[Content Warning]: Holocaust

Today, Jan is joined by mother/son duo Karmela “Karm” & Joel Waldman, hosts of the Surviving The Survivor podcast. They delve into the themes of generational trauma, the importance of acknowledgment in healing, and the supportive nature of the survivor community. The conversation highlights the distinction between victimhood and survival, emphasizing resilience and the potential for reinvention after trauma. Karmela shares her experiences as a Holocaust survivor, while Joel reflects on the impact of their shared history on his life and mental health. They discuss the importance of memory, the role of humor in coping with trauma, and the complexities of optimism in the face of harsh realities. The conversation also touches on parenting instincts, the significance of trusting one's gut feelings, and the importance of preserving history and tradition for future generations.

Where To Find The Waldmans:
SurvivingTheSurvivor.com
Youtube: @SurvivingTheSurvivor
Buy Surviving The Survivor by Joel Z. Waldman 

If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or suicidal ideation, please access the resources below:

National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call/Text 988
National Sexual Assault Hotline  (RAINN) : 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
National Alliance for Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264

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[Content Warning]: Child sexual abuse

In this series, Jan selects a word to focus on for each month, encouraging growth in a specific area, challenging herself and her audience. This year Jan will be focusing on the difficult words we tend to tie to ourselves, offering insight and tools to manage or overcome these obstacles. This month, the focus is on Blame. Jan reflects on the significance of fathers and the complexities of parenting. She discusses the impact of parenting styles on children's emotional health, particularly the consequences of blame and corporal punishment. Jan emphasizes the importance of taking responsibility for one's responses and the dangers of blaming others as a coping mechanism. She encourages listeners to let go of blame to achieve personal freedom and emotional well-being, highlighting the transformative power of forgiveness and open-heartedness.

If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or suicidal ideation, please access the resources below:

National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call/Text 988
National Sexual Assault Hotline  (RAINN) : 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
National Alliance for Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264

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[Content Warning]: Domestic violence, child abuse, abandonment, narcissism

Today, Jan is again joined by Hope Rose, a previously sponsored ultra endurance athlete, a self-published author of Unstoppable Vision, a health+wellness book, and featured in many publications such as NBC Nightly News and the Today Show. The emotional conclusion follows Hope's ongoing fight for justice and healing after the unthinkable loss of her son. She describes the bittersweet moment she finally reunited with her child after three years of no contact, and how she ministers to other incarcerated women as a "light in dark places." Hope dismantles the illusion of closure, sharing how some days the grief still feels like a tsunami—yet she chooses daily to "serve love, not trauma." Her story transforms into a mission: exposing how family courts profit from broken families while offering real solutions through her Glow Up Sisterhood, a healing community for mothers navigating similar battles. The episode culminates with her metaphor of the Hope Rose—a flower blooming through cracks in concrete—symbolizing how our deepest wounds can become our purpose. Together, these two parts form a masterclass in resilience, showing how to alchemize injustice into unshakable strength.

Join Glow Up Sisterhood for FREE using Promo Code: F8EB678

Where to find Hope Rose:
HopeRoseSpeaks.com
Insta: @hoperosespeaks

If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or suicidal ideation, please access the resources below:

National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call/Text 988
National Sexual Assault Hotline  (RAINN) : 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
National Alliance for Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264

Subscribe / Support / Contact:
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[Content Warning]: Domestic violence, child abuse, abandonment, narcissism

Today, Jan is joined by Hope Rose, a previously sponsored ultra endurance athlete, the self-published author of Unstoppable Vision, a health+wellness book, and featured in many publications such as NBC Nightly News and Today Show. In this gripping first installment, Hope Rose takes us through her incredible journey from elite ultra-runner to survivor of unimaginable trauma. She shares how her athletic discipline prepared her for life's hardest battles, including escaping a dangerously abusive relationship where she discovered her partner was still married and manipulating her life. The nightmare escalated when the family court system, which she describes as "legalized child trafficking," allowed her ex to obtain full custody of their son through an ex parte order—with no evidence or due process. Hope recounts her arrest for "custodial interference" after refusing to surrender her child, spending 130 days in jail while her son was placed in foster care. Amidst this darkness, she reveals the spiritual tools that sustained her, including a couple powerful daily forgiveness practices and her unwavering commitment to being "the steward of her story."

