What happens when we stop viewing survivors as broken and start celebrating their resilience, creativity, and power?

In part two, Lisa continues her conversation with Sonya Passi, founder of FreeFrom and the subject of the powerful documentary SURVIVOR MADE. 1 in 4 women and 1 in 2 trans people in the U.S. will experience Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), and the #1 obstacle to a survivor’s safety is financial insecurity. SURVIVOR MADE follows a group of survivors as they defy the odds - building their own thriving businesses in Los Angeles, lobbying for change in Washington DC, and fighting to prove that investing in survivors saves lives.

This episode delves into the documentary’s mission to redefine how society views survivors—not as victims bound by their trauma but as creators, innovators, and leaders who are rebuilding their lives with strength and purpose.

Lisa and Sonya explore how SURVIVOR MADE challenges media stereotypes by focusing on healing, joy, and community rather than trauma. They discuss the powerful message that financial independence and community support are the cornerstones of lasting freedom for survivors. By shifting the narrative, SURVIVOR MADE  inspires hope and empowers viewers to see survivors in a new light—as agents of change and contributors to a brighter future for us all.

From now on… I will not question my potential.

Visit survivormadedoc.com to rent and stream SURVIVOR MADE now, and to learn more about FreeFrom, Gifted, and how you can support survivors this holiday season and beyond.

Sonya Passi is the Founder & CEO of FreeFrom, a national organization transforming our society’s response to gender-based violence so that survivors and their families can thrive. To date, FreeFrom has served over 30,000 survivors and successfully changed policy to support the financial security of over 5.3 million survivors in the US. Sonya has been an anti-violence activist since she was 16 years old.

For her work in the field, Sonya was awarded the 2024 Elevate Prize and was listed in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Class of 2017 For Law and Policy. She has presented on her work to the UN, White House, members of Congress and federal agencies, several major corporations and various city and state agencies and commissions.

Follow Lisa Phillips @iamlisaphillips on Instagram.

From Now On is produced by LA PHILLIPS MEDIA. Listen and follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Have a story to share with us? Email us at [email protected]. Join our movement and keep up to date on all things From Now On by following us @fromnowonpod on all socials.

If today’s conversation resonated with you and you are seeking more support in your own healing journey, here are some resources below:

What happens when survivors work to rebuild their lives after escaping abuse? How does society help—or hinder—their journey? What if we told you that investing in survivors could transform not only their lives but also our entire society?

Today, we’re confronting the systemic barriers survivors face in reclaiming their financial independence. Financial abuse is present in 99% of abusive relationships. Leaving these relationships and surviving is expensive.  

Lisa welcomes Sonya Passi, founder of FreeFrom, a grassroots nonprofit organization addressing the economic impact of gender-based violence. Sonya shares how FreeFrom is creating an ecosystem in which survivors can thrive. Sonya details how investing in survivors—through savings programs, entrepreneurial opportunities, and policy reform—not only helps them rebuild but also strengthens our economy and society as a whole. Survivors possess extraordinary resilience, creativity, and drive, and when we empower them, the ripple effects are transformative.

This episode is a call to shift our mindset: survivors aren’t just surviving—they’re building futures that benefit us all. Let’s support them! Together, we can create a society that values and uplifts those who have endured so much.

Stay tuned for part two of Lisa’s conversation with Sonya as they discuss SURVIVOR MADE, a new documentary that follows six survivors of gender-based violence as they strive to grow their

businesses during a make-or-break holiday season in LA.

You can learn more about Sonya Passi and FreeFrom by going to FreeForm.org. Check out GIFTED to support entrepreneurial survivors by purchasing their products. You can follow FreeFrom on @freefromdotorg and @giftedbyfreefrom on Instagram. Watch SURVIVOR MADE by going to survivormadedoc.com.

Sonya Passi is the Founder & CEO of FreeFrom, a national organization transforming our society’s response to gender-based violence so that survivors and their families can thrive. To date, FreeFrom has served over 30,000 survivors and successfully changed policy to support the financial security of over 5.3 million survivors in the US. Sonya has been an anti-violence activist since she was 16 years old.

