OPEN STANCE

Damien Rider is a multi world record breaking endurance athlete and his extraordinary physical feats have been featured in two National Geographic documentaries. He is a Global Motivational Speaker, Mentor, Coach and the creator of One Breath Meditation. Damien is also internationally recognized for his humanitarian work creating awareness around childhood sexual abuse and has been a speaker in Ted Talks in Asia Pacific and the United States. Damien is a committed ambassador for an Australian organization called The Blue Knot Foundation that dedicates its services to the support, prevention and awareness of childhood abuse. It is his impactful work which saw Damien nominated two times for Australian of the Year. Damien’s childhood is deeply scarred by years of abusive physical and sexual violence. Today, he speaks openly about how he uses extreme sports and One Breath Meditation to overcome trauma. Damien’s story is an invigorating example of how survivors can rise up and find pathways forward through personal barriers to places of inner peace.

To contact Damien Rider:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xnra8vr5sfipp5s/memphis%20speech%20bKF.mp4?dl=0

http://www.obmlearning.com

damienrider.com

IG: @damienrider

For information on the The Blue Knot Foundation:

https://blueknot.org.au

IG: @blueknotfoundation

John-Michael Lander is a former international US springboard and platform diver. After his competitive diving career, John-Michael went on to pursue a career in entertainment as an actor where he is known for roles in television, film and theatre. John-Michael is also known for his work as an author, coach, public speaker and teacher. Currently, John- Michael is pursuing his PH.D in Education in Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment. Additionally, John-Michael is passionately committed to building his Arbonne business to promote good health and wellness for all. Today we hear from a very personal side of John Michael’s life. He is a fierce advocate for survivors of sexual abuse and their supporters. John Michael’s life story includes the harrowing experience of surviving the grooming process and subsequent years of sexual abuse at the hands of his coaches, mentors and benefactors. John Michael takes us on a raw and personal journey through his experience of grooming and sexual abuse as a young male athlete and the tough years confronting the aftermath and trauma of these crimes. It is with remarkable focus and purpose that John Michael shares his voice in support of all survivors and those people with a survivor in their life. John Michael works and consults with organisations and individuals through webcasts, workshops, key note speaker engagements and events to deliver critical information about grooming tactics, manipulation and stigmatising of sexual abuse. Most recently, John- Michael is focused on understanding some of the physical manifestations of sexual assault and abuse. John-Michael says, "I have been concerned about finding a solution for Survivors' Long-Term Effects of Inflammation due to Negative Self-Talk. I have been thinking and wanting to understand how the negative self-talk that I developed during and after my traumatic events can cause inflammation, attack the immune system, cause pain and discomfort, and possibly lead to disease(s). I have discovered that easing or relieving the inflammation in my body allows me to have more energy and strength to examine the negative self-talk that I have consciously and unconsciously been saying to myself for most of my life. I have found a way to ease the effects of inflammation. Once I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease, a friend told me about Arbonne's natural plant-based program entitled 30 Days to Healthy Living. This program changed my life so much that I have decided to become a Consultant. Combining exercising, meditating, and listening to positive self-talk recordings, eating Healthier has assisted in moving my body into a more alkaline state and easing the inflammation. " Please see links below to contact John-Michael for more information.

Arbonne: http://johnlander.arbonne.com

An Athlete’s Silence: http://anathletessilence.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnmichaellander1214

Surface Tension: https://rb.gy/aldgbi

Cracked Surface: https://rb.gy/7etvs5

Twitter: @jm27land Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnmichaellander-31131075/

The Army Of Survivors: https://thearmyofsurvivors.org/

Dr. Patricia Resick is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University. Prior to Duke, Dr. Resick was the Director of the Women’s Health Sciences Division at the National Center for PTSD. Dr. Resick is globally recognized for her profound contributions to the field of psychiatry and mental health treatments and is credited with developing Cognitive Processing Therapy. CPT is proven to be one of the best treatments available for PTSD. This is a critically informative discussion from a leading global expert on what exactly happens in the brain when a person experiences sexual assault or sexual violence. Dr. Resick delivers crucial information to empower survivors with knowledge which can help them to understand the severe neurological disorders common to rape and sexual assault victims. Without this understanding, it is possible for a survivor to live a life time stuck in trauma and coping daily with countless, unhealthy physical and emotional issues. This can be life saving education for someone. Thank you for sharing this episode with survivors and/or any person who has a survivor in their life.

Links from Episode:

http://www.cptforptsd.com http://www.cognitiveprocessingtherapy.org.au/ https://www.flinders.edu.au/engage/community/clinics/posttraumatic-stress-clinic

Welcome to Open Stance. A platform created to cultivate, build, and nurture a unified and connective educational space for survivors and advocates of sexual abuse and sexual violence. Today, I speak with American Jessica Johnson- a former star scholarship track & field athlete for the University of Arkansas Lady razorbacks. In 2004, Jessica’s impressive athletic and academic achievements were recognised and honored when she was named the NCAA Woman of the Year for the state of Arkansas. However, behind the accolades and accomplishments of this stand out student athlete is the painful story of her experience of surviving sexual grooming and sexual abuse at the hands of her trusted university track & field coach John Rembao. Jessica fearlessly sheds light on this horrific abuse of power, the emotional and physical aftermath she suffered as a result of this abuse and how she and countless other student-athletes were failed by the people and institutions who were meant to be protecting and empowering them. Jessica Johnson's voice is brave. She is fierce in integrity and commitment as she and two of her former college teammates pursue a class action lawsuit to have the laws and policies reformed making our sporting institutions accountable and safe for all athletes.

