Dear Katie: Survivor Stories

This week, Dr. Jennifer Freed gives us the ins and outs of EMDR therapy, astrology, and understanding the self. With her years of study in both psychology and birth charts, she shares with us the path to finding healing, resilience, and thriving. 

Discover your highest potential with Jennifer's work here: https://www.jenniferfreed.com/

Host: Katie Koestner

Editor: Evan Mader

Producers: Emily Wang and Catrina Aglubat

Gretchen Swank, a wilderness survival instructor, shares her experiences healing and connecting through the outdoors. She brings her knowledge of nature to our listeners to inspire us to find strength in learning to survive. 

Host: Katie Koestner

Editor: Evan Mader

Producers: Emily Wang and Catrina Aglubat

"How much is a little girl worth?"

Guided by a strong sense of justice since she was young, Rachael decided at ten that she wanted to be an attorney. However, her experience reporting abuse in her church comes with a terrible lesson: don't report unless you can prove it. Taking this to heart, when her gymnastics coach Larry Nassar sexually assaults her, she stays silent. 

16 years later, supported by investigative journalists and public outrage, she reports her abuse, becoming the first whistleblower and rallying an army of survivors to bring Larry Nassar to justice. Today, Rachael Denhollander speaks across the country to make change in institutions ranging from the government to religious organizations, pursuing survivor healing and institutional transformation. 

Host: Katie Koestner

Editor: Benter Oluoch

Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang

'The beauty of the liberation is ... knowing the self, having compassion, and developing a rapport with the self.'

Battling through a cosmic storm, Edy Nathan and Katie discuss deep intuition, becoming your own negotiator, and partnering with grief. A psychotherapist and grief counselor, Edy shares strategies for thriving with and beyond loss and trauma. 

Find out more about her work here: https://edynathan.com/

Host: Katie Koestner

Editor: Evan Mader

Producers: Emily Wang and Catrina Aglubat

This week we sit down to discuss behavior and moral psychology in the context of sexual violence with Roni Porat and Ana Gantman. The professors cover the pitfalls of bystander intervention, changing attitudes and behaviors, and substance use, sharing their wealth of knowledge on what works and what doesn't to stop rape. 

Host: Katie Koestner

Editor: Benter Oluoch

Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang

Caitlin was raped by two college students at the same high school party. 20 years later, she decides to out her rapist on Facebook, quickly hearing from nine other victims from her high school. Frustrated by the injustices she and other survivors have faced, Caitlin rewrites her story in LIFE OF CYN, speaking out about her assault and finding a path to healing.

Find out more about Caitlin Avery's work here: https://www.caitlinavery.com/

Hosts: Emily Wang and Claire Kaplan

Editor: Evan Mader

Producer: Emily Wang

Often associated with glitz and glamour, bottle service is an important part of the Las Vegas lifestyle. Julia shares her experiences with working in nightclubs, highlighting the camaraderie she experienced despite the assumptions made about her career. 

Find out more about her book, Just the Tip, here: https://www.authorjuliachristine.com/

Hosts: Claire Kaplan and Emily Wang

Editor: Benter Oluoch

Producer: Emily Wang and Catrina Agulbat

'I wanted everyone to be happy. I didn't want to be a burden.'

Coming from a lineage of powerful women, Paula forges her own path as an immigrant in the United States. She shares her knowledge with us as a female entrepreneur mastering both feminine and masculine energy to craft a life of balance and peace. 

Find out more about Paula here: https://linktr.ee/paulalacobara

Host: Katie Koestner

Editor: Evan Mader

Producers: Emily Wang and Catrina Aglubat

Meeting for hot chocolate, Taryn breaks her one rule and allows a man to drive her home since he says 'his momma raised him right'. He quickly begins pushing her boundaries, refusing to leave, and finally assaulting her for almost an hour. Today, Taryn speaks up for herself and others, fighting to advocate legally for survivors in her state. 

Hosts: Claire Kaplan and Emily Wang

Editor: Benter Oluoch

Producer: Emily Wang

"Women are really strong. We really are very strong."

From infertility to sexual violence, Leslie Morgan Steiner has spent her career documenting and discussing the experiences that have become markers of many's experience of womanhood. Today, she shares her wisdom on being outspoken in male-dominated fields, and what it means to be both a powerful woman and a victim. 

Find out more about Leslie Morgan Steiner here. 

Host: Katie Koestner

Editor: Evan Mader

Producer: Emily Wang