Share Your Truth LIVE
By Share Your Truth Live
We hope our podcast helps you become more educated on abuse, discover resources, receive or provide emotional support, and learn what you can do to support DV victims and survivors.
Listen, learn, and help lead the fight against DV.
Share Your Truth LIVEAug 16, 2023
Exploring Community, Privilege, and Intervention with Kelly Lang
Welcome to another empowering episode of "Share Your Truth Live." Today, we're joined by the incredible Kelly Lang (she/her), a passionate advocate for violence prevention and expert in bystander intervention strategies. In today's conversation, we'll dive deep into the complexities of bystander intervention in various settings—from personal relationships to public interactions—and discuss the barriers that often prevent people from stepping forward.
Kelly will share invaluable advice on how to identify warning signs of domestic violence and problematic behavior, how to create a supportive environment for survivors, and the importance of using resources beyond calling 911. We'll also explore how intersecting social justice issues influence bystander intervention and why continuous learning and community support are crucial for prevention.
Our discussion will not only enlighten but also empower you to act thoughtfully and effectively in challenging situations. So, join us as we learn from Kelly how to responsibly and safely intervene, supporting others while honoring our own boundaries.
More about Kelly:
Kelly Lang graduated with a Masters in Mental Health Counseling at Pace University. She has experience working in violence prevention at higher education institutions including UCLA, Cal State Fullerton, and Pace University. She focuses on trauma-informed and intersectional framework providing education to prevent violence and advocate for survivors.
Creating Digital Safe Havens: A Look into our SYTT Facebook Support Group
Speak Your Truth Today volunteers Jennifer and Tiffany join us for a conversation around the importance of digital safety as a survivor. We take a deeper look into our Facebook Support group and what measures are in place to prioritize safety and empower group members to share in a way that feels right for them.
Jennifer Swenson is a thriver/survivor of abuse and a Mom of four! She is a professional photographer who specialized in the music industry for over twenty years. She is our Volunteer Team's "HR Admin," and was the first volunteer to join Hannah in 2019.
Tiffany Elise left an emotionally and verbally abusive marriage in 2019 when she had two young children. She has a Master’s Degree in Teaching English as a Second Language and currently works from her home in Minnesota where she lives with her two kids, her dog Penny, and two guinea pigs. She has been a volunteer for Speak Your Truth since 2023 and loves to support and advocate for those leaving abusive relationships.
Statistics shared from episodes:
- According to a 2020 study by the National Domestic Violence Hotline in the United States, around 67% of survivors reported that their abusers used technology to stalk, track, or monitor them without their knowledge.
- According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), abusers commonly use smartphones to maintain control, with 94% of survivors in the U.S. reporting that their abusers used smartphones to track them.
Redefining the Holiday Season with Lara Kinslow
Lara Kinslow, the founder of the Wayward Women Podcast, opens up about her personal experiences with domestic abuse and her mission to provide resources for survivors. She discusses her new initiative, Flyfree Today, which aims to address financial barriers in accessing trauma therapy and coaching. In the episode, Lara and Taylor delve into the challenges survivors face during the holiday season, the impact of financial strain, and the importance of creating new, empowering traditions. They also emphasize the need for accessible mental health support and the power of building a support system beyond immediate family.
The Power of Technology: Stories, Data, and Advocacy with Kyle Linton, CEO of Our Wave
Our next guest, Kyle Linton, is truly incredible. He is ready to share his journey on how he created Ourwave.org a 501(c)(3) non-profit focused on providing survivors of sexual and domestic violence with an online space to share their stories, connect with others, and seek healing. Through Our Wave, Kyle leads a team of designers, engineers, researchers, and other specialists from across the globe. He contributes to Our Wave on a volunteer basis but also leads and manages a software design and development agency called Lithios Apps. When he isn't working he loves to fly bush planes, play soccer, and spend time in the mountains or swimming in any accessible body of water.
You can learn more about Our Wave's work at Ourwave.org!