For her work in the field, Sonya was awarded the 2024 Elevate Prize and was listed in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Class of 2017 For Law and Policy. She has presented on her work to the UN, White House, members of Congress and federal agencies, several major corporations and various city and state agencies and commissions.

Follow Lisa Phillips @iamlisaphillips on Instagram.

From Now On is produced by LA PHILLIPS MEDIA. Listen and follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Have a story to share with us? Email us at [email protected]. Join our movement and keep up to date on all things From Now On by following us @fromnowonpod on all socials.

If today’s conversation resonated with you and you are seeking more support in your own healing journey, here are some resources below:

In a fight for your life, how would you react? Fight, flight, freeze or fawn? 

Today, Lisa addresses a serious issue that doesn’t discriminate: stalking. She shares what it was like to realize her former partner actually stalked her and her family. Lisa also welcomes Leigh Collins, a survivor, author & advocate for PTSD education and ferocity in girls & women.

Lisa and Leigh recount her experience surviving predatory stalking, assault, and extreme violence. Leigh details the long-term psychological effects, including PTSD, all while navigating her ex’s narcissistic discard and the legal system. Leigh and Lisa share how they both had to regain a sense of self, their voice, self-worth, and trust in others in the aftermath of their survival.

Leigh survived everyone’s worst nightmare. She has sat with and worked to tell her story. First for the trial, second for her own healing, and now for education and awareness. She advocates for encouraging ferocity and supporting little girls to maintain their assertiveness.

This episode is about how, when it comes to a fight for your life, you are stronger than you know. It’s also a reminder to trust your instincts – it only grows stronger with practice and understanding your self-worth.

From now on… every woman is reminded and feels the power of her ferocity.

This episode contains discussions of violent assault, stalking, and PTSD. Some may find it upsetting. We encourage you to take care of yourself.

You can follow Leigh @heymisscollines on Instagram and TikTok. To hear the Leigh’s full story of survival be sure to check out her TikTok or her podcast Extraordinary: A First-Hand Story of Survival. Go to extraordinary-podcast.com for survivor resources, exclusive photo galleries, and more.

Follow Lisa Phillips @iamlisaphillips on Instagram.

From Now On is produced by LA PHILLIPS MEDIA. Listen and follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Have a story to share with us? Email us at [email protected]. Join our movement and keep up to date on all things From Now On by following us @fromnowonpod on all socials.

If today’s conversation resonated with you and you are seeking more support in your own healing journey, here are some resources below:

What would you do if you were put in an uncomfortable position with a powerful person? 

Today, Lisa shares a story on how she navigated unwanted advances while on a movie set and how standing up for herself benefited her in the long run. Lisa also welcomes DROOVYY, an independent artist, singer-songwriter & DJ who shares her harrowing story of being trapped in an office at sixteen years old.

Lisa and DROOVYY recount her experience being a young breakthrough artist as a DJ in Mumbai, India, and the challenges she faced as a teenage girl in a male-dominated industry.  At 16, a well-known businessman in the industry ended up being a predator and attempted to take advantage of her.  This traumatic experience changed her forever.  

DROOVYY shares her healing journey and how a spiritual mentor guiding her to speak to her younger self empowered her to understand it wasn’t her fault. Now DROOVYY is a singer-songwriter producing positive and uplifting songs to empower women to see their worth.

This episode is about safety and empowerment. It’s about honoring our younger selves who have navigated unsafe situations and forgiving them for not knowing what we know now.

Just a heads up: This episode contains discussions of sexual assault and coercion. Some may find it upsetting. We encourage you to take care of yourself.

You can follow DROOVYY @droovvy on Instagram and @droovy.music on TikTok. Be sure to check out DROOVYY’s music on Spotify. 

DROOVYY, born and raised in Mumbai, India, is a versatile independent artist, singer-songwriter & DJ. Now based in Los Angeles, California, she is known for blending R&B, Trap, and Pop music, she is determined to make her place in the music industry, representing her country in the U.S. She believes that women hold the feminine power and wisdom which is the highest form of energy in the Universe!

Follow Lisa Phillips @iamlisaphillips on Instagram.

