Katie Brown, rock climber and memoirist (‘Unraveled’), on navigating hidden trauma and anorexia while publicly being celebrated as the ‘best female climber of the millennium’

In this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams talks with Katie Brown, former world champion rock climber named “best female climber of the millennium” by Climbing magazine.

Adam talks with Katie about her memoir, “Unraveled.” They talk about her growing up in isolation that was, at least in part, dictated by religious fervor in the household. Katie shares about how she walked the confusing tightrope of that isolation, of the expectations of god and her mother, and the fact that she was a rock climbing phenom of historic proportions, traveling the world, winning huge competitions, becoming a world champion as a teenager … all while suffering deeply and unseen in silence.

That suffering included disordered eating, self-harm and the mental, emotional and physical tolls of years of struggling to be the world’s best climber through all the turmoil. Katie would end up leaving the sport. Sort of, disappearing. Many climbers and fans of climbing, I think, had little or no idea why. Until “Unraveled,” Katie’s memoir was published a year ago.

Adam also catches up with Katie on what she’s been doing since her book came out. Among other things.