I, Survivor
87 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★ - 1.6K ratingsWomen get assaulted. Women get attacked. Women get harassed, manipulated, intimidated, but women are survivors. Time and time again, she persists, even against all odds. Hosts Jenna Brister and Wagatwe Wanjuki share their stories, and those of the men and women who fought back, who won, and who live rising above the trauma of their experiences.
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Episodes
Introducing Left Ear
December 06, 2019 10:00 - 4 minutes - 4.47 MBThe Left Ear features stories of assault, abuse, and harassment from survivors around the globe. Listen on your favorite podcast player.
Introducing Detective Trapp
November 19, 2019 10:30 - 8 minutes - 7.44 MBAnaheim investigator Julissa Trapp is not like other detectives. She’s the only woman on the homicide squad, and a skilled chameleon: undercover cop in vice stings, crime-scene commander, patient confidante of killers. A master interrogator, she invokes her personal experience – and deepest griefs – as a tool to elicit confessions. When a young woman’s body is found at a trash-sorting plant, Trapp learns the murder may be linked to the disappearance of three other women in nearby Sa...
Wondery Presents Bad Batch
October 23, 2019 09:00 - 5 minutes - 5.24 MBIn Wondery's new series Bad Batch, host Laura Beil (Dr. Death) investigates the multi-billion dollar underregulated industry of stem cell therapy where greed and desperation collide. When a group of patients wind up in a Texas hospital in critical condition, the trail leads back to one stem cell company and its charismatic CEO. What happens when a supposed miracle cure leaves you worse off than before? Listen to Bad Batch at wondery.fm/BadBatchPod
Wondery Presents Joe Exotic: Over My Dead Body Season 2
September 03, 2019 08:30 - 6 minutes - 5.54 MBJoe Exotic is a man who loves his animals and the zoo he created for them. But Joe has a nemesis in the animal world named Carole. And as much as they both love to save animals, Joe and Carole are hell-bent on destroying each other. Listen to season 2 of Over My Dead Body: Joe Exotic at wondery.fm/joeexotic
Tommy Caldwell's Trauma Changed his Life for the Better
May 28, 2019 07:00 - 43 minutes - 39.4 MBHe's been described as the greatest living athlete you've never heard of, but once you hear it you'll never be able to forget Tommy Caldwell's story. In the early 2000s, Tommy was just a young climber on a trip when he and his friends were taken hostage. Then a household accident threatened to end his career forever. Tommy talks about putting his life back together, post traumatic growth, and chasing big dreams. LINKS! You can catch Tommy in action in The Dawn Wall and Free Solo ...
Lockey Maisonneuve Refuses to Forgive her Abusers
May 21, 2019 07:00 - 39 minutes - 36 MBLockey Maisonneuve calls herself the "Girl Raised by Wolves." She had abusive, neglectful parents and hated when people told her she couldn't heal until she forgave her abusers. She found healing through yoga and was able to release her pain, and now she teaches others. You can get a copy of her memoir wherever books are sold. LINKS! Learn more about using yoga to heal trauma Lockey mentioned Rainn.org - it's a great resource for survivors. Learn more about Lockey and her book "...
Darrell Jones on Freedom After 32 Years Behind Bars
May 14, 2019 07:00 - 33 minutes - 30.3 MBIn December 2017, Darrell "Diamond" Jones took his first breath as a free man in 32 years. In 1985, he was convicted of a crime he says he didn't commit. He could have pled guilty for a shorter sentence, but he refused to confess guilt for something he knows he didn't do. We talked to him about surviving a dangerous prison and committing his life to making sure other innocent men end up in jail like he did. LINKS! You wouldn't be hearing Darrell's story without reporting from WB...
The July Effect
May 07, 2019 07:00 - 40 minutes - 36.8 MBStacy Seltzer had just married her husband, Jason, when something happened that set off a chain reaction that upturned her entire life: She got pregnant. That led to misdiagnoses, chronic pain, and a month-long stay in the hospital in July 2012. Finally one thing gave her some relief: The July Effect. The jury's still out on whether it's a myth, but what Stacy went through is very, very real. LINKS! Decide for yourself: July Effect, fact or fiction? Be your own health advocate!...
Leaving Your Family to Save Yourself
April 30, 2019 07:00 - 33 minutes - 30.9 MBLarry Ruhl was in his 20s when he started having flashbacks. Shadowy childhood memories re-emerged of his father, coming into his bedroom late at night. As he uncovered these painful thoughts he was also grappling with his sexuality. He’s here today to talk about the process of healing and how it’s something he works on every day. Larry was brave enough to step into the darkest parts of his life and find solace in sharing with other survivors. *Heads up - this episode mentions chil...
The Unlikely Hero of "Dirty John"
April 23, 2019 07:00 - 33 minutes - 30.8 MBIt’s been three years since Terra Newell was attacked at her apartment complex by John Meehan, and two years since her family’s ordeal was blasted into public consciousness through the hit podcast turned hit TV show, Dirty John. When the podcast ended, Terra was still healing. We caught up with her about her PTSD, her recovery, and why she decided to go public with her story. This is, I, Survivor. LINKS! Haven't listened to Dirty John? (SERIOUSLY?!) Binge the series. Keep up with...
We're Back!
April 16, 2019 07:05 - 52 seconds - 828 KBI, Survivor is back Tuesday, April 23rd! Hear new stories from Dirty John's Terra Newell, climber Tommy Caldwell (from the Free Solo documentary), and more. This season is all about finding empowerment through sharing these stories, and we can’t wait for you to join us.
Merry Bloody Christmas
December 25, 2018 06:05 - 29 minutes - 26.6 MBTracy Rowland's mother figured her daughter's Christmas Break home from college was the perfect time to schedule surgery. She wouldn't miss any class and be able to lay around and recover. Of course, that's not exactly what ended up happening. Tracy is here to tell us about a Christmas memory her family still talks about. And! It's the end of Season 1! From all of us here at I, Survivor we want to thank you SO much for listening. We'll be back for Season 2 in April. Happy Holidays!...
Whiteout Conditions
December 18, 2018 08:05 - 40 minutes - 37.1 MBDavid Crabb and his husband went to Newfoundland to spend Christmas with his mother in her new house. They landed in whiteout conditions, and the trip got worse from there. They escaped, and a few months later, so did his mother. Support us by supporting our sponsors! Living Proof - Go to livingproof.com/Survivor and use promo code "survivor" for a free sample of dry shampoo. Lending Club - Save some money at lendingclub.com/survivor Stamps - Shipping is easy, especially with...
Football, Inc.
December 11, 2018 08:05 - 44 minutes - 41.1 MBChris Borland played professional football for the San Francisco 49ers and after a stellar rookie season left his pro career so he wouldn’t become a statistic! He’s since become an advocate for CTE and Traumatic Brain Injuries. Links from today’s episode! Chris on Face The Nation Chris on CBS This Morning See Chris Advocate! Support this show by supporting our sponsors! Brooklinen - Get $20 off and free shipping at Brooklinen.com, and use code SURVIVOR at checkout. Quip - ...
It Still Floods
December 04, 2018 08:05 - 41 minutes - 38.2 MBWhat happens to artists when they need to process? They create. Writer Paul Bianchi turned a childhood trauma into a performance piece and he came into the studio to share his story with us. Links from today’s episode! Paul’s podcast, Mythunderstood Art helps a lot of people process their trauma And may help you or someone you love! Support this show by supporting our sponsors! Bombas - Visit Bombas.com/Survivor and use code Survivor at checkout for 20% off your first order...
Lacey Is Your Friend
November 27, 2018 08:05 - 47 minutes - 43 MBLacey Henderson survived a childhood cancer that had no survival rate, but losing a leg didn’t slow her down. Inspired by the classic film bring it on, she became a competitive cheerleader. Then, over a casual family game of beer pong her Dad bet her she could never pole vault as an amputee. Not only did she fly, she became an Olympian! Ok, so there was a lot of training and other hard stuff that happened in between but it kinda feels like she was born for this. Links from Today’s...
Fly-Fight-Win
November 20, 2018 08:05 - 48 minutes - 44.5 MBWhen Rachel was in the Air Force, she was assaulted by a fellow airman. While initially praised for her bravery, she was punished when she spoke out. But Rachel left the skies for the seas, and found healing on her boat, Coconut, where she now lives. Isn't it annoying that the Air Force refuses to call members anything other than "airman" even when they're air women? And to all those who have served our country, we salute you. Links from Today's Episode! Save A Warrior Rachel tri...
Tested to the Limit
November 13, 2018 08:05 - 38 minutes - 35.2 MBWhen Consolee Nishimwe was 14, the Rwandan Genocide ripped her country and family apart. She hid out in bushes, attics, and she survived. She shared her story with us and inspired the hell out of us. The Rwandan Genocide is a big and terrible topic that we couldn’t fully explore in this episode, so do ya homework and learn more about it to fully appreciate Consolee’s journey. Links from Today’s Episode! Read Consolee’s book! You can also follow her on Twitter for more. If you ...
