Ronni and Jennie: Conversations on Recovery from Childhood Trauma and Abuse

Send us Fan Mail This week, Ronni and Jennie share the second chapter of the audio version of their book, “Healing Begins With Us: Breaking the Cycle of Trauma and Abuse and Rebuilding the Sibling Bond,” where they focus on what it felt like to be young children in a home with addiction, abuse, and mental illness. Though every family is different, the dynamics generated by this kind of dysfunction...

Send us Fan Mail This episode from Season Two of the podcast really resonated with listeners, so we are sharing it again. In their series,"The Me You Can't See," Oprah and Prince Harry shine a loving light on people who are recovering from trauma and living with mental health challenges. In this episode of the podcast, we share our own experiences, as well as our reactions to the st...

Send us Fan Mail Trying to unwind what you learned growing up in a home with trauma and abuse can be daunting, and generate a wide range of uncomfortable emotions. Ronni and Jennie share their experiences in trying to create new ways of being in the world and relating to others. Ronni and Jennie are sisters who were not supposed to be friends. They grew up in a home with addiction, abuse, and untr...

Send us Fan Mail Survivors of childhood trauma and abuse often dissociate from their bodies in order to survive. Ronni and Jennie share their strategies for rebuilding their relationships with their own bodies, as well as how it feels to be fully connected and accessing the wisdom stored in their bodies. Ronni and Jennie are sisters who were not supposed to be friends. They grew up in a home with...

Send us Fan Mail Jennie shares her experience of setting her intention for how she wants to live her life moving forward, and the excitement of seeing how her intentions are manifesting each day. Ronni and Jennie are sisters who were not supposed to be friends. They grew up in a home with addiction, abuse, and untreated mental illness, which generated dysfunctional dynamics that often pitted them...

Send us Fan Mail If we grew up with abuse or other traumas, taking care of aging parents can be fraught with additional difficulties and emotional landmines. Ronni and Jennie talk about their caregiving endeavors with their patients (Jennie) and in-laws (Ronni), and wonder if their own parents will reach out to them when, and if, they need assistance as they age. Ronni and Jennie are sisters who w...

Send us Fan Mail Those of us who have survived childhood trauma often make ourselves small to do so. We learn that our needs don’t matter, and that we have no right to make demands or ask for what we need. Ronni and Jennie talk about how they have tried to unlearn this pattern, and take up the space that we all deserve. Ronni and Jennie are sisters who were not supposed to be friends. They grew up...

Send us Fan Mail Do put as much effort into building a relationship with yourself as you do building relationships with others? Do you check in with yourself, treat yourself kindly, and really listen to your own needs? Ronni and Jennie share how they have tried to make themselves a priority as part of their healing.  Ronni and Jennie are sisters who were not supposed to be friends. They grew up in...

Send us Fan Mail As Ronni and Jennie work on their second book, they reflect on what they should share about their own struggle to break the intergenerational cycle of abuse, in their effort to help other survivors who are trying to parent differently. Ronni and Jennie are sisters who were not supposed to be friends. They grew up in a home with addiction, abuse, and untreated mental illness, which...

Send us Fan Mail In season three, Ronni and Jennie shared their excitement (and anxiety) surrounding major life changes they were experiencing. In this episode, they reflect on how those changes have affected the relationships in their lives.  Ronni and Jennie are sisters who were not supposed to be friends. They grew up in a home with addiction, abuse, and untreated mental illness, which generate...

Send us Fan Mail Having a sibling as a partner in healing from childhood trauma can be a tremendous asset, but difficult to achieve. In this episode, Ronni and Jennie break down how they managed to rebuild their relationship as adults, despite the interference of their mother, and how rebuilding their bond dramatically accelerated their healing. Ronni and Jennie are sisters who were not supposed t...

Send us Fan Mail Ronni and Jennie have enjoyed being interviewed about their book, and in the first episode of their fourth season, share what they are continuing to learn by telling their story to anyone who will listen. Ronni and Jennie are sisters who were not supposed to be friends. They grew up in a home with addiction, abuse, and untreated mental illness, which generated dysfunctional dynami...

