Reverends Dave and Bobbie Ebert are on a unique mission to minister to survivors of sex trafficking using the power of improv comedy. With their help, survivors find their voice, tap into their creativity, improve communication, and rediscover confidence. As US missionaries, they use their unique calling to help those in need and bring light into the darkest of situations. …
EP 151: How Do You Find The Words To Describe Your Trauma? Mark McNear
Many survivors suffer unspeakable abuse in their childhood and never tell another soul about it. It is very common to not have the words to even describe what happened to their bodies, their minds, and emotions. My guest Mark McNear is here to talk about his book Finding My Words: A Ruthless Commitment to Healing Gently After Trauma. Mark candidly …
EP 142: Trafficked Three Times: Amanda Blackwood
What do you think of when you hear the words “human trafficking”? Far away Asian countries? Young women? Kid knapping by strangers? Amanda Blackwood is my guest this week to dispel all these incorrect assumptions and define what trafficking really is. She also tells her harrowing story of being trafficked multiple times by people she knew, including her fiancée. Not …
EP 132: The Wrong Way To Propose Marriage: Dinah’s Story
We are continuing our stories in the bible about people who have suffered abuse and trauma. We are looking into the Jacob’s background and the violation of his daughter Dinah by one of the neighboring Hivite men. How did her family respond? Did they believe and protect her? Was the way that Dinah’s brothers handled the situation sanctioned by God …
EP 128: A Young Girl Who Won A Beauty Pageant: Esther
Imagine being taken from your home as a young girl to the harem of a cruel King to become the next queen of Persia. That’s what happened to Hadassah, a godly Jew raised by her uncle. Discover the twists and turns of the story of Esther, her faith, bravery, and even craftiness in order to save her people. Website: https://dswministries.org …
EP 85: Breaking Free From The Monster: Victoria Cuore: Part 2
We have Part 2 of my guest Victoria Cuore’s riveting story! This week we cover her abuser’s drug addictions, affairs, and continued violence towards her and her daughter. She believes her faith in God kept her alive through the abuse and gave her hope to go on in the darkest hours. She shares when she was finally able to fight …
EP 84: Protecting My Unborn Child From Her Father: Victoria Cuore: Part 1
How do you protect your unborn child from her father who is bent on killing her-and beating you within an inch of your life? Today we’ll meet Victoria Cuore, who has had over 100 surgeries to repair the damage from her abusive marriage. She shares how she met him on the rebound after a breakup, and how he used mind …
EP 80: Multiple Traumas And Hard Decisions: Saroya Brown
We have a delightful and brave guest, Saroya Brown, on the show this week. She was an orphan and was homeless for 2 years, survived cancer 3 times, and suffered numerous abuses. She talks about the ugly process of healing: spiritually, physically, and mentally-And then about the hope on the other side! She is a strong lady. You don’t want …
Episode 66: I Don’t Want My Daughter To Suffer The Same Abuse I Did: Bridget Seavey: Part 2
We are continuing Bridget Seavey’s incredible story this week. With the birth of her daughter, she realized she did not want the abuse to continue to the next generation. She shares the repeated verbal, physical and sexual abuse that she endured, and what was the catalyst for finally standing up for herself and establishing boundaries. When her husband filed for …
Episode 65: Kicked Out Of The Church After Being Abused: Bridget Seavey
Why would a church kick a young girl out of the church she loves when she reports she has been abused by someone in the church? This is actually quite common in churches, and it happened more than once to our guest Bridget Seavey. She was raised in the Fundamental Baptist Church and was assaulted as a young girl by …
Episode 62: Surviving Abuse From A Therapist: Amy Nordhues
Imagine being a survivor of multiple abuses from childhood, and then the therapist that you chose to help you to heal from that abuse, abuses you as well. This is exactly what happened to our guest Amy Nordhues. We talk about her childhood, how she found her therapist, and the events that led to the betrayal of her trust. The …
Episode 56: Trauma Induced Eating Disorders: Sue Bowles
Did you know that there are many forms of eating disorders? Most of us are familiar with bulimia or anorexia, but there are many more. Sue Bowles is our guest this week sharing about how her childhood trauma was the catalyst to her eating disorder, and mental health struggles. Her life was changed forever when she was saved during a …
Episode 48: Jumping Out Of A Third Story Window: Rob Decker
Sometimes in our lives, circumstances seem so hopeless that ending it all appears to be the solution to end the pain. That happened to my guest Rob Decker, when he decided to end it all by jumping out of a third story window-and surviving the fall. We will find out about his childhood abuse, being raised by parents who were …
Episode 45: My Story Two Pedophiles In The School Part 2
On this week’s podcast, I will continue telling my story. I reflect on the challenges of attending new public school out west. I share the story of how I came to saving faith in the Lord Jesus. You will also hear about the time I was followed home by a pedophile, and the harrowing experience of being fondled by a …
Episode 43: Breaking Free Of The Narcissist: Maegan From The Secret Garden Podcast
How can an abuse advocate not recognize the red flags of abuse in her own relationships? Well, it happened to Maegan, from The Secret Garden Podcast. She shares her experiences in the emergency room of comforting sexual assault victims and ensuring that the collection of evidence is completed accurately. Find out what the connection is with the show Law & Order! Maegan reveals what is the process during a rape kit and what happens to the kit afterwards, and how we can advocate for ourselves and our loved ones during this traumatic time. We also discuss what are the characteristics of a narcissist and how a narcissist does not think like everyone else. We end with Maegan’s own harrowing story of her ex husband and dating tips for breaking free of the grip that the narcissist has over us. Don’t miss this episode with Maegan!
