We're All Insane

#foryou #podcast In this episode, a survivor breaks decades of silence to expose what happened inside the Huntington, New York YMCA. Between the ages of 9 and 12, they were repeatedly raped by three male YMCA employees. The abuse wasn’t isolated—there were dozens of child victims. For years, the truth was buried, protected by an institution that failed the children in its care. Nearly 50 years later, everything changed. Time Stamps: 00:00:00 — What does it mean when childhood trauma shapes an entire lifetime? 00:01:07 — What was it like growing up in a large working-class family in the 1960s? 00:03:27 — Why do certain childhood memories feel magical before everything changes? 00:06:49 — How can switching mentors or teams quietly alter a child’s future? 00:07:41 — What are early grooming behaviors adults often mistake for kindness? 00:09:19 — How do predators identify children who crave approval and belonging? 00:11:07 — Why would parents trust authority figures enough to allow overnight stays? 00:13:32 — How does grooming convince a child that abuse equals love? 00:15:52 — How does a child rationalize abuse when they don’t understand what’s happening? 00:18:22 — How can unaffiliated adults gain access to children through trusted institutions? 00:21:16 — Why don’t children tell their parents even when they’re terrified? 00:23:13 — How does repeated trauma begin to erase a child’s sense of identity? 00:25:58 — What does it feel like when your body knows what’s coming but you can’t escape? 00:27:35 — Can PTSD develop from childhood abuse without visible violence? 00:30:56 — What moment finally exposes years of hidden abuse? 00:34:03 — What happens when one child speaks up and the system responds incorrectly? 00:35:01 — Why do institutions relocate abusers instead of reporting them? 00:38:50 — How does untreated childhood trauma show up as rebellion in adolescence? 00:42:01 — How can sports become a lifeline after deep trauma? 00:44:39 — What happens when trauma is locked away instead of processed? 00:48:52 — Why do survivors stay busy to avoid confronting unresolved pain? 00:53:08 — Why do trauma survivors gravitate toward high-pressure careers? 00:56:56 — How does intense training or structure temporarily suppress trauma symptoms? 00:59:39 — How does purpose restore identity after years of emotional shutdown? 01:06:22 — What does it feel like when buried trauma resurfaces later in adulthood? 01:16:33 — Why can healing feel harder than surviving the original trauma? 01:26:34 — What is PTSD really like when triggers appear without warning? 01:36:41 — How can the right therapist completely change the recovery process? 01:52:40 — How does writing about trauma help the brain and nervous system heal? 01:57:43 — What’s the difference between surviving and choosing to truly live again? If you have a unique story you'd like to share on the podcast, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/ZiHgdoK4PLRAddiB9 or send an email to [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#foryou #podcast In 2011, while working on an education mission in Somalia, Jessica was abducted at gunpoint and held hostage by Somali pirates for 93 days. She was forced to live outdoors, starved, and threatened daily as her health rapidly declined. On January 25, 2012, her captivity ended with a dramatic rescue carried out by SEAL Team Six, authorized by President Obama. Jessica's Links: https://www.amazon.com/How-Survive-Survival-Meaningful-Contribution/dp/1958472352/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=1KUJNWLMHS1DJ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.lFeuwg5Po5LcNnhDjwrujwWb_-fnK6FoUXEv11xr14Y.UCcif3-ZISImT-qxh4w6KvXP1EFTrsMHFE44z9vVWPY&dib_tag=se&keywords=how+to+survive+survival+jessica+buchanan&qid=1766336855&sprefix=how+to+survive+survival%2Caps%2C97&sr=8-1 https://www.jessbuchanan.com/ Instagram: @jessicacbuchanan If you have a unique story you'd like to share on the podcast, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/ZiHgdoK4PLRAddiB9 or send an email to [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#foryou #podcast When Chell was just 18 months old, her father—a police officer—shot her mother in the face while she slept and walked free. What followed were years of abuse, foster care, loss, and survival. In this episode, Chell shares the trauma that shaped her life, the night her husband died in her arms, and how she found purpose after everything tried to break her. Chell's Links: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondtheMonsters Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondthemonsters TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondthemonsters ApplePodcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-monsters/id1778966880 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3gmVkvzX4xNWwsWFamRUai?si=hKz97XK2Rh6eSEU5GL0XCA Linktree: https://linktr.ee/BeyondtheMonsters Time Stamps: 00:00:00 — What does it mean when a child’s first memories involve extreme violence in the home? 00:03:41 — How does surviving an attempted murder by a parent affect a family long-term? 00:07:58 — Why do children normalize chaos when abuse is part of daily life? 00:11:44 — How does growing up in constant fear rewire a child’s nervous system? 00:14:09 — Why do abusive punishments often feel more humiliating than painful? 00:18:12 — What happens psychologically when a parent chooses an abuser over their child? 00:21:07 — Why do children in foster care experience higher rates of secondary abuse? 00:24:03 — How does institutional neglect allow abuse to continue unnoticed? 00:27:41 — Why do trauma survivors struggle to trust authority figures meant to protect them? 00:31:19 — How does early exposure to violence influence relationship patterns in adulthood? 00:34:48 — Why do abuse survivors often defend or return to harmful partners? 00:37:06 — What happens to the brain during sexual assault when survival instincts take over? 00:39:52 — Why do trauma survivors minimize events that would devastate others? 00:42:21 — How does prolonged trauma distort a person’s sense of safety and faith? 