In this episode, Olivia sits down with a close friend who bravely shares his experience as a survivor of stealthing—the nonconsensual removal of a condom during sex—within a relationship with another man. Together, they unpack the emotional, physical, and psychological impacts of this often-overlooked form of sexual violence, especially within LGBTQ+ communities. Through honest conversation, they explore themes of consent, trust, trauma, and healing, offering space for validation, solidarity, and hope. Thank you for listening!

We had the privilege of meeting with Katelyn who shared their dual perspective as both a practicing clinical psychologist as well as a student. Having these two points of view allowed us to hear the professional and personal aspects of sexual violence in one voice. In this conversation, we see how Katelyn approaches sexual violence as a therapist and her emphasis on both accessibility and autonomy when it comes to choosing what resources are best for the healing process. We also hear how their personal experience challenged their identity and how she continues to move through recovery and growth. A beautiful quote from our conversation with Katelyn is, “Everyone has their own timeline.” This is a great reminder when it comes to supporting survivors as they navigate resources and their personal timeline. To learn more about Montana’s resources for allies and survivors, visit mtarise.org. Thank you for listening!

In this episode, Olivia sits down with Reverend Greg Smith to talk about faith, activism, and building inclusive spiritual communities. From his journey as a priest in Bozeman to his decades of advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights, Reverend Smith shares powerful reflections on resilience, chosen family, and the sacredness of living authentically. It's a conversation about hope, healing, and the transformative power of love. Thank you for listening!

The Western Montana LGBTQ+ Community Center, familiarly known as “The Center”, is a nonprofit organization that provides a safe and inclusive environment for the queer community in Missoula and surrounding areas. To learn more about the resources at The Center, we met with the Operations Administrator, Kera Rivera. In our conversation, they shared about the many weekly and monthly programs positively impacting Missoula and the Bitterroot Valley by creating communities where folks are free to be themselves. To learn more about how to get involved with The Center, visit our Community Resources page or follow the links below. Thank you for listening!

The Western Montana LGBTQ+ Community Center

Contact Information:

Phone: (406)543-2224

Website: https://www.lgbtmontana.org/

Address:

500 N Higgins Ave, Ste 105

(Main door on Spruce)

Missoula, MT 59802

Hours:

Monday - Friday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM

The legal system can be intimidating and feel impossible to navigate. However, it can also be an empowering process to conquer in the justice-seeking journey. To make it more approachable, we interviewed Celedina Coss who is the director for Missoula County’s Crime Victim Advocates (CVA). CVA is a program with free, confidential, and ongoing support for survivors of sexual violence, stalking, and relationship violence by offering advocacy and resource information in civil and criminal matters. Coss walks us through what their support could look like while sharing that they would like their services to reach more diverse communities. Though everyone’s legal experience looks different, Coss provides in depth answers to some frequently asked questions we shared with her. She is determined to spread inclusion and advocacy in both legal and personal spheres. With her permission, we have provided both their organization’s email and her personal one below so the resources can be in our hands. Thank you for listening!

Crime Victim Advocates

Contact Information:

(406) 258-3830

Email: [email protected]

Celedina Coss’ email: [email protected]

Website:

https://www.missoulacounty.us/government/civil-criminal-justice/crime-victim-advocate-program

Address:

317 Woody Street

Missoula, MT 59802

Hours:

Monday - Friday: 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM

Wednesdays: 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM

The Student Advocacy Resource Center (SARC) at The University of Montana is an organization providing free and confidential resources to students who have experienced sexual violence. To talk more about their LGBTQ+ inclusion, we met with the director, Aislinn Addington. Throughout our conversation, they shared about the how the organization advocates for students who are unable to speak for themselves after surviving an act of sexual violence. In our conversation, we also talked about ways to partner with the University of Montana Police Department to help combat stigmatization between law enforcement and the LGBTQ+ community on UM’s campus. Utilizing SARC’s resources helps ensure safety when it comes to approaching UM campus related sexual violence. Thank you for listening!

Student Advocacy Resource Center (SARC)

Phone: 406-243-4429

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.umt.edu/student-advocacy-resource-center/default.php

Address:

634 Eddy Ave #112

Missoula, MT 59812

Walk-in Hours:

Monday - Friday: 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM

In this episode, Kate meets with Mary Pat Hansen, a nurse practitioner, sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) and the clinical supervisor as First Step in Missoula. First Step is a resource clinic for those looking for medical care after experiencing sexual assault, violence, or child abuse. Located outside of the emergency room, First step aims to provide a healing environment where survivors can receive informed and compassionate care. First Step puts patient autonomy and trust at the forefront of what they do. Patients can choose what treatment they want, and how they want it knowing they are in a safe environment to share their experience and their identity. The clinic provides STI testing and treatment, emergency contraceptives, and other crucial medical care while also providing patients with advocates, social workers, mental health professionals and law enforcement if they decide that is what they want. First Step provides care to all identities, no matter what. Thank you for listening!

If you or someone you know needs to get in contact with First Step, the best way to do so is call them at (406) 329-5776), or call the emergency department at St. Patrick Hospital (406) 543-7271 where someone can direct your call to First Step or the SANE on call. Someone there can arrange a time for you to come in and meet with the care team as well as direct you to their location.

In this episode, Olivia sits down with University of Montana Police Chief Brad Giffin for a candid conversation about campus safety, trust-building, and the evolving role of law enforcement in supporting LGBTQ+ students. Chief Giffin discusses the challenges and responsibilities of leading a police department on a modern college campus. It’s an open, honest look at accountability, leadership, and the future of campus policing. Thank you for listening!

In this episode, join us in talking with the amazing Dr. Hannah Wilson, Faith Ellis, and Gavy Montoya y Tierney as they tell us about their work at Oh Hi Collective (and so much more)! Hannah Wilson is the foundress of Oh Hi, which is sex therapy collective with locations across Montana. Faith and Gavy are both therapists at the Missoula location and see a broad range of clients. Along with providing individual and couples sex therapy, Oh Hi also holds continuing education events for professionals and hosts a variety of community events aimed around education, empowerment, and self exploration. In this conversation we talk about the ins and outs of relationship dynamics, kink, polyamory and so much more. We also touch on the important but often forgotten role that rediscovering pleasure and being able to identify and ask for what you want in relationships (sexual or other) can have in the healing journey. Thanks for listening!

Oh Hi Collective

Website: https://www.ohhicollective.com/

Phone: (406)-577-2419

Main Location: 115 West Kagy Blvd Suite I, D

Bozeman, MT 59715

Contact for other locations or virtual services in Missoula, Whitehall, and Livingston

Welcome to the Montana A.R.I.S.E. podcast! In this first episode, we introduce ourselves, and our organization resulting from a year-long capstone project through the Franke Global Leadership Initiative at the University of Montana. Join us to learn more about our 10-episode podcast series and our online resources mtarise.org. Feel free to contact us with any questions or additional resources at [email protected]. Thank you for listening!