Surviving-ISH Podcast

David Keck
  • 4.9 (54)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

"Surviving-ish" is a podcast with a unique and purposeful dual focus. The "Surviving-ish" is our way of creating a space for lightheartedness—it’s about the everyday, petty grievances that are frustrating but also a source of shared, human comedy. These are the moments we survive, like when the laundry pod explodes all over the clothes, your morning coffee isn't quite hot enough, or a passive-aggressive text from a relative ruins your mood. The core mission behind "Surviving-ish" is to show our audience that while we may have been victims of serious circumstances, that does not mean people have to walk on eggshells around us. We believe in the power of laughter and the importance of finding humor in life's small frustrations. By blending serious topics with these minor, everyday grievances, we aim to normalize the idea that it's okay to joke and laugh, even after enduring significant challenges. For further inquiries or to share your own story, please reach out to us at survivingabusepodcast@gmail.com. Together, we can create a network of support and healing for survivors.

  1. 2D AGO

    Planting Roots in the Tumbleweed: A Legal Advocate’s Guide to Mental Health w/ Paula Yost

    Send us Fan Mail Welcome to Surviving-ish! In this episode, we dive deep into the intersection of legal advocacy and mental health with the incredible Paula Yost Paula isn't just a high-level trademark attorney; she is also a licensed clinical mental health clinician, a foster/adoptive parent, and a powerful advocate for trauma-informed practices within the legal system. We start things off with our "surviving" moments—ranging from Paula’s experience navigating a rare North Carolina snowstorm with three boys to the technical frustrations of IRS verification. From there, we trace Paula’s journey as a first-generation college student who used hyper-achievement to forge a new path, eventually earning two degrees at Virginia Tech and pivoting to law school in the wake of 9/11. In this episode, we discuss: •The Court as Triage: Why Polly returned for a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health to better understand how the legal system functions as a frontline for mental health crises. •Trauma-Informed Lawyering: How Paula teaches lawyers to recognize signs of mental illness and respond with empathy rather than just procedure. •The Cost of Caring: A candid look at secondary trauma and the emotional toll on advocates. •Advocacy in Action: Paula’s work as a CASA/guardian ad litem and her personal journey of adopting a foster youth as an adult. •Resilience in Parenting: Navigating the medical challenges of her children, including cleft lip/palate and the realities of acute preeclampsia and premature birth. Paula Yost also shares a sneak peek into her upcoming book, Tumbleweed, which explores the themes of advocacy, healing, and the vital importance of supporting families through their hardest seasons. #SurvivingIsh #MentalHealth #TraumaInformed #LegalAdvocacy #FosterCare #Adoption #Resilience #Podcast https://www.amazon.com/Tumbleweeds-Advocate-Children-Yourself-Failing/dp/B0GQ9M2FK6 https://paulayost.com/ Support the show

    52 min

  2. APR 9

    She Ordered Room Service, Then Vanished. (The Merrian Carver Mystery)

    Send us Fan Mail How does a person vanish from a massive cruise ship in the middle of the ocean without a single witness? In this special crossover episode, we’re heading over to the Speculating Wildly About Crime (SWAC) studio. Join Jamie, Kristy, and David to dive deep into one of the most unsettling maritime mysteries in history: The disappearance of Merrian Carver. In 2004, Merrian booked a last-minute Alaskan cruise, told absolutely no one, and boarded the ship in Seattle. By night two, after a strange interaction with her cabin steward and a massive untouched tip, she was gone. No CCTV, no splashes reported, and a cruise line that allegedly told staff to "just keep working." #truecrimestories  #missingatsea  #MerrianCarver #UnsolvedMysteries #CruiseShipCrime #survivingish  #SWACPod #coldcase  #alaskancruise  #PodcastCrossover #documentary https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@SWACPOD⁩   Support the show

    1h 1m

  3. APR 2

    Surviving The Burn List-ish w/ Julie Cruse

    Send us Fan Mail On Surviving Ish, host David talks with Julie Cruse, creator of AcademicAbuse.com and author of the memoir The Burn List, about how a hostile university workplace exit in 2023 and a long COVID recovery led her to write 180,000 words and uncover a through line of abuse from home to higher education. Julie explains building AcademicAbuse.com as a searchable dashboard aggregating global media reports of harassment, discrimination, Title IX issues, bullying, and more, noting thousands of stories and hundreds of implicated universities. She shares experiences of academic retaliation, intellectual property theft, coercion, stalking, and multiple sexual assaults by professors, and discusses how complaints can be buried and weaponized. They explore bystander abandonment, vulnerability after trauma, DEI being misused in practice, and Julie’s call for anonymous, double-blind Title IX reporting.  https://www.academicabuse.com/ https://a.co/d/0gnAPgWV Support the show

    1h 14m

  4. MAR 26

    Diagnosed, Abused for It, Started over—Then Lost Her & His Job: Chris Carazas

    Send us Fan Mail Chris Carazas shares how growing up across South America, Africa, and Europe as a “third culture kid” left him socially awkward until an autism diagnosis at 35 finally gave clarity—and then became a doorway to escalating psychological abuse from his mother-in-law and then-wife, including daily suicide encouragement that led to two attempts. After getting treatment with the support of insurance and an understanding boss, he rebuilt, was promoted, and met a partner who accelerated his healing; he began writing a confessional to her that became his book, “Now That I’m Still Here,” but she died while he was writing and he was also laid off after USAID changes. They discuss trauma triggers, “no deadline” for healing, reclaiming life in small moments, stigma around therapy and hospitalization, men’s mental health, and how Chris stays alive through therapy, attempt-survivor groups, and caring for his dog, while planning book proceeds to support suicide prevention, autism support, and eating-disorder access. #author #autism  https://chriscarazas.com Support the show

