Unspoken

What happens when the only way to be loved is to disappear?This spoken word performance dives into trauma, chronic illness, and the cost of staying in relationships that require silence and self-erasure. “The Terms of My Disappearance” is a poem about betrayal, survival, and the moment you choose to remain visible, even if it means losing someone.This piece speaks to anyone who has been called “too much,” struggled with invisible illness, or felt the pain of conditional love.

Humiliation Ritual is a spoken word poem about silence, rupture, and the moment suffering becomes impossible to ignore.The poem unfolds in a hallway outside a closed door. Inside, conversation continues. Laughter moves easily between people. Outside, someone is calling for help.But the door does not open.Through the imagery of fire slowly filling a hallway, this piece explores a familiar pattern in trauma and power dynamics: people often do not respond to suffering itself. They respond when that suffering begins to disturb their comfort.When the smoke reaches the keyhole.When silence is no longer easy to maintain.Humiliation Ritual examines how blame is often redistributed after the fact, and how shame is placed exactly where anger should have stood.This spoken word piece is part of the Unspoken podcast, a series exploring trauma, rupture, accountability, and the language we use to describe harm.Copyright ©2025 Kate EarleyMusic: The Wisp Sings by Winter AidWritten: March 7, 2026

Two Floors is a spoken word poem about the distance between survival and indifference.While voices and laughter carry easily through the floorboards above, someone lies below—waiting, fading, listening to a world that continues without them.With quiet intensity and vivid imagery, Kate explores the terrifying closeness of help that never comes, and the moment when the space between two floors becomes the space between life and being forgotten.Copyright ©2025 Kate EarleyMusic: Gymnopédie No. 1 Written: March 10, 2026

In this spoken word poem, Kate reimagines the familiar fable of The Boy Who Cried Wolf through the lens of trauma and therapy.The Girl Who Cried Wolf asks what happens when the threat others dismiss is not imaginary—but internal. In trauma work, the past does not always stay in the past. It lingers as an intruder that circles the nervous system long after the danger is gone.The poem explores the experience of living with internal alarms that others cannot see: the voices, memories, and embodied fears that can feel as real as teeth at the door. When someone has lived too long beside a wolf, their warnings can begin to sound like exaggeration to those who have never heard it breathing.This piece reflects on disbelief, on the cost of being dismissed, and on the lonely work of surviving something that continues to live inside the body.If you have ever tried to explain a fear that others could not see—or felt the quiet shame of being told you are “too much”—this poem is for you.Copyright ©2026 Kate EarleyMusic: Sonder by Niall Byrne

If “I’m sorry” slips out of your mouth before you even know you’ve said it — this episode is for you.Apology Loop is a spoken word piece about the survival habit of over-apologizing: the way we shrink ourselves to stay safe, make others comfortable, and disappear before we cause disappointment.This poem explores people-pleasing, shame, trauma responses, and the lifelong work of learning to take up space. It’s for anyone who grew up believing that being quiet, small, or “easy” was the only way to be loved.Listen if you’ve ever apologized for existing, for speaking, for needing, or for simply being human — and if you’re ready to practice saying something different.Copyright ©2025 Kate EarleyMusic: Chord Left by Agnes ObelWritten: October 21, 2025

In Don’t Feed the Animals, poet and nurse practitioner Kate Earley delivers a haunting spoken-word piece about empathy, control, and what it means to be “safe enough to love.”Through the metaphor of the zoo, this performance explores how care can turn to captivity — how survival, hunger, and gentleness are reshaped for the comfort of those watching.Part elegy, part indictment, Don’t Feed the Animals asks what happens to the wild parts of us when they’re cleaned up for display.It’s a quiet roar — measured, aching, and unflinchingly human. Copyright ©2025 Kate Earley Music: September Song by Agnes ObelWritten: October 15, 2025

What does it mean to give something you never wanted to give? To say yes because no felt heavier? Put A Finger Down is a raw and haunting spoken word poem exploring themes of coercion, trauma, dissociation, and survival. Through visceral imagery and quiet devastation, this piece captures the weight of being made to endure—of being present in a body that is no longer yours.If you’ve ever felt like an empty space, a door left open just to prove you could, this poem is for you.

Reverse Triage is a taut, atmospheric spoken-word poem by Kate Earley about a quiet office hallway that turns into an unexpected scene of collapse and hesitation.With stark, cinematic language, Kate captures the suspended moment when everyday routine fractures—the hum of fluorescent lights, the echo of unanswered calls, and the fragile choice to act.Perfect for fans of contemporary poetry, narrative suspense, and reflections on human instinct, this episode explores the bystander effect and the thin line between ordinary life and crisis.Copyright ©2025 Kate Earley Music: Mariage d’Amour by RabanSeptember 24, 2025

In this raw and electrifying spoken word poem, pediatric nurse practitioner and patient advocate Kate Earley delivers a searing indictment of medical gaslighting, institutional betrayal, and the fight to be believed. Body of Proof speaks to every patient who’s ever been dismissed, doubted, or diagnosed with “difficulty” instead of dignity.Written after years of navigating life-threatening hypoglycemia, systemic negligence, and trauma within Canadian healthcare, this poem isn’t a plea—it’s a reckoning.With themes of medical PTSD, systemic power, women’s pain, chronic illness advocacy, and trauma-informed care, this episode is for anyone who’s ever had to bring data just to be heard.Copyright ©2025 Kate EarleyMusic: Naval by Yann Tiersen Written: July 5, 2025

In this moving episode of Unspoken, Kate Earley shares “Her Name Means Light,” a poem born from friendship and witness. Centered on Nour, whose name means light, and her brother Wael, the piece captures everyday survival in Gaza—water carried for kilometers, firewood cut from the ruins of bombed homes, and laughter that rises even from thrones of rubble.This poem weaves together the tenderness of childhood, the weight of hunger, and the unyielding strength of family amid genocide. It asks how hope can persist in a place scarred by violence and whether the fragile glow of one child can resist the dark.Listeners drawn to Gaza poetry, witness literature, resistance writing, humanitarian storytelling, and spoken word art about survival and resilience will find this episode both devastating and illuminating.

n this episode of Unspoken, Kate Earley reads “The Last Pages of a Genocide,” a haunting testimony that refuses erasure. This poem confronts the politics of silence and complicity—those who turned away, justified brutality, or rewrote history in the aftermath.Through unflinching imagery and stark witness, Earley names calculated cruelty, collective amnesia, and the weaponization of language itself. This episode weaves poetry with sound to memorialize the unthinkable and to insist on memory as resistance.If you are drawn to spoken word poetry, resistance literature, genocide testimony, or the role of art in bearing witness, this episode is for you.Copyright ©2025 Kate Earley Music: Stay Still by Cristian VivaldiWritten: June 8, 2025

In this gripping spoken word poem, Gaza Is Not a Metaphor, poet and humanitarian Kate Earley strips away the euphemisms and demands we face the brutal reality of mass starvation under siege. This episode of Unspoken confronts the politics of silence, the ethics of witness, and the cost of global inaction — through the voice of a child who dreams of bananas in heaven.A haunting meditation on genocide, displacement, and the power of language, this piece is not art for art’s sake. It is a call to look, to name, and to never forget.

In this episode, Kate reads Birthright, a searing poetic reckoning with the myth of entitlement and the weaponization of heritage. Through the imagined lens of a North American tourist on a Birthright trip, the poem interrogates what it means to claim indigeneity without ever touching exile, war, or loss. Against the backdrop of occupied Palestine, it contrasts curated narratives with lived devastation, asking: who gets to call a place home, and at what cost?With layered imagery and unflinching tone, Birthright dismantles inherited narratives—and the silence they depend on.Content Warning: This episode contains references to displacement, colonial violence, and the current siege in Gaza.Copyright ©2025 Kate Earley Music: An Ending, a Beginning by Dustin O’Halloran Written: June 20, 2025

In this episode of Unspoken, Kate performs “If They Would Just,” a searing spoken word poem that dismantles the hollow excuses and dangerous detachment surrounding the genocide in Gaza.From hostages to humanitarian aid, forced displacement to selective empathy, this poem interrogates the phrases we hear too often—“If they would just surrender,” “If they would just be thankful,” “If they would just move.”Each line cuts through apathy to reveal the brutal truths behind silence, complicity, and settler colonialism.This piece speaks to:the global normalization of violence,the privilege of looking away,and the chilling question:what did you do when Gaza was burning?Copyright ©2025 Kate EarleyMusic: Happiness Does Not Wait by Ólafur ArnaldsWritten: June 4, 2025

In this episode of Unspoken, Kate performs “Apocalypse Fatigue”—a spoken word piece confronting the privilege of disengagement in the face of ongoing genocide in Gaza.While children burn and mothers scream through rubble, much of the world scrolls past, citing “apocalypse fatigue.” This poem explores the emotional distance of comfort, the dilution of empathy in the digital age, and the chilling normalization of violence through screens and silence.Themes include: genocide in Gaza, social media apathy, emotional numbness, second-person poetry, and moral responsibility.If you’ve ever said “I just can’t look,” this episode asks—what does that cost someone else?#FreePalestine #SpokenWord #Gaza #PoetryPodcast #Unspoken #GenocideWitnessing #DigitalApathy #PalestinianVoicesCopyright ©2025 Kate EarleyMusic: Forgotten by SamyulaWritten: May 28, 2025

In this episode, Kate shares a haunting spoken word poem titled The Gaza Strip Is the Length of My Morning Walk, reflecting on the dissonance between curated Canadian comfort and the devastation in Gaza.Walking through Yorkville’s lilacs, luxury bakeries, and quiet parks, the poet draws a devastating parallel between three kilometers of peace and the same stretch of land where children dig through rubble with their hands.This piece explores themes of privilege, grief, complicity, and the cost of safety in a world where others are starving, silenced, and bombed. It’s a poem about bearing witness, about how air quality warnings and almond butter aisles can feel like betrayal.

In Season 9 of Unspoken, titled “Look Away”, spoken word artist and advocate Kate Earley confronts the world’s silence on the genocide in Gaza through searing poetry, lived witness, and uncompromising truth.This season explores themes of Palestinian survival, systemic starvation, medical apartheid, and the emotional cost of bearing witness when so many would rather look away. Featuring poems like “Gaza Is Not a Metaphor,” this collection dismantles the language of neutrality, calls out global complicity, and refuses to make art out of atrocity.Perfect for listeners seeking: • Palestinian voices and solidarity • Anti-genocide resistance art • Poetry rooted in justice, not metaphor • Raw storytelling on war, aid denial, and emotional truthThere is no metaphor here.There is only the body,folding in on itselfwhile the world debates semantics.

In this episode of Unspoken, Kate performs her original poem “Ungovernable”: a fierce, tender exploration of what healing really feels like for anyone who’s had to make themselves small to survive.This spoken word piece challenges the myth that healing is always soft, gentle, or palatable. Instead, Kate asks:What if healing makes you louder, clearer, and harder to control?Blending personal truth with poetic fire, Ungovernable is a reclamation of voice, boundaries, rage, and sovereignty.For anyone unlearning politeness as a survival strategy — this one’s for you.Copyright ©2025 Kate EarleyMusic: Runaway by Kayne West Written: July 16, 2025

What does it cost to be wanted? In this raw and lyrical spoken word poem, Kate Earley unpacks the quiet violence of being “palatable”—the pressure to shrink, sweeten, and shape oneself into something desirable at the expense of authenticity. The Art of Being Palatable explores hunger, shame, femininity, and the quiet grief of learning to be lovable by disappearing. A must-listen for survivors, artists, and anyone unraveling the ways we are taught to perform instead of live.Copyright ©2025 Kate EarleyMusic: I love you, I’m sorry (Gracie Abrams) by Minnz PianoArt: Haenuli

In this raw and furious spoken word poem, Only Palatable When Starving, Kate explores the devastating reality of eating disorder recovery that is only accepted when it stays silent and small. After years of starvation, she finally finds her voice — only to be punished for it by the very clinician who once promised to stay.This piece rages against the betrayal of recovery spaces that demand compliance instead of true healing, and names the painful truth: that for many survivors, being “too alive” is still seen as a threat.Through powerful imagery of wild gardens, shattered promises, and survival, Kate reminds us that real recovery is messy, untamable, and sacred.Copyright ©2025 Kate Earley Music: Solas by Gibran AlcocerWritten: April 25, 2025

In this haunting and lyrical spoken word piece, Anorexia Mirabilis, Kate explores the lasting scars of emotional neglect, trauma, and the deep-rooted shame of needing. Drawing from the history of canonized self-denial, she gives voice to the parts of herself that learned to equate hunger with holiness and silence with safety.With visceral imagery and raw vulnerability, this poem speaks to survivors, neurodivergent listeners, and anyone who has ever been made to feel like needing was a burden.Themes: emotional neglect, religious trauma, eating disorders, childhood abuse, neurodivergence, self-worth, shame, survival, spoken word poetry.If you’ve ever struggled to ask for what you need—or to believe you’re allowed to need at all—this episode is for you.Copyright ©2025 Kate EarleyMusic: Je te laisserai des mots by Micha Philipp

In this poignant episode, we present “Requiem for a Body,” a raw and visceral spoken word poem that delves into the arduous journey of reclaiming a body ravaged by years of restriction and starvation. The piece explores the intricate intersections of trauma, eating disorders, and survival, capturing the paradox of recovery—how nourishment, after prolonged deprivation, can evoke sensations of both resurrection and agony.For those who have used hunger as a language when words failed, and for those who understand the profound weight of being seen yet unseen, this poem resonates deeply. It speaks to the silent struggles and the complex path toward healing.Key Themes: • Eating Disorders and Recovery: Exploring the complex journey of healing from eating disorders, acknowledging the physical and emotional challenges involved. • Trauma and Survival: Examining how traumatic experiences intertwine with eating behaviors and the survival mechanisms individuals develop. • The Paradox of Nourishment: Understanding the conflicting emotions associated with reintroducing nourishment after prolonged restriction.This episode offers a space for reflection and connection, inviting listeners to engage with the nuanced experiences of those affected by eating disorders and trauma. Join us as we navigate the delicate balance between suffering and healing, and the journey toward reclaiming one’s body and self.Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of eating disorders and trauma, which may be triggering for some listeners. Please listen with care.Note: This episode includes personal narratives and themes that may be sensitive for some audiences.Copyright © 2025 Kate EarleyMusic: Sleep Lotus by Joep BevingArt: HaeNuLi

In this opening episode of Spoken Season 8, titled Hunger Isn’t Holy, poet and nurse practitioner Kate Earley introduces a new season centered on the lived experience of eating disorders—beyond the stereotypes, beyond the numbers, beyond the aesthetics.With raw honesty and lyrical precision, Kate explores how disordered eating can become a language—especially for those whose pain was never translated, whose needs were silenced, and whose hunger was treated as something shameful. This season holds space for the complexities of recovery, body memory, trauma, and the quiet courage it takes to want something soft.These are not polished recovery stories. They are survival stories.Trigger Warning: This season contains themes related to eating disorders, starvation, religious imagery, childhood trauma, and medical neglect. Please listen with care.

What if your questions were too sharp, too fast, too much? In this episode of Spoken, poet and nurse practitioner Kate Earley shares The Cost of Asking Why—a raw, lyrical reflection on growing up with undiagnosed autism and ADHD. Through childhood memories, clinical encounters, and moments of quiet rebellion, this poem explores how curiosity becomes criminalized when it comes from a neurodivergent mind.Copyright ©2025 Kate EarleyMusic: Teenage Dreams (Olivia Rodrigo) by Minnz PianoWritten: February 24, 2025

In the Season 7 premiere of Unspoken, Kate Earley introduces a new series of spoken word poems exploring the raw, often invisible experience of living with autism and ADHD—especially as a woman. This season challenges the labels of “too much” and “not enough,” examining how neurodivergent people are often misread, dismissed, or silenced for simply existing as they are.Through poetry and reflection, this episode opens a space for those who ask too many questions, feel too deeply, or never quite fit. It’s for the kids pulled aside for being disruptive, the adults who mask their truth to survive, and the ones who have spent a lifetime trying to be “normal” just to be tolerated.If you’ve ever been told to stop asking why—this season is for you.Topics: Autism, ADHD, masking, neurodivergence, misdiagnosis, fawning, gaslighting, identityContent note: This episode includes discussions of ableism, trauma, and the experience of being neurodivergent in neurotypical systems. Please listen with care.

In this compelling episode of Unspoken, we present “Dear John,” a raw and unapologetic spoken word poem that delves into the harrowing experiences of emotional manipulation and online stalking. This powerful piece addresses a man who transformed a fleeting encounter into years of digital harassment, employing false vulnerability and emotional blackmail as instruments of control.Key Themes:​ Emotional Manipulation and Gaslighting: The poem exposes tactics such as gaslighting, where the manipulator distorts reality to make the victim question their perceptions. This form of psychological abuse can erode self-esteem and autonomy.​ Cyberstalking and Digital Harassment: “Dear John” sheds light on the pervasive issue of cyberstalking, where individuals use digital platforms to monitor, harass, or intimidate others. This behavior can lead to severe emotional distress and a sense of violation.​ Reclaiming Power and Autonomy: The poem emphasizes the journey of recognizing manipulation, breaking free from the abuser’s control, and reclaiming one’s voice and agency.Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of emotional abuse, manipulation, and online stalking, which may be triggering for some listeners. Please listen with care.Copyright © 2025 Kate EarleyMusic: “My Piano, the Clouds” by Fabrizio Paterlini

In this powerful spoken word poem, Kate delivers an unflinching message about reclaiming boundaries, surviving sexual trauma, and breaking free from the toxic expectations placed on women and survivors.“Not a Nice Girl” is a raw, emotional piece that confronts the burden of politeness, the dangers of being “nice,” and the way women are often expected to carry emotional labor for men—whether through forced compassion or manipulated empathy. This episode gives voice to the silent, heavy truth many survivors of sexual abuse, gender-based violence, and toxic relationships know all too well.Kate speaks to anyone who has ever been made to feel responsible for someone else’s pain, who has struggled with the pressure to stay quiet, stay kind, or stay safe by staying small. It’s about the survival instinct to disappear before regret takes root. It’s about the exhaustion of holding space that was never offered in return.This episode of Unspoken is for survivors, for those setting boundaries, and for anyone who’s done being “nice.”In this episode, we explore: • Surviving sexual trauma and gender-based violence • The emotional toll of toxic masculinity and manipulated vulnerability • Reclaiming boundaries and saying no without apology • Spoken word poetry that centers the survivor experience • Finding power in no longer being “nice” to those who never deserved your yesListen now if you’re ready to embrace your strength, speak your truth, and stop apologizing for your survival.Trigger warning: This poem addresses themes of sexual trauma, manipulation, gaslighting, and survivor anger.Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen to spoken word and survivor-centered storytelling.Copyright ©2025 Kate EarleyMusic: Your Daughter by Molly Kate Kestner

In this deeply personal episode, we delve into the complexities of self-sacrifice and emotional manipulation within relationships characterized by power imbalances. Through evocative spoken word poetry, “The Sacrament of Silence” examines themes of faith, guilt, and longing, shedding light on how these elements can distort one’s identity and sense of self.Key topics include: • Self-Sacrifice in Relationships: Exploring how individuals may abandon their own needs and desires in the name of love, leading to a loss of self-worth.  • Emotional Manipulation and Power Imbalance: Understanding how manipulative dynamics can erode personal boundaries and foster unhealthy dependency.  • Faith, Guilt, and Identity: Reflecting on how spiritual beliefs and feelings of guilt can intertwine, impacting one’s self-perception and actions within a relationship.This episode offers a candid exploration of how unbalanced power dynamics and emotional manipulation can lead to self-doubt and the erosion of personal identity. By bringing these issues to light, we aim to foster understanding and encourage healing for those affected.Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of emotional manipulation and self-sacrifice, which may be triggering for some listeners. Please listen with care.Tune in for a conversation that examines trauma, healing, and the pursuit of love that honors one’s self-worth.Copyright © 2025 Kate EarleyArtwork: Joyce LeeMusic: It’s Getting Bad Again by Ethan Jewell

In this compelling episode, we delve into the calculated tactics predators use to identify and exploit vulnerabilities. Abusers often target individuals whose boundaries have been previously eroded, recognizing those who may flinch but not flee. This discussion sheds light on the insidious nature of coercive control, where resistance is worn down over time, making survival appear as consent.Through evocative spoken word poetry, “First, You Flinch” explores: • Coercive Control in Abusive Relationships: Understanding how abusers manipulate and dominate their victims through psychological means.  • Erosion of Personal Boundaries: Examining how repeated violations can weaken an individual’s ability to assert themselves, leading to compliance.  • The Illusion of Consent: Highlighting how abusers create conditions where victims feel compelled to agree, masking coercion as voluntary participation.This episode offers a profound reflection on the gradual dismantling of autonomy and the lingering impact of such experiences. By bringing these issues to the forefront, we aim to foster awareness and understanding of the subtle dynamics of abuse.Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of abuse and coercive control, which may be triggering for some listeners. Please listen with care.Join us as we unpack the complex layers of coercion and the haunting weight of compliance, providing insight into the often-overlooked aspects of abusive dynamics.Copyright © 2025 Kate EarleyMusic: Find Me by Forest Blakk

In this Season 6 opener of Unspoken, Kate introduces a powerful new collection of spoken word poems exploring coercive sexual assault, misogyny, silence, and survival. These are the stories that don’t always get named as abuse—because there was no fight, no scream, no clear “no.” But there was harm.This season is for anyone who’s ever flinched and been told it was nothing.For anyone who stayed silent because resistance felt dangerous.For anyone who let it happen—and still isn’t sure if that means they said yes.If it felt impossible, this season is for you.Content warning: This series discusses coercion, sexual trauma, dissociation, and emotional manipulation. Please listen in a way that feels safe for you.

In this raw and quietly devastating poem, Kate gives voice to the grief of self-erasure—the kind that begins in childhood, when silence was survival and disappearing was seen as goodness. “Erasure” explores the heartbreaking calculus of being palatable: swallowing screams, softening pain, and offering absence as a gift mistaken for emotional strength.This episode is for anyone who has ever been praised for not taking up space, for being quiet, compliant, or low-maintenance—when really, they were aching to be seen.Copyright ©2025 Kate EarleyMusic: Fracture by Stephan MoccioWritten: July 2, 2025

In this raw and powerful spoken word poem, Kate Earley challenges the assumption that witnessing trauma is the same as understanding it. Holding Isn’t Feeling explores themes of childhood abuse, therapeutic invalidation, and the quiet violence of clinical detachment. With searing imagery—bodies cataloged on shelves, blood wiped clean from desks, a gallery of grief—the poem demands not professionalism, but presence. This episode is a vital listen for survivors, clinicians, and anyone reckoning with the weight of lived experience beyond observation.Copyright ©2025 Kate EarleyMusic: Liebesträume S. 541 No. 3 in A♭ Major by Franz LisztWritten: June 26, 2025

In this raw spoken word poem, Starving the Scream, poet and trauma survivor Kate Earley explores what it means to stay quiet to stay safe. This piece examines the invisible cost of being the “good client,” the “palatable patient,” the one who swallows her pain to preserve the comfort of others—including in therapy.Drawing from personal experiences with complex trauma, dissociation, and emotional masking, this poem asks:What happens when silence is mistaken for healing?When survival means disappearing?If you’ve ever felt the pressure to be composed instead of real, or if you’ve been told you’re “doing better” simply because you’re quieter, this episode will speak to you.Copyright ©2025 Kate EarleyMusic: Mère bien-aimée by Céline AubinWritten May 4, 2025

In this raw and unflinching spoken word poem, Kate explores the rupture that occurs when therapists speak the language of trauma-informed care—but fail to embody it. The Letters Beside Your Name holds space for survivors who have been retraumatized by silence, by absence, and by clinicians who disappear just when attachment becomes real.This episode confronts the gap between theory and presence, between credentials and compassion. It’s about the cost of waiting, the grief of reenacted abandonment, and the sacredness of trust in therapy.If you’ve ever felt too much, too loud, or too real for the person who promised to hold you—this is for you.Copyright ©2025 Kate EarleyMusic: Dietro Casa by Ludovico EinaudiWritten: May 18, 2025

In this episode, Kate performs her spoken word poem Doorknob Confession, written after a therapy session where she found herself alone in the bathroom, vomiting quietly, afraid to ask for help.This piece captures the embodied tension of trauma survivors—the way the body signals distress long before the mouth speaks it, and how social conditioning teaches us to smile, soften, and disappear rather than be “too much.”Through layered imagery and visceral truth, Kate explores the relationship between emotional containment, fear of inconvenience, and the sacredness of what happens once the session ends and the door closes.Themes: trauma recovery, therapy culture, somatic pain, emotional regulation, CPTSD, dissociation, neurodivergent masking, spoken word poetry, nervous system overwhelmCopyright ©2025 Kate Earley Music: Truman Sleeps by Philip GlassWritten: May 2, 2025

In this episode, Kate shares a hauntingly intimate spoken word piece about trauma, survival, and the terrifying beauty of coming back to life. “The Girl Beneath the Ice” explores the body’s quiet genius in the face of danger, and the disorienting process of unthawing — when the world starts to feel again, and every breath becomes both a risk and a reclamation. This poem is a reflection on dissociation, somatic memory, and the moments that make us wonder: Am I healing, or am I haunted?Copyright ©2025 Kate EarleyMusic: Wonder by Arelius

In this powerful spoken word poem, Beyond the Frame, Kate explores the impossible expectations placed on trauma survivors to keep their healing tidy, quiet, and contained. This episode dives deep into the messy, raw reality of recovery—the kind that refuses to fit inside the 50-minute therapy hour.Beyond the Frame gives voice to those who have been told they are “too much,” who have starved their pain into silence only to be told they’re still not enough.If you’ve ever felt like your trauma didn’t fit inside the systems designed to treat it, or like your story was too complicated to be heard, this poem is for you.Copyright ©2025 Kate EarleyMusic: Where is My Love by Micha PhillippWritten: March 18, 2025

In this powerful episode, Kate shares her original spoken word poem, Clinically Speaking—a raw, unflinching exploration of trauma, dissociation, and the silences that exist within the clinical world. As a pediatric nurse practitioner and survivor of childhood sexual abuse, Kate weaves her personal experience with professional insight, illuminating the painful intersection between healthcare, PTSD, and identity.Clinically Speaking gives voice to what’s often left unsaid in trauma narratives: the coded language, the sanitized histories, and the invisible weight of shame that impacts both the body and the mind. This piece explores the struggle of living with dissociative identity disorder (DID) and the cost of minimizing your own pain to make it easier for others to bear.Through evocative imagery and clinical language, Kate highlights the devastating consequences of silence, from chronic illness to emotional isolation. This poem is a call for recognition—for survivors to be seen, heard, and believed.If you’ve ever felt invisible inside the healthcare system or struggled to name your own pain, this spoken word piece will resonate deeply.

In this powerful spoken word poetry episode, Kate Earley explores the complex, often painful experience of reenacting trauma patterns in therapy. The Red Pen speaks to the struggle of navigating attachment, survival, and silence—especially when reaching out for help feels like breaking an unspoken rule.Through raw, vulnerable storytelling, Kate captures the impossible choice between protecting others’ comfort and saving herself. This piece explores themes of childhood trauma, survival coping mechanisms, self-blame, and the lifelong impact of being taught that love means not needing too much.If you’ve ever felt trapped between silence and survival, or questioned the invisible rules in healing spaces, this poem will speak to you.Copyright ©2025 Kate EarleyMusic: Je te laisserai des mots (composer: Patrick Watson) performed by Micha PhillipMarch 9, 2025

“Can You Leave a Light On?” is a spoken word poetry piece about the aching space between therapy sessions—the silence, the uncertainty, and the desperate need for reassurance. It explores the feeling of relying on someone to help navigate the dark, only to be left searching for light in their absence.With raw vulnerability, this piece captures the quiet unraveling that happens in between, when the flashlight flickers, the echoes fade, and all that’s left is the hope that they’ll return.Listen now for an intimate reflection on therapy, attachment, and the longing for something steady in the dark.Copyright ©2025 Kate EarleyMusic: Remember Me (piano instrumental)

What does it mean to stand outside, looking in? To carry the weight of others’ pain while no one carries yours? In this raw and haunting spoken word poem, I explore the loneliness of trauma, the struggle to be seen, and the deep unfairness of giving so much while receiving so little in return.Inspired by my own experiences as a nurse holding space for dying children, this piece unpacks grief, dissociation, and the longing for connection in a world that often moves on too easily. Through visceral imagery and rhythmic storytelling, Looking In captures the aching contrast between those who suffer in silence and those who live without ever feeling the weight of it.🔹 Themes: Trauma, dissociation, PTSD, emotional isolation, healing, spoken word poetry🔹 Perfect for listeners who resonate with: Mental health struggles, survivor stories, deep emotional expression, poetry as healingIf you’ve ever felt like you’re standing in the cold, watching the world continue without you—this one’s for you.🎧 Listen now and subscribe for more poetry and reflections on mental health, resilience, and the unspoken parts of our stories.#SpokenWordPoetry #TraumaHealing #MentalHealth #Dissociation #PoetryPodcast #HealingThroughWords #PTSDRecovery #EmotionalExpressionCopyright ©2025 Kate EarleyMusic: Experience by Micha Phillipp

“You Hold Me With Gloves On” is a raw reflection on transference—the ache of seeing a therapist as a mother, a caretaker, or a lifeline, only to be met with professional detachment. It captures the struggle of seeking warmth in a space built on boundaries, of feeling like a case study instead of a person, a patient instead of someone to be loved.Through vivid metaphors of sterile fields, rubber gloves, and glass barriers, this piece gives voice to the unspoken grief of transference—the way it makes us reach, even when we know we won’t be held.This episode is for anyone who has ever felt the sting of one-sided attachment, the loneliness of weekend gaps between sessions, or the quiet devastation of a therapist who will never be the caretaker they need.Listen now for a powerful, unfiltered reflection on transference, longing, and the spaces between us.Subscribe for more spoken word pieces and conversations on trauma, healing, and the human need for connection.#SpokenWord #PoetryPodcast #MentalHealth #Transference #TherapeuticDistance #Healing #Attachment #DevelopmentalTrauma #KateEarleyCopyright ©2025 Kate EarleyMusic: Forbidden by Rob Costlow

In this emotionally charged episode of Unspoken, we present “The Velveteen Rabbit”—a powerful spoken word poem that explores the deep pain of being misunderstood and the struggle to express hidden truths. Using evocative symbolism drawn from the classic tale, this poem captures the silent cry for help when words feel too heavy to speak.Copyright © 2025 Kate EarleyMusic: One step forward, three steps back (Olivia Rodrigo) cover by Minnz Piano

In this raw and emotional episode, I share the vulnerable moment I disclosed my childhood trauma to my therapist, only to be met with silence—no tears, no visible emotion. This haunting stillness left me questioning whether my pain was ever “bad enough” to warrant empathy, either from her or from myself.Join me as I explore the complex dynamics of therapy, the struggle to be truly seen and heard, and the weight of emotional detachment in moments of vulnerability. This episode delves into themes of childhood trauma, emotional validation, and the challenges of navigating mental health care. If you’re interested in understanding how unresolved trauma and silence in therapy can impact healing, this candid reflection is for you.Keywords: childhood trauma, therapy, mental health, emotional vulnerability, emotional detachment, empathy, healing, psychotherapy, raw emotional storytelling.Copyright © 2025 Kate EarleyMusic: It’s Happening Again by Agnes Obel

In this compelling episode, I delve into the often superficial application of the term “trauma-informed” within institutions and among professionals. While intended to signify a deep understanding of trauma’s pervasive nature and a commitment to fostering healing environments, this label frequently becomes a mere checkbox—discarded when confronted with the raw, inconvenient realities of genuine trauma.Through evocative spoken word poetry, I confront the hypocrisy of performative allyship and the commodification of suffering for professional gain. This episode serves as a poignant reflection on the quiet betrayal experienced by those who dare to occupy space and voice their truths.Key Themes:Critique of Performative ‘Trauma-Informed’ Practices: Examining how the term is often misused, leading to environments that may inadvertently re-traumatize rather than heal.The Reality of Trauma-Informed Care: Highlighting the importance of truly understanding and considering the pervasive nature of trauma to promote genuine healing and recovery.Spoken Word as a Medium for Advocacy: Utilizing poetry to challenge superficial support and advocate for authentic allyship.Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of trauma and may be triggering for some listeners. Please listen with care.Join me as I unmask the facade of “trauma-informed” care and advocate for a deeper, more authentic understanding of what it means to support those who have endured trauma.Music: Lights Are On by Tom Rosenthal Copyright © 2025 Kate Earley

Welcome to Season 5 of Unspoken, a spoken word poetry podcast by Kate Earley.This season is called The Space Between Us, and it explores the complex emotional landscape of therapy, transference, and clinical boundaries.In this introduction to Season 5, Kate reflects on what it’s like to be in therapy as a trauma survivor—especially when you’re autistic, and when the systems designed to help often push away the people who need care the most. These spoken word poems dive deep into the quiet pain of clinical distance, the heartbreak of reaching for someone who cannot—or will not—reach back, and the grief of connection that’s carefully measured and withheld.If you’ve ever felt the ache of wanting more from your therapist than the boundaries allow…If you’ve been labeled “too much” or “too complex” for trauma treatment…If you’ve been turned away from care because you didn’t fit into a system’s idea of who deserves help…This season is for you.The Space Between Us examines the one-sided intimacy of therapeutic relationships, the emotional toll of transference and counter-transference, and the heartbreak of healing in systems that pride themselves on being “trauma-informed” until trauma gets too close.Listen to Season 5 of Unspoken and explore the truths we carry quietly—the ones we’re told not to speak.

In this spoken word poem, Kate Earley shares a raw, heartfelt tribute to the internet strangers who showed up when real life didn’t.Through chronic illness, disability, and the quiet ache of being misunderstood, there were people online—sometimes from thousands of miles away—who offered more comfort, more presence, and more care than anyone else.This episode is for them.For the old man in Texas with the white beard and the camel hat. For the late-night DM. For the comment that made her feel human.Copyright ©2025 Kate Earley Music: Where is my Love by Micha PhillipWritten: June 8, 2025

In this deeply moving spoken word poetry episode, Fault Lines, the poet reflects on the emotional earthquakes that disrupt our lives, forcing us into transformation. From silence and compliance to embracing authenticity and setting firm boundaries, the poet explores the powerful journey of self-discovery following loss, rejection, and change. This episode beautifully highlights themes of resilience, emotional vulnerability, healing, and finding strength in uncertainty. Ideal for listeners navigating personal growth, relationships, trauma recovery, or anyone learning to embrace life’s unexpected shifts.Copyright ©2025 Kate EarleyMusic: we can’t be friends (Olivia Rodrigo) piano cover

Some friendships feel like forever—until they’re not. Sixteen Kilometers is a raw, emotional spoken word poem about the kind of friendship that feels like home, the quiet ways we show love, and the unbearable ache of losing someone without knowing why. Through vivid memories of late-night conversations, travels across the world, and the unspoken bond of best friends, this poem explores the devastation of being left behind.If you’ve ever lost a friendship that once felt unbreakable, this episode will resonate deeply. Listen now and let the words remind you that grief isn’t just for love stories—friendship heartbreak lingers, too.Copyright ©2025 Kate EarleyMusic: Traitor (Olivia Rodrigo) by Minnz Piano

Welcome to Season 4 of Unspoken, a spoken word poetry podcast by Kate Earley.This season is called Love Stories Without Romance, and it explores the deep bonds of friendship—the connections that save us, shape us, and sometimes, leave us behind.Through powerful spoken word poems, Kate shares stories of friendship, grief, heartbreak, and healing. These are love stories without romance: friendships that became home, relationships that offered comfort and belonging, and the heartbreak of losing someone who wasn’t supposed to leave.If you’ve ever lost a best friend, felt the ache of being left out, or wondered how something so meaningful could disappear without a goodbye, these poems will speak to you.Season 4 is about honoring the friendships that changed us—whether they stayed or not.These are the words we never got to say.This is Unspoken.Keywords: friendship poetry, spoken word podcast, grief and loss, friendship heartbreak, healing poetry, love stories without romance, Kate Earley, Unspoken podcast