The Elephant In The Room

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After seven months away, I've returned to the microphone with a refreshed spirit and important lessons to share. My break wasn't just about rest, it was an important journey into understanding how advocacy work affects mental health and how easily we can burn out when pouring ourselves into others' stories without proper self-care.

The past months taught me that stepping back doesn't mean stepping away from what matters. While deliberately distancing myself from the podcast, I remained deeply engaged with domestic violence prevention work, participating in a high lethality review group with local law enforcement, helping implement screening processes that could save lives, and even being recognized as a finalist for the Mari Martin Award. These experiences reminded me why I started Dismissed True Stories: to give survivors a platform, inspire healing, and help others recognize and leave abusive relationships.

Season Two brings exciting new dimensions to our community. You'll hear powerful survivor narratives from across the globe. I'm introducing a new storytelling series called "What They Couldn't Say," focusing on lives lost to domestic violence. I'll be introducing anonymous stories as well, and throughout it all, I'll be modeling the lesson that took me seven months to truly learn: taking care of yourself isn't weakness, it's the foundation that makes sustainable advocacy possible. Subscribe, share, and join me as we heal, grow, and rise together.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:12):
After a long seven months of some rest and
reflection, I am finally back,and so is Dismissed True Stories
.
It feels actually really goodto say that again.
I have missed connecting withyou for real and sharing the
incredible stories of courageand resilience that make this
podcast so freaking special.
But first I want to thank youfor your patience and

(00:36):
understanding over the past sixmonths.
Let's just address or sevenmonths, I think.
Let's just address the elephantin the room.
Yeah, I took a break, but Idon't want to go into that
without saying that your supportmeans the world to me and I'm
so grateful for this community.
But why did I take a break?
Well, because my mental healthgirl.

(00:57):
I mean, that's the only way toput it.
I totally forgot that whiletelling these stories and
editing them and then makingeducational content, just being
a survivor advocate, it's soeasy to pour into everything
else except for yourself.
You really want to bringawareness.

(01:19):
Talking about domestic violenceis so close to your heart, but
then you kind of forget thatyou're going to be triggered in
the process.
And taking care of yourself,taking care of myself, was the
most important part to all ofthis, and I definitely was not
doing that.
So I burnt myself out so hardand, talking to my therapist,

(01:42):
she was like you really need tolearn how to regulate your
nervous system and you need tolearn how to be quiet and slow
down.
So that's what I did and overthe past couple seven months, I
learned how to just sit withmyself.
I have accomplished a lot in mypersonal life and, even though

(02:03):
I wasn't doing the podcast, Iwas doing a lot behind the
scenes.
I am part of a high lethalitygroup where we actually, like we
do some case reviews, we lookto see where some victims could
have fallen through the cracks,and we're working with our local
police department to enforce ahigh lethality screening, which
is amazing.

(02:25):
We're hoping that the statewill soon adopt our program.
Let's see what else.
I was a finalist for the MaryMartin Award, which there's been
so much going on, even though Idecided to take a step away
from the podcast and socialmedia for a while.
So I guess, with all that beingsaid, I've learned that if

(02:46):
you're not filling your own cup,you can't give to others the
way that you truly want to.
So it's okay to pause, it'sokay to rest and it's okay to
prioritize your healing.
So, speaking of the power ofrest, stepping back doesn't mean
stepping away.
I'm still here, and what thathas definitely done is allowed

(03:09):
me to come back to this workwith just a renewed sense of
passion and direction.
It reminded me why I startedthis podcast in the first place,
and it's to give survivors aplatform and to inspire healing
and to leave and to get out ofthat relationship.
I know that that happened.
I mean, I shared on the lastepisode in the season that

(03:32):
somebody had contacted me andwas like, because of this
podcast, I realized that I'm inan abusive relationship and I'm
going to be taking the stepsthat I need to eventually leave
relationship.
And I'm going to be taking thesteps that I need to eventually
leave and I hope that I justwant to.
Okay, first of all, let me sayUSA hey, girl, we're going
through some shit, huh, butyou're still my number one

(03:54):
listener, so thank you very much, love you.
Bangkok, thailand, girl, thankyou so much for being here.
That's so exciting.
And the UK you come in third.
You guys are amazing.
I love you so much.
Um, thank you for being here.
I want to learn how to sayhello, um to all of you.

(04:17):
Does that even make sense, likeum in Thai.
Is that the language?
I don't really know.
That sounds really stupid of me.
I should have looked that upbefore recording this.
Anyway, let's talk about what'sahead for season two.

(04:43):
I'm being a baby and notreaching out to the family that
originally inspired this idea,because I don't know, I just
can't Well guess what.
I found a different family andI reached out to them and at
first they turned me down, butthen I actually I didn't tell
you about this, but I hosted avigil for the lives led to
domestic violence in October of24, in which one of those

(05:04):
victims was included in thevigil Wow, and it was out of my
state.
It was in a completelydifferent state, but I had been
approached by a church that waslike hey, I really feel like we
need to bring some awareness toour community.
So they hired me and I drovedown there and we did the dang
thing.
Anyway, the family then decidedto listen to the podcast and

(05:25):
they contacted me and they werelike you know what?
We would be honored if youwould tell her story.
So I've been working with themfor the next season.
However, the thing is with thatis that her ex has not seen a
trial for his actions yet.
So I can't release anythingthat we talk about, because we
talk about some pretty sensitivetopics until after her trial,

(05:48):
because we don't want tocompromise the trial.
Count how many times I saytrial.
So that's kind of up in the air.
We're juggling a couple ofballs with that one, but we'll
see the trial.
Now it's already been pushedback since we've been working
together, but the trial is setfor this summer.
So hopefully we're looking atwhen it comes to at least her

(06:10):
story.
We're looking at August toSeptember timeline.
But anyway, let's talk aboutwhat's for sure coming up and
that is more survivor stories.
I've got a woman from the UK.
I've got just some incrediblesurvivor stories along with.
I'm starting a new littleseries.

(06:30):
It's called what they Couldn'tSay Girl, and it is about the
lives lost to domestic violence.
But this is more like astorytelling.
I'm not interviewing anyone.
I'm just going to do some deepdives and some research and
bring you these stories just toraise awareness.

(06:52):
I'm going to be talking aboutthat on my social media too, so
hopefully you can tune in there.
I'm going to drop all of thatin the show notes which I
realized last season I wasn'treally that great at I'm
learning as I go.
So awkward pause for that one,because you're probably over
there like, yeah, girl, we knowwe noticed, but anyway, let's

(07:18):
see what else.
Oh, I've got an advocate fromevery town.
We talk about gun violence.
I've got the author, imogeneRowan, on.
We talk about how her husband,after she left, ended up
becoming an active shooter.
I've got a lot coming for youand I'm so how many times?
I've got a lot coming for youand I'm so how many times?
Okay, let's count how manytimes I say trial, so excited.
And yeah, girl, obviously thoseare my crutch words.
We need to work on that.

(07:40):
If you're as excited as I amabout what's coming, I'd love
for you to do a few things forme.
Make sure you're subscribed tothis podcast.
That's number one.
Okay, subscribe.
Number two leave a review ifyou haven't already.
Thank you for the ones thathave.
I've literally cried over someof the things that you've said.
They're beautiful, gorgeous,and I should really be framing

(08:01):
them in my studio.
And number three share thispodcast with anyone who might
need it.
Seriously, your support notonly helps amplify these stories
, but it helps reach the peoplewho need them the most.
Okay, I've almost talked to youfor 10 minutes.
I'm going to go.

(08:22):
I miss you so much and I gotsome editing to do so.
Bye, girl, but also thank youfor being here, thank you for
listening and thank you forbeing a part of this community.
Remember that taking care ofyourself I'm listening too
Taking care of yourself is anact of strength.
It's not weakness, not weakness.

(08:43):
Okay, so let's continue to heal, grow always growing right and
rise and heal together.
I'll see you soon for the firstepisode of season two.
Bye.