Ep.16 Living in the Trauma: Kellie Foreman on Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence & Healing

At just 16 years old, Kellie Foreman experienced a series of traumatic events that would shape the course of her life. Kidnapped at gunpoint by an ex-boyfriend, sexually assaulted, forced to witness his suicide, and then left to navigate years of unprocessed trauma, Kellie's journey is one of unimaginable pain—but also incredible resilience. In this powerful episode of Break That Cycle, Kellie opens up about the lifelong effects of trauma, why healing took decades to begin, how abusive relationship patterns continued into adulthood, and what finally helped her start breaking the cycle. Kellie also shares how writing her book, Breaking the Cycle, became an unexpected part of her own healing journey, and why she's now committed to helping others realize they are not alone. If you or someone you love has experienced trauma, abuse, or struggles with self-worth, this conversation offers hope, honesty, and encouragement. 📖 Purchase Kellie Foreman's book, Breaking the Cycle: https://buy.stripe.com/6oU7sN7Kv3c2dOfbsgeAg00 If Kellie's story impacted you, please consider purchasing her book and sharing this episode with someone who may need to hear it.  In this episode: • Kellie's childhood and searching for love • Surviving sexual assault at gunpoint • Living with trauma for decades • Why healing is harder than surviving • Recognizing abusive relationship patterns • Learning to love yourself • Writing Breaking the Cycle • Finding purpose through helping others  About Break That Cycle Break That Cycle is a podcast dedicated to helping people turn obstacles into opportunity. Through honest conversations with survivors, professionals, and community leaders, we explore the realities of trauma, addiction, domestic violence, mental health, financial hardship, and personal growth—while showing that healing is possible. Every story matters. If this episode helps even one person, then we've accomplished our mission. 👍 Like the video if it impacted you. 💬 Share your thoughts or words of encouragement for Kellie in the comments. 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations that help break cycles and build hope. #BreakThatCycle #TraumaRecovery #HealingJourney #DomesticViolenceAwareness #SexualAssaultAwareness #MentalHealth #SelfWorth #Resilience #SurvivorStory #podcast 00:00 Cold Open: "He Told Me He'd Kill My Family"  00:52 Introduction 02:00 Childhood & Searching for Love 06:18 Meeting the Boyfriend 07:24 The Night Everything Changed 10:04 Assault at Gunpoint 12:10 Escape & His Suicide 13:54 The Aftermath 16:53 Living with Unprocessed Trauma 20:38 Realizing Healing Had Never Begun 24:15 What Finally Started the Healing Journey 25:23 Why She Wrote the Book 27:01 Discovering Life Patterns 28:26 The Biggest Revelation 29:49 Repeating Abusive Relationships 34:14 "I'm Tired of Fighting" 35:06 Bible Study & Finding Community 38:34 What Healing Taught Me 42:20 Why I Still Don't Love Myself 45:21 Writing as Therapy 46:28 Book Signing & Public Speaking 47:43 Self-Doubt While Writing 49:24 My Sister Changed Everything 50:19 Helping My Daughter 51:52 The First Reader's Response 54:02 Why Every Story Matters 56:01 The Purpose Behind the Book 58:36 Mental Health Today 59:36 "I'm Tired of Fighting" 01:00:50 If You Help One Person... 01:01:26 Final Message to Survivors