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⚠️ Content / Trigger Warning:
This episode contains discussion of childhood abuse, domestic violence, coercive control, racism, religious trauma, foster care involvement, and self-harm. Listener discretion is advised. Please take care of yourself while listening.

This week on Marionette Dolls, we are honored to share a powerful listener story:  Pandora’s story.

In this deeply personal episode, we read Pandora’s experience in full before unpacking the psychological and neurological impact of growing up in an environment shaped by coercive control, religious manipulation, isolation, and abuse. We explore what happens to the brain and nervous system when survival becomes the only option — including dissociation, trauma bonding, learned helplessness, and hypervigilance.

Pandora’s journey does not end in childhood. We discuss how early trauma can shape adult relationships, influence identity, and affect how safety is recognized or missed later in life. We also take time to examine the realities of foster care involvement, therapy, diagnosis, and the long-term process of healing from complex trauma.

This episode focuses not just on what was endured, but on what it takes to break generational cycles through advocacy, parenting differently, and slowly rewiring the brain toward safety.

If you recognize pieces of your own experience in Pandora’s story, you are not alone — and support is available.

RESOURCES

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or abuse, help is available:

📞 National Domestic Violence Hotline (U.S.)
Call: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
TTY: 1-800-787-3224
Text: START to 88788
Online Chat

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⚠️ Content Warning:
This episode discusses intimate partner violence, coercive control, emotional abuse, and homicide. Please listen with care. If you need to pause or step away at any point, that is completely okay.

In this deeply psychological and compassionate episode of The Marionette Dolls, Sarah and Crystal explore the dark side of love in “Bloody Valentine.” This conversation examines how romance can slowly shift into control, how attachment can become possession, and how rejection can escalate into dangerous behavior.

Using real true-crime cases including Paul Bernardo & Karla Homolka and Jodi Arias  the hosts break down relationship dynamics through a clinical lens. Sarah leads an in-depth discussion of trauma bonding, attachment theory, narcissistic injury, emotional dysregulation, and fear of abandonment, while carefully explaining relevant DSM-5 concepts in plain language for listeners.

This episode is not about sensationalizing violence. It is about understanding patterns, recognizing early warning signs, and learning what healthy love actually looks like. Together, Sarah and Crystal unpack the difference between connection and control, intensity and safety, and passion and power.

If you’ve ever wondered why people stay in harmful relationships, why leaving can be the most dangerous time, or how “crimes of passion” are often misunderstood, this episode offers thoughtful insight grounded in psychology, empathy, and prevention.

If you need support, you are not alone. Resources below:

National Domestic Violence Hotline
📞 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
💬 thehotline.org

Textline for Crisis Support (US):
Text HOME to 741741

Love Is Respect (for relationship safety & red flags):
loveisrespect.org

RAINN (Sexual Assault Support):
rainn.org | 800-656-HOPE

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI):
nami.org

SAMHSA Treatment Locator:
findtreatment.gov

United Way 2-1-1 (local help, housing, food, counseling):
dial 211 or visit 211.org

If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.

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⚠️ Content & Trigger Warning

This episode discusses domestic violence, intimate partner violence, emotional abuse, psychological abuse, coercive control, and trauma responses. No graphic details are used, but the topic itself may be heavy or activating. If at any point this feels overwhelming, it is completely okay to pause, step away, or skip this episode. Your well-being comes first.

In “Cupid Has Me in a Chokehold,” Sarah and Crystal take a deep, compassionate, and research-informed look at why domestic violence is so complex — and why leaving is often the most dangerous time.

Rather than asking “Why didn’t they just leave?” this episode asks better questions:
What is happening in the nervous system? What does the research actually show? And how do trauma, attachment, fear, finances, children, and safety risks shape survivors’ decisions?

You’ll hear a clear explanation of what domestic violence really is — including emotional abuse, psychological abuse, financial control, isolation, and coercive control, not just physical violence. The hosts unpack current statistics from the CDC, Department of Justice, and National Institute of Justice to show that abuse is common, patterned, and most often committed by someone the survivor knows well.

