Aware And Prepared

Mandi Pratt

Hello! This is the Aware and Prepared podcast. I'm your host, Mandi Pratt, a trained domestic violence advocate. I teach women and vulnerable populations how to be street smart. I'm a mom with a gnarly backstory from almost two decades ago. The FBI showed up at my door one day to alert me that my abusive ex had become wanted for multiple bank robberies. Our story was in the news (a few times). I was tired of feeling vulnerable and learned how to keep myself and my son safer. I wish when I was a young woman I'd known about red flags to watch for in relationships, and had learned how to be street smart. This podcast is for 15-year-old me and is meant for families and community groups to listen to together. After all, women's safety is a community issue. I'll share with you stories like mine and interview detectives, psychologists and many other experts to NOT only hear their jaw-dropping stories, but also what we learn from them to prevent harm for our every youth and grown up listening. I don't want anyone else to have to go through what I did - scared, vulnerable and needing decades of counseling and healthcare to heal. I want you to feel safer with less fear and more power!You can find more from me at my website or my Instagram:WEB: https://womenawareandprepared.com/podcast/IG: https://www.instagram.com/womenawareandprepared/

  1. 6d ago

    Teaching Kids Boundaries: Prevention Skills That Start Early

    What if the best time to prevent abuse and assault isn't high school, but preschool? Lacey and Sydney from the Arkansas Coalition Against Sexual Assault join the show to talk about the Butterfly Effect Program, a curriculum built for kids as young as three that teaches boundaries, consent (using kid-friendly language like "permission"), emotional regulation, and how to identify a safe adult, not just a trusted one. This episode breaks down how early prevention education actually works in the classroom, why the word "no" isn't mean, and how parents and teachers can bring these same lessons home through an eight-book series designed for any family, anywhere. RESOURCES Butterfly Effect Program Website - The book series discussed in this episode, teaching prevention skills to children ages 3 to 8.Butterfly Effect Program YouTube Channel with songsFacebook: Arkansas Coalition Against Sexual Assault Connect with Mandi: Website: WomenAwareAndPrepared.comTake the Free Intuition Quiz WomenAwareAndPrepared.com/QuizInstagram: @WomenAwareAndPreparedLinkedIn: Mandi Pratt TIMESTAMPS [04:00] Why prevention education needs to start in preschool  [07:30] The eight lessons: empathy, boundaries, rejection, and permission  [11:00] The Hulk smash story: teaching kids that "no" isn't mean  [15:00] People-pleasing conditioning and how it connects to victimization  [18:00] Getting parents and teachers involved through take-home newsletters  [22:00] Safe adult vs. trusted adult  [25:00] Secrets versus surprises and the somatic connection  [28:00] The Butterfly Effect book series for homeschool families and beyond  [32:00] YouTube channel, the Boundary Bubble Song, and where to find their resources and social media The primary purpose of the Women Aware and Prepared Podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute advice or services. Please use common sense for your own situation. Send me a message

    Teaching Kids Boundaries: Prevention Skills That Start Early
  2. Aug 4

    How to Set Boundaries Without Guilt: A Guide for People Pleasers

    What happens when you say no and someone doesn't like it? Psychotherapist and "Queen of Boundaries" Dana Skaggs joins Mandi to break down why boundary setting feels so scary, especially for survivors and recovering people pleasers, and what to actually do about it. Dana shares the fear behind every boundary (rejection, abandonment), a simple yard analogy for knowing what's yours to control, and real scripts for dealing with coworkers, partners, teenagers, and boundary busters who won't take no for an answer. RESOURCES Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend - the book Dana calls the seminal text on boundaries, and one Mandi credits with helping her own healingDana's prior podcast conversation with Mandi - How To Trust Your Intuition After Trauma CONNECT with Dana Skaggs: Website: DanaSkaggs.comFree Boundaries Quiz: DanaSkaggs.com/quizTherapy (Tennessee only): DanaSkaggsTherapy.comLinkedIn: Dana SkaggsCONNECT with Mandi: Website: WomenAwareAndPrepared.comTake the Free Intuition Quiz: WomenAwareAndPrepared.com/QuizInstagram: @WomenAwareAndPreparedLinkedIn: Mandi Pratt TIMESTAMPS [00:00] Introduction and welcoming Dana Skaggs  [03:00] Dana's background and becoming the "Queen of Boundaries"  [06:00] The fear behind setting boundaries: rejection and abandonment  [10:00] The yard analogy: what's yours to control  [15:00] Real example: a college student setting a boundary with friends  [20:00] Being specific, consistent, and why we "train" people how to treat us  [25:00] Handling pushback: grudge holders and passive aggression  [30:00] Boundaries in relationships: the dishes example  [35:00] The boomerang concept: don't let resentment build  [40:00] Starting the conversation: the Columbo method  [45:00] Boundary busters and consequences  [50:00] Where to find Dana and closing thoughts The primary purpose of the Women Aware and Prepared Podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute advice or services. Please use common sense for your own situation. Send me a message

    How to Set Boundaries Without Guilt: A Guide for People Pleasers
  3. Jul 21

    Resilience Isn't a Personality Trait: It's a Skill You Can Build Through Nervous System Work

    What if resilience isn't something you're born with, but something you can actually build, one small habit at a time? In this episode, Mandi shares what she learned from trauma specialist Ruby Jo Walker, LCSW, at the Conference on Crimes Against Women, breaking down the neurobiology of trauma, the three nervous system "zones," and why willpower is NOT the real foundation of resilience. You'll learn simple, doable ways to track your nervous system state, counter your brain's negativity bias, and start recovering faster after being knocked off balance, all through the lens of trauma informed neurobiology and everyday mindfulness. RESOURCES WEBSITE: Southwest Trauma Training - Ruby Jo Walker's trauma training organizationINSTAGRAM & FACEBOOK: @swtraumatrainingBOOK: Applied Polyvagal Theory for Resilience and Post-Traumatic Growth by Ruby Jo WalkerDOWNLOAD: Calming the Nervous System - Free GuidePODCAST EPISODE: Helen (certified life coach) on bringing more joy into your life. Listen and see show notes HERE.PODCAST EPISODE: Catherine, therapist and somatic experiencing expert. Listen and see show notes HERE.Connect with Mandi: Website: WomenAwareAndPrepared.comTake the Free Intuition Quiz: WomenAwareAndPrepared.com/QuizInstagram: @WomenAwareAndPreparedLinkedIn: Mandi PrattTIMESTAMPS [01:30] Meet Ruby Jo Walker and Southwest Trauma Training [02:00] Defining resilience: two thirds is learned  [03:00] Regulation vs. resilience explained  [04:00] The three zones: green, yellow, red  [06:30] Trauma as a disorder of not being present  [08:00] What mindfulness actually means  [10:30] Secondary trauma and who it affects  [11:00] Building resilience through small, repeated change  [12:00] Tracking your state: green, yellow, or red  [13:30] What charges you vs. what depletes you  [15:00] Negativity bias and how to counter it  [17:00] Self-compassion as medicine  [18:30] Ruby Jo Walker's book and where to find her  [19:30] Wrap up and how to reach Mandi  The primary purpose of the Women Aware and Prepared Podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute advice or services. Please use common sense for your own situation. Send me a message

  4. Jul 14

    Why EMDR Works: What It Is and How It Helps Trauma Survivors Heal

    Why has EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) been one of the most effective tools in the shortest time for trauma survivors? In this episode, Mandi breaks down what she learned at the Conference on Crimes Against Women about EMDR. She unpacks how trauma gets "stuck" in the brain, why time alone doesn't heal it, and mentions how a groundbreaking Austin Police Department program is giving free EMDR therapy to crime victims.  If you've ever hesitated to seek trauma therapy because you thought you'd have to relive every painful detail, this episode will change your mind. RESOURCES EMDR Overview (Francine Shapiro's work) - The therapy approach discussed throughout the episode, developed to help the brain reprocess stuck trauma.Austin Police Department EMDR Project - A program training local therapists in EMDR to provide free sessions to crime victims, led by clinical consultant Claire Godfrey.Youth180 - Organization represented by Viviana Triana, chief programs officer, who co-presented on EMDR at the conference.Free Nervous System Calm Guide - awareandprepared.life/calm - A free one-page PDF with 10 ways Mandi calms her own nervous system.Connect with Mandi: Website: WomenAwareAndPrepared.comTake the Free Intuition Quiz WomenAwareAndPrepared.com/QuizInstagram: @WomenAwareAndPreparedLinkedIn: Mandi PrattTIMESTAMPS  [02:15] What EMDR actually is and Viviana's acrostic explanation  [03:30] Why EMDR works and how it differs from talk therapy  [05:00] How trauma gets stuck in the brain  [08:30] Explicit vs. implicit memory processing  [09:30] Why time doesn't heal all wounds  [11:00] The three types of trauma  [12:00] The Austin PD EMDR project with Claire Godfrey  [14:00] Program results: therapists trained, clients served  [15:00] Closing thoughts and free resources  The primary purpose of the Women Aware and Prepared Podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute advice or services. Please use common sense for your own situation. Send me a message

  5. Jul 6

    AI Companion Helping Abuse Survivors Heal and Prepare for Court: AIMEE Says

    What if the tool that could finally help you organize your story, prepare for court, and feel less alone was available for free, right now? In this episode, Mandi sits down with Anne, co-founder and CEO of AIMEE, an AI-powered companion built specifically for survivors of domestic abuse and relationship harm. Anne breaks down how AIMEE turns overwhelming, emotional experiences into clear, documented timelines that hold up in legal and therapeutic settings, how privacy and data protection work on a closed platform built for this exact use case, and why this kind of support matters for anyone navigating post-separation abuse, coercive control, or relational harm of any kind. TIMESTAMPS [01:47] Anne's background and founding AIMEE [03:21] How AIMEE Says helps survivors prepare for court [04:30] What AIMEE Says does NOT do and do  [09:51] Free vs. paid tiers and how memory works [11:44] Privacy Qs answered and legal discovery explained [15:03] How AIMEE differs from general AI tools like Claude [15:54] Prompts to start with on AIMEE Says [17:07] Using AIMEE alongside therapy and legal support, save time and money [32:00] Utilize My Story page and personalization features [22:20] AIMEE can store documents and chart them [23:15] AIMEE helps with relational harm beyond intimate partners [27:50] Assistance when DV supports are overloaded [31:08] Employer and university benefit programs [32:30] Closing thoughts and where to find AIMEE [34:00] Addressing AI skepticism and sustainability concerns RESOURCES Connect with Anne: Website: AIMEE Says (Affiliate link - Use code: Mandi)Instagram: @aimeesaysdvLinkedIn: Anne WintemuteConnect with Mandi: Website: AwareAndPrepared.lifeTake the Free Intuition Quiz: AwareAndPrepared.life/QuizInstagram: @WomenAwareAndPreparedLinkedIn: Mandi PrattThe primary purpose of the Women Aware and Prepared Podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute advice or services. Please use common sense for your own situation. Send me a message

    AI Companion Helping Abuse Survivors Heal and Prepare for Court: AIMEE Says
  6. Jun 22

    How to Spot the Warning Signs of Stalking Before It Escalates

    Hear why most Gen Z survivors don't even recognize they're being stalked, the chilling phrase that signals real danger in a relationship, lethality risk factors backed by research, and a true case study showing how stalking escalates when it's ignored. Plus, where to go for help if this is happening to you or someone you love. RESOURCES SPARC - Stalking Prevention Awareness and Resource Center - Training for law enforcement, advocates, and therapists, a free victim documentation log, and the SLII risk assessment framework discussed in this episode.  Connect with Mandi: Website: WomenAwareAndPrepared.comTake the Free Intuition Quiz: WomenAwareAndPrepared.com/QuizInstagram: @WomenAwareAndPreparedLinkedIn: Mandi Pratt TIMESTAMPS [01:03] Today's topic: stalking, and how pop culture romanticizes it [01:25] Gen Z stalking stat and the behaviors that actually count as stalking [03:29] Crediting the session: SPARC director Jennifer Landhouse and professor Patrick Brady [04:18] Pop culture examples: Twilight, Mrs. Doubtfire, Amazing Spider-Man [05:26] Myth busting: stalker psychology and the "if I can't have you" mindset [08:19] Stalking by proxy, including Mandi's own story [09:10] Trusting your intuition and protective action stats [10:02] Protective actions by victims [11:08] Lethality risk factors [12:46] Inside the mind of convicted stalkers [14:40] Case study: the coworker stalker [20:14] The SLII risk assessment framework and victim resources The primary purpose of the Women Aware and Prepared Podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute advice or services. Please use common sense for your own situation. Send me a message

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About

Hello! This is the Aware and Prepared podcast. I'm your host, Mandi Pratt, a trained domestic violence advocate. I teach women and vulnerable populations how to be street smart. I'm a mom with a gnarly backstory from almost two decades ago. The FBI showed up at my door one day to alert me that my abusive ex had become wanted for multiple bank robberies. Our story was in the news (a few times). I was tired of feeling vulnerable and learned how to keep myself and my son safer. I wish when I was a young woman I'd known about red flags to watch for in relationships, and had learned how to be street smart. This podcast is for 15-year-old me and is meant for families and community groups to listen to together. After all, women's safety is a community issue. I'll share with you stories like mine and interview detectives, psychologists and many other experts to NOT only hear their jaw-dropping stories, but also what we learn from them to prevent harm for our every youth and grown up listening. I don't want anyone else to have to go through what I did - scared, vulnerable and needing decades of counseling and healthcare to heal. I want you to feel safer with less fear and more power!You can find more from me at my website or my Instagram:WEB: https://womenawareandprepared.com/podcast/IG: https://www.instagram.com/womenawareandprepared/

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