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Please welcome guest speaker Julie Botom-Richny Chhay. Julie shares her family's experience during the Cambodian genocide, drawing parallels to current genocide in Gaza and how generational trauma continues to impact survivors and their descendants.

• Cambodia's genocide under Pol Pot's regime killed nearly 2 million people between 1975-1979
• The Khmer Rouge specifically targeted educated people - teachers, doctors, artists, and even those who wore glasses
• Julie's mother survived being attacked and left to die in the woods at just 8 years old
• Refugee experiences at the Thai border included further violence against those seeking asylum similar to North Korea
• Children were deliberately separated from families and indoctrinated to view the regime as their true family with parallels of immigrants in the US.
• Cultural erasure included banning traditional music, dance, and other art forms central to Cambodian identity
• Intergenerational trauma manifests in complex family relationships and continues decades after the violence ends
• The targeting of education, suppression of information, and divisive politics follow similar patterns across different genocides
• Modern censorship includes selective blocking of information about ongoing genocides on major platforms like Google
• Survival stories remind us that behind statistics are real human lives forever changed by political violence

https://youtu.be/mNDolWiY440?si=oErM1k0Exy2mTqkX

Opinion | ‘Do Not Forget Gaza’: The Last Words of a Martyred Journalist | Common Dreams

Israel’s “final decision” for conquest and occupation of Gaza - World Socialist Web Site

S-21, Tuol Sleng - United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

U.S. Involvement in the Cambodian War and Genocide

walrus_cambodiabombing_oct06.pdf

Cambodia’s ‘Killing Fields’ artist dies | Features | Al Jazeera

Cambodian Genocide: S21 Prison Tuol Sleng Museum and Killing Fields Phnom Penh - FeetDoTravel

FACT SHEET: Genocide in Gaza — the Biden Administration’s Role and Legacy - Institute for Policy Studies

We urge you to reflect on these historical patterns as they emerge in current conflicts, and to recognize that peace requires us to confront uncomfortable truths about both past and present atrocities.

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Artwork and logo design by Misty Rae.


Special thanks to Joanna Roux for editing help.
Special thanks to the listeners and all the wonderful people who helped listen to and provide feedback on the episode's prerelease.


Please feel free to email Matt topics or suggestions, questions or feedback.
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Dog training experts Zak George and Bree join us to explore the dark side of animal training and how the weaponization of the human-animal bond perpetuates systems of oppression. We examine how our treatment of animals reflects deeper societal values about power, control, and our approach to both animal and human behavior.

• Traditional dog training methods often rely on pain and fear, including shock collars, prong collars, and physically harmful techniques
• The police dog system has roots in colonialism and was historically used to control marginalized communities
• When an animal misbehaves, asking "why" rather than focusing on stopping the behavior leads to more effective and humane solutions
• The parallels between punitive approaches to animal behavior and human behavior in our criminal justice system
• How fear-based training makes veterinary care more difficult and sometimes dangerous for animals
• The importance of consent, cooperation, and relationship-building in animal training
• The story of Mohammed Bahar, a Palestinian man with Down syndrome who was killed by a police dog, highlighting the human cost of weaponizing animals

To learn more about modern, humane dog training techniques, follow Zak George's Dog Training Revolution on YouTube or find their intersectionality content on Instagram and Facebook.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz9drj14e0lo

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/aharon-bonus-episode-innocent-and-pure-from-sin/id1624487374

Zak:

https://instagram.com/zakgeorge

https://TikTok.com/@thezakgeorge

https://facebook.com/thezakgeorge

Bree

https://instagram.com/breejustine

https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/AVSAB-Humane-Dog-Training-Position-Statement-2021.pdf

https://YouTube.com/zakgeorge

https://perretologia.substack.com/p/weapon-dogs

https://www.themarshallproject.org/mauled

https://www.democracynow.org/2023/7/27/hannah_beckler_investigation_prison_dogs

https://www.businessinsider.com/correctional-officers-prison-staff-attack-dogs-bite-2023-7

https://aclucalaction.org/2024/01/new-report-weaponizing-dogs-the-brutal-and-outdated-practice-of-police-attack-dogs

https://www.aaihs.org/police-dogs-and-anti-black-violence

https://daily.jstor.org/the-police-dog-as-weapon-of-racial-terror

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/hartzmann/no-time-to-die
License code: S4CEQWLNQXVZUMU4

Artwork and logo design by Misty Rae.


Special thanks to Joanna Roux for editing help.
Special thanks to the listeners and all the wonderful people who helped listen to and provide feedback on the episode's prerelease.


Please feel free to email Matt topics or suggestions, questions or feedback.
Matt@unitedstatesofPTSD.com

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John Demarjain shares his emotional journey of coming out as a gay Palestinian American, revealing the complex intersection of cultural identity, family values, and personal authenticity in Western and Middle Eastern contexts.


