A recent commentary by Lily Brown, PhD, director of the Center for Treatment and Study of Anxiety at Penn, highlights how public disclosures of sexual violence on reality television can influence conversations about trauma and healing. Brown wrote on Mar. 16 that a reunion episode of “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” featured several cast members sharing their experiences with sexual violence, bringing attention to an issue often kept silent.
Brown said that while such moments are powerful, they are often fleeting and do not always address the importance of seeking professional help. She explained that many survivors delay treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for years due to fear or shame. "The vicious paradox with PTSD is that this avoidance, while completely understandable, actually worsens PTSD symptoms, leaving survivors stuck in a cycle of misery," Brown said.
She emphasized the value of evidence-based treatments like trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps survivors confront traumatic memories and rebuild confidence. According to Brown, "Through CBT, survivors of trauma can work through these painful beliefs and gain a renewed sense of self-confidence and empowerment as a foundation to repair and rebuild safe social connections."
Brown also addressed the link between trauma and suicide risk. She noted her own research found that exposure to abuse increases suicidal thinking and behavior, especially when PTSD develops. However, she said effective treatments for PTSD can reduce suicide risk: "Further, we recently developed a new treatment specifically designed for survivors with PTSD who are at high risk of suicide that, while preliminary, show promise." This approach includes planning for future crises and building community support around survivors.
Brown concluded by suggesting that public conversations sparked by shows like “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” could encourage more survivors to seek help. She wrote that moving from disclosure to treatment is essential: "The next phase of that conversation must include pathways to effective, evidence-based treatments that moves the disclosure from piercing a deafening silence to a clear, reassuring message to survivors: We can help."