Join Glow Up Sisterhood for FREE using Promo Code: F8EB678

Where to find Hope Rose:
HopeRoseSpeaks.com
Insta: @hoperosespeaks

If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or suicidal ideation, please access the resources below:

National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call/Text 988
National Sexual Assault Hotline  (RAINN) : 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
National Alliance for Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264

Subscribe / Support / Contact:
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[Content Warning]: Child sexual abuse, mild language

Today, Jan is joined by Alex Abraham, author of ‘Trauma and Ecstasy: How Psychedelics Made My Life Worth Living’, who shares their deeply personal journey of overcoming trauma through unconventional means. The conversation explores how repressed experiences can surface unexpectedly, shaping both mental and physical health in profound ways. They discuss alternative approaches to healing, the challenges of navigating systems that often overlook root causes, and the complexities of seeking accountability. The dialogue touches on broader themes of resilience, the power of storytelling, and the societal shifts needed to better address trauma. With reflections on forgiveness, self-discovery, and hope, this episode offers a raw look at one individual’s path to reclaiming their life, and why such stories matter for collective healing.

Where To Find Alex:
TraumaAndEcstasy.com
Trauma and Ecstasy: How Psychedelics Made My Life Worth Living by Alex Abraham
Insta: @alex.l.abraham

Mentioned Resources:
Trust Surrender Receive by Anne Other
A Dose of Hope by Dr. Dan Engle
The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel van der Kolk

If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or suicidal ideation, please access the resources below:

National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call/Text 988
National Sexual Assault Hotline  (RAINN) : 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
National Alliance for Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264

Subscribe / Support / Contact:
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💞 Thrivivors

[Content Warning]: Self-harm

In this series, Jan selects a word to focus on for each month, encouraging growth in a specific area, challenging herself and her audience. This year Jan will be focusing on the difficult words we tend to tie to ourselves, offering insight and tools to manage or overcome these obstacles. This month, the focus is on denial. In today’s episode Jan reflects on the month of May, highlighting various celebrations, then focusing on the theme of denial, particularly in the context of motherhood and family dynamics. She shares personal stories and insights about how denial can manifest in relationships, especially regarding abuse and trauma. Jan closes by emphasizing the importance of acknowledging painful truths and seeking support to navigate through denial, ultimately fostering healing and understanding.

If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or suicidal ideation, please access the resources below:

National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call/Text 988
National Sexual Assault Hotline  (RAINN) : 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
National Alliance for Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264

Subscribe / Support / Contact:
🍎 Review on Apple
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Today Jan is joined by David Polidi, a dedicated trauma therapist and social worker who blends compassion with clinical expertise. Through his practice Empowered Through Compassion, David guides adults and couples using Internal Family Systems (IFS) and EMDR therapy—two powerful approaches for trauma recovery. A passionate advocate for self-healing, he’s also co-authoring *IFS-Informed EMDR* (2025/26), a collaborative book featuring insights from 20+ therapy experts.

Jan and Dave's conversation explores how trauma reshapes identity, beginning with David’s own family story about names and generational legacy. They discuss his transition from school counseling (where systemic barriers limited trauma work) to private practice, where he now helps clients reprocess pain through EMDR and IFS. David breaks down these modalities: how EMDR rewires traumatic memories, and how IFS teaches us to listen to our inner ‘parts’ without judgment.

They also tackle harder truths—how schools fail traumatized kids, why the justice system retraumatizes survivors, and how healing requires both individual work and community support. Throughout, David emphasizes hope: that self-energy (marked by qualities like courage and compassion) can help survivors reclaim wholeness.

Where To Find David:
EmpoweredThroughCompassion.com
Empowered Through Compassion Podcast
Insta: @Empowered.through.compassion

Mentioned Resources:
No Bad Parts by Richard Schwartz

If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or suicidal ideation, please access the resources below:

National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call/Text 988
National Sexual Assault Hotline  (RAINN) : 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
National Alliance for Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264

Subscribe / Support / Contact:
🍎 Review on Apple
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✍ Share Your Story
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Jan Broberg Foundation:
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📒  The Jan Broberg Story
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💞 Thrivivors

[Content Warning]: Religious cult, physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, abortion, self-harm

Today, Jan is again joined by Jennifer Redcay to finish her story of cult abuse and escape. Said abuse turned sexual when the cult leader claimed Jennifer’s "fantasies about him" required "acting out" to purge demons. For nearly two years, he coerced her into increasingly degrading acts—always framed as "spiritual cleansing." When she became pregnant, he froze her out for three days, then ordered her to get an abortion. His wife took her across state lines to a clinic, where Jennifer endured the procedure alone. That trauma became a turning point. "How could God want this?" she asked herself. Small rebellions followed: a customer’s prayer about God’s love ("Greater is He that is in you") clashed with the cult’s teachings. Finding a book on deliverance ministries, thinking it would help reaffirm her belief in the cult, turned out to be literature denouncing the practice and exposed the leader’s identical tactics. After a couple of failed attempts and a discussion with fellow christians at her waitressing job, she finally fled. Now 17 years free, Jennifer shares how forgiveness (of herself and her abusers) and motherhood—adopting five children from trauma—rebuilt her life. "Healing is like an onion," she says. "You peel layers over years."

