Podcast
Sportscaster and Her Son
From youth sports to summer camps, club teams and more predators lurk and groom young athletes. Judge Rosemarie Aquilina sentenced Larry Nasser to 120 years in prison for abusing 150 gymnasts. The honorable judge joins the Podcast along with Dr. Amy Saltzman a former Stanford gymnast and victim/ sur-thrivor who created a program called Spot a Spider to protect athletes from abuse.
Podcast
A Little Bit Culty
Fact: Studies suggest that one in four females and one in six males are sexually abused before the age of eight. What the actual fuck? So there must be tons of material out there educating children on what abuse looks like, and what they should do if they are abused, right? Wrong—such resources have been virtually non-existent thus far. Today’s guest and actual angel on Earth (but not in a culty way), Dr. Amy Saltzman, is working on changing that with her Spot a Spider series, designed specifically for children and teenagers to help identify when abuse is actually taking place—something that’s far less obvious than one might think.
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Play Video
The Web
An eye-opening reveal of what happens when the line between self-help and cult-like spiritual abuse is crossed. In the documentary, Dr. Amy and other former clients share their experiences of undue influence, covert emotional abuse, coercive control, with their former life coach, Georgina Lindsey, now apparently Georgina (Lindsey) Frances, or Georgina Frances. Interviews are ongoing, as more victims come forward.
I created this resource for Working With Parents in Sport to
- empower young athletes to spot & stop grooming & abuse
- help parents ensure that their sports organizations have robust abuse prevention policies
It is an honor to partner with the Positive Coaching Alliance on this article re 7 ACTIONS SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS CAN TAKE TO PREVENT ABUSE. Parents please teach your children to spot and stop abusive spiders. An ounce of prevent is worth a lifetime of heartbreak. Sports organizations please ensure that you institute best practices re preventing abuse, so that your athletes can achieve peak performance and find flow.
We Must Act Now To Protect Athletes from Abuse
Judge Rosemarie Aquilina (the Judge who sentenced Larry Nassar to more than a lifetime in prison for his abuse of hundreds of gymnasts) and I share our recommendations for everyone involved in sport— athletes, parents, local clubs, SafeSport Congress, national and international governing bodies, and the International Olympic Committee— regarding the essential actions we must take to protect athletes of all ages, at all levels, from all types of abuse.
Dr. Amy discusses how practicing mindfulness allows ADs, coaches and athletes to perform at their best and find flow, and steps ADS can take to prevent athlete abuse.
Podcast
The Weekend with Ed Kalegi
Dr. Amy explains what inspired her to create Spot a Spider and the steps everyone from parents to the International Olympic Committee can take, to protect athletes (and others) from abuse. Judge Rosemarie Aquilina shares why she believes educational programs like Spot a Spider are so important.
It is an honor to partner with the Positive Coaching Alliance on this article re 7 ACTIONS SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS CAN TAKE TO PREVENT ABUSE. Parents please teach your children to spot and stop abusive spiders. An ounce of prevention is worth a lifetime of heartbreak. Sports organizations please ensure that you institute best practices re preventing abuse, so that your athletes can achieve peak performance and find flow.
PODCAST
First Star: Let’s Chat
The official podcast of the World Federation of Athletic Training and Therapy.
Dr. Amy speaks with James Gardiner about how athletes, parents, coaches, athletic trainers and therapists can protect athletes from abuse. They discuss the unique role support staff have in protecting athletes, and the systemic changes needed to ensure athletes can train and compete in safe and healthy environments.
PODCAST
Perform Happy
Coach Rebecca and Dr. Amy Saltzman tackle the tough topic of abuse of athletes in sports. While they cover some tough topics Dr. Saltzman offers some hope for a sad situation. Learn how to spot patterns that can be covert abuse and how to handle those situations.
PODCAST
Changing the Game Project
Dr. Amy and Jen Fraser (Spot a Spider advisory board member and author of The Bullied Brain) speak with Changing the Game Project about protecting athletes from both sneaky (covert) emotional abuse, and obvious (overt) emotional, physical and sexual abuse, and helping those who have been abused heal.
Dr. Amy Saltzman spent over 30 years with a Life Coach (Georgina Lindsey) who kept her controlled within an intricate web of lies. It was only after a psychologist provided the results of an incredibly thorough mental health evaluation, that Dr. Amy could see every silvery thread the abusive spider had woven. In the years since, Amy has made it her life’s work to help us “Spot a Spider” and see the red flags of undue influence (coercive control). In our chat we cover our own experiences, what signs to watch out for, and what to do if you think you may be entangled in spider’s web.
