Root For Each Other: A Branches Podcast

This episode of Root for Each Other was recorded LIVE from our Pick Your Potion: Avoiding Toxicity and the Alchemy of Healthy Relationships event from earlier this Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Listen to experts Dr. Wendy Perkins of MU's Criminal Justice department, Jaxson Miller, Counselor in Residence at MU, and Sara Blevins O'Toole, Director of Development at Branches as they discuss how "toxic relationships" aren't just a hot topic. They explore the realities of how understanding healthy relationship patterns can make you and your community safer and take questions from the audience about how to best cultivate positive behaviors for yourself and your partner.

Branches Domestic Violence Shelter has been providing services to victims of domestic violence in the Appalachian communities of Cabell, Lincoln, Mason, Putnam, and Wayne counties in West Virginia.

Let's Be Friends!
 
On Facebook
On Instagram

Sign up for our Newsletter
Or Donate.

Our special guests, Ashley & Mandee, owners of Booktenders, a local bookstore in downtown Barboursville, join Branches advocates to discuss the incredible story that unfolds in Barbara Kingsolver's Pultizer Prize winning novel, Demon Copperhead.  Ahead of a very special visit from the author, our friends at Booktenders sat down to discuss how Demon Copperhead explores a variety of societal ills, including the impact of domestic violence on children and families.  If you're a fan of Barbara Kingsolver and her incredible work in this field--you won't want to miss this very special episode.  

Branches Domestic Violence Shelter has been providing services to. victims of domestic violence in the Appalachian communities of Cabell, Lincoln, Mason, Putnam, and Wayne counties in West Virginia.

Let's Be Friends!
 
On Facebook
On Instagram

Sign up for our Newsletter
Or Donate.

Join us as we interview our friend, Laurel Thornton (MA, LPC, NCC, EMDR-C, ALPS), owner of Whole Brain Solutions & The Whole Brain Institute to explore the intersection of domestic violence trauma and neurodivergence. Laurel brings powerful insight to the issue, with her discussion of best practices for working with survivors with all kinds of brains.   

This very special episode is a celebration of the incredible work that is being done at the state level to alleviate barriers for LGBTQ+ and BiPOC survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.  For the first time in history, through the efforts of the WV Coalition Against Domestic Violence and a cohort of concerned advocates across the state, the formation and newly appointed 501c3 status of Shoulder to Shoulder solidified a program that is designed to work toward a more inclusive, safer state for survivors.  

Join us as we sit down and have a conversation with Kenyatta Grant and Sara Fincham, our brand new co-directors, to get an inside look at how it all began--and most importantly, where we are going from here!  

Join us for this unique episode of Root for Each Other that amplifies the voices of some of the incredible women that have inspired, educated, and led us as we navigate the difficult work of advocacy.  

Join us for this incredible benchmark in Root For Each Other history,  our first ever live recording, from the WV Coalition Against Domestic Violence Shelter's 2024 Advocate Retreat  This special episode takes the opportunity to check in with three advocates across the state, Katie Spriggs, Executive Director of the Eastern Panhandle Empowerment Center,  Ashley Carpenter, Executive Director of Sexual Assault Help Center, Inc and Sara Blevins O'Toole, Director of Development, Branches Domestic Violence Shelter on the way that advocacy movement has changed and been shaped over time. 

Domestic Violence prevention can sometimes seem like a far-fetched concept, no matter how much we dream of a world without violence. How do we eradicate a crime that is often unacknowledged, generational, and perpetrated behind closed doors? The answer is to be very creative and exceptionally smart, so we contacted one of the most brilliant and innovative advocates we know, Jessica Bender, of the WV Coalition Against Domestic Violence, to talk about the future of DV prevention in West Virginia.

Join us as we discuss the challenges and reward of prevention work and learn more about the Coalition's new project NVR in WV. For more info on the project, you can reach Jessica at [email protected]. 

Branches Domestic Violence Shelter has been providing services to. victims of domestic violence in the Appalachian communities of Cabell, Lincoln, Mason, Putnam, and Wayne counties in West Virginia.

Let's Be Friends!
 
On Facebook
On Instagram

Sign up for our Newsletter
Or Donate.

This month's episode of Root for Each Other checks in with our friend Brandy, from @dancefitnesswithsandb, who has consistently partnered with her friends and community for the last 7 years to combine her passion for Zumba and her compassion for survivors of domestic violence!  Don't wait to learn more!  Check out the latest episode of Root for Each Other: A Branches Podcast wherever you stream your podcasts.

Branches Domestic Violence Shelter has been providing services to. victims of domestic violence in the Appalachian communities of Cabell, Lincoln, Mason, Putnam, and Wayne counties in West Virginia.

Let's Be Friends!
 
On Facebook
On Instagram

Sign up for our Newsletter
Or Donate.

Legislative session is in full swing here in the Mountain State, and we are honored this month to bring you the story of Celena Roby Henry in celebration of her story of survival and the positive change she made for survivors in West Virginia. Public policy can often be confusing or even disheartening, and it can be daunting for both survivors and advocates to try and communicate needs to lawmakers. Join us as we talk to Celena about her journey of empowerment and what she sees as emerging needs for people experiencing domestic violence in our communities.

Branches Domestic Violence Shelter has been providing services to. victims of domestic violence in the Appalachian communities of Cabell, Lincoln, Mason, Putnam, and Wayne counties in West Virginia.

Let's Be Friends!
 
On Facebook
On Instagram

Sign up for our Newsletter
Or Donate. 

January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and, while we've talked about the evolution of this kind of victimization before, we had yet to delve into the specifics of how advocacy programs serve survivors of trafficking. Join us as we chat with friend and colleague, Katie Spriggs Brown, Executive Director of sister program, Eastern Panhandle Empowerment Center.

Branches Domestic Violence Shelter has been providing services to. victims of domestic violence in the Appalachian communities of Cabell, Lincoln, Mason, Putnam, and Wayne counties in West Virginia.

Let's Be Friends!
 
On Facebook
On Instagram

Sign up for our Newsletter
Or Donate.