Hidden Chapters: Real Stories that Bring Light to the Hidden Parts of Life

Genevieve Kruger- Host of Hidden Chapters Podcast
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Behind every put-together exterior is a chapter most people never see.If you’ve ever felt alone in your own story, especially in the middle of it, this is a place where those unseen chapters are spoken out loud. Not the version that made it onto a stage. Not the polished takeaway or the neatly packaged lesson. Hidden Chapters is a storytelling podcast that goes back further. To the grief that didn’t come with a lesson yet. The identity crisis in the middle of the night. The fear, the silence, the in-between, the raw and unresolved moments most people don’t talk about. Hosted by Genevieve Kruger, each episode invites guests to share the parts of their story that are often left out. Not because the ending doesn’t matter, but because most of us are still living in the middle, and that part deserves its own space. This is a show about the messy, complicated, tender, and deeply human parts of life that rarely get airtime because they don’t fit neatly into the stories we present to the world. Hidden Chapters exists to honor the stories we don't always see, so you don't feel alone in yours. 

  1. 22H AGO

    Part 1: She Was Told to Give Up Her Baby and Never Speak of It Again

    Send me a message via text or voicemail! 🎙️  Episode Summary PART 1:  Laura Engel was seventeen when she got pregnant, unmarried, in Mississippi in 1967.  Her family sent her to an unwed mothers' home in New Orleans for five months.  She signed papers she didn't want to sign. She then came back home to her parents house and was expected to just keep going on with her life.    She did that...for fifty years. 🎧  In Part 1 of our conversation,  Laura shares what her experience of being pregnant, the months living at the home, and what the next fifty years looked like carrying a child she never forgot.  We end on a cliffhanger: the son she had to give away, Jamie, now named Richard, finally found her!   📖 Laura's Hidden Chapter Moment:  The pregnancy, the unwed mother home, and giving up her baby, are all parts people can only imagine.  The hidden chapter is what came after.  Laura walked back into her life and nobody every spoke of it again. Not because she'd healed, but because that was how it was supposed to be.  🔗 Resources & Links Include these in your episode show notes so listeners who connect with Laura’s story can find support and community: Laura’s Links • Website: lauralengel.com (includes a Starter Guide for finding a lost loved one) • Book: You’ll Forget This Ever Happened available on Amazon and through She Writes Press • First podcast appearance: Dani Shapiro’s Family Secrets — available on Laura’s website Adoption & Birth Parent Resources • CUB (Concerned United Birthparents): cubirthparents.org — support for birth parents • Adoption Knowledge Affiliates: adoptionknowledge.org — education and advocacy across the adoption triad • ISRR (International Soundex Reunion Registry): isrr.org — mutual consent reunion registry • DNA Detectives (Facebook group) — volunteer search angels to help adoptees and birth parents connect • Adoptee Rights Law Center: adopteerightslaw.com — advocacy for open original birth certificates For Adoptees Seeking Records • Many states are gradually opening access — check your state’s current law at adopteerightslaw.com/map • Ancestry.com and 23andMe DNA testing remain powerful tools for connection Grief & Suicide Loss Resources • Alliance of Hope for Suicide Loss Survivors: allianceofhope.org • American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: afsp.org  |  Crisis line: 988   Podmatch.com Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Visit my website: https://hiddenchapterspodcast.com/  and stay connected!  _______________________________ 🎙️  Want to be a guest on Hidden Chapters: Real Stories that Bring Light to the Hidden Parts of Life? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/genevievekruger ______________________________ Background Music: "In Time" by Folk_acoustic from Pixabay

    44 min

  2. MAY 1

    Surviving a Brain Hemorrhage and Starting Over Twice: Dan MacQueen on Recovery, Discipline, and Resilience

    Send me a message via text or voicemail! 🎙️ Episode Summary:   At 28, Dan MacQueen was living his best life in London- working in tech, traveling in Europe on weekends, active and untethered.  Then a string of worsening headaches led to an optometrist appointment that uncovered a dangerous buildup of pressure in his brain caused by a non-cancerous cyst.  What followed was emergency brain surgery, a massive brain hemorrhage on the operating table, and four weeks in a medically induced coma.  When Dan woke up, he couldn't walk, couldn't talk, and had lost significant weight and muscle.  He spent months relearning the basics, speech, movement, balance, before slowly rebuilding his life.  Then in 2015, just as he was finding his footing again, a second brain surgery set him all the way back to the beginning.   In this conversation, Dan talks about what recovery actually looked like from the inside. The nights in the ICU when the silence gave way to fear. The small victories that kept him moving forward.  The discipline he built when motivation wasn't enough. And the mindset shifts that turned some of his hardest moments into his greatest lessons. Today,  Dan is a speaker who brings those lessons to teams and organizations around the world and he's still navigating the effects of his brain injury a decade later.   📖 Dan's Hidden Chapter  Dan's hidden chapter wasn't a single turning point.  It was a decision he made over and over again when no one was watching: the decision not to let go.  Not in the ICU. Not in the rehab center at three in the morning.  Not after the second setback brought him all the way back to the beginning. Each time, he made the same quiet choice to keep going. To take the next step even when the road ahead wasn't clear.  What makes that remarkable isn't that Dan is extraordinary. It's that he'd be the first to tell you he isn't. His brain scans came back average.  And he carries that like a badge of honor because if an average person can do this, the rest of us have fewer excuses than we we think.   💛  Why this episode matters and who needs to hear it This episode is for anyone in the middle of something hard who isn't sure they have what it takes to get through it. It's for the person who has already overcome one thing and just got hit again. It's for anyone who relies too heavily on motivation and keeps waiting to feel ready. And it's for the person who needs permission to stop controlling the things they can't control and start moving on the things they can. You don't need a brain hemorrhage to need this conversation,  but if Dan got through his, you might just be able to get through yours. Resources and Mentions The Boy, the Fox, the Horse and the Mole — Charlie MungerEpictetus — Stoic philosopher, "It's not what happens to you but how you think about it that matters"Iron Mike Tyson — "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth"Rich Roll — "Follows action"Tim Ferriss — "Win the morning, win the day"Whoop Strap — strain and recovery tracker Dan uses dailyConnect with Dan MacQueen 🌐 www.m Support the show Visit my website: https://hiddenchapterspodcast.com/  and stay connected!  _______________________________ 🎙️  Want to be a guest on Hidden Chapters: Real Stories that Bring Light to the Hidden Parts of Life? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/genevievekruger ______________________________ Background Music: "In Time" by Folk_acoustic from Pixabay

    56 min

  3. APR 24

    What Real Inclusion Looks Like: Disablity, Ableism, and Advocacy with Jenna Udenberg

    Send me a message via text or voicemail! 🎙️  Episode Summary What does real inclusion actually look beyond good intentions and surface level awareness?  In this episode, I get to sit down with educator, author, and accessibility advocate Jenna Udenberg, founder of Above and Beyond with U, for an honest conversation about disability, ableism, and what true advocacy requires. Jenna shares her experience living with juvenile idiopathic arthritis and unpacks the realities that often go unseen, including the pressure to be labeled “inspiring,” the complexity within disability culture, and the emotional weight of navigating a world that wasn’t built with accessibility in mind. We talk about the difference between performative inclusion and real, lived inclusion, and the deeper internal work it takes to recognize and dismantle ableism in our everyday lives. This conversation invites you to rethink accessibility, challenge your assumptions, and consider what it really means to see people fully.  📖 Jenna’s Hidden Chapter Jenna’s hidden chapter is the part of her story before she had the language to understand her own identity. It’s the years of navigating a world that didn’t fully see or reflect her experience. Before discovering disability culture. Before realizing she didn’t have to earn belonging by being palatable, agreeable, or “inspiring.” That chapter led her to a pivotal moment of self-recognition, where she could finally look at herself and see her whole identity clearly. That truth now shapes the work she does and the way she shows up in advocacy. 🎧  Who This Episode Is For It’s for educators, parents, advocates, and leaders who want to move beyond performative inclusion and step into something more honest and impactful. It’s for those living with chronic illness or disability who are still navigating what it means to fully embrace their identity. And it’s for anyone willing to sit with discomfort, reflect honestly, and do the deeper work of understanding themselves and others. You don’t have to have a disability to be part of this conversation. Resources Mentioned Jenna's Memoir: Within My Spokes — available on AmazonAbove and Beyond with U (Nonprofit): aboveandbeyondwithu.orgDisability Culture Resources: disabilityculture.orgConnect with Jenna 🌐 aboveandbeyondwithu.org  Support the show Visit my website: https://hiddenchapterspodcast.com/  and stay connected!  _______________________________ 🎙️  Want to be a guest on Hidden Chapters: Real Stories that Bring Light to the Hidden Parts of Life? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/genevievekruger ______________________________ Background Music: "In Time" by Folk_acoustic from Pixabay

    54 min

  4. APR 17

    What Nobody Tells You About Divorce: Grief, Identity Loss, and Coming Through With Dignity

    Send me a message via text or voicemail! 🎙️  Episode Summary Divorce doesn't just end a marriage, it unravels an identity. In this episode, I sits down with Brenda Bridges, Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, coach, and author of Sh!t, I'm Getting Divorced, for a conversation that goes well beneath the legal paperwork and into the emotional terrain most people aren't prepared for. Brenda shares her own hidden chapter, the slow unraveling of a long-term marriage, the identity loss that came with it, and how navigating that season without the right support eventually became her calling. She talks honestly about the social dynamics of divorce, the grief that often goes unacknowledged, the ways faith communities sometimes fall short, and why having non-judgmental support isn't a luxury, it's a lifeline. This is a conversation about what divorce actually feels like from the inside, and what it looks like to come through it with dignity and grace. 📖 Brenda's Hidden Chapter Moment Brenda’s hidden chapter lived in the space between what looked fine and what felt off. It was a slow internal shift that did not announce itself loudly, but quietly changed how she saw her life, her marriage, and even herself. She kept moving through it while trying to make sense of feelings she could not yet name, carrying the weight of something private while still showing up in a life that looked unchanged from the outside. What she could not see then is that this season would eventually reshape her entirely. It would become the foundation for how she understands people now, especially those standing in the middle of something they cannot yet explain. 🎙️ This Episode Is For: This one is for the person quietly questioning what is happening in their marriage, or already standing in the reality of its ending and not sure how to move forward from here. It’s for anyone carrying a grief they cannot easily explain to the people around them, and for the friends who want to show up well but don’t always know what to say. It’s also for the ones who have already made it through a hard ending and are now sitting in the unfamiliar space of rebuilding who they are. Resources Mentioned Brenda's Website: brendasupport.comBrenda's Book: Sh!t, I'm Getting Divorced — available on AmazonSupport the show Visit my website: https://hiddenchapterspodcast.com/  and stay connected!  _______________________________ 🎙️  Want to be a guest on Hidden Chapters: Real Stories that Bring Light to the Hidden Parts of Life? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/genevievekruger ______________________________ Background Music: "In Time" by Folk_acoustic from Pixabay

    52 min

  5. APR 10

    Recovering from a Stroke and Redefining Success in Life

    Send me a message via text or voicemail! 🎙️  Episode 9 Summary What happens when the life you built around being busy suddenly stops? For Chip Scholz, that answer came in the form of a stroke. One morning in Jacksonville, Florida, a man who had spent over a decade coaching leaders, logging 200 nights a year in hotels, and billing into the seven figures, woke up and couldn't find his words. In this episode Chip shares what it took to rebuild,  physically, mentally, and professionally and what he discovered about himself on the other side of a life that had been running at full speed for far too long. 🎧  What we Talk about in this Episode:  What life looked like running a seven figure business on five hours of sleep a nightThe morning of the stroke and why he kept going longer than he should haveThe physical recovery, relearning to walk, read, and think clearlyHow his coaching framework became something he finally had to live instead of just teachHow woodturning became an unexpected part of rebuilding his purpose📖 Chip's Hidden Chapter Moment Chip spent years teaching leaders how to lead themselves. The stroke forced him to actually do it. He said it plainly, "you can't lead others until you can lead yourself. And by the way, I didn't either." The framework he had been teaching for years didn't become real to him until everything stopped.  🔗  Resources Chip's website and coaching: https://scholzandassociates.com/ Chip's reading list:  https://scholzandassociates.com/whats-chip-reading/ New book: Every Dog Has Its Day: Reflections on Life, Love, and the Lathe  https://scholzandassociates.com/chips-books/ Support the show Visit my website: https://hiddenchapterspodcast.com/  and stay connected!  _______________________________ 🎙️  Want to be a guest on Hidden Chapters: Real Stories that Bring Light to the Hidden Parts of Life? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/genevievekruger ______________________________ Background Music: "In Time" by Folk_acoustic from Pixabay

    37 min

  6. APR 3

    Living With Anxiety and Depression Since Age 12 | Noah May’s Mental Health Journey

    Send me a message via text or voicemail! 🎙️  Episode Summary  Noah May has been navigating anxiety and depression since age 12. In this episode, he opens up about his mental health journey, the coping strategies that have helped him, and how podcasting became a meaningful outlet for connection, expression, and growth. From his early struggles to finding community and purpose, Noah shares what it’s really like to live with these challenges while pursuing his passions. 🎧  What We Talk About in This Episode:  Noah’s personal experience with anxiety and depression from a young ageHow medication and supportive relationships helped him manage mental healthHow he discovered podcasting as a way to process, connect, and share with othersAdvice for teens, parents, and anyone supporting someone with anxiety or depression📖  Noah's Hidden Chapter Moment  Noah shares a deeply personal insight about living with anxiety and depression and how podcasting became a form of therapy and purpose for him. His “hidden chapter” is not a cure but a journey of managing, coping, and thriving despite ongoing mental health challenges. He encourages openness, finding a supportive community, and being vocal about your struggles instead of suffering in silence. 🔗  Resources & Mentions Noah’s Podcasts: https://noahspodcasts.com/ 🎙️ Lethal Venom — Noah's flagship podcast, now over 100 episodes. Focuses on truth-telling, mental health, serious real-life topics, and honest conversations. The name comes from the idea that truth, like venom, can be lethal — it can sting when we hear it, but it's necessary. 📚 Southern Reads — A book-focused podcast that originated as a class pitch during Noah's journalism program at Auburn University. 🎵 Music Talks — Based on a college paper Noah wrote exploring how music speaks to people in different ways. Music Mentioned: Sweetener album by Ariana Grande – a meaningful album in Noah’s mental health journeySupport & Mental Health Resources: National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)Crisis Text LineSupport the show Visit my website: https://hiddenchapterspodcast.com/  and stay connected!  _______________________________ 🎙️  Want to be a guest on Hidden Chapters: Real Stories that Bring Light to the Hidden Parts of Life? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/genevievekruger ______________________________ Background Music: "In Time" by Folk_acoustic from Pixabay

    42 min

  7. MAR 27

    Grit, Gratitude, and Life Without Sight: Laura Bratton’s Hidden Chapters

    Send me a message via text or voicemail! 🎙️ Episode Summary:  In this inspiring episode, Laura Bratton shares her journey of losing her sight at a young age and how she navigated anxiety, grief, and depression while learning to embrace life on new terms.  From her earliest memories of uncertainty to the lessons she’s still learning today, Laura opens up about the slow, ongoing process of emotional healing and how faith, family, and friendships shaped her resilience. This is a conversation about acknowledging grief, finding purpose, and living fully, even in ways the world might not see. 🎧  What We Talked About In This Episode The emotional and mental impact of vision loss during adolescenceCoping with grief, anxiety, and depression over timeThe role of supportive family, friends, and mentors in her journeyRelearning everyday life and adjusting physically and emotionallyHow faith transformed from a cultural practice to a personal connectionThe principle of “grit and gratitude” and living fully despite limitations📖  Laura's Hidden Chapter Moment Laura shares a powerful lesson from a mentor: grief is not a box to check. She learned it’s possible to continue grieving what’s lost while also moving forward and embracing life. This mindset allows her to experience life fully, whether cheering at her stepdaughter’s soccer game or celebrating her niece’s milestones, without being consumed by what she can’t see. 🔗 Resources & Mentions Laura Bratton’s Book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0h6akn3UWebsite & Speaking Info: Laura Bratton🔗 🎙️🎧 Laura and I connected with Podmatch.com https://www.joinpodmatch.com/genevievekrugerSupport the show Visit my website: https://hiddenchapterspodcast.com/  and stay connected!  _______________________________ 🎙️  Want to be a guest on Hidden Chapters: Real Stories that Bring Light to the Hidden Parts of Life? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/genevievekruger ______________________________ Background Music: "In Time" by Folk_acoustic from Pixabay

    45 min

  8. MAR 20

    Trusting God Through Grief and Unpaid Work: A Story of Family, Faith, and Podcasting

    Send me a message via text or voicemail! 🎙️  Episode Summary In this deeply moving episode, Mick shares his journey of navigating unimaginable grief after the loss of his son, the raw and authentic prayers that sustained him, and how his faith in God has transformed over 14 years. Mick also opens up about building his podcast from the ground up without financial compensation, trusting God every step of the way. From heartbreak to hope, and from uncertainty to purpose, this episode is a testament to how faith, family, and persistence can turn pain into blessing 🎧 What we talk about in this episode: Learning to pray authentically and be fully raw with GodMick’s faith journey: from early struggles to deep trust and spiritual growthExperiencing God’s provision, guidance, and blessings through life’s challengesStarting and growing a podcast without pay while trusting God for provisionLessons on faith, perseverance, and trusting God even when circumstances make no logical sense📖  Mick's Hidden Chapter Moment  Mick's hidden chapter is the long stretch between January 4, 2012 and March 2025 :the years most people never saw. The grief of losing his son. A miscarriage. The quiet rebuilding of a faith that started on his knees in a hospital hallway. It's the savings account meant for a mortgage that became a year of provision, and the job offer that fell through in a way that could only be described as God. The three words, sit, wait, and trust that asked him to trust completely before he had any reason on paper to do so. The hidden chapter is where God was building something Mick couldn't see yet. And everything visible now grew from what happened in that invisible season. 🔗  Resources & Mentions:  "The Awe of God" by John BevereEphesians 2:10, Luke 6:46, Matthew 6:26"When You Look Podcast", Episode 33 - Mick's full testimony🔗 🎙️🎧 Mick and I connected with Podmatch.com https://www.joinpodmatch.com/genevievekruger📩 Connect with Mick: Mick is the host of the When You Look podcast. Website: whenyoulook.com Podmatch.com Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Visit my website: https://hiddenchapterspodcast.com/  and stay connected!  _______________________________ 🎙️  Want to be a guest on Hidden Chapters: Real Stories that Bring Light to the Hidden Parts of Life? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/genevievekruger ______________________________ Background Music: "In Time" by Folk_acoustic from Pixabay

    1h 14m
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About

Behind every put-together exterior is a chapter most people never see.If you’ve ever felt alone in your own story, especially in the middle of it, this is a place where those unseen chapters are spoken out loud. Not the version that made it onto a stage. Not the polished takeaway or the neatly packaged lesson. Hidden Chapters is a storytelling podcast that goes back further. To the grief that didn’t come with a lesson yet. The identity crisis in the middle of the night. The fear, the silence, the in-between, the raw and unresolved moments most people don’t talk about. Hosted by Genevieve Kruger, each episode invites guests to share the parts of their story that are often left out. Not because the ending doesn’t matter, but because most of us are still living in the middle, and that part deserves its own space. This is a show about the messy, complicated, tender, and deeply human parts of life that rarely get airtime because they don’t fit neatly into the stories we present to the world. Hidden Chapters exists to honor the stories we don't always see, so you don't feel alone in yours. 

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