SH!T CREEK SURVIVORS

We all have a Sh!t Creek story. Every person faces moments in life where they find themselves overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure how they will move forward. This week's Sh!t Creek story is Mickey Griffin's. After years of successfully managing Type 1 diabetes, Mickey's life changed when both of her kidneys failed during the COVID era. What followed was a life-changing battle involving dialy...

Most Americans have heard the term Gold Star Family , but few truly understand what it means—or the lifelong sacrifice these families carry. In this moving episode of SH!T CREEK SURVIVORS , Navy veteran Anthony Price shares his own journey through personal tragedy and how it led him to a life dedicated to serving Gold Star families across America. After enduring the heartbreaking loss of custody o...

What if you couldn't eat food for the first 24 years of your life? For most of us, eating is something we rarely think about. It's part of daily life—birthday cake, pizza with friends, family dinners, and grabbing a quick meal on the go. For Ben Sutter, none of that was possible. Due to a rare medical condition called eosinophilic gastroenteritis, Ben survived on a dietary replacement form...

What happens when the life you built for more than two decades suddenly falls apart? In this episode of Sh!t Creek Survivors, Heather Theisen-Gandara shares her journey through childhood trauma, emotional neglect, and an unexpected divorce after 24 years of marriage. What follows is an honest conversation about grief, identity loss, responsibility, and what it actually takes to rebuild your life w...

What would you do if you were told you had a terminal cancer diagnosis? For many patients and families, those words stop everything. In this episode, Heather Von St. James shares her powerful journey after being diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma shortly after giving birth to her daughter. She was told she had a limited prognosis and faced the possibility of not watching her child grow...

What if the hardest chapters of your life aren't detours—but part of the journey that shapes who you're meant to become? In this episode of Sh!t Creek Survivors, Peter Bailey shares the lessons behind his book, The Epic of You , and explains how adversity, trauma, addiction, heartbreak, and life's unexpected challenges can become catalysts for growth, resilience, and purpose. Drawing f...

At 54 years old, Alison Gieschen—known as The Nautical Novelist—made a life-changing decision: she sold everything she owned and, together with her husband, stepped onto a 43-foot sailboat and set out to sail around the world. In this episode of Sh!t Creek Survivors, Alison shares her powerful journey from growing up on a self-sustaining farm, to childhood visions of sailing, to a traumatic job lo...

What was it like on the ground during the hunt for the Boston Marathon bomber? In this episode of Sh!t Creek Survivors, retired SWAT Sergeant Jim Vaglica shares a firsthand account of one of the most intense manhunts in modern American history following the Boston Marathon bombing. With over 32 years in law enforcement and 16 years on an elite SWAT team, Jim walks us through the chaos that unfolde...

What actually happens to your mind after a near-death experience? In this episode, Lorri shares a grounded, real-world account of surviving a life-threatening medical emergency—and the psychological aftermath that followed. Instead of instant transformation, she describes identity loss, cognitive disruption, and the slow process of rebuilding clarity and trust in her own thinking. This conversatio...

Childhood trauma doesn’t just stay in the past—it shapes how you see yourself, how you relate to others, and how you move through life. In this episode, Richard Becker shares his journey growing up in poverty, emotional neglect, and instability—and how those early experiences shaped his identity in ways he didn’t fully understand until adulthood. This conversation explores the long-term impact of...

In this episode of Sh!t Creek Survivors, we sit down with Susanne Arens—survivor, author, and evidential psychic medium—to explore a journey shaped by profound loss, resilience, and spiritual transformation. Susanne’s life has been marked by experiences that would break most people. She lost her father unexpectedly, later endured the devastating loss of her young daughter, and faced multiple battl...

What would you do if something as simple as telling time suddenly stopped making sense? In this episode of Sh!t Creek Survivors , Cam sits down with writer and brain cancer survivor Barry Maher, whose journey began with a strange and alarming cognitive symptom—he suddenly couldn’t tell time. That moment led to medical evaluation, and ultimately, a life-changing brain tumor diagnosis. Barry shares...

What happens after you survive something unimaginable… but your mind won’t let you leave it behind? In this episode of Sh!t Creek Survivors, Morgan Garza shares her powerful story of surviving the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks—and the internal battle that followed. From navigating life-or-death moments inside the Taj and Oberoi hotels to facing PTSD, survivor’s guilt, and identity collapse, Morgan...

Why do so many people feel stuck in trauma long after the experience is over? In this episode of Sh!t Creek Survivors , Cam sits down with Steve Fogelman , a trauma survivor, spiritual coach, and creator of Lifeprint Reiki, to explore how trauma shapes identity—and what it actually takes to heal. Steve shares his personal journey from trauma and survival mode into self-awareness, emotional regulat...

What happens when life changes in an instant—and you have to rebuild from nothing? In this episode of Sh!t Creek Survivors , Scott Martin shares his powerful journey of survival, resilience, and rebuilding after a rare flesh-eating disease (necrotizing fasciitis) left him a quadruple amputee . Welcome to Sh!t Creek Survivors, where we share real shit creek stories, the paddles people use to get th...

Most people think burnout happens because they’re doing too much… but what if it’s actually because they’re thinking the same way over and over again? Welcome back to Sh!t Creek Survivors , where we discuss real life stories of getting stuck up shit creek, the paddles that got us out, and hope for those stuck in their own shit creek right now. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Andre P Walton ,...

Narcissistic abuse can leave lasting emotional wounds that impact your self-esteem, relationships, and mental health. In this episode of Sh!t Creek Survivors , somatic coach and survivor Allie Treen opens up about her experiences growing up with a covert narcissistic mother and how it shaped her identity and emotional wellbeing. We dive deep into what narcissism really is, the different types of n...

After a devastating brain injury, Matt Johnson discovered that hidden PTSD was blocking his healing. In this episode of Sh!t Creek Survivors , Matt shares how he used hypnosis and NLP to rewire his subconscious mind, heal trauma, and turn adversity into purpose. He breaks down practical techniques for understanding your brain, releasing emotional baggage, and transforming your life—even when it fe...

EPISODE DESCRIPTION What if the hardest parts of your story were actually building your future? In this episode of Sh!t Creek Survivors , Sherry Lynne Williams shares her journey from 28 years of prostitution, addiction, and trauma to becoming a scientist, teacher, and speaker. She discusses the pivotal moments that led to her transformation, the importance of connection and love, and how difficul...

What if laughter could save a life? In this powerful and deeply human conversation, we sit down with Frank King , a mental health comedian who uses humor to talk about the darkest places many people are afraid to name—depression, suicidal thoughts, and the struggle to keep going. Frank shares his personal journey through depression and suicidal ideation, explaining how vulnerability, storytelling,...

What happens when you stop hiding your pain and start telling the truth? In this episode of Sh!t Creek Survivors , we talk with Sue Bowles , award-winning author, trauma survivor, and Master Life & Mental Health Coach. Sue shares her journey from surviving childhood trauma, sexual assault, eating disorders, and suicidal ideation to living an abundant, purpose-driven life. We explore: How traum...

What if shame isn’t just something you feel—but something you slowly become? In this episode of Sh!t Creek Survivors , we begin with Cam sharing his near-death experience—waking up from a five-week coma—and the long road of recovery that followed, including PTSD, alcohol addiction, childhood trauma, and burnout. From there, Cam is joined by Morrighan Lynne , who helps unpack how trauma reshapes id...

Welcome back to Sh!t Creek Survivors, where we share stories of getting stuck up sh!t creek, the paddles we used to get out, and hope for anyone stuck in their own creek right now. Today, Cam sits down with Wesley Farnsworth—author, speaker, and host of the UNMASKED podcast—for a deep dive into a struggle that often stays hidden in the shadows: pornography addiction. Wesley describes his past self...

Grief doesn’t return you to who you were. In this episode of Sh!t Creek Survivors , Angie Hanson shares her journey through compounded loss and what survival really looks like when life keeps changing. She talks about choosing to live, choosing to change, and learning how to move forward when there is no going back. Out of her grief, Angie created Butterflies and Halos , a greeting card line that...

What keeps someone alive when trauma, addiction, and PTSD push them to the edge? For Wild Willie Thornton , the answer was music . In this episode of Sh!t Creek Survivors , Cam and Dennis sit down with Willie to talk honestly about trauma, sobriety, accountability, and the moments when quitting feels easier than continuing. Cam shares his own experience with PTSD and addiction after being shot in...