Initiated Survivor

In this episode, I delve into the topic of connecting with our inner wildness, specifically through the archetypal figure of the wild woman and the symbolism of wolves. Drawing from my personal experiences and insights gained from the book "Women Who Run With the Wolves" by Clarissa Pinkola Estés, I discuss the importance of reclaiming our wildness to heal from trauma and reconnect with our true selves. I also cover the work of the nonprofit organization Wolf Connection, which rescues and cares for wolf dogs and offers programs for underserved communities to connect with the wisdom of wolves. As always, be mindful of cultural appropriation and spiritual bypassing in our attempts to connect with animal symbolism and archetypes. Join me as I share my own journey of reconnecting with my inner wildness and explore ways to embrace your own wildness.

→ Watch the Full Video Podcast Here!

· The Wolf Connection

· "Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype" by Clarissa Pinkola Estés

· Follow Simon Moya-Smith

Topics/Triggers:

• Wolf Connection

• Our Inner Wildness

• Lack of Freedom in a Patriarchal Capitalistic Society

• Reclaiming Power

• Listening to the Call of the Wild

• The Wolf Connection & Retreat

• How You Can Connect to Your Inner Wolf

• Cultural Appropriation & Animal Spiritualism

• Life, Death, and Experiences

• Mindful Approaches to Animal Archetypes

• Survivors & the Wisdom of the Wolf

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If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review.

If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 oronlinefor 24/7 support.(This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search onPsychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory)

Find moreInitiated Survivor content hereand onInstagram!

In this episode of Initiated Survivor, I’m opening up and sharing my personal experience with trauma anniversaries and how I navigated my 10 Year Anniversary of Sexual Assault. I discuss what trauma anniversaries are, how they affect survivors, and share coping strategies for getting through them. One of these key tools that I found helpful was the power of ritual and ceremony in trauma recovery. I delve into how these practices can communicate with our unconscious mind and help us heal from trauma. I even reached out to my therapist, support groups, and loved ones for help and it made the world of difference. If your trauma anniversary is coming up, or you know someone who has one approaching, this episode was made specifically to give you tools to cope and heal. You got this.

→ Watch the Full Video Podcast Here!

Topics/Triggers:

• Trauma Anniversary

• PTSD

• Witch Practices to Heal: Germanic Paganism, Norse Paganism, and Scottish Druidism

• Heightened Anxiety & Emotional Sensitivity

• Taking Care of Yourself

• Reaching Out to Your Support System

• Flight, Fright, Freeze, Appease

• Acknowledging & Honoring Your Survival

• Gratitude Practices

• Manifestation and Goals

• Our Unconscious Mind

• Ceremony & Ritual

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If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review.

If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 oronlinefor 24/7 support.(This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search onPsychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory)

Find moreInitiated Survivor content hereand onInstagram!

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Rena Martine, a women's intimacy expert and ex-sex crimes Deputy District Attorney, about the intersection of trauma and sexuality. We discussed how coaches can work towards a more inclusive and less colonized approach to supporting survivors, as well as the healing potential of BDSM and Kink. Rena shared her insights and expertise on how survivors can reclaim their sexuality and overcome triggers through exposure therapy and restaging traumatic events while normalizing conversations around sexual fantasies and desires. If you're interested in learning more about Rena's work, check out her Shameless program on her website or send her a DM on Instagram!

→ Watch the Full Video Podcast Here!

Topics/Triggers:

• Being a Sex Crimes Deputy DA

• Sexuality & Healing

• Monogamy & Nonmonogamy

• Sex Positivity

• Savage Lovecast

• Marriage and Divorce

• Consensual Nonconsensual Fantasies

• Examples of Guiding Clients Through Sexual Trauma

• Exposure Therapy

• Reclaiming Intimacy as Women

• Purity Culture

• DDLG & DS

• SA Survivors and Kink

• Repairing the Relationship between Ourselves and Our Bodies

Connect with Rena:

— Website: https://www.renamartine.com/

— Instagram @_rena.martine_ : https://www.instagram.com/_rena.martine_/

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If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review.

If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online for 24/7 support. (This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory)

Find more Initiated Survivor content here and on Instagram!

In this episode, I sit down with Kaleigh Cornelison, an expert working with youth ages 14-24 on issues including relationships, identity, sexual health, and life transitions. We dive into the topic of consent culture and pleasure-based sex education, especially for LGBTQ+ youth. We discuss the challenges and opportunities of teaching consent culture and how to model consent in different situations and relationships, and how adults can repair their relationship with consent in order to create a safe and empowering environment for young people. Our conversation is filled with insights and ideas that can help promote a positive culture of consent and freedom.

Topics/Triggers:

• Consent Culture & Clear Communication
• Enthusiastic Consent
• Freely given, Responsible, Informed, Enthusiastic, Specific (FRIES)
• Access to Pleasure-Based Sex Education
• Unethical porn, false information, and unsafe intimacy practices
• Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminism (TERF)
• Gender-affirming care
• Inclusive Sex Education
• Modeling Consent
• Social Media Usage & Boundaries
• Repairing Relationship with Consent as a Survivor
• Respecting "No"
• Freedom from Consent
• LGBTQ+ Youth

Resources:

• Kaleigh's Website

• Listen to Initiated Survivor Episode 55: "Kaleigh Cornelison on Gender Based Violence for Adolescence: Teen Dating & Violence"

• Listen to Initiated Survivor Episode 58: "Mistress Justine Cross on Consent, Kink Communities, and BDSM"

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If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review.

If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online for 24/7 support. (This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory)

Find more Initiated Survivor content here and on Instagram!

Subscribe to the Initiated Survivor YouTube Channel!

Welcome back to Ask a Psychologist Anything! In Part One, I answered questions about sensory processing disorders, being an ally, and being a support system. In this 2nd installment, we tackle PTSD, coping with triggers, navigating dating as a survivor, and finding a good fit therapist. I offer practical strategies for soothing the body's response to triggers, as well as how to move forward and identify the next best step for you in your own journey. I also discuss ways that you can find a therapist that actually works for you, and how to potentially fix a previously broken therapeutic relationship through open communication tactics with your therapist of choice. Watch the Full Video Podcast Here! Topics/Triggers: PTSD Symptoms Tips for Living with PTSD Establishing Safety Remembrance and Mourning Integration and Reconnection What Are Triggers Triggers vs. Emotions Coping with a Body's Response to a Trigger Dating as a Survivor Nuclear Families Finding Community Getting a Good Therapist Therapy Websites Rebuilding the Bond Between You & Your Therapist Resources: • Listen to Initiated Survivor "Mistress Justine Cross on Consent, Kink Communities, and BDSM" • Listen to Initiated Survivor: "Ask a Psychologist Anything: Repressed Memories, Sensory Processing Disorder, and Being an Ally" • Warmies for Adults • Therapy Den • Mental Health Match • Psychology Today ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review. If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online for 24/7 support. (This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory) Find more Initiated Survivor content here and on Instagram! Subscribe to the Initiated Survivor YouTube Channel!

Mistress Justine Cross is a professional BDSM consultant, kink educator, and lifestyle Dominatrix based in Los Angeles. Justine is the owner of Dungeon East and has over 15 years experience as a lifestyle Dominatrix and BDSM consultant, being featured on several magazines and newspapers including The Try Guys, Los Angeles Magazine, Playboy, Nylon, LA Weekly, Time Out Los Angeles, Buzzfeed, Salon, Vice, Huffington Post and The Guardian. In this episode, Justine sits down with Kelsey to discuss the importance of consent and communication in both BDSM and survivor communities. They cover how the kink community can be accessible to survivors, the importance of boundaries and aftercare, and why we all need to practice negotiation and consent in all areas of life.

Watch the Full Video Podcast Here!

· Connect with Justine Here

· Learn More About Dungeon East

· Follow Justine on IG @thejustinecross

· Watch Justine's Work on YouTube

· Justine's Website & The Kink Negotiation Worksheet

Topics/Triggers:

• Kink Communities
• Negotiations, Consent, and Boundaries
• The Power of Reclaiming Your Sexuality
• Why Abstinence Education Fails Us
• Survivors & Consensual Experiences
• Rape Culture
• How The Heteronormative View of Sex Minimizes Pleasure
• Aftercare
• Safe Words
• Checking In With Your Body
• Gender Pay Gap & Systemic Inequality
• Empowering Women to Have Agency
• BDSM (Bondage and discipline, domination and submission, sadism and masochism)
• SSC (Safe, Sane, and Consensual)
• RAC (Risk Aware, Consensual Kink)
• PRICK (Personal Responsibility Informed Consensual Kink)

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If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review.

