Ronni and Jennie: Conversations on Recovery from Childhood Trauma and Abuse
Ronni and Jennie are sisters who were not supposed to be friends. They grew up in a home with addiction, abuse, and untreated mental illness, which generated dysfunctional dynamics that often pitted them against each other. Miraculously, they came together in adulthood to help each other heal. Now, drawing on their personal and professional experiences, they are telling their story to help others recover from childhood trauma and abuse, and to help them mend their own sibling relationships. They invite you to join them in this healing conversation. Please feel free to share your own experiences, or ask questions, via their website: www.ronniandjennie.com (other free content is also available there), or follow them on Instagram: @ronni_and_jennie.
Ronni Tichenor is Professor Emeritus of Sociology at State University of New York--Polytechnic Institute, specializing in family studies; Jennie Weaver is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with over 25 years' experience in family practice and mental health. They detail their story in their book, Healing Begins with Us: Breaking the Cycle of Trauma and Abuse and Rebuilding the Sibling Bond.
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 27 minutes
- Episodes
- 127
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2025
How To Navigate Seasons of Loss
The last four months have brought many changes and losses for Ronni and Jennie. They talk about the strategies they have used to manage the emotions these changes have brought to them.
BONUS #3: Navigating the Holidays with Family
Now is the time to begin planning what you want your holidays to look like—especially if there are some challenges in your family relationships. Ronni and Jennie share ideas for preserv…
BONUS #2: Now What? (How to Move Forward After the 2024 Election)
The Red Wave that gave Donald Trump a victory in the 2024 election has left many feeling anxious about the future. Ronni and Jennie talk about how to move forward, and why people who ar…
BONUS: Navigating Changing Family Relationships
As Ronni and Jennie are together for their annual family reunion, they reflect on how they navigate changes and challenges in their family relationships, especially as their children ha…
When You Want to Do Something…But Realize You’re Not Ready to Do It
Sometimes there are things in our lives that we want to accomplish, but we have to acknowledge that we might not be ready to actually do them…yet. Ronni and Jennie share the challenges …
How to Set Effective Boundaries
One of the ongoing challenges in our healing journeys is learning how to set effective boundaries with friends, family, co-workers…or even ourselves. Ronni and Jennie discuss how they’v…
How to Disrupt Negative Self-Talk
The endless loop of negative thoughts running through our heads can feel as natural to us as breathing. But each of these thoughts tears down our sense of worth and diminishes our well-…
Why Pursuing Healing Takes Great Courage
Facing the trauma you endured in childhood can be downright terrifying. Continuing to walk a healing path requires courage, as you meet the layers of pain that emerge over time. Ronni a…
The Tremendous Healing Power of Conscious Connected Breathing
Conscious connected breathing can help you access physical pain and emotions (especially around trauma) that have been trapped in your body. In this episode, Ronni and Jennie share thei…
The Physical Impact Childhood Trauma Can Have on Your Body Over Your Lifetime
Spending your childhood in fight-or-flight mode increases the cortisol levels in your body, which can have a negative impact on your health for the rest of your life. Ronni and Jennie d…
Watching Your Loved Ones Struggle
No one likes to watch the people they care about struggle. But if you are recovering from childhood trauma, there can be additional (often tricky) dynamics to negotiate when you want to…
The Silver Linings of Walking a Path of Recovery
No one chooses to be abused, and experiencing trauma changes your life forever. But there can be silver linings—even blessings—in walking a path of recovery.
Accepting What the World is Offering You
Things don’t always go according to plan; sometimes the world is inviting you to embrace a different option, or path. Ronni and Jennie talk about how to recognize these opportunities an…
Finding Balance Between Doing and Being
It is so easy to get caught up in the pressure to do more—living in a whirlwind of activity that can leave you feeling overwhelmed, even when you know you need a break or some down time…
How to Meet Your Triggers with Compassion
Anyone healing from trauma has experienced being “triggered”—often by things that seem harmless or minor to other people. Ronni and Jennie talk about some of the things that still trigg…
Breaking the Cycle Takes Longer Than You Think
Many who are healing from childhood trauma have vowed to break the intergenerational cycle that has been the source of their pain—they are committed to shedding the associated baggage, …
What Do I Need Right Now?
For many, this is a difficult question. But being in touch with your needs is crucial to living a healthy, balanced life. And for trauma survivors, who have been conditioned to ignore t…
Why is It so Hard to Ask for More?
Why is it so hard to ask for more, even when you know you really deserve it? Ronni and Jennie share their own struggles with asking for more, how they have come to learn what they are w…
People Have the Right NOT to Heal
When we find healing, it’s natural to want to bring those we love with us on our journey. But not everyone is ready to examine themselves (and their lives) in the way that healing requi…
Do You Know the Difference Between Sibling Rivalry and Sibling Abuse?
Sibling abuse is the least understood (and most common) form of family violence—and a source of trauma for many people. Because sibling rivalry is considered “normal,” it is important t…