Send us Fan Mail In this season’s last episode, Ronni and Jennie reflect on how podcasting, and writing their first book together, have aided their recovery, and talk about what they want to work on next.   Ronni and Jennie are sisters who were not supposed to be friends. They grew up in a home with addiction, abuse, and untreated mental illness, which generated dysfunctional dynamics that often p...

Send us Fan Mail This week, Jennie’s youngest daughter is getting married. Milestones such as these, whether for us or our children, give us the opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve come in our life’s journey, and where we still want to go. Ronni and Jennie are sisters who were not supposed to be friends. They grew up in a home with addiction, abuse, and untreated mental illness, which generate...

Send us Fan Mail For survivors of trauma, our pets are often lifelines—providing the unconditional love and support we needed (but didn't get) from our families. This week, Ronni and Jennie talk about this important connection with our beloved pets, and the role they play in our healing. Ronni and Jennie are sisters who were not supposed to be friends. They grew up in a home with addiction, a...

Send us Fan Mail Ronni and Jennie reflect on how being grandparents, and watching their children parent, connects to their own recovery process, and helps them grow in their ability to build loving and healthy relationships. Ronni and Jennie are sisters who were not supposed to be friends. They grew up in a home with addiction, abuse, and untreated mental illness, which generated dysfunctional dyn...

Send us Fan Mail Dysfunctional families use multiple techniques to keep patterns of abuse hidden. Ronni and Jennie explore how these destructive dynamics operate, because understanding these unhealthy patterns is the first step in unwinding and changing them. Ronni and Jennie are sisters who were not supposed to be friends. They grew up in a home with addiction, abuse, and untreated mental illness...

Send us Fan Mail Even in abusive homes, there can be some good times . This week, Ronni and Jennie share some of the happy memories of their family that they hold. Ronni and Jennie are sisters who were not supposed to be friends. They grew up in a home with addiction, abuse, and untreated mental illness, which generated dysfunctional dynamics that often pitted them against each other. Miraculously...

Send us Fan Mail In response to a listener request, Ronni and Jennie talk more about their work with Reiki and other forms of energy healing. Ronni and Jennie are sisters who were not supposed to be friends. They grew up in a home with addiction, abuse, and untreated mental illness, which generated dysfunctional dynamics that often pitted them against each other. Miraculously, they came together i...

Send us Fan Mail No matter how far along we are in our healing journey, there are deeper layers of challenges that may emerge—sometimes out of nowhere. Treating ourselves with loving kindness—grace—is the key to moving through these times more quickly and smoothly. Ronni and Jennie are sisters who were not supposed to be friends. They grew up in a home with addiction, abuse, and untreated mental i...

Send us Fan Mail This week, Ronni and Jennie share how they’ve tried to apply Eckhart Tolle’s teaching on suffering to their lives--to minimize pain and maximize joy. Ronni and Jennie are sisters who were not supposed to be friends. They grew up in a home with addiction, abuse, and untreated mental illness, which generated dysfunctional dynamics that often pitted them against each other. Miraculou...

Send us Fan Mail This week finds Ronni and Jennie both working through some challenges--leading them to talk about what they do when they don't feel OK. Ronni and Jennie are sisters who were not supposed to be friends. They grew up in a home with addiction, abuse, and untreated mental illness, which generated dysfunctional dynamics that often pitted them against each other. Miraculously, they...

Send us Fan Mail There are many points in the day where, simply by paying greater attention, we can experience more joy—and if we are able to string these moments together, we can find more peace…every day. Ronni and Jennie are sisters who were not supposed to be friends. They grew up in a home with addiction, abuse, and untreated mental illness, which generated dysfunctional dynamics that often p...

Send us Fan Mail This week, Ronni and Jennie are sharing the first chapter in the audio version of their book: Healing Begins With Us: Breaking the Cycle of Trauma and Abuse and Rebuilding the Sibling Bond. The complete book is available on Amazon in paperback, ebook, and audio format. Go to www.ronniandjennie.com for links. Ronni and Jennie are sisters who were not supposed to be friends. They gr...

Send us Fan Mail While starting something new can be exciting and freeing, it also means letting go of the past. In this episode, Ronni and Jennie continue their conversation about navigating change--focusing on coping with feelings of loss, and fear of the unknown. Ronni and Jennie are sisters who were not supposed to be friends. They grew up in a home with addiction, abuse, and untreated mental...