If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online for 24/7 support. (This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory)

Find more Initiated Survivor content here and on Instagram!

Dr. Dani Rosenkrantz is a licensed psychologist in Florida, a Jewish and LGBTQ+ Mental Health Expert, a LGBTQ+ and BIPOC Empowerment Collaborator, and Sexual Health and Wellness Champion. She founded Brave Space Psychology, where she aims to help others trust their inner wisdom, while conquering the feeling of self-doubt, anxiety, and disconnection that can overwhelm us. I sit down with her to talk about intersectionality in sexual trauma, and how oppressive forces aim to separate and isolate individuals of communities. She shares how empowering it can be to reclaim love, joy, and self-compassion in the face of oppression. Throughout our conversation, Dr. Rosenkrantz gives insights and strategies for survivors of all identities and backgrounds to create supportive communities, build resiliences, and begin healing. Topics/Triggers: Impact of Sexual Trauma & the Contributing Systemic Forces The Power of Community Fighting Against Oppressive Powers Why Stay in Florida Intersectional Identities Being Jewish and Queer Recognizing Privilege in Ourselves and Those Around Us Radical Joy & Radical Care "You're Loved" Documentary Pride Shabbats Keshet Jewish Queer Youth Mister Rogers & Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood Contact Dr. Dani Rosenkrantz at [email protected] ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review. If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online for 24/7 support. (This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory) Find more Initiated Survivor content here and on Instagram!

Welcome to a new series on Initiated Survivor where I will be answering any and all listener questions about recovery, healing, trauma, and anything else you would like to know from a psychologist. In Part 1, I answer questions about repressed memories, the risk of false memories, sensory processing disorders, treating someone who has said disorder, and how to best support a friend who may be struggling with their recovery after being sexually assaulted. All questions will be anonymous to protect everyone's privacy, and if you want your question to be answered next time, please contact me through DM or through my website!

Watch the Full Video Podcast Here!

Topics/Triggers:

• Repressed Memories
• EMDR
• Somatic Experiencing
• False Memories
• Traumatic Memories
• CBT Prolonged Exposure
• Body Sensations
• Unethical Therapeutic Practices
• Re-traumatization
• Sensory Processing Disorders: OCD, ADHD, Trauma, Anxiety, Depression, Autism
• Visual Processing Disorders: Dyslexia, Reading Dyscalculia, Visual Spatial Type of Processing
• Supporting a Friend
• Being an Ally

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If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review.

If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online for 24/7 support. (This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory)

Find more Initiated Survivor content here and on Instagram!

Kaleigh Cornelison, LMSW, LCSW, specializes on working with teens, educating them on dating violence, sexual assault, bystander intervention, and consent. In this episode, Kaleigh shares her expert knowledge on the way that sexual assault and gender based violence is effecting the youth of today. She covers the various forms of intimate partner violence that teens are most susceptible to, how teens give her hope for the future, and what we can do as adults to be allies to the young people of today.

Topics/Triggers:

• Gender Based Violence for Adolescence
• Intimate Partner Violence: Physical, Emotional, Mental, Financial, and Digital
• Bystander Intervention
• Consent
• Breaking Generational Cycles
• Teen Sexual Assault
• How Adult Allies Can Help
• The Belief that Love equals Jealousy
• "Mutual" Abuse
• Breakups as Teens

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If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review.

If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online for 24/7 support. (This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory)

Find more Initiated Survivor content here and on Instagram!

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This is the month where we focus in on ourselves and our survivor community, centering our healing and recovery. I wanted to sit down and talk to you about some of what is going on this month, and the ways that I am trying to heal and what you could do for yourself this month too.

Topics/Triggers:

• Survivor Love Letter by Tani Ikeda
• Denim Day by Peace Over Violence
• Run Towards the Danger: Confrontations with a Body of Memory By Sarah Polley
• Francesca Lia Block's Writing Workshops
• Reclaiming What Was Taken
• Eat Predators
• Treating Our Body Well

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If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review.

If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online for 24/7 support. (This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory)

Find more Initiated Survivor content here and on Instagram!