Survivor's Guide to True Crime

Latest Episodes:

S1 Ep25: Chapter 22 | Podcast Movement with Anna Van Valin and Christine O'Donnell Aug 16, 2023

Show notes

This year, during the world’s largest podcasting conference, a group of survivors and independent producers will be taking the stage with a panel titled, “True Crime Podcasts That Help Not Hurt: How to Produce True Crime Ethically.” Their goal is to start a conversation about changing the way we approach, produce, and commodify these dramatic stories.
Ahead of their live Podcast Movement panel, Anna Van Valin and Christine O'Donnell join Kim and Kara on SGTC for a discussion about the state of the true crime genre and what the future holds.
Just because telling ethical true crime isn’t easy, doesn’t mean it can’t be done. That’s why Chamberlain, Corban, Van Valin and O’Donnell teamed up to present a panel on this very topic.
CTA: Catch their live conversation: “True Crime Podcasts That Help Not Hurt: How to Produce True Crime Ethically” on Tuesday, August 22nd from 2:30-3pm on the Society, Culture and Advocacy Stage at the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center.
Anna Van Valin is a podcast creator, producer and host; she is a trusted content development consultant and coaches indie/DIY podcasters to help them be heard. She is the executive producer of the upcoming true crime podcast from Bright Sighted Podcasting: https://www.annavanvalin.com/
Christine O'Donnell is a former FOXLA news reporter, Signal Award-winning podcast publisher, and advocate for ethical true crime. She is the creator and host of an upcoming true crime podcast based on her own reporting on an underaged human trafficking ring. www.brightsighted.com
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The theme music used in Survivor’s Guide to True Crime is Uplifting Motivational Stomp by MarcusWay

S1 Ep24: BONUS | Kim's Parole Hearing Update Aug 09, 2023

Show notes

Kim talks with Kara in real-time to process and dissect her experience with her attacker's recent parole hearing. Kim also plays the recordings of her and Michael's testimonies to the parole board for the first time as Kara reacts.
"I am the best-case scenario, and it's still this hard for me. And that needs to change."
Join Kim and Kara's "Captive Audience" by visiting https://www.patreon.com/SGTC.
Like what we're doing here? Be sure to subscribe, rate, review. The more people this show can reach, the more it can help.
https://www.survivorsguidetotruecrime.com/
Submit your questions using our handy dandy form or by emailing hello@survivorsguidetotruecrime.com for future Q&A episodes.
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The theme music used in Survivor’s Guide to True Crime is Uplifting Motivational Stomp by MarcusWay

S1 Ep23: Chapter 21 | Shadowed with Julie Whitehead Aug 03, 2023

Show notes

This episode discusses suicide and suicidal ideation. Some listeners may find this disturbing. If you or someone you know is contemplating self-harm, please, contact your physician, go to your local ER, or call the suicide prevention hotline in your country. For the United States, the numbers are as follows:
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255), or message the Crisis Text Line at 741741. Both programs provide free, confidential support 24/7.
This week, Kara owns her right to have, voice, and unapologetically stand by her opinions while Kim talks about running away to a cabin in the mountains for five days.
Julie Whitehead joins the show to discuss domestic trafficking and surviving a lifetime of gender-based violence.
Julie Whitehead is a survivor of 31 years of abuse, including child sexual abuse, domestic violence, and sex trafficking. Raised in Bountiful, Utah, Julie’s cycle of abuse began at the age of four, continuing through her early teens and into her first marriage.
Despite years of trauma, Julie is recovering and finds hope in the future with her husband and six children. Today, she’s an advocate for survivors of abuse and sex trafficking and inspires others with her remarkable courage. She’s also an active speaker who focuses on bringing victims out of the shadows.
Julie serves on an advisory board for the Malouf Foundation™ and consults on a variety of initiatives including OnWatch™, a free digital training that raises community awareness of sex trafficking in the United States.
Julie recently published her memoir and first book, “Shadowed: How I Became the Sex-Trafficked Mother Next Door.”
Follow Julie via the Malouf Foundation:
Malouffoundation.org
Instagram: @Malouffoundation
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Join Kim and Kara's "Captive Audience" by visiting https://www.patreon.com/SGTC.
Like what we're doing here? Be sure to subscribe, rate, review. The more people this show can reach, the more it can help.
https://www.survivorsguidetotruecrime.com/
Submit your questions using our handy dandy form or by emailing hello@survivorsguidetotruecrime.com for future Q&A episodes.
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The theme music used in Survivor’s Guide to True Crime is Uplifting Motivational Stomp by MarcusWay

