Dissociated
Dissociated — Breaking Silence. Building Joy.
There was a time when silence was survival. But silence doesn’t last forever.
Host Sheryl Brown survived fifteen years of childhood sexual abuse by her adoptive father. Decades later, when her niece came forward about the same man, Sheryl finally found her voice.
In this deeply personal and hopeful podcast, she shares her journey from trauma to truth — and the light she discovered through the cracks.
Each episode blends intimate storytelling with conversations from survivors, therapists, and authors, exploring what it means to heal, to reclaim your power, and to build joy after pain.
Because the cracks in our stories aren’t where we break.
They’re where the light gets in.
Dissociated
S1 | E1 | The Moment Silence Broke
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Content Warning: This episode discusses child sexual abuse and its long-term impacts. Please take care while listening.
Silence was survival — until the day it wasn’t.
In this emotional and deeply honest opening episode, Sheryl shares the moment her decades of silence finally shattered. A single phone call from her sister pulled the truth to the surface, revealing that the abuse Sheryl endured as a child had now reached the next generation. Speaking out for the very first time became the beginning of justice: her abuser was later convicted on 32 counts of sexual abuse against Sheryl, her sister, and her niece, and is now serving a life sentence.
Through vulnerable storytelling, flashes of humor, and the kind of honesty that only comes from lived experience, Sheryl explores what silence looked like at different stages of her life — the freezing, the obedience, the perfectionism — and how breaking that silence began the slow, painful, and ultimately liberating process of healing.
This episode sets the foundation for the journey ahead: understanding trauma, rebuilding identity, reclaiming joy, and reminding other survivors that they’re not alone, and never were.
CREDITS: Created, hosted, and produced by Sheryl.
Website: dissociatedpod.com
RESOURCES
Immediate Support
- National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-4673 Website: https://www.rainn.org
- Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 Website: https://www.crisistextline.org
- Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988 Website: https://988lifeline.org
Therapy & Trauma Support
- Psychology Today Therapist Finder: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapist
- Therapy Den — Inclusive Therapist Directory: https://www.therapyden.com
- EMDR International Association: https://www.emdria.org
- Trauma-Focused CBT: https://tfcbt.org
Organizations & Survivor Communities
- RAINN: https://www.rainn.org
- 1in6 (for male-identifying survivors): https://1in6.org
- Pandora’s Project: https://pandys.org
- End Violence Against Women International (EVAWI): https://evawintl.org
