True Crime Connections ~ Advocacy Podcast

True Crime Connections
  • 4.8 (46)
  • TRUE CRIME
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

True Crime Connections is a survivor-led podcast where stories of abuse, trauma, and resilience are shared with raw honesty and purpose. We exist to break cycles of silence and shame by giving survivors the microphone—and turning lived experiences into sparks of hope and healing because your voice matters. Whether you’re questioning your past, grieving what you lost, or reclaiming who you are, this is your place to be seen, heard, and reminded: 💜 You’re not alone. And your story isn’t over. https://www.truecrimeconnections.com/ 

  1. 11/18/2025

    The Hotline Dedicated to Prevent Shootings

    Most people know about the 988 Suicide Line. But almost no one knows there’s another number you can call when someone is on the brink of committing mass violence. In this powerful conversation, Tiffanie sits down with Sean Cononie, founder of the Rage Hotline (also called the “No Shoot Line”), to talk about how early intervention can stop mass shootings before they happen. Sean explains the warning signs, what really drives most shooters, and how kindness, follow-up, and simple tools can make the difference between tragedy and hope. This is an episode every parent, teacher, and community member needs to hear. ✅ You’ll learn: ✅ Why most shooters leak their plans 2 months before an attack ✅ How trauma plays a bigger role than people realize ✅ What to say if someone you know threatens violence ✅ How the hotline operates nationwide—quietly saving lives ✅ Simple everyday actions that can protect your community 📞 Rage Hotline: 605-667-4668 🌐 massshooting.org Shoot me a text! Support the show 10 Things About You: Self-Exploration Journal https://www.amazon.com/shop/truecrimeconnectionspodcast htpps://www.truecrimeconnections.com https://www.instagram.com/truecrimeconnectionspodcast/ www.tiktok.com/@truecrimeconnections

    28 min

  2. 11/06/2025

    Our Kids Don’t Need Perfect Parents — They Need Present Ones

    What if raising emotionally strong kids started with healing yourself? In this episode, Family & Child Counsellor Jacintha Field shares how she transformed the chaos of solo parenting, trauma recovery, and pandemic overwhelm into Happy Souls Kids — a global movement that helps children regulate their emotions through storytelling, play, and real-life role models. ✅ Learn how to help your child manage big feelings ✅ Discover tools to build connection (not perfection) ✅ Understand how parental healing impacts your kids ✅ Feel inspired to forgive yourself and start again Because our kids don’t need perfect parents — they just need present ones. How to connect: hello@happysoulskids.com.  https://www.happysoulskids.com/ Shoot me a text! Support the show 10 Things About You: Self-Exploration Journal https://www.amazon.com/shop/truecrimeconnectionspodcast htpps://www.truecrimeconnections.com https://www.instagram.com/truecrimeconnectionspodcast/ www.tiktok.com/@truecrimeconnections

    45 min

  3. 10/30/2025

    How Trauma Quietly Shapes Your Choices and Relationships

    Behind the bright lights of Hollywood was a little girl in pain. Hilary Momberger-Powers—once the voice of Sally Brown in the Peanuts cartoons—grew up in chaos, addiction, and abuse. But after hitting rock bottom, she found recovery, faith, and purpose. Now, over 40 years sober, she’s helping others break free from trauma and old belief systems that keep them stuck. In this powerful conversation, Hilary shares how to reclaim your power, heal the inner child, and finally live free. ✅ How trauma quietly shapes your choices and relationships ✅ The triangle method to stabilize your body, mind, and spirit ✅ Why buried pain always returns until you face it ✅ How to move from victim to victor—one decision at a time ✅ The mindset shifts that lead to freedom 💜 This episode reminds you: your story doesn’t end in pain—it begins with healing. How to connect: https://www.hilarypowers.com/ Shoot me a text! Support the show 10 Things About You: Self-Exploration Journal https://www.amazon.com/shop/truecrimeconnectionspodcast htpps://www.truecrimeconnections.com https://www.instagram.com/truecrimeconnectionspodcast/ www.tiktok.com/@truecrimeconnections

    49 min
  4. Why Survivors of Homicide Need Their Own Support System

    10/23/2025

    Why Survivors of Homicide Need Their Own Support System

    When Terry Garza was just 20 years old, her world was shattered. The father of her daughter went on a violent rampage, killing his mother, nearly killing his brother, and stealing a police car to flee. In the chaos that followed, Terry had to pick up the pieces — as a young single mom, survivor, and woman determined to turn her pain into purpose. In this raw and powerful conversation, Terry opens up about: ✅ Surviving the trauma of homicide and rebuilding life afterward ✅ Healing from denial, disassociation, and generational pain ✅ How music and “shadow work” helped her rediscover who she was ✅ Finding purpose through post-traumatic growth ✅ Why survivors of homicide need their own support systems ✅ The first-ever national conference for homicide survivors This episode reminds us that the healing journey isn’t about forgetting — it’s about finding meaning in what broke us, and using it to help others rise. How to connect: aftermath.of.homicide@gmail.com The Aftermath Conference: A National Gathering for Those Impacted by Homicide September 11–13, 2026 | Gig Harbor, Washington https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-aftermath-conference-tickets-1645335074499 Shoot me a text! Support the show 10 Things About You: Self-Exploration Journal https://www.amazon.com/shop/truecrimeconnectionspodcast htpps://www.truecrimeconnections.com https://www.instagram.com/truecrimeconnectionspodcast/ www.tiktok.com/@truecrimeconnections

    57 min

  5. 10/16/2025

    The Silent Trap That Keeps Victims Stuck

    Financial abuse is one of the most common — and least talked about — forms of control. It keeps victims trapped, isolated, and questioning their worth. This week, Amanda Scott joins me to pull back the curtain on 17 years of emotional and financial abuse inside her marriage. She shares how control slowly became her “normal,” why victims often don’t recognize the signs until it’s too late, and the pivotal moment she finally said “enough.” If you’ve ever felt stuck, powerless, or unsure whether what you’re experiencing is “normal”… this episode could be your turning point. What you’ll learn: ✅ Red flags of financial control & emotional manipulation ✅ How abusers slowly erode self-worth to keep victims compliant ✅ Why staying “for the kids” often reinforces generational trauma ✅ Practical steps to rebuild your power, self-worth & support system ✅ How to stop mistaking control for love — and start trusting your gut again Amanda’s memoir, Finding My Way Back to Me, is available on Amazon and her website.  How to connect: https://www.amandajscott.com/ https://amandajscottpodcast.com/    Shoot me a text! Support the show 10 Things About You: Self-Exploration Journal https://www.amazon.com/shop/truecrimeconnectionspodcast htpps://www.truecrimeconnections.com https://www.instagram.com/truecrimeconnectionspodcast/ www.tiktok.com/@truecrimeconnections

    40 min

  6. 10/09/2025

    When Words Become Medicine

    What if writing could help you heal what you don’t have words for? Nadine Ellis is an autistic poet, late-diagnosed and long-dismissed. She’s a survivor of childhood trauma, emotional abuse, and being told she'd “never amount to anything.” But instead of staying silent, she picked up a pen—and never stopped writing. In this conversation, Nadine opens up about: Being bullied at school and misunderstood at home. Why she believes writing saved her life—and how it can help you, too The deeper message behind her new book, The Gray Between ✅ Discover how poetry can be a tool for healing  ✅ Learn how to process big feelings (without sharing every detail)  ✅ Feel seen if you’ve ever felt “different,” dismissed, or overwhelmed  ✅ Understand how autistic and neurodivergent minds experience emotional pain You don’t have to be a poet to connect with this one—you just have to be human. How to connect: https://www.nadineellis.com/ https://www.amazon.com/Grey-Between-Nadine-Ellis/dp/1763788202 Shoot me a text! Support the show 10 Things About You: Self-Exploration Journal https://www.amazon.com/shop/truecrimeconnectionspodcast htpps://www.truecrimeconnections.com https://www.instagram.com/truecrimeconnectionspodcast/ www.tiktok.com/@truecrimeconnections

    29 min

  7. 10/02/2025

    When Abusers Seek Help

    What if the abuse you went through… started generations before you? And what if no one ever showed you a healthy version of love? In this episode, therapist and survivor Sophora Acheson shares her raw, personal story—from being raised by a violent father in a biker gang, to surviving a toxic relationship that ended in blood and jail, to now leading one of the country’s top trauma recovery nonprofits. We talk about what happens when your nervous system only recognizes chaos, how healing really feels, and why Restorative Pathways is now helping not just survivors—but the people who cause harm. If you’ve ever asked, “Why did I stay? What’s wrong with me? How do I stop the cycle?” — this one is for you. ✅ What you’ll get from this episode: ✅ The link between childhood trauma and toxic adult relationships ✅ How your body can confuse chaos for love ✅ What actually starts the healing journey (hint: it's not therapy first) ✅ Why so many survivors become the abuser—and how to stop it ✅ The program helping people who cause harm break the cycle ✅ A new way to reclaim safety, voice, and peace—one layer at a time How to connect: https://restorativepathways.org/ Shoot me a text! Support the show 10 Things About You: Self-Exploration Journal https://www.amazon.com/shop/truecrimeconnectionspodcast htpps://www.truecrimeconnections.com https://www.instagram.com/truecrimeconnectionspodcast/ www.tiktok.com/@truecrimeconnections

    51 min

  8. 09/25/2025

    Finding Strength in Your Scars

    At just three years old, Avonley Lightstone tried to save her mother from a house fire — but lost her. Shortly after, her father gave her up for adoption, and she endured years of emotional and physical abuse in a home where love felt conditional. But her story doesn’t end in pain — it rises in faith. In this powerful conversation, Avonley shares how she turned tragedy into testimony, writing her book Strength of Scars to help others find healing, forgiveness, and purpose. ✅ What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✅ How to heal from childhood trauma and abandonment ✅ The power of forgiveness — even for those who hurt you most ✅ Why faith can transform pain into purpose ✅ Breaking generational trauma for the next generation ✅ Practical tips to nurture yourself when you feel alone 🎧 Listen now and discover how to turn your scars into strength — and why your story matters more than you think. How to connect: https://www.amazon.com/Strength-Scars-Avonley-Lightstone/dp/B0F8PKWW3V https://www.tiktok.com/@avonleylightstone Shoot me a text! Support the show 10 Things About You: Self-Exploration Journal https://www.amazon.com/shop/truecrimeconnectionspodcast htpps://www.truecrimeconnections.com https://www.instagram.com/truecrimeconnectionspodcast/ www.tiktok.com/@truecrimeconnections

    49 min
See All (232)

4.8
out of 5
46 Ratings

About

True Crime Connections is a survivor-led podcast where stories of abuse, trauma, and resilience are shared with raw honesty and purpose. We exist to break cycles of silence and shame by giving survivors the microphone—and turning lived experiences into sparks of hope and healing because your voice matters. Whether you’re questioning your past, grieving what you lost, or reclaiming who you are, this is your place to be seen, heard, and reminded: 💜 You’re not alone. And your story isn’t over. https://www.truecrimeconnections.com/ 

Information