Initiated Survivor

Kelsey Harper
  • 5.0 (14)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
Initiated Survivor Podcast

Survivors of sexual assault face unique challenges recovering from trauma and re-entering their lives. Clinical psychologist and survivor Kelsey Harper speaks directly to survivors and offers practical skills to reclaim their life. In this podcast, you will learn new skills to build a resilient life and gain inspiration from the community of survivors sharing their stories of grit and power.

  1. AUG 27

    Addressing Burnout and Compassion Fatigue: How to Support Our Therapists & Healthcare Professionals

    In this episode, we’re shifting from gender-based violence to the unique challenges faced by all healthcare professionals — from psychologists and therapists to emergency responders. Addressing the high risk of burnout and compassion fatigue, I’m explaining how these professionals are uniquely vulnerable due to their roles. Burnout is characterized by chronic, unresolved stress leading to significant mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion, while compassion fatigue stems from witnessing the suffering of others. Moreover, BURNOUT IS NOT OUR FAULT. It is the result of systemic exploitation from late-stage capitalism and resource inequities. So how do we conquer it when it is not an individual problem? I’ll let you know my professional insights on interventions and community support, and the signs you need to look out for. Watch the Full Video Podcast Here! 00:00 — Understanding Burnout in Healthcare Professionals 04:26 — The Reality of Burnout 05:05 — Symptoms and Impact of Burnout 08:13 — Causes and Risk Factors for Burnout 12:40 — Personal Experiences with Burnout 20:21 — Addressing Burnout and Moving Forward Topics/Triggers: · Burnout · Trauma · Stress · Exhaustion · Mental Health · Depression · Compassion Fatigue · Chronic Pain · Moral Injury · Isolation · Helplessness · Disassociation · Empathy · Anxiety · Anger · Capitalism · Survival Mode · Work Culture · Human Rights & Social Injustices · Neurodivergence ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review. If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online for 24/7 support. (This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory) Find more Initiated Survivor content here and on Instagram!

    23 min

  2. AUG 13

    Ask a Psychologist Anything (Part 3): How to Encourage Loved Ones to Seek Therapy

    Welcome back to Part Three of Ask a Psychologist Anything! In this episode, I address the frequently asked question: 'How do I get my loved one to go to therapy?' While many people wish for their loved ones to go to therapy, the key takeaway is that you can't force anyone to go. I’ll talk about how therapy is not the only path to healing, alternative support methods, the importance of boundaries, how to help loved ones understand their options without pressuring them, and how respecting a person's dignity and autonomy is essential. Watch the Full Video Podcast Here! TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 — Intro 00:32 — Understanding the Desire for Therapy 02:16 — The Reality of Therapy Accessibility 04:10 — Respecting Autonomy and Dignity 05:51 — Exploring Alternatives to Therapy 08:00 — Sharing Personal Experiences 11:22 — Avoiding Pressure and Blame 14:25 — Addressing Personal Needs and Boundaries 17:57 — Addressing Concerns & Respecting Decisions Topics/Triggers: · Therapy · Trauma Recovery · Relationships · Community · Family Relationships · Victim Blaming · Boundaries · Self Harm Behavior · Depression · Suicide ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review. If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online for 24/7 support. (This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory) Find more Initiated Survivor content here and on Instagram!

    22 min

  3. JUL 16

    Your Guide to Emotional Support Animals

    In this episode, I talk about the value and role of emotional support animals (ESAs) in mental health and trauma recovery. I’ll cover what ESAs are, the differences between ESAs and service animals, and the benefits of having an ESA, such as improved mental health, increased social interaction, and better routine management. I’ll also answer some common questions, like how to get an ESA, the types of animals that make good ESAs, and the legal rights of ESA owners. From my own experience, my emotional support animals have been a crucial part of my recovery and I am very thankful for them! Watch the Full Video Podcast Here! TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 — Intro 00:48 — Understanding Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) 01:40 — Differences Between ESAs and Service Animals 02:39— Benefits of Emotional Support Animals 05:32— Legal Rights and Accessibility of ESAs 10:59 — How to Get an ESA 12:02 — Choosing the Right ESA for You 16:26 — Where You Can Take Your ESA 19:21 — Personal Experiences with ESAs Topics/Triggers: · Mental Health · Emotional Support Animals · Depression · Anxiety · Isolation · Service Animals · Emotional Regulation · Trauma ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review. If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online for 24/7 support. (This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory) Find more Initiated Survivor content here and on Instagram!

    24 min

  4. JUN 4

    Rising Above Trauma and Empowering Others with Life Coach April Arielli

    On this episode of Initiated Survivor, my friend and empowerment coach, April Arielli, shares her inspiring story of overcoming trauma and finding her calling as a life, relationship, and career coach. From surviving a harrowing experience to finding healing through yoga and skydiving, April's journey is a testament to resilience and reclaiming one's power. April shares how she empowers others to navigate challenging life transitions and achieve their dreams, and the impact of sharing survivor stories to create a stronger community. Watch the Full Video Podcast Here! TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 — Intro 00:52 — April’s Journey: From Actress to Empowerment Coach 01:28 — The Power of Sharing and Connecting Survivor Stories 08:59 — The Struggle with Reporting and Internalized Shame 15:37 — Recovery and Reclaiming Self-Worth After Trauma 17:39 — Discovering Kundalini Yoga: A Journey to Emotional Healing 19:22 — Skydiving: A Leap Towards Healing and Confidence 26:45 — Navigating New Relationships and Trust After Trauma 30:34 — Embracing Life Coaching: A New Chapter of Empowerment 35:34 — The Impact of Sharing and Healing Topics/Triggers: · Sexual Assault · Rape · Aggressive Behavior · Violence · Trauma Recovery · Reclaiming Your Power · Healing · Creating a Community ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ★ Connect with April Arielli ★ Website: aprilarielli.com IG: @aprilarielli Take The First Step: https://bit.ly/AprilArielli **50% off 2 or 3 month life coaching package for Initiated Survivor Subscribers - Take the First Step and mention Initiated Survivor. *Limited Time Offer If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review. If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online for 24/7 support. (This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory) Find more Initiated Survivor content here and on Instagram!

    38 min

  5. APR 16

    Filmmaker Brialynn Massie on BPD & Film “I Need You To Stay”

    This episode, I have special guest Brialynn Massie on the podcast to discuss the creation of their upcoming film 'I Need You To Stay'. The film aims to tackle the Hollywood stigma and misconceptions surrounding BPD through the story of its protagonist, Kira, who is in remission from BPD. We touch on themes such as the systemic issues of misogyny and white supremacy in the diagnosis and treatment of BPD, the pervasive stigma in media and healthcare, and the cycle of victimization. Additionally, we’ll talk about the importance of creating a community and safe spaces for individuals with BPD, the impact of therapy, and the potential for legislative changes to improve access to mental health care. Brialynn also highlights the efforts to maintain a trauma-informed culture on set and the partnership with Hire Survivors Hollywood to combat predatory behavior. Watch the Full Video Podcast Here! 00:00 — Unveiling the Stigma of Borderline Personality Disorder 00:39 — Brialynn’s Journey: From Diagnosis to Filmmaker 00:57 — Combating Hollywood's Stigma: The Making of I Need You To Stay  01:31 — The Impact of Media and Misogyny on Mental Health Stigma 06:30 — Bridging the Gap: The Mission Behind the Movie 16:51 — The Power of Representation: Changing Narratives and Building Communities 30:13 — The Fight for Accessible Mental Health Care and Legislative Change 31:32 — Exploring the Complexities of Borderline Personality Disorder 32:44 — The Impact of Early Diagnosis and Access to Healthcare 35:01 — Navigating Relationships and Self-Validation with BPD 39:13 — The Dangers of Fetishization and Exploitation 50:30 — Healing, Hope, and Building Community Topics/Triggers: · Borderline Personality Disorder · Suicide/Suicidal Ideations · Addiction · Abuse · Medical/Workplace Abuse · Gaslighting · Victim Blaming · Child Abuse · CPTSD · Hire Survivors Hollywood · Community · Trauma · Self-Validation ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ★ Connect with Brialynn Massie ★ Follow @ineedyoutostaymovie on Instagram Explore I Need You to Stay Website Email: admin@ineedyoutostay.com If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review. If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online for 24/7 support. (This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory) Find more Initiated Survivor content here and on Instagram!

    56 min

  6. APR 2

    Finding Your Community: The Power of Social Connections

    In this episode of Initiated Survivor, I’ll discuss the vital role of social support and community in the process of recovering from trauma. I will talk about the innate human need for connection, and how isolation exacerbates feelings of insecurity and depression, while the sense of belonging fosters healing and a sense of safety. I will share practical ways those in recovery can find and integrate into communities, especially after experiences of trauma, and navigate the challenges of connecting authentically with others. I will also share a few of my personal experiences with finding community and connection, the importance of self-validation, and the continuous, life-long journey of finding belonging and support in community. Watch the Full Video Podcast Here! TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 — Intro 00:27 — The Power of Social Support in Mental Health Recovery 01:08 — Understanding Our Social Nature and Its Impact on Recovery 03:23 — Creative Expression and Community 07:54 — Navigating Social Connections as Adults: Challenges and Strategies 13:11 — Exploring Personal Values and Building Community Connections 14:37 — GROUP THERAPY AD:  https://www.drkelseyharper.com/dbt-skills-group-for-lgbtq 24:38 — Embracing Vulnerability and Growth in Community Engagement 31:05 — Finding Peace and Purpose Through Community Topics/Triggers: · Abusive Realtionships · Sexual Assault · Community · Creative Expression · Self-Worth · Self-Validation · Trauma Recovery ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review. If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online for 24/7 support. (This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory) Find more Initiated Survivor content here and on Instagram!

    35 min

  7. MAR 5

    The Power of Group Therapy and Community in Trauma Recovery

    In this episode, I talk about the power of group therapy and community for those recovering from traumatic experiences. I’ll discuss the emotional isolation people often experience in the aftermath of traumatic events, and how this can be exacerbated by societal factors. I’ll share some personal experiences on how participating in group activities, such as restorative yoga classes and virtual workshops served as a healing mechanism and a stepping stone towards building relationships and community. Additionally, I will talk about the benefits of group therapy in cultivating listening, speaking, healing, and social skills while maintaining a safe, validating space for participants. I am also excited to be offering two new groups starting in April which include: DBT Skills Group for LGBTQ+ and a Trauma Recovery Skills Group! Watch the Full Video Podcast Here! 00:00 — Intro 00:59 — The Struggles of Isolation and Anxiety 03:12 — The Comfort of Home and the Challenge of Leaving 04:01 — Overcoming Agoraphobia and Building Connections 05:51 — The Power of Solitude and Self-Care 07:04 — The Role of Community Activities in Recovery 10:09 — The Impact of the Pandemic and Virtual Groups 12:37 — Group Therapy Ad: https://www.drkelseyharper.com/dbt-skills-group-for-lgbtq 17:50 — The Benefits of Group Therapy 21:39 — Personal Experiences with Group Therapy 22:12 — Upcoming Group Therapy Opportunities 23:55 — The Healing Power of Groups Topics/Triggers: · Rape Culture · Victim Blaming · Agoraphobia · Anxiety · Trauma · Trauma Recovery · Virtual Groups and Community · CPTSD · Group Therapy ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review. If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online for 24/7 support. (This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory) Find more Initiated Survivor content here and on Instagram!

    26 min

  8. FEB 6

    Understanding Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), Complex Trauma, and PTSD

    In this episode, we delve deep into Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and complex trauma. We discuss the stigma associated with these conditions, their links to past trauma, their effects on personality and social behavior, and how they are often misunderstood. I’ll talk about the traits and symptoms of BPD, the relationship between BPD and complex trauma, and the intersections of these with PTSD. I’ll also cover the importance of trauma-informed care and discuss effective treatments like Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and other trauma interventions. 00:00 — Introduction to Borderline Personality Disorder 01:50 — Understanding the Nature of Borderline Personality Disorder 03:35 — Traits and Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder 11:45 — The Connection Between BPD and Trauma 13:18 — AD: Group Therapy: https://www.drkelseyharper.com/dbt-skills-group-for-lgbtq 14:49 — Understanding Complex PTSD and its Relation to BPD 21:07 — Treatment Options for BPD and Complex Trauma 23:41 — Conclusion and Future Discussions Watch the Full Video Podcast Here! Topics/Triggers: · Dialectical Behavior Therapy by Dr. Marsha Linehan · Suicide and Suicidal Ideation · PTSD · Trauma · Emotional Overload and Overstimulation · Intrusive Memories ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ If you took anything away from today’s podcast, please share it with someone who may need to hear it. And if you really want to support the podcast please give us a rate/review. If you or anyone you know is suffering through trauma contact the National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online for 24/7 support. (This podcast is not a replacement for psychotherapy or mental health care. You can obtain a referral for mental health care provider from your primary care physician, or search on Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory) Find more Initiated Survivor content here and on Instagram!

    25 min
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Trailer

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About

Survivors of sexual assault face unique challenges recovering from trauma and re-entering their lives. Clinical psychologist and survivor Kelsey Harper speaks directly to survivors and offers practical skills to reclaim their life. In this podcast, you will learn new skills to build a resilient life and gain inspiration from the community of survivors sharing their stories of grit and power.

Information

  • Creator
    Kelsey Harper
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2024
  • Episodes
    88
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Kelsey Harper
  • Show Website
    Initiated Survivor

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