The conversation also explores:

• Why abuse usually begins wrapped in love, not fear
• Why survivors often don’t identify their experiences as “violence”
• Why separation is statistically the most dangerous time
• How trauma bonding and intermittent reinforcement keep people attached
• How PTSD, dissociation, and survival responses affect decision-making
• Why shame, isolation, and fear of retaliation silence many survivors
• How abuse impacts the brain and nervous system over time
• Why healing is a process — not a moment

🚨 Support & Crisis Resources

If this episode brought up difficult feelings — or if you are currently experiencing abuse — you do not have to navigate this alone. You do not need to be in immediate danger to reach out.

National Domestic Violence Hotline (U.S.) — 24/7, confidential

• 📞 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
• 📱 Text START to 88788
• 🌐 thehotline.org
   (Support, safety planning, and resources — no pressure to leave.)

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (U.S.)

• 📞 Call or text 988
• 🌐 988lifeline.org
   (You do not have to be suicidal to use this service.)

StrongHearts Native Helpline (U.S.)

• 📞 1-844-7NATIVE (1-844-762-8483)
• 🌐 strongheartshelpline.org

Love Is Respect (Dating Violence)

• 📞 1-866-331-9474
• 📱 Text LOVEIS to 22522
• 🌐 loveisrespect.org

RAINN (Sexual Violence Support)

• 📞 800-656-HOPE (4673)
• 🌐 rainn.org

Victim Connect Resource Center

• 📞 1-855-4-VICTIM (1-855-484-2846)
• 🌐 victimconnect.org

If you are outside the U.S.:
Find local confidential support at findahelpline.com.

If you are in immediate danger, please call your local emergency number.

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In this episode, we’re breaking down what autism really is, why it’s called a spectrum, and why it feels like “everyone is getting diagnosed now.” Spoiler alert: autism didn’t suddenly appear. Our understanding finally caught up.

Rizz’em with the Tism is about blending humor, education, and respect. We talk about how autism has always existed, how diagnostic criteria have evolved, and why awareness, better screening, and reduced stigma are changing the numbers. We explore the strengths that come with neurodivergence—deep focus, creativity, honesty, loyalty, and originality—while also honoring the real challenges autistic people face in a world that isn’t designed for their nervous systems.

We dive into:

• What autism actually is (and what it is not)
• Why the spectrum is multidimensional, not a straight line
• Why diagnoses are increasing without autism “spreading”
• Girls vs. boys and how masking hides autism in plain sight
• Adult diagnosis and the relief and grief that can come with it
• The truth about ABA: where the stigma came from and how ethical, trauma-informed ABA is changing
• Why support is about access and dignity, not “fixing” people

This episode is playful, factual, and affirming. Autism isn’t a tragedy or a superpower. It’s difference. And difference deserves understanding, support, and respect.

Because autistic rizz isn’t about performance.
 It’s about authenticity.

🧭 Resources for Families & Autistic Individuals (U.S.)

Autism Society of America
https://www.autism-society.org

Education, advocacy, and community support.

CDC Autism Information
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism

Evidence-based autism data and guidance.

Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN)
https://autisticadvocacy.org

Autism education led by autistic voices.

Parent to Parent USA
https://www.p2pusa.org

Emotional support from other parents who understand.

Wrightslaw (IEP & Special Education Rights)
https://www.wrightslaw.com

Education law and advocacy resources.

SAMHSA Treatment Locator
https://findtreatment.gov

Find behavioral and mental health services.

United Way 2-1-1
Dial 211 or visit https://www.211.org

Local help for therapy, respite care, housing, and financial support.

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988
Emotional support 24/7.

Family Voices / Family-to-Family Health Info Centers
https://familyvoices.org

Healthcare navigation support for families with special needs.

Support the show

Send us a text

In today’s episode, we explore the beauty, challenges, and strengths of raising and loving children on the autism spectrum. We discuss real emotions, real struggles, and real hope. This conversation is meant to validate families who feel overwhelmed, unseen, or unsure where to turn next.

Whether you are a parent, caregiver, educator, or someone seeking to understand autism better, this episode serves as a reminder that community, education, and support change everything.

We cover:

• What autism really looks like in everyday life
• Breaking stigma and misconceptions
• Emotional burnout in caregivers
• Why asking for help is an act of strength
• How community and advocacy empower families
• The importance of mental health support for parents

If you’re listening and feel like you need support, guidance, or even just a place to start, you are not alone. Some organizations and people exist for this exact reason. Reaching out is not a weakness. It’s care.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

🧩 Autism Society of America
Education, advocacy, and local chapter support.
https://autismsociety.org

🧠 CDC Autism Information Center
Up-to-date information on autism, diagnosis, and early intervention.
https://www.cdc.gov/autism

🤝 Parent to Parent USA
Connects parents with other parents who understand.
https://www.p2pusa.org

📚 Wrightslaw (IEP & Special Education Advocacy)
Understanding IEPs, special education law, and how to advocate in schools.
https://www.wrightslaw.com

💙 NAMI – National Alliance on Mental Illness
Support groups and education for caregivers experiencing burnout, anxiety, or depression.
https://www.nami.org

🏥 SAMHSA Treatment Locator
Find mental health and behavioral health services near you.
https://findtreatment.gov

📞 United Way 2-1-1
Local support for:

• Therapy
• Respite care
• Financial assistance
• Food and housing support
   Dial 2-1-1 or visit https://www.211.org
  
  

👨‍👩‍👧 Family-to-Family Programs
Support and education for families navigating disabilities and mental health systems.

Call to Action:
If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who may need encouragement today. Leave us a review, subscribe, and remember: you are doing enough. You are seen. You are not alone.

 💌 Submit your stories to [email protected] for the bonus content, like my strange addictions, ghost stories, and weird things you can't explain by science. 

* Remember, no politics or religion. This is the boundary we have set for our podcast, so respect that. 

If you would like to submit a personal story, please make it known that you do not want your name read on the episode and put in what you are discussing, for example, domestic violence, autism, adhd, etc., to give us an idea of where we can use the stories in future episodes. 

If you want to check out Alaina's YouTube, which was mentioned in one of the stories, please look up @kimiko_1247

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Welcome to the very first episode of The Marionette Dolls. This is our introduction to who we are, why this podcast exists, and what we hope it becomes.

In this episode, you’ll meet your hosts, Sarah and Crystal, and hear the stories that shaped this space. From lived experience with trauma, recovery, military service, and mental health to academic and professional goals in psychology, this podcast was built on the belief that education is power. Not power over others, but power over our own understanding.

The Marionette Dolls is a psychology-based, research-driven podcast that stays neutral. No politics. No religion. No agendas. Just honest conversations about the human mind, mental health, and how our past experiences pull our “strings.” Our goal is to help you recognize those strings and learn how to cut the ones that no longer serve you.

We’ll explore:

• Mental health topics through real research
• DSM-5 disorders in an educational, non-diagnostic way
• Trauma, coping, and healing
• How misinformation affects mental health
• Why thinking for yourself matters

This episode sets the foundation for everything to come, including our bonus series:

• Psychobabble – serial killer psychology and profiling
•  Quirkology: the strange habit files– rewatch and psychological breakdowns of My Strange Addiction as well as listener tails
• Glitch in the Matrix – conspiracy theories and the psychology behind belief

This podcast is about curiosity over judgment, education over fear, and compassion over shame.

You don’t need a degree to be here.
 You just need a willingness to learn.

Welcome to The Marionette Dolls.
Let’s start cutting strings.

[email protected]

Music by PIXBAY: artist: alanajordan

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