S4: EP 9 — Three Little Birds

This season on Nobody Should Believe Me, we tell the story of Lisa McDaniel, who crafted a public image as the Director of Patient Advocacy at the Guthy Jackson Foundation while concealing her conviction for child abuse more than a decade ago. We begin with an introduction to the McDaniel family: Lisa, her husband Carey, and their children—Mishelle, Angellyn, and Collin. While the unraveling of their family began when Collin was “diagnosed” with NMO (Neuromyelitis Optica), to understand the full story, we must go back to where it all began: Hazlehurst, Georgia. Andrea and our producer, Myrriah, travel with Mishelle–Lisa’s courageous eldest daughter– to her mother’s hometown, where they sit down with Lisa’s younger sister, Sabrina. Sabrina recounts a childhood marked by emotional manipulation and physical abuse at the hands of her older sister. She walks us through Mishelle’s early years, how, as a baby, she was often left with relatives for days at a time, and then through Lisa’s troubled pregnancy with her second child, Angellyn. https://swap.fm/l/de0J8FjuVGz7S8UTOuWFSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’re new to Betrayal, we want to share a recent episode from our sister show, Betrayal Weekly. On Betrayal Weekly, you’ll hear standalone stories of deception every Thursday. Each episode is told by the person who lived through it, and hosted by Andrea Gunning. This is Brook’s first-person account of surviving an unthinkable betrayal.  If you like what you hear, just search for Betrayal Weekly in your podcast app and hit subscribe.  Content Warning: Brook’s episode contains a description of pregnancy loss.   If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at [email protected] and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod   To access our newsletter and additional content and to connect with the Betrayal community, join our Substack at betrayal.substack.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Introducing Curse of America’s Next Top Model. When America’s Next Top Model premiered in the early 2000s, it looked like a golden ticket: a glamorous TV show that could catapult aspiring models into fame. But two decades later, many contestants describe its aftermath as a curse. Hosted by pop-culture journalist Bridget Armstrong, Curse of America’s Next Top Model is a deep investigation into the hidden costs of reality television, and what the show’s legacy reveals about beauty, power, and the culture that cheered it on.  New episodes are released every Tuesday starting September 16th. Listen to the first episode now!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Betrayal listeners, Andrea here! To celebrate the release of Season 3 of the docu-series Betrayal: Under His Eye, we’re doing something a little different. In this bonus episode, I have an exclusive conversation with a few of the people at ABCNews Studios who helped Betrayal become a hit TV series on Hulu. Once you’ve listened, check out the series we all brought to life. Betrayal: Under His Eye is available to stream NOW only on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+. All three episodes are available to binge! On this bonus episode, I’m joined by ABCNews Executive Producer Muriel Pearson, Head of ABCNews Studios Mike Kelley, and Glass Entertainment Group's Executive Producer Jon Hirsch to talk about how the Hulu docu-series came to be as well as some behind-the-scenes details of how the show is made. We also discuss how my guests decide if a podcast would work well for TV, the importance of bringing these stories to a broader audience, and how the true crime genre has evolved to let women tell their own stories — not just as victims, but as survivors. To watch me have this conversation with my guests, as well as access more conversations with Ashley, Stacey, Karoline and the Betrayal team not on this feed, subscribed for FREE today to Beyond Betrayal, the official Substack community of Betrayal.  And if you have a story you’d like to share with us, email us at [email protected]. And if you’re a paid Substack subscriber, join us in the chat!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Jennifer Freyd, the leading expert in betrayal trauma, breaks down what separates betrayal from other traumatic experiences.  For more on betrayal blindness, read Blind to Betrayal by Dr. Jennifer Freyd and Dr. Pamela Birrell.  For more on institutional betrayal and institutional courage, check out the Center for Institutional Courage.  If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at [email protected] and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod.  To access our newsletter and additional content and to connect with the Betrayal community, join our Substack at betrayal.substack.com.     You can listen to new episodes of Betrayal Season 4 completely ad-free and 1 week early with an iHeart True Crime+ subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A return trip to Colorado Springs uncovers a new betrayal. A woman who had an affair with Joel shares her experience. Karoline and her kids redefine life as a family of three.  If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at [email protected] and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod.    To access our newsletter and additional content and to connect with the Betrayal community, join our Substack at betrayal.substack.com.     You can listen to new episodes of Betrayal Season 4 completely ad-free and 1 week early with an iHeart True Crime+ subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Curious about the psychology of pathological liars, Andrea talks with two leading experts. For more from Dr. Drew Curtis and Dr. Christian Hart, check out their book Big Liars: What Psychological Science Tells Us About Lying and How You Can Avoid Being Duped. If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at [email protected] and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod. To access our newsletter and additional content and to connect with the Betrayal community, join our Substack at betrayal.substack.com. You can listen to new episodes of Betrayal Season 4 completely ad-free and 1 week early with an iHeart True Crime+ subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Karoline unpacks her healing journey with Kristin Snowden, an expert in betrayal trauma recovery.   For resources on betrayal trauma and more from Kristin Snowden, visit kristinsnowden.com. If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at [email protected] and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod.    To access our newsletter and additional content and to connect with the Betrayal community, join our Substack at betrayal.substack.com.     You can listen to new episodes of Betrayal Season 4 completely ad-free and 1 week early with an iHeart True Crime+ subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This summer, one of our favorite podcasts, The Girlfriends, launched a new weekly series, telling the stories of “women winning.” In this bonus episode, Andrea Gunning sits down with Anna Sinfield, host of The Girlfriends: Spotlight, for a candid conversation about telling stories of love, lies, crime, and persevering against the odds.   Don’t miss The Girlfriends: Spotlight and Season 3 of The Girlfriends, premiering July 14th.  If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at [email protected] and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joel Kern wasn’t alone in his bad behavior. More allegations of misconduct at the CSPD come to light.   If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at [email protected] and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod.    To access our newsletter and additional content and to connect with the Betrayal community, join our Substack at betrayal.substack.com.     You can listen to new episodes of Betrayal Season 4 completely ad-free and 1 week early with an iHeart True Crime+ subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.