I have worked for years with young children with disabilities. Much of my work has been home based and I have seen medical child abuse in person. I didn’t always know what to do with my suspicions. Andrea’s coverage of this topic and the legitimacy and compassion she brings to it have taught me a lot. I hope that everyone can listen and learn something about how to help kids.

You are brave and selfless for shedding light on this difficult topic. I have a journalism background and am very impressed by your investigative capabilities, transparency, and grit. Light will prevail. Please keep doing what you are doing.

As a licensed trauma therapist and child abuse survivor myself - though I didn’t experience MBP - I found this podcast to be very well done and most importantly, as a survivor, healing. Andrea’s passion and thorough handling of both the personal and complicated nature of this diagnoses make it hard not to binge. I listened to season 4 first, then 1, 2 and now I’m 2/3 done with 3. I disagree with the podcaster and child abuse “expert” Jessica who says that Stockholm Syndrome is not real. It certainly is real. It is at the extreme end of a “fawn” trauma response. My favorite seasons so far are 4 and 1. I found there was less repetition and the reporting and stories had a natural flow. Highly recommend for educational content and I am grateful to have the added bonus of healing. Thank You Andrea and others on this team.

This is an issue that doesn’t get enough attention, very well done. Side note: Im floored by the negative comments saying that using someone’s preferred pronouns on your own podcast is ‘entitled’… these commenters lack self awareness!

I’m just so confused why Jo is referred to as “they” quite often during the pod. So distracting🤪 Are you referring to her and her sister????

Thank you for this excellent work, Andrea. You’ve helped me understand my own family’s issues and helped me find more freedom from thinking I could’ve healed them.

Very interesting podcast. I am listening now to season 3 and I had watched the documentary so it is really fascinating how information give us more context, how the Netflix show was pretty much exploitation of a young girl’s tragic story But there are a couple of things that are not completely true Florida’s organizations that are contracted with the State can be for profit. I say that from personal experience It is also a bit misleading to say that they have no financial interests since many non-profit orgs pay exorbitant salaries to their top execs I also listen to the show with a grain of salt when it comes to how CPS (or whatever they are called in different states) are portrayed as troubled but benign. There are way too many cases of complete disregard for the children in their care. Same goes for law enforcement. In general those institutions are way too troubled and corrupt to get a positive spin. But I guess the host needs to have a good relationship with them to be able to give us more information Another point: during the podcast the host says that she is totally independent and requests donations from those who can afford. Fair enough. But why then, is there a paid IBM podcast “bonus” episode inserted in the feed? That’s not being independent.

What's interesting listening from season 1 until present day, you can hear Andrea turn into a sister with a family issue into a true crime podcaster and that isn't necessarily good. Especially in season 3, I skipped a lot through her exasperated sighs and bewildered chuckles. My favorite episode was the one with Dr. Jessica Pryce and it for better or worse showed how much more composed and well spoken Dr. Price is compared to Andrea.

Each episode is filled with stories of a subject that is still being pushed under the rug. Medical child abuse is nothing new but rarely discussed this in depth. You can tell that the host is truly passionate about this subject, as it is a part of her family story. Listen and learn how this form of abuse is happening and how many of the parents are made to look like the victims in the media without protecting the true victims, the children.

Andrea is very bright, but my goodness gracious she just loves saying what an expert she is! Condescension towards others with different views seems to be her baseline too - yuck. Perhaps it’s how she inserts her own political views into a podcast about MP and perhaps it’s all of it. If she could only just check her unbridled ego at the door, and let other people speak and have different opinions we’d be in 5 star territory. I even joined and then promptly unjoined her Patreon because of it. Insufferable.

The pronoun stuff is so annoying and confusing. So entitled .

I hope Andrea Dunlop keeps the spotlight on this issue. She puts the work into these cases.

This week has been great for me and many God fearing Christians

Thank you

What a mess. This podcast is completely incoherent. And, stop with the forced, overt use of “pronouns!” Skip this one, you’ll thank me later.

Never really thought much about this topic …very eye opening and easy to listen to …..addictive 👍😊

So good.

Season 4 really needs an editor (yawn)

The info about MBP has been fascinating and enlightening to hear in this podcast. What’s less clear is the narrative structure and journalism. The first few episodes were confusing - Hope’s story seems to be a proxy for her sister’s story - which she refers to incessantly, but never shares any details about. It took me 3 episodes to realize Hope is just a case the narrator followed that has helped the narrator process her own story. It’s possible there is a gag order on the narrator as per her sister. There are other confusing aspects mentioned in some of the other reviews - but I lost some respect for the otherwise well meaning narrator when she left her interview with Hope and then immediately started bad mouthing her and calling her tears “water-works.” Hope came on the show and helped this narrator with her podcast and was as real and vulnerable as she could be…and then was betrayed by the narrator. I immediately stayed to question the narrators motives for the show at that point. If her sister were to hear this episode - there is no way she would ever come to the narrator for help. Why would she now? So that she can pour her heart out and be betrayed on a national podcast? The narrator kept saying “I wish my sister would just come forward” - no way would she after hearing this. Unfortunately- that episode changed my opinion of the podcast. It seems like the narrator is well meaning - but seems to have an axe to grind with her sister & family and so any good research & info gets lost in serving that confusing narrative. It’s all done in this “serial” style, but she is far too close to it all to be objective and professional. It’s just a long opinion piece/essay in the end - but it walks an ethical line for me because of the journalistic presentation.

This season is dragging out and way too woke for me. The referring to one person as “they” is really annoying. No one is a they. Jackie the “trans” therapist said “like” a million times. Not a great season. Yea im done with this podcast

It is difficult to find a true crime podcast that delves into a sensitive topic and touches on profound societal concerns. Because of this podcast, I do not accept journalistic publications and documentaries as fact. We are all biased even when considering “facts”. Unfortunately our legal system does not seek the truth in all cases. This podcast might be thorough to a fault, but I appreciate its attempt to put the truth out there. Despite criticism. Thank you.

I loved this stop. The first 2 seasons are amazing. I didn’t listen to 3. It was sporadic and a story I felt like I came into the end of it. The first episode of season 4 almost made me want to stop and leave a 1-star review. DO NOT blame others for the abuse of a parent in a small town. That parent is to blame. NO ONE else. You did redeem yourself after that terrible accusation. But I will never forget that accusation. My trust is wavering.

This is unlistenable. Unless you know like, like ya know like, like ya know how you can’t stand small towns and conservatives and like, yeah having mental illness is like, so like, the thing now, ya know like? Grow up. All this podcast did was further solidify why I don’t enjoy liberals.

I’ve enjoyed the stories on this pod but I’m done listening to the pronouns “they” and “their” when referring to a single person. It’s enough already.

Thank you for this podcast. My sister didn’t have children but she exhibited so many of the same symptoms. I have felt so alone- how do you explain to everyone in your life that you have been gaslit your entire life? Unlike your story, I was the older sister and could not understand what was happening. She unfortunately is gone now, so I will never get any answers.

Great podcast. I see all this happening now with a famous TikTok star. Adrielle Sigler. Watch her “lives”.. it’s sad.

I was so engrossed in the first 3 seasons and enjoyed them immensely. As the 4th season moved along, I found myself wondering why so much time was devoted to this one story. It felt like it could have been wrapped up in half the number of episodes due to the amount of repetitive content. It took too long to get some points across, and there were SO MANY people involved in the story. I get that this is the nature of podcasts now but it does make for some tedious listening at times. I am looking forward to future seasons of NSBM. The content is very informative!

this podcast from season 1 thru 4 ++++ is so incredibly well done, heartbreaking, and important . Andrea Dunlap is off the hook intelligent with experience and education in this subject . thank you!

It doesn’t feel right to say I enjoyed listening, but I did. Glad this author is able to spread awareness of this kind of abuse and find ways to heal at the same time. This topic is so relevant in a time of blogger moms, SM families, and the “parents rights” movement. Thank you. That being said, it’s just so messy! I hope as the continue they can have better thought out and planned season releases rather than the feeling of need to push out regurgitated content to stay active. The “bonus unabridged conversations” and reposted conversations with a short update at the end makes it so difficult to find where you are in the series. For listeners (like me) who found the podcast later, it doesn’t feel worth it to listen to a largely repetitive episode. I also find they reference back to people a lot with out reminders of who they were with the assumption we can remember specific names. If it were a tv doc they’d have the name and relationship written on the screen, I feel like we need a version of that. (Again, I’m coming in late and binging and I can’t even keep track).

I tell everyone about this podcast. Season 3 is mind blowing. Dunlop is heroic and an advocate for health care workers and mandated reporters, not to mention children.

I only listened to season 4 but you got know sense of what MbP actually is. Every episode seemed to be essentially the same, it's hard to feel anything for Jo since we were never told much about what happened to them. It's confusing as why Jo's family is mostly estranged from them. There seems to be a part missing from this story. I get that this is a difficult story for Jo but maybe it's not time to make a podcast about their story until they are in a better place of recovery. Also- I did not like the narrator constantly interject her own story amongst Jo's story. It seems the narrator has a story which should be her own season. It's like confiding in a friend who always seems to center themselves in your problems

I started with season 3 because I had seen the Netflix film and I’m blown away by how much the film left out. Andrea’s reporting is brave and feels like a responsible full coverage of such a scary and sad story.

Updated review Sept ‘24: This continues to be one of my favorite podcasts, but as I listen to the After Hours: Hysterical Part Two convo between Dr Bex and Andrea, I want to offer this piece of feedback. If Andrea can let Dr Bex finish her thought before adding on or asking a question, it may help with the pressurized manner with which Dr Bex seems to speak. I am trying to understand Dr Bex’s explanation of the PANDAS doctor’s steroidal treatment of the LeRoy girls, but Andrea frequently interrupts her, which seems to create a feedback loop of Dr Bex urgently trying to finish a thought before she is interrupted. It creates an environment of heightened emotion and stress, when the subject matter is already heavy and serious. And because their sentences are choppy and layered on one another, it’s difficult to follow the flow of ideas. I always appreciate what these two people have to say, and I want to catch it all, and I’m happy to listen to very long episodes. I wish they had had a do-over with this section of the episode in particular, and in general I hope that Dr Bex feels very relaxed and leisurely and deeply listened to as she shares her thoughts, because they add so much to this already excellent show. The recent barrage of one-star reviews are an example of how Andrea Dunlop doesn’t conduct herself. She is so wise in how she navigates these incredibly complicated medical cases, always thoughtful and humble and curious. She very rarely speaks in absolutes and always seeks out the fuller and wider and most generous context of an issue. What stands out to me the most as I listen to every episode is not the caliber of interviewees (which is universally high), nor the thoroughness and incisiveness of her questions and research (which is robust), but the integrity of her steady and spiritual inner compass as she travels through the world of child abuse. This podcast is one of the best you will find. Those reviews telling you not to bother with it speak to a fear—born of polarization—of how much your mind and heart will be blown open if you do.

I cannot listen to people who say “like” in almost EVERY sentence, sometimes twice in one sentence.

I’m a huge advocate for this show and for the survivors of parental abuse/parental alienation and munchausin by proxy. I myself am a survivor of a narcissist , sociopathic abusive mother and I went no contact with over 2 years ago. So many stories I could share here to empathize with the amazing women and families BUT I feel like this last season has me changing to another podcast. I know Joe and her sister went through so much(I can literally relate) but I felt it lacked specific issues related to true MBP. Just one survivors opinion. PS yes I would love to share my story of you are the ever willing to reach out. Keep up the great work!

I love how many different kinds of families this podcast looks into. Also I find it very telling how many negative reviews are related to Jo’s gender identity.

While the host does thorough research and has interesting & thoughtful subjects, the podcast fails to tell a compelling story. Meaning, you don’t get a thorough explanation of the actual condition (Munchhausen by Proxy), and the individual stories are not told beginning to end. Instead, you get discussion from people as if you already know what they went through, and what they are referring to. The host in particular frequently refers to her own story, while only sporadically giving disjointed details. Having interesting subject matter doesn’t make up for bad storytelling.

This thoughtful, deeply researched and reported show reveals a phenomenon that’s far larger than our data and our courts can yet address.

Seeing some of the criticism of the podcast compelled me to weigh in. Dunlop is an excellent and thorough researcher. She is raising societal awareness of an underrepresented form of abuse. She is not speaking for “established” medicine and law enforcement. Rather, she’s showing how little has been done to protect, support and seek justice for victims. As she notes, many states don’t even have this as a crime, a massive gap. I am not so cynical to think doctors focusing on abuse are compelled to make up abuse. We need more focus on this rather than less.

