This is Lee Ann’s story part two of two parts. Our interview with Lee Ann, who lives in Florida, covers a lot of dating and domestic violence topics. You’ll hear about love bombing, overt narcissism, emotional and physical violence, and the rise and fall of a fortune made and lost. There is coercive control, deception, even degradation. You will also hear of the deaths of two ex-husbands. It’s all in this conversation. From living in a manor house with a housekeeper, to living on the run after c...
Mar 14, 2024•46 min•Season 4Ep. 29
This is Lee Ann’s story part one of two parts. Our interview with Lee Ann, who lives in Florida, covers a lot of dating and domestic violence topics. You’ll hear about love bombing, overt narcissism, emotional and physical violence, and the rise and fall of a fortune made and lost. There is coercive control, deception, even degradation. You will also hear of the deaths of two ex-husbands. It’s all in this conversation. From living in a manor house with a housekeeper, to living on the run after c...
Mar 13, 2024•43 min•Season 4Ep. 28
This time, I'm the one being interviewed. This conversation tells the whole story about how the WHEN DATING HURTS book and podcast came about--the hard way. It's good to know our podcast has the opportunity to be talked about before a whole-new group of listeners. This is one of the surest ways to grow our listening audience. If you do not know my family's story, this is a good opportunity. Thank you for listening to our WHEN DATING HURTS podcast, Bill Mitchell WhenDatingHurts.com NOTE: If you a...
Mar 11, 2024•52 min•Season 4Ep. 30
This episode comes with content and trigger warnings: Domestic abuse, domestic violence, and graphic violence. The voice you hear on this WHEN DATING HURTS Podcast episode was created by artificial intelligence. It is not a real person's voice. The words spoken are a composite of beliefs and concepts expressed by dating and domestic abusers found within articles and interviews. They have been collected over nearly two decades. They have been reassembled as complete ideas and thoughts. This episo...
Mar 06, 2024•16 min•Season 4Ep. 27
This is part two in a two-part story. At 16-years of age, Marie and a few high school friends went to a local university to hang out at some social events. That’s where she met Jake. Jake was a 21-year-old college student with aspirations of playing football. But injuries took that dream away from him. Instead, he used opioids and other means to deal with pain. In truth, he was addicted but said he had it under control. The Marie and Jake relationship “stuck”, and it lasted for years that includ...
Mar 05, 2024•44 min•Season 4Ep. 296
This is part one in a two-part story. At 16-years of age, Marie and a few high school friends went to a local university to hang out at some social events. That’s where she met Jake. Jake was a 21-year-old college student with aspirations of playing football. But injuries took that dream away from him. Instead, he used opioids and other means to deal with pain. In truth, he was addicted but said he had it under control. The Marie and Jake relationship “stuck”, and it lasted for years that includ...
Mar 04, 2024•42 min•Season 4Ep. 25
This is the second in a two-part story with Erin. Erin was taken advantage of while she was suffering through a highly sensitive passage in her life. Charlie presented himself as the right answer at the right time. Like many victims, she was an innocent, generous person. The kind of target predators are looking to lure straight into problematic relationships. The warning signs of potential danger were there, but Erin didn’t interpret them. You will learn plenty from this powerful episode. You wi...
Mar 03, 2024•52 min•Season 3Ep. 7
This is the first in a two-part story with Erin. Erin was taken advantage of while she was suffering through a highly sensitive passage in her life. Charlie presented himself as the right answer at the right time. Like many victims, she was an innocent, generous person. The kind of target predators are looking to lure straight into problematic relationships. The warning signs of potential danger were there, but Erin didn’t interpret them. You will learn plenty from this powerful episode. You wil...
Mar 03, 2024•49 min•Season 3Ep. 6
This is part one of two parts with Amanda. This interview comes with all the trigger warnings. Amanda lives in Australia, but her story could have taken place anywhere in the world. The treatment Amanda and her twin sister (named J.J.) received as babies continued into their teen years. It is shocking, disturbing, inhumane, and, frankly, impossible to comprehend. But it is true, nonetheless. This is Domestic Violence at its ugliest. The redeeming facet about Amanda’s story is how it never manage...
Feb 29, 2024•53 min•Season 4Ep. 24
This is part one of two parts with Amanda. This interview comes with all the trigger warnings. Amanda lives in Australia, but her story could have taken place anywhere in the world. The treatment Amanda and her twin sister (named J.J.) received as babies continued into their teen years. It is shocking, disturbing, inhumane, and, frankly, impossible to comprehend. But it is true, nonetheless. This is Domestic Violence at its ugliest. The redeeming facet about Amanda’s story is how it never manage...
Feb 28, 2024•48 min•Season 4Ep. 23
This is part three of three parts with Sabrina. She met him in her freshman year of college. He was a senior. Was it love at first sight Maybe for her. Not for him. Jake had other ideas. This story is meant for parents with daughters in, or soon entering, college. It should be a time when they begin to take off in life and learn to find their way. But it be a time when they display their innocence and are easy prey for predators. Sabrina was a trusting young woman who put her life in the hands o...
Feb 27, 2024•39 min•Season 4Ep. 22
This is part two of three parts with Sabrina. She met him in her freshman year of college. He was a senior. Was it love at first sight? Maybe for her. Not for him. Jake had other ideas. This story is meant for parents with daughters in, or soon entering, college. It should be a time when they begin to take off in life and learn to find their way. But it be a time when they display their innocence and are easy prey for predators. Sabrina was a trusting young woman who put her life in the hands of...
Feb 27, 2024•38 min•Season 4Ep. 21
This is part one of three parts with Sabrina. She met him in her freshman year of college. He was a senior. Was it love at first sight? Maybe for her. Not for him. Jake had other ideas. This story is meant for parents with daughters in, or soon entering, college. It should be a time when they begin to take off in life and learn to find their way. But it be a time when they display their innocence and are easy prey for predators. Sabrina was a trusting young woman who put her life in the hands of...
Feb 27, 2024•39 min•Season 4Ep. 20
Serena offers to speak about the financial "bottomless pit" she was put in. We cover financial abuse in this episode. It's a subject that never gets enough airtime. Imagine, the one person her ex-husband took most advantage of? His own wife! It was financial abuse to the max. She says: “I have not told my full story (other than to the police, federal investigators, divorce attorneys, and forensic accountants). But if telling my story can help others, I'm ready.” A summary of what her husband did...
Feb 21, 2024•51 min•Season 4Ep. 50
I get a lot of questions via email, Facebook, Instagram, and before and after speeches. I felt it a good idea to answer them for you in this episode. Thank you for listening to our WHEN DATING HURTS podcast, Bill Mitchell WhenDatingHurts.com NOTE: If you are a survivor and want to share your story of abuse on the WHEN DATING HURTS Podcast, please email me: BillMitchell@WhenDatingHurts.com The WHEN DATING HURTS book (in paperback, eBook, and audiobook) can be found on Amazon. HELPFUL RESOURCES: •...
Feb 18, 2024•26 min•Season 2Ep. 41
I read Janine Latus's 336-page book, "If I Am Missing or Dead", years ago. I finished it in two days. It was that compelling a read. I reached out to her many times since then, and she has always answered me. She is so special. Janine has been called "...the most compelling speaker on sexual assault and relationship abuse I've ever heard." I believe that is spot on. Why is that? She knows it because she has lived it. Janine has come face to face with domestic abuse starting as a young girl. As m...
Feb 18, 2024•1 hr 19 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Blair wrote me and said, “The more I listen to your podcast the more I feel compelled to share.” Blair grew up, in her words, “Surrounded and molded by the dysfunction of my parents' volatile dynamic.” She describes that time in her life, and you will feel it. Later, she suffered dating abuse only days after graduating high school. She details what it was like and how it felt. Like most victims, she was lured into this with careful manipulation and grooming. It lasted five years. Like all "DV" s...
Feb 18, 2024•51 min•Season 3Ep. 8
"Sara" is a domestic violence survivor. She is also my cousin. Sara appeared to be in a perfect marriage. A nice home and three healthy boys. But her ex-husband eventually devolved into a serial abuser. She did all she could to coerce him into getting help, but nothing seemed to work. When living with this man became dangerous, she needed to break free. Listen to a narrative of patience and courage. Sara took years before she could tell her story. We applaud her for sharing it with us on the WHE...
Feb 18, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 37
On June 3, 2005, Detective Jim McGowan contacted me with knowledge about what happened to my daughter. Earlier that day, he interviewed Kristin's murderer, her ex-boyfriend, Nick. From that time until now, Nick has remained incarcerated. Over the years, I've gained invaluable insights from Jim on why abusers do what they do and why abused women stay in dangerous relationships. Jim shares this and more in this WHEN DATING HURTS episode. This is a "must-listen-to" episode for parents, friends, and...
Feb 18, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Sheri Kurdakul is a domestic abuse survivor. There is nothing typical about the abuse she suffered. Like many survivors of abuse, her story is challenging to listen to, but there is much to be learned from her. Most survivors I've met tell of frequent times they were on the receiving end of despicable abuse. But they also speak about the inventive ways they endured and eventually overcame those circumstances. This is one of those stories. At first, you might feel sorry for Sheri, but later you w...
Feb 18, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 27
Karen Widdoss is a courageous survivor of a murderous assault suffered when she was a young teen. In the summer of 1994, her ex-boyfriend attacked her and nearly took her life. How she managed to hold onto her life is miraculous. Karen has added her voice to survivors of violent crimes by speaking out about her experiences so no other woman would ever suffer as she has. In this episode, we talk about "Karen’s Law" which dramatically changes the way parole board hearings are handled. "Karen's Law...
Feb 16, 2024•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 10
I was urged to run this episode again. IT'S SO POWERFUL! One of our well-informed WHEN DATING HURTS listeners sent me an email with a list of things you must do before leaving your abuser. In this episode, you will hear about the kinds of items a domestic violence counselor will tell you while figuring out an escape plan to safety. This is a short episode but one of our most valuable. You might have a pen and paper handy so don't miss anything. Share this episode with friends and family who migh...
Feb 16, 2024•15 min•Season 3Ep. 1
This is part two of a two-part story. Taylor is a 39-year-old survivor from northern New York. She is two years with no contact from her emotionally abusive ex-partner. The only way she was able to escape was by educating herself about these types of individuals, and she thinks it’s important to reinforce the gut feelings that most of us feel when we first get involved. Taylor felt sorry for her ex-partner and let her empathy overpower her intuition. She has learned much since leaving this man a...
Feb 15, 2024•31 min•Season 4Ep. 18
This is part one of a two-part story. Taylor is a 39-year-old survivor from northern New York. She is two years with no contact from her emotionally abusive ex-partner. The only way she was able to escape was by educating herself about these types of individuals, and she thinks it’s important to reinforce the gut feelings that most of us feel when we first get involved. Taylor felt sorry for her ex-partner and let her empathy overpower her intuition. She has learned much since leaving this man a...
Feb 15, 2024•35 min•Season 4Ep. 17
My three-part interview with Annie reveals a smart, innocent, creative, and fragile young woman giving her best to find a sustainable life. Her desire to share her successes and failures is on full display here. Annie takes us back to her childhood days moving from Wisconsin to Texas to Alaska and back to Wisconsin. Her father’s Air Force career makes the transfers necessary. Her biggest move was after college when she looked for work in Brooklyn, New York. Making friends was difficult, and lone...
Feb 14, 2024•55 min•Season 4Ep. 16
My three-part interview with Annie reveals a smart, innocent, creative, and fragile young woman giving her best to find a sustainable life. Her desire to share her successes and failures is on full display here. Annie takes us back to her childhood days moving from Wisconsin to Texas to Alaska and back to Wisconsin. Her father’s Air Force career makes the transfers necessary. Her biggest move was after college when she looked for work in Brooklyn, New York. Making friends was difficult, and lone...
Feb 14, 2024•36 min•Season 4Ep. 15
My three-part interview with Annie reveals a smart, innocent, creative, and fragile young woman giving her best to find a sustainable life. Her desire to share her successes and failures is on full display here. Annie takes us back to her childhood days moving from Wisconsin to Texas to Alaska and back to Wisconsin. Her father’s Air Force career makes the transfers necessary. Her biggest move was after college when she looked for work in Brooklyn, New York. Making friends was difficult, and lone...
Feb 14, 2024•49 min•Season 4Ep. 14
Few have as many credentials attached to their names as this amazing woman. Please allow me to introduce you to Laura Clary, BSN, RN, FNE-A/P, SANE-A. There is much to be learned from someone who has accumulated such a vast amount of knowledge. Laura has been a registered nurse for 11 years. In 2010, she completed her Forensic Nursing training at Greater Baltimore Medical Center and joined the GBMC team as a Forensic Nurse Examiner. She has been the Clinical Program Manager of the GBMC SAFE (Sex...
Feb 05, 2024•36 min•Season 1Ep. 26
From a very early age, Victorea Luminary and her father were abused by her alcoholic mother. Finally free from decades of abuse, she innocently ran into even more trouble with two different relationships with narcissists. One was her husband; the other a man she thought was going to become her savior. In vivid detail, Victorea tells of the ways she was lured into these insidious relationships. She explains how narcissists manipulate their prey. With sheer determination, she was able to break fre...
Feb 02, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 11
J.D. McCabe maintained a loving relationship with his wife for nearly twenty years before their marriage, family, and world began to crumble. Their foundation had been rooted in "trust is the bedrock of a healthy relationship". Indeed, Erin had always claimed that things wouldn’t — couldn’t — work without trust. But Erin became suspicious of his every move. His phone calls, texts, and work emails were turned into proof of infidelity, drug addiction, and a network of lies on his part. She enliste...
Feb 02, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 2Ep. 13
