051: Exploring Legal Options and Outcomes with Melissa J. Hogan Artwork

Broken to Beloved Podcast

Over 92 million adults in the US have experienced spiritual abuse and religious trauma. Maybe you’re one of them.

The Broken to Beloved Podcast is for anyone who’s been affected by spiritual abuse, religious trauma, or church hurt and is looking for practical resources to move toward healing and wholeness.

Brian Lee is a pastor, coach, and speaker who survived it in 3 different environments and now works to advocate for others who have been wounded by the church and her leaders, and to provide practical tools for awareness and safeguarding against future abuse.

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Broken to Beloved Podcast

051: Exploring Legal Options and Outcomes with Melissa J. Hogan

May 20, 2025 • Broken to Beloved • Season 2 • Episode 51

0:00 | 56:56

Very few victims of abuse seek out a lawyer for money—most are looking for something else. They want safety, justice, and agency over an impossible situation.

In this episode, I speak to Melissa J. Hogan, attorney, advocate, and author in the field of trauma and abuse, about the legal options available for survivors. She shares where her passion for medical and spiritual trauma comes from, along with several practical tips about how to safely tell your story, collect evidence, and bring abuse to light. This is an excellent conversation for anyone wanting to know how attorneys can accompany you in your healing.

Get the full show notes and links here. 📄

Guest Spotlight ✨

Melissa is an attorney and advocate in the field of trauma and abuse, and co-author of the 2021 book, Afraid of the Doctor: Every Parent’s Guide to Preventing and Managing Medical Trauma. She received her J.D. with an emphasis in health law from the University of Pittsburgh and went on to clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, practice as a corporate/healthcare attorney, and teach legal writing and health care regulatory law.

In 2014, she founded and for many years led the nonprofit Project Alive, a research and advocacy foundation for Hunter syndrome, a rare genetic disease that affects her youngest son. In that season, she developed and patented patient outcome measures, consulted on clinical trial designs, was a featured speaker at industry and FDA conferences, and won numerous awards for her advocacy.

Links & Resources 🔗

Website | Instagram | Substack | TikTok

Boz Law

Project Alive

Afraid of the Doctor by Meghan L. Marsac and Melissa J. Hogan on Bookshop | Amazon

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