00:45:02 — Why do some people ignore gut instincts right before life-changing events? 00:47:58 — How does alcohol amplify conflict in emotionally volatile situations? 00:49:41 — What happens psychologically when a loved one dies suddenly in front of you? 00:52:06 — How does performing life-saving measures affect long-term trauma processing? 00:55:18 — Why does shock make devastating news feel unreal or delayed? 01:01:27 — How does unresolved trauma resurface during moments of perceived stability? 01:09:42 — Why do survivors expect disaster even during periods of happiness? 01:17:36 — How does repeated loss shape a person’s emotional resilience or numbness? 01:28:54 — Why do trauma survivors struggle with peace more than chaos? 01:45:18 — How does a lifetime of survival mode affect identity and self-worth? 02:06:11 — What does healing look like after decades of compounded trauma? Topics: Attempted Murder, Family Violence, Foster Care, Widow, Loss If you have a unique story you'd like to share on the podcast, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/ZiHgdoK4PLRAddiB9 or send an email to [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#sponsored #ad #podcast #foryou  Get 15% off OneSkin with the code DEVORAH at https://www.oneskin.co/DEVORAH  #oneskinpod  Kate opens up about a relationship that began when she was just 16 years old—with her 32-year-old high school softball coach. What started in secrecy eventually grew into years of manipulation, abuse, and silence from the adults who were supposed to protect her. She walks us through how the relationship began, how it continued even after the school was alerted, and how she carried the weight of it into adulthood. Despite everything, she went on to graduate college, finish law school, and become a prosecutor. And after years of therapy and rebuilding her life, she finally reported the truth to police in 2024. Her former coach has since pled guilty and is now awaiting sentencing. Kate's Links: https://www.nsvrc.org/ https://rainn.org/learn-about-rainn/what-we-do/support-and-services/ https://oaesv.org/ https://www.dvpi.org/ Topics: Manipulation, Coercion, Abuse, Legal Justice, Child Exploitation  If you have a unique story you'd like to share on the podcast, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/ZiHgdoK4PLRAddiB9 or send an email to [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#foryou #podcast In today’s episode, Kétlye opens up about growing up in a strict military household where being herself was never accepted. From physical punishment to being stripped of her dignity after coming out, she spent years believing she was the problem. Now, she’s sharing what really happened, what it’s taken to survive, and how she’s still trying to heal, forgive, and rebuild. This is a conversation about identity, family, shame, and what it means to keep choosing yourself— even when the people closest to you don’t. Ketlye's Links: Youtube: https://youtube.com/@cousinnchaos?si=eI8aKFJP5iUS9qT8 00:22:06 — Why do some children grow up feeling like they’re being dressed for someone else’s approval rather than their own comfort?00:22:42 — How does a parent’s idea of appearance shape a child’s self-identity long term?00:23:19 — Why are some kids restricted from certain toys or interests based on outdated gender rules?00:23:59 — What happens psychologically when a child’s harmless interests are repeatedly taken away?00:30:43 — How does fear of getting in trouble at home affect behavior at school?00:31:19 — Why do children panic when teachers threaten to contact their parents?00:31:56 — What does extreme distress in class reveal about what a child may be experiencing privately?00:32:54 — Why do small childhood mistakes sometimes trigger extreme consequences at home?00:33:50 — How do school confrontations escalate into larger issues when home life is already unstable?00:34:12 — Why do some kids confess immediately when confronted, even before being accused?00:34:35 — How do food-related punishments impact a child emotionally and physically?00:34:55 — Why do some punishments seem designed to humiliate rather than teach?00:43:53 — What leads a parent to remove a child’s ability to sleep in their own bed as discipline?00:44:33 — How do teens secretly attempt to cope with harsh living conditions at home?00:44:47 — What are the emotional effects of sleeping on the floor for long periods of time?00:45:22 — Why do certain household punishments continue for months without reconsideration?00:45:42 — How can strict household rules interfere with a teen’s educational future?00:46:01 — Why do some parents try to prevent their child from attending college out of anger or control?01:16:12 — Why do some young adults hide emotional struggles from their families after moving out?01:16:32 — What happens when someone seeks emotional comfort from a parent and receives none?01:17:02 — How does a parent’s emotional detachment affect a young adult during heartbreak?01:17:41 — Why do some people end up finding more emotional support in friends than in family?01:18:03 — How does seeing a partner’s healthy family highlight dysfunction in your own upbringing?01:20:31 — How does growing up in a strict or unstable home affect college life and independence?01:20:54 — Why can small moments of support from a parent feel overwhelmingly emotional after years of tension?01:21:20 — Why do some adults feel nervous sharing new relationships with their families?01:21:38 — What causes family reactions to shift when a child reveals romantic involvement?01:22:13 — How do unresolved family dynamics resurface during early adulthood transitions?01:45:15 — Why do some people resist therapy even when their behavior harms loved ones?01:46:26 — What does it mean when someone says “shame dies in safe spaces”?01:47:14 — How does a parent justify sleeping comfortably while enforcing harsh living conditions on their child? Topics: Family Trauma, Identity, Coming Out, Mother Wounds, Shame, Childhood Trauma If you have a unique story you'd like to share on the podcast, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/ZiHgdoK4PLRAddiB9 or send an email to [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices