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True Crime
Nobody Should Believe Me
Author Andrea Dunlop is looking for answers. When her older sister was first investigated for Munchausen by Proxy abuse more than a decade ago, it tore her family apart. This catastrophic series of events sent Dunlop on a journey to understand this most taboo form of abuse. In this groundbreaking podcast, she talks to some of the top experts in the world to explore the criminology and psychopathology behind Munchausen by Proxy and to reveal the wide swath of destruction these perpetrators leave in their wake.
In each season, Dunlop investigates a case: speaking to friends, family members, doctors, law enforcement, child protection workers, and experts. Nobody Should Believe Me unravels these complex and terrifying stories, shedding light on an unspeakable crime.
"A rich and harrowing chronicle of the condition." --The New York Times
(LM032423)
Revisiting Season 3: Shelter
While the Nobody Should Believe Me team is hard at work on season 5, we’re revisiting the first episode of our third season, which covered the Kowalski v Johns Hopkins All Children's trial, also known as the Take Care of Maya Case.
Next week, we have a brand new miniseries coming to your ears, so stay tuned.
***
As the Maya Kowalski case heads to trial, we dig into the massive trove of documents about this case and begin to unpack what we know about what really happened during Maya Kowalski’s fateful stay at Johns Hopkins All Childrens in October 2016.
The Netflix documentary about the case—and the prevailing media narrative---would have you believe that Maya was ripped from her parents by a corrupt system, and that this could happen to any parent of a sick child. But did Maya really have a deadly disease for which she required the massive amounts of ketamine and other drugs she was being given? Was the hospital unfairly biased against Beata Kowalski because she was difficult, or was something more sinister at play?
We talk to national law enforcement expert on medical child abuse, Detective Mike Weber, as well as a Florida pediatrician who helps us unravel some of the myriad strange details about Maya’s medical history.
The beginning of our multi-part deep dive into the case reveals the shocking events that led up to the family separation.
***
Links/Resources:
Join Patreon for a look at Andrea and Dr. Bex’s previous coverage of the Kowalski case: https://www.patreon.com/collection/548199
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive ethical true crime bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
47:5421/11/2024
Exploring the Disturbing World of Mitoaction.org
In this episode, Andrea and Dr. Bex discuss mitochondrial disorders, which Dr. Bex has seen first-hand in her pediatric patients, and their connection to medical child abuse, most notably in the Justina Pelletier case. Like most illnesses seen in Munchausen by Proxy cases, while there are tests that doctors run, mitochondrial disorders present challenges in distinguishing genuine cases because of the array of symptoms they present. They discuss how support groups and websites–while so important for families dealing with complex chronic illnesses–can serve as playbooks for offenders.
Andrea and Dr. Bex take listeners through the website for Mitoaction.org and its advice that appears to be directed squarely at perpetrators of medical child abuse.
* * *
Visit mitoaction.org
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy.
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
01:42:2314/11/2024
You Might Also Like: How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality
Introducing Rethinking Regret from How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality.Follow the show: How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality
Regret can be a double-edged sword. It can be painful, and enduring, but we can also learn important lessons from it - IF we treat it right. Most religions speak of forgiveness and compassion, not only toward others but also toward oneself. Still, letting go can be difficult to do at times. So how do we learn from regret and start anew?Dave speaks with best selling author Daniel Pink, and renowned Buddhist teacher Sharon Salzberg to learn about the science of regret and how some spiritual wisdom and practices can help us move beyond it and begin again. Daniel Pink is the author of five New York Times bestsellers, including his latest, The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward. Learn more about his work, and where to purchase his books, on his website. Sharon Salzberg is a meditation pioneer, world-renowned teacher, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about her teachings, and find her other media appearances and books, on her website.
DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to [email protected].
00:0014/11/2024
Introducing A Little Bit Culty
LIFE AFTER NARCS: DR. RAMANI DURVASULA ON NAVIGATING NARCISSISM
Are malignant narcissists born or made? How do you recover after narcissistic abuse? In this episode, licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Ramani Durvasula tackles our burning narc-y questions. She’s the author of two books on the subject: “Should I Stay or Should I Go: Surviving A Relationship with a Narcissist” and “Don’t You Know Who I Am?: How to Stay Sane in an Era of Narcissism, Entitlement, and Incivility.” Her work has been featured at SXSW, TEDx, the Red Table Talk, the Today Show, and Investigation Discovery. You can also find her on her wildly popular YouTube channel where she dispenses wisdom on protecting yourself from hoovering, gaslighting and other narc trademarks.
***
Join A Little Bit Culty on Patreon
Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag
Support the pod and smash this link
Cult awareness and recovery resources
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
01:17:0712/11/2024
On Combatting Hopelessness
In the wake of this week's election results, Andrea shares a minisode with her thoughts on committing yourself to a fight that feels impossible.
Want to suggest a non-profit for us to support? Drop us a line [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
05:4708/11/2024
Justina Pelletier Part 4
Dr. Bex joins Andrea for the final installment of our Justina Pelletier miniseries. They pick up by giving an overview of the court case, and the eerie similarities to the Kowalski case. They chat about the experts who were brought in by both the Pelletiers and Boston Children’s, and the importance of looking into the background of expert witnesses. Dr. Bex and Andrea break down the connection between somatoform disorder and prolonged Medical Child Abuse, and how it may affect the recovery of the victim once they are separated from their abuser.
Bex and Andrea also catch listeners up on where Justina Pelletier is now and what the trajectory of her life and health has looked like since being returned to her parents.
***
Links/Resources:
The Battle for Justina Pelletier: https://www.peacocktv.com/watch-online/tv/the-battle-for-justina-pelletier/5657866397468499112
Join Patreon for a look at Andrea and Dr. Bex’s previous coverage of the Justina Pelletier case: https://www.patreon.com/collection/507935
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive ethical true crime bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
59:5007/11/2024
You Might Also Like: Smart Talks with IBM
Introducing An AI Advantage for the US Open from Smart Talks with IBM.Follow the show: Smart Talks with IBMAs AI technology progresses, its impact on our daily lives—including how we consume our favorite sports— will grow alongside it. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Jacob Goldstein, host of Pushkin’s own What’s Your Problem?, sat down with Brian Ryerson, Senior Director of Digital Strategy at the US Tennis Association. They discuss the impact of data on the fan experience, the role that storytelling plays in sports, and how AI has unlocked innovative features, such as AI Commentary and Match Reports. This is a paid advertisement from IBM. The conversations on this podcast don't necessarily represent IBM's positions, strategies or opinions. Visit us at https://ibm.com/smarttalksSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to [email protected].
00:0007/11/2024
Justina Pelletier Part 3 with Beau Berman
In part 3 of our Justina Pelletier mini-series, Andrea and Beau pick up where part 2 left off, with the topic of mitoaction.org. They then get into the side story of Martin Gottesfeld, a hacker who did not know the family, but took on the mantle of saving Justina by hacking into the Boston Childrens’ system to pressure them into releasing her. Beau talks about the last time he was contacted by the Pelletiers, Lou Pelletier’s reaction to the media attention, and how Justina is doing currently.
***
Links/Resources:
https://www.mitoaction.org/
The Battle for Justina Pelletier: https://www.peacocktv.com/watch-online/tv/the-battle-for-justina-pelletier/5657866397468499112
Join Patreon for a look at Andrea and Dr. Bex’s previous coverage of the Justina Pelletier case: https://www.patreon.com/collection/507935
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive ethical true crime bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
49:1831/10/2024
You Might Also Like: Levels to This with Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby
Introducing Levels to Breast Cancer Awareness from Levels to This with Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-Brasby.Follow the show: Levels to This with Sheryl Swoopes and Terrika Foster-BrasbyOn this episode of Levels to this, in honor of October being Breast Cancer Awareness month, Breast Cancer survivor Cynthia Smith joins the show to share her story on overcoming the disease and her road to recovery. Tee and Sheryl talk about their first-hand experiences with Breast Cancer, advocacy, and the importance of early detection. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to [email protected].
00:0031/10/2024
Justina Pelletier Part 2 with Beau Berman
On this show we talk a lot about how Munchausen by Proxy cases are covered in the media, and today we’re getting the inside scoop from the reporter who broke one of the most high profile MBP stories. Beau Berman began covering the Justina Pelletier case back in 2013 as a young reporter and watched over the years as the case evolved and got stranger and stranger. He tells Andrea about how the story came across his desk and the complexities of trying to keep the balance on both sides while dealing with HIPAA. He reflects on his time with the Pelletiers and his thoughts on the case more than a decade after covering it.
***
Links/Resources:
The Battle for Justina Pelletier: https://www.peacocktv.com/watch-online/tv/the-battle-for-justina-pelletier/5657866397468499112
Read about Justina Pelleiter in The Boston Globe: https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2020/01/12/pelletier/0I2dQrYlZFJ9tNzscaXdAO/story.html
Join Patreon for a look at Andrea and Dr. Bex’s previous coverage of the Justina Pelletier case: https://www.patreon.com/collection/507935
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive ethical true crime bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
49:3324/10/2024
Introducing Was I in a Cult?
Was I In A Cult? is not your typical cult podcast. Hosted by writer/comedian Liz Lacuzzi and documentary filmmaker Tyler Measom, the duo bring you first-hand stories from real cult survivors— each episode infuses humor, heart, and hope into tales that can otherwise be dark.
And the guests have not only survived, but transformed their darkest moments into stories of strength. As cult survivors themselves, Liz and Tyler aim to humanize the cult experience. Give it a listen… it may just leave you asking yourself “Wait… was I in a cult?!”
--
Dr. Nadine Macaluso joins us today to discuss our first of its kind on this show… a cult of one. Who exactly was her cult leader? None other than “The Wolf of Wall Street,” her ex-husband, Jordan Belfort. In the movie adaptation of Jordan’s book, “The Wolf of Wall Street,” Dr. Nadine was portrayed by Margot Robbie and had no say in how her life was portrayed. Well, today Dr. Nadine is here to share the truth behind her picture perfect life. On the outside she had beauty, wealth, the doting husband, and two wonderful kids. But today she shares the truth about what was going on behind closed doors: the isolation, the loss of self, the abuse, the control, the manipulation and the gaslighting that kept her in a haze of confusion and pain. But, like every guest on this show, she shares the moment she finally found the strength and courage to walk away for good.
Now a respected therapist, Dr. Nae emphasizes the importance of therapy in her healing process and destigmatizing the experiences of victims of cult leaders or pathological lovers. A Brooklyn gal at heart, Dr. Nae is as real as they get and was an absolute joy to have on the show.
***
Listen to Was I In A Cult?: https://www.wasiinacult.com/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
01:03:4318/10/2024
Justina Pelletier Part 1
Case Files is back with the first episode of a multi-part series on the Justina Pelletier case. Andrea and Dr. Bex covered this case in the subscriber feed, but, due to popular demand, decided to bring it to the main podcast.
Justina Pelletier was a 14-year-old girl whose hospitalization at Boston Children's Hospital sparked a significant legal and media frenzy. Andrea and Dr. Bex’s discussion covers the medical background of Justina's condition, including mitochondrial disease and somatoform disorder, the treatment plans proposed by the hospital, and the escalating conflict between her family and medical professionals.
***
Links/Resources:
The Battle for Justina Pelletier: https://www.peacocktv.com/watch-online/tv/the-battle-for-justina-pelletier/5657866397468499112
Read about Justina Pelletier in The Boston Globe: https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2020/01/12/pelletier/0I2dQrYlZFJ9tNzscaXdAO/story.html
Join Patreon for a look at Andrea and Dr. Bex’s previous coverage of the Justina Pelletier case: https://www.patreon.com/collection/507935
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive ethical true crime bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
54:4417/10/2024
Kowalski, Ketamine, and Matthew Perry
Welcome to the first episode of Case Files, our new series for episodes between seasons! Andrea, either solo or joined by guests, will be taking listeners through additional Munchausen by Proxy cases, updates on previously covered cases, and the broader societal impact of this form of child abuse.
In this conversation, Andrea and Dr. Bex (our secret Florida doctor friend from season 3) delve into the growing popularity of ketamine usage and the public perception of the role that it played in the Take Care of Maya case compared to the death of Friends actor Matthew Perry. After giving a quick overview of the Kowalski v Johns Hopkins trial and an update on the appeal, they discuss how ketamine was used in Maya Kowalski’s treatment vs the current medical standard. Andrea and Dr. Bex then go on to recap and draw parallels to what happened to Matthew Perry.
* * *
Links/Resources:
Join as a free Patreon member to listen to our interview with Ethen Shapiro about the appeal in Kowalski v Johns Hopkins All Children’s: https://www.patreon.com/posts/kowalski-case-to-110897045
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive ethical true crime bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
01:25:0210/10/2024
Introducing One of Us
Our world is a hot mess, so Fin Argus and Chris Renfro are setting out in a rocket ship to explore queerer pastures. Hop in as they explore the great unknown with a new guest, in a new universe, every week—and build an intergalactic Best Friend Force along the way. Wherever you go, there's One of Us.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts: Apple | Spotify
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
09:1304/10/2024
Answering Your Season 4 Questions with Producer Myrriah
Welcome to our Season 4 Mailbag Episode! We’re so excited to officially introduce our fabulous producer Myrriah Gossett, who works tirelessly behind the scenes to keep the many moving parts of Nobody Should Believe Me on track.
Andrea and Myrriah reflect on their experiences reporting for season 4, ethically navigating survivor stories, and the considerations involved in sharing the intimate details of someone’s real life. They also address questions about the show’s coverage of dissociative identity disorder and several other common themes from this season.
* * *
Links/Resources:
Check out Myrriah’s other work! https://www.myrriahgossett.com/
Mental Illness Happy Hour episode on DID: https://mentalpod.com/archives/7042
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive ethical true crime bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
01:04:0903/10/2024
Introducing Where’s Dia?
In the beautiful mountain town of Idyllwild, a wealthy widow named Dia Abrams suddenly vanishes from her home. She leaves behind her idyllic ranch, estranged children and a messy legal battle. Two men in her life, her son and a man who claims to be her fiance, launch public campaigns to find her. But soon, their efforts – and stories – begin to unravel.
***
Listen to Where's Dia: https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/wheres-dia
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
41:1027/09/2024
BONUS: Unabridged Interview with Carly Ostler
On this week’s unabridged interview from season 4, Andrea chats with trauma therapist Carly Ostler. The two of them dive into what complex trauma is, the difference between PTSD and complex PTSD, and the co-dependent nature of abusive families. Carly explains why abuse from parental figures affects survivors so deeply, as well as the complexity of grieving an abuser.
* * *
Links/Resources:
Learn more about Carly: https://www.carlyostler.com/
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive ethical true crime bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
55:1526/09/2024
BONUS: Unabridged Interview with Jade Miller
This week, we are bringing you our full interview with Jade Miller, founder of Peer Support for Multiples and a multiple herself. This incredibly informative and demystifying conversation, goes into Jade’s journey to becoming a peer support mentor and the limitations of therapy for those with Dissociative Identity Disorder. Andrea and Jade also dive into practical ways to support those with DID, the spectrum of dissociation to multiples, and the realities of being a Multiple.
* * *
Links/Resources:
Check out Jade’s peer support platform and books: https://www.peersupportformultiples.com/
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive ethical true crime bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
47:4519/09/2024
BONUS: Unabridged Interview with Jackie Rodriguez
We are working hard on season 5 of Nobody Should Believe Me, but in the meantime, we’re bringing you a series of unabridged interviews from the experts we talked to during the making of season 4!
This week Andrea chats with Jackie Rodriguez, LMSW, who specializes in dissociative identity disorder and complex trauma. Jackie and Andrea discuss the complexities of DID and the stereotypes that have been exacerbated by popular media. Jackie talks through what therapy looks like for someone with DID and gives helpful advice for anyone looking to support someone with DID in their lives.
***
Links/Resources:
Learn more about Jackie’s services: https://openpathcollective.org/clinicians/jackie-rodriguez/
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
53:5512/09/2024
BONUS: Unabridged Interview with Bea Yorker
Law professor, nurse, and president of Munchausen Support, Bea Yorker, shares what first got her interested in working with Munchausen by proxy cases, and remembers the first time she was exposed to medical child abuse. She recounts how she first met Jo in the Munchausen by proxy Committee of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children. Bea and Andrea talk through the positive psychological effects of peer support groups for those coping with trauma and how to create a safe space for survivors to help each other.
***
Links/Resources:
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
01:10:1605/09/2024
No One is Coming to Save Us
In our season four finale, we talk about what justice looks like for survivors of abuse and how to recover from the loss of an abusive parent. We examine the importance of confronting the reality of what happened as a crucial first step in a survivor’s healing and ask what feels like an impossible question–when the systems fail, as they so often do–what do you do about someone like Jo’s mom Donna?
***
Links/Resources:
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more and follow therapist Carly Oster.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
42:5822/08/2024
Cleaning Up The Mess
In the aftermath of Donna’s death, Jo returns home to Hutchinson to plan their mother’s funeral and clean up her mess one final time. As Jo and their sister Crystal sort through the detritus of the filthy, overstuffed apartment where Donna spent her final days, they come across strange artifacts, including letter from Jo’s childhood self.
We also talk to therapist and Complex PTSD specialist, Carly Ostler about the complexities of grieving for an abusive parent and why they can have an even stronger hold on their children than loving parents.
***
Links/Resources:
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more and follow therapist Carly Oster.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
45:0315/08/2024
The Long Goodbye
Just as Jo has made huge personal strides in the spring of 2023, Donna slides into a coma and Jo returns to Hutchinson to say what they will believe to be their final goodbyes. However, even Donna’s “deathbed” isn’t what it seems, and she ends up pulling through: leaving Jo to manage the complicated process of setting boundaries with their mother after yet another dramatic brush with death.
Over the next year, Jo continues to thrive and heal their relationship with their sister: just in time for the two to receive a shocking phone call.
***
Links/Resources:
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
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46:2008/08/2024
The Body is a Battlefield
Jo starts to make big strides within their personal life. From building community and finding friends, to finally being able to take care of themselves in a way that feels safe. They’ve even rediscovered their love for cheerleading. But just as they’re starting to forge a new relationship with their body, an injury causes a major setback. We talk to two of Jo’s closest people–their therapist Angie and their roommate Spencer–about watching Jo struggle through this difficult time, and gain insights into how survivors can be cared for during a health crisis.
***
Links/Resources:
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
42:5501/08/2024
“I love you to death”
When Jo begins sharing their experiences online, they get a request from the producers of nationally broadcast television show “The Doctors” to tell their story to an audience of millions. During their dramatic confrontation on air, Donna continues to gaslight Jo and deny the abuse; Jo nonetheless finds healing and release in opening up about the truth. But even as Jo begins to break away, Donna finds ways to pull them back in and distort their reality.
***
Links/Resources:
Watch Jo’s episode of The Doctors
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
45:0725/07/2024
Revelations
Today we look back at Jo’s revelation in their twenties that they’d been a victim of Munchausen by proxy abuse: a moment that turned their world upside down. As Jo forges a path forward – reviewing their medical records and even confronting their childhood pediatrician – they discover how complex healing from this abuse truly is.
Jo also opens up about their experiences with Dissociative Identity Disorder. We speak to Jo’s therapist, Angie, about their complicated system of coping mechanisms. We also bring in Jackie Rodriguez LMSW, QMHP-CS and peer support specialist Jade Miller to help us understand the deeply misunderstood and stigmatized condition of DID.
***
Links/Resources:
Jade Miler - https://www.peersupportformultiples.com/
Jackie Rodriguez, LMSW, QMHP-CS - Instagram
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
58:2918/07/2024
Breaking Free
Jo reconnects with their friend, Kristin, who took them in as a homeless teenager after Jo was removed from Donna’s care due to her alcoholism. As a young mother in the midst of her own difficult situation, Kristin’s relationship with Jo had its challenges, but as they recount their time together, it’s a healing and clarifying moment for both of them. Jo continues on their rocky road to freedom from their mother’s clutches as they look for help from the medical community outside their mother’s influence.
*A warning for listeners this episode does contain descriptions of disordered eating. Please take care.
***
Links/Resources:
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
National Eating Disorders Resources: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-help/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
52:5211/07/2024
Not Without My Daughter
As we dig deeper into Jo’s history, we tackle one of the many confusing aspects of their childhood: their paternity. We navigate the many twists and turns around the father figures in Jo’s life. From abusive men in the home to a secret father they never knew about, we unravel another complex layer of Donna’s deceptions. We hear more from Jo’s sister Crystal and talk to Jo’s biological father, Reza, about what it was like to be on the other side of the big lie.
*A note that this episode does include mention of sexual assault and may be difficult for some listeners. Please take care.
***
Links/Resources:
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
National Sexual Violence Resource Center
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
41:4104/07/2024
A Ride-along with The Dating Detectives
In this very special crossover episode with our friends at The Dating Detectives, Andrea joins private eye Mackenzie Fultz and comedian Hannah Anderson as they delve into a case of medical mystery and romantic deception. Mila joins us to tell her harrowing story about how her girlfriend’s tragic battle with brain cancer turned out to be something far more sinister.
***
Check out The Dating Detectives!
Follow The Dating Detectives on instagram.
Follow Hanna and Mackenzie on instagram.
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
01:06:1901/07/2024
“I Brought You Into This World I Can Take You Out”
While visiting their hometown, Jo reconnects with their older sister, Crystal, to have the deeply honest and heart-wrenching conversation their mother never wanted them to have: one where they share the hard truths about the abuse they both suffered at her hand. Crystal and Jo reach a new level of understanding of their shared experiences and their love for each other. We also speak to Munchausen by proxy expert Bea Yorker to talk about the process of discovery and recovery for survivors.
***
Links/Resources:
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
59:4127/06/2024
Welcome To Hutchinson
Welcome to Season 4 of Nobody Should Believe Me! This season we are following the story of Jordyn Hope as they unravel the secrets of their childhood. After revelations that they were abused as a child, Jo bravely returns to their small, deeply religious hometown to attempt to unravel their many lingering questions about their upbringing. Was their abuse a secret? If not, why didn’t anyone help them? Jo connects with her first grade teacher and childhood best friend as they begin their search for answers. Andrea travels with Jo, hoping to help her friend find healing, and to see what the future might look like for the survivors in her own life.
***
Links/Resources:
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
50:4020/06/2024
Crime Close to Home: A Conversation with Madison McGhee
Andrea Dunlop interviews Madison McGhee, host of the Ice Cold Case podcast, about her personal journey investigating her father's unsolved murder in 2002. They discuss the emotional complexity of the investigation, the challenges of maintaining objectivity, and the broader implications of failings in the justice system. Madison shares insights into how her podcast developed, her experiences with family backlash, and her determination to find answers.
* * *
Listen to Ice Cold Case.
Follow Madison on Instagram.
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy.
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
01:04:0613/06/2024
Answering Your Season 3 Questions with Dr. Bex
Welcome to the Season 3 mailbag episode! Andrea is joined by Dr. Bex (aka Secret Florida Doctor Friend), to sort through all the commentary and listener feedback from Season 3. They tackle the good, the bad, and the just plain weird from the comments, and answer burning questions about the Kowalski case. We hear what it was like to cover this case in real time and to go on the road to meet some of the key players. Come down the rabbit hole with us!
* * *
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy.
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
01:13:2206/06/2024
Child Abuse Prevention: A Conversation with Kathleen Strader
This week Andrea is joined by Kathleen Strader, the National Director for Healthy Families America, the signature home visiting program of Prevent Child Abuse America. Following the Take Care of Maya film and media coverage of so-called "medical kidnapping" and misleading coverage of child abuse, we move the conversation to solutions: what can we do to prevent child abuse? We delve into Kathleen's background dealing with child abuse cases and her work supporting families through home visiting programs. Their conversation touches on the complexities of child abuse, systemic issues, and the importance of supportive measures and interventions that meet families where they are. As we wrap up our coverage of the landmark Kowalski v Johns Hopkins All Childrens case, we issue a hopeful message of how we can alleviate one of society's most challenging problems.
* * *
Check out Prevent Child Abuse America.
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy.
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
01:03:4830/05/2024
What's Happening in Lehigh?
This week Andrea is joined by Dr. Marc Feldman as she dives into the complexities and controversies surrounding medical child abuse and the developing story in Lehigh, PA about "overdiagnosis". They delve into the media’s role in shaping perceptions and the potential for a moral panic about doctors "falsely accusing" parents of child abuse. Andrea and Dr. Feldman address the challenges in protecting children, critiques of the healthcare and legal systems, and the broader social and political movement emerging from these cases.
* * *
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy.
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
36:5123/05/2024
Kowalski Case Update with Ethen Shapiro
Join Andrea as she delves back into the ongoing legal battle of Kowalski v. Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, with Ethen Shapiro, the lead defense attorney for Johns Hopkins All Children's. They discuss the grounds for a retrial based on allegations of juror misconduct and the potential chilling effect on mandatory reporters following the substantial amount of money awarded to the Kowalski family by the jury.
We also look at the the broader societal impacts on mandatory reporting and the protecting vulnerable children from abuse.
* * *
Get up to speed on the Kowalski case with our Kowalski Catch-Up Playlist on Spotify
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy.
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
40:0616/05/2024
What Happened to Beata?
This week's episode delves into the intricate details surrounding Beata Kowalski's death, which was central to the Kowalski's lawsuit against Johns Hopkins All Children's, as well as the documentary 'Take Care of Maya'. In court, Beata's death was presented as an act of maternal sacrifice and heroism. Through interviews and court deposition excerpts, we'll explore the odd circumstances leading up to and immediately after Beata's death that suggest a far more complex story might lie beneath the surface.
* * *
Get up to speed on the Kowalski case with our Kowalski Catch-Up Playlist on Spotify
Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy.
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
46:1109/05/2024
What Jack Knew
As we prepare to launch Season Four next month, we’re revisiting the subject of Season Three—the landmark Kowalski v. Johns Hopkins All Children’s verdict, in which a jury awarded Jack Kowalski more than $200 million dollars in damages following the suicide of his wife Beata while their daughter Maya Kowalski was in state custody because a medical child abuse investigation. Though the media has been largely sympathetic to Kowalski’s case—thanks in large part to the popular Netflix film “Take Care of Maya”—our exploration continues to reveal that nothing about this story is what is seems.
With the case headed towards appeal, we take a closer look at newly released information about what was going on with the Kowalski family, as well as how this verdict is affecting mandatory reporting and the safety of children in pediatric hospitals all around the country.
* * *
Get up to speed on the Kowalski case with our Kowalski Catch-Up Playlist on Spotify
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Subscribe on YouTube where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
40:4302/05/2024
Cons, Scams, and Adventures in Podcasting with Roberta Blevins and Terra Newell
On this week's episode, Andrea is joined by Roberta Blevins, creator and host of the Life After MLM podcast, and Terra Newell, who was featured in mega-hit Dirty John podcast and has since created and hosts Terra's Baddy Club. The audience gets to listen in as these three women talk about about the pros and cons of having a personal connection to the topics of their podcasts, how that affects their coverage of the topic, and the intersection between Munchausen by proxy, MLMs, and domestic violence. *Special thanks for Spotify, who provided recording support for this episode!
* * *
Listen to Life After MLM.
Follow Roberta on Instagram.
Listen to Dirty John.
Listen to Terra's Baddy Club.
Follow Terra on Instagram.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
To learn more about Dr. Marc Feldman, visit Munchausen.com
* * *
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
42:3925/04/2024
Unabridged Conversation with Hope Ybarra
Listen to an episode we're releasing from our subscriber vault -- Andrea's full conversation with Hope Ybarra, whose story we've been revisiting in our look back at season one of the show. This conversation gives listeners a peek into the mind of a perpetrator and inspired the name of the show "Nobody Should Believe Me".
* * *
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
To learn more about Dr. Marc Feldman, visit Munchausen.com
* * *
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
01:24:3518/04/2024
Revisiting Season One: There's Hope (Season One Finale)
In the final episode of our look back at season one, Andrea reflects on her experience interviewing Hope Ybarra, how it impacted her in regards to her sister, and audience reactions to the conversation.
* * *
Andrea has made an intense connection with Hope Ybarra's family, and asked experts, doctors, and the detective so many of her burning questions about Munchausen by Proxy. But she's become increasingly fixated on talking to Hope herself as she comes to realize that it may be her only chance to get the insights she needs. In this stunning season one finale, Andrea travels to Mountain Home, Idaho, to meet with Hope Ybarra.
In this intense, emotional back-and-forth, we hear straight from Hope what life is like for her after being released from prison. We find out what she's up to and what she hopes for from the future. Hope listens to her own family—all of whom she's estranged from with the exception of Robin—talk about what she was like before everything fell apart. She insists that she still loves her children, despite what she did. We see the human being behind the monstrous acts that splashed Hope's story across headlines and landed her in prison for a decade.
Andrea asks Hope what might have been done to help her and what she might say to her younger self if she could go back. Finally, she tells Hope that if she really wants her family back, she should get treatment and offers to help her if she wants that.
Hope is friendly and warm in person, but Andrea is left with the unsettling truth that she hasn't changed.
* * *
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
To learn more about Dr. Marc Feldman, visit Munchausen.com
* * *
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
45:0111/04/2024
Revisiting Season One: Can They Be Saved?
After a look back at season 1 episode 7, Can They Be Saved?, Andrea reflects on how her thoughts regarding the psychopathology of Munchausen by Proxy has evolved over the years, as she has spoken to experts, survivors, and perpetrators of this abuse.
* * *
Andrea delves deep into her questions around the psychopathology of Munchausen by Proxy perpetrators. Floored by the similarities in the many cases she’s researched, she talks to two of the world's foremost experts on the disorder—Dr. Marc Feldman and Dr. Mary Sanders—about the characteristics, warning signs, and causes of the disorder that has upended the lives of so many people Andrea has spoken to throughout the course of the podcast. Why would a mother ever do this? What do they get from it? And most importantly, what could be done to stop them? Is it possible for someone who does these things to get treatment?
* * *
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andredunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
To learn more about Dr. Marc Feldman, visit Munchausen.com
* * *
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
45:3404/04/2024
Revisiting Season One: Sisters Surviving
During this look back at the 6th episode of our first season, we hear the story of twin sisters who survived Munchausen by Proxy at the hands of their foster mother. At the end of the episode, we get a visit from very special guest, Erica Blake (then Handt), one of the sisters we interviewed almost 3 years ago. Andrea reconnects with her to chat about life since that interview.
***
As Andrea contemplates what the future looks like for survivors of Munchausen by Proxy, she gets an unexpected message from two young women who’ve lived it. After appearing with Marc Feldman on a podcast, Andrea hears from twin-sisters who survived MBP.
Liz and Erica Handt were taken from one terrifying situation to another when the foster mom who adopted them turns out to be abusive, telling the girls they had Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and dragging them from specialist to specialist. The twins' story is harrowing but ultimately hopeful as they're now thriving.
* * *
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andredunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
To learn more about Dr. Marc Feldman, visit Munchausen.com
* * *
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
01:16:3328/03/2024
Revisiting Season One: Nobody Would Believe Me: Dads Part 2
This is the 5th episode of our look back at season one of the show. We revisit Andrea's conversation with two more dads who were a part of Munchausen by Proxy cases. At the end of the episode, Andrea gives a brief update on one of the dads and shares her thoughts on how gender roles play into these cases and why such a high percentage of offenders are women.
***
As we learn from Detective Mike Weber, the father in a Munchausen by Proxy case can be the most important ally--or the biggest obstacle--in protecting child victims from abuse. In part two of Andrea’s examination of the father’s role in MBP cases, Andrea speaks to “John”, a father devastated but the revelation that his ex-wife had subjected their son to unnecessary brain surgery. We also talk to Ryan Crawford, a man who found himself fighting for his son’s life against a disbelieving system.
Plus we get a stunning real-time update on one of our cases as “John” decides to come forward with his true identity. You can listen to the follow-up interview with him here.
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Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andredunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
To learn more about Dr. Marc Feldman, visit Munchausen.com
More about Ryan Crawford's story: https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2019/august/the-boy-who-stayed-sick/
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01:00:1621/03/2024
Unabridged Conversation with Dr. Jessica Pryce
Andrea connects with Dr. Jessica Pryce, an expert on the frontlines of child wellfare work, research, and reform. She talks to Andrea about her book, Broken: Transforming Child Protective Services, the child welfare system as a whole, and how her work applies to the needs of children and families affected by Munchausen by Proxy.
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Learn more about Dr. Jessica Pryce here.
Purchase Broken: Transforming Child Protective Services here.
Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andredunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
To learn more about Dr. Marc Feldman, visit Munchausen.com
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Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
57:3819/03/2024
Revisiting Season One: Nobody Would Believe Me: Dads Part 1
During this re-aired episode, we revisit our conversation with 2 fathers affected by Munchausen by Proxy. At the end of the episode, we reconnect with George Hunnicut to discuss how life has been for him and his children after speaking to us on the show two years ago.
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As we learn from Detective Mike Weber, the father in a Munchausen by Proxy case can be the most important ally--or the biggest obstacle--in protecting child victims from abuse. We learn more about how Andrea’s own family became divided during the first investigation into her sister and we meet George Hunnicut, a veteran who discovered his young wife was abusing their infant son and found himself up against a system that had no idea what to do for him.
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Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andredunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
To learn more about Dr. Marc Feldman, visit Munchausen.com
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Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
01:21:2814/03/2024
Revisiting Season One: What's in the Water in Tarrant County?
We take a look back at the third episode of the show. At the end of the episode, we catch up with Detective Mike Weber, friend of the show and expert in the investigation of Medical Child Abuse.
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Andrea speaks to Deanna Boyd, the crime reporter who broke the Hope Ybarra case and discovers that Hope's was one of many Munchausen By Proxy cases in Tarrant County that Deanna unearthed; all of which had flown under the radar. What's going on here? Why are there so many cases in this one area?
As Andrea interviews Deanna and meets with Detective Mike Weber, as well as Dr. Jayme Coffman and Dr. Karen Shultz--two doctors involved with the Ybarra and many other MBP cases--she makes a chilling discovery. It's not that there are so many cases in Tarrant County, it's just that they're catching them. If the systems meant to protect children were functioning, every county would look like Tarrant.
Andrea can only guess as to what truly went on behind the scenes in her own family's case, but she begins to grasp what the systems involved--CPS, the police, the doctors--are up against and why so many cases are destined to fail. Meanwhile, Andrea continues her maddening back-and-forth with Hope.
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Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andredunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
To learn more about Dr. Marc Feldman, visit Munchausen.com
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Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
01:25:2407/03/2024
Revisiting Season One: Who is Hope?
We take a look back at the second episode of the show. Stay tuned to hear Andrea share the story of how the show almost didn't air and what she learned from it.
To learn more details about Andrea's sister's case, check out "Megan".
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We delve deeper into the story of Hope Ybarra, a young mother whose family discovers she’s been faking her eight-year-long battle with terminal cancer and begins to suspect her own health isn’t all she’s lying about. We talk more to Hope’s family and her ex-husband Fabian Ybarra about their efforts to unravel Hope’s many sinister deceptions.
We meet Detective Mike Weber, who was responsible for investigating Hope Ybarra, an early foray into what would become the main focus of his career: Munchausen by Proxy.
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Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea's books here.
To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe or subscribe on Apple Podcasts where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive bonus content.
For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here.
To learn more about Dr. Marc Feldman, visit Munchausen.com
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Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
48:0929/02/2024
Revisiting Season One: Sisters
We're going back to the beginning with an extended version of our very first episode! Be sure to stay tuned until the end for a special postscript with Andrea as she gives a behind-the-scenes look at how this show began.
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We meet accomplished novelist and loving mother Andrea Dunlop as she embarks on a journey to understand the series of events that tore her family apart. We learn that her older sister has been investigated twice for Munchausen by Proxy abuse, which inspired Andrea to learn everything she could about this complex and misunderstood issue. We see Andrea become captivated by the story of Hope Ybarra and go along with her to meet Hope’s father, sister, and brother: the first people Andrea has ever spoken to who’ve actually lived through a case. But can anything prepare Andrea for the truth?
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
If you have a story about medical child abuse that you are ready to share you can tag @andreadunlop, email [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at (484) 768-0266
Follow host Andrea Dunlop on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea’s books here.
Note: This episode contains sensitive content related to child abuse. Listener discretion is advised.
Download the APSAC's practice guidelines here.
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42:2522/02/2024
Unabridged interview with Patrick (son of Dr. Sally Smith)
In this bonus episode you’ll hear host Andrea Dunlop's full interview with Dr. Sally Smith’s son, Patrick. They discuss the impact of the slanted and sensationalized media coverage of Dr. Sally Smith’s work on him and his family. Patrick shares his pride in his mother's career as well as fears over the impact of the media coverage and the verdict in the Kowalski case.
The full unbridged interview with Dr. Sally Smith will be available to subscribers.
In the meantime, we are hard at work on season 4, stay tuned and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.
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Munchausen Support accepts donations and volunteers at www.munchausensupport.com
Click here to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!
If you have a story about medical child abuse that you are ready to share you can tag @andreadunlop, email [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at (484) 768-0266
Follow host Andrea Dunlop on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop
Buy Andrea’s books here.
Download the APSAC's practice guidelines here.
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Note: This episode contains sensitive content related to child abuse. Listener discretion is advised.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
01:13:2108/02/2024