36.8K
Downloads
247
Episodes
The Dear Katie Podcast features survivors of sexual assault, rape, and abuse; supporters; authors; celebrities; and agents of change about their survivorship and support. Learn how their journeys can help all survivors and their supporters. Delve into backlash, legal systems, campus reactions, family and friends, mental health, PTSD, substance use, body image, and the journey from hurt to healing and thriving.
After Katie Koestner appeared on the cover of TIME Magazine at age 18 as the first person to speak out nationally and publicly as the victim of “date” rape, she received 100+ letters from others who had never told anyone about their own story. Katie wrote back to all of them, and some of them have now been guests on her Podcast 30+ years later to share their story with the world. The name “Dear Katie” honors all survivors in the power of sharing their story. Silence changes nothing.
Episodes
Thursday Jul 13, 2023
Thursday Jul 13, 2023
“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
Thursday Jun 29, 2023
Thursday Jun 29, 2023
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
Thursday Jun 15, 2023
Thursday Jun 15, 2023
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
Thursday Jun 01, 2023
Thursday Jun 01, 2023
“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
Thursday May 18, 2023
Thursday May 18, 2023
'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
Thursday May 04, 2023
Thursday May 04, 2023
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
Thursday Apr 20, 2023
Thursday Apr 20, 2023
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
Thursday Apr 06, 2023
Thursday Apr 06, 2023
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
Thursday Mar 23, 2023
Thursday Mar 23, 2023
At thirteen, Ray meets a new boy in her class, bumbling into her first awkward tween relationship. Her inexperience quickly becomes a vulnerability, and her new beau takes advantage of her naïveté to manipulate her into sexual activity. Blindsided by these new experiences, Ray's encounters with her young abuser become the subject of scrutiny as her school questions her story. Today, she shares her turbulent journey into adolescence, testifying to the resilience and strength of survivors as she fights the narrative of the lying victim and finds healing.
Hosts: Katie Koestner and Claire Kaplan
Editors: Craig Stanton and Bob Kanygin
Producer: Emily Wang
Thursday Mar 09, 2023
Thursday Mar 09, 2023
A frog thrown in boiling water will jump out. But a frog put in a pot of water and heated to boiling will die. Author Kelly Sundberg describes her relationship with her husband, and how an initially innocent relationship slowly morphs into a storm of fear and violence. At first, her strength masks her suffering, but in the end, it saves her. Today, Kelly shares her story of abuse, survival, and liberation.
To find out more about Kelly and her work, go to: https://kellysundberg.com/
Hosts: Claire Kaplan and Katie Koestner
Editors: Craig Stanton and Bob Kanygin
Producer: Emily Wang