• Western culture emphasizes (by design) individualism and independence, at the cost of community while Middle Eastern culture prioritizes family and religion
• The concept of "pinkwashing" attempts to force the LGBTQ+ population to turn a blind eye to genocide "in their own best interest".
• Both selective empathy and performative politics create barriers to genuine human connection and social progress
• Cultural and family expectations around names, lineage, and acceptable pairings extend beyond sexuality to religion
• Meaningful advocacy requires altruistic action and personal connection rather than simply consuming mainstream news
• The group pays tribute to Mohammed "Medo" Halimy, a Palestinian content creator who was killed in Gaza, by the genocidal IDF

• Erika discusses the lie that Arab countries are unilaterally hostile to the LGBT community, as Israel bombs a prison with 100 Trans people in it.

Brief discussion about the impact of altruism

Doing Good and Feeling Good: Relationships Between Altruism and Well-being for Altruists, Beneficiaries, and Observers | The World Happiness Report

Israel Killed 100 Imprisoned Trans Iranians. I Could Have Been One of Them. | Truthout

Queers in Palestine

In Conversation With Afeef Nessouli, the Journalist Covering Queer People in Gaza | Them

Iris Prize 2024: Palestinian Dima Hamdan wins LGBTQ+ film award

https://www.imdb.com/video/vi1098033433/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk

Medo Halimy - Wikipedia

https://www.tiktok.com/@medohalimy?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

We will continue speaking about Gaza until the genocide ends. We believe in taking real action - whether donating, sharing stories directly from affected people, or challenging institutions. Make a difference today by connecting with those impacted by conflict around the world.

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/hartzmann/no-time-to-die
License code: S4CEQWLNQXVZUMU4

Artwork and logo design by Misty Rae.


Special thanks to Joanna Roux for editing help.
Special thanks to the listeners and all the wonderful people who helped listen to and provide feedback on the episode's prerelease.


Please feel free to email Matt topics or suggestions, questions or feedback.
Matt@unitedstatesofPTSD.com

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A foreshadowing of the national impending healthcare collapse as we see the beginnings of it in Rhode Island. As mental health workers face increasing dangers from understaffing, violence, and corporate retaliation against unionization efforts. Matt shares his terrifying classroom experience with possible gunfire, highlighting educators' vulnerability in America's gun violence epidemic, while Erika exposes the expanding network of privatized immigrant detention centers that are akin to the start of concentration camps. Towards the end of the episode we welcome Hannah John Damarjian.

• Rhode Island healthcare system facing multiple facility closures and bankruptcy filings
• Mental health hospital fired all striking nurses who demanded safer staffing ratios
• Multiple cases of healthcare workers murdered or seriously injured by patients discussed
• Matt recounts hearing gunshots outside his classroom with 27 students and no way to lock doors
• Private corporations like CoreCivic and GeoGroup operating immigrant detention centers in flood zones
• Laura Loomer's disturbing comments about "alligator meals" target Latino populations
• Palestinian American guest John discusses running for office as a young candidate
• Average age of Congress (63) disconnected from challenges facing younger generations
• Money in politics corrupts even well-intentioned candidates
• Rhode Island's "Homeless Bill of Rights" criticized as performative rather than substantive

Join us next time when we continue our conversation with John about his experiences as a Palestinian American and his journey into politics.

Laura Loomer’s “65 Million Meals” Comment: What She Actually Said—and Why It’s So Dangerous

Striking Butler Hospital workers awarded back unemployment benefits, bargaining to resume Wednesday | ABC6

https://youtube.com/@johnsharestories

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
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Artwork and logo design by Misty Rae.


Special thanks to Joanna Roux for editing help.
Special thanks to the listeners and all the wonderful people who helped listen to and provide feedback on the episode's prerelease.


Please feel free to email Matt topics or suggestions, questions or feedback.
Matt@unitedstatesofPTSD.com

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In this raw, unedited conversation, we process our emotional responses to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran while exploring how intergenerational trauma shapes our understanding of war.

• Processing our emotional reactions to Israel's "preemptive strike" otherwise know as a declaration of war against Iran
• Examining how media messaging manipulates public perception of conflict to vilify people in Gaza and justify colonialism
• Discussing intergenerational trauma from historical wars and how it shapes our worldview
• Exploring the complicity of silence and the moral obligation to speak against genocide
• Looking at environmental contamination and health impacts as hidden costs of war
• Considering how art from conflict zones helps us process and understand violence
• Sharing practical ways to take action against global atrocities
• Finding hope in community organizing and resistance movements

The most powerful change often starts with small actions. Contact your representatives, join local solidarity groups, or simply have conversations with those around you. Remember: in genocide, there is no neutrality – either you're complicit or you're fighting against it.

Doctors Against Genocide: Lifesaving Medical Aid

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
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License code: S4CEQWLNQXVZUMU4

Artwork and logo design by Misty Rae.


Special thanks to Joanna Roux for editing help.
Special thanks to the listeners and all the wonderful people who helped listen to and provide feedback on the episode's prerelease.