S1 Ep22: Chapter 20 | Community As Justice with Lauren Weingarten Jul 19, 2023

Show notes

Is it cake or is it trauma? Starting out our return from the almost-dead with some talk about Kim's obsessive personality, Taylor Swift, Kara's grumpy cat tendencies, and those magical, healing moments you experience in life.
Our guest this week is Lauren Weingarten, the founder of MTMV (Me Too Many Voices Community). Lauren joins Kara and Kim to talk about her experience making community in the aftermath of her assault and in the absence of justice and the complications of sharing your story as a survivor.
TW: SA, Suicide
Lauren is a credentialed Victim Advocate (NACP) and Certified Trauma Support Specialist. She is the voice and founder of the MTMV Community Support Network, one of the first online-based support communities established for survivors & supporters of survivors. Before MTMV, Weingarten had a successful, decades-long career working behind the scenes in TV/Film production. She has since found purpose in understanding trauma and leading conversations surrounding abuse and sexual violence to build and foster a community amongst survivors and their supporters. With years of advocacy training and trauma education, Weingarten has focused on developing survivor-led peer support groups, workshops, and virtual community events, bridging local and global communities alike. She also works as a consultant helping research teams and professional organizations strengthen their survivor-informed care.
Learn more from Lauren:
Instagram: @MTMVCommunity
Twitter: @MTMVCommunity
Email: metoomanyvoices@gmail.com
Lauren's CTA: To Survivors: Grant yourself some grace, safety, and joy.
To everyone: Read, listen, consume advocacy education--the survivors in your life are not Google.
Links:
Eddie Murphy's SNL Skit Holiday Baking Championship - SNL
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Join Kim and Kara's "Captive Audience" by visiting https://www.patreon.com/SGTC.
Like what we're doing here? Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review. The more people this show can reach, the more it can help.
https://www.survivorsguidetotruecrime.com/
Submit your questions using our handy dandy form or by emailing hello@survivorsguidetotruecrime.com for future Q&A episodes.
Don't forget to follow us on social media:
Instagram @SurvivorsGuideToTrueCrime
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The theme music used in Survivor’s Guide to True Crime is Uplifting Motivational Stomp by MarcusWay

S1 Ep21: Chapter 19 | Trauma-Informed Mental Health with Summer Forlenza Jul 05, 2023

Show notes

Summer Forlenza LMFT joins Kim & Kara as an expert guest. Talking about trauma-informed mental health, Summer sheds light on popular therapeutic approaches used for survivors and their support persons.
Summer Forlenza helps people to heal from trauma and to support the survivors in their lives so that we can build a world with more compassion, connection, and joy. She does this through her work as a therapist, educator, and facilitator.
Summer graduated with her Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University in 2018. Since then, she has worked with teens in school-based counseling, with the general population in community mental health, and with eating disorder patients at residential, intensive outpatient, and partial hospitalization levels of care.
Summer now runs a virtual private practice providing online EMDR therapy to California residents. In her practice, she specializes in treating the impacts of trauma, including eating disorders, depression, anxiety, and the cycle of abuse.
Educators are near and dear to Summer's heart. In her life before therapy, she taught 5th grade in East Harlem for a year, then worked as a substitute teacher for the two years she was in graduate school. Summer's husband is a 4th-grade teacher, both of her parents are teachers, and her grandmother was a school principal.
Summer loves pop punk music, her dog Ronin, taking up new hobbies, and building Ikea furniture. On weekends you can find her writing, taking long walks, listening to podcasts, or trying new recipes.
Learn more from Summer:
https://www.SummerForlenza.com
Instagram: @SummerForlenza
TikTok: @SummerForlenza
Summer's CTA: Explore available courses through Summer's website on healthy relationships, self-soothing, and supporting survivors.
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Join Kim and Kara's "Captive Audience" by visiting https://www.patreon.com/SGTC.
Like what we're doing here? Be sure to subscribe, rate, review. The more people this show can reach, the more it can help.
https://www.survivorsguidetotruecrime.com/
Submit your questions using our handy dandy form or by emailing hello@survivorsguidetotruecrime.com for future Q&A episodes.
Don't forget to follow us on social media:
Instagram @SurvivorsGuideToTrueCrime
TikTok @SGTCpod
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The theme music used in Survivor’s Guide to True Crime is Uplifting Motivational Stomp by MarcusWay

S1 Ep20: BONUS | Summertime Cadence and Support for Stalking Survivors Jun 29, 2023

Show notes

We are changing up our cadence over the summer--new episodes will drop every other week!
Mike's TEDxMileHigh Digital Rewatch premieres Wednesday, June 28th at about 8pm MST (10PM EST). Sign up for free through the Event Bright link and watch on Youtube: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tedxmilehigh-transcend-virtual-premiere-registration-658571333587?keep_tld=1
Please take time to check in on your friends and family who are victims of stalking. Yesterday's ruling by the Supreme Court ignores the insidious nature of stalking and the harm this crime causes its victims and their communities. Allowing stalkers to argue their actions were not intended to be threatening and thus protected as free speech punishes victims. Threats, intimidation, and unwanted messages should NOT be protected under free speech.
To learn more about the crime of stalking and resources to support survivors, visit https://www.stalkingawareness.org/.
Friend of the show, Anna Nasset interviewed with The Guardian in response to the recent ruling. Read more here: https://www.theguardian.com/law/2023/jun/27/supreme-court-stalking-ruling-alarms-advocates-and-victims
CTA: Contact your representatives and tell ask them to protect victims of stalking and our communities. Find your representatives here:
https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member
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Join Kim and Kara's "Captive Audience" by visiting https://www.patreon.com/SGTC.
Like what we're doing here? Be sure to subscribe, rate, review. The more people this show can reach, the more it can help.
https://www.survivorsguidetotruecrime.com/
Submit your questions using our handy dandy form or by emailing hello@survivorsguidetotruecrime.com for future Q&A episodes.
Don't forget to follow us on social media:
Instagram @SurvivorsGuideToTrueCrime
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Twitter @SGTCpod
The theme music used in Survivor’s Guide to True Crime is Uplifting Motivational Stomp by MarcusWay

S1 Ep19: Chapter 18 | Catch Up with Kim & Kara Jun 23, 2023

Show notes

This week Kim and Kara do a little catching up on random topics they haven't had the chance to discuss with each other until now. Hear about Enneagrams, home birth in an RV, a surprise baby in your sweatpants, ghost farts, Taylor Swift's symbolic $1, jailbreaking blackberries, Apple OS nerd alert via Kara, awareness grenade app (actually called Noonlight), gender predictions, and more!
Links Mentioned:
Free Enneagram Test (You don't have to pay for your results)
World Wide Developer's Conference
Safety App (Noonlight)
Avremi's Debut Book 'Not What I Expected'
CTA:
Kara says "Pet your dog". Kim says use #DenverTaylorsVersion on social media as well as donating your symbolic $1 to the non-profit of your choice. Learn more here: https://www.kimberlycorban.com/denver-taylors-version/
Like what we're doing here? Be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and show all the love. The more people this show can reach, the more it can help.
https://www.survivorsguidetotruecrime.com/
Don't forget to follow us on social media:
Instagram @SurvivorsGuideToTrueCrime
TikTok @SGTCpod
Facebook @Survivor’sGuideToTrueCrime
YouTube @Survivor’sGuideToTrueCrime
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The theme music used in Survivor’s Guide to True Crime is Uplifting Motivational Stomp by MarcusWay

S1 Ep18: Chapter 17 | See Us with Benzii Diaz Jun 07, 2023

Show notes

Get ready to feel some feelings this week. Although for Kara, the feelings are mostly nausea. Pregnancy is kicking her butt this time around so the vibes while Kim and Kara play catch up are rather relaxed. Updates on former guests Avremi Zippel and Michael Rourke are on tap as well as SGTC making a pretty cool ethical true crime top ten list.
Benzii Diaz joins Kim and Kara to talk about her experiences as a child and how they impacted her into adulthood. Still early in her recovery journey, Benzii's revelations throughout this raw interview offer a unique look at the oscillating feelings survivors go through on a daily basis.
Benzii Diaz is a survivor of domestic minor sex trafficking. Today, she is a thriving advocate, influencer, and businesswoman. Benzii has dedicated her endeavors to breaking the molds and stigmas of what a survivor is "supposed to be". She has testified at the Pennsylvania State Senate, coordinated drives for the youth and homeless, and has worked with celebrities. Her efforts over the past 6 years have been nationally recognized and she has been deemed one of the most influential women in the tri-state area all before the age of 30.
Learn more from Benzii:
Instagram: @BenziiDiaz
TikTok: @benziidiaz
Benzii's CTA: Check out Benzii's #SeeUs campaign and non-profit organization
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Join Kim and Kara's "Captive Audience" by visiting https://www.patreon.com/SGTC.
Like what we're doing here? Be sure to subscribe, rate, review. The more people this show can reach, the more it can help.
https://www.survivorsguidetotruecrime.com/
Submit your questions using our handy dandy form or by emailing hello@survivorsguidetotruecrime.com for future Q&A episodes.
Don't forget to follow us on social media:
Instagram @SurvivorsGuideToTrueCrime
TikTok @SGTCpod
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YouTube @Survivor’sGuideToTrueCrime
Twitter @SGTCpod
The theme music used in Survivor’s Guide to True Crime is Uplifting Motivational Stomp by MarcusWay

