This is your go-to Podcast, where we help parents navigate the complexities of family life. Hosted by Ali Kessler of Greyson’s Choice, we’ll cover everything from understanding domestic violence to navigating the legal system, finding the right therapists, life hacks, family law, mental health, custody battles, and how to protect children in dangerous situations. 

In this conversation, Ali speaks with Randee Kogan, a licensed psychotherapist and trauma specialist, about the importance of mental health, the process of finding the right therapist, and recognizing healthy versus unhealthy relationships. Randee shares her extensive experience in trauma therapy and discusses the signs of red flags in relationships, the impact of upbringing on relationship choices, and how to navigate feelings of jealousy and control. The conversation also touches on the challenges of dating after divorce and the importance of open communication in relationships. In this conversation, Randee Kogan discusses the importance of healing after divorce, recognizing red flags in relationships, and understanding financial control and abuse. She emphasizes the significance of identifying support systems and the journey through therapy, particularly in the context of trauma. The discussion also highlights the impact of trauma on individuals and the importance of finding joy in the healing process.

Takeaways

• Randi has 36 years of experience in trauma therapy.
• Building rapport with a therapist is essential for healing.
• It's okay to try multiple therapists before finding the right fit.
• Healthy relationships are characterized by communication, respect, and trust.
• Recognizing red flags is crucial for maintaining healthy relationships.
• Jealousy can be a sign of insecurity in a relationship.
• Control in a relationship can be disguised as care.
• Open communication is vital for addressing relationship concerns.
• Upbringing can significantly influence relationship dynamics.
• Dating after divorce requires self-reflection and open communication. It's important to identify if you're healed from a divorce.
• Unhealed feelings from past relationships can affect new ones.
• Financial control is a significant red flag in relationships.
• Losing your identity in a relationship is a warning sign.
• Communication is key in healthy relationships.
• Seek individual therapy before couples counseling in abusive situations.
• Trauma can be addressed at any point in life.
• Healing is a personal journey and can take time.
• Finding joy in small achievements is crucial during recovery.

About Randee Kogan:

Randee Kogan, L.M.H.C., C.S.A., C.D.V., C.F.T.

Randee Kogan has committed her professional career to helping victims of trauma as well as educating and advising the public about sexual violence, domestic violence, and trauma. She has treated victims of Bill Cosby, a serial rapist in West Palm Beach, and numerous Jeffery Epstein victims with whom she continues to work with to this day.

Randee can be seen as an expert in the Netflix documentary Ghislaine Maxwell: Filthy Rich. She has also been featured on 60 Minutes Australia, several Podcasts, The Dr. Oz Show, and NBC news. She was also a keynote speaker for Beit Ruth’s Conference Girls & Women at Risk of Violence: The Global Challenge and at the Turn on the Light Conference. She will be featured as an expert in two additional documentaries that are currently in production. Randee has presented at various conferences and other speaking engagements on the topics of sexual and domestic violence, compassion fatigue for professionals, sextortion, grooming, etc., over the span of her career.

Randee has worked as a psychotherapist in a variety of professional settings, including hospital psychiatric units, substance abuse, mental health centers, courthouses, and private practice for the past 36 years. She is certified in sexual violence, domestic violence, and forensic traumatology. She is an expert in the field of trauma and PTSD, having testified in several cases involving sexual violence cases and domestic violence cases. She currently provides individual and group therapy, professional supervision, collaboration, and consultation.

Randee collaborates with several professionals and agencies and has provided consultations with the FBI on sex trafficking and sexual exploitation cases. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with attorneys in several high-profile sexual violence cases.

Contact Randee: www.kogancounseling.com

About Ali Kessler: Ali Kessler is a writer, marketing professional, passionate parent advocate, and founder of Greyson’s Choice, a 501(c)(3) created to raise awareness about the risk of domestic abuse on children. Greyson’s Choice was founded by Ali Kessler in memory of her sweet, vibrant, and fearless 4.5-year-old son, Greyson, who was murdered by his biological father in a murder-suicide during an unsupervised, court-approved visit in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, in 2021. This came just hours after her petition for a domestic violence injunction was denied by a Broward County judge, citing that the “petitioner has failed to allege any overt acts by the respondent which would constitute domestic violence under Florida Statute.”

Ali’s advocacy efforts culminated in successfully passing Greyson’s Law during the 2023 legislative session. This bill now requires the court to consider threats against ex-partners or spouses when making child visitation and custody determinations in the court, expanding to include the following factors: evidence of domestic violence, whether a parent in the past or currently has reasonable cause to believe that they or a minor child is, or has been in imminent danger of becoming the victim of domestic/sexual violence by the other parent, even if no other legal action has been brought or is currently pending in court.

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