This is a story of a real-life fairytale gone horribly wrong. It’s a cautionary tale about a marriage so filled with betrayal and deceit, that many people are still recovering from its path of destruction. This is the story of Jenifer Faison. After 20 years apart, Jenifer reconnected with her college sweetheart, Spencer Herron. He was a two-time Teacher of the Year and Jen was convinced she married the perfect husband. On June 1, 2018, that all changed. Jenifer came home to find Spencer holding a search warrant. He had sexually assaulted one of his students. In the days that followed Spencer’s arrest, Jenifer uncovered a dark, secret life her husband had been living during their entire marriage. His actions shook a community, devastated his wife, and sent Spencer Herron to prison. Climbing out of the devastation would be a journey Jen could have never imagined.

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Jenifer Faison, a successful reality television producer, waited for love and was thrilled when she reconnected with her college sweetheart 20 years later. They were older but the spark reignited and after a whirlwind courtship Jen and Spencer married and enjoyed a wonderful relationship. Everyone thought Spencer, a two-time “Teacher of the Year” award winner, was the perfect doting, attentive husband. But on June 1, 2018, when Jen arrived home, her husband holding a search warrant. The police soon arrived and took her husband out in handcuffs. It was the last time she has seen him.

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Through his social media and texts, Jenifer learns devastating details about her husband’s double life. The arrest was the tip of the iceberg. She was living with and loving a man with addictions, fantasies, and predilections he kept hidden the entire time they were together. She discovers more about Spencer’s crimes and how he justifies his behavior. Eventually Jenifer turns the devastation inward wondering if it’s her shortcomings that caused this. Family and friends rally around her. She realizes to heal and move on she will have to learn everything she can about the man she married.  

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Jenifer’s first conversation is with the victim of her ex-husband's most egregious acts. The teenage student that was sexually abused by Spencer Herron who was her teacher at the time. She is now a 21-year-old college student. She speaks about that experience publicly for the first time ever with Jenifer, his ex-wife. It’s a powerful exchange between the two women who never expected to meet one another. The victim’s account draws a roadmap of how a predator operates when a trusted adult targets a young person. Jenifer is devastated at the depravity of Spencer’s behavior. Both women find healing in sharing with each other and the community.

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A 2010 Kell High School graduate explains how Spencer skillfully ingratiated himself with teenagers and normalized inappropriate communication. Then, the sexual assault victim’s civil attorney addresses the case against the school district in Cobb County, Georgia. He walks through how after-school clubs and the failure to follow specific protocols created an environment for a sexual predator to operate at Kell High School.

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Jenifer speaks with Hope, a woman that Spencer had a multiyear long affair with during her marriage to Spencer. Jen finds her anger has now turned into compassion as she learns the circumstances under which Hope became involved with Spencer. The former mistress divulges stunning details about Spencer’s physical aggression and emotional manipulation. Hope reveals the guilt and shame she has carried for years since Spencer’s arrest. 

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One of the hardest pills to swallow for Jenifer was discovering a friend of hers was involved with her husband. She and her former friend haven’t spoken in years. Anger, shame, and blame created a gulf. In this episode, Jen confronts her former friend to find out how it started and why no one told her about the affair, even when the opportunity presented itself. She walks away with many answers and some questions that will never be answered.

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Jenifer learns more about Betrayal Trauma with her coach and expert Kim Gould MSW. Kim explains the ways Betrayal Trauma impacts its victims and how they search for safety. Jen shares Spencer’s jailhouse letters which place a surprising amount of culpability on the women with whom he had affairs. A found text chain drops a bombshell.

Kim Gould, MSW provides her therapeutic coaching services at The Center for Relational Healing in Los Angeles (www.lacrh.com) and Life & Intimacy Coaching practice (kimgouldcoaching.com)

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