In this episode of the Get Obsessed podcast, Julie Lokun sits down with Kim D, the Bravo personality, boutique owner, and author, for a candid conversation about power, love, and fear. The discussion draws on her memoir My Life with the Big Boys, which Julie co-authored.

Kim describes growing up in New Jersey with a mother who clawed her way out of poverty and a stepfather she says held a high-ranking role in the Gambino crime family. She recalls a childhood of fur coats, expensive dresses, and nights at the Copacabana, alongside the moment her mother realized the true cost of that life. She also shares how fashion and animals became lifelong sources of comfort.

The conversation moves through Kim’s relationships, from her high school love to a dangerous marriage and her escape from it, to the partner she calls the love of her life. Kim offers frank advice on choosing the right person to have children with, explains why she is happy living on her own terms today, and encourages listeners who are struggling to reach out for support.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How Kim’s mother rose out of poverty and shaped her strength
• Growing up in the orbit of her stepfather’s world and what she understood about it as a child
• The confirmation and communion weekend that changed her mother’s view of that life
• Why clothes and animals became Kim’s refuge, plus the story of Rocco-turned-Coco
• A high school love story and the choices that led to a very different kind of relationship
• Advice on how to tell a great boyfriend from a good husband and father
• Leaving a violent marriage and why preparing before you leave matters
• Kim’s soulmate, the life they built, and why she now enjoys her solitude
• Why getting the right professional help matters, and where to find support

ABOUT THE GUEST: Kim DePaola, known to fans as Kim D, is a television personality, entrepreneur, and author best known for her recurring role on Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New Jersey.

She is the founder of Posche, a women’s fashion boutique established in 2007 and featured on the show. Kim is the author of the memoir My Life with the Big Boys, co-authored with Julie Lokun, and the host of the podcast Get Real with Kim D, where she covers reality TV and the cases making headlines.

MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

• (Book) My Life with the Big Boys by Kim D and Julie Lokun - https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Life-Big-Boys-Kim-Paola/dp/B0D6LTQT5V
• (Podcast) Get Real with Kim D
• (Book) My Life in the Mafia by Vincent Teresa
• (Support) Call 988 if you are struggling emotionally and need someone to talk to

CONNECT WITH KIM D:

ABOUT GET OBSESSED Website: www.getobsessedpodcast.com Be a Guest! http://www.getobsessedguest.com Reach Out To Us! hello@getobsessedmedia.com The Get Obsessed podcast is dedicated to exploring the passions, mindsets, and habits that drive high performers. We believe that what you obsess over defines your future. LISTEN, RATE, REVIEW AND SUBSCRIBE - Get Obsessed : With Living Your Best Life - Podcast - Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/get-obsessed-with-living-your-best-life/id1559480972

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What happens when childhood trauma doesn't stay in the past—but becomes something your body continues to carry?

In this powerful episode of the Get Obsessed Podcast, host Mika Altidor sits down with Simone Gisondi, host of the Health Confidential Podcast, for an extraordinary conversation about childhood trauma, nervous system regulation, emotional healing, survival mode, self-worth, and the connection between trauma and physical health.

Simone grew up in communist Romania in an environment marked by horrific physical and emotional abuse, scarcity, fear, and oppression. After her father escaped to Canada and eventually reunited the family, Simone faced an entirely new struggle: adapting to a new country while carrying the invisible effects of what she had survived.

But survival has a cost.

Years later, at just 35 years old, Simone suffered a major stroke. Her recovery became the beginning of a deeper exploration into trauma, stress, emotional health, the nervous system, and the ways our experiences can continue to affect us long after the danger has passed.

Simone shares what she has learned about understanding and regulating the nervous system, recognizing survival responses, rebuilding self-worth, and creating healthier relationships with ourselves and others.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• Growing up amid abuse and oppression in communist Romania • Simone's family's journey from Romania to Canada • How childhood trauma can affect us long into adulthood • Understanding the body's stress and survival responses • Nervous system regulation and emotional health • Simone's major stroke at age 35 and the journey that followed • The connection Simone discovered between her past experiences and her health • Relationships, identity, boundaries, and self-worth • Moving beyond survival and toward a more empowered life • Turning personal pain into purpose through Health Confidential

CHAPTERS

00:00 — Introduction & Simone Gisondi 00:52 — Simone's Early Life and Childhood Trauma 03:42 — Growing Up in Communist Romania 12:58 — Immigrating to Canada 17:40 — Trauma, Stress and Physical Health 25:45 — Healing, Relationships and Self-Worth 27:56 — Final Thoughts

CONNECT WITH SIMONE GISONDI

Find Simone, Health Confidential, and her platforms here: https://linktr.ee/simone.gisondi

If you've ever wondered why your body reacts even when your mind knows you're safe, why old experiences continue to influence present relationships, or what nervous system regulation actually means, this conversation is for you.

GET OBSESSED with understanding yourself—not judging yourself.

SEARCH TOPICS: nervous system regulation, childhood trauma recovery, trauma healing, survival mode, emotional regulation, nervous system dysregulation, stress response, trauma and physical health, self-worth after trauma, childhood abuse recovery, somatic healing, emotional health, healing from trauma, Simone Gisondi, Health Confidential Podcast, Get Obsessed Podcast, Mika Altidor, Julie Lokun

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In this episode of the Get Obsessed podcast, Julie Lokun continues her conversation with Dr. Christine Marie, going behind the scenes of Trust Me The False Prophet and the years she spent building trust inside the FLDS community.

Dr. Christine explains how vulnerability and the need to belong can make people susceptible to religious cults, how destructive groups can control thoughts, relationships, information, behavior, and emotions, and how she began recognizing troubling behavior surrounding Sam Bateman.

She also shares what happened after recording evidence of abuse, the challenges of working with law enforcement, and the eventual investigation that led to Sam Bateman’s arrest and 50-year sentence. The conversation also explores the impact on women and families, the importance of speaking up when someone is being harmed, and why survivors should have the freedom to tell their stories in their own time.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How vulnerability and the need to belong can make people susceptible to cult control
• Cult control and its influence on thoughts, relationships, information, and behavior
• Early rumors about Sam Bateman and his relationships with underage girls
• A confession that revealed ritualistic sexual abuse within Sam’s group
• The investigation, law enforcement challenges, and the events that led to Sam’s arrest
• The lasting effects on women, children, and families connected to the community
• Why speaking up against harm matters and how survivors can reclaim their stories

Dr. Christine Marie holds a PhD in Psychology specializing in media psychology, along with an MBA and a specialization in Positive Psychology. She is an author, speaker, researcher, educator, kindness advocate, and certified Trauma and Resiliency Life Coach.

Her work focuses on coercive control, cult psychology, media trauma, public shaming, critical thinking, kindness, and resilience. In 2021, she received the Outstanding Dissertation Award from the American Psychological Association’s Division of Media Psychology and Technology.

Christine is the founder of Voices for Dignity, a nonprofit supporting marginalized communities and survivors. She has spent the past decade doing humanitarian and dignity work in Short Creek and has extensive experience working with members of the FLDS community. In 2026, she was featured in the Netflix documentary Trust Me: The False Prophet.

MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

• (Netflix documentary) Trust Me: The False Prophet - https://www.netflix.com/title/81758532
• (Episode) Inside the Cult of Scientology with Anne Gollert Hill Part 1: https://www.getobsessedpodcast.com/podcast/episode/2d75b703/inside-the-cult-of-scientology-with-anne-gollert-hill-part-1 Part 2: https://www.getobsessedpodcast.com/podcast/episode/4aeb558d/inside-the-cult-of-scientology-with-anne-gollert-hill-part-2

• Website: https://christinemarie.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christinemariePhD/
• X (Twitter): https://x.com/christinemariek
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.christinemarie

Website: www.getobsessedpodcast.com

Be a Guest! http://www.getobsessedguest.com

Reach Out To Us! hello@getobsessedmedia.com

The Get Obsessed podcast is dedicated to exploring the passions, mindsets, and habits that drive high performers. We believe that what you obsess over defines your future.

LISTEN, RATE, REVIEW AND SUBSCRIBE - Get Obsessed : With Living Your Best Life - Podcast - Apple Podcasts

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