SH!T CREEK SURVIVORS

The Nautical Novelist: She Sold Everything at 54 & Sailed the World

At 54 years old, Alison Gieschen—known as The Nautical Novelist—made a life-changing decision: she sold everything she owned and, together with her husband, stepped onto a 43-foot sailboat and set out to sail around the world. In this episode of Sh!t Creek Survivors, Alison shares her powerful journey from growing up on a self-sustaining farm, to childhood visions of sailing, to a traumatic job loss that became the catalyst for a bold five-year plan to circumnavigate the globe. What followed was years of preparation, ocean crossings, storms, mechanical failures, emotional challenges, and deep personal transformation across 48 countries and multiple continents. We discuss: * Childhood visions and early connection to sailing * Farm life, trauma, and personal reinvention * Rediscovering sailing and heavy weather training * The decision to sail the world at 54 * Life aboard a 43-foot sailboat * Surviving storms and technical failures at sea * Gratitude, signs, and resilience under pressure * PTSD, mental fatigue, and emotional endurance * Helping others and finding purpose through service * Advice for anyone delaying their dreams This is a story about courage, reinvention, and what it means to rebuild your life when you choose uncertainty over comfort—and freedom over fear. Alison Gieschen, The Nautical Novelist, is a former teacher, equestrian coach, and horse farm owner who reinvented her life in midlife. At 54, she and her husband sold everything they owned and began a global sailing journey aboard their sailboat EQUUS. Since then, they have traveled across oceans and visited 48 countries, documenting a life defined by adventure, resilience, and transformation. She now shares her experiences through writing and storytelling, blending real-world sailing adventures with themes of courage, growth, and human connection. Website: https://alisongieschen.com [https://alisongieschen.com] Sailing Blog: https://sailmates.org [https://sailmates.org] Contact Shit Creek Survivors Podcast Have a story of resilience, transformation, or a life-changing moment you want to share? We’d love to hear from you and consider you as a guest on Sh!t Creek Survivors. 📧 Email: shitcreeksurvivorspodcast@gmail.com 🌐 Website: https://shitcreeksurvivors.com Follow & connect: YouTube: Sh!t Creek Survivors Facebook: Sht Creek Survivors

Hunting the Boston Bomber: Shootouts, SWAT Tactics & The Higher Calling | Jim Vaglica

What was it like on the ground during the hunt for the Boston Marathon bomber? In this episode of Sh!t Creek Survivors, retired SWAT Sergeant Jim Vaglica shares a firsthand account of one of the most intense manhunts in modern American history following the Boston Marathon bombing. With over 32 years in law enforcement and 16 years on an elite SWAT team, Jim walks us through the chaos that unfolded after the bombing — including the Watertown shootout, tactical house-to-house sweeps, explosive threats, and the final capture of the second suspect hiding in a boat. But this episode goes far beyond tactics. Jim opens up about the psychological and emotional toll of long-term service in law enforcement — including burnout, trauma exposure, changing public perception, and the growing mental health crisis affecting officers across the country. This is a conversation about service, survival, brotherhood, and what it really means to answer a higher calling. 00:00 Introduction – Life Behind the Badge 05:22 Mobilizing for the Boston Marathon Manhunt 09:58 Watertown Shootout & Immediate Response 18:30 SWAT House-to-House Operations 25:05 Final Capture of the Suspect 38:46 Recruitment Crisis & Public Perception Shift 50:02 Mental Health, Trauma & Burnout 55:29 Honoring Officer Sean Collier 1:07:41 Brotherhood, Humor & Survival 🌐 Guest Credit Jim Vaglica — Retired Law Enforcement Officer & SWAT Sergeant X: https://x.com/JimVaglica [https://x.com/JimVaglica] Sh!t Creek Survivors shares real stories of resilience, survival, and the moments that change lives forever. 🌐 Website: https://shitcreeksurvivors.com [https://shitcreeksurvivors.com] 📧 Email: shitcreeksurvivorspodcast@gmail.com 📘 Facebook: SHT Creek Survivors ▶️ YouTube: Sh!t Creek Survivors

What a Near-Death Experience Does to Your Mind, Identity & Decision-Making

What actually happens to your mind after a near-death experience? In this episode, Lorri shares a grounded, real-world account of surviving a life-threatening medical emergency—and the psychological aftermath that followed. Instead of instant transformation, she describes identity loss, cognitive disruption, and the slow process of rebuilding clarity and trust in her own thinking. This conversation focuses on what most people don’t talk about: what happens after survival. We explore: * How trauma affects decision-making and perception * Identity loss and rebuilding your sense of self * Why your mind feels unreliable after extreme stress * Nervous system overload and emotional instability * The difference between survival mode and clear thinking * How clarity and intuition return over time * Practical tools for regaining stability and control Lorri is a licensed real estate broker with nearly 30 years of experience in high-stakes environments. Her work bridges real-world leadership under pressure with lived experience navigating extreme personal crisis. This is not about instant healing. It’s about rebuilding your mind, identity, and decision-making after everything changes. Lorri Brewer is a keynote speaker, and award-winning author based in Alberta, Canada. She is also a verified near-death experience survivor following a life-threatening medical event that required 39 minutes of resuscitation. Today, she speaks on resilience, identity reconstruction, and decision-making under pressure—helping people rebuild trust in themselves after trauma and disruption. About the Show: Real stories of people getting stuck up shit creek—and the paddles that got them out. Honest conversations about survival, resilience, and rebuilding when life goes sideways.Keywords near death experience, trauma recovery, identity loss, decision making under pressure, nervous system regulation, PTSD recovery, survival mindset, resilience, emotional healing, mental clarity

How Childhood Trauma Shapes Your Life—and How to Heal It | Richard Becker

Childhood trauma doesn’t just stay in the past—it shapes how you see yourself, how you relate to others, and how you move through life. In this episode, Richard Becker shares his journey growing up in poverty, emotional neglect, and instability—and how those early experiences shaped his identity in ways he didn’t fully understand until adulthood. This conversation explores the long-term impact of childhood trauma on self-worth, relationships, and mental health—and what it actually takes to heal. Through faith, self-awareness, and forgiveness, Richard walks through how he rebuilt his identity and found purpose beyond his past. If you’ve ever felt stuck in patterns you can’t explain, or defined by your past, this episode offers perspective—and a path forward. * How childhood trauma shapes identity and behavior * The hidden impact of labels and early experiences * Why trauma carries into adult relationships * The role of faith and spirituality in healing * How to begin the process of forgiveness * Practical ways to rebuild self-worth and identity Richard Becker is a writer, storyteller, and survivor of complex childhood trauma. Raised in poverty on Milwaukee’s railroad tracks, he experienced early loss, emotional neglect, and instability that shaped his identity from a young age. Through education, personal reflection, and spiritual growth, Richard challenged those early narratives and rebuilt his sense of self. He now shares his story to help others navigate healing, identity, and personal growth. Author of Third Wheel Welcome to Sh!t Creek Survivors, where we share real stories of people getting stuck up shit creek, the paddles that got them out, and hope for anyone stuck in their own shit creek right now. We explore real-life adversity—mental, emotional, financial, and spiritual—and the turning points that help people rebuild when everything feels like it’s falling apart. Website: https://shitcreeksurvivors.com Email: shitcreeksurvivorspodcast@gmail.com Phone: 314-650-3132 Facebook: Sht Creek Survivors YouTube: Sh!t Creek Survivors 00:00 Introduction 00:21 Growing up in poverty and instability 01:11 Early loss and emotional neglect 02:35 Family illness and identity formation 03:33 Labels, bullying, and self-perception 04:54 Education as a turning point 06:44 Family dysfunction and trauma 09:41 ADHD and societal labeling 12:13 Forgiveness and family struggles 13:48 Emotional conditioning 16:55 Faith and spiritual awakening 18:10 Trauma and relationships 19:34 Unconditional love 23:52 Confrontation and forgiveness 25:38 Identity beyond labels 32:44 Rebuilding self-worth 44:42 Faith as strength 54:11 Spiritual transformation 66:03 Family reconciliation 74:04 Healing through awareness 94:42 Gratitude and presence 98:48 Final advice childhood trauma, trauma healing, overcoming trauma, forgiveness, mental health, identity, emotional healing, resilience, personal growth, faith and healing, trauma recovery, childhood neglect, self worth, healing journey, adversity

From Tragedy to Spiritual Awakening: Susanne Arens on Grief, Survival, and Life After Death

In this episode of Sh!t Creek Survivors, we sit down with Susanne Arens—survivor, author, and evidential psychic medium—to explore a journey shaped by profound loss, resilience, and spiritual transformation. Susanne’s life has been marked by experiences that would break most people. She lost her father unexpectedly, later endured the devastating loss of her young daughter, and faced multiple battles with cancer and heart surgery. At her lowest point, she found herself questioning whether she could go on. But what followed changed everything. Through vivid dream visitations and deeply personal experiences, Susanne began to interpret these moments as communication from loved ones who had passed. Over time, this led her to develop her abilities as an evidential psychic medium—work she now uses to help others navigate grief and healing. In this conversation, we explore grief, survival, and the possibility of connection beyond death—while leaving space for listeners to form their own perspective. 🔑 WHAT YOU’LL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE 1. Susanne’s experience losing her father and daughter 2. Navigating deep grief and emotional survival 3. Her battles with cancer and major health challenges 4. Dream visitations and spiritual experiences 5. Developing intuition and mediumship abilities 6. Perspectives on life after death and continued connection 7. Rebuilding a life through resilience and purpose 👤 ABOUT SUSANNE ARENS Susanne Arens is an evidential psychic medium, author, and survivor whose life has been shaped by profound personal loss and extraordinary resilience. After enduring the loss of her father and daughter, along with multiple serious health challenges, Susanne experienced what she describes as a spiritual awakening. Through years of personal exploration and study, she developed her abilities as a medium and now works with individuals navigating grief and loss. She is the author of There Is No DEATH: Evidence of the Spirit World, Spirits and Orbs, where she shares her story along with her perspective on spiritual connection and life beyond death. 🌐 CONNECT WITH SUSANNE ARENS Website: CrystalPeakMedium.com Phone: 719-900-1899 YouTube: @crystalpeakmedium TikTok: @crystalpeakmedium Instagram: @crystalpeakmedium Facebook: CrystalPeakMedium 📩 CONTACT THE SHOW – Sh!t Creek Survivors Have a story to share or want to be a guest on the show? Email: shitcreeksurvivorspodcast@gmail.com Website: shitcreeksurvivors.com Phone: 314-650-3132 YouTube: Sh!t Creek Survivors Facebook: Sht Creek Survivors 🔑 KEY TOPICS / KEYWORDS Grief and loss, life after death, spiritual awakening, psychic medium, evidential mediumship, afterlife communication, dream visitations, near death experience, trauma recovery, child loss grief, healing after tragedy, resilience, consciousness after death, spiritual signs, intuition development