Defiance of Silence - A Sacred Witness
Defiance of Silence – A Sacred Witness is a podcast for survivors, healers, and those who walk beside them. Together, we stand against the silence that isolates and embrace the silence that allows us to be truly heard.
Hosted by Valerie — a U.S. Army veteran, Nurse, survivor, and trauma-informed witness — the show was born from her own two-decade journey of healing from sexual trauma and the power of being witnessed. Through real and unpolished conversations, guests share stories of courage, grief, resilience, and awakening.
This is not therapy. This is not performance. This is sacred witness. A space where vulnerability becomes strength, and where no one has to carry their story alone.
New episodes release every other week.
Episodes
14 episodes
Victoria - Safety First: Science, Heart, Humor & EMDR
Ready for a gentler way to face hard memories without getting stuck retelling the same story?In this episode of Defiance of Silence, we sit down with Victoria Garcia, a warm, down-to-earth therapist with over ten years in the me...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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1:11:13
Nicole - Breaking The Vow Of Silence
Silence can protect us for a while—but eventually, it costs everything. In this powerful episode, Valerie sits down with Nicole, a decorated veteran, detective, and survivor whose 26-year career in law enforcement and the military was defined b...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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1:25:05
Brad - Not Broken: Finding What’s Already Inside You
What if grief isn’t only about death, but about every quiet loss we were taught to outrun?We open Season Two with a grounded, powerful conversation with Brad Gallup — veteran, transformational coach, and equine-guided educator. Together,...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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56:03
Valerie - What I Learned in the Silence: Season One Reflections
What if the most healing thing we can offer isn’t advice, but presence? We close our first season by honoring the stories that found a home here and the witnesses who listened with care. From sexual trauma to the quiet, everyday work of survivi...
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Season 1
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19:55
Lauren - When Presence is the Medicine
Start with a breath, stay for the truth. Valerie sits down with Lauren, a licensed professional counselor and former child life specialist, to unpack what it really means to be a sacred witness—how to show up for survivors without losing yourse...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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58:13
Becca - Radical Acceptance & Forgiveness: A Practice That Softens Shame
Some stories crack the shell and let the light in. Valerie sits with Becca—a tattoo artist, mom, and survivor—who turns the old script of silence on its head and shows how radical self-forgiveness can rebuild a life. We move through early viola...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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1:03:49
Rachael - Loving a Survivor - A Sacred Witness at Home
What does it take to love someone through trauma without losing yourself? We sit down with Rachel—forensic nurse, educator, and secondary survivor—to unpack the messy, courageous work of building safety, voice, and trust when PTSD lives in the ...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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1:42:30
Jeanine - The Beauty of Self Compassion
Silence can isolate — but it can also safeguard a story until it’s ready to be spoken. In this episode, we sit with Jeanine McNeill, CPS—an Army Veteran, Women Veterans Program Certified Peer Specialist, and Women’s Health Lia...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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46:18
Lucy - The Invisible Weight of Silence
When the US Army stamps your discharge Chapter 8 and strips your benefits, it’s easy to believe your service didn’t count. Lucy wouldn’t accept that ending. She walks us through growing up in chaos, surviving assault in uniform, and carrying a ...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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53:20
Halie - Burnout to Breath: A Trauma Nurse on Healing, Community, and Coming Back to the Body
What holds a caregiver together when the work starts to pull them apart? We sit down with Halie—trauma nurse, survivor, and seeker—to explore the quiet, practical ways she rebuilt herself after moral injury, burnout, and years of outrunning her...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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58:03
Susie - I Refuse to be a Victim
A two‑piece swimsuit turned see‑through. A cabin in the woods. Years of silence that felt safer than the truth. Susan joins us to trace a line from early humiliation and assault to a life rebuilt on wise vulnerability, safe witnessing, and a st...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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47:36
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Lia - Write Your Own Story
What happens when your very survival depends on disconnecting from your own body? For Paralympic champion and Army veteran Lia Coryell, this wasn't a philosophical question—it was her childhood reality.Born into extreme poverty in north...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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1:07:01
Amber - The Sacred Art of Witnessing
"The body keeps the score." This phrase has become commonplace in trauma-informed circles, but what does it actually mean when your physical symptoms have emotional roots? How do we become truly present in bodies that have stored years of unpro...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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58:33
Valerie - The Birth of A Sacred Witness
In this first episode Valerie shares her personal story of surviving sexual trauma, breaking the silence and discovering the power of being witnessed. Hear how being witnessed led to a spiritual awakening that ultimately led to the birth of Def...
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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25:27