My Husband The Sociopath
November 06, 2018 08:05 - 33 minutes - 30.5 MBWhen Michele Simms was 23 she met the man she married. He was a sociopath and she couldn't escape. It took a stay in a really unlikely place for her to find the strength she needed to get out. Reminder that mental illness is not your fault, nor is it a reflection of your value. Asking for help or taking medication to manage your symptoms is not weakness and admitting you are not okay is not a failure. Links from today's episode: How to Spot a Sociopath Are you the target of a soc...
Not Today, Dogs
October 30, 2018 07:05 - 33 minutes - 31 MBCat Crow was on vacation in the Italian countryside when she was attacked by wild dogs. When she got to the hospital a new set of horrors was waiting for her. Links from the episode! Rabid or just plain dangerous? Know the difference. Wagatwe is sending out a weekly newsletter! Check it out. You are also supporting this show whenever you support our advertisers, like Ritual. Visit Ritual.com/Survivor to start your ritual today.
Surviving Dr. Death
October 23, 2018 07:05 - 25 minutes - 23.7 MBThe Texas medical system failed to protect 33 patients from Dr. Christopher Duntsch. Philip Mayfield was one of the survivors. We spoke to Laura Beil, host and reporter of the podcast Dr. Death, about the story, Duntsch's victims, the survivors, and the institutional betrayal that occurred all across Texas Links from the episode! Listen to Dr. Death if you haven’t. The story is wild! Institutional Betrayal - Article by Dr. Jennifer Freyd And, you can support this show by support...
How To Lose A Husband In 10 Weeks
October 16, 2018 07:05 - 45 minutes - 41.6 MBWe’ve never told Jenna’s story on our show, so here it is: she’s part of the First Wives Club and survived an abusive first marriage. Did you know that more than 10 million people each year are victims of intimate partner violence? We’d also kindly like to remind people who ask survivors, “Why didn’t you [verb] sooner/earlier/fight back?” to eff right off. Links from today’s episode: CNN has your DV stats and a timeline of legislature related to DV in the US Jenna’s on Twitter...
Covert Affairs
October 09, 2018 07:05 - 40 minutes - 37 MBPaul Gilmartin, host of the podcast Mental Illness Happy Hour, survived covert incest. It’s especially insidious because there’s no physical contact, but the emotional damage is very real. Paul has dedicated his life to his recovery, and regularly talks about depression, addiction, anxiety, abuse and gender identity on his show. Jenna was also on his show! You should probably check it out. Links from today’s episode! Paul’s podcast is available wherever you listen to I, Survivor. ...
Bonus: Institutional Betrayal with Dr. Jennifer Freyd
October 05, 2018 07:05 - 15 minutes - 14.4 MBThis is a special episode all about Institutional Betrayal. We've mentioned it a lot, but haven't really gone into it in detail. We talked to Dr. Jennifer Freyd, a psychology professor at University of Oregon who coined the term.
Life After Death
October 02, 2018 07:05 - 1 hour - 55.4 MBNorman Buckley is a director known for his work on Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl, but what you may not know is that he’s survived the untimely and tragic deaths of two of his partners. He shares the story of them and how he found a way out of what could have been a hellacious grief spiral. Then we talk to grief expert David Kessler. It’s a heavy episode, friends, so hug your lovers tightly. Links for today’s episode! David made a free three-part series for anyone who has h...
Behind Closed Doors
September 25, 2018 07:05 - 35 minutes - 32.5 MBMyrla Baldonado is a caregiver who survived sexual assault working in five homes. She’s an activist and a badass who showed up for her interview wearing a Time’s Up pin. We also defined some key terms like gaslighting, so you can stay vigilant, and we talked to Bernice Yeung. She’s a ProPublica investigative reporter who covers sexual violence on the job. The stats are appaling. Time’s Up, motherf*ckers. Links from today’s episode: Time’s UP! If you want to learn more about workp...
Homeless in Los Angeles
September 18, 2018 07:05 - 45 minutes - 41.9 MBJoey Weinert was just a kid, when his dad, The Manila Envelope Bandit, was arrested for a string of bank robberies throughout Southern California. That led to struggling with addiction. The Midnight Mission in Downtown Los Angeles helped him, and some women we talked to on Skid Row, turn their lives around. Over the last few years, the number of homeless women has increased 50%, and after seeing the everyday trauma firsthand we’re happy places like the Midnight Mission exist. Link...
