Known and Trusted

With guest, Dawn McCarty, the conversation delves into the topic of grooming for religious conversion and its impact on family dynamics. Dawn shares her personal experience of being groomed for religious conversion and the effect it had on her family. The discussion explores the subtle tactics used in grooming and what every family can do to protect their children. Learn how becoming a criminologi...

Listen to this young woman explore her experience of being groomed in high school by an assistant band director. This episode addresses the mixed feelings of ambiguity and aftermath for survivors. This episode is about a subject that impacts one in ten high school students in the US. Thanks very much for listening and sharing with anyone who may benefit.

The conversation delves into the experience of grooming, manipulation, and inappropriate behavior by a high school band director. It covers the early signs of grooming, life before the harm, academic achievements, inappropriate conversations, and secrecy during the senior year. The conversation delves into the details of a teacher-student relationship, highlighting how grooming shows up in real li...

The podcast episode delves into the subtle signs and patterns of grooming behavior, emphasizing the need for recognition and action. It highlights the importance of understanding relational direction, building credibility, and taking incremental steps to address grooming concerns. The episode also provides resources for further support and promotes awareness about grooming concepts and prevention....

The conversation delves into the impact of divorce and co-parenting on children, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a positive relationship with the ex-spouse and prioritizing the well-being of the children. It also explores the role of hospice social workers and the impact of death and terminal illness on children. The discussion highlights the significance of seeking individual therapy du...

The conversation delves into the importance of mothering sons in 2026, exploring the challenges and shifts in parenting over the years. It also discusses the transition of roles as sons grow, the significance of adolescence and independence, and the impact of fathers and partners. Additionally, it covers risk assessment and communication in parenting. The conversation covers the importance of crea...

The conversation explores the impact of AI on children's emotional connection and the potential for AI to be used as a tool for grooming. It delves into the shift in how children experience connection, the dangers of synthetic intimacy, and the role of adults in protecting children from AI predators. Takeaways AI is becoming a significant social layer in the lives of youth, impacting their emotion...

The episode discusses the importance of clear safety practices in religious gatherings, particularly during Easter. It addresses the reality of religious grooming and provides practical checklists and scripts for ensuring child safety in faith settings. The conversation emphasizes the need for vigilance and empowerment in protecting children from potential risks during religious events. Takeaways...

The episode delves into the concept of grooming as an invitation rather than a break-in, and why that matters for parents today. It provides practical steps for parents to recognize and protect children from grooming, emphasizing the importance of collective protection in communities. Takeaways Grooming is an invitation, not a break-in

The conversation covers the GAS model for child safety, the impact of technology on grooming, spotting grooming signals, and practical rules for parents, communication. Takeaways Access is the primary safety lever Teach kids to notice signals of potential danger Chapters 00:00 Understanding the GAS Model 05:10 Practical Rules for Parents 10:20 Device Monitoring and Role Play

The conversation delves into Megan Farison's experience of grooming and abuse by an educator, exploring her early life, belief system, and the manipulation and coercion she faced. It also highlights the importance of recognizing warning signs and the impact of disclosure and response. The conversation delves into the impact of isolation and favoritism, the ripple effect of reporting, the challenge...

This episode provides guidance for parents and families who have discovered signs of grooming in a trusted adult or older child. It focuses on protecting the child, preserving important information, and supporting family recovery. The conversation also addresses the shift in understanding experienced by survivors and the immediate steps parents should take when grooming is discovered. Takeaways Gr...

The conversation explores the concept of the family operating system and its impact on family wellness. It delves into the unconscious adoption of default systems, the role of the family operating system, attention, influence, and attachment, collaborative creation of family crest, establishing family standards and values, practical recalibration for family wellness, interconnected mental wellness...

The episode delves into the under-discussed issue of peer-on-peer grooming, emphasizing the need for grooming literacy to help children recognize and resist peer influence. It covers the 4F formula for recognizing grooming tactics, high-risk peer ecosystems, teaching grooming literacy at different developmental stages, real-life testimony, and a framework for intervention, as well as empowering ch...

The conversation delves into the limitations of the tricky people model in child safety and introduces the concept of grooming literacy as a more effective approach. It challenges the traditional teaching of kids' boundaries and emphasizes the importance of institutional conversations and implementing grooming literacy in everyday conversations with children. Chapters 00:00 The Tricky People Model...

Keywords Epstein files, child abuse, survivor empowerment, systemic failure, prevention strategies Summary In this conversation, Anna Sonoda, LCSW, delves into the implications of the Epstein files, emphasizing the need for a deeper understanding of the systemic failures that allowed abuse to persist. She highlights the importance of survivor agency, the dangers of transparency without care, and t...

The conversation explores the concept of preparation and readiness in the face of uncertainty and risk. It emphasizes the importance of function over completeness, the need for readiness to survive fatigue and changing conditions, and the guarantee of readiness through preparation. The chapters delve into the preparation process, the uncertainty of risk, the function under disruption, and the impo...

Summary In this episode of "Known and Trusted," Anna Sonoda, a licensed clinical social worker, delves into the often-overlooked topic of grooming behaviors that can lead to child sexual abuse. She emphasizes that grooming is a subtle, insidious process that typically occurs without any immediate illegal actions, making it difficult for parents to recognize. Anna highlights the importance of aware...

Keywords grooming, parenting, trust, child safety, instincts, social work, awareness, protection, relationships, evaluation Summary In this episode of Known and Trusted, Anna Sonoda, LCSW, discusses the complexities of grooming and the limitations of parental instincts. She emphasizes that many parents do not recognize grooming behaviors because they are conditioned to rely on gut feelings, which...

Keywords trust, safety, grooming, parenting, communication, awareness, children, relationships, prevention, clarity Summary In this episode of Known and Trusted, Anna Sonoda, LCSW, discusses the critical distinction between being known and being safe, particularly in the context of parenting and child safety. She emphasizes that most harm to children comes from trusted individuals rather than stra...

This episode is the most played, streamed, and shared among all the episodes of Known and Trusted. Find out more by taking a listen today. In this compelling episode, Anna Sonoda, LCSW, engages in a heartfelt conversation with L, a mother who bravely shares her family's harrowing experience with clergy abuse. L recounts the early signs of weird behavior, the emotional turmoil, and the eventual con...

In this episode, Anna Sonoda, a licensed clinical social worker, discusses the GAS model (Grooming, Access, Space) as a framework for preventing child sexual abuse, particularly during family gatherings. She emphasizes the importance of understanding how grooming behaviors manifest in familiar environments and provides practical strategies for parents and caregivers to create a safer atmosphere fo...

In this episode, Anna Sonoda discusses the concept of grooming as a strategic and observable behavior that can be detected before harm occurs to children. She emphasizes the importance of recognizing the signs of grooming in both adults and children, providing listeners with a checklist of behaviors to watch for. The episode concludes with guidance on how to report concerns and the empowering mess...

In this third installment of the Known & Trusted series, Anna Sonoda, LCSW guides listeners into one of the most misunderstood, and most critical, dimensions of grooming: its incremental design. Building on the foundation of Part 1: Selective and Part 2: Intentional , this episode unpacks how slow, subtle increases in attention, access, and influence form the central architecture of predatory...

In Part Two of The Perverse Courtship series, Anna Sonoda breaks down the intentional strategies predators use to build trust, gain access, and lower suspicion- long before a child is ever targeted. This episode demystifies the subtle, strategic choreography behind grooming and gives parents three powerful tools to interrupt it early: shifting availability, adding adults, and narrating what you no...