We're All Insane

#foryou #podcast In todays episode, Summer, a CPTSD survivor and advocate who grew up in extreme neglect inside a stage 4–5 hoarder home walks us through her childhood which was marked by emotional and sexual abuse, food insecurity, and long periods without basic necessities—alongside severe animal hoarding and cruelty. After more than 20 years of silence, Summer spoke up and helped shut down her parents’ backyard breeding operation, giving a voice to animals and children who were never protected. Connect with Summer: • TikTok: @summerjoy4 (https://www.tiktok.com/@summerjoy4) • Instagram: @summerjoy.cptsd_survivor (https://www.instagram.com/summerjoy.cptsd_survivor/profilecard/?igsh=MThma3hwOWpoYXE2NA==) • YouTube: SummerJoy4 (https://youtube.com/@SummerJoy4?si=dHsfCq-b-hfda7zw) • Linktree (all links): linktr.ee/summerjoy4 (https://linktr.ee/summerjoy4?utm_source=linktree_admin_share) • Collaborations/Media: [email protected] 📚 Hoarding & Trauma Resources • International OCD Foundation (Hoarding): https://iocdf.org/hoarding • Children of Hoarders: https://childrenofhoarders.com • Institute for Challenging Disorganization: https://challengingdisorganization.org • NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness): https://nami.org • Hoarding Cleanup Directory: https://hoardingcleanup.com • Crisis Text Line (24/7, free): https://www.crisistextline.org — text HOME to 741741 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Facebook Support Groups • Hoarding & Clutter Support Community (https://www.facebook.com/share/g/14R1bxQ8tMQ/?mibextid=wwXIfr) • Adult Children of Hoarders Support (https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BF3zVAjjc/?mibextid=wwXIfr) 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 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