A traumedy about the trials and tribulations of people in their journeys of “escape”. Escape what, you ask? ALL the things! From trauma, crime, and unhealthy family cycles, to traffic and good deeds not going unpunished. Like we said—all the things! (Just tune in…you’ll understand.) Co-hosted by Julie Oberlander and Charity Doyle--the journalist and the rehabbed trainwreck--The Escape Pod aims to connect, educate, entertain, and humanize through the lens of lived experience.
Listen on:
Friday Aug 30, 2024
Friday Aug 30, 2024
Hop into The Escape Pod this week for an episode with just a little bit of trauma and a whole lot of laughs! An Escape Pod listener scolds one of our co-hosts for her recent handling of an odd-looking arachnid, which leads to more tales of escape from creepy crawlers and “bad juju” in general.
Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers:
Topic #1 0:43 Listener scolds Charity for killing a weird-looking spider
Topic #2 7:31 Trauma on a hiking trail
Topic #3 16:45 Trying to reason with an 8-legged home invader
Topic #4 31:26 Escapism, co-host-style!
Sign up to be a Patron today! Get access to the Patron-Only Facebook Group, Bonus Episodes, and more at http://www.escapepod.live
General mail: justbecause@escapepod.live
Submit listener stories: escapeartist@escapepod.live
Friday Aug 23, 2024
Friday Aug 23, 2024
Fight. Flight. Freeze. Fawn. In the 21st century, most of us know these as very real responses to trauma and fear, but sometimes the laws of the land don’t recognize them as such. In cases of sexual assault, for example, victims often freeze because their brain doesn’t allow them to fight back, even if they want to.
For years in the state of South Dakota, prosecuting such cases was a futile effort. But not anymore. On this episode of The Escape Pod, co-hosts Julie and Charity welcome in a special guest: Pennington County’s top prosecutor, who advocated for changing state law and – ultimately – changing how survivors who “freeze” are perceived.
TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains discussion of rape and other forms of sexual violence.
Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers:
Topic #1 2:35 Escaping irresponsible drivers ... and crazy calendars
Topic #2 15:55 Topic o’ the Day: “Freezing” as a recognized trauma response
Topic #3 28:30 Other cases keeping Lara up at night
Topic #4 37:51 Escapism, family-style!
Sign up to be a Patron today! Get access to the Patron-Only Facebook Group, Bonus Episodes, and more at http://www.escapepod.live
General mail: justbecause@escapepod.live
Submit listener stories: escapeartist@escapepod.live
Friday Aug 16, 2024
Friday Aug 16, 2024
Ever respond to someone or something in a way that you recognized later as being completely irrational and over-the-top? Maybe your amygdala was hijacked! Yep – that pesky and primal part of the brain that makes us back away from a hot flame so we don’t get burned can also play a role in impulsive decisions and bad behaviors. Want to escape the effects of amygdala hijack, often referred to on the Escape Pod as “crisis brain”? Jump into this week’s episode to learn about the signs of a hijacking and helpful hints to come out of crisis mode!
Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers:
Topic #1 3:45 Escaping proper punctuation? No, thank you.
Topic #2 18:50 "Crisis brain” explained
Topic #3 39:28 10 signs someone in your life is in crisis brain mode
Topic #4 38:16 Short-term strategies to escape the effects of crisis brain
Topic #5 1:01:12 Long-term strategies
Resources & Links
https://psychcentral.com/health/amygdala-hijack#the-amygdala
https://www.simplypsychology.org/amygdala-hijack.html
https://www.verywellmind.com/toxic-stress-signs-symptoms-effects-stress-relief-tips-6504391
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/29/crosswords/texting-punctuation-period.html
Sign up to be a Patron today! Get access to the Patron-Only Facebook Group, Bonus Episodes, and more at http://www.escapepod.live
General mail: justbecause@escapepod.live
Submit listener stories: escapeartist@escapepod.live
Friday Aug 09, 2024
Friday Aug 09, 2024
On this episode we take the Escape Pod across the pond and back in time to England in the 1800s, when being an unwed mother was frowned upon, but women in this situation had limited options to give their babies a better life. “Baby farmers” were like early versions of adoption agencies, but one such “farmer” was both greedy and mentally disturbed – a dangerous combination for the children entrusted to her care.
TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains discussion of crimes against children.
Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers:
Topic #1 3:35 Escaping projectile vomit
Topic #2 13:25 Introduction to Amelia Dyer
Topic #3 22:30 Amelia’s true crime revealed
Topic #4 37:12 The co-hosts escape, stock show-style!
Resources & Links
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amelia_Dyer
https://www.serialkillercalendar.com/Amelia%20Elizabeth%20DYER.php
https://the-line-up.com/amelia-dyer-baby-farmer
https://www.crimemuseum.org/crime-library/serial-killers/amelia-dyer/
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/amelia-dyer-34349.php
https://www.historynaked.com/amelia-dyer/
Sign up to be a Patron today! Get access to the Patron-Only Facebook Group, Bonus Episodes, and more at http://www.escapepod.live
General mail: justbecause@escapepod.live
Submit listener stories: escapeartist@escapepod.live
Friday Aug 02, 2024
Friday Aug 02, 2024
In June 2003, police in the UK respond to a report of a stabbing in an alleyway. The victim is a 14-year-old boy, the reporting person is his 16-year-old friend, and the perpetrator is described as a man in a hoodie, but video evidence later proves no such man exists.
The events leading up to this true crime are more bizarre than most soap opera story lines – with tales from a teen chatroom that include love, spies, secret codes, kidnapping, murder, and much more. Did anyone escape alive? Find out on this edition of The Escape Pod!
Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers:
Topic #1 1:33 Escaping a fast ... and slow traffic
Topic #2 9:37 Introduction to a “bonkers” of a story
Topic #3 19:22 Introduction to best friend “Mark”
Topic #4 26:30 Red Flag #1: A person claiming to be a spy joins the chatroom
Topic #5 36:02 Mark gets his first big “assignment,” and it’s a doozy!
Topic #6 52:26 Escapism, co-host-style
Resources & Links
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2005/02/bachrach200502
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/manchester/3758209.stm
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/boy-planned-own-murder-on-internet-1110229
Casefile Presents 12/22/2018. Case 104: “Mark and John” https://podscripts.co/podcasts/casefile-true-crime/case-104-mark-john
Sign up to be a Patron today! Get access to the Patron-Only Facebook Group, Bonus Episodes, and more at http://www.escapepod.live
General mail: justbecause@escapepod.live
Submit listener stories: escapeartist@escapepod.live
Friday Jul 26, 2024
Friday Jul 26, 2024
Kids say the darnedest things? So do people coming out of crisis mode! Back by popular demand, podcast guest and OneHeart Transformation Director Chad Ratigan returns to the Escape Pod to share several true – and truly hilarious – comments he and his team have heard that came right out of left field.
DISCLAIMER: Content and language in this episode intended for a mature audience only. Also, these stories and comments are not shared to demean anyone, but – rather – to find a little “funny” in the extremely challenging work that is the human services field.
Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers:
Topic #1 2:13 Escaping heavy traffic, hurricanes, and “bugs”
Topic #2 8:27 Out of left field
Topic #3 28:09 Ghostly guest in the building? Leave no pregnant woman behind!
Topic #4 43:12 Raining cats and dogs? Not today!
Topic #5 50:25 Escapism, co-host-style!
Sign up to be a Patron today! Get access to the Patron-Only Facebook Group, Bonus Episodes, and more at http://www.escapepod.live
General mail: justbecause@escapepod.live
Submit listener stories: escapeartist@escapepod.live
Friday Jul 19, 2024
Friday Jul 19, 2024
In 2023, 92% of people responding to a survey on road rage said they had witnessed at least one act of road rage during the previous year. Some of these incidents end without consequence; others have fatal results.
On this episode of The Escape Pod, co-hosts Charity and Julie try to keep their cool as they take on a topic that gets almost every driver revved up at one point in time or another!
Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers:
Topic #1 9:23 Scary road rage stats
Topic #2 11:32 June 2017: A man jockeying for position on a Pennsylvania highway fires a gun at a teen driver
Topic #3 17:52 Co-hosts become “mama bears” when dealing with dangerous drivers
Topic #4 25:39 A woman waiting to make a left turn honks at the person in front of her and gets an unusual – but pretty hilarious – response
Topic #5 37:35 Road “rouge” explained!
