Interviews
Sherrie Allsup on Overcoming and Inspiring | Behind the Expert
When The Predator Is Your Father - Sherrie Allsup
In this Soft White Underbelly interview, Sherrie Allsup shares her lived experience as a survivor of long-term childhood sexual abuse by her father. She speaks candidly about the lasting impact of trauma, including suicide attempts, health consequences, and the complex realities of disclosure, family response, and the absence of justice. The conversation also explores her path through therapy and EMDR, and how she transformed her pain into purpose by training law enforcement through Courage Starts With You. This interview offers an unfiltered look at survival, healing, and what it truly takes to move forward.
Stepping into Your Power with Trauma Expert
Sherrie Allsup
There is short term trauma and long-term trauma. Victims struggle to live with shame, guilt and humiliation. In this interview with Sherrie Allsup, Trauma Expert, Jessica Dalby explores Sherrie’s story as a trauma survivor and the impact of her work at the ‘Courage Starts With You Foundation’ makes on trauma survivors as she educates from a victim’s point of view.
Sherrie Allsup shares her inspiring story of battling complex PTSD due to long-term childhood trauma, and her evolution into a passionate advocate, educator, and subject matter expert in sexual assault, domestic assault, and suicide prevention. Sherrie’s expertise extends to training law enforcement on better assisting victims, a key aspect of her advocacy. Join us as she unfolds her unique perspective, from surviving to thriving, and her commitment to enhancing victim support and empowering them to become survivors.
Not everyone is able to say they lived in the darkness for more than half their life and live to talk about it. The strength to relive the past daily and utilize it to help others individually and as a conduit through law enforcement demonstrates a special form of resilience. This is a true definition of Sherrie Allsup. As a subject matter expert, Sherrie has found the power to step into her purpose and advocate for sexual assault victims and survivors. As a sexual assault survivor, she makes it about the other person and not herself. She is a unique and special individual who has made the passionate choice to come out of the darkness and shed the layers of trauma, to help those enduring or have endured trauma through her story.
Mental health is the silent person in the room. Mental illness is the unknown. Yet, suicidal ideations are the loudest in your mind. Sherrie is all too familiar with all three. Facing death in the face is something she can say she did and lived to talk about it. When you are enduring the insurmountable pain for an extensive number of years, that is hidden beneath so much trauma and abuse, the outside world is unable to see this.
A person enduring such trauma has an innate ability to respond to situations or their environment as if nothing is wrong. Answering the next person how we believe they want to hear. Acting the way, they want us to act. Or even smiling and laughing when they want us to.
From buying a cemetery plot, purchasing the outfit she wanted to be buried in, and making the decision that morning was going to be the day Sherrie Allsup no longer lived to endure the pain she lived daily throughout her life. However, that was not the cards she was dealt. That was the moment that Sherrie began to take her power back. Sherrie Allsup’s journey took a profound turn when, faced with the contemplation of ending her life, she instead chose to reclaim her power.
In Sherrie Allsup’s own words, “Trauma victims almost live plan to plan or we wouldn’t survive.” This powerful statement encapsulates the reality of her life—one marked by deep wounds and quiet resilience. For much of her life, Sherrie walked through the darkness with only a flickering flashlight to guide her, constantly battling the shadows of her past just to make it through the next moment, let alone the next day. Her childhood was shaped by the heavy grip of her father’s abuse, leaving scars that followed her into adulthood. But Sherrie made a courageous decision—she would not allow that pain to define her any longer. Through Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) psychotherapy, she began the journey of healing. It marked a turning point—a chance to rewrite her story.
“Victims are filled with shame, guilt, and humiliation,” she shares, her voice carrying the weight of her experience. These emotions, often silenced and internalized, can take over a survivor’s identity. But Sherrie wants others to hear what is often left unspoken: the pain is real, but it does not have to be permanent. Survivors of sexual assault frequently carry the burden of harmful lies—believing they are broken or unworthy. Sherrie stands as proof that healing is possible. “When you feel it’s too late for anything,” she says, “you’re often just early for a new beginning.”