From Now On is produced by LA PHILLIPS MEDIA. Listen and follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Have a story to share with us? Email us at [email protected]. Join our movement and keep up to date on all things From Now On by following us @fromnowonpod on all socials.

If today’s conversation resonated with you and you are seeking more support in your own healing journey, here are some resources below:

Speak Out, Act, Reclaim (SOAR) is dedicated to providing a safe and empowering space for survivors of sex trafficking to reclaim their stories and stand up for themselves and each other.

Ambitious women have the right to pursue their careers without fear, yet the systems in unregulated industries prey on ambitious women. We’re working to change that.

Today, Lisa welcomes Dr. Alicia Journey, a former attorney who fought for survivors of abuse and who now has a Ph.D. in Metaphysical Sciences. Dr. Journey shares her journey from surviving a cult to confronting sexual abuse and navigating the power imbalances in law and politics.

She offers advice to individuals who are planning their exit strategy from abusive power imbalances. Lisa and Alicia talk through a scenario on how to escape an uncomfortable audition.

Dr. Journey has been on a journey of getting rid of the layers of abuse she has experienced since she was a young child and forging a new path of freedom for others. She has transitioned into working as a full-time Metaphysician, Healer, and Channel. As a trauma expert, it is Alicia’s greatest joy to help her clients walk through the healing process and regain their lives after trauma. Dr. Journey applies her advanced spiritual gifts, formal education, and training, along with her professional and personal life experiences to uniquely and intuitively tailor programs to fit each client’s needs.

This episode is about empowerment. It’s about recognizing that no one—man or woman—should ever feel forced to compromise their dignity to achieve success. You have the power to live a life that’s not just free from abuse but full of purpose, passion, and deep personal growth.

Just a heads up: This episode contains discussions of emotional abuse, psychological abuse, sexual assault, and suicidal ideation. Some may find it upsetting. We encourage you to take care of yourself.

You can follow Dr. Alicia Journey  @TheAliciaJourney on Instagram, @aliciajourney on Facebook and LinkedIn. To learn more about Dr. Alicia Journey’s work and services, go to thealiciajourney.com.

Follow Lisa Phillips @iamlisaphillips on Instagram.

From Now On is produced by LA PHILLIPS MEDIA. Listen and follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Have a story to share with us? Email us at [email protected]. Join our movement and keep up to date on all things From Now On by following us @fromnowonpod on all socials.

If today’s conversation resonated with you and you are seeking more support in your own healing journey, here are some resources below:

What happens when unexpected friendship and love turn out to be a fraud?

Today, Lisa shares the story of a relationship that sent her fleeing across the United States for safety. This relationship is one of the reasons why From Now On exists. He was a copycat, and Lisa was his prey.

Lisa welcomes Kate Ranta, a survivor of intimate partner and gun violence. In 2012, after leaving her abusive marriage, her ex-husband stalked Kate to her apartment, where he shot her and her father in front of their 4-year-old son – miraculously, everyone survived the attack. 

In this episode, Lisa and Kate unpack the layers of abuse Kate experienced with her ex. They also explore the ways systems failed Kate time and time again. 

Kate has been an advocate and activist for many years since this traumatic event, appearing in documentaries, tv series episodes, podcasts and other outlets including Rolling Stone and New York Magazine’s The Cut, testifying before Congress, participating in expert panels, and more. Kate is the co-author of “Killing Kate: A Story of Turning Abuse and Tragedy into Transformation and Triumph,” available on Amazon.

This episode is all about seeing the nuanced ways abusers function in an intimate relationship and the ways the system protects abusers rather than survivors. BUT survivorship still prevails.

Just a heads up: This episode contains discussions of domestic violence and emotional, physical, and psychological abuse. Some may find it upsetting. We encourage you to take care of yourself.

You can follow Kate @supportkateranta on Facebook and @kateranta on TikTok. To learn more about Kate’s advocacy work and order her book, go to kateranta.com.

Follow Lisa Phillips @iamlisaphillips on Instagram.

From Now On is produced by LA PHILLIPS MEDIA. Listen and follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Have a story to share with us? Email us at [email protected]. Join our movement and keep up to date on all things From Now On by following us @fromnowonpod on all socials.

