Dear Katie: Survivor Stories

S4E3 6:15am Peloton Cardio

Jumping in the car with some friends, Jennifer finds herself the target of a new acquaintance. To cope with the shame and pain, she turns to alcohol and drugs, becoming an addict before she starts 7th grade. After 10 years of active addiction, she ends up in rehab where she was able to start her journey to sobriety and healing. Now, Jennifer Storm is 25 years sober, a published author, and has been working as a victim advocate for 20 years.

Hosts: Claire Kaplan and Katie Koestner

Editor: Nick Bratchell

Producers: Emily Wang and Luiza Liete

S4E2 Alethea Sings Unveiled

Insidious and powerful, the La Luz del Mundo Megachurch's indoctrination permeates Alethea's community for generations. The good girl of her church choir, she finds herself the target of the second apostle's grooming at the age of 11, with her family coaching her to search for salvation in church leadership. Immersed in the disturbing culture where young girls urge to serve their leader unconditionally, Alethea Coronado, fourth generation survivor of a religious cult, would only realize that she was violated after an apostle was arrested for sexual crimes against children. Today, she shares her voice alongside Jennifer Tiexeira, the HBO producer of Unveiled: Surviving La Luz Del Mundo, the documentary that tells Alethea’s story. Both of them share insights about how sexual abuse fits into a broader picture of power and control, highlighting the power of the media in sharing survivor's experiences. 

Hosts: Claire Kaplan and Katie Koestner

Editor: Benter Oluoch

Producers: Emily Wang and Luiza Leite

S4E1 Bubbles and Bubbly in a Bottle

“It's never going to happen again. I am going to get help.” The most dangerous words an abuser can say.

After the first time her ex-partner got physical, Amanda stayed with him, trapped until he forced her hand and put the kids in danger. Surviving through the mayhem of verbal and physical abuse at the hands of someone she was supposed to trust, she tells her story of resilience, looking to comfort and bring hope to others in the same situation. Today, Amanda Lee, author, single mom of two, and survivor of domestic violence, joins Katie and Claire in this episode to shatter her silence. 

Read Amanda's memoir “One of The Lucky Ones” here: https://a.co/d/6UDAgVz 

Hosts: Claire Kaplan and Katie Koestner

Editor: Benter Oluoch

Producer: Emily Wang

S3E25 40 Minute Nap with Cherry Starburst

A soldier, author, and poet, Jacob Patchen writes deeply emotional stories exploring abuse, family, and mental health. Using his experiences as a combat veteran and youth counselor, he weilds the pen as a tool for inspiring hope and bravery. Jacob's works include Words That Matter, Of Love and War, and At Daddy's Hands: Courage Knows No Age. Find out more about Jake and his inciting fiction and provocative poetry here: https://jacobpaulpatchen.com/

Hosts: Claire Kaplan and Katie Koestner

Editor: Ethan Silva

Producer: Emily Wang

S3E24 Shades of Malta

Tracy stumbles frantically into her daughter’s bathroom at TCU finding her slumped in the shower, wearing a t-shirt, and unresponsive. Minutes later, the authorities arrive, her daughter is pronounced dead, and Tracy’s life is changed forever. After investigation, it is determined that her daughter was raped and strangled by a man with not one, but two, prior sexual assault allegations filed against him. It is this injustice, coupled with grief, that transforms Tracy into “a mom on a mission.” Since the traumatic incident, Tracy Matheson has worked tirelessly to understand and change, the legal investigation processes around sexual assault as well as the general public’s opinion of survivors and their stories. Her inspiring story and work are borne raw in this emotional and inspiring Dear Katie episode.

Hosts: Claire Kaplan and Katie Koestner

Editor: Craig Stanton

Producer: Emily Wang

S3E23 Electro Pop in Hollywood

“I can’t play the game anymore” – After suffering abuse from both her first boyfriend and her first music producer in her final years of high school, Rachele Royale speaks out about what it means to recognize and heal from generational abuse, as well as the seemingly inexorable experience of sexual violence and womanhood. An independent singer, actress and dancer, she paints a vision of cooperation and revolution for the future generations of the music industry.

Hosts: Claire Kaplan and Katie Koestner

Editor: Craig Stanton

Producer: Emily Wang

S3E22 Deeper than Melanin

'I don't want to be strong anymore - but what are the options? I have to be strong because I'm forced to be.'

When the opportunity to promote and discuss her book Melanin knocks on the Marie’s door, so do the hands of a man who can’t understand the word 'no'. Her host creates an environment of discomfort - until she steps up and pushes pack. Marie shares the inner conflict of being a strong black woman: the exhaustion and frustration, as well as the ultimate acceptance and embracing of her strength and vulnerability. 

Hosts: Claire Kaplan and Katie Koestner

Editor: Craig Stanton

Producer: Emily Wang

S3E21 NYC Pizza Snob

The bad boys are interesting, adventurous, and far more exciting the a run-of-the-mill accountant - or so Kristin thought. He quickly becomes controlling, preventing her from going out and trying to force her to stop her medication. Kristin's mental health becomes a vulnerability, a target for her abuser to leverage; however, as she heals, she finds a support system that empowers her to return to school and in turn, supporting fellow survivors. Today, she shares her knowledge and experience with trauma, as well as her own journey from victimhood to survivorship. 

Hosts: Claire Kaplan and Katie Koestner

Editor: Craig Stanton

Producer: Emily Wang

S3E20 Tribes and Villages Everywhere

This week, we host Nicole Matthews, Executive Director of the Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition and proud descendant of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe. She describes the ripples of violence that colonization have sent through communities across the United States, naming the intersectional nature of violence against native women. To truly understand and enact change, we must acknowledge the ways our histories and cultures affect our experiences of and approach to violence, and shine a spotlight on neglected victims and survivors of violence. 

Hosts: Claire Kaplan and Katie Koestner

Editor: Craig Stanton

Producer: Emily Wang

S3E19 Yoga Before Bedtime

On the first day of class, Laura sits in the back of the room, distracted by the summer heat, when her ex-boyfriend saunters in. Still friends, they hang out until the last day of class, when he invites her to celebrate with a cup of wine. Within 2 sips, she falls back and the hem of her pink skirt is seared into her mind as the last memory of the night, still present now 35 years later. Today, Laura shares her story of survivorship, her conflict with her mother, and ultimately, forgiveness. 

Hosts: Claire Kaplan and Katie Koestner

Editor: Craig Stanton

Producer: Emily Wang