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Rating

4.8

from

226 reviews

Description

Love, marriage… and a secret history of trauma. Anna Maria Tremonti has been keeping her past a secret for over 40 years. As one of Canada’s most respected journalists, she has a reputation for being fearless and hard-hitting. She’s reported from some of the world’s most dangerous conflict zones. But none were as immediately threatening as life at home. In her early 20s, she fell in love with a man who seemed worldly and charming. Behind closed doors he was incredibly violent. They were only married for a year but the consequences of the abuse have lasted a lifetime. This is the first time Anna Maria has told anyone—including family or close friends—the details of what she endured. Working with her therapist, she reveals the intimate details of a past she’s kept to herself for most of her life. The result is a profoundly intimate portrait of a powerful woman confronting the source of tremendous pain and trauma and, remarkably, freeing herself from a life-long sense of shame. Written and hosted by Anna Maria Tremonti (The Current), produced by Daemon Fairless (Hunting Warhead, Boys Like Me) and mixed by Mira Burt-Wintonick (Wiretap, Love Me, Sorry About The Kid).

Podcast episodes

Check latest episodes from Welcome to Paradise podcast

Welcome to Paradise Introduces: Creation Myth

2026/02/10

Get lost in someone else’s life. From a mysterious childhood spent on the run, to a courageous escape from domestic violence, each season of Personally invites you to explore the human experience in all its complexity, one story — or season — at a time. In the latest season of Personally: Creation Myth, Helena does not want kids. Her husband believes she’ll change her mind—she has so much love to give, she would be a perfect mother. That will never happen, she tells him. Again. And again. Until one day, he leaves. In the silence, doubt starts rushing in. So she asks her close friends, her mother, her sister, even a perfect stranger—did she make the right decision? What is the purpose of life? Center your pleasure, says one friend. Go for adventure, says another, and isn’t parenthood the biggest adventure of all? Be true to yourself, says a father who regrets his decision. But the voice she needs to hear is her own. More episodes of Creation Myth are available wherever you get your podcasts and here: https://link.mgln.ai/CMxWTP

The story Anna Maria never thought she’d tell: On stage at Hot Docs

2023/05/16

For Anna Maria Tremonti, the decision to speak publicly about being abused by a former partner was complex; she wanted to tell it, but didn’t know how. Live on stage at the Hot Docs festival, Anna Maria unpacks what led her to creating Welcome to Paradise, and how the release of the podcast reconnected her with someone she never thought she’d hear from again.

Ep. 6: "The Visitation"

2022/03/15

Anna Maria makes a trip to find out more about Pat's past and confirms something she’d suspected. If you or someone you know is affected by intimate partner violence, you can find a list of resources at https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/resource-list-welcome-to-paradise-1.6328619. For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/welcome-to-paradise-transcripts-listen-1.6803405

Ep. 5: "The Message"

2022/03/08

As Anna Maria prepares to contact Pat, she makes a startling discovery. If you or someone you know is affected by intimate partner violence, you can find a list of resources at https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/resource-list-welcome-to-paradise-1.6328619. For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/welcome-to-paradise-transcripts-listen-1.6803405

Ep. 4: “The Long Tail”

2022/03/01

Getting out is only half the battle. After separating from her abusive husband, Anna Maria faces the most dangerous period of the relationship… and long-term emotional fallout that follows her for years. If you or someone you know is affected by intimate partner violence, you can find a list of resources at https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/resource-list-welcome-to-paradise-1.6328619. For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/welcome-to-paradise-transcripts-listen-1.6803405

Ep. 3: “L is for Love”

2022/02/22

Anna Maria is living a double life. In public she and Pat seem like the perfect couple. At home, he’s becoming increasingly violent. If you or someone you know is affected by intimate partner violence, you can find a list of resources at https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/resource-list-welcome-to-paradise-1.6328619. For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/welcome-to-paradise-transcripts-listen-1.6803405

Ep. 2: “See What You Made Me Do”

2022/02/14

Pat seems charming, funny and worldly – the perfect husband. But shortly after their wedding, Anna Maria discovers the man she’s married is an entirely different person behind closed doors. If you or someone you know is affected by intimate partner violence, you can find a list of resources at https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/resource-list-welcome-to-paradise-1.6328619. For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/welcome-to-paradise-transcripts-listen-1.6803405

Ep. 1: “One of Those People You Hear About”

2022/02/14

Ready to reveal her longest-held secret, Anna Maria Tremonti talks to her therapist about a trauma from 40 years ago that’s the source of shame and self-loathing. She’s reported on gender-based violence many times as a journalist, including from war zones – but this time, she’s telling her own story. If you or someone you know is affected by intimate partner violence, you can find a list of resources at https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/resource-list-welcome-to-paradise-1.6328619. For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/welcome-to-paradise-transcripts-listen-1.6803405

Introducing: Welcome to Paradise

2022/02/08

The secret's out. As one of Canada’s most respected journalists, Anna Maria Tremonti has a reputation for being fearless. She’s reported from some of the world’s most dangerous conflict zones. But there’s one story she’s never made public: when she was 23 years old, she married a man who beat her. Their marriage only lasted one year but the consequences of that abuse lasted a lifetime. Now she's telling her own story. Welcome to Paradise launches February 15. If you or someone you know is affected by intimate partner violence, you can find a list of resources at cbc.ca/WTPresources.

Teaser: Welcome to Paradise | Content Warning

2022/01/20

Content warning: contains descriptions of intimate partner violence. Please take care when listening. Anna Maria Tremonti is sharing a 40-year secret. She reported from some of the world’s most dangerous conflict zones – but none of them were as immediately threatening as life at home. Welcome to Paradise launches Feb. 15. If you or someone you know is affected by intimate partner violence, you can find a list of resources at cbc.ca/WTPresources.

Read Welcome to Paradise podcast reviews

4.8 out of 5

226 reviews

Donnewithwroth 2025/10/10

Sincere & thoughtful

It’s hard to believe she was able to escape this marriage in less than a year, but she did and she tells us this incredible story. The frustrating par...

Kelseybolen 2024/08/14

Wow

As a 41-year-old who finally spoke to a therapist regarding being molested at a very young age, I relate to this too much. I let myself become a vict...

LaPicosita 2024/06/23

Profound

I found this podcast both profound & courageous. I believe it is imperative to help ourselves, to be transparent & to be unashamed of our life experie...

143katie 2024/06/06

Well Done

Brave and vulnerable telling of an intimate, personal time. I thought you covered it with a lot of dignity, honesty, and integrity, and really honored...

Jaxxtrax 2023/01/19

Unsettling and Settling

A well thought and supremely presented personal story. Grateful to have had the opportunity to hear this experience.

heidbeuabflqyv3/-7& 2023/04/14

Very important story, but the reporting is tooooo sloooow

Much credit to Tramonti for telling her story, but she and the woman who seems to be interviewing her sound like they’re on quaaludes more than half t...

Book & Bloom 2023/04/13

Divine Intervention

As each episode unfolded and it became clear the victim was not going to listen to the advice she’d been given, I couldn’t help but worry about the wa...

Lo Dandy 2023/01/14

Another Sad but Fascinating Story

If you love real life and complicated stories told with journalistic integrity, this one is really good. The interviews are thoughtful, the topic is s...

alv443 2022/08/17

Well done!

The interwoven dialogue with close friends, family members, and therapists along with the personal first-person reflections really gives this podcast ...

Poppinfresh1988 2022/08/09

Touching!

Beautifully written and spoken.

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