If today’s conversation resonated with you and you are seeking more support in your own healing journey, here are some resources below:

“Why did you stay?” 

“Why didn’t you leave? I would have!”

These statements, made by strangers on the internet, tend to be directed towards survivors when they tell their survivor stories. They forget one of the biggest forms of abuse that trap individuals in their relationships – financial abuse. 

Today, Lisa begins to share her own experiences with financial abuse and how that form of abuse is isolating and extremely misunderstood by family, friends, and strangers on the internet. 

Lisa welcomes Titeänyä Rodríguez, a proud Afro-Latina (Puerto Rican, Indigenous, & Jamaican) Writer, Impact Producer, & Director currently based in Los Angeles, CA. Titeänyä shares her own personal story of experiencing financial abuse that still affects her today. She highlights that abuse isn’t just within heteronormative relationships, but it takes place in the queer community too. As a serial survivor, Titeänyä works to advocate for survivors through her productions, storytelling, and as a Certified Crisis Advocate with Peace Over Violence.

This episode is all about noticing the red flags in a relationship that could lead to financial abuse and ways to avoid it. 

From now on, I have a VOICE. I don’t make myself small. I’m using it in whatever way I can.

Just a heads up: This episode contains discussions of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and abuse, and some listeners may find it upsetting. We encourage listeners to prepare themselves before listening.

You can follow Titeänyä @titeanya on Instagram and YouTube.

You can learn more about Titeänyä’s productions and storytelling at womxnography.com.

You can learn more about her management company at cre8tivec0ntr0lmgmt.co.

Follow Lisa Phillips @iamlisaphillips on Instagram.

From Now On is produced by LA PHILLIPS MEDIA. Listen and follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Have a story to share with us? Email us at [email protected]. Join our movement and keep up to date on all things From Now On by following us @fromnowonpod on all socials.

If today’s conversation resonated with you and you are seeking more support in your own healing journey, here are some resources below:

How do survivors receive justice? What happens when survivors are influenced to sign an NDA? Today, we’re going to dive deep into the world of NDAs and how NDAs are another form of abuse.

Lisa welcomes Zelda Perkins, Co-Founder of the Can’t Buy My Silence campaign. Zelda shares her experience of signing an NDA and breaking the NDA. She educates on how NDAs are predatory and abusive to survivors, why they are so prevalent in SA cases, and how they are ultimately not legally enforceable. 

This episode is all about how your voice, your survivor story is more powerful and important than any lump sum for your silence. We encourage you to educate yourself more about NDAs before you sign them.

From now on, always question… don’t be afraid to question. Don’t believe everything a lawyer tells you. 

Just a heads up: This episode contains discussions of sexual assault and suicidal ideation. Some may find it upsetting. We encourage you to take care of yourself.

Zelda Perkins was the first woman to break an NDA in 2017, signed decades earlier, with Harvey Weinstein. She brought the systematic abuse of NDA’s to the attention of the British Government and international press, giving evidence at two parliamentary inquiries, which uncovered an epidemic of misuse, and pushed the Solicitors Regulatory Authority to take disciplinary action against the lawyer who created the NDA for Weinstein. Her actions have been inspiring others to come forward by her example. She has been campaigning for legislative and regulatory reform in the UK since 2017 and launched the Global campaign Can’t Buy My Silence cantbuymysilence.com with Canadian Co Founder, Professor Julie Macfarlane in September 2021. They are working with Government in the UK, the Republic of Ireland, Canada and Australia to change legislation and regulation around the misuse of NDA’s. They have had legislative success in the UK, Ireland and Canada with the first laws of their kind banning NDAs being passed in all three countries, however there is still a long way to go. Zelda was named a Person of the Year by Time magazine in 2018,  by the Guardian in 2020 and in 2023 awarded for her Outstanding Contribution to Gender Equality by UN Women UK. Her character was portrayed by Samantha Morton in the Universal Pictures feature “She Said” documenting her part in the downfall of Weinstein. 

You can follow Zelda and Can’t Buy My Silence @cbmsilenceuk on Instagram and @cbmsilence on X. To learn more about the misuse of NDAs go to cantbuymysilence.com.

Follow Lisa Phillips @iamlisaphillips on Instagram.

From Now On is produced by LA PHILLIPS MEDIA. Listen and follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Have a story to share with us? Email us at [email protected]. Join our movement and keep up to date on all things From Now On by following us @fromnowonpod on all socials.

If today’s conversation resonated with you and you are seeking more support in your own healing journey, here are some resources below:

Where does grief fit into the conversation around abuse and survival? Today, we’re going to unpack how compounded trauma and grief can get us stuck in a cycle of suffering. This type of suffering is what serial predators look for as they seek out their next victim. But grief is also a tool to help process trauma. It is a tool in survivors' healing. 

In this episode, Lisa welcomes Victoria Valentino. Victoria is a retired hospice nurse,  Playboy’s Miss September 1963, author, speaker, activist, and a multi-rape, child and domestic abuse and sex trafficking survivor. Since 2014, when she went public about being a Bill Cosby survivor, she has been working to educate about rape culture, lobbying to change laws that give the power back to survivors to seek justice against their perpetrators.

Victoria walks Lisa through the life events that made her a target for Cosby and the long-windy road of her healing journey. She shares her experiences with grief, the psychology of trauma, and her expressions of survival through her art. She recently directed  “SHEro: A Tribute to the Sister Survivors of Bill Cosby & to All Survivors of Sexual Violence,”  a play she wrote that premiered on July 21, 2024. She also authored Dirty Diamonds: The Repurposed Life of a Playboy Icon and Cosby Survivor.

This episode is all about how it’s never too late to tell your story, process your trauma, fight for justice, and express your healing in art. We are so grateful to Victoria for her honesty and vulnerability. 

From now on, I want peace. 

Just a heads up: This episode contains discussions of sexual assault and trafficking. Some may find it upsetting. We encourage you to take care of yourself.

You can follow Victoria on Instagram @victoriavalentino1 and on Facebook @victoria.valentino1. To learn more about Victoria, her art, and her activism, go to victoriavalentino.com. 

Follow Lisa Phillips @iamlisaphillips on Instagram.

From Now On is produced by LA PHILLIPS MEDIA. Listen and follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Have a story to share with us? Email us at [email protected]. Join our movement and keep up to date on all things From Now On by following us @fromnowonpod on all socials.

If today’s conversation resonated with you and you are seeking more support in your own healing journey, here are some resources below:

Serial predators always have a pattern. They practice and refine their manipulative tactics so that when they approach a new target, their abuse isn’t noticed or at least not actively questioned. It isn’t until years later that the realization that one has been abused comes to the surface. It’s often because a brave survivor decided to go public about the abuse. 

Today, Lisa welcomes Olympic Gold Medalist and current head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks gymnastics team, Jordyn Wieber. Jordyn is also a survivor of Larry Nassar. Lisa and Jordyn discuss her journey in elite gymnastics all the way to the Olympics. Jordyn also shares how she came to testify at Larry Nassar’s sentencing hearing and how, since then, she has been an active advocate for survivors, holding systems account|able who enabled their abuser. Jordyn details Larry’s M.O. and the red flags she came to understand as she processed her trauma.  

Jordyn gave us an update on her healing journey and the role coaching has played in that journey. We are grateful for Jordyn’s willingness to share her story and candor.

This episode is all about acknowledging there is power behind survivors speaking out and how these voices can hold systems accountable for enabling and protecting abusers.

From now on, I will ALWAYS use my voice.

Just a heads up: This episode contains discussions of grooming and sexual assault. Some may find it upsetting. We encourage you to take care of yourself.

From Now On is produced by LA PHILLIPS MEDIA. Listen and follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Follow Jordan on Instagram and X @jordyn_wieber.

Follow Lisa Phillips @iamlisaphillips on Instagram.

Have a story to share with us? Email us at [email protected]. Join our movement and keep up to date on all things From Now On by following us @fromnowonpod on all socials.

If today’s conversation resonated with you and you are seeking more support in your own healing journey, here are some resources below: