We're All Insane

At 17 years old, she believed that if a boyfriend didn't hit her, he was a good boyfriend. Growing up in a small town, raised in a strict religious household, and surrounded by unhealthy relationships, she had no idea what a healthy partnership was supposed to look like. What started as a high school relationship eventually led to years of heartbreak, single motherhood, difficult co-parenting battles, and the painful realization that the father of her child was never going to become the parent her daughter deserved. But nothing could have prepared her for the message she received in 2025…a message that revealed her ex had been arrested and charged with multiple felony offenses involving a minor. Topics Discussed: → How do you protect your child from an unsafe parent? → When should co-parenting stop? → What are signs of parental neglect? → How do you win sole custody? → How do you heal after betrayal? Sponsored By: → HERS | Ready to reach your goals? Visit https://forhers.com/insane to get personalized, affordable care that gets you. → Cozy Earth | Give Dad the gift of comfort this summer with Cozy Earth’s Bamboo Sheet Set, Everywhere Pant, and Everyday Polo. For an exclusive offer, head to https://cozyearth.com and use code INSANE for 20% off. On This Episode We Cover: → 00:00:00 - What was it like growing up in a strict Jehovah's Witness household? → 00:02:34 - How did childhood trauma shape her relationships? → 00:04:04 - What happened during her high-risk pregnancy? → 00:09:02 - What made co-parenting so difficult from the beginning? → 00:12:58 - Who did she move in with after leaving her ex? → 00:14:44 - When did neglect become impossible to ignore? → 00:17:31 - Why did she pursue sole legal and physical custody? → 00:20:14 - How did his parenting get worse over time? → 00:25:42 - How did her current partner become the father figure her daughter needed? → 00:31:02 - What message changed her life forever? → 00:33:45 - How did she react after learning about her ex's arrest? → 00:37:50 - Did she try to speak to him or his family after the news broke? → 00:42:55 - When was the last time she spoke to her ex? → 00:44:39 - How is her daughter handling the news about her father? → 00:46:09 - How will she one day explain the truth to her daughter? → 00:48:26 - How is she staying mindful of her mental health? → 00:50:54 - Why did she start sharing her story on TikTok? → 00:53:33 - How did going viral help her custody case? → 00:55:09 - Did the positive tik tok comments help her heal? → 00:57:06 - How was she able to afford a lawyer? → 00:59:04 - Does she see herself continuing to share her journey? → 01:02:21 - Why does she believe more parents need to share stories like this? → 01:08:05 - What is she going to do next? → 01:09:30 - Why is it scary for people to share their story? → 01:12:15 - When did people start to listen to her story? → 01:15:31 - How did her relationship with her father impact her parenting decisions? → 01:17:36 - What did she do when she first found out? → 01:20:02 - What is it like to struggle with your mental health? → 01:21:53 - What was it like hearing his sentencing in court? → 01:25:48 - What did she learn about relationships and abuse? Show links: → I Lived With Bill Gates After Escaping Abuse Check Out Ruvyn: → Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@alchemy_with_rue?_r=1&_t=ZT-97HpKvjuX0P → Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alchemy_with_rue/ More We Are All Insane: → OFFICIAL MERCH NOW AVAILABLE - code INSANE10 gets you 10% off for a limited time → Join We’re All Insane Mailing List for EXCLUSIVE Content + Discounts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#foryou #podcast #ad Merch is live ↓ - OFFICIAL MERCH NOW AVAILABLE - code INSANE10 gets you 10% off for a limited time: https://shop.wereallinsane.com - Join We’re All Insane Mailing List for EXCLUSIVE Content + Discounts: https://mailchi.mp/6d0e5d7a3998/were-all-insane Support your cells and how you age with Mitopure® Gummies from Timeline. Visit https://timeline.com/insane and save up to 39% off your Mitopure® Gummies. Make the switch to Sundays. Go right now to https://sundaysfordogs.com/INSANE50 and get 50% off your first order. Or, you can use code INSANE50 at checkout. At 21, Tressa was drugged, abducted, r**ed, and nearly strangled to death by a stranger. She was left barely alive. Tressa talks about what survival really looks like after something like that. Not the inspirational version. The real one — the fear, the anger, the way your whole sense of safety disappears. Time Stamps: 00:00:00 – What is it like to survive being abducted, drugged, raped, and strangled twice? 00:03:33 – What happened at a work party that led to a violent assault? 