Buy Jennifer’s Book:
Pushing Back The Darkness by Becca Anderson and Jennifer Redcay

Where To Find Jennifer:
JenniferRedcay.com
Tiktok: @jenniferredcayauthor

If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or suicidal ideation, please access the resources below:

National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call/Text 988
National Sexual Assault Hotline  (RAINN) : 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
National Alliance for Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264

Subscribe / Support / Contact:
🍎 Review on Apple
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✍ Share Your Story
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Jan Broberg Foundation:
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💞 Thrivivors

[Content Warning]: Religious cult, physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse

Today, Jan is joined by Jennifer Redcay, who spent 10 years of her late 20s and early 30s in a cult that nearly extinguished her soul, spirit, and life. Jennifer opens with her childhood—abandoned by her father and raised by a mother whose remarriage to a bipolar man left her longing for love. That void made her vulnerable when a charismatic couple running a "deliverance ministry" lured her in, promising spiritual fulfillment. What began as Bible study spiraled into total control: she sold her home, cut off family, and handed over $400,000 to her abusers. The cult leader, just nine years her senior, declared himself her "father" and rewrote her identity—forcing her to call his wife "Mother" and her own mom by her first name. Jennifer describes the escalating abuse: sleep deprivation, food restrictions, and brutal beatings for disobedience. She recounts horrifying rituals like watching movies (even porn) to "expose her sins," followed by hours of "exorcisms" for fabricated demons. All of this and more were overshadowed by the cult’s isolation tactics. Though Jennifer and her mom lived together, they were forbidden from speaking unless supervised, which was supported by the cult leader somehow knowing when they had broken that rule. "He didn’t want us comparing stories," she says. By the time physical violence became routine, Jennifer was trapped—convinced leaving would condemn her to hell. The abuse turned sexual when the cult leader claimed Jennifer’s "fantasies about him" required "acting out" to purge demons. For nearly two years, he coerced her into increasingly degrading acts—always framed as "spiritual cleansing."

Buy Jennifer’s Book:
Pushing Back The Darkness by Becca Anderson and Jennifer Redcay

Where To Find Jennifer:
JenniferRedcay.com
Tiktok: @jenniferredcayauthor

If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or suicidal ideation, please access the resources below:

National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call/Text 988
National Sexual Assault Hotline  (RAINN) : 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
National Alliance for Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264

Subscribe / Support / Contact:
🍎 Review on Apple
🎶 Review on Spotify
✍ Share Your Story
🌐 Podcast Website
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Jan Broberg Foundation:
💝 Foundation Website
📒  The Jan Broberg Story
🗞 Sign Up For Our Newsletter
💞 Thrivivors

[Content Warning]: Child sexual abuse, self-harming, eating disorder, suicidal ideation

Today, Jan is joined by Nia Durant, who shares her harrowing journey from a happy childhood to becoming a victim of grooming and abuse by her cheerleading coach to seeing her abuser put in prison. Nia discusses the stages of grooming, the manipulation she faced, and the isolation from her family and friends. Nia highlights the psychological impact of the abuse, her eventual realization of the situation, and the challenges she faced in reporting the abuse to the authorities. Her story is one of resilience and the struggle for justice. In this powerful conversation, Jan and Nia discuss the impact of grooming on mental health, Nia’s challenges faced during the court process, and the importance of having someone believe her. Nia emphasizes the need for awareness and education around abuse and grooming, and how her experiences have shaped her approach to coaching and supporting young athletes. Ultimately, she highlights the ongoing journey of healing and the importance of questioning survivors in a trauma informed manner as well as starting by believing survivors.

Where To Find Nia:
Nia’s Insta: @x_niia_x
Abuse Dedicated Insta: @abusesurvivor_97

If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or suicidal ideation, please access the resources below:

National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call/Text 988
National Sexual Assault Hotline  (RAINN) : 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
National Alliance for Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264

Subscribe / Support / Contact:
🍎 Review on Apple
🎶 Review on Spotify
✍ Share Your Story
🌐 Podcast Website
🔴 YouTube
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Jan Broberg Foundation:
💝 Foundation Website
📒  The Jan Broberg Story
🗞 Sign Up For Our Newsletter
💞 Thrivivors