Ep 35 - "Healing Should Not Have to Wait": Emily Jacob on Sexual Violence Recovery

Emily Jacob went on a date in 2008 and woke the next morning to find she had been raped. What followed were six years she calls "the abyss" – years of surviving, struggling, and slowly finding her way back to herself. In this episode of Speak Shame, Dr Connie talks to Emily – founder of Reconnected Life, trauma-informed recovery specialist, keynote speaker, and survivor – about the gap that exists between disclosing sexual violence and accessing proper therapeutic support, and why she built a programme to close it. Emily's self-guided recovery programmes are now licensed by more than 20 charities, NHS sexual assault referral centres, and universities across the UK, reaching over 10,000 survivors. Her mission: healing should not have to wait. Expect an honest, hopeful conversation about sexual violence recovery, what "getting therapy ready" really means, the power of survivor community, and proof that we do not stay forever broken. We are changed, and we get to choose who we want to become. 00:00 Content Warning00:43 Meet Your Host01:15 Introducing Emily Jacob02:46 Rebel Roots05:19 Why Healing Can’t Wait07:36 How Reconnected Life Began08:19 The 2008 Assault Story09:28 Abyss Years and Finding Community15:30 First Disclosure and Reporting22:51 Therapy Waitlist and Early Sessions26:31 Building Therapy Ready Tools29:40 Licensing to Charities and Growth33:37 Big Vision for NHS Access36:20 How to Find Emily’s Resources38:58 Hope and Post Trauma Growth44:49 Inspired by Granny Rose46:33 Final Thanks and Sign Off EMILY JACOB·      Website: www.Reconnected.Life·      Licensing Info: www.Reconnected.Life/Licensing ·      Resources for Survivors: HealingResources.Reconnected.Life ·      Free Facebook Community - Survivors Supporting Survivors·      Instagram: @ReconnectedLife.EmilyJ·      LinkedIn: Emily Jacob  UK SUPPORT SERVICES•      In an emergency, dial 999; for non-emergencies or dial 101 (UK only)•      Find your nearest NHS Sexual Assault Referral Centre•      Find an NHS Talking Therapy service near you or contact your GP surgery•      Charities: Mind, The Samaritans, Rape Crisis, Women’s Aid, or Victim SupportGET IN TOUCHJoin the community:@StoriesWithoutShame on InstagramSign up for the Stories Without Shame newsletter to join the movement.