As she healed, Sherrie began opening doors for others—women and men who still live in that dark tunnel of trauma. Today, she speaks across the world, from college campuses to public housing, to law enforcement agencies, including police and sheriff departments. Her words are no longer those of a victim, but of a survivor. She pours her heart into “10 dime friends rather than four quarter friends,” showing that authentic connection and resilience lead to true transformation.
Courage Starts With You
There is short term trauma and long-term trauma and Sherrie’s was long-term, but her life was not short-lived. Her impact as a subject-matter-expert with lived experience has caused a wave that spans east to west and north to south. With her non-profit Courage Starts With You Foundation, she educates those from a victim’s point of view.
Sherrie is a subject-matter-expert with lived experience as you are unable to get an education, take a test, or enroll in a course to be able to educate or speak to others regarding sexual assault. She is a pioneer and a testament to so many that has often had people in the audience come up to her and say, “You just told my story.” Now, if you were to tell Sherrie you are amazing at what you do, previously she would’ve said, “No, I’m not I’m just Sherrie.”
No longer does “Just Sherrie” stand before you. A woman empowered and continuing every day to rid herself of the labels, showing her strength, and using this to educate others to understand how to understand and treat a sexual assault victim. On her left forearm where she can see every day is a tattoo of a semi-colon. For those, who are unfamiliar with why she has this tattoo it is to remind her and others who know the significance of this tattoo is showing her truth and unity with others who have dealt with suicide, but her story is not over yet.
It does not matter how old you are, but Sherrie left a long-lasting impression on me with the words, “Jump off and start.” For those who are in the darkness and are unable or simply do not know how to crawl out of this hole or shed these layers of guilt, shame and humiliation I will repeat the words Sherrie said, “Jump off and start.”
What the future holds for trauma survivors?
We often wonder what the future holds for us, but for Sherrie, her future is no longer in the dark but under the brightest sunshine and as bright as the stars. Sherrie’s story is simple to her but foreign to law enforcement. Her continued work with law enforcement through the training she provides helps law enforcement understand how to work better when they are confronted with a different landscape when working with a sexual assault victim.
Refining the view and understanding of how a sexual assault victim’s story is not one to be negated but one to be understood. With each training she provides law enforcement she reminds them, “I share my story with you because when you are working with a sexual assault victim you are going to do better.” Her approach to her training is one of long-lasting impression and shaping to fix a broken system. Final words from Sherrie Allsup, “Don’t let fear hold you back.”
Interviews
Sherrie Allsup on Overcoming and Inspiring | Behind the Expert
Sherrie Allsup shares her inspiring story of battling complex PTSD due to long-term childhood trauma, and her evolution into a passionate advocate, educator, and subject matter expert in sexual assault, domestic assault, and suicide prevention. Sherrie’s expertise extends to training law enforcement on better assisting victims, a key aspect of her advocacy. Join us as she unfolds her unique perspective, from surviving to thriving, and her commitment to enhancing victim support and empowering them to become survivors.
The Suffering Podcast
Why Experience Beats Books Every Time!
On this powerful episode of The Suffering Podcast, Kevin Donaldson sits down with Sherrie
Allsup, a return guest from Episode 169, to explore the deep realities of healing from trauma. Sharing real-world experience, Sherrie opens up about surviving sexual abuse, overcoming emotional pain, and how trauma-informed care has shaped her journey. Through resilience stories and spiritual healing, this interview offers a rare and raw look into what it truly means to transform trauma trophies into personal triumphs. Whether you’re a mental health advocate, trauma survivor, or simply seeking inspiration, this conversation delivers real hope and actionable insights.
Dive into life experience vs. book learning, trauma-informed interviewing, and the critical importance of law enforcement training when working with survivors. Don’t miss our exclusive POST credit segment after the credits for additional wisdom!
