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Episodes

Jan. 13, 2021

From Surviving to Advocating: Four Things You Should Know

For many survivors of sexual abuse, finding their voice leads to speaking out and advocating for victims of abuse. But before you dive head-first into the world of advocacy, there are four things Kelly would like you to know…
Dec. 2, 2020

Lessons on Sexual Abuse Prevention from a Covid-19 Scare

Sometimes life throws curveballs that teach unexpected lessons. The last three weeks have been crazy, scary and riddled with anxiety, but the silver lining is a lesson in protecting the vulnerable that is invaluable for pare…
Nov. 4, 2020

What an Oversized Fish Can Teach the Church About Dealing with Sex Offenders

I read two articles this week about institutions dealing with "offenders" in their midst. One was about a church in Florida that hosts a ministry of love and acceptance to sex offenders. The other was about how an aquarium i…
Oct. 28, 2020

Speaking Out on Sex Abuse: A Chat With Jimmy Hinton (Part 2)

On today's episode, I continue my chat with advocate and predator expert Jimmy Hinton. After turning in his own father for sexually abusing children more than a decade ago, Jimmy has dedicated much of his time to speaking ou…
Oct. 21, 2020

Speaking Out on Sex Abuse: A Chat With Jimmy Hinton (Part 1)

On today's episode of Survivor Sanctuary, I'm chatting with advocate and predator expert Jimmy Hinton. After turning in his own father for sexually abusing children more than a decade ago, Jimmy has dedicated much of his tim…
Oct. 14, 2020

Shining Light on Sexual Abuse Within Your Church: A Beginner's Guide

We talk a lot about what churches are doing wrong when it comes to preventing and responding to sexual abuse (and with good reason). But there are actually several ways that you can begin to open your church's eyes about abu…
Oct. 8, 2020

Sexual Abuse Actually Does Leave A Mark

You may have heard it said that the effects of sexual abuse can't be physically seen. We focus a lot, and rightfully so, on the mental, emotional and psychological effects of abuse. But while there are many "unseen" effects …
Sept. 23, 2020

The Damage Done By "Grooming"

Whatever you call it--grooming, testing, preparing--the process by which a predator selects and readies his victims for abuse can be just as damaging as the acts of abuse themselves. Today on the podcast we talk about the da…
Sept. 16, 2020

When Our Theology Protects Predators Over Victims

On episode 47 of the podcast, we'll take a look at why it is so difficult for victims of sexual abuse to find healing from their trauma within the church. When a church's theology preaches freedom for the predator while pili…
Sept. 2, 2020

When Church is a Trauma Trigger

Sitting in a church service watching a worship pastor with skinny jeans and perfectly disheveled hair croon the latest Hillsong chorus might seem perfectly peaceful to many churchgoers. To a survivor of abuse, though, it can…
Aug. 26, 2020

Do You *Really* Want to #SavetheChildren?

The SavetheChildren hashtag has become mighty popular on social media over the last few months. Awesome news for abused and trafficked children, right?! Not really, as it turns out. On this episode of Survivor Sanctuary, we'…
Aug. 19, 2020

Happy Anniversary, Survivor Sanctuary!

Today on the podcast we're celebrating Survivor Sanctuary's one year podcastversary (totally a word, right?). We'll take a look back at the past year, and chat about what's in store for season two of the podcast. Grab your p…
Aug. 12, 2020

Megan and Dom Benninger: Cancelling the Culture of Silence

On today's episode of Survivor Sanctuary we're chatting with Dom and Megan Benninger, the founders of BaptistAccountability.org, about their journey into advocacy for the vulnerable in churches. When they learned that a conv…
July 29, 2020

Exposing An Abuser: How Do You Know If You've Done Enough?

You've found your voice and reported your abuser. So why is there a niggling feeling in the back of your head that your work isn't done? On episode 42 of the podcast, we'll chat about the instinct to protect that drives many…
July 15, 2020

Confronting Your Abuser: Expectation vs. Reality

Maybe you've thought about it a million times--the exact words you would say to the person who abused you. Maybe you've written them out, word for word, or rehearsed them in front of a mirror. While the opportunity to actual…
July 2, 2020

The Only Thing More Dangerous Than A Predator

Predators are going to prey; it's what they do. But the truth is that predators need help from an even more dangerous animal in order to successfully produce victims for the long haul. On this episode of Survivor Sanctuary, …
June 24, 2020

Dear Churches: How About We Stop Funding Molestionaries? Thanks.

Yet another infuriating story in the news this week sparked this episode of Survivor Sanctuary. What is the deal with churches financially supporting credibly accused child molesters who "feel led" to travel to foreign land…
June 10, 2020

10 Reasons It's Totally Worth it to Heal from Sexual Abuse

I don't want to talk about my feelings. I don't want to think about what happened. I just want to leave the past in the past. There are so many reasons we rationalize our choice to bury the trauma of sexual abuse. What is fa…
May 28, 2020

Why Survivors Struggle to Ask for Help

Asking for help can be tough no matter what your life experiences. For survivors of sexual abuse, though, there can be a tendency to see "help" as a four-letter word (which, incidentally, it actually is. :). On this episode …
May 20, 2020

Trauma and Healing Aren't One-Size-Fits-All

Why is it that some people seem to be crushed by sexual abuse, and others seem to bounce back resiliently? Why do some survivors struggle in ways that others don't? On this episode of Survivor Sanctuary, we're chatting about…
May 7, 2020

If Anxiety Is A Sin, My Amygdala Is Going to Burn In Hell

Why do so many Christians struggle to understand that the brain is an organ that can malfunction like all the rest of them? When any other organ gives us trouble, we have no problem believing that illness is at play. When it…
April 29, 2020

Hope for Survivors of Sexual Abuse

Every day, survivors of sexual abuse are faced with realities that can leave them burdened by the weight of abuse. The news is full of stories of abusers evading justice, our facebook feeds are flooded with triggers and igno…
April 15, 2020

You Are Enough (Really)

On this episode of Survivor Sanctuary, we are tackling one of the big fat lies sexual abuse tells us: That we need to be crushing the healing game, advocating for other survivors, doing big things to prevent sexual abuse or …
April 1, 2020

When Churches Use The Same Playbook for Sex Abuse And Coronavirus

Lies, cover-ups, institutional self protection... it's like deja vu al over again, only this time, it isn's sexual abuse that some churches are mishandling. On today's podcast, I discuss the similarities between how some chu…