Trafficked, Recovered, Redeemed
September 11, 2018 07:05 - 46 minutes - 42.2 MBWhen Jasmine Grace Marino was 18, her boyfriend forced her into the dark world of sex trafficking. Alicia Molina first started using drugs and alcohol when she was 13. She’s now 5 years sober. Sex trafficking and addiction are both stigmatized as individual failures, rather than reflections on our society. So here’s your weekly/daily/hourly reminder that they (and you, if you’re in similar situations) did not do anything wrong. These women were lucky to find ways out, and if you’...
Judgment Day
September 04, 2018 07:05 - 43 minutes - 40.1 MBMav Viola was attacked by someone she trusted - her youth pastor. She eventually realized he’d been grooming her (and other girls) for this abuse. Even WORSE, her church community didn’t believe her because apparently ‘someone who is a mostly ok dude that sometimes does terrible things to women’ is good enough! We’re throwing out some Hail Mary’s hoping churches get the hell away from this idea. Here’s a tip for people hiring anyone who works with children: if they’re a sex offender...
All In The Family
August 28, 2018 07:05 - 49 minutes - 45.2 MBAishah Shahidah Simmons survived incest and sexual abuse. She is a self-described Black feminist lesbian documentary filmmaker. Then, we talk to writer Amanda Rosenberg, who survived a suicide attempt and says hiding her mental illness from her family almost killed her. We also describe both as badasses who took their trauma and created art from it. Family members telling you to hide your feelings because they say they don’t want to deal with you? Now that’s mental. Links from tod...
Doin' It For Themselves
August 21, 2018 07:05 - 36 minutes - 33.5 MBWhen you've experienced trauma it can seem almost impossible to put your life back together. Today on the show we have two women who not only did that, but who have dedicated their lives to helping people who have faced similarly traumatic events. Patricia Wenskunas was attacked in her home by someone she knew; Elena Christopolous was gang raped at a college party by her peers, but both women reclaimed their lives and are helping other women do the same. Here's to all the sisters do...
Are You There God? It's Me, Johnno.
August 14, 2018 07:05 - 38 minutes - 35.5 MBJohnno Wilson was spending a serene morning on Venice Beach, when a quick dip in the Pacific Ocean turned into a ride in a rip current and a brush with death. Since we’re now officially terrified of the ocean, we invited lifeguard Captain Remy Smith in to school us on water safety. Inflatables are NOT allowed on some beaches, so check the rules in your state and know that if you bring water wings to the beach: we’re watching you. Links from today’s episode: Heeeere’s Johnno! Le...
A Letter to my Terrorist
August 07, 2018 07:05 - 34 minutes - 32 MBRachel Pharn was riding her bike along the Hudson River when a terrorist drove a truck into the bike path. She survived, and reads us the letter that she wrote to the man who attacked her. Then, we hear from Dr. Laurie Punch. Dr. Punch is a trauma surgeon who moved to Missouri and trains residents to be first responders to gun violence. Forget what The Fray taught you, this is how to save a life. Links from today’s episode: Read more about Rachel in the New York Times Watch Rac...
Not Today, Motherf*cker
July 31, 2018 07:15 - 46 minutes - 42.5 MBKelly Herron was attacked in a Seattle bathroom while she was out running one afternoon. But Kelly fought back. She shares her story, and we get a primer in self defense from Jenna’s neighbor, Jose Angel Castro, who just so happens to be the founder of NowHouse Education Group. Pro-tip: Get hard bones into soft places. No one’s gonna square off and tell you to put up your dukes like you see in the movies. To hear more episodes, listen exclusively with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for th...
Life After the Plane Crash
July 31, 2018 07:10 - 40 minutes - 37 MBCarol E. Miller survived a plane crash when she was just 16 years old. But Carol didn’t feel whole until years later, after discovering EMDR therapy. We learn more about EMDR from a psychotherapist and frequent guest on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast, Dr. Steve Dansiger. Plus, we discuss safety tips from Cosmo. Really? We can’t go to a park or outside at night or on a walk alone or use our cellphones or talk to anyone again? Ever? Links from today’s episode: More information about EMDR ...
Swimming It Out
July 31, 2018 07:05 - 43 minutes - 39.6 MBA single traumatic event can change life in the blink of an eye. It can destroy you, enrage you, and even fuel the fire within you. Nancy Hogshead-Makar was raped in college but she didn’t allow that to take over her life. Instead, Nancy channeled her fury into Olympic gold. This is I, Survivor. To hear more episodes, listen exclusively with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for this and more exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. https://wonde...
Introducing I, Survivor
July 17, 2018 23:30 - 2 minutes - 2.34 MBThe assault, the manipulation, the fear, the triumph. I, Survivor premieres on July 31. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen. To hear more episodes, listen exclusively with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for this and more exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. https://wondery.app.link/mT4GXWxqdab See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. ...