Living in the Aftermath with Lyndsey

Living in the Aftermath
  • 4.8 (18)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Biweekly

Living in the Aftermath is a podcast by a domestic violence survivor, sharing raw and honest conversations about life after trauma. Each episode explores healing, resilience, and the real work of rebuilding. Featuring voices of survivors and the people who’ve walked with us. You’re not alone! This is what healing out loud looks like.

  1. 1d ago

    He Looked Like Every Parent's Dream Boy: How My Rapist Fooled Everyone

    What if the person everyone trusted was the one who hurt you? In this powerful episode of Living in the Aftermath, Lyndsey Hackford sits down with survivor and advocate Shannon Porter, founder of What They Don't Say, to explore the devastating reality that sexual predators often don't fit the stereotypes we've been taught to fear. After losing her father and brother in a tragic plane crash at just 11 years old, Shannon spent years searching for safety, belonging, and approval. Then she met the man everyone believed was the "perfect Christian boy"—kind, respectful, faith-filled, and trusted by everyone around him. What happened next changed her life forever. Together, Lyndsey and Shannon have an honest conversation about: How childhood trauma shapes our relationshipsWhy predators often appear trustworthyReligious trauma and purity cultureConsent, coercion, and healthy boundariesWhy "good people" can still commit horrific actsHow communities unintentionally enable abuseThe long journey of healing after sexual assaultIf you've ever questioned your own experience, struggled to trust yourself after trauma, or wondered how someone "so nice" could become an abuser, this conversation is for you. Connect with Shannon Porter & What They Don't Say 🌐 What They Don't Say: WhatTheyDontSay.com🎙️ Listen to the What They Don't Say podcast📱 Follow What They Don't Say on Instagram & TikTok☕ Support their work through Buy Me a Coffee📧 Contact Shannon through her official linksAll of Shannon's official resources can be found here: What They Don't Say Linktree ResourcesIf you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault or domestic violence, you are not alone. 💜 The Refuge Utah Supporting survivors of domestic violence through emergency shelter, advocacy, counseling, and community resources. https://refugeutah.org 📞 National Domestic Violence Hotline Call: 800-799-7233 Text START to 88788 https://www.thehotline.org 📞 RAINN (National Sexual Assault Hotline) Call: 800-656-HOPE (4673) https://www.rainn.org If you are in immediate danger, call 911 or your local emergency services. 🎙️ About Living in the Aftermath Living in the Aftermath is a podcast hosted by survivor and advocate Lyndsey Hackford, exploring how trauma shapes decision-making, relationships, and healing. Through honest conversations with survivors, professionals, and advocates, this podcast challenges misconceptions about abuse while offering hope to those rebuilding their lives. If this episode impacted you, please consider: 👍 Like the video 💬 Share your thoughts in the comments 📤 Share this episode with someone who needs it 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss a new conversation #SexualAssaultAwareness #Consent #TraumaHealing #ReligiousTrauma #DomesticViolence

  2. Jul 4

    Her Children Were Murdered After Warning Signs Were Ignored: How Family Court Failed Them

    What happens when warning signs of domestic violence are ignored and family court fails to protect children? In this powerful episode of Living in the Aftermath, I sit down with child safety advocate Hope Hooton to discuss the heartbreaking loss of her children, Alec and Lydia, and how unimaginable tragedy led her to fight for change. Hope shares her experiences with coercive control, emotional abuse, isolation, and why survivors often stay in abusive relationships. Together, we discuss the realities of family court, the importance of putting child safety first, and the advocacy work that led to the passing of Arizona's Alec and Lydia Act. This conversation is difficult, emotional, and incredibly important. Topics discussed: • Domestic violence and coercive control • Family court and child custody • Child safety and protective parents • Emotional and religious abuse • Why survivors stay • Trauma and healing • The Alec and Lydia Act • Family court reform and child advocacy ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ CONNECT WITH HOPE HOOTON ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🌿 Follow Hope's journey: Hope's Linktree 📚 Buy Hope's book: "There’s Still Hope: A Journey of Adversity, Tragedy and Unshakable Hope" 🎙️ Listen to Hope's podcast: Voices Against Filicide Podcast 💜 Learn more about Hope's advocacy work: Voices Against Filicide ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ RESOURCES ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. 💜 National Domestic Violence Hotline: The Hotline Call: 800-799-SAFE (7233) Text: START to 88788 💜 The Refuge Utah: The Refuge Utah 801-377-5500 💜 Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline: Childhelp Hotline Call or text: 800-4-A-CHILD (800-422-4453) ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ If this episode moved you, please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, COMMENT, and SHARE. Stories like Hope's create awareness, start conversations, and have the power to save lives. Every child deserves to be safe. #DomesticViolence #FamilyCourt #ChildSafety #HopeHooton #ProtectiveParents #CoerciveControl #AlecAndLydiaAct #TraumaHealing #ChildAdvocacy #LivingInTheAftermath #LyndseyHackford

  3. Jun 21

    The System Took My Children and Called It Healing: A Family Court Horror Story

    What happens when the system meant to protect children becomes the source of their trauma? In this episode of Living in the Aftermath, Lyndsey sits down with Kitty Mayo, founder of Georgia Protective Parents, to discuss her family's experience navigating family court, reunification programs, child advocacy, and the fight to bring children home. After years of advocating for her stepchildren following abuse allegations, Kitty and her husband found themselves facing a system they never expected. What followed was years of separation, staggering financial costs, profound grief, and ultimately a mission to help other families facing similar challenges. Together, Lyndsey and Kitty discuss: • Reunification camps and reunification therapy programs • Family court and child custody challenges • Protective parents and child advocacy • The emotional impact of forced family separation • Healing after family court trauma • Finding purpose through advocacy • Legislative efforts to protect children • The importance of using your voice, even when the system tells you not to This conversation explores difficult questions about child safety, family court reform, trauma, resilience, and what happens when children say they are not being heard. Whether you are a survivor, protective parent, advocate, professional, or simply someone who cares about child welfare, this episode offers an important perspective on a topic many families never hear about until it impacts their own lives. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Learn more and connect with Georgia Protective Parents: Website: https://georgiaprotectiveparents.org Linktree: https://linktr.ee/georgiaprotectiveparents Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GeorgiaProtectiveParents Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georgiaprotectiveparents ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ RESOURCES National Domestic Violence Hotline https://www.thehotline.org Call or Text: 800-799-SAFE (7233) The Refuge Utah https://www.therefugeutah.org Crisis Text Line Text HOME to 741741 https://www.crisistextline.org If you are in immediate danger, call 911 or your local emergency services. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ DISCLAIMER The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, production team, or affiliated organizations. This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, medical, mental health, or professional advice. This episode contains discussions involving domestic violence, child abuse allegations, family court proceedings, trauma, coercive control, and reunification programs. Listener discretion is advised. All individuals discussed are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. Experiences shared represent personal perspectives and lived experiences.

  4. Jun 6

    I Trusted Everyone But Myself: The Red Flags That Nearly Destroyed My Life

    In this powerful episode of Living in the Aftermath, Lyndsey sits down with survivor, advocate, and paralegal Lynn Stroud for a raw conversation about the warning signs of abuse that so many people miss until it's too late. From childhood experiences that shaped her understanding of relationships to sexual assault, stalking, reproductive coercion, emotional abuse, family betrayal, and the failures of systems designed to protect survivors, Lynn shares the painful realities of what happens when trauma teaches you to question your own instincts. Together, Lyndsey and Lynn discuss: ✨ Why survivors often trust everyone else's opinions over their own intuition ✨ Reproductive coercion and the hidden forms of abuse many people don't recognize ✨ Family members who defend abusers and silence victims ✨ Stalking, intimidation, and post-separation abuse ✨ Toxic messages like "Marriage is hard" and "Blood is thicker than water" ✨ The family court system and the challenges protective parents face ✨ Healing after abuse and learning to trust yourself again ✨ Building healthy relationships after trauma ✨ Breaking generational cycles and teaching our children healthy boundaries If you've ever wondered why survivors stay, why leaving is so complicated, or how abuse can exist without visible bruises, this episode offers an honest look into the realities many victims face behind closed doors. This conversation is emotional, validating, and ultimately hopeful for anyone navigating life after abuse. ⚠️ CONTENT WARNING / DISCLAIMER This episode contains discussions of: Domestic violenceSexual assaultReproductive coercionStalkingEmotional and psychological abuseTrauma and PTSDFamily court challengesPost-separation abuseViewer and listener discretion is advised. The information shared in this episode is based on personal experiences and opinions and is intended for educational and awareness purposes only. This podcast is not a substitute for legal, medical, mental health, or professional counseling services. 💜 NEED HELP? The Refuge UtahWebsite: The Refuge Utah 24-Hour Crisis Line: 📞 801-377-5500 Text Line: 📱 801-368-7700 National Domestic Violence HotlineWebsite: National Domestic Violence Hotline Call: 📞 800-799-SAFE (7233) Text: 📱 START to 88788 RAINN (Sexual Assault Support)Website: RAINN 24/7 Hotline: 📞 800-656-HOPE (4673) 📸 Instagram: @knowledge_exch_abuse_survivors 💼 LinkedIn: Lynn Stroud LinkedIn Lynn is a survivor, advocate, and paralegal dedicated to helping others recognize the warning signs of abuse, reproductive coercion, coercive control, and post-separation abuse. 🎙️ Podcast Host: Lyndsey Hackford 📸 Instagram: @living.inthe.aftermath 🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Livingintheaftermath Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/living-in-the-aftermath-with-lyndsey/id1832389204

  5. May 16

    He Made Me Believe the Abuse Was My Fault: Inside a Trauma Bond

    In this devastatingly honest episode of Living in the Aftermath, Lyndsey sits down with survivor, advocate, author, and mother Mae Scott for one of the most raw conversations the podcast has had to date. Mae shares the unimaginable reality behind surviving years of coercive control, emotional abuse, marital sexual assault, violence, manipulation, family court trauma, and the psychological conditioning that made her believe the abuse was somehow her fault. Together, Lyndsey and Mae unpack: Trauma bonds and why survivors stayThe slow psychological destruction of emotional abuseMarital rape, coercion, and consent within marriagePost-separation abuse and court manipulationParenting through domestic violenceFear, shame, guilt, and survivalLearning what healthy love actually looks likeRebuilding identity after abuseMae is the author of An Embarrassment of Pandas: Exposing an Abusive Family and a Flawed System, a powerful memoir exposing the realities of domestic violence, institutional failures, and the long fight to reclaim safety, truth, and identity after abuse. Through her advocacy and storytelling, Mae is helping survivors feel less alone while pushing for awareness and systemic change. This episode is emotional, validating, triggering, inspiring, heartbreaking, and deeply important. ⚠️ TRIGGER WARNING / CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains discussions involving: Domestic violenceSexual assaultMarital rapeEmotional & psychological abuseStrangulationTrauma bondsCourt traumaPTSD & trauma responsesSuicidal thoughtsManipulation & coercive controlListener/viewer discretion is strongly advised. Disclaimer: The experiences shared in this episode reflect personal lived experiences shared for awareness, advocacy, and education. This podcast is not intended to replace therapy, legal counsel, medical advice, or emergency/crisis services. 💜 Resources & Support The Refuge Utah Supporting survivors of domestic violence through shelter, advocacy, education, and resources. 📞 24-Hour Crisis Line: 801-377-5500 📞 Toll Free: 1-800-899-5505 🌐 The Refuge Utah Website National Domestic Violence Hotline 📞 Call: 800-799-SAFE (7233) 📱 Text: START to 88788 🌐 The Hotline Sexual Assault Support 🌐 RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) Follow & Support Mae Scott 📘 Author Website: Mae Scott Official Website 📸 Instagram: @maescottofficial 📖 An Embarrassment of Pandas: Exposing an Abusive Family and a Flawed System available now. 🎙️ Follow Living in the Aftermath for more conversations surrounding trauma, survival, healing, domestic violence awareness, and rebuilding after abuse.

  6. May 2

    The Night Everything Changed: Trauma, Loss & Learning to Survive

    What happens when everything changes in a single moment? In this episode of Living in the Aftermath, Lyndsey sits down with Chell Bane, host of Beyond the Monsters, to share a story rooted in childhood trauma, abuse, grief, addiction, and survival. From experiencing abuse at a young age… to navigating years of emotional trauma and survival mode… to losing her husband in a sudden, devastating moment… This conversation explores what trauma really looks like— not just in the moment, but in the aftermath. Because survival doesn’t mean you’re okay. And healing isn’t always linear. This episode dives into: • Childhood trauma and long-term effects • Domestic violence and emotional abuse • Grief, sudden loss, and widowhood • Addiction and coping mechanisms • Trauma responses and survival behaviors • Rebuilding life after loss and trauma • Finding purpose after pain If you’ve ever wondered how someone keeps going after everything falls apart—this conversation is for you. 🙏 SPECIAL THANK YOU A special thank you to the Beyond the Monsters team for welcoming us into your space and allowing us to record this episode on your set. Your support, collaboration, and commitment to sharing real, meaningful stories made this conversation possible. ⚠️ DISCLAIMER This episode contains discussions of domestic violence, abuse, trauma, addiction, grief, and suicide. Viewer/listener discretion is advised. The experiences shared are personal accounts and are not intended to determine guilt, innocence, or legal conclusions. This conversation is a depiction of lived experiences only. This content is not therapy, medical advice, or legal advice. If you are struggling, please seek support from a licensed professional. 🆘 RESOURCES & SUPPORT If you or someone you know needs help: National Domestic Violence Hotline 📞 1-800-799-7233 💬 Text START to 88788 🌐 https://www.thehotline.org 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline 📞 Call or text 988 Crisis Text Line 💬 Text HOME to 741741 RAINN (Sexual Assault Support) 📞 1-800-656-HOPE 🌐 https://www.rainn.org SAMHSA National Helpline (Substance Use & Mental Health) 📞 1-800-662-HELP The Refuge Utah 📞 (385) 472-4088 🌐 https://therefugeutah.org You are not alone. There is support available. 🎙️ CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST – CHELL BANE 🌐 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/BeyondtheMonsters 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondthemonsters 🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondtheMonsters 🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-monsters/id1778966880 🎧 Spotify: (available via Linktree) If this episode impacted you, consider sharing it with someone who may need it. Because when we talk about trauma, abuse, and survival openly, we make it easier for someone else to feel seen.

  7. Apr 18

    Trauma Bonded: Why You’ll Never Be Enough for a Narcissist

    Trauma bonding doesn’t feel like abuse—it feels like love. In this episode of Living in the Aftermath, Lyndsey sits down with Laura Richards to unpack the psychological grip of narcissistic abuse, the confusion of trauma bonds, and the painful belief that if you could just be better… they would finally love you the right way. Together, they dive into: Why narcissistic relationships often start with intense connection and “green flags”How gaslighting slowly makes you question your own realityThe cycle of hope, breadcrumbs, and emotional dependencyWhy leaving isn’t simple—and why staying doesn’t mean you’re weakThe truth about being discarded and replacedHow to begin healing, rebuild self-worth, and break the trauma bondThis conversation is raw, validating, and deeply personal. If you’ve ever felt like you were never enough—this episode will help you understand why. ⚠️ Disclaimer This episode discusses domestic violence, emotional abuse, and trauma. Listener discretion is advised. The views and experiences shared in this episode are personal and are not intended to determine guilt or innocence in any specific situation. This content is for educational and awareness purposes only and is not a substitute for professional therapy, medical, or legal advice. 💜 Resources & Support If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, help is available: The Refuge Utah 24/7 Crisis Line: 801-377-5500 Website: https://therefugeutah.orgNational Domestic Violence Hotline Call or text: 1-800-799-7233 Chat: https://www.thehotline.orgRAINN 24/7 Support: 800-656-HOPE https://www.rainn.orgYou are not alone. Support exists, and healing is possible. 🔗 Connect with Laura Richards Host of That’s Where I’m At Podcast Speaker | Author | Coach https://bio.site/laurarichards https://www.instagram.com/thatswhereimatpodcast https://www.youtube.com/@thatswhereimatpodcast https://open.spotify.com/show/0Lmc87ro6rDrHWtw4MXV1x?si=e204386b5e854387 📞 Resources The Refuge Utah 24/7 Hotline: (801) 377-5500 Website: https://therefugeutah.org National Domestic Violence Hotline (U.S.) Call or Text: 1-800-799-7233 Website: https://www.thehotline.org RAINN (Sexual Assault Support) Call: 800-656-HOPE Website: https://www.rainn.org 🔔 Listen & Follow Available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Follow along: @living.inthe.aftermath

  8. Apr 4

    I Fell in Love With His Potential: Why I Couldn’t Leave

    What if the reason you stayed… wasn’t weakness—but hope? In this episode of Living in the Aftermath, Lyndsey sits down with survivor and advocate Grace Stuart, host of the Why She Stayed podcast, for a raw and deeply honest conversation about one of the most misunderstood parts of abusive relationships: falling in love with someone’s potential. Grace’s podcast is dedicated to unpacking what actually keeps survivors stuck—shifting the question from “why didn’t she leave?” to what was really happening beneath the surface. In this conversation, Lyndsey and Grace connect their stories and experiences—revealing how abuse doesn’t always look obvious, and why leaving can feel impossible even when you know something isn’t right. 👉 Lyndsey was also a guest on Grace’s podcast, where she shared more of her story. Listen here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-she-stayed/id1742281264?i=1000751213220 From the outside, it didn’t always look like abuse. There were moments of honesty. Effort. Even growth. But behind the scenes was a cycle of manipulation, trauma bonding, and confusion that made it nearly impossible to leave. Why do so many women stay—even when they know something isn’t right? Why does it feel like you never have a “good enough reason” to walk away? And how can someone be honest about some things… while still abusing you? In this episode, we talk about: Subtle and emotional abuse (before it turns physical)Trauma bonds and the addiction-like cycle of toxic relationshipsThe danger of falling in love with “who they could be”Why abuse doesn’t always look the way we expectThe moment everything finally clicks—and what it takes to leave If you’ve ever questioned your reality, stayed too long, or felt like your situation “wasn’t bad enough”… this episode is for you. You’re not crazy. And you’re not alone. ⚠️ Disclaimer This episode discusses domestic violence, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse. Listener discretion is advised. This content is based on personal experiences and is not intended to determine guilt or innocence or replace professional therapy or legal advice. 📞 Resources The Refuge Utah 24/7 Hotline: (801) 377-5500 Website: https://therefugeutah.org National Domestic Violence Hotline (U.S.) Call or Text: 1-800-799-7233 Website: https://www.thehotline.org RAINN (Sexual Assault Support) Call: 800-656-HOPE Website: https://www.rainn.org 🔔 Listen & Follow New episodes of Living in the Aftermath drop regularly. Available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Follow along: @living.inthe.aftermath

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Living in the Aftermath is a podcast by a domestic violence survivor, sharing raw and honest conversations about life after trauma. Each episode explores healing, resilience, and the real work of rebuilding. Featuring voices of survivors and the people who’ve walked with us. You’re not alone! This is what healing out loud looks like.

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