Please be advised that this episode contains descriptions of sexual abuse and self harm. Content may not be suitable for children, listener discretion is advised. Meet Maddie Reynolds. A 20 year old college senior who grew up in a happy healthy home with two loving and supportive parents. She lived in a nice neighborhood, did well in school, and had lots of friends. Yet for 7 years, unbeknownst to her parents, Maddie was a victim of childhood sexual trauma at the hands of an extended family member. When she emailed asking to tell her story, she was crystal clear about her objective: To help parents spot the warning signs and to advise them on how to respond in the event they receive news that their child has been victimized. In this episode Maddie offers us insight into how this occurs, why children don’t speak up, and how to best support them when and if they do.
With decades of experience navigating this area of trauma with her clients, our resident therapist, LMFT Kateri Ross, joins the conversation. Together she and Maddie illustrate some of the downstream effects, especially when sexual trauma goes unrecognized. This episode comes with a strong trigger warning. Please be advised that common coping behaviors due to untreated PTSD including self harm, hypersexualization, and alcohol abuse are discussed in this episode.
National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673
Nationwide Suicide & Crisis Hotline: Call or Text 988 (available 24/7)
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