In the aftermath of the unprecedented reversal of established precedent, survivors are left wondering what to do. With the Supreme Court becoming increasingly more conservative following the reversal of Roe vs. Wade, many of us survivors are left with a staggering loss of bodily autonomy, independence, and resources. In a follow-up from my previous take on the United States post-Roe vs. Wade, I open up about the ramifications of this Supreme Court decision and what we can do in the here and now.

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If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review.

If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online for 24/7 support. (This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory)

Find more Initiated Survivor content here and on Instagram!

Amy Malin is the creator and CEO of Trueheart, which serves as an in-between of Hollywood and philanthropy. A survivor of sexual assault and human trafficking, Amy founded Trueheart during her recovery process. Alongside her husband/business partner Scott Malin, Amy has raised thousands for a wide variety of causes including Domestic Violence, Gender Equality, HIV/AIDS, Homelessness, Human Trafficking, Hunger, LGBTQ+ Rights, Poverty, Racial Equality, The Arts, The Environment, Women’s Empowerment, and more. Today, she shares how she came to be so passionate about helping others and why she chooses to live her life leading with hope, light, and love.

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If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review.

If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online for 24/7 support. (This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory)

Find more Initiated Survivor content here and on Instagram!

Kim Mecklenburg survived childhood sexual assault from family as well as at the hands of her commanding officers during her time in the Marine Corps. Taking us through how she was able to recover due in part to the aid of psychedelics, Kim shares what it means to finally feel free in her body once again. She has also taken what she learned about survival and recovery and turned it into Kim Chi Wisdom, where she helps to dismantle rape culture by performing "Life Intelligence™ For Leaders" Workshops. She also helps other survivors with their recoveries through neuroscience-backed methods — letting them overcome and leverage past trauma.

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If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review.

If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online for 24/7 support. (This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory)

Find more Initiated Survivor content here and on Instagram!

Nichol Bridges is a survivor of multiple incidents of violence. A current member of the RAINN Speakers Bureau, Nicole bears all in this Initiated Survivor interview. From her childhood when she encountered unwanted sexual advances from men much older than her, to being assaulted by multiple peers, to suffering violence at the hands of an ex-boyfriend, Nichol recounts these horrific experiences as an open book.  Nichol's strength shines through her raw honesty of her life as a survivor.  Taking us through the moment she first started to heal to when she decided to become a force of change, Nichol is paying it forward by working to create a better place for all of us.

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If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review.

If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online for 24/7 support. (This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory)

Find more Initiated Survivor content here and on Instagram!

Kat McGinty experienced multiple assaults that had a lasting impact on her life and mental and physical health. After a long recovery process and battle against constant panic attacks, Kat has gone from survivor to thriver. She takes us through the impact of the immediate aftermath of her assaults and how the initial reactions of those around her stunned her into silence. The minimization that she faced caused her to go into a level of heightened stress anytime she even contemplated telling her story to others. Coming onto the podcast in this episode is a milestone in her recovery. Kat shares her story so that others know that this was not your fault, you did not deserve what happened to you, and things will be better.

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If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review.

If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online for 24/7 support. (This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory)

Find more Initiated Survivor content here and on Instagram!

Kelly Johnson is a writer, public speaker, community engagement professional, and survivor of sexual violence. She has her masters in Public History from American University and is extremely passionate about literature. She created a Writers for Hope, which seeks to raise money for The Every Voice Coalition and the Lambda Legal Fund through the annual auctioning of books, writing advice, and story-based items. Today she comes onto the podcast to share her story of survival. Early one morning, Kelly was brutally beaten and violated by a stranger who was waiting outside her home. In what she calls the shattering of her mind, Kelly takes us back to that morning and the far-reaching effects that her trauma has on her life.

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Follow Kelly on Twitter to stay up to date with all she does for survivors! ​

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If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review.

If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online for 24/7 support. (This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory)

Find more Initiated Survivor content here and on Instagram!

"You are good enough. You are strong enough. You are brave enough."

This is Kristen Hogan's mantra — one that she has lived by throughout her recovery journey. Now a mental health and intimate partner violence advocate, Kristen has turned her mantra into a platform, Good.Strong.Brave, to help empower young women in the face of trauma. Lacking any sexual education from her school or family, Kristen shares the shock that came from realizing she had been assaulted and drugged by her then-boyfriend. Kristen's story is important and more common than many believe, with current statistics from RAINN showing that 8 out of 10 rapes are committed by someone known to the victim. She takes us through her survivor story, why she chooses to share it, and what brought her into advocacy.

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If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review.

If you or anyone you know is suffering from trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online for 24/7 support. (This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory)

Find more Initiated Survivor content here and on Instagram!

Bobbie Becerra is the author of Learning to Take It: How I Learned to Accept Abuse  where she recounts her life and the childhood abuse that impacted her journey. A Los Angeles native raised by her mother, Bobbie thought it was normal for her and her brother to suffer through physical and sexual abuse. She talks about how difficult it was to become aware of the generational trauma and actually break the cycle of trauma. It was only after 30 years of being trapped in a constant state of abuse that she found a way out through writing her memoir. Now a motivational speaker and storyteller, Bobbie hopes to spark change through open discussion and personal connection. You can follow her on her website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

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If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review.

If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online for 24/7 support. (This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory)

Find more Initiated Survivor content here and on Instagram!

Ginger Rex has an undeniable warrior fighter spirit. She survived a brutal assault by a home intruder, and spent decades learning how to be with herself again. Finally finding a sense of peace after reevaluating her relationship with God, Ginger opens up about her recovery journey. From distancing herself from enablers, to gently overcoming her triggers with the help of her daughters and husband, to letting go of her relentless pursuit of justice, Ginger has found a way back to herself again and hopes that sharing her story will help others do the same.

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If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review.

If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online for 24/7 support. (This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory)

Find more Initiated Survivor content here and on Instagram!

Meghan Goode is a therapist and survivor who, after a lifetime of recovery, is a true warrior. She shares her story of being assaulted by a group of three males that she was familiar with in the spring of 1987 in her early teens. Having been abused by her parents and bullied by her peers, she shares how her life was impacted by what these "community heroes" had done to her. From substance abuse to a suicide attempt, it wasn't until Meghan got her masters in counseling and began to help other victims that she started to heal. She grew to want to become an advocate for others like her and, after years of compartmentalization, finally felt like her assault no longer owned her.

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If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review.

If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online for 24/7 support. (This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory)

Find more Initiated Survivor content here and on Instagram!