Episode 37: How To Treat Everyone As A Valuable Child Of God: Rev. Dr. Marcia Ledford
How can we be more like Jesus in this world of pain, suffering, and evil? Is it our responsibility as Christians to care for the oppressed? The Rev. Dr. Marcia Ledford guides us in answering these kinds of questions with empathy and compassion. She candidly shares her upbringing in the Baptist church, her divine call to preach, and becoming a …
Episode 29: Men Too: Dr. Kelli Palfy
Hollywood and pop culture often give us the impression that men can’t be raped or sexually abused. Our guest today, Dr. Kelli Palfy, is here to dispel that myth and to give us the facts gleaned from her vast experience working in correctional facilities, the RCMP, and from her own doctoral research on why males don’t report sexual trauma. Dr. …
Episode 27: My Father Is A Pedophile-Jimmy Hinton Part 2
We continue our conversation with Pastor Jimmy Hinton this week, who had to turn his own father in to the police for pedophilia. Find out the sequence of events after Jimmy’s father is arrested and placed in prison with a life sentence. Jimmy describes how pedophiles think and how they abuse and manipulate their victims even from prison. He defines …
Episode 26: My Father Is A Pedophile: Pastor Jimmy Hinton Part One
Could you turn in your own parent to the police for committing unspeakable crimes of pedophilia? Would you be able to spot a pedophile in your midst? Pastor Jimmy Hinton and his family lived through this horrendous nightmare when he discovered that his father, a respected pastor and beloved member of the community, was secretly sexually abusing hundreds of children …
Episode 23: The Trauma Informed Church: Guest Suzanne Burns
How do you help a girl with a crisis pregnancy? Should you give money to the homeless man on the corner? We will find answers to these questions and more with our guest Suzanne Burns of Foundation House Ministries. Suzanne talks candidly about the inspiration behind starting Foundation House and her own crisis pregnancy. She shares the joys and challenges …
Episode 17: What’s It Like Being In A Mending The Soul Group?
If you are wondering if Mending the Soul small group is right for you, join us as Diana candidly talks about the process of joining a small group. She starts with the interview process, the requirements for joining a group, and what kind of experience you will have. She briefly reviews the array of essential abuse topics in the amazing …
Episode 16: Guest: Dr. Steve Tracy: God Is Healing Severe Abuse And Trauma
Don’t miss this incredible, inspiring episode as Diana interviews Dr. Steve Tracy, Founder and President of Mending The Soul. Dr. Tracy shares how his personal experiences with abuse and trauma inspired him and his wife Celestia to start the ministry of Mending The Soul. Learn about the many biblical and psychologically sound resources for healing abuse, and trauma that Mending …
Episode 14: Survivor Story: Sandy Phillips Kirkham – Let Me Prey On You
We have a survivor story of clergy abuse on today’s episode. Our guest is Sandy Phillips Kirkham, author of the book, Let Me Prey Upon You. It tells the horrific story of how she was methodically groomed by her youth pastor when she was 16 years old and suffered sexual, emotional, and physical abuse. Join us on a journey with …
Episode 12: Guest Dave Ebert: The Healing Power Of Laughter
Our guest on this week’s podcast, is Dave Ebert from Gifts4Glory Ministries. Dave shares his past struggles with depression, self worth, and thoughts of suicide. He has captivating stories of how he met the Lord, found his calling into improv comedy, and helps victims of sex trafficking to heal using improv classes. You will not want to miss this inspiring …
Episode 11: Survivor Story: Pastor Mark Sowersby – Forgiving The Nightmare
Our guest on today’s episode is Pastor Mark Sowersby. He shares his inspiring story of overcoming abuse, struggles with his weight, and dyslexia. He tells us powerful stories about meeting Jesus, going into the ministry, and learning how to forgive. Join us as he show us how he went from being a victim to being victorious! www.forgivingthenightmare.com mark@forgivingthenightmare.com bio: Reverend …
Episode 9: Let’s Talk About Trust Part 2: God and the Bible
Can we trust God and the Bible in the midst of our suffering? Diana explores these questions. She also gives tips on bible study and praying when you don’t feel like it. She extends her Christmas greetings with her favorite Christmas carol, O Holy Night. show notes: My blog post about our Israel trip: https://dswministries.orgwhat-they-dont-tell-you-about-your-pilgrimage-to-israel/ https://www.crossway.org/bibles/esv-archaeology-study-bible-hccase/ https://www.christianbook.com/page/bible-studies?navcat=Bible-Study https://waynestiles.com/ Link Tree …
Episode 1: Some Myths About Domestic Violence And Abuse
In this episode, Diana dispels a few myths about abuse, what the common denominator of all abuse is, and what we can do about it. She talks a little about Mending The Soul small groups, and ends with a song selection from her album Classic Favorites, recorded live. Show notes: Link Tree Website: https://dswministries.org Email: diana@dswministries.org Social media links: Facebook: …
Do Sex workers Actually Choose A Life Of Prostitution?
The Prevailing Notion Is That They Do. We’ve all taken the wrong way into a city and happened upon what we call a “Red Light District”. You might have witnessed evidence of the sex trade in your travels to another country. Perhaps you have taken a trip to Vegas, where prostitution is legal. What were your thoughts when you’ve experienced …
Series on Domestic Violence Part 3: Sexual Abuse
You can read Part 1 Physical Violence here. You can read Part 2 Verbal and Emotional Abuse here It’s One of the Most Difficult Topics to Talk About. Sexual abuse has been around for a very long time, but no one wants to talk about it. Although the #MeTooMovement has brought some things out into the limelight, there is still …