In this episode of Healing From Emotional Abuse, host Marissa F. Cohen sits down with Vicious Vickie, a professional wrestler from the New Jersey independent scene, to talk about the experiences that shaped her long before she ever stepped into a ring.
Vickie opens up about being sexually assaulted at 15 and the reputation-driven backlash that followed, an abusive high school relationship that escalated into a terrifying night she thought she might not survive, and the addiction and loss that came afterward. She talks candidly about getting sober, being sabotaged within the wrestling industry years later, and how that experience reopened trauma she thought she had already worked through.
The back half of the conversation turns toward healing: the neuroscience behind why we can feel drawn back to chaos, what it took to build a relationship rooted in real communication, and the small, unexpected things that still trigger her today. She also shares her honest take on the wrestling industry's Speaking Out movement and closes with advice for anyone chasing a dream while carrying real weight.
Content note: this conversation includes descriptions of sexual assault, physical abuse, and addiction. Please take care while listening.
Learn more about Foundations of Healthy Relationships, a six week guided experience to help you recognize unhealthy patterns, build stronger boundaries, and learn what healthy relationships look like. Link in the show notes and on our Instagram community.
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome and podcast mission
00:03 Meet Vicious Vickie
00:03 A great childhood before the trauma began
00:05 Sexual assault at 15 and being disbelieved
00:07 Losing three family members in four months
00:07 An abusive relationship in high school
00:09 A terrifying night on the highway
00:11 Addiction, loss, and getting sober
00:14 When new trauma reopens old wounds
00:17 Being sabotaged in the wrestling industry
00:19 How abuse shows up in different forms
00:20 Recognizing trauma responses in real time
00:22 A painful relationship and a breaking point
00:26 Taking healing one day at a time
00:27 Preemptive defensiveness as a trauma response
00:29 The neuroscience behind trauma bonding
00:32 What a healthy relationship feels like now
00:36 Communication as the saving grace
00:38 Sponsor message: Foundations of Healthy Relationships
00:39 Triggers that show up in unexpected places
00:44 Wrestling, fans, and finding purpose
00:47 The Speaking Out movement and its aftermath
00:52 On movements, motives, and real survivors
00:53 Sponsor message: Foundations of Healthy Relationships
00:54 Advice for people entering wrestling
00:58 Closing thoughts and gratitude
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please contact local emergency services. For confidential support, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available at 1-800-799-7233, and RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline is available at 1-800-656-4673.
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