Podcasts about is it me

With your co-hostesses: Pam Blizzard from RecoveredPeace.com Lyschel Burket from HopeRedefined.org Bonny Burns from StrongWives.com Support HFW through a donation Listen now: Today, we continue our discussion with Natalie Hoffman. Natalie is the author of, “Is it Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual abuse,” and “All the Scary Little Gods.” She's also the host of the Flying Free Podcast. She is a passionate advocate for Christian women in abusive homes and churches. Through the Flying Free Sisterhood, she empowers Christian women to use their voices and gifts for their spiritual, emotional, and physical wellbeing. We Will be Discussing: Discussion around the roles within a system with emotional and spiritual abuse. If she chooses, how can she shift her role? Lyschel's wrestle and decision What does the path from emotional and spiritual abuse look like? Resources mentioned in this show: “Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse” “All The Scary Little Gods: A Memoir” Flying Free Sisterhood Community Episode 59: “So What, Lord?”

Corporate training events seldom hit the mark, but through our collective experiences, we've identified what separates valuable learning from time-wasting theater. We explore the critical elements necessary to create impactful professional development experiences that respect participants' time and intelligence.• Different perspectives from outside your organization enhance learning even when covering familiar material• Keep sessions under two hours with adequate breaks to maintain engagement and focus• Aim for 40% presentation and 60% hands-on activities for optimal learning retention• Set clear objectives upfront so participants know exactly what skills they'll gain• Make training elective when possible to respect expertise and identify engaged team members• Include engaging activities like simulations or group projects rather than passive listening• Ensure presenters are genuine experts who can handle challenging questions from participantsJoin our Discord community for games like "Is It Me or Is It Corporate?" and "What Do You Mean?" as well as serious discussions about career development, mentorship, and professional growth.Click/Tap HERE for everything Corporate StrategyElevator Music by Julian Avila Promoted by MrSnoozeDon't forget ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ it helps!

These artists are participating in the upcoming Treefort Music Festival www.treefortmusicfest.com Rubblebucket "Rattlesnake" - Year Of The Banana www.rubblebucket.com Chuck Vibes "Berlin" https://www.corporatrecords.com/chuckvibesZookraught "Brew" - Vida Violet www.zookraught.com Family Worship Center "Is It Me" - kicked Out Of The Garden www.worshipthefamily.com Sun Atoms "Mandatory" - Everything Forever *********************Miss FD "Curse Breaker" www.missfd.com Sugar Bones "Leave The Light On" www.sugarbonesband.com Jonny Blade "Repeat Offender" https://linktr.ee/JonnyBladeNick Shane 'Songs Of Love" Molosser Crude "Swallow The Sun" Eville "Plaything" ****************************Trappist Afterland "Barefoot In Thistles" - Walk To Paradise Garden The Miners "Leaving For Ohio" - Megunticook www.theminers.com The Wildwoods "I'm In Sandusky" - Dear Meadowlark www.thewildwoodsband.com The Twangtown Paramours "The Goodwill Store" - The Wind Will Change Again www.thetwangtownparamours.com Joselyn & Don "Choose Love" - www.joselynanddon.comShannon Clark & The Sugar " - This Old World www.shannonclarksugar.com *************************ALBUM FOCUS:Putumayo World Music presents “Groove World”, with music blending African, Latin, Asian and European musical traditions with modern electronic beats. http://www.putumayo.comFrom this compilation I airedAlambic (France) "LADA"Misumena with Nes Mburu & Joy Msanii (Germany/Kenya) "Fururi"The Loire Valley Calypsos (France) "Mon Gaminn"******************************Sarah Pierce "Ropin' In The Wind" - Blessed By The West www.sarahpierce.comAllysen Callery "Our Lady Of The Highway" - Ghost Folk www.allysencallery.comBeth Wood "The Thing About Spring" - Love Is Onto You www.bethwoodmusic.comDonna Herula "Not Lookin' Back" - Bang At The Door www.donnaherula.com John McCutcheon "Waiting For The Moon" - Field Of Stars www.folkmusic.com **************************************Tom Russell "Benediction: EdwTard Abbey" - Hotwalker

In today's episode, I answer a question about surviving a husband's rage while still in the home and preparing to leave. I want to share insights on coping strategies, the importance of unhooking from an abuser's words, and how to create a safety plan. If you're living in survival mode, this episode offers encouragement and practical steps to help you move toward freedom and healing.Key Takeaways:Fear is a natural response to an abusive environment. Trying to "toughen up" emotions to endure abuse is not the solution; rather, finding ways to escape is essential.Unhook from his words. An abuser's insults and accusations are projections of their own delusions, not reflections of your worth.Abusers see their victims as LEGO characters. They create a false narrative about who you are and expect you to conform. Recognizing this can help you detach emotionally.Radical acceptance is necessary. Understand that an abusive partner does not want genuine connection—only control and transaction.Survival mode is not living. Every day you endure abuse is survival, but true healing comes from stepping into a life of freedom.You deserve a future beyond survival. Healing is possible, and there are communities and resources to help you move forward.Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Need a resource to help you as you unhook? Check out my interview with the founder of the app, Aimee Says, and then try it out for yourself!Want a free chapter of my book, “Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage”? Sign up for my mailing list, and I'll send a copy straight to your inbox. 

Welcome to the SYNC Your Life podcast episode #315! On this podcast, we will be diving into all things women's hormones to help you learn how to live in alignment with your female physiology. Too many women are living with their check engine lights flashing. You know you feel “off” but no matter what you do, you can't seem to have the energy, or lose the weight, or feel your best. This podcast exists to shed light on the important topic of healthy hormones and cycle syncing, to help you gain maximum energy in your life.  In today's episode, I interview Carin Luna-Ostaseski, founder of Hot or Is It Me? on the topic of perimenopause, midlife, and navigating the changes in our bodies using biohacking tools that help.  Carin Luna-Ostaseski is the founder of Hot or Just Me?, a comprehensive online shop and go-to resource for managing perimenopause and menopause. The site offers a wide range of trusted products, expert advice, a gift shop and bookstore, and a supportive community, ensuring women have everything needed to navigate this transformative stage and feel empowered. Luna-Ostaseski's journey with perimenopause symptoms like hot flashes, brain fog, anxiety, insomnia, and night sweats inspired her mission to find a solution. A serial entrepreneur, Luna-Ostaseski is the first American woman and Hispanic person to create a Scotch whisky (SIA Scotch Whisky). The award-winning blend, launched through a record-breaking Kickstarter campaign, has left a significant mark in the industry. She also founded the Entrepreneurial Spirit Fund by SIA Scotch, which has provided over $350,000 in grants to underserved entrepreneurs, making a tangible difference in their lives. She continues championing the next generation of entrepreneurs in her ongoing commitment to helping people thrive. Use the link Hot or Just Me to shop her site. You can find Carin on  Instagram here. To learn more about the SYNC™ course and fitness program, click here. To learn more about virtual consults with our resident hormone health doctor, click here. If you feel like something is “off” with your hormones, check out the FREE hormone imbalance quiz at sync.jennyswisher.com.  To learn more about Hugh & Grace and my favorite 3rd party tested endocrine disruption free products, including skin care, home care, and detox support, click here. To learn more about the SYNC and Hugh & Grace dual income opportunity, click here. Let's be friends outside of the podcast! Send me a message or schedule a call so I can get to know you better. You can reach out at https://jennyswisher.com/contact-2/. Enjoy the show! Episode Webpage: jennyswisher.com/podcast  

In today's episode, I explore the complex question: Is divorce worth it? For women who have endured long-term emotional and psychological abuse in marriage, this decision is often fraught with fear, confusion, and uncertainty.I examine the disadvantages of staying in an abusive relationship, as well as the significant challenges faced during and after the divorce process. With thought-provoking questions and practical insights, this episode will help you assess whether leaving your marriage is the right choice for you. If you're feeling trapped and looking for clarity, support, and a path forward, this episode is for you.Key Takeaways:The emotional and psychological toll of staying in an abusive marriage.Physical and financial disadvantages of staying.Social and legal challenges of remaining in abuse.The harsh reality of divorce.Life after divorce—the path to healing.Guiding questions to determine if divorce is the right choice for you.Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources: Check out my interview with the founder of the app, Aimee Says, and then try it out for yourself!Read the article I mentioned, “How to Leave an Emotionally Abusive Relationship: 10 Steps.” Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote a book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse.My book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Flying Free is our online community educating and supporting Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip you through this program.Flying Higher is my live mentorship program for any Christian woman interested in 10Xing their self-development progress. 

In this eye-opening episode, Natalie shares her personal story of spiritual abuse and excommunication, offering a powerful backdrop for her conversation with author and spiritual consultant, Remy Diederich. Together, they delve into the dynamics of toxic faith, spiritual abuse, and how unhealthy church cultures can harm individuals and families.Remy, the author of Broken Trust, shares insights from his decades of ministry experience and his passion for helping people heal from spiritual abuse. Whether you're grappling with toxic religious environments or recovering from years of harmful teachings, this episode offers hope, practical advice, and a fresh perspective.Key Takeaways:Understanding Spiritual Abuse: Spiritual abuse often involves toxic leadership that weaponizes faith to control, manipulate, or shame individuals.Toxic Faith vs. Spiritual Abuse: Toxic faith is the belief that you must perform or meet certain standards to please God, while spiritual abuse occurs when leaders use those beliefs to exploit or control others.The Impact of Spiritual Abuse on Relationships: Abuse within churches often mirrors abusive dynamics in families, leading to distrust, division, and confusion.Healing from Spiritual Abuse: Recovery begins with identifying harmful patterns, stepping away if necessary, and seeking support through books, therapy, and supportive communities.The Power of Questioning Toxic Narratives: It's okay to question teachings and leaders. Faith flourishes when it's rooted in personal connection with God, not human-made rules.Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources: Read one (or all) of Remy's books: Broken Trust, Healing the Hurts of Your Past, Return From Exile, and Stuck are some of my favorites. Connect with Remy on his site. Go visit Remy over on YouTube. Email Remy at remy@readingremy.com to request an audiobook code (limited supply).Check out Be Emboldened for support as you recover from spiritual abuse.Related article and episode: “Bethlehem Baptist Church Is Not Safe for Emotionally Abused Women,” and “Is Your Church Safe?”Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote a book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse.My book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Flying Free is our online community educating and supporting Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip you through this program.Flying Higher is my live mentorship program for any Christian woman interested in 10Xing their self-development progress. Remy is a seasoned pastor and spiritual consultant with a heart for helping others overcome life's challenges. Over his three decades of ministry, he's authored six books that offer practical guidance and spiritual support for those seeking healing and connection to God. Remy's expertise extends beyond the pulpit. He's spent 24 years as a spiritual consultant at an addiction treatment center, where he's witnessed firsthand the transformative power of faith and hope. Today, Remy dedicates his time to empowering pastors to build healthy church cultures and coaching individuals on the themes of his books. A lifelong resident of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Remy is married with three adult children. His passion for helping others shines through in his writing, speaking, and counseling.

Claim your free seat and gifts at the Reclaim Your Health: Energy, weight & longevity  Summit (February 18 - 24, 2025): https://reclaimyourhealthsummit.com/registration996569?am_id=thewellnessengineer9484   Did you know that poor metabolic health is at the root of many chronic diseases? Your adrenal glands, lifestyle choices, and even stress levels all play a key role in your overall well-being. Join me and my guest, Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN, NP, IFMCP, to discover how metabolic health impacts your body and learn practical steps to improve it!   In this episode you'll learn: ⏰ 02:53 - How the Australian outback and Edgar Cayce influenced Dr. Marcelle  ⏰ 07:17 - What is poor metabolic health? ⏰ 12:43 -The role of the mighty adrenals  ⏰ 19:17 - The starting point to improve metabolic health  ⏰ 22:45 - The Reclaim Your Health Summit  ⏰ 27:45 - The ONE thing you can do to activate self-healing Check out Marcelle Pick's Bio: Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN, NP, IFMCP is passionate about transforming the way women experience healthcare through an integrative approach. She co-founded the world renowned Women to Women Clinic in 1983 with the vision to not only treat illness, but also help support her patients in pro-actively making healthier choices to prevent disease. She has successfully treated thousands of individuals through her unique approach to wellness.   In 2001, Marcelle created MarcellePick.com with a goal to be able to reach, inspire, and educate even more women worldwide – her website offers informative articles on women's health issues and at-home solutions to some of the most troublesome symptoms they experience today.   Marcelle discovered Functional Medicine early on in her career and was honored to be among the first to be certified as a Functional Medicine Practitioner. In addition she holds a BS in Nursing from the University of New Hampshire School of Nursing, a BA in Psychology from the University of New Hampshire, and her MS in Nursing from Boston College-Harvard Medical School. She is certified as an OB/GYN Nurse Practitioner and a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, and is a member of the American Nurses Association and the American Nurse Practitioner Association.   Marcelle is currently a faculty member of The Institute of Functional Medicine and has served as a Medical Advisor to Healthy Living Magazine, writes a weekly newsletter for MarcellePick.com, and lectures on a variety of topics including weight loss resistance, infertility, stress & illness, and adrenal dysfunction. She is the author of The Core Balance Diet, Is It Me or My Adrenals? and Is It Me or My Hormones?. She has appeared on Dr. Oz, FOX, and ABC and has been featured in Glamour Magazine, ELLE Magazine and Women's World Magazine. Marcelle's PBS show, Is It Me or My Hormones? is a favorite among viewers. Marcelle Pick's gift and link:  Claim your free seat and gifts at the Reclaim Your Health: Energy, weight & longevity  Summit (February 18 - 24, 2025): https://reclaimyourhealthsummit.com/registration996569?am_id=thewellnessengineer9484   Connect with Marcelle Pick: Website: https://marcellepick.com/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarcellePickNP/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcellepicknp/  Pinterest: https://ca.pinterest.com/marcellepick_obgyn_np/  X: https://x.com/MarcellePick?mx=2  YoutTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxs5TdYiA0v81B25_ztXs1Q    ***** Hi there! I am Jane Hogan, the Wellness Engineer, and the host of Wellness By Design. I spent 30 years designing foundations for buildings until the pain and inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis led me to hang up my hard hat and follow my heart. Now I blend my backgrounds in science and spirituality to teach people how to tap into the power of their mind, body and soul. I help them release pain naturally so they can become the best version of themselves.    Wellness By Design is a show dedicated to helping people achieve wellness not by reacting to the world around them but by intentionally designing a life based on what their own body needs. In this show we explore practices, methods and science that contribute to releasing pain and inflammation naturally.   Learn more at https://thewellnessengineer.com   Would you like to learn how to release pain by creating more peace and calm?  Download my free guided meditation audio bundle here: https://thewellnessengineer.com/audiobundle   Connect with Jane:  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaneHoganHealth/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janehoganhealth  

In today's episode, we're diving into the topic of parallel parenting—what it means, why it matters, and how it can empower you as a mother to create a home filled with love and stability, even when co-parenting feels like a battlefield.We explore how to rise above emotional manipulation, operate from a place of peace and truth, and model resilience for your children. Whether you're navigating parallel parenting or seeking emotional clarity, this episode is full of practical wisdom and hope.Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Love Diana? We have another episode with her here: The Importance of Empathy for Yourself.Check out Diana's website.Follow Diana's podcast, The Renew Your Mind Podcast. Some of her best episodes include “Staying Out of Family Drama,” “Have To Vs. Choose To,” “When People Are Wrong About You,” “When People Are Right About You,” and “Accepting What Is.”Follow Diana on Facebook and Instagram.Are you in emotionally and spiritually abusive relationship? You might want to also listen to this episode: Are You Married to a Quiet Covert Abuser with a Hidden Lifestyle?Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote a book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse.My book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Flying Free is our online community educating and supporting Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip you through this program.Flying Higher is my live mentorship program for any Christian woman interested in 10Xing their self-development progress. Diana Swillinger is a life and business coach, host of The Renew Your Mind Podcast, and founder of the Renew Your Mind Institute Coach Training. After decades of trying please God, be a good person and do the right thing, she ended up exhausted and discouraged. Desperate for a solution, Diana went back to school, joined personal development programs, and more, then took what she learned and created mind renewal tools that let her love life in every situation no matter what comes her way. Over the past 5 year she has empowered thousands of women with those same tools to heal themselves, get back to who God created them to be, and build a life they love.

What if my abusive husband has mental health issues? Drawing on listener input, I tackle the complexities of abuse intertwined with mental health diagnoses such as bipolar disorder, ADHD, anxiety, and depression. I want to help you navigate the tricky waters of understanding biblical interpretations around staying in abusive relationships “in sickness and in health.” This episode is a lifeline for women seeking clarity and peace while healing and growing within difficult circumstances.What You'll Learn in This Episode:Why anger and critical thinking are normal, healthy responses to injustice.How to unhook from shaming tactics used by abusers and others.The importance of stewarding your own mental, physical, and spiritual health.A biblical perspective on “in sickness and in health” in the context of abusive relationships.Why it's not helpful to focus on parsing out mental illness vs. abuse in relationships.Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote a book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse.My book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Flying Free is our online community educating and supporting Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip you through this program.Flying Higher is my live mentorship program for any Christian woman interested in 10Xing their self-development progress. 

In this powerful and enlightening episode, I sit down with Natalie Hoffman, author of All the Scary Little Gods, to discuss her journey of deconstructing from emotional and spiritual abuse, and helping others do the same. We explore the deep work of deprogramming from rigid belief systems and aligning your faith with your core values. Natalie Hoffman shares insights on alleviating shame tied to mental health and faith, and how writing from and for your parts can facilitate profound healing. Together, we dive into the impacts of spiritual abuse, the challenge of being excommunicated by your church and family for questioning religious institutions, and the lies that rigid beliefs instill—such as the idea that faith and God are confined to a church. Natalie Hoffman offers hope and wisdom for overcoming the fear and shame perpetuated by these systems, and the courage it takes to speak out, especially as a woman. We also explore the transformative power of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, including empathetic witnessing, solo parts work, and how to use these tools for healing, emotional intelligence, and reclaiming your spirituality. This episode is for anyone questioning their faith, seeking to break free from fear-based religious programming, or searching for a deeper connection to their true self and spiritual beliefs. _______________________ Topics Discussed: Natalie's book, All the Scary Little Gods Helping women with spiritual and emotional abuse in religious contexts Deprogramming and deconstructing from rigid belief systems Aligning faith with