OneVOICE Podcast

Sibling Sexual Abuse

Guest: Jane Epstein is a survivor of and advocate for survivors of Sibling Sexual Abuse at Complicated Courage. Jane is 
Co-Founder of both IncestAWARE.org and 5WAVES.org, an international advocacy group that
 offers information, support, and guidance about SSA. 

A Stolen Boyhood

Special Guest: Stephen Mills, author of CHOSEN: a memoir of stolen boyhood.

 

"I was sexually assaulted by a highly respected member of the community. My boyhood experience is all too common. The only unusual part is that I decided to write a book about it." —Stephen Mills

 

At thirteen years old, Stephen Mills is chosen for special attention by the director of his Jewish summer camp, a charismatic social worker intent on becoming his friend. Stephen, whose father died when he was four, places his trust in this authority figure, who first grooms and then molests him for two years.

Stephen tells no one, but the aftershocks rip through his adult life, as intense as his denial: self-loathing, drug abuse, petty crime, and horrific nightmares, all made worse by the discovery that his abuser is moving from camp to camp, state to state, molesting other boys. Only physical and mental collapse bring Stephen to confront the truth of his boyhood and begin the painful process of recovery—as well as a decades-long crusade to stop a serial predator, find justice, and hold to account those who failed the children in their care.

The trauma of sexual abuse is shared by one out of every six men, yet very few have broken their silence. Unflinching and compulsively readable, CHOSEN eloquently speaks for those countless others and their families. It is a rare act of consummate courage and generosity—the indelible story of a man who faces his torment and his tormentor and, in the process, is made whole.

 

More info and resources at stephenmillsauthor.com

Victory Over Pelvic Pain

Guest bio: Melanie Sachs is a survivor of Child Sexual Abuse, Sexual Assault and other traumatic events. Melanie obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and worked under the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence right after college. She served for 2 Years in National Service as a member of the AmeriCorps Victim Assistance program as a crisis center advocate and as a Shelter Advocate on the night/overnight shift located in the Imminent Danger Shelter. Melanie relocated to in 2015 to Cape Cod, Massachusetts and worked at the local advocacy center for 6 years in two roles (Family Advocate and Forensic Interviewer) helping families navigate all systems and providing support in many capacities for Families who walk through the doors of as the result of child sexual abuse, severe physical abuse, witness to domestic violence or CSEC (Trafficking) along with conducting Forensic Interviews of Children for Law Enforcement and Child Protection (MDT Partners). Melanie served on the Board of Directors for SHIELD Task Force out of West Virginia for 2 years and in late 2020 Melanie accepted a position to be a part of SHIELD in a different capacity as a Training and Development Consultant and as a presenting member of their Speakers Bureau. Melanie is passionate about walking alongside others on their healing journey and since 2019 has embarked on sharing her experience with Pelvic Pain/Dysfunction on her Instagram @victoryoverpelvicpain and hashtag #victoryoverpelvicpain

The Mystic Healing Journey

Special guest Kevin Sweeney is the author of the forthcoming books, “The Making of a Mystic: My Journey with Mushrooms, My Life as a Pastor, and Why It’s Okay For Everyone to Relax,” out on May 31st, and “The Joy of Letting Go” which will be out in January 2023. He is the co-founder and lead pastor of Imagine Church—an urban church in Honolulu that is welcoming of all people, sees imagination as the key to the future, chooses authenticity over performance, substance over hype, and quality over quantity. He is the host of podcast “The Church Needs Therapy.”

SAAM Survivor Series, Part 3: Redeeming

In honor of Sexual Abuse Awareness Month, we are releasing a weekly series of interviews with an inspiring survivor as she unpacks with us her journey of finding her voice and stepping into healing.  From the revelation of the abuse as an adult, to the hard decisions she has made and brave steps she has taken in response, to the confrontation, to the boundary setting, to loving herself again, and the current freedom and joy found in redeeming a sisterhood that was previously stolen. 

SAAM Survivor Series, Part 2: Rebuilding

In honor of Sexual Abuse Awareness Month, we are releasing a weekly series of interviews with an inspiring survivor as she unpacks with us her journey of finding her voice and stepping into healing.  From the revelation of the abuse as an adult, to the hard decisions she has made and brave steps she has taken in response, to the confrontation, to the boundary setting, to loving herself again, and the current freedom and joy found in redeeming a sisterhood that was previously stolen. 

SAAM Survivor Series, Part 1: Revealing

In honor of Sexual Abuse Awareness Month, we are releasing a weekly series of interviews with an inspiring survivor as she unpacks with us her journey of finding her voice and stepping into healing.  From the revelation of the abuse as an adult, to the hard decisions she has made and brave steps she has taken in response, to the confrontation, to the boundary setting, to loving herself again, and the current freedom and joy found in redeeming a sisterhood that was previously stolen. 

Boundaries are our BFF

Nicole and Mary chat with Mandi Pierson, Director at Porchlight (porchlightcolumbus.com), trainer, trauma therapist and a top facilitator of our UNLEASH virtual support groups for survivors (iamonevoice.org/unleash).

The Grief Bully

Special Guest J.Nicole Jones, AKA "The Grief Bully", joins us to discuss the grief journey, mental health, navigating loss and how we can fight grief together 

Highly Sensitive Healing

Special guest Jennifer Arnspiger (Somatic Coach) joins us to talk about how highly sensitive, deep-feeling people, especially trauma survivors, can heal their stories, come home to their bodies + excavate genuine self-love. “A deeply sensitive body in physical and emotional pain doesn’t heal by being ignored or waited out. It heals by having it’s experiences honored.”