Rebuilding after Trauma with Hannah
Rebuilding after trauma is possible. In this episode of Share Your Truth Live, our Founder and Executive Director, Hannah Hollander, speaks with our wonderful guest Hannah as she recounts her story and the road to recovery. Hannah is a business owner, advocate, local volunteer, mother, and spouse. She is a survivor of domestic violence for the last 21 years, over which time she has been using her experience to speak out and share her story in hopes of helping others. She is currently working towards becoming a psychotherapist, specializing in trauma during adolescence.
From sabotaging relationships to rediscovering self-worth, her courage and resilience serve as a beacon of hope for survivors everywhere.
As always you can visit our website, speakyourtruth.today, for additional information and resources as well!
Mental Health and Trans Awareness with 2 AM Ricky
Our incredible guest, 2AM Ricky, is ready to share their knowledge and experiences with us.
2AM Ricky is a Recording Artist, Songwriter, Actor and Model breaking barriers and making strides in the industry. Ricky is an advocate for the LGBTQ community and an openly transgender rapper. In 2021, Ricky became the First Black Transgender Male Artist to land #1 on any music chart. He was listed in New York Today's "Hottest Young Artists of 2022." When he is not rapping or modeling, behind the scenes, Ricky is a notable songwriter and keynote speaker with expertise in brand partnerships, social media marketing and diversity & inclusion.
2AM Ricky is also a survivor of IPV (intimate partner violence) and he sheds light around his advocacy journey and use of music to create spaces to have conversations around mental health and trans awareness in this episode with our awesome Social Media & Outreach Manager, Taylor Miller.
You can learn more about 2AM Ricky and his work @2AMRicky on Instagram and Spotify.
As always you can visit our website, speakyourtruth.today, for additional information and resources as well!
What is EMDR and How Can It Benefit You with Sharon Kiel, LMFT
Sharon Kiel is a licensed Marriage and family therapist, who has been in private practice in Fullerton, CA for the past 24 years. She is a certified EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapist, with an additional certification from EMDRIA. She specializes in trauma therapy, helping her clients heal from physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. Sharon has also been an expert witness in the Orange County courts for domestic violence cases and was a part time professor at California State Fullerton. She has a passion for helping people heal from prior trauma and create peace and safety in their lives. Sharon joins us to talk about the ins and outs of EMDR, the healing journey, finding a professional that fits your needs, and overall celebrates the bravery that comes with moving towards healing.
You can find out more on Sharon's website http://www.sharonkiel.com/ or through the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) at www.emdria.org.
The Deeper Side of Self-Love & Self-Care with Jess Moloney
We are here with another episode of Share Your Truth Live. Our guest is Jess Moloney, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor & Nationally Certified Counselor with an expertise in anxiety and relationships. She is also a Breakthrough Self Love Coach, Author & Motivational Speaker sharing stages with Les Brown, Jillian Michaels, and Vivica A. Fox!
In this episode we address self-love and self-care, the differences and importance of both. We often think of one or two things automatically when we hear self-love/self-care, but sometimes the deeper ones, while harder to tackle, are going to be powerful in terms of healing and finding your true identity.
A Survivor Story with Gi Dhanoa
Gi is an author and poet, she published Forgiven Forgotten Sooooo which is a collection of poems exploring the Issues of Domestic Violence
Gi has been writing poetry since she was 11 years old, and was very creative as a child, through her words. This passion for poetry evolved throughout her life and proved essential during a time in which she needed an expressive outlet - as she was experiencing abuse in her relationship. I can imagine this outlet was extremely healing from you, but I’m sure we’ll talk about it more! I can’t wait to get into your story, but for those of you listening, if you enjoy listening to Gi’s story - please go and purchase her book Forgiven Forgotten Soooooo.
Link to her book: https://www.amazon.com/Poems-Exploring-Issues-Domestic-Violence/dp/1912547511
One Love and Empowering Young People
We grew up learning that love is a feeling. We watched it onscreen and heard about it in our favorite songs, but there’s so much we didn’t learn and were left to figure out on our own. Those words are on One Love’s website - and within the pages of their site you’ll find education, tools, and resources that fill in so many of the gaps from what we should have learned about love and relationships.
This incredible organization empowers young people with the tools and resources they need to see the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships and bring life-saving prevention education to their communities.
Today’s guest is Ebele Onyema, One Love’s Director of Digital Content and Partnerships. Ebele is going to talk to us about 10 signs of a healthy and unhealthy relationships, setting boundaries, and more.