Please feel free to email Matt topics or suggestions, questions or feedback.
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Matt and Erika explore how people in compassion-based professions navigate feelings of helplessness when confronted with systemic barriers and limitations beyond their control.

• The challenges of working in compassion-based professions (healthcare, teaching, social work, veterinary medicine) within systems that often prioritize profit over people
• America's dysfunctional relationship with grief and death as a "death-defying society"
• The importance of radical acceptance – acknowledging limitations while still taking meaningful action
• Why our positive impacts often ripple outward in ways we'll never witness
• How to recognize early warning signs of burnout before reaching complete exhaustion
• The critical importance of human connection in preventing isolation and burnout
• Using humor as a powerful coping mechanism during difficult times
• Finding meaning in incremental progress when systemic change seems impossible

We encourage listeners to seek community events related to causes you care about - these connections can provide both emotional support and practical avenues for action. Remember that every small positive interaction creates meaningful change, even when you don't see the results immediately.

SOCIAL ISOLATION, LONELINESS, AND MEN'S HEALTH - PMC

The Hidden Costs of Men’s Social Isolation | Scientific American

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
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Artwork and logo design by Misty Rae.


Special thanks to Joanna Roux for editing help.
Special thanks to the listeners and all the wonderful people who helped listen to and provide feedback on the episode's prerelease.


Please feel free to email Matt topics or suggestions, questions or feedback.
Matt@unitedstatesofPTSD.com

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Immigration rights are under severe threat as communities across America face increasing persecution and detention without due process, with Kim DeLeon sharing her family's journey through the US immigration system and the fears they still face despite her husband's citizenship. We discuss how the immigration process is far more complex, expensive, and uncertain than most people realize, with many families spending thousands of dollars and years navigating bureaucratic hurdles.

• Legal immigration requires navigating thousands of dollars in fees, complex paperwork, and multi-year waiting periods
• Even with proper documentation, immigrants face constant fear of being detained by ICE
• Privatized detention centers represent corporatized human rights violations with inadequate conditions
• ICE raids are occurring in everyday places like Dollar General stores and potentially targeting schools
• Border militarization parallels historical situations like the Berlin Wall, with similar human costs
• Immigrants contribute enormously to the US economy and social fabric while being denied basic rights
• Local community organization and response has been crucial in helping detained immigrants access due process
• Everyone can take action by joining local politics, supporting organizations like the ACLU and Indivisible
• Recording ICE interactions can provide crucial evidence for legal cases
• Knowing your rights is essential – the ACLU provides free resources on immigrant rights

We strongly encourage listeners to get involved by checking what's happening in their state around immigrant rights and building relationships with frontline organizations that are making a difference in securing due process for unjustly detained individuals.

Homepage | Indivisible

https://open.spotify.com/show/3KNdniw6YDpgDuwrhcpSXw

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
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Artwork and logo design by Misty Rae.


Special thanks to Joanna Roux for editing help.
Special thanks to the listeners and all the wonderful people who helped listen to and provide feedback on the episode's prerelease.


Please feel free to email Matt topics or suggestions, questions or feedback.
Matt@unitedstatesofPTSD.com

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PS: Congress is trying to pass a bill that would prohibit the boycott of the genocidal state of Israel's products. Please contact your rep to tell them to vote against the bill and stop the madness.

H.R.867 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): IGO Anti-Boycott Act | Congress.gov | Library of Congress

Field veterinarian Dr. Kathryn Cehrs shares her experience responding to avian influenza outbreaks and the devastating mental health toll of mass animal depopulations. Her story reveals a systemic failure in supporting veterinary personnel doing essential but traumatic work in disease control.

• Mass depopulation of poultry farms causes significant trauma to veterinarians and animal care workers
• Minimal training provided to field veterinarians
• Methods used for mass depopulation are often inhumane
• Workers experience isolation and ostracism when requesting mental health accommodations
• A colleague's suicide on the job site led to no systemic changes or additional support
• While veterinarians suffer mental health crises, large egg producers saw a 718% profit surge since 2021

• Speaking out about mental health issues helps create awareness and potentially saves lives

If you're experiencing thoughts of suicide, please reach out for help. No job benefit is worth your life.

National Hotline for Mental Health Crises and Suicide Prevention | NAMI

RI’s Anchor Medical to close in June; roughly 25,000 patients need new doctors | WPRI.com

Country’s Largest Egg Producer Saw Profits Surge 718% Amid Shortage

H.R.867 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): IGO Anti-Boycott Act | Congress.gov | Library of Congress

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/hartzmann/no-time-to-die
License code: S4CEQWLNQXVZUMU4

Artwork and logo design by Misty Rae.


Special thanks to Joanna Roux for editing help.
Special thanks to the listeners and all the wonderful people who helped listen to and provide feedback on the episode's prerelease.


Please feel free to email Matt topics or suggestions, questions or feedback.
Matt@unitedstatesofPTSD.com