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
Before we begin, a quick warning that in this show we discuss child abuse, and this content may be difficult for some listeners.
If you or anyone you know is a victim or survivor of medical child abuse, please go to munchausensupport.com to connect with professionals who can help.
Many of us have difficult relationships with our bodies, especially as we're coming of age.
And if there's ever a relationship worth working on, it's this one, because this is as omnipresent as it gets.
It's like that old saying, wherever you go, there you are.
Joe had made big strides in their twenties.
They decided they wanted to help other abuse victims and survivors and enrolled in school to get their bachelors and then their masters in social work at a small college in St.
Louis.
They were making progress on all fronts.
And they'd even found their way back into something that had brought them joy growing up, cheerleading.
Jo Jo joined their school's cheer team and began building a new kind of relationship with their body, one where they embraced how capable they were, rather than how limited.
I'm a former college athlete myself, and this is a really special experience.
I'm also just a big lover of exercise, and this isn't a wellness podcast, so I won't expand on the many mental health benefits of exercise here.
But needless to say, they're well documented.
So it's not surprising to me that exercise was something that helped Joe reconnect with their body.
But to.
To be in a body as a Munchausen by proxy survivor is always precarious, because even once you've dispelled the imaginary health issues, real ones still come up.
And just when Joe was feeling stronger than ever, a concussion stopped them in their tracks.
It's not going away at all, and it's just getting worse.
And it should be better by now.