My Internal Chain of Command

An exploration of my trauma through internal family systems, exploring the human connection and sharing survivor stories of those who have faced trauma, survived, and continue to heal.

    Survivor Stories – Episode 1: The Story behind the Stories

    Written by

    JDToomey

    Survivor Stories — Episode 1

    The Story Behind the Stories

    What happens when the person telling the story is still living it?

    In the first episode of Survivor Stories, Jarod introduces himself, shares the experiences that brought him to this point, and explains why he created this podcast.

    Jarod talks about military service, trauma, relationships, accountability, healing, and the realization that being strong and being okay aren’t always the same thing.

    He also explains how discovering Internal Family Systems (IFS) changed the way he looked at his own trauma—and helped him move from asking “What’s wrong with me?” to “What happened to me, and what is this part of me trying to protect?”

    But this episode isn’t just about Jarod.

    It’s about why these conversations matter.

    Survivor Stories was created to give survivors, spouses, families, and the people closest to those on a healing journey a place to be heard.

    Because you don’t have to be at your breaking point to ask for help.

    You don’t have to be “healed” to tell your story.

    And you don’t have to suffer in silence.

    In This Episode

    • Jarod’s military and personal journey
    • What led him to begin confronting his own trauma
    • His introduction to Internal Family Systems (IFS)
    • Why accountability and understanding can exist together
    • The stigma surrounding mental health
    • Why asking for help isn’t weakness
    • What Survivor Stories is—and what it isn’t
    • What listeners can expect from future episodes

    Survivor Stories isn’t about having all the answers.

    It’s about having the courage to talk about the questions.

    Tell Your Story

    If you have a story to share, visit internalchainofcommand.com and fill out the Survivor Stories submission form.

    You don’t have to appear on the podcast. If you’d rather remain anonymous or share your experience through writing, there are options for that too.

    Listen and Connect

    You can listen to Survivor Stories: Breaking Silence, Changing Stigma on your favorite podcast platform:

    Follow us on Facebook at Survivor Stories Podcast for episode updates, new stories, and more conversations about breaking the silence surrounding trauma and mental health.

    Visit internalchainofcommand.com to read the blogs that started this project, learn more about your hosts, follow the healing journey, and find out how to share your story.

    Breaking the silence. Changing the stigma.

    Music Credits and Licensing

    Track: “Strong Character (Powerful Fuzz Action Sport Rock)”
    Artist/Licensor: Lightstockmusic
    Source: Pixabay Music — Strong Character
    Audio File ID: 513742
    License: Pixabay Content License
    Download Date: October 11, 2026

    Music used in this episode was obtained from Pixabay under its Content License.

    License terms: Pixabay Terms of Service

    The music is credited to its respective contributor. Please refer to the Pixabay Content License for the applicable terms of use.

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