Kris Pedretti was 15 years old when the infamous Golden State Killer broke into her family’s home and viciously and repeatedly raped her just before Christmas in 1976.

Kris was quoted many years later when she said,

“MY WORLD WAS SMALL, PREDICTABLE AND SAFE"

“BY THE TIME THAT NIGHT CAME TO AN END, MY WORLD CHANGED FOREVER I SANG" 'JESUS LOVES ME’ IN MY HEAD AS I WAITED- WAITED TO DIE”

For over four decades, Kris Pedretti lived in a debilitating silence.

44 years later, Kris stood in a Sacramento courtroom facing Joseph James DeAngelo and delivered a soul-stirring Victim Impact Statement with extraordinary courage, bravery, force and mindful strength.

Today, we meet Kris Pedretti. We learn about this remarkable human spirit who has transformed unimaginable pain into power and healing by sharing her voice and story with all of us via her Facebook support group called:

"SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS! IT’S TIME TO TELL YOUR STORY” https://www.facebook.com/groups/timetotellyourstory

Kris welcomes survivors and/or families and people with a survivor in their life. This is her group's description-

As any sexual assault survivor knows, you don’t ever just get over it. It doesn’t work like that! This group provides support for survivors of sexual assault, whether recent or years ago. It is a healing place where survivors can tell their story to the only people who truly understand their experiences and emotions.

Kris, It is my honor and privilege to call you my friend and to WELCOME you to Open Stance.

"Secrets are Debilitating. This secret of mine was eating me alive for a long time"

-Brady Hiete (my brother)

The Secret of Sexual Abuse Trauma is the Silent Killer. This is a raw and tender conversation with my youngest brother Brady Hiete about the serious dangers of living for many years under the crushing weight of secrets of personal trauma.

We share, from our own experiences, how personal secrets of trauma can have long lasting and perilous behavioral, emotional and spiritual consequences. Dark secrets of sexual abuse, in many cases, are discovered at the core of a multitude of hazardous, life threatening survival and coping mechanisms. Survivors commonly employ these maladaptive behaviors to manage and numb the intense pain from the trauma of abuse and living alone in silence and shame. Dealing with the core issues of abuse and talking about personal trauma can be a critical stepping stone which opens a pathway to recovery and healing.

In this episode, Brady and I talk about the time when I finally wrestled myself out of silence (a silence that for many years felt like a Boa Constrictor's suffocating death grip) and found my voice and told him about being drugged unconscious and raped when I was in college and how I had been living with this secret in a silent and lonely hell for so long.

In the same conversation, Brady opens up about a personally damaging secret he battled alone for most of his life and the feelings of devastation and loneliness he suffered as a result. Our episode is an intensely personal and open discussion that clearly recognizes the power of revelation. Our discussion aims to illuminate that talking about trauma in a safe environment when you are ready - and supporting a survivor through listening- can be a significant catalyst and critical first step on the pathway to healing and recovery.

Understanding Shame as an outcome of trauma from Sexual Abuse and Violence with Clinical Psychologist Stephanie Allen and Ilana Karpin from Life & Mind Psychology

https://lifeandmind.com.au

Stephanie Allen is the Founder of Life & Mind Psychology and has been creating and growing her practice in Sydney, Australia, where she has been the Principal Clinical Psychologist for over a decade.

This is truly a remarkable open discussion with two leading Australian Clinical Psychologists who fantastically educate us that shame as a symptom of sexual abuse related trauma can be successfully treated and that evidence based techniques do in fact work. The information Stephanie and Ilana share is crucial for survivors of sexual abuse and for people who have a survivor in their life.

SHAME is a common outcome of sexual violence. The experience of shame in a survivor’s daily life can lead to debilitating and dangerous mental and physical issues which can heavily contribute to many destructive coping behaviours when not safely addressed and treated. Stephanie Allen and Ilana Karpin provide an expert clinical discussion on understanding the complex nature of shame and the profound psychological effects caused by sexual abuse trauma. They address a range of clinical evidence based treatments and techniques which work to manage and treat issues related to the effects of shame from sexual abuse. This episode is positiviely insightful and serves as a valuable resource focused on professional experience, education and crucial information related to the treatment and steps of the recovery process related to the lived experience of shame.