00:06:23 – How can someone be drugged at a bar by a coworker? 00:09:45 – What does it feel like to regain consciousness during a sexual assault? 00:12:09 – What do predators say during an attack to psychologically dominate their victim? 00:14:49 – What kind of long-term physical damage can violent rape cause? 00:16:02 – What does fight, flight, or freeze feel like during a life-threatening assault? 00:17:15 – How can something as small as a worn-out belt save someone’s life? 00:18:37 – Why do some victims pretend to be dead to survive? 00:22:22 – Why would an attacker leave to dispose of a body they believe is dead? 00:25:24 – What happens when a roommate unexpectedly interrupts a violent assault? 00:31:35 – What is it like telling your father you’ve just been raped? 00:35:29 – What happens during a rape kit exam at the hospital? 00:37:23 – Why does a sexual assault exam feel like a second violation? 00:40:56 – Why are sexual assault survivors forced to repeat their story over and over again? 00:42:48 – How do investigators sometimes gaslight sexual assault victims? 01:23:47 – How did trauma impact her romantic relationships years later? 01:25:08 – What happens when DNA evidence confirms your attacker’s identity? 01:35:01 – Why do survivors blame themselves for taking a drink or what they were wearing? 01:39:27 – What was the plea deal offered to the man who drugged and raped her? 01:40:48 – Why did she need multiple surgeries and eventually a colostomy bag? 01:41:00 – How does it feel when the justice system minimizes your trauma? 02:02:41 – What sentence did the attacker receive and how long did he serve? 02:03:02 – Why doesn’t she resonate with the word “survivor”? 02:10:16 – What happens emotionally when your attacker is released from prison? 02:11:22 – How did PTSD resurface years later during the pandemic? 02:11:59 – How do you cope knowing your attacker is living in the same city? If you have a unique story you'd like to share on the podcast, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/ZiHgdoK4PLRAddiB9 or send an email to wereallinsanepodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#foryou #podcast #ad Merch is live ↓ https://were-all-insane.myshopify.com Feel like your best self again. Visit https://forhers.com/insane to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you. Laura shares how she lost her virginity to her much older stepbrother, got pregnant, and had an abortion she instantly regretted. We talk guilt, infertility, believing God was punishing her, and the adoption journey that finally forced her to face it all.Laura's Links:Abortion routing services: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-illinois/patient-resources/whether-youre-in-illinois-or-from-another-stateAngel Adoption (the service we used to adopt and where birthmothers can go to as well): angeladoptioninc.comTiktok: @helloitslbo Time Stamps: 00:00:00 – What happens when you lose your virginity to your stepbrother? 00:01:12 – Why do people stay silent about traumatic family secrets for years? 00:02:48 – Is it normal to carry guilt for something that happened decades ago? 00:04:20 – How does growing up around teen pregnancy shape your fear of becoming one? 00:06:02 – What does it feel like to never feel desired growing up? 00:07:56 – Can attraction happen instantly even when it feels wrong? 00:09:05 – Is it possible to feel chemistry with someone you just met at a family wedding? 00:10:39 – What goes through your mind when your stepbrother kisses you in public? 00:11:52 – Did anyone notice the inappropriate relationship at the wedding? 00:13:58 – Why do taboo relationships sometimes feel more intense? 00:15:18 – How quickly can a secret relationship escalate into sex? 00:16:32 – What is it like losing your virginity later than everyone else? 00:18:28 – What do you do when you find out the man you slept with has a girlfriend? 00:19:59 – Did her parents ever find out about the relationship? 00:21:10 – What happens when someone cuts you off right after intimacy? 00:22:29 – How do you know you’re pregnant before taking a test? 00:23:53 – What happens when you can’t access emergency contraception in time? 00:25:08 – How does shame affect decision-making during an unplanned pregnancy? 00:26:35 – What does it feel like when the father pressures you to get an abortion? 00:29:34 – Why do some men act flirty even when paying for an abortion? 00:31:13 – What actually happens during an abortion procedure? 00:33:34 – Can you regret an abortion immediately after it happens? 00:36:02 – Why do pregnancy jokes trigger panic years later? 00:37:52 – Can religion cause lifelong fear after an abortion? 00:39:15 – Why do some couples struggle with infertility after trauma? 