Resources & Links
Vince Lattanzio. 12/13/2018. https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/national-international/man-killed-teen-road-rage-shooting-sentenced/206687/
Ron Shaffer. 04/02/2000. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/2000/04/03/a-strange-case-of-road-rage-with-a-lesson-learned/cc408818-59c8-4841-904b-ea64999a9dda/
https://www.thezebra.com/resources/research/road-rage-statistics/
Sign up to be a Patron today! Get access to the Patron-Only Facebook Group, Bonus Episodes, and more at http://www.escapepod.live
General mail: justbecause@escapepod.live
Submit listener stories: escapeartist@escapepod.live
Friday Jul 12, 2024
Friday Jul 12, 2024
A child plays dead to escape his mother’s abusive grip; a woman plays dead and likely escapes a serial killer; a student plays dead to escape a gunman in her classroom. Conscious decision or simply the body’s primitive response to danger? On this episode of The Escape Pod, the co-hosts discuss true stories of people who “played possum” - pretending to be dead – to escape horrific situations and how, in these cases, that response was likely their key to survival.
Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers:
Topic #1 6:08 Co-hosts shares story of “freezing” in traumatic situation
Topic #2 16:53 10-year-old boy plays dead to escape his mom’s abuse
Topic #3 21:12 Shop owner plays dead to escape gunman
Topic #4 31:11 11-year-old plays dead to escape school shooter
Topic #5 37:55 Escapism, co-host-style!
Resources & Links
https://lawandcrime.com/crime/10-year-old-boy-decided-to-play-dead-after-mom-allegedly-doused-him-with-bleach-and-tried-to-drown-him-in-bathtub-cops/
https://people.com/boy-played-dead-survive-alleged-drowning-attempt-mother-police-say-8639764
https://www.waaytv.com/news/sheffield-woman-indicted-on-aggravated-child-abuse-charge/article_18a8e744-117a-11ef-8ee2-b7485c7176c7.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-70_killer
https://nypost.com/2023/07/16/i-70-serial-killers-lone-survivor-played-dead-to-save-her-life/
https://www.firstalert4.com/2022/02/28/news-4-exclusive-possible-lone-survivor-i-70-serial-killer-speaks-up-after-30-years/
https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/27/us/robb-shooting-survivor-miah-cerrillo/index.html
https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/uvalde-school-shooting-survivors-miah-cerrillo-khloie-torres-awarded-for-courage/
Sign up to be a Patron today! Get access to the Patron-Only Facebook Group, Bonus Episodes, and more.
http://www.escapepod.live
Want to ask a question, tell us a story or just general feedback? We would love to hear from you!
General mail: justbecause@escapepod.live
Submit listener stories: escapeartist@escapepod.live
Join co-hosts Charity Doyle and Julie Oberlander, along with occasional guests, as they laugh (and cry) their way through past traumas and give tips to getting through tough times.
Life is full of ups and downs and it takes you to crazy places and we need each other to make it through.
Your support will help our small 3-person podcast team offset the costs associated with writing, producing, and promoting the show. Any amount is sincerely appreciated. What's more, your support will help us do what we do best: help others escape and break unhealthy cycles on their way to better lives.
$2 or more per month
This patron level is in honor of people struggling in the crisis of poverty and who feel moved to support the show and our mission to help people just like them.
~Get a special shout-out on the show.
~Receive a thank-you email from the hosts.
$5 or more per month
This patron level is for supporters who are willing to give the monetary equivalent of a cup of coffee each month to support the costs associated with producing the show.
~Get a special shout-out on the show.
~Receive a hand-written thank you from the hosts with a special Escape Pod sticker.
~Gain access to gated patron-only bonus content and ad-free episodes.
~Participate in our patrons-only Facebook page.
$10 or more per month
This patron level is for supporters who are all-in!
~Get a special shout-out on the show.
~Receive a hand-written thank you from the hosts with a special Escape Pod sticker.
~Gain access to gated patron-only bonus content and ad-free episodes.
~Participate in our patrons-only Facebook page.
~Vote on future show topics.
The EscapePod podcast and content posted is presented solely for general information, educational, and entertainment purposes.