119. "MY BEST FRIEND'S A SERIAL KILLER:" MOVING FORWARD AFTER DECEPTION & BETRAYAL WITH AMY LOUGHREN

August 28, 2024 Crate Media

Twenty years ago, Amy Loughren was an ICU nurse grappling with the pressures of the medical field, all while unknowingly befriending one of the most prolific serial killers in American history. You might recognize her story from the Netflix movie “The Good Nurse” or the documentary “Capturing the Killer Nurse,” but today, we’re diving even deeper into her healing journey and how she’s been able to move forward.

Becoming The Good Nurse

In this episode, Amy opens up about how her past, including childhood abuse, set the stage for everything that followed—from her choice to become a nurse to the life-altering moment when she realized the truth about her friend. We talk about the emotional rollercoaster she went through, the cover-ups by private hospitals, and how she managed to find healing through spirituality and non-traditional therapies. Now a certified Meditation Teacher and Clinical Hypnotherapist, Amy’s using her experiences to help others in the healthcare field avoid burnout and embrace holistic wellness.

This episode is a deep one, filled with powerful lessons on compassion, healing, and the strength it takes to move forward after unimaginable trauma. Amy’s story reminds us all of the importance of taking care of our mental health. Please note, this episode’s content may be troubling for some listeners.

(00:03:41) Amy’s Journey through Childhood Abuse to Becoming An ICU Nurse

How our stories carry so much context for who we have become
How Amy’s experience with abuse set the stage for her relationship with a serial killer
Why Amy went into the nursing profession
The consequences of consistently dismissing reports of abuse
How working in the ICU on night shift impacted Amy’s health
Read: The Good Nurse by Charles Graeber
What it’s really like being an ICU nurse
Why she had to keep her heart condition a secret as a travel nurse

(00:18:52) How Amy Befriended a Serial Killer

Why Amy believes Charles came into her life
How Amy found out Charlie was abusing patients
The moment when Amy realized Charles wasn’t who she thought he was
Amy’s process from denial to acceptance

(00:30:15) Becoming the Good Nurse: Exposing a Serial Killer & Hospital Cover-Ups

What it was like getting involved in the investigation
The role of the private hospitals in covering up his crimes
How Amy got Charlie to confess his crimes and the details that emerged
The obvious ways he demonstrated he wanted to get caught
Evidence that the hospitals tried to cover up missing medication
The details of Charlie’s trial and conviction
How many people he actually is believed to have murdered
What happened when Amy visited him in prison
Was Amy inadvertently involved in any of the incidents?

(00:46:17) Amy’s Journey to Healing: Embracing Spirituality & Non Traditional Therapies

How Amy started to move forward
Amy’s spiritual quest to figure things out about herself and the darkness within
The modalities she discovered that helped her heal her trauma
The necessity of melding together non traditional therapies with the healthcare profession
Confronting the stigma around being medicated for sleep issues

(00:55:43) How To Support Your Mental Health As A Healthcare Professional

Tips for nurses to avoid burnout, anxiety, depression, and PTSD
Amy’s favorite meditation practices and tips for getting started
What Amy has learned about friendship from this experience
The most important part of being a nurse

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