Stephanie Allen/ BIO

Founder and Principal Clinical Psychologist of Life & Mind Psychology in Miranda, NSW Australia. Stephanie has been practicing as a Clinical Psychologist for over 15 years. She works with individuals, couples and groups in both public and private settings. Stephanie is dedicated to being a behaviour therapist through the use of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and has co-facilitated many DBT groups in the Sutherland Shire, NSW, Australia. Additionally, Stephanie Allen is trained to help people using other evidence based psychological therapies such as Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT). One of Stephanie’s biggest and most enjoyable achievements has been creating and growing Life & Mind Psychology, where she has been the Principal Clinical Psychologist for over a decade. Stephanie encourages adults, teenagers and couples who experience issues such as anxiety, depression, stress, relationship problems, any forms of abuse and lifestyle issues to connect with a Psychologist. As a Clinical Psychologist, Stephanie is registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), and is also a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), and the Australian Clinical Psychologists Association (ACPA).

Ilana Karpin / BIO

Ilana is a Clinical Psychologist who completed her undergraduate Psychology degree at University of New South Wales, Sydney and her Masters of Psychology (Clinical) at University of Sydney. She has been committed to ongoing professional development and training with a particular focus on the treatment of trauma, DBT, RO DBT, ACT and supervision. Ilana has 25 years experience working specifically within health in a range of service settings, and over 20 years working specifically within the Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) framework. She has been involved in early intervention projects within community mental health and has worked with adult and adolescent, inpatient and outpatient teams to develop DBT within their services. Ilana currently provides DBT consultation and training to private, public and NGO services, co-facilitates DBT based skills groups for adults a

Tracey sits down with her relative Amelia Thorpe. Amelia is a wife, mother to three daughters, educator, advocate for social justice, childhood sexual abuse survivor and blog author. https://ameliathorpe.blog/

Amelia Thorpe, with a profound sense of inner strength, unveils in this episode, her tortuous experience as a mother in this harrowing story of one family’s journey to justice following the years of sexual abuse all three of her and her husband Brad's daughters survived in a home day care.

Amelia writes:

My husband and I have been blessed with three magnificent daughters. For the first ten years of our parenting life, we thought we were nailing it. Our children were polite, respectful, creative, active and well-adjusted. What we didn't know was that they were hiding a deep secret from us, one that would irrevocably change our lives forever. In 2013, my husband and I uncovered the extent of the lie that we had been living for an indeterminate period of our lives as parents. A man whom we trusted had been performing sexual acts on our children for a number of years…and we had no idea. Over the years since, we have tried to create a “new normal” for our family. This “new normal” still consists of work, school and of course being a taxi driver for after school activities. But, it also includes incontinence, nightmares, visits to the police station and court house, weekly counseling sessions, and suicide attempts. It’s been a persistent effort to keep upbeat, when at times everything just feels broken. Our “journey to justice” was long and arduous. The trial nearly broke our already broken children. We have a system where everyone is made to be accountable; their character and professionalism questioned; except for the accused. Four weeks and three days after we began in court, the defendant was found guilty. He was sentenced to 3 years and 9 months. Our children are doing life. Whilst life, at times, has been difficult for us to navigate as a family, I do know that my girls will grow up to be strong, resilient and beautiful women. They will continue to feel a sense of solidarity with other survivors who, like them, have given a voice to the voiceless and said no to abuse. I am not happy to let an antiquated legal system continue to perpetuate abuse on the most vulnerable. But trying to affect change has not been easy. I am excited to be part of Open Stance in an effort to highlight the truth, celebrate survivors and remove the shame that has for too long been part of the narrative of abuse survivors. Lots of love, Amelia

Sammy Caiola, Healthcare Reporter for Cap Radio since 2017, joins Tracey for a special edition of Open Stance speaking about trauma from sexual violence and the long term impact on a survivor's mental and physical well being. During her time at Cap Radio, Sammy's special interest in trauma and what happens to a survivor in the aftermath of assault and rape is explored with great care and compassion in "After the Assault" , a special new podcast she produced and hosted for Cap Radio. Sammy brings a lovely, warm and caring focus to the needs of a survivor. She shares the vital importance of self care and good health promoting activities, such as exercise, as options to help decrease symptoms of PTSD and restore feelings of self worth and self love. Sammy highlights specific clinical research studies which demonstrate how these healthy coping mechanisms can contribute significantly to a survivor's healing process and a pathway to freedom.

Erin Aldrich Shean was prepared "to go to the grave" with a secret she kept buried for 20 years until she learned her abuser was still coaching; and, this time, her perpetrator was coaching high school girls. Erin is a 2000 Olympic high jumper and former dual scholarship athlete for the University of Texas Longhorns in Volleyball and Track & Field. In this episode, Erin brings a laser focus to the potential dangers and inherent power imbalances in the coach - athlete relationship. Erin details her former coach's dangerously slow and methodical grooming process that led to her sexual abuse. This is an episode all athletes and their parents must watch as it provides critical education to prevent these crimes. This is also a tremendous call to action which Erin pursues in the form of a class action lawsuit to help protect and empower athletes at every level by fighting for lasting institutional change and accountability in the laws and policies of the national governing sporting bodies who are responsible for the safety and well being of our athletes.