S1 Ep17: Chapter 16 | Becoming Your Own Superhero with Dr. Sheena C. Howard May 31, 2023

Show notes

Kim and Kara return from their mid-season break with some BIG news!
Dr. Sheena C. Howard joins the podcast detailing her love of comics, writing, and telling her story of how she became the superhero she needed.
Dr. Sheena C. Howard is the first Black woman to win an Eisner award at San Diego Comic-Con for her first book, Black Comics: Politics of Race and Representation (2014). The Eisner is considered the ‘Oscars of Comics.’ Howard has published comic books for both Marvel (Illusion of Fairness, 2023) and DC (Fresh Air in Philly, 2021, and others) comics. She has written a graphic novel and stage play for DMC (from RUN-DMC), published with Bloomsbury (Black Comics: Politics of Race and Representation, 2014), Chicago Review Press (Encyclopedia of Black Comics, 2017), BenBellaPress (Why Wakanda Matters, 2021), and more. In addition, her work has received numerous book awards, including the American Library Association’s Outstanding Reference Sourcebook award and more. Her books have been featured in Good Morning America, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and more. She is also the subject of an Emmy-nominated episode of State of the Arts. Finally, Dr. Howard writes and ghostwrites for celebrities, CEOs, and social impact companies that seek to empower, inspire and motivate.
Learn more from Dr. Howard:
https://sheenachoward.com/
Instagram @drsheenahoward
Facebook @drsheenahoward
TikTok @drsheenahoward
YouTube
Dr. Howard's CTA: Watch her TEDx Talk and check out her books on Amazon
Join Kim and Kara's "Captive Audience" by visiting https://www.patreon.com/SGTC.
Like what we're doing here? Be sure to subscribe, rate, review. The more people this show can reach, the more it can help.
https://www.survivorsguidetotruecrime.com/
Submit your questions using our handy dandy form or by emailing hello@survivorsguidetotruecrime.com for future Q&A episodes.
Don't forget to follow us on social media:
Instagram
TikTok
Facebook
YouTube
Twitter
The theme music used in Survivor’s Guide to True Crime is Uplifting Motivational Stomp by MarcusWay

S1 Ep16: Chapter 15 | Now I Speak with Anna Nasset May 17, 2023

Show notes

Kara is back from Italy just in time for Kim to leave for Pebble Beach. Anna Nasset joins K&K for a discussion that could have lasted hours, but brings a crime to light so often shrouded in the dark. Stalking, also known as "slow-motion homicide" rarely allows its survivors to speak publicly, but thanks to Anna's gut instincts, diligent investigators, and a prosecution team willing to seek the maximum penalty, Anna has the ability to educate, speak, write, and live her life freely while her stalker is incarcerated. Hear about the trauma manifestations and ways she has overcome consistent obstacles in the face of this insidious crime.
Anna Nasset is best known as an international speaker on the subject of stalking. As a victim/survivor of stalking for the last decade, Anna has firsthand experience of how to identify and respond to stalking. She has trained thousands of professionals, students, and military members on the importance of recognizing stalking, getting help, and advocating for one's self and others.
She is one of the very few people who can speak openly about her experience after the man who stalked her received the maximum sentence for stalking, 10 years in prison, in 2019. This is one of the longest-known sentences for stalking in USA history.
Anna's CTA:
Learn more about how to document a stalker's activity and seek assistance by visiting SPARC. Pre-Order 'Now I Speak', Anna's debut book.
Learn more from Anna:
https://Standupresources.com
Instagram @anna.nasset
Facebook @annanasset
Join Kim and Kara's "Captive Audience" by visiting https://www.patreon.com/SGTC.
Like what we're doing here? Be sure to subscribe, rate, review. The more people this show can reach, the more it can help.
https://www.survivorsguidetotruecrime.com/
Submit your questions using our handy dandy form or by emailing hello@survivorsguidetotruecrime.com for future Q&A episodes.
Don't forget to follow us on social media:
Instagram
TikTok
Facebook
YouTube
Twitter
The theme music used in Survivor’s Guide to True Crime is Uplifting Motivational Stomp by MarcusWay

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