Survivor Stories copertina

Survivor Stories

Survivor Stories

Di: Jarod Toomey Michael Conley Lindsey Conley
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Survivor Stories is a Podcast about the experiences we often struggle to put into words. Through honest conversations with trauma survivors and the people who love them, we explore the impact of trauma, relationships, healing, and the journey toward understanding ourselves. These are real stories from real people - stories of pain, survival, connection, disconnection, and hope. No judgement. No prentending to have all the answers. Just people sharing what they've lived through, what they're learning, and what they wish others understood. Because sometimes, knowing you're not alone is the first step toward healing.2026 Igiene e vita sana Psicologia Psicologia e salute mentale Relazioni Scienze sociali Successo personale Sviluppo personale
Episodi
  • Survivor Stories – Episode 3: Trash Talk and True Love

    Survivor Stories – Episode 3: Trash Talk and True Love
    Sep 20 2026
    Survivor Stories Episode Show Notes In this episode of Survivor Stories, Jared and Mike sit down with Amber and Luke for a deeply personal conversation about trauma, survival, mental health, relationships, and the long road toward healing. Amber shares her experiences with childhood trauma, growing up around addiction, military sexual trauma, postpartum depression, unhealthy relationships, and the ways she learned to cope with pain. She also talks openly about motherhood, shame, abandonment, people-pleasing, and learning to forgive herself. Luke opens up about his own struggles with relationships, divorce, alcohol, depression, and the challenges of asking for help. He shares what happened during one of the darkest periods of his life while deployed in Qatar and how a friend’s intervention became a turning point. Throughout the conversation, Amber and Luke talk about the ways trauma can affect relationships, parenting, self-worth, anger, addiction, and the ability to recognize when someone is struggling. They also discuss the importance of connection, vulnerability, support, and giving ourselves permission to heal. This isn't a conversation about having all the answers. It's about being honest about the places we've been, the things we've survived, and what it can look like to keep moving forward. ⚠️ Trigger Warning This episode of Survivor Stories contains discussions of trauma, sexual assault and military sexual trauma, childhood trauma, substance and alcohol abuse, abusive relationships, depression, postpartum depression, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, and suicide involving a firearm. Some of these experiences are discussed in significant detail. Please take care of yourself while listening. If any of these topics may be difficult or triggering for you, consider listening when you feel safe and supported, or skipping this episode altogether. Listener discretion is advised. In This Episode Childhood trauma and growing up around addiction Military sexual trauma and its lasting impact Postpartum depression and motherhood Trauma and unhealthy coping mechanisms Addiction and substance use Abusive and controlling relationships People-pleasing and fear of abandonment Shame, self-worth, and self-forgiveness Divorce, infidelity, and rebuilding your life Depression and isolation Mental health struggles within military culture Asking for help when you're struggling Suicidal thoughts and crisis intervention The importance of friendship and connection Healing from trauma and learning to move forward A Conversation About Survival Sometimes surviving isn't about being strong enough to handle everything alone. Sometimes survival looks like admitting you aren't okay, allowing someone to help, and taking the next step—even when you don't know what that step looks like. Thank you for listening to Survivor Stories.
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    2 ore e 20 min
  • Survivor Stories – Episode 2: The Riverbank

    Survivor Stories – Episode 2: The Riverbank
    Sep 16 2026
    ## Survivor Stories — Episode 2 ### One Chain, One Memory, One Story In Episode 2 of *Survivor Stories*, Jarod introduces his co-host and longtime friend, Mike. Jarod and Mike have known each other since 2010, when they served together in the National Guard during Operation Unified Response, assisting with earthquake relief in Haiti. Over the years, their friendship continued through military service, family, marriages, divorces, business, and everything life has thrown at them along the way. Now, they're taking on something new together: having the conversations that too often go unspoken. Mike opens up about why he wanted to be part of *Survivor Stories* and what his own journey with trauma has looked like. He talks about the role humor has played in his life, the importance of continuing to function when things go wrong, and what can happen when we spend years pushing difficult experiences aside. Mike describes his trauma as a **box**—buried beneath years of mud, surrounded by chains, with a warrior still standing guard inside. That warrior learned how to survive. He showed up when people needed him. He handled the job when there wasn't time to feel. But years later, he's still standing watch because no one ever came to relieve him. Mike isn't promising to rip open the box all at once. He's going to dig slowly. **One chain. One memory. One story at a time.** This episode is about recognizing that survival mechanisms can help us through the moments when we need them most, while also recognizing that what helped us survive yesterday may not be what we need today. *Survivor Stories* isn't about having all the answers. It's about being willing to ask the questions, have the difficult conversations, and remind people that they don't have to carry everything alone. ### In This Episode * Jarod introduces Mike and shares the history behind their friendship. * Mike explains why he wanted to become part of *Survivor Stories*. * The role humor can play in dealing with difficult experiences. * Why learning to function through adversity doesn't necessarily mean the underlying experiences have been resolved. * Mike's metaphor of the buried box and the warrior standing guard. * The process of slowly confronting memories rather than forcing everything open at once. * Why survivors don't have to have all the answers before they start talking. * The importance of breaking the silence surrounding mental health. * An invitation for other survivors to share their own stories. ### Share Your Story Have a story you've been carrying alone? *Survivor Stories* is creating a space for people to share their experiences without shame or judgment. You don't have to have everything figured out, and you don't necessarily have to share your story publicly. Visit **internalchainofcommand.com** to learn more about *Survivor Stories*, listen to episodes, read the blogs connected to these conversations, and submit your story. Anonymous submissions and stories that aren't publicly featured are welcome. **Break the silence. Change the stigma.** Because you are **more than what happened to you.**
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    14 min
  • Survivor Stories – Episode 1: The Story behind the Stories

    Survivor Stories – Episode 1: The Story behind the Stories
    Sep 13 2026
    # Survivor Stories — Episode 1 ## The Story Behind the Stories What happens when the person telling the story is still living it? In the first episode of **Survivor Stories**, Jarod introduces himself, shares the experiences that brought him to this point, and explains why he created this podcast. Jarod talks about military service, trauma, relationships, accountability, healing, and the realization that being strong and being okay aren't always the same thing. He also explains how discovering Internal Family Systems (IFS) changed the way he looked at his own trauma—and helped him move from asking **“What's wrong with me?”** to **“What happened to me, and what is this part of me trying to protect?”** But this episode isn't just about Jarod. It's about why these conversations matter. **Survivor Stories** was created to give survivors, spouses, families, and the people closest to those on a healing journey a place to be heard. Because you don't have to be at your breaking point to ask for help. You don't have to be “healed” to tell your story. And you don't have to suffer in silence. ### In This Episode * Jarod's military and personal journey * What led him to begin confronting his own trauma * His introduction to Internal Family Systems (IFS) * Why accountability and understanding can exist together * The stigma surrounding mental health * Why asking for help isn't weakness * What Survivor Stories is—and what it isn't * What listeners can expect from future episodes **Survivor Stories** isn't about having all the answers. It's about having the courage to talk about the questions. ### Tell Your Story If you have a story to share, visit **internalchainofcommand.com** and fill out the Survivor Stories submission form. You don't have to appear on the podcast. If you'd rather remain anonymous or share your experience through writing, there are options for that too. **Breaking the silence. Changing the stigma.** Visit **internalchainofcommand.com** to read the blog, follow the journey, and learn more about Survivor Stories.
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    14 min
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