Rephonic
Artwork for Family Secrets

Family Secrets

Family Secrets
Family Secrets
Family Dynamics
Mental Health
Identity
Childhood Trauma
Grief
Suicide
Dani Shapiro
Motherhood
Trauma
Domestic Violence
Writing
Adoption
Sexual Assault
Racism
Inheritance
Family Trauma
Financial Issues
Abuse
Resilience

Family Secrets. We all have them. And while the discovery of family secrets can initially be terrifying or traumatic, often these discoveries have the power to liberate, heal, and even uplift us. Join Dani Shapiro, bestselling author of the memoir Inheritance, and her guests as they explore astonishing family secrets and uncover the extraordinary lessons the truth can teach us.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes270Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Family Secrets

Latest Episodes

In this episode, we catch up with Lacy Crawford, who, in 2020 shared with us her harrowing story of being assaulted and silenced. Today, she has a lot more to say.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonnie is raised in a cult— but at the time she doesn’t even know it. She only knows extreme isolation and abuse. And what she’ll come to know is that she must break free.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Ciaran uncovers dark and hidden truths about his family, he must ask himself: what's in a name? And what's not?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A trip to France. An act of profound violence. A marriage--a whole world-- forever changed.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Lacy Crawford
Writer and author of Notes on a Silencing
Episode: Full Circle: Old Boys' Club
Bonnie Zampino
Writer, researcher, and director of communications and outreach at Rock Harbor Truth
Rock Harbor Truth
Episode: Two Skirts, Two Shirts, One Dress, No Hair Dryer
Ciaran Short
Multidisciplinary artist, writer and activist born and raised in New York City
Episode: We Are the Short Family
Tom Trezise
Professor of French at Princeton University and author of Beginning Again
Princeton University
Episode: Something Happened to Susan
Nadia Bowers
Actor, writer and author featured as the episode guest
Self-identified in memoir
Episode: Dear Dealer
Mary Fariba Afsari
Portland, Oregon-based, board-certified OB/GYN and author
Self-employed/OBGYN practice
Episode: A Skirt Caught on Fire
Emily Labarge
Canadian writer and memoirist, author of Dog Days
Author
Episode: I Think You Should Stop Talking
Casey Kahn
Brooklyn-based writer who was adopted and donor-conceived
Freelance writer
Episode: Have You Seen Her?
Tom Junot
Veteran journalist, author of the memoir referenced in the episode
Freelance journalist / Author
Episode: Have You Ever Seen a Body Like This?

Host

Dani Shapiro
Host guiding interview, sharing perspective

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 6.8k ratings
  • Tremendous Blessing

    Because of you, I faced my own family secret; Me. This show is soooo moving and grabs my heart every time. I visualize them all and made a friend from an author that you have had on your show. Thank you for your service and continued sharing.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    KREWSKontrol
    United Statesa month ago
  • I love the Podcast.

    Thank you Dani for shedding the lights on some stories. It provides me an insights to many people lives around us. We always see the tip of the iceberg. But there is more in our lives that we hide.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Fred Rhody
    United Statesa month ago
  • Great podcast

    Just wondering if Dani S. is finishing the idea of this podcast n not adding anymore episodes to this remarkable show.

    We love this show, Dani !!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Claudia, the Teacher
    United States2 months ago
  • When is the next episode

    I love family secrets. It’s therapeutic for me more aware and mindful that all families have family secrets.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    TheDesirable1
    United States3 months ago
  • Not the same

    Like many other reviewers here, I’m so disappointed in how awful this podcast is now. I started listening in 2019, and it was absolutely amazing back then. Now, it’s just writers reading passages from their books and telling long boring stories about their childhood. I keep waiting for the big secret reveal in every episode, but it never appears. So long Family Secrets. I’m no longer a fan.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    KristliJ
    United States4 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Many describe episodes as healing and deeply impactful when personal trauma is shared.
Listeners appreciate the intimate storytelling and the host's thoughtful questioning.
Some listeners feel episodes over-index on author guests and ads.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Full Circle: Old Boys' Club
Q: What was that senior year like for you?
Crawford says a religion teacher, Mrs. Radley, offered her a safe place to stay without requiring her to explain what had happened. That support helped her get through senior year and attend Princeton, though the effects of the assault and school gossip continued.
Full Circle: Old Boys' Club
Q: Tell me about the landscape of your childhood, where you grew up.
Crawford describes growing up with her brother in a small, affluent suburb north of Chicago, in a family that valued achievement and encouraged her to attend an elite New England boarding school.
Something Happened to Susan
Q: How did the question of telling Gabe about the assault reside in you as he was growing up?
Trezise thought Gabe might have inferred what happened but hesitated to disrupt his apparently normal childhood. Gabe eventually learned the gist of it at a dinner party and said he had not worried because his parents seemed to be doing fine.
Something Happened to Susan
Q: How did you meet Susan, and what were the beginnings of your relationship like?
They met at a party after returning from France and quickly connected; they were engaged a week later and married soon after as they faced a long-distance relationship between Dartmouth and Princeton.
We Are the Short Family
Q: What do you imagine you'll tell your kids someday about the name?
Ciaran expects to explain the history honestly in age-appropriate terms, while withholding details of the sexual assault until they are old enough to understand.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Family Secrets

What is Family Secrets about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A candid, intimate interview series that centers around family secrets, lineage, and personal transformation. Conversations weave memoir, psychology, and cultural analysis as guests reveal how hidden histories—ranging from adoption and intergenerational trauma to immigration and identity—shape who we become. The host steers with warmth and curiosity, drawing out medical, legal, and literary perspectives to illuminate resilience, accountability, and healing. This collection stands out for its diverse roster of guest experts and storytellers who blend personal narrative with broader social themes, making it appealing to listeners who seek thoughtful, boundary-pushing conversations about family, memory, and truth.

Where can I find podcast stats for Family Secrets?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Family Secrets. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Family Secrets and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Family Secrets get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Family Secrets, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Family Secrets?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Family Secrets, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Family Secrets have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Family Secrets has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Family Secrets?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Family Secrets:

1. The Secret Room | True Stories
2. DNA Surprises
3. What Was That Like - True Stories. Real People.
4. This Is Actually Happening
5. Thanks For Asking

How many episodes of Family Secrets are there?

Family Secrets launched 8 years ago and published 270 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Family Secrets?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Family Secrets?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Family Secrets from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Family Secrets?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Family Secrets. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Family Secrets?

Recent guests on Family Secrets include:

1. Lacy Crawford
2. Bonnie Zampino
3. Ciaran Short
4. Tom Trezise
5. Nadia Bowers
6. Mary Fariba Afsari
7. Emily Labarge
8. Casey Kahn

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days