Family Secrets

Allison knows something is fundamentally different about her. She looks different and she feels different from the other girls in school. But when her parents refuse to acknowledge just how different she is, it becomes harder and harder for her to reckon with who she is, and who she wants to become.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Forever punctuated by shame, secrecy, and danger, Isaac's search to know himself has always been a precarious journey. But as he walks the rocky road toward self-acceptance, he must reconcile his need to be both strong and vulnerable.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From a very young age, Sophia is taught to deflect when people ask questions. Her parents teach her this lesson, and they tell her to keep a low profile as an American living abroad. When she finds a letter she’s not supposed to read, she learns what her parents do for a living – and that changes everything.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Growing up among conflicting cultures and customs, Carmen feels a profound sense of otherness. When her mother reveals their family secret, Carmen’s conflicts deepen and the puzzle pieces of her identity scatter before eventually— they finally snap into place.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join us starting May 4th for 10 new stories of tenacity, resilience, and the profoundly necessary excavation of long-held family secrets.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this special bonus episode, the tables are turned as veteran journalist and podcast host Kimi Culp interviews Dani about her own family history and the secret at its core.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stories from our friends at The Secrets Hotline Podcast, hosted by Nick van der Kolk.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this bonus episode, Dani speaks with renowned physician and author Dr. Gabor Maté about his new book,The Myth of Normal, and the ways in which we can begin to heal from our wounds and traumas.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this bonus series, “Dani’s Listening”, Dani connects with listeners by responding to those who’ve called in to share their family secrets.

Mark your calendars for the launch of season 8 on May 4th.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this bonus series, “Dani’s Listening”, Dani connects with listeners by responding to those who’ve called in to share their family secrets.

Mark your calendars for the launch of season 8 on May 4th.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dani shares a message this Thanksgiving with the Family Secrets community.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Judy receives a thick envelope from her father—presumably including answers to long kept secrets about his identity and past—he instructs her to burn it before opening. Despite her plaguing curiosity, she follows her father’s wishes. But later in her life, she seeks answers. What was in that envelope? And who was her father, really?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Tad reckons with the choices he’s made in his relationships—most prominently, in his marriage—he must confront the choices made by his father, too. And his grandmother. In uncovering staggering truths, he finds his own struggles with intimacy are part of a long string of inherited secrecy.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meyli Chapin shares her story and discusses PTSD with host Kimi Culp.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fraidy is raised in an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community where she is forced to follow many conventions including an arranged marriage in her teens. After enduring emotional and physical abuse, Fraidy is determined to figure out a way to save herself, her children, and many, many others.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all know—or think we know—the wonderful journalist, news anchor, and bestselling author, Katie Couric. But behind and beyond her camera-ready exterior is the interior world of a very real individual— a daughter, sister, wife, and mother navigating the complexities of a public life.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After Mark’s divorce, he cannot eat or sleep or function. Hesitant to pathologize these feelings, he finally acknowledges the clinical magnitude of his condition. But even after accepting that he’s suffering from depression, he keeps it under wraps; he runs a residential treatment center for homeless teens where he feels he must keep up appearances.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The opening chapter of SIGNAL FIRES is shared here, in Dani's voice, for the very first time. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.