    1 hr

  5. MAR 19

    "I Drank The Juice": Alisha Is Spilling The Kool-Aid On Faith and Control

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Surviving Ish Podcast, David is joined by Alisha Marie, who shares her compelling journey from being in a high-control religious cult to finding her own path. The conversation delves into the complexities of faith, the psychological effects of religious teachings, and the struggle to balance friendship and personal growth. Alicia opens up about her experiences with manipulative church leaders, the concept of the rapture, and the importance of intention and belief. Tune in for an eye-opening discussion that blends humor, insight, and raw honesty. #CultSurvivor #ReligiousFreedom #FaithJourney #SurvivingIshPodcast #SpillingTheKoolAid #IntentionAndBelief #MentalHealth https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/un-holier-podcast/id1800066919?i=1000719588995 https://youtu.be/32YHqDoXLdU Support the show

    1h 38m

  6. MAR 12

    A Girl Hidden'...-ISH

    Send us Fan Mail Surviving Ish: Trauma Triggers, Toxic Positivity, and the Relief of Losing an Abusive Mother (with Jesse, author of Girl Hidden) Host David welcomes Jesse Gibbs (author of the memoir Girl Hidden) to Surviving Ish for a wide-ranging conversation on how scent and the body can trigger trauma responses, referencing The Body Keeps the Score and the difficulty of trusting intuition. They discuss “solving” feelings instead of feeling them, gentle self-parenting, and rejecting labels like “survivor,” “resilient,” or “hero” when they’re used to shut down vulnerability. Jesse shares her current “ish” about shoppers abandoning meat in non-refrigerated aisles and how small kindnesses matter. The conversation turns to Jessie learning her abusive mother has died, prompting reflections on relief, grief, and closure, plus a brief overview of her childhood abuse, kidnapping, and estrangement. They critique forgiveness as “clean slate,” talk about autonomy, appearance, purity culture, and end with support, validation, and Jesse’s thoughts on possibly writing another book. #books #author #podcast  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59856769-girl-hidden https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/surviving-ish-podcast/id1572182113?i=1000626284084 Support the show

    1h 58m

  7. MAR 5

    The Purity Trap: Is Your Life Ever Truly Yours? (w/ Kristin Watson)

    Send us Fan Mail How do you reclaim your life when it was never truly yours to begin with? In this episode of Surviving-ISH, David sits down with the incredible Kristin Watson to peel back the layers of a much deeper, darker reality: surviving and escaping a restrictive religious cult. Kristin opens up about her time at Crown College, exposing the toxic "purity culture" that systematically blamed women for men’s actions and stripped individuals of their basic autonomy. From the physical "armor" women were forced to wear to the psychological weight of constant monitoring, Kristin shares the raw truth about what it takes to break free. We’re diving deep into: The Rules of Control: The disturbing reality of privacy bans and "purity" policing at Crown College.The Road to Recovery: How to navigate marriage growth and self-rediscovery after trauma.Breaking the Stigma: Deconstructing the shame around mental health and medication in religious circles.Personal Sovereignty: Why reclaiming your voice—and your vote—is a vital step in taking your power back.This isn’t just a conversation; it’s a masterclass in empathy, human connection, and the resilience required to build a life on your own terms. #purityculture #deconstructing #religioustrauma #crowncollege #cultsurvivor #survivingish #spiritualabuse #religiousfreedom Support the show

    1h 22m

  8. MAR 3 ·  BONUS

    “He Did the Same Thing as Hitler”: Xenophobia, Scapegoats, and the Epstein Files Fallout

    Send us Fan Mail The episode the host sits down with social Medias DeeDaw and discusses how a political figure is using the same tactic as Hitler by exploiting prejudice and xenophobia—shifting targets from Jews to immigrants—and escalating attacks on trans people, drag queens, gay people, people of color, and others to unite hateful supporters. It claims this scapegoating kept people from noticing what was being done to them. The script also says he spent years building expectations around the Epstein files since the 2016 election, referencing Hillary Clinton, Pizzagate, and promises to expose Democrats, but once in power hesitated because he knew he was implicated in the files, then dismissed supporters as “stupid.” #politics #epsteinfiles #pizzagate #2016election #xenophobia #scapegoating #immigration #lgbtq #transrights #dragqueens #civilrights #conspiracytheories https://www.tiktok.com/@deedaw19601?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc Support the show

    1h 8m
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Trailer

4.9
out of 5
54 Ratings

About

"Surviving-ish" is a podcast with a unique and purposeful dual focus. The "Surviving-ish" is our way of creating a space for lightheartedness—it’s about the everyday, petty grievances that are frustrating but also a source of shared, human comedy. These are the moments we survive, like when the laundry pod explodes all over the clothes, your morning coffee isn't quite hot enough, or a passive-aggressive text from a relative ruins your mood. The core mission behind "Surviving-ish" is to show our audience that while we may have been victims of serious circumstances, that does not mean people have to walk on eggshells around us. We believe in the power of laughter and the importance of finding humor in life's small frustrations. By blending serious topics with these minor, everyday grievances, we aim to normalize the idea that it's okay to joke and laugh, even after enduring significant challenges. For further inquiries or to share your own story, please reach out to us at survivingabusepodcast@gmail.com. Together, we can create a network of support and healing for survivors.

Information

  • Creator
    David Keck
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    195
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Surviving Podcast
  • Show Website
    Surviving-ISH Podcast

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