Kevin Donaldson and guest Sherrie Allsup take a dive deep into how real-world experience trumps book learning, and why life-tested wisdom makes the biggest impact. From surviving long-term abuse to mastering trauma-informed interviewing, Sherrie shares her incredible journey of resilience, healing, and personal growth.
Hear firsthand survival stories, incest recovery experiences, and learn how divine timing shapes powerful human connections. Kevin and Sherrie also discuss why healing from trauma requires real-life support—not just textbook advice.
Bold Journey: Meet Sherrie Allsup
Sherrie Allsup, a survivor of long-term sexual abuse, trauma, and suicide attempts and much hard work and healing, became the founder and CEO of Courage Starts With You Nonprofit 501 (c)3.
Episode 169: The Suffering of Incest with Sherrie Allsup
Sherrie Allsup is an international speaker, educator, and subject matter expert with lived experience. She speaks on topics such as sexual assault, sexual abuse, trauma, and suicide. Sherrie is a survivor of long-term sexual abuse, trauma, and suicide attempts. After much hard work and healing she became the founder and CEO of Courage Starts With You. For victims, Courage means telling someone and reaching out for help. For law enforcement, Courage means looking beyond the traditional victim interview technique to recognize how and why victims of assault may act differently than victims of crimes.
She purchased a cemetery plot, purchased the outfit she wanted to be buried in, and made the decision that morning was going to be the day Sherrie Allsup no longer lived to endure the pain she lived daily throughout her life. Yet, those were not the cards that she was dealt. That was the moment that she began to take her power back. Sherrie Allsup’s journey took a profound turn when faced with the contemplation of ending her life, she instead chose to reclaim her power. She now travels and shares her story to shine a light on the lifelong challenges that sexual abuse and trauma leave behind.
Her pieces of training are centered around shining a light on the dark epidemic of sexual abuse and assault. She is also a member of RAINN (Rape, Abuse, Incest, and Neglect Network). She says, “Trauma victims almost live plan to plan or we wouldn’t survive.” Embracing Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) psychotherapy, Sherrie embarked on a new chapter. In her own words, “This sentiment encapsulates her life, where she navigated each moment with a flickering flashlight, battling the pain that haunted her daily. Determined to break free from the past, she decided that the grip of her father’s years of abuse is not going to define her”.
Gold Shields Podcast
Episode 72: Secrets In The Shadows With Sherri Allsup
Sometimes hard, uncomfortable conversations need to take place to get everyones attention, and to bring awareness to a nightmare.
On this episode of GOLD SHIELDS, we interview Sherrie Allsup, the survivor of childhood sexual assault at the hands of her own father. Hear directly from Sherrie about the lifelong trauma, living in the shadows of fear, and coming out of those shadows decades later to educate Law Enforcement and First Responders. Sherrie is truly an inspiration women, and worthy of the being called a Hero!!
FORCE Magazine: April 2025 Edition
In Sherrie Allsup’s words, “Trauma victims almost live plan to plan or we wouldn’t survive. “This is an exact representation of her life. Sherrie prodly has a tattoo of a semicolon on her left forearm. The meaning behind this tattoo is typically a representation of an individual’s struggle with mental health, depression, and particularly suicide. Thus,. showing the individual chose to live to continue their story and not end it. When thinking about how a semicolon is used grammatically it is a pause before continuing the sentence.
Meet Sherrie Allsup
Some stories inspire because of success. Others inspire because of courage. Sherrie Allsup’s journey is one of extraordinary resilience, transformation, and purpose. Drawing from her lived experience as a survivor of long-term abuse and trauma, Sherrie has dedicated her life to helping others understand the realities of trauma, healing, and recovery. Today, as an international speaker, educator, and founder of Courage Starts With You, she works tirelessly to educate law enforcement, support survivors, and create meaningful change through trauma-informed advocacy. In our conversation with Sherrie, she shares the lessons she’s learned, the challenges she’s overcome, and the mission that continues to drive her work forward every day.