I Dated My Predator

At 15 years old, Jess entered a residential treatment center while struggling with trauma and her mental health. There, she met a counselor she was meant to trust who slowly groomed and sexually abused her, exploiting her vulnerability and changing the course of her life. In this episode, Jess shares how childhood trauma, abuse, addiction, and years of silence shaped her life and how she eventually found healing. She hopes her story helps other survivors feel seen, exposes the reality of abuse of power, and reminds people that healing is possible. Check Out Jess:  → Tik Tok | @graylightaura Topics Discussed: → Childhood Trauma & Mental Health → Grooming by a Treatment Center Counselor → Surviving Sexual Abuse → Addiction & Recovery → Healing After Trauma Sponsored By: → HERS | Ready to reach your goals? Visit https://forhers.com/insane to get personalized, affordable care that gets you. On This Episode We Cover:  → 00:00:00 - Introduction  → 00:00:42 - What was Jess's childhood like? → 00:02:40 - How did losing her aunt change her life? → 00:05:10 - How did her father's alcoholism affect her? → 00:09:14 - What led to her first mental health crisis? → 00:10:10 - What happened during her first suicide attempt? → 00:11:02 - What was it like being in psychiatric hospitals? → 00:19:36 - Why was she sent to a residential treatment center? → 00:21:56 - How did she meet the counselor who groomed her? → 00:24:42 - How did they stay in contact after treatment? → 00:26:48 - How did the grooming begin? → 00:27:38 - What happened on their first "date"? → 00:29:40 - When did the abuse become sexual? → 00:31:18 - How did the abuse continue? → 00:32:34 - How was she isolated and manipulated? → 00:37:18 - How did the relationship affect her family? → 00:39:34 - How did the trauma begin to consume her life? → 00:49:40 - Why couldn't she leave the relationship? → 00:59:48 - How did she try to start over? → 01:05:16 - How did becoming a mother change her life? → 01:08:56 - What made her finally report her abuser? → 01:13:44 - What happened when she confronted her former counselor? → 01:18:02 - Why was the investigation closed? → 01:22:32 - What was it like seeing her abuser in court? → 01:28:10 - What needs to change to better protect vulnerable kids? → 01:35:00 - What are the warning signs of grooming? → 01:39:12 - What does Jess want parents and survivors to know? Show links: → R*ped in Police Custody More We Are All Insane:  → OFFICIAL MERCH NOW AVAILABLE - code INSANE10 gets you 10% off for a limited time → Join We’re All Insane Mailing List for EXCLUSIVE Content + Discounts  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices