Podcast
Dear Katie: Survivor Stories
Hosted by Katie Koestner · EN
The Dear Katie Podcast features survivors of sexual assault, rape, and abuse; supporters; authors; celebrities; and agents of change about their survivorship and support. Learn how their journeys can help all survivors and their supporters. Delve into backlash, legal systems, campus reactions, family and friends, mental health, PTSD, substance use, body image, and the journey from hurt to healing and thriving.
After Katie Koestner appeared on the cover of TIME Magazine at age 18 as the first person to speak out nationally and publicly as the victim of “date” rape, she received 100+ letters from others who had never told anyone about their own story. Katie wrote back to all of them, and some of them have now been guests on her Podcast 30+ years later to share their story with the world. The name “Dear Katie” honors all survivors in the power of sharing their story. Silence changes nothing.
53episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
S9E19 Indigenous Survivor Call Out in Ketchikan, AK (Uploaded for Spotify)
6d ago00:52:38Tap to summarizePhoenix's pattern started early: as a teenager, she identified gaps in her own school's education system and set out to fix them. That instinct carried through her Air Force career, where she became the youngest Suicide Intervention Skills Instructor. That leadership turned into reigniting a student veteran association, founding veteran organizations, and serving the two oldest civil rights organizations. She's a mom whose daughter just graduated from a prestigious liberal arts high school, runs a consulting practice focused on civic engagement and education, and has carried her hope to run for office since fifth grade. She’s a biracial Tlingit and Haida tribal citizen, lover of art and fashion, cat mom, and former youth soccer coach. Host: Katie Koestner Editor: Evan Mader Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang
Transcribe →S9E19 Indigenous Survivor Call Out in Ketchikan, AK
6d ago00:52:38Tap to summarizePhoenix's pattern started early: as a teenager, she identified gaps in her own school's education system and set out to fix them. That instinct carried through her Air Force career, where she became the youngest Suicide Intervention Skills Instructor. That leadership turned into reigniting a student veteran association, founding veteran organizations, and serving the two oldest civil rights organizations. She's a mom whose daughter just graduated from a prestigious liberal arts high school, runs a consulting practice focused on civic engagement and education, and has carried her hope to run for office since fifth grade. She’s a biracial Tlingit and Haida tribal citizen, lover of art and fashion, cat mom, and former youth soccer coach. Host: Katie Koestner Editor: Evan Mader Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang
Transcribe →S9E18 Angry Enough to Rewire the Brain (Uploaded for Spotify)
2w ago00:48:43Tap to summarizeBreaking negative emotional circuits is a challenge for many survivors of trauma. This week, we sit down with Laurel Mellin to discuss strategies for rewiring the brain and sitting with negative experiences to emerge into states of joy. Dr. Laurel Mellin is a health psychologist and founder of emotional brain training (EBT), a method for rewiring trauma that can be integrated into self-care as well as psychotherapy. She developed EBT during her 42 years as a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and is a New York Times bestselling author. She directs the Solution Foundation, which trains health professionals in EBT, and has a private practice in the method. Host: Katie Koestner Editor: Laura Chiodo Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang
Transcribe →S9E18 Angry Enough to Rewire the Brain
2w ago00:48:43Tap to summarizeBreaking negative emotional circuits is a challenge for many survivors of trauma. This week, we sit down with Laurel Mellin to discuss strategies for rewiring the brain and sitting with negative experiences to emerge into states of joy. Dr. Laurel Mellin is a health psychologist and founder of emotional brain training (EBT), a method for rewiring trauma that can be integrated into self-care as well as psychotherapy. She developed EBT during her 42 years as a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and is a New York Times bestselling author. She directs the Solution Foundation, which trains health professionals in EBT, and has a private practice in the method. Host: Katie Koestner Editor: Laura Chiodo Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang
Transcribe →S9E17 Harvard Grad on a 10 Mile Hike in Northern Ireland Part 2 with Winnie Li: Dark Chapter (Uploaded for Spotify)
3w ago00:56:30Tap to summarizeReturning to the Dear Katie Podcast, Dr. Winnie Li shares more insights on activism, advocacy, and healing. Dr. Winnie M Li is an author, activist, and educator. A former filmmaker, Winnie’s life and career trajectory were severely disrupted at the age of 29, when she became the victim of a violent stranger rape in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Her debut novel Dark Chapter (2017) is a fictional re-imagining of that assault and its aftermath, from the perspectives of both victim and perpetrator. Her subsequent novels Complicit (2022) and What We Left Unsaid (2025) also address the legacy of trauma, in workplaces and in families. Winnie’s doctoral research at the London School of Economics explored the emotional labour of ‘public’ rape survivors, and she is now an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Birmingham in the UK. Host: Katie Koestner Editor: Evan Mader Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang
Transcribe →S9E17 Harvard Grad on a 10 Mile Hike in Northern Ireland Part 2 with Winnie Li: Dark Chapter
3w ago00:56:30Tap to summarizeReturning to the Dear Katie Podcast, Dr. Winnie Li shares more insights on activism, advocacy, and healing. Dr. Winnie M Li is an author, activist, and educator. A former filmmaker, Winnie’s life and career trajectory were severely disrupted at the age of 29, when she became the victim of a violent stranger rape in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Her debut novel Dark Chapter (2017) is a fictional re-imagining of that assault and its aftermath, from the perspectives of both victim and perpetrator. Her subsequent novels Complicit (2022) and What We Left Unsaid (2025) also address the legacy of trauma, in workplaces and in families. Winnie’s doctoral research at the London School of Economics explored the emotional labour of ‘public’ rape survivors, and she is now an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Birmingham in the UK. Host: Katie Koestner Editor: Evan Mader Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang
Transcribe →S9E16 Top 100 US Swimmer to Founder of Child Abuse Laws
4w ago01:10:49Tap to summarize'I went in there to be safe... I couldn't protect myself.' Partying on spring break as teenagers do, Carissa seeks safety among friends after drinking too much. She is taken advantage of in her vulnerable state, assaulted by the group, and recorded. Getting through her healing journey one day at a time, today she advocates and lobbies state legislators to lift the statute of limitations for sexual assault and child molestation. Her passion is speaking for others until they find their voice, and whether it's as a guest speaker or at the state house, she hopes to advocate for our survivors. She wants survivors to know that they too matter and that healing and finding your voice take time. Host: Katie Koestner Editor: Evan Mader Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang
Transcribe →S9E15 Going for the Fastest Known Time on the John Muir Trail (Uploaded for Spotify)
Jun 401:01:42Tap to summarize'I remember so much of it... In my previous traumas, I blacked out a lot of the very traumatic stuff... but this one was different.' Today, we're joined by Lizzy Fowler, an ultra-marathon trail runner and award-winning documentary filmmaker. After finding her own passion for running while exploring the neuroscience of the "flow state" in her film work, Lizzy has gone on to complete grueling races like the Moab 240. Now, she's channeling that experience into her next challenge: a Fastest Known Time attempt on the legendary John Muir Trail, along with her mission ahead to empower other women along the way. Host: Katie Koestner Editor: Evan Mader Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang
Transcribe →S9E15 Going for the Fastest Known Time on the John Muir Trail
Jun 401:01:42Tap to summarize'I remember so much of it... In my previous traumas, I blacked out a lot of the very traumatic stuff... but this one was different.' Today, we're joined by Lizzy Fowler, an ultra-marathon trail runner and award-winning documentary filmmaker. After finding her own passion for running while exploring the neuroscience of the "flow state" in her film work, Lizzy has gone on to complete grueling races like the Moab 240. Now, she's channeling that experience into her next challenge: a Fastest Known Time attempt on the legendary John Muir Trail, along with her mission ahead to empower other women along the way. Host: Katie Koestner Editor: Evan Mader Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang
Transcribe →S9E14 USA Mrs Arizona's Day After Christmas (Uploaded for Spotify)
May 2800:48:52Tap to summarizeIsolated from her family and friends, Jenna finds herself on the receiving end of abuse from a serial cheater. Prompted to leave by her mother-in-law, she packs up in the night and gets back up on her feet with the help of Section 8. Today, she has dedicated her life to helping others get the second chance she did. Jenna Ghisolfo is the Founder and CEO of Housing Consultants of America, a national consulting firm dedicated to helping individuals experiencing homelessness move off the streets and into safe, stable housing. With over 18 years of experience in the affordable housing industry, she partners with property owners, nonprofits, and housing agencies across the country to ensure compliance while expanding access to housing for vulnerable populations. Jenna is also a national speaker and advocate for domestic violence survivors, using her voice to raise awareness about housing stability and crisis resources. A former Section 8 resident herself, she brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her mission. She currently serves as the United States of America’s Mrs. Arizona, using her platform to empower, inspire, and uplift communities across the nation. Host: Katie Koestner Editor: Evan Mader Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang
Transcribe →