7000 Miles to Freedom with Naz Meknat
We are excited to bring this survivor spotlight to our podcast. A powerful story that must be shared.
Naz Meknat escaped life in Iran to find freedom and independence in America. What we are seeing in the news, she actually lived through. Naz shares her story in her memoir, 7000 Miles To Freedom which details how she overcame the Morality Police and being abused and held hostage by her then husband. As a refugee in the United States, Naz was able to take back control of her life and independence in order to launch a successful business as a celebrity stylist, working with people such as Sterling K. Brown and being featured in InStyle and People.
Naz is a women's right advocate and is sharing her story of what life in Iran is really like in order to bring more awareness to what Persian women are going through. She would love the opportunity to share her story with you and your audience since it is a firsthand experience unlike any other.
Some of her expert topics include:
- Naz's Story - From Escaping Iran To Becoming A Celebrity Stylist
- Iran's Morality Police - Experiencing Life As A Woman In Tehran
- From Survivor To Advocate - Overcoming The Power Of Men In Iran, From The Morality Police To Your Husband
Naz has recently been featured on Finding The Good Life, Resilient Stories and many more podcasts.
Don't Forget the Pets with RedRover
Our pets are family. They love us unconditionally, provide emotional support, empathy, and joy in our lives. For someone experiencing domestic abuse, a pet can be even more - it could be their lifeline, their comfort, and their reason for existing. They truly are family. We have an incredible guest joining us today to talk about a very serious topic so many of our SYTT support group members have mentioned - the ability to take your pets with you when you escape abuse, because NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN SAFETY AND FAMILY.
Today’s guest is Katie Campbell with RedRover. She is the Director of Outreach and Collaboration and their domestic violence expert. She has joined us today to talk about the incredible programs RedRover has that help people and pets escape abuse together.
Learn more at redrover.org/dvandpets.
Mindfulness with Kelly Cohee
In this episode, we speak with one of our SYTT group members and a survivor herself, Kelly Cohee! We're going to hear a bit about her story as a non-traditional survivor of domestic abuse through the lens of a 'mentee' being abused by a mentor/teacher and how she created Radiant Reiki Healing for others in their healing journeys.
The bonus for our listeners is that after we discuss a little about mindfulness and meditation, Kelly will walk us through some self-treatment steps for doing both of these practices at home!
We hope this episode helps you find ways to cope and handle the overly stressful situation that may be present during the holidays.
Processing Grief with Dr. Dave
One of the most overlooked side-effects of leaving an abusive relationship is grief. It may be hard to believe and even harder for someone to understand, but there can be a lot of grief associated with ending an abusive relationship. Even if it was unhealthy, it was still a relationship. At some point it was good, there was love and joy, even if it was brief.
Join us as Laura Habla interviews our very own SYTT Board Member, Dr. David Wang, to delve into the subject of processing grief after domestic violence.
A Conversation with Jayce
In honor of the first national Male Awareness Survivor Day, we are excited to bring you this bonus episode with Jayce Baron! He is a keynote speaker, published author, and director. He's also a survivor of sexual assault and after his story of rape went viral in 2016, and then advocating to revoke the Statute of Limitation on rape charges in the State of California, he has made it his mission to be a voice for men and educate others on the topic.
Visit www.jaycebaron.com.
Follow Jayce on social media:
- Facebook: @jaycebaron
- Instagram: @jaycebaron
This episode was brought to you in part by the partnerships formed with MenHealing, MaleSurvivor, and FORGE.
Male Resource Panel
Historically speaking, domestic and sexual violence has been seen as only a women’s issue, but the reality is, survivors and perpetrators can be any gender. This is why SYTT, Men Healing, MaleSurvivor, & FORGE have partnered together to bring awareness to the realities male survivors face - by launching the very first Male Survivor Awareness Day on October 25th, 2022. And while we do have the general ‘Sexual Assault Awareness Month’ in April, and ‘Domestic Violence Awarness Month’ in October, violence specifically against women is usually the focus.
We seek to expand beyond the binary.
Domestic violence & sexual assault education, awareness, and resources need to become safe and accessible to ALL survivors - which includes people of all ages, genders, races and sexual orientations. With staggering rates and even fewer resources, male survivors deserve to be supported, heard, safe, & loved.
We will hear from our amazing partners around the importance of awareness, learn about the rates of violence, and hear more around the barriers male, transgender, and nonbinary survivors face. We can all take steps to make our spaces more supportive and inclusive to all survivors.
Visit each organization’s website to connect with them through their social media platforms.
You can access
- Male Survivor at MaleSurvivor.org
- Men Healing at MenHealing.org
- And FORGE at FORGE-forward.org
Remember, listeners, awareness goes beyond a single day.
Join us as we continue to reveal the intersectionality of domestic & sexual violence, spread awareness, & commit to uplifting male survivor voices year-round!
When She Thrives
We have a very special episode of our Share Your Truth LIVE podcast for you this week. What an honor it was to chat with such an amazing woman, Tiffany Huff-Strothers! In addition to being a survivor of domestic violence, she is also a powerhouse advocate on a mission in life to empower women through her organizations, When She Thrives and The Tiffany Huff Experience! Give this episode a listen to learn more about Tiffany's story as a survivor, and the incredible work her organizations are doing.
TW: Gun Violence, Physical Violence
Domestic Violence Myth Busters
This week we have an informative episode of Share Your Truth Live! as my co-host and our guests debunk some of the most common misconceptions about domestic violence. Today’s episode is all about the Facts vs. Myths in the domestic violence space!
- Website: www.speakyourtruth.today
- Private Facebook Support Group: speak.your.truth.today
- Survivor Spotlights
- Contact: help@speakyourtruth.today
- Sign up for RUN the Globe
Episode Specific Information and Links:
Useful Articles and Links:
- DomesticShelters.org
- National Statistics on Domestic Violence
- 50 Reasons Women Don’t Leave Abusive Partners
- 50 Obstacles to Leaving
- Couples Counseling Will Not Stop Abuse
Terminology:
- Child Abuse = a child who has been directly abused by a parent
- Childhood Domestic Violence = a witness to the abuse
- Domestic Violence and Intimate Partner Violence terms are used interchangeably in this episode.
- Abuser and Perpetrator terms are used interchangeably in this episode.
Meet our Founder - Hannah Hollander
Get to know our Founder and Executive Director, Hannah Hollander! She's a true inspiration and advocate for victims and survivors of domestic violence. Creating Speak Your Truth Today has taken peer to peer support to the next level by fostering a global community of survivors who empower each other along their healing journeys. Learn of her story, Speak Your Truth Today's story, and what the current and future goals of the nonprofit are in this episode!
Welcome to Share Your Truth Live!
Welcome to our introductory episode of Share Your Truth Live!
Another way Speak Your Truth Today (SYTT) helps amplify the voices of all victims and survivors of domestic violence.
SYTT is a national, award-winning, 501(c)3 nonprofit facilitating one of the largest, gender inclusive, domestic violence private support groups on Facebook. The support group started when one woman opened up about her story in a Facebook post that went viral, now consists of over 18,000 members worldwide and has become a safe space to share personal experiences.
In addition to the FB support group, the SYTT website provides a thorough, in depth, thoughtful website offering essential information on the journey of escaping a DV situation and celebrating freedom. The website is broken down into easy to follow categories: 'is this abuse', 'how do I leave', 'how do I heal', and 'how can I help' that provide support and access to a vast set of resources within the DV world.
We feel honored to be able to create a space that highlights those who often feel silenced.
Our new Share Your Truth Live podcast will continue to amplify the voices of all victims and survivors of domestic violence by hosting guests from within the DV space, including advocates, DV professionals, lawyers, therapists, authors, survivors, and more.
Listen, learn, and help lead the fight against DV.
- Website: www.speakyourtruth.today
- Contact: help@speakyourtruth.today
- Facebook: SpeakYourTruth.NP
- Instagram: speakyourtruth.today
- Private Facebook Support Group: speak.your.truth.today
- Survivor Spotlights: https://www.speakyourtruth.today/survivorspotlight
- Abuse Quiz: https://www.speakyourtruth.today/quiz
- Podcast Intro/Outro Music: _yungdz
- Episode 0 Trailer Transcript