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. 2d ago

    What's the Real Difference Between PTSD and Complex PTSD?

    What is complex PTSD, and how is it different from PTSD? As a complex PTSD survivor herself, Mandi breaks down the real distinction in this episode, timed around Complex PTSD Awareness Day (September 2nd).  Mandi shares what invisible struggles actually look like in the workplace, the brain science behind hypervigilance, and her PEACE framework for rebuilding trust in your own intuition. Whether you're managing a team, supporting someone you love, or recognizing pieces of your own story, this one gives you the language and the tools to respond with acknowledgement, compassion, and consistency instead of confusion. RESOURCES The Mend Project - Clarity for people navigating interpersonal and domestic violence. Amy Says - A platform helping people navigate relationship harm Previous Episode: Neuroplasticity and Healing with Dr. Keean - Neuroplasticity Previous Episode: Anxiety and Panic Attacks with Tom - Panic attacks and anxiety  Previous Episode: Tracy Mathison, Project Beloved - Soft environments Connect with Mandi: Website: WomenAwareAndPrepared.comTake the Free Intuition Quiz WomenAwareAndPrepared.com/QuizInstagram: @WomenAwareAndPreparedLinkedIn: Mandi Pratt TIMESTAMPS [03:00] PTSD and Complex PTSD Awareness [03:27] The rip current metaphor for complex PTSD  [05:10] PTSD vs. complex PTSD  [07:15] How C-PTSD shapes identity and brain processes differently [09:42] What this looks like day-to-day at work: top signs [10:52] Panic attacks, defensiveness, and trauma responses [12:23] The brain science: amygdala, hypothalamus, fight/flight/freeze/fawn  [13:23] Hypervigilance and the restaurant choking story  [14:19] Three foundations: acknowledgement, compassion, consistency  [15:32] Resources: The Mend Project and Amy Says  [16:20] Why affirmations backfire, and adding curiosity to affirmations [16:50] The PEACE framework for trusting intuition  [19:03] Language for checking in on someone  [20:03] Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)  [22:33] Softer physical environments, supportive phrases, consistency [25:00] Great news: brains do heal! 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

  2. Aug 25

    22 Safety Tips Every College Freshman Needs to Know Especially During The "Red Zone"

    I can't tell you how many people disclose past assaults to me once they hear what I do for a living. EVERY SINGLE TIME it was someone they knew. In this episode, Mandi breaks down the "red zone," the stretch from move-in day through Thanksgiving break when first-year college students are statistically most likely to experience sexual assault, including the stat that 73% of victims know their attacker. If you have a kid heading off to college, this one's for you. Mandi shares her PEACE framework for trusting your intuition, why boundaries and people-pleasing matter more than "stranger danger," and 22 practical tips for staying safer this fall (for college students or anyone really!). RESOURCES RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) - The nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization; created and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline. rainn.org 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) Previous Episodes: Project Beloved episode with Molly Jane's mother and Boundaries For Kids With Sydney and Lacye PEACE Framework - Mandi's framework for trusting your intuition, taught in her workshops. Take the quiz to see how well you are trusting your intuition In-Person Safety Workshop in San Diego on September 15, 2026 CONNECT WITH MANDI Website: WomenAwareAndPrepared.comInstagram: @WomenAwareAndPreparedLinkedIn: Mandi Pratt TIMESTAMPS [01:00] Last week's episode about Molly Jane’s murder and legacy with Project Beloved [03:00] The red zone explained; three key stats from RAINN [05:30] Why boundaries and people-pleasing matter more than "stranger danger" [07:30] What age to start these conversations [09:00] Mandi’s in person workshop September 15, 2026 [10:30] Two sources of harm: strangers vs. acquaintances [11:30] 22 Safety Tips Every College Freshman Needs to Know [32:00] Recap and join the email list to get each week’s episode 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

  3. Aug 18

    A Mother's Worst Nightmare Became Her Mission: Making Sexual Assault Reporting Less Traumatic

    What if the room a survivor is asked to sit in after a sexual assault could make the difference between being believed and being dismissed?  Mandi sits down with Tracy Matheson, founder of Project Beloved, to talk about the soft interview rooms her nonprofit builds inside police departments across the country and why trauma-informed environments change outcomes for survivors and investigations alike. Tracy shares the story behind Project Beloved's founding and its two core programs: the soft interview rooms that make reporting less traumatic, and the Beloved Bundles that help survivors walk out of hospitals with dignity after a forensic exam. It's a conversation about grief, advocacy, and what real systemic change can look like. RESOURCES Connect with Tracy Matheson: Website: ProjectBeloved.orgInstagram and FacebookLinkedIn: Tracy Matheson Connect with Mandi: Website: WomenAwareAndPrepared.comTake the Free Intuition Quiz WomenAwareAndPrepared.com/QuizInstagram: @WomenAwareAndPreparedLinkedIn: Mandi Pratt TIMESTAMPS [03:00] What a soft interview room is and why it matters [08:00] The elements that make a room trauma-informed [13:00] Tracy shares her daughter, Molly Jane's story [17:30] Why Project Beloved waits for law enforcement agencies to come to them [22:00] How Tracy's soft interview room idea is confirmed by forensic psychologist [25:00] How the nonprofit is funded and how they support survivors [29:00] The Beloved Bundle: clothing and hygiene kits for survivors at hospital or PD [34:00] Megan Guttrum's became the next victim and failures that let the perpetrator escalate [37:00] Follow Project Beloved 2.0 to see the interview rooms, bundles and see how to support 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

    A Mother's Worst Nightmare Became Her Mission: Making Sexual Assault Reporting Less Traumatic
  4. Aug 11

    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
  5. 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
  6. 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

  7. 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

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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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