Secret Life

**Trigger warning. This episode is about sexual assault and rape.** At 15, Emily was raped by the Homecoming King and at 16, sexually assaulted by a police officer. She swore she wouldn't tell anyone. 1 in 3 women has been sexually assaulted by the time they are 18, yet the majority go unreported. The rape culture that continues to exist needs to change. As a society, why aren't we teachin...

His sex and love addiction became front-page news, "Talent Scout Arrested on Immoral Charges."  His addiction robbed him of a successful career, marriage, and his dignity. 30 years later, Jay has helped hundreds of people recover from the deadly disease of sex and love addiction. ______ Jay Parker, consultant and recovery coach, guides those who struggle with addiction on their journey fro...

Alexandra was 4 1/2 when her father was murdered. Her life was turned upside down, she struggled with the attention, fitting in, and finding herself.  ______ Connect with Alexandra on Instagram   ______ TOPICS IN THIS EPISODE INCLUDE dishonesty, lying, peer pressure, childhood, trauma, dating, self-love, inspiration, siblings, secrets. ______ If you or anyone you know struggles with addiction, dep...

Keeping a secret about a raging eating disorder meant she didn't have to get better. Christine Lakin breaks down how she isolated her decade long battle with bulimia and anorexia, shifting her focus and perspective and how she created a healthy lifestyle.  Christine is a director, producer and actress. She is best known from the 90’s sit-com “Step By Step”.  She lives in California with her hu...

A year and a half into her marriage, Gabrielle Stone finds out her husband has been having an affair. Then she meets a man, and he asks her to marry him. Forty-eight hours before a trip to Italy, he breaks up with her. Her first thought... FML! _______ Gabrielle Stone is no stranger to the world of entertainment. Growing up on set with her legendary scream queen mother Dee Wallace (Cujo, E.T.), sh...

The impulsive, addictive dark side of toy collecting and the need for people to have "an object of desire." OCD is about control. But what is a 5-year-old trying to control? Alex unpacks a secret he kept from his wife for years, the shame he carried, and his recent OCD diagnosis. Getting to the bottom of the psychology of collecting and why he devoted significant amounts of time, money, an...

Cheating on her with a transexual sex worker was the final straw, but the signs were there from the start for Lucie and the fast and furious seven-month relationship with the quintessential bad boy.  ______ Lucie Pohl is a German-American Film, TV and Voice Actor, comedian, writer and the voice of Mercy from Blizzard Entertainment's Overwatch. Known for Red Dwarf XI, Homeland, Fantastic Beasts...

For 25 years, Johnathon Schaech held a secret very close to him, he'd been sexually assaulted on his first film by the famed Italian director, Franco Zeffirelli. In 2018, at the peek of the MeToo Movement, Johnathon shared his story with the world. But going public, fighting for those who don't have a voice, plunged him further into darkness, anger, and shame. It wasn't until he discov...

Dixie steals as a way to connect with her estranged father. Dixie is active in multiple recovery programs and works a great program, yet she still grapples with stealing. She and her father formed a bond while crashing weddings and shoplifting together at a very young age.  Dixie Perkinson is an actress (Speechless, Wilfred) and writer (Eat My Prune) living in Los Angeles. You can connect with Dix...

Checking himself into a psych ward with 29 years of sobriety was the last thing Ricky B. thought he would do. But after an aggressive prostate cancer diagnosis, he found the distant darkness that had plagued him in the past snuck back in. And the only option that made sense was to take his life. Yet he kept that all to himself. Yet another example that people are facing their own battles all the t...

What they don’t tell you is that when your child is born, a part of you dies and you have to come to terms with this new identity. Brittany Ishibashi and Brianne share their stories of struggling with postpartum, trying to be the perfect mom and finding time for self-care in times of quarantine. The two swap hilarious stories of fantasizing about just walking out the door (with their masks on of c...

A family member took Shang's innocence; decades later he recognized that it wasn't his fault, his problem, or his shame to carry. What followed was a journey towards self-discovery, self-love, and finding his power as an artist. In effect, breaking the beliefs, his family held about being black, LGBTQ, and the secrets they kept.  If you'd like to share your secret and be on the show: s...

On the outside, Bonnie's Hollywood career was a success, but when the fun and thrills of drinking had disappeared, she found herself at a critical moment in her life. Her willingness to change and be messy led to an incredible story of transformation, self-love, and the art of being present. Bonnie Gillespie is living her dreams by helping others figure out how to live theirs. As a weekly colu...

* Please note that this episode contains topics of sexual abuse, trauma and abortion. Some people may find disturbing.* Robbed of her innocence, a beautiful Lisa finds herself in the throes of addiction and self-harm. As a young woman, she regretfully used abortion as a form of birth control. Lisa's journey towards healing her inner child, forgiving herself, and the shame she carried around fo...

Britt Rentschler shares her hilarious stories about the ridiculous things women do to their bodies in an attempt to look effortlessly beautiful. Britt is an American actress best known for her role as ‘Linda’ in the Paramount Picture's comedy, “Instant Family” opposite Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne. Britt’s first recurring TV role was on the TBS show “The Detour,” appearing with Jason Jones, wh...

Battling depression and having a hard time asking for help, Kristin shares her heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting story as she almost died by suicide. September is Suicide Prevention Month -- You're not alone: Whether you have struggled with suicide yourself or have lost a loved one, know you are not alone. Hear about personal experiences from people in your local community whose lives hav...

Kellee Stewart's rollercoaster 7-year relationship ends with a surprisingly beautiful outcome on the other side. Kellee Stewart is a writer, producer, and actress last seen Ava Duvernay’s CHERISH THE DAY and CW’s ALL AMERICAN. Catch her in Peacock’s upcoming comedy A.P. BIO this fall. To reach Kellee : @kstew222 Instagram | @Kellee_Stewart Twitter ______ TOPICS IN THIS EPISODE INCLUDE relation...

With the help of therapy, support groups and 12-step programs, Paul shares his journey to release the shame and move on. Comedian Paul Gilmartin hosts a weekly, hour-long audio podcast, The Mental Illness Podcast, consisting of interviews with artists, friends and the occasional doctor. Podcast: The Mental Illness Happy Hour Podcast | Website | Instagram | Twitter ______ If you or anyone you know...

Robert Gonzalez Gant share's about coming out as a proud gay man in Hollywood, and the shift that is possible for those who struggled with acceptance. Robert has been a full-time actor, producer, and writer for over twenty-six years. He was a cast member of the groundbreaking Showtime series QUEER AS FOLK and was an early actor to come out publicly in 2002. His wide-ranging credits, both drama...

Dr. G, Dr. Howard Gluss, is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist (Psy21522), Founder of Daraknot Health: Addiction Coaching and Private In-Home Rehab Care and cofounder of Sobriety Think Tank. He is also an executive coach, speaker, author, psychotherapist and former radio talk show host. Currently Dr. Gluss is launching his television show on BeondTV, Dr. G: Engaging Minds, where he helps people stru...

I had this dark hole I was trying to fill with outside things. I couldn't stop even when I desperately wanted to. When I walked into my first meeting almost ten years ago, I was a shell of a person. As I listened to people share about this thing called sex and love addiction, tears started to form in my eyes when I said I was a newcomer. I was crying not out of sadness but an overwhelming feel...

They say you're only as sick as your secrets. My name is Brianne Davis-Gantt. Every Monday on Secret Life Podcast, I pull back the curtain on the deepest, darkest, heartbreaking, and even silly secrets from Hollywood celebrities to anonymous guests. They share their true confessions of love, sex, addiction, food, money, and hidden taboo topics that are often hilarious, uplifting, and hopeful....