00:41:28 – Is it possible to be pro-choice but regret your own abortion? 00:43:56 – What does repeated adoption failure do to your mental health? 00:52:32 – How can therapy help release guilt tied to reproductive trauma? If you have a unique story you'd like to share on the podcast, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/ZiHgdoK4PLRAddiB9 or send an email to wereallinsanepodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Official Merch - NOW AVAILABLE! #foryou #podcast Courtney's life was permanently altered by a single, unthinkable accident — accidentally running over her own father and disabling him. We talk about the crushing guilt, the aftermath of addiction, abandonment, and the impossible position of becoming his caretaker while still raising her own family. Courtney's Links: ~Tiktok: @courtkline https://www.tiktok.com/@courtkline?_r=1&_t=ZT-92zuIdPfH3e ~Instagram: @courtkline https://www.instagram.com/courtkline?igsh=MWxrenlqODcyMWRlbA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr ~$100 off GLP-1 through Shed https://lddy.no/1nwx4 Code: COURTKI100 ~Coming soon! More Than Mother Podcast ~TikTok: @morethanmotherpod https://www.tiktok.com/@morethanmotherpod?_r=1&_t=ZT-92zuXtRZbJH If you have a unique story you'd like to share on the podcast, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/ZiHgdoK4PLRAddiB9 or send an email to wereallinsanepodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Official Merch - NOW AVAILABLE! #foryou #podcast Meagan opens up about severe postpartum depression that turned into terrifying delusions, intrusive thoughts, and suicidal ideation. Even as an RN, she didn’t recognize how bad it had gotten. She shares the shame, fear, and silence so many women carry after childbirth but are too afraid to admit. Maternal Health Helpline: 833-852-6262 Time Stamps: 00:00:00 — What happens when postpartum depression is ignored and left untreated? 00:01:38 — Why do so many mothers hide postpartum mental health struggles? 00:02:31 — How rare is postpartum psychosis and why is it so dangerous? 00:03:55 — How does upbringing and religion shape relationship choices later in life? 00:04:35 — How do purity culture beliefs affect red flag awareness in relationships? 00:05:51 — What does love bombing look like before you recognize it as unhealthy? 00:07:00 — How do toxic relationships quietly escalate while life looks “successful”? 00:08:51 — Can hormonal birth control trigger long-term emotional instability? 00:10:20 — What happens when medical decisions are made without proper care? 00:11:35 — How does betrayal trauma impact mental health before pregnancy? 00:12:45 — Why does emotional devastation lead to risky coping behaviors? 00:13:57 — What goes through your mind when you discover an unplanned pregnancy? 00:15:34 — How can family support instantly change pregnancy fear into acceptance? 00:17:18 — What does a “perfect” pregnancy look like before everything changes? 00:18:59 — Can extreme productivity mask emotional and psychological distress? 00:21:10 — What is a membrane sweep and how does it start labor? 00:22:36 — What does active labor feel like when you try to stay in control? 00:25:19 — What is it like giving birth when everything appears to go right? 00:26:59 — What does postpartum psychosis feel like the moment it begins? 00:27:53 — Why do postpartum psychosis symptoms feel spiritual or demonic? 00:29:24 — How do new mothers hide severe mental distress from loved ones? 00:31:20 — Why do auditory hallucinations happen after childbirth? 00:33:45 — Why are early postpartum psychosis warning signs often dismissed? 00:36:38 — Why can leaving the hospital feel more terrifying than staying? 00:38:25 — How can a familiar home suddenly feel unsafe after giving birth? 00:41:01 — Why do intrusive thoughts about other children emerge postpartum? 00:43:23 — What behaviors signal postpartum psychosis only in hindsight? 00:45:07 — Why do severe mental health symptoms get mistaken for laziness or sadness? 00:48:23 — How can family sense something is wrong without understanding it? 00:51:18 — Why does postpartum depression feel manageable with support but unbearable alone? 00:53:17 — What happens when a stranger notices postpartum mental decline first? 01:06:22 — How does untreated postpartum trauma resurface years later? 01:26:34 — What does long-term healing from postpartum psychosis actually require? 01:36:20 — What does life look like after surviving postpartum psychosis? If you have a unique story you'd like to share on the podcast, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/ZiHgdoK4PLRAddiB9 or send an email to wereallinsanepodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices