Genesis The Podcast

Can yoga help to heal trauma? Some experts believe it can and are incorporating trauma-sensitive yoga into services for survivors. To learn more about what trauma-sensitive yoga is and how it helps we talk with Myra Strand, a trainer and yoga instructor who has been working with survivors of trauma since 1995. Part 2 of our conversation explores how to reconnect with the body through yoga, mindfulness, and self-awareness, how a hol...

Can yoga help to heal trauma? Some experts believe it can and are incorporating trauma-sensitive yoga into services for survivors. To learn more about what trauma-sensitive yoga is and how it helps we talk with Myra Strand, a trainer and yoga instructor who has been working with survivors of trauma since 1995. Part 1 of our conversation explores an overview of yoga, what it means to be trauma-sensitive, how trauma is stored in the ...

Abuse from an intimate partner can begin at any time in a relationship, and that abuse can continue later in life revealing itself in unique ways. For example, physical violence such as non-fatal strangulation over the course of a relationship can result in early-onset dementia, brain injury, and/or transient ischemic attacks (TIAs or "mini-stroke") in older adults. An abusive partner might then weaponize the resulting de...

Genesis Women's Shelter & Support has an exciting announcement: the launch of the National Training Center on Crimes Against Women. Jan Langbein, CEO of Genesis is back on the show with all the details about this ground-breaking new educational center that will consolidate all training and education from both Genesis and the Conference on Crimes Against Women into one national program with the potential to impact tens of t...

Lundy Bancroft wrote the book on exposing abusive men and domestic violence. For over 20 years he has helped survivors and professionals in the field of domestic violence answer the question: why does he do that? In this episode, Lundy interprets the contents of his best-selling work, "Why Does He Do That? Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men", identifying common abusive personalities, behaviors, tactics, intenti...

The idea of the "fight-or-flight" response to threats or danger was put forth over 100 years ago by Walter Cannon, an American psychologist. Cannon's work on the "acute stress response" established the foundation for what we understand today as trauma responses. Since its introduction, the work has expanded to include freeze and even fawning as trauma responses - processes that begin in the amygdala of the ...

Edy Nathan returns with even more insightful guidance about grief for survivors, sharing powerful lessons on grieving and healing, her "forgive" mantra for self-empowerment, and her poem, "Grace". Ms. Nathan also shares a sneak peek about her upcoming new book.

Before you listen, grab a rubber band that fits on your wrist so you can practice a regulation exercise along with us. You might keep a pen and ...

Grief encountered by survivors of domestic violence, abuse, and/or sexual assault is a complex array of experiences stemming from loss, shame, guilt, sorrow, and more. Often, holidays punctuate grief, bringing to the surface confusing emotions that can seem inescapable. At Genesis Women's Shelter & Support we persist in our belief that for survivors there is hope and there is help and both can lead to healing. To facilitat...

The Legal Services Department at Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support was founded in 2016 to address the lack of access to no-cost civil legal representation for survivors of domestic violence in Dallas County. Focused on family law and offered in conjunction with the organization’s trauma-informed, wraparound domestic violence services, Genesis’ direct representation model for survivors navigates the complexities of protective or...

Gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse that includes a pattern of manipulation intended to control and diminish a victim by causing self-doubt, trust issues, decreased self-worth and a host of other trauma-inducing consequences. In this episode, Dr. Christine Cocchiola unpacks the complexities of gaslighting within domestic abuse by examining the character issues of those who gaslight, who they consider perfect prey, the red ...

Genesis Women's Shelter & Support offers a robust program of residential and non-residential services to women and children who have experienced domestic violence. To complement those offerings, Genesis has developed the industry's foremost communications model about domestic violence: one that is client-centric, trauma-informed, and focused on raising awareness about domestic violence, creating a safe space for survi...

Technology, such as social media, apps, and text messaging, allows youth, teens and college students to experience relationships in vastly different ways from previous generations, as the connectedness of online relationships creates opportunities for personal development and relationship exploration. That same technology and connection also open up new possibilities for abuse that can diminish one's sense of agency leading to...

Dr. Carola Salvi launched the exhibit "The Power of the Other Hand" in response to the stories of domestic violence shared with her by survivors. In this episode, we peel back the layers of these survivor experiences to reveal the raw emotions beneath the images, the artist, and the women portrayed on the canvas. Tackling some of the most challenging aspects of abuse such as the impact of non-fatal strangulation, the scar...

Long-term exposure to the trauma of others can impact the well-being of families, professionals and caregivers and lead to vicarious trauma. However, with the proper tools and network of support we can transform these experiences into vicarious resilience. Monica Urbaniak, a consultant, trainer and clinician specializing in sexual assault and trauma, provides practical and effective tools for professionals, organizations and famili...

Founded with the tenet, "Muslim women for all women" the Texas Muslim Women's Foundation has evolved into a robust continuum of care for survivors of domestic abuse. While the culturally sensitive services offered by the foundation align with the principles of Islam, embracing peace in the home and condemning violence, they are available to women from all cultures. Heena Khan, LPC-S, RPT, the foundation's Direct...

Every quarter, Genesis Women's Shelter & Support hosts a guest speaker for the organization's quarterly lecture series featuring timely conversations about issues related to domestic violence. In September 2022, former Dallas City Council Member Jennifer Staubach Gates joined Genesis CEO Jan Langbein to discuss the evolution of the domestic violence (DV) response in the City of Dallas from 1985 to the present, and how...

Since 2003, the Lethality Assessment Protocol (LAP) has been in use by law enforcement across the United States to evaluate the risk of death in domestic violence incidents. Administered by law enforcement on the scene of domestic violence calls, this tool has 2 primary goals: to assess risk factors for lethality and to connect victims with services.

Learn more about the LAP, the warning signs and risk factors for lethalit...

A 2-part series with researcher, educator, and licensed psychologist Dr. Lenore Walker who coined the term "battered woman syndrome." Dr. Walker has spent more than 4 decades investigating violence against women, publishing peer-reviewed research and authoring several books including "The Battered Woman Syndrome" now in its 4th edition.

Together we explore the progress and pitfalls in the domestic viole...

A 2-part series with researcher, educator, and licensed psychologist Dr. Lenore Walker who coined the term "battered woman syndrome." Dr. Walker has spent more than 4 decades investigating violence against women, publishing peer-reviewed research and authoring several books including "The Battered Woman Syndrome" now in its 4th edition.

Together we explore the progress and pitfalls in the domestic viole...