Please tell stories like season 1 and 2 again please

As a victim of parental medical abuse who only started putting the pieces together in my late 30s and beyond, this podcast has been incredibly valuable and validating. Even if a listener hasn’t experienced this kind of abuse themselves, it is important that others be aware and alert of its existence. Thank you so much for making this podcast.

I loved season three! Was already suspicious about Biata’s involvement in medical child abuse after watching the documentary. Andrea’s investigation was very thorough and very compelling! However, season four is a total flop! I just want to hear Joe’s story of how her mother participated in medical child abuse but so far the story is only about how messed up and neglectful her mother was. Also calling a single individual “they/them “is very hard to get used to since those pronouns have historically been used as plural so it makes it hard to listen to.

I have been incredibly impressed with each season of this show. I believe medical child abuse/MBP is much more prevalent than we realize. Andrea and team have done a fantastic job explaining the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How. Public education is critical in the identification and reporting of such abuse and therefore saving the lives of victims.

Compelling, crushingly sad, shocking, and ultimately hopeful. The survivor-focused stories of these children and families impacted by Munchausen-by-proxy/medical child abuse is told with little sensationalism and great compassion. Host Andrea Dunlop is an extraordinary storyteller!

I listen because the subject matter is fascinating, but the host clearly is still fixated on her own story, which is mentioned multiple times an episode, every season. It’s like when you have a friend who cannot just listen to your story without interjecting her own story. Frustrating in friendships, frustrating in a podcast. We know what your sister did, you’ve told us over and over, we know how you feel about it. Step back and let the other people tell their stories.

This podcast accidentally does a great service for people who are wondering if Child Protective Services needs to be reformed. The discussions with Dr. Sally Smith are perfect representations of the over-confidence of many people in the system, including law enforcement officers and case workers, who contribute to harming families. Smith settled with the Kowalskis because she would have faced bigger consequences if she didn't. Guests in the special episode about the documentary impugn the motives of Maya's father by claiming that financial motivation could play a big factor. There's no question financial motivation can be a factor, but they didn't bring up a hospital's interest in protecting its own finances. They also point to evidence that Maya would demonstrate fewer symptoms when her mother was not in proximity, and that Maya made comments about her life being a lie, and other such things. But the host and the guests do not point out that Maya talked about being coached and canceled by hospital personnel. We don't have access to transcripts of the conversations they would've had with her day after day while she was alone and isolated from her family. And scared. And trying to say the things that might help the situation end faster. They also don't raise the possibility of symptom-masking where a patient might exhibit more symptoms openly around a trusted person rather than medical personnel who might frighten or intimidate them. Again, the benefit of the doubt is consistently given to people within the system. The guests all agree that under-reporting is the problem. They advocate for children's rights (a concern that I very much share!) But they don't talk much at all about the gatekeeping the family faced, barring access to their daughter. There could have easily been other ways to facilitate more healthy family involvement. In the story of David and Goliath, this podcast sides with Goliath. Medical child abuse happens. It's real. But there are real flaws in the system that need to be called out and rectified.

Some Netflix documentarians could learn a thing or two about research by listening to this podcast.

Sorry…It just bumps me when they refer to the person using the They/Them pronoun. I wished the narrator used Jo’s name instead. It causes confusion and takes me out of the story

The first season was excellent. The second season was good. The third was interesting and understandably controversial. I appreciated a different view. The fourth season is completely unlistenable for me. I gave it a try along with the biggest benefit of the doubt and a huge pinch of salt but simply couldn’t do it after the Jo has DID revelation episode. I don’t want to make definitive conclusions, but this much is clear to me: Jo is a victim of childhood abuse (arguably MBP, arguably not) and the host of this show needs to push against their narrative a lot more. I can not know whether Jo has factitious disorder themselves or if they are being taken advantage of by less than ethical medical professionals or if they are grasping for any conclusion to make sense of their childhood/trauma. It is my belief that not enough questioning of their story occurred in season 4 and it makes the show painful to listen to. Perhaps a season that explores people with factitious disorder would be more interesting and more worthwhile journalism. For those curious, look into the controversy surrounding DID and the therapy practices that surround it. The narrative we were supposed to be accepting fell apart long before that episode, however.

Love the show. Crazy and informative. And as much as we would all love to think that the mother must’ve had a temporary breakdown, or just plain crazy, these women have thoroughly educated themselves in just how to HURT their children!! Wtffff. I believe they should get a life sentence for murder or attempted murder and a forced hysterectomy.