Surviving-ISH Podcast
"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.
Episodes
216 episodes
Is Life Ever Actually Figured Out? The Art of Surviving "Ish" | w/ Shawn Helgerson
Let’s be honest: life is rarely clean, perfect, or entirely figured out. Most of the time, we’re all just surviving the "ish"—the messy, chaotic, uncertain gray areas of being human. 🤷♂️In this episode of Surviving Ish, host David is joine...
The Night the Lights Went Out: Overcoming Decades of Family Denial / Andrea Leeb
When Andrea Leeb finally spoke the truth about her childhood, her mother’s physical reaction was so intense it defied medical explanation. What followed was decades of denial, a secret that nearly broke her, and a reckoning that changed ...
Cults, "K" Texts, & Terrible Delivery Windows: We're Okay-ish! w/ Umbrella Rebellion
Ever received a single “K” text and immediately felt the passive-aggressive wrath? Or had your spellcheck completely ruin your life by changing it to an “L”?In this wildly unfiltered episode of Surviving-ish, we are jumping from h...
From Pure Contempt to Empathy: How 'I've Had It' & 'A Necessary Conversation' Rewired My Brain
I used to have ABSOLUTELY ZERO empathy for the MAGA movement. As a gay man living in a deep-red Southern state and a survivor of a brutal hate crime, my anger wasn’t just justified—it was a survival mechanism. But recently, everything shifted.<...
"I Died in a Car Crash" — Disturbing Visions & Past Life Memories w/ Jenny Smith-Unholier Podcast
Ever get that chilling feeling that you’ve already lived this exact day? This week, David talks with Jenny Smith, the host of Unholier Podcast, and drops a bombshell about a recurring vision of his own death that has us questioning reality. ...
She Escaped A Nightmare... And Rediscovered Herself ✨ (Mariel's Story)
SHE ALMOST DIDN’T MAKE IT OUT… 💔 (Mariel's Story)In this episode of Surviving-ish, we are sitting down with the incredibly brave Mariel, who opens up about a journey that will leave you absolutely speechless. From survivi...
Project 2025 EXPOSED: The Blueprint Behind Trump’s 2026 Power Grab (Schedule F, Schools, FCC)
The host frames the episode as a non-expert, trauma-informed attempt to understand politics and then argues that by May 2026 Project 2025 has become the governing blueprint, despite Donald Trump publicly claiming in 2024 he didn’t know its auth...
She’s Ruining the Comedy "Bro Vibe"... And It’s Brilliant w/ Lynn Harris
Is the comedy industry FINALLY fixing its "bro" problem? 🚨In this episode of Surviving Ish, David sits down with the legendary Lynn Harris—journalist, comedian, and founder of Gold Comedy—to expose the toxic "bro vibe" do...
Are you avoiding this one conversation that could completely shatter your family?
Are you avoiding this one conversation that could completely shatter your family? 🛑In this emotional and eye-opening episode of Surviving-ish, we sit down with Jermaine Ee, a tech founder who built a groundbreaking app af...
From Workplace Transitions to BDSM: Everything We Aren't Supposed to Talk About-ISH
Navigating Trauma, Dating, and the Gay Agenda 🤪 | Surviving-ISHWelcome back to Surviving-ISH! In today’s episode, David sits down with the incredible A (you might recognize them from TikTok or their appearance on the Un...
Beautiful Ears" & Shower Stories: Why is Trump Obsessed with Other Men?
Is the 47th President acting a little... thirsty?" ☕️In this episode of Surviving Politics-ISH, we’re diving into the "Alpha" closet to see why the door is hanging off the hinges. We’ve heard the GOP scream about "traditi...
Spiraling Up: Why We’re All Traumatized Right Now (And How to Regain Control) w/ Lauren Tobey
Are you just "getting by" or are you actually living? 🌪️In this episode of Surviving-ish, we sit down with TikTok’s favorite trauma-informed coach, Lauren Tobey, to pull back the curtain on why modern life feels so heavy....
The ICE $50,000 Bonus Is a Lie (And the Hiring Standards Are Collapsing)
The episode argues that ICE’s rapid push to hire 10,000 agents is turning the agency into a “new normal” built on underqualified, poorly vetted recruits, while the advertised $50,000 sign-on bonus is largely illusory—partly limited to former em...
Dementia or Leadership? The Truth About Cognitive Decline in Politics-ISH
Is the "strong leader" image we see actually a mask for a deeper struggle?After a brief hiatus to get his voice back, the host is back for a powerful new "Politics-ISH" mini-episode. He’s addressing the whispers—literally—a...
Monsters, MAGA and Cults: From Church Pews to Political Rallies w/ Dr Sandra Cox & Jenny Smith
Have you ever wondered how seemingly normal people end up trapped in extreme religious groups or following a charismatic leader? It’s not about a lack of intelligence—it’s about a calculated psychological trap.In this powerful crossover ...
Is the Donald Trump Losing the Thread? | A Personal Perspective on the "Maga-Word Salad"
Is it courage or cruelty to let someone lead while they’re fading away?"In today’s episode, we aren’t just looking at the headlines; we’re looking at the biological baseline. I’m sharing a deeply personal story about a listener's g...
The Noem Reckoning: $220M Ad Scandals, Corey Lewandowski, and the Fall of the DHS Secretary
"I’m just a guy with a microphone... and today, that microphone is picking up the sound of my soul leaving my body."Welcome back to Surviving Politics-ISH. In today’s episode, David Keck dives into the chaotic "musical chairs" happening...
Surviving HOA Drama and Reinventing Lives in Florida-ISH
Surviving HOA Drama and Reinventing Lives in Florida | Featuring Schmitty and JennyJoin David, Jenny, and newcomer Ryan, aka Smitty, in this lively and unfiltered episode of Surviving Ish. They dive deep into HOA dramas, the struggles of...
RNC Broke Grindr?! The “Family Values” Hypocrisy Nobody Wants to Talk About
In this episode of Surviving Politics-ISH , the host calls out the repeated hypocrisy of anti-LGBTQ+ “traditional values” politicians and attendees who publicly push laws to keep gay people in the shadows while privately flooding Grindr at majo...
Eric Swalwell Accusations: Timeline, Resignation, and Criminal Probes | Surviving ish (Political Edition)
In this episode of Surviving ish (political edition), the host stresses that party loyalty doesn’t matter when it comes to sexual assault allegations, saying the platform believes and stands with victims regardless of whether the accused is Rep...
Surviving Ish: Politics — MAGA, “DEI,” ICE & Why This Isn’t Just Politics Anymore
In the first solo politics episode of Surviving Ish, host David Keck shares how he once felt detached from elections but says Donald Trump and the MAGA movement changed that, which he frames as a moral crisis rather than normal politics. He com...
Planting Roots in the Tumbleweed: A Legal Advocate’s Guide to Mental Health w/ Paula Yost
Welcome to Surviving-ish! In this episode, we dive deep into the intersection of legal advocacy and mental health with the incredible Paula YostPaula isn't just a high-level trademark attorney; she is also a licensed clinical ment...
She Ordered Room Service, Then Vanished. (The Merrian Carver Mystery)
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 D...
Surviving The Burn List-ish w/ Julie Cruse
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...
Diagnosed, Abused for It, Started over—Then Lost Her & His Job: Chris Carazas
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 ...