What They Don't Say: Sexual Assault and Everything in Between

Most of us got some version of the sex talk growing up. You know the one: STIs, birth control, and a healthy dose of fear. But nobody ever gave us the pleasure talk. This week, Shannon sits down with sexual health educator Molly Kilby to talk about the things most of us were never taught: why pleasure isn't one-size-fits-all, how to communicate what you want, why your brain might be pumping th...

Life update! After taking a little over two months away from the podcast, Shannon is back to talk about something she’s never publicly discussed before: her rapist being sentenced to prison. She opens up about the emotional aftermath of trial, the complicated reality of “getting justice,” and why comments like “you’re lucky you got your day in court” may be doing more harm than people realize. The...

Sexual assault does not just impact the survivor. The impacts of it can often ripple through an entire family. In this episode, Shannon walks through the basics of what survivors wish their families understood, including how to respond when someone discloses and why trying to “fix it” can cause more harm. She also talks about family dynamics from the survivor side, including the difference between...

The Epstein Files were supposed to bring transparency. Instead, they exposed what survivors already know: institutions protect themselves first. In this episode, Shannon sits down with Epstein survivor, advocate, and Founder, Jess Michaels, to unpack what’s actually happening with the Epstein Files, why the DOJ’s response matters far beyond this case, and what institutional failure looks like. But...

Shannon sits down with Aaron Stone , a retired Army combat medic and survivor of sexual assault, to talk about what it means to live in silence for 18 years. Aaron was raped at 15 by someone he trusted. In the aftermath, shame became his motivator—shaping how he survived and why telling the truth didn’t feel possible for so long. He talks about freezing during the assault, then spending years push...

This week’s episode is a crossover conversation with Dave Markel from Sexual Assault Survivor Stories . This conversation centers around what survivors face every day: how people respond when a survivor shares their story, the misunderstandings that follow trauma, and the emotional labor survivors are often expected to carry. Shannon shares insight into the messy, painful, and confusing parts of h...

In this episode, Ray shares her story of being abused at 13, and what happened when the people and institutions meant to protect her didn’t. This conversation explores coercion, fear, and trauma at a young age, as well as the lasting impact of being disbelieved, silenced, and pushed aside by a school system more focused on protecting itself than protecting a child. Ray shares what it’s like to gro...

Traumaversaries are the weird little days your body remembers even when your brain swears you are fine. In this episode, Shannon talks about what traumaversaries are and how to move through them without “should” -ing all over your needs. Whether you dread the date, forget the date, feel everything at once, or feel nothing at all, you are not weird, and you are not alone. If you love someone who ha...

What does it take to feel safe enough to be close again? In this episode, Shannon and Lauren sit down with intimacy expert and trauma survivor Susan Bratton to unpack what rebuilding intimacy looks like after trauma. They talk about how communication builds safety, and why so many survivors struggle to feel touch without fear. Susan shares her story of healing after childhood abuse and how she lea...

There were 430,000 rapes in the UK last year. 5 in 6 women never report what happened to them. If reporting feels impossible, the system needs new paths forward. That’s why the organization, Enough , was created. Shannon sits down with Katie White, co-founder of Enough, and Dr. Maisie Johnstone, counseling psychologist and clinical lead , to talk about how they’re giving sexual assault survivors m...

Life after sexual assault looks different for everyone, but no one talks about how it can change your dreams, your work, and your body’s capacity to keep going. In this solo episode, Shannon unpacks how sexual trauma impacts careers and identity, and what it really means to meet yourself where you are in the aftermath. She talks about adjusting to a new normal, why it’s okay to have one, and what...

In this episode, Shannon answers a few of the questions listeners have written in. Drawing from her own healing, a bit of research, and conversations with experts, she offers honest and unfiltered responses to the things survivors are often left wondering. She gets into: – What really counts as sexual assault (and why “gray areas” aren’t gray) – Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn explained– Coping wi...

No one really prepares you for the first days after sexual assault. The confusion. The self-blame. The nonstop “am I crazy for thinking this?” thoughts. It can sometimes feel like your whole world is upside down, and like you’re the only one going through it. In this solo episode, Shannon talks directly to survivors who were recently assaulted, or are just starting to process what happened. She sh...

In Part 2 of our conversation with trauma therapist Cindie Henrie, we talk about what it means for survivors to recognize their own predatory impulses and how anger can be both destructive and productive in the healing journey. We also unpack how trauma lives in the body, how survivors reclaim power through movement and sensation, and what the cycle of abuse can look like behind closed doors—inclu...

In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress Treatment, LMFT, and BCETS, Cindie Henrie joins us to explore the psychology behind sexual abuse and survival. Cindie shares her experience working with high-risk youth, sex offenders, trafficking survivors, and the LGBTQIA+ community, offering a rare and honest look at the “why” behind predatory behavior. Together...

We’re talking about what happens when you end up in another toxic relationship...one that looks a little too familiar. You saw the red flags. You stayed. Is that your fault? We’re also unpacking the sticky, complicated ways survivors of sexual assault sometimes attach to people who feel safe, like comfort, like healing, like maybe they’ll be able to put us back together. (Spoiler: that’s not their...

In this crossover episode, we sit down with Dave Markel, a retired police detective and host of the Sexual Assault Survivor Stories (SASS) podcast. Together, we explore the complexities of rape culture, the role of humor in conversations about sexual violence, and how trauma impacts the brain long after the event itself. Dave shares insight from his years in law enforcement and his current work wi...

No one really tells you what going to court for a sexual assault case is like. Not the emotional toll, the things you quietly give up along the way, or the things you gain. So… is it worth it? In this episode, we're pulling the curtain back on the process and the parts no one prepares you for. It was long, emotional, and exhausting. But it also helped us reclaim our voices and feel grounded in...

We talk a lot about survivors and perpetrators. But what about the people caught in the crossfire? In this episode, we sit down with award-winning author and trained SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner), Dianne C. Braley, to talk about the often-ignored reality of secondary victims: the mothers, sons, daughters, and partners of those who cause harm. Her new novel, The Summer Before , is a raw, pow...

Sexual assault is one of the most violating experiences a person can go through, but why does it hurt so much? In this episode, we break down the impact of sexual assault in a way that actually makes sense. From what trauma does to the brain to how it strips away autonomy, to the way society twists the narrative- we’re talking about all of it. Healing isn’t linear, but understanding what happened...

What happens when the person your entire town admires is the same person who assaults you? This week, we sit down with Allyson Kreps, a child and family psychotherapist and survivor, to talk about the brutal reality of coming forward about sexual assault. Allyson shares her story of how Mark Langford, owner of Amic Lake Maintenance and Storage in Magnetawan, Ontario, drove her hours away from home...

Ever had a wild shower thought? Same. Ever had a million-dollar idea come to you in a dream? Well, Shirah Benarde did, and it was a game-changer. At just 16, she became the co-founder of NightCap, a wearable drink-spiking prevention product. Shirah joins us to talk about the frustrations of getting people to care, being a young woman in business, building communities that create real change, and t...

We’re back, and so is Lauren. After five months off the mic (and, yes, a very real hiatus in our friendship), we’re reunited and diving right back into all the messy, complicated, and chaotic conversations you’ve been waiting for. In this episode, Lauren explains why Fletcher’s I Just Had Sex with My Ex hits a little too close to home (because, well... she did). We breakdown the reality of dating...

Shannon sits down with Angelique Larsen, host of Let's Talk About It , for a powerful conversation on her journey through multiple experiences of sexual assault and abuse. Angelique opens up about the unique challenges of navigating violent same-sex relationships and the emotional turmoil that comes with them. From dealing with abusive partners to the frustrating shortcomings of support system...

The holidays are supposed to be all about joy and good vibes, but let’s be real—sometimes they’re just a shitshow. For some, it’s loneliness, financial stress, reminders of loss, or the family drama no one wants to talk about (like being in the same room as your uncle, who also happens to be your rapist). In this episode, Shannon dives into why the holidays can be such a challenging time and how t...