In the world of competitive sports and personal development, hidden dangers often lurk beneath the surface. Dr. Amy Saltzman’s story reveals the subtle yet profound impact of covert emotional abuse—a menacing threat that many fail to recognize until it’s too late. Her journey from victim to advocate offers invaluable lessons on resilience and awareness.
As a community, we must act now to prevent future grooming and sexual abuse, and the devastating long-term consequences. Specifically, parents and caregivers must empower their children to recognize and report grooming and abuse, and schools, sports organizations and community groups must enact robust preventive policies.
PODCAST
The Youth Fitness Podcast
Dr. Amy Saltzman, “Spot a Spider” and teaching youth to recognize abuse.
Jeff and Mikki Martin speak with Dr. Amy Saltzman and discuss her system for teaching youth to recognize potential predators and abusers, the obvious ones and the sneaky ones. Recent highly publicized events only reinforce the need to make sure youth are protected from abuse in athletic and competitive environments.
Podcast
Ending Child Abuse in Youth Sports
In this episode of the Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam podcast, Dr. Amy Saltzman shares tips on how to spot and stop our own children from being abused and what we can do to create a safety net of prevention, healing, and protection to end the epidemic of emotional, physical and sexual abuse in sports and other settings.
Podcast
Parents Navigating the Teen Years
Dr. Amy has made it her mission to protect athletes from abuse. Her program, “Spot a Spider”, helps children, teens, and young adults to spot an abuser but also shows them how to protect themselves. In this episode, Dr. Amy shares some of the ‘innocent’ signs an abusers uses to groom their young victims.
Podcast
Moms of Tweens & Teens
In this episode we discuss how to recognize the subtle threads a spider weaves to trap victims in their web, how perpetrators use our fear and desire to control victims, the signs of a coach or teacher or someone of authority grooming your child, and so much more….
Podcast
Art of Parenting
In this episode Dr. Amy and I discuss how you can teach your children to spot and stop sneaky and obvious spiders, aka abusive sports coaches, school teachers, community activity leaders….
Article
Who Can Become a Life Coach? Anyone. That Might Be the Problem
It has become one of the fastest-growing industries, especially during the pandemic. But questions about regulation and training abound.
Dr. Amy shares her experience of undue influence, covert emotional abuse, coercive control, during her decades with her former life coach, Georgina Lindsey, now apparently Georgina (Lindsey) Frances, or Georgina Frances.
Article
Santa Barbara Holistic Physician Joins National Task Force to Prevent Abuse in Women’s Soccer
Dr. Amy Saltzman’s Spot a Spider program teaches young athletes — and others — to detect covert emotional abuse
Article
Local Doctor Selected For U.S Soccer New Safety Taskforce
Dr. Amy Saltzman, a Santa Barbara resident, created an international training program “Spot a Spider” that teaches children, teens, and young adults how to protect themselves from all types of abuse.
PODCAST
The Art of Parenting
How to spot a sneaky spider? As this episode unraveled it became quite emotional for me, as it might for you. I was triggered by some of the things my guest shared, realizing that I had been a victim of covert emotional abuse. Dr. Amy took a moment at the end of our conversation to help me and all those listening to be mindful and loving towards ourselves. Please take good care of yourself and as Dr. Amy shared, have loving curiosity as to why some of these conversations may trigger you.
PODCAST
Parenting Impossible
Sensitive Topic Warning: Host Annette Hines discusses child abuse and child sexual abuse in this episode. Her two guests, Dr. Amy Saltzman, founder and director of Spot a Spider, a program to prevent abuse, and 30th Circuit Court Judge Honorable Rosemarie Aquilina who oversaw the trial of U.S. gymnastics doctor and convicted abuser, Larry Nassar bring to light the behaviors of abusers and the importance of providing kids and community members the language to report abuse. Abuse is when someone you trust uses their power to hurt you. Preventing abuse starts with empowering ourselves to speak out when something is wrong, and believing and affirming our kids or others when they tell us.
ABOUT YOU
Who We Serve
ABOUT US
Dr. Amy Saltzman
- Empowers children, teens, and young adult athletes to protect themselves and others from grooming and all types of abuse.
- Provides detailed resources and support for parents, coaches, teams and sports organizations committed to creating safe, healthy sports environments.
- Offers compassionate, trauma-sensitive consultations and strategic planning for victims of abuse and their families.
- Drives systemic change and legislation to prevent abuse.
- Raises funds for teams, clubs, and organizations.
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