

This week, listen to one of our favorite classic episodes to reabsorb new insights from Anthony Edwards.  Actor Anthony Edwards joins Katie and Claire to discuss the sexual abuse he experienced starting at the age of 12 by a trusted adult mentor, and how that experience informs his acting, his career, and his personal life. Edwards is a four-time Emmy-nominated actor and winner of the Golden Globe...

Growing up alongside ritual and spiritualism, Monica has found healing and empowerment through shamanic practice. She shares her knowledge and beliefs with our listeners, giving us a path to discover our true selves and explore magickal journeys.  Find out more about her and her practice here: featherandbone.org Hosts: Katie Koestner and Emily Wang Editor: Evan Mader Producers: Emily Wang and Catr...

This week, Dr. Jennifer Freed gives us the ins and outs of EMDR therapy, astrology, and understanding the self. With her years of study in both psychology and birth charts, she shares with us the path to finding healing, resilience, and thriving.  Discover your highest potential with Jennifer's work here: https://www.jenniferfreed.com/ Host: Katie Koestner Editor: Evan Mader Producers: Emily Wang...

Gretchen Swank, a wilderness survival instructor, shares her experiences healing and connecting through the outdoors. She brings her knowledge of nature to our listeners to inspire us to find strength in learning to survive.  Host: Katie Koestner Editor: Evan Mader Producers: Emily Wang and Catrina Aglubat

"How much is a little girl worth?" Guided by a strong sense of justice since she was young, Rachael decided at ten that she wanted to be an attorney. However, her experience reporting abuse in her church comes with a terrible lesson: don't report unless you can prove it. Taking this to heart, when her gymnastics coach Larry Nassar sexually assaults her, she stays silent.  16 years later, supported...

'The beauty of the liberation is ... knowing the self, having compassion, and developing a rapport with the self.' Battling through a cosmic storm, Edy Nathan and Katie discuss deep intuition, becoming your own negotiator, and partnering with grief. A psychotherapist and grief counselor, Edy shares strategies for thriving with and beyond loss and trauma.  Find out more about her work here: https:/...

This week we sit down to discuss behavior and moral psychology in the context of sexual violence with Roni Porat and Ana Gantman. The professors cover the pitfalls of bystander intervention, changing attitudes and behaviors, and substance use, sharing their wealth of knowledge on what works and what doesn't to stop rape.  Host: Katie Koestner Editor: Benter Oluoch Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Em...

Caitlin was raped by two college students at the same high school party. 20 years later, she decides to out her rapist on Facebook, quickly hearing from nine other victims from her high school. Frustrated by the injustices she and other survivors have faced, Caitlin rewrites her story in LIFE OF CYN, speaking out about her assault and finding a path to healing. Find out more about Caitlin Avery's...

Often associated with glitz and glamour, bottle service is an important part of the Las Vegas lifestyle. Julia shares her experiences with working in nightclubs, highlighting the camaraderie she experienced despite the assumptions made about her career.  Find out more about her book, Just the Tip, here: https://www.authorjuliachristine.com/ Hosts: Claire Kaplan and Emily Wang Editor: Benter Oluoch...