The Cocoon: A Safe Place for Victims and Survivors of Sexual Trauma

What does complex PTSD feel like when nobody else can see it?Ruby speaks with author, trauma educator and former justice-system professional Nikki Everett about living with complex PTSD, dissociation, flashbacks and a nervous system that remains on high alert. Nikki shares how workplace violence changed her life, how journalling became her book Uncomfortably Comfortable, and how she rebuilt her identity after trauma.Together, they explore nervous-system regulation, recognising triggers, supporting a loved one with PTSD and finding strength, purpose and even beauty after surviving the darkest parts of life.We made it on Feedspot's 2025 Top 30 Aussie Not For Profit Podcasts!Nikki Everett: Website And InstagramTBBI Links/Enquiries:Facebook: The Blue Butterfly InstituteEmail: hello@thebluebutterflyinstitute.org.auWebsite: thebluebutterflyinstitute.org.auYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBlueButterflyInstitute/videos(watch for video footage of podcast recording which includes uncut and behind the scenes footage!)(Intro/Outro Theme: Breaking The Silence by Marya StarkIf in need of help during an immediate crisis:100RESPECT: 1800 737 732Interested in being a guest speaker on the podcast? We are currently on the look-out for people to share their story so if interested:Email: podcast@thebluebutterflyinstitute.org.au

What if your voice is telling the world your whole story? Executive voice coach Elisa James joins The Cocoon to unpack how trauma literally lives in your voice‚ the vocal fry‚ the rambling‚ the freeze when you're put on the spot․ Elisa's journey teaches that after 20 years of undiagnosed PTSD‚ a narcissistic marriage‚ and submission to the act of being okay and performing on stage while falling apart inside‚ one can unlearn one's silence and find one's voice․ Whether you find that your voice sells you short at interviews‚ presentations or everyday conversations‚ this episode will change how you hear yourself․We made it on Feedspot's 2025 Top 30 Aussie Not For Profit Podcasts!Elisa James: Website TBBI Links/Enquiries:Facebook: The Blue Butterfly InstituteEmail: hello@thebluebutterflyinstitute.org.auWebsite: thebluebutterflyinstitute.org.auYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBlueButterflyInstitute/videos(watch for video footage of podcast recording which includes uncut and behind the scenes footage!)(Intro/Outro Theme: Breaking The Silence by Marya StarkIf in need of help during an immediate crisis:100RESPECT: 1800 737 732Interested in being a guest speaker on the podcast? We are currently on the look-out for people to share their story so if interested:Email: podcast@thebluebutterflyinstitute.org.au

Former police officer and child-protection specialist Kristi‚ one of the most-listened-to guests on The Cocoon‚ returns to discuss one of the most misunderstood and under-discussed aspects of child-safety in the contemporary landscape: child-on-child sexual harm․In this episode we look at the difference between normal exploration and harmful sexualized behaviour‚ why "kids being kids" is the most dangerous phrase in child protection‚ and we break down the four main contributory drivers to child on child sexual violence. We made it on Feedspot's 2025 Top 30 Aussie Not For Profit Podcasts!Kristi McVee Website & Child Security Resources: Click HereTBBI Links/Enquiries:Facebook: The Blue Butterfly InstituteEmail: hello@thebluebutterflyinstitute.org.auWebsite: thebluebutterflyinstitute.org.auYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBlueButterflyInstitute/videos(watch for video footage of podcast recording which includes uncut and behind the scenes footage!)(Intro/Outro Theme: Breaking The Silence by Marya StarkIf in need of help during an immediate crisis:100RESPECT: 1800 737 732Interested in being a guest speaker on the podcast? We are currently on the look-out for people to share their story so if interested:Email: podcast@thebluebutterflyinstitute.org.au

Former police officer and child protection specialist Kristi returns to The Cocoon with a statistic that stopped us mid-conversation: child-on-child harm has now overtaken adult-on-child abuse in Australia. How did we get here, and why is nobody talking about it? Full episode drops Sunday 28th of June. If you’re a parent, educator, or survivor, you can’t afford to miss this one.

Warning: This episode contains themes surrounding childhood sexual assault, listener discretion is advised. Nicole shares her 20-year journey from childhood sexual abuse to conviction and what it actually takes to survive a courtroom. If you're a survivor afraid of testifying, carrying shame, or wondering if justice is possible: this is for you. Nicole's story shows what happens when you finally speak, how to stay grounded through a brutal legal process, and why healing on the other side feels like a fresh lease on life.We made it on Feedspot's 2025 Top 30 Aussie Not For Profit Podcasts!TBBI Links/Enquiries:Facebook: The Blue Butterfly InstituteEmail: hello@thebluebutterflyinstitute.org.auWebsite: thebluebutterflyinstitute.org.auYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBlueButterflyInstitute/videos(watch for video footage of podcast recording which includes uncut and behind the scenes footage!)(Intro/Outro Theme: Breaking The Silence by Marya StarkIf in need of help during an immediate crisis:100RESPECT: 1800 737 732Interested in being a guest speaker on the podcast? We are currently on the look-out for people to share their story so if interested:Email: podcast@thebluebutterflyinstitute.org.au

At six years old, Bambi Lynn was given a ragdoll named Josephine. What her mother didn’t know was that Josephine would become the only witness to years of childhood sexual abuse, alcoholism, and trauma that Bambi couldn’t speak aloud. In this episode, Bambi shares how a simple doll carried her secrets, her tears, and her survival, and why it took her 24 years to finally tell her story. From “poor Bambi” to thriving author and speaker, this is what it looks like to stop letting trauma define you.This episode is dedicated to the memory of Bambi Lynn, who spent her final years turning pain into purpose. Rest easy, Bambi. Josephine’s got you nowWe made it on Feedspot's 2025 Top 30 Aussie Not For Profit Podcasts!Bambi's Book "The Journey Of Josephine": linkTBBI Links/Enquiries:Facebook: The Blue Butterfly InstituteEmail: hello@thebluebutterflyinstitute.org.auWebsite: thebluebutterflyinstitute.org.auYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBlueButterflyInstitute/videos(watch for video footage of podcast recording which includes uncut and behind the scenes footage!)(Intro/Outro Theme: Breaking The Silence by Marya StarkIf in need of help during an immediate crisis:100RESPECT: 1800 737 732Interested in being a guest speaker on the podcast? We are currently on the look-out for people to share their story so if interested:Email: podcast@thebluebutterflyinstitute.org.au

In “Dignity After Death: Trauma-Informed Funeral Care for Survivors with Michelle Dwyer,” Ruby sits down with funeral director and celebrant Michelle Dwyer from Dwyer Family Funerals to unpack what dignity after death really looks like – especially for survivors of sexual trauma.Together, they explore how language, boundaries and respectful body care can transform funeral practice from something clinical and cold into something deeply humane, safe and family-centred.Michelle shares how her family-run funeral home focuses on empathy rather than profit, why the words “we’re bringing them into our care” matter so much, and how trauma-informed funeral directors can support anxious families who fear their loved one being mishandled. She also explains what actually happens in the mortuary, common myths about embalming, and practical ways we can advocate for ourselves and our loved ones in end-of-life planning.If you’ve ever worried about how your body – or your loved one’s body – will be treated after death, this gentle, grounded conversation offers validation, clear information and real-world tools to ask for the care you deserve.We made it on Feedspot's 2025 Top 30 Aussie Not For Profit Podcasts!LinkDwyer Family Funerals: Website and InfoTBBI Links/Enquiries:Facebook: The Blue Butterfly InstituteEmail: hello@thebluebutterflyinstitute.org.auWebsite: thebluebutterflyinstitute.org.auYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBlueButterflyInstitute/videos(watch for video footage of podcast recording which includes uncut and behind the scenes footage!)(Intro/Outro Theme: Breaking The Silence by Marya StarkIf in need of help during an immediate crisis:100RESPECT: 1800 737 732Interested in being a guest speaker on the podcast? We are currently on the look-out for people to share their story so if interested:Email: podcast@thebluebutterflyinstitute.org.au

In this teaser for Part One of “Dignity After Death: Trauma-Informed Funeral Care for Survivors with Michelle Dwyer,” Ruby shares a powerful clip from her conversation with funeral director and celebrant Michelle Dwyer from Dwyer Family Funerals. They explore what dignity after death really means for survivors of sexual abuse and complex trauma, and why the words “we’re bringing them into our care” can make all the difference when you’re grieving.If you’ve ever worried about how your body or your loved one’s body will be treated after death, this preview offers a gentle, trauma-informed introduction to funeral care, mortuary practices and advocating for respectful body care.🔔 Full Part One episode drops on 29 March.

In Part 2 of her powerful conversation, Denise opens up about the somatic aftermath of sexual trauma and how it’s shaped her experiences of pregnancy, birth, and parenting. From panic attacks during breastfeeding to triggering OB/GYN procedures and setting boundaries with her child, Denise shares the raw truth of what it means to raise a family while living with a dysregulated nervous system.We also talk about survivor guilt, formula vs breastfeeding stigma, and the judgement women face when their maternal experiences don’t match the “perfect mother” narrative. Denise explains how trauma can hijack our sense of safety, how neuroperception misfires in the body, and why traditional talk therapy alone sometimes isn’t enough.This episode is an honest look at parenting after sexual violence — the triggers, the shame, the resilience — and how healing is possible through somatic therapy, spiritual tools, and radical self-compassion.🔹 Topics: parenting after trauma, sexual violence, breastfeeding triggers, birth trauma, somatic healing, neuroception, survivor guilt, motherhood, energy work🔹 Content warning: mentions of sexual assault, birth trauma, body-based triggersWe made it on Feedspot's 2025 Top 30 Aussie Not For Profit Podcasts! LinkDenise's Linktree: www.deniseelysa.com/link-treeTBBI Links/Enquiries:Facebook: The Blue Butterfly InstituteEmail: hello@thebluebutterflyinstitute.org.auWebsite: thebluebutterflyinstitute.org.auYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBlueButterflyInstitute/videos(watch for video footage of podcast recording which includes uncut and behind the scenes footage!)(Intro/Outro Theme: Breaking The Silence by Marya StarkIf in need of help during an immediate crisis:100RESPECT: 1800 737 732Interested in being a guest speaker on the podcast? We are currently on the look-out for people to share their story so if interested:Email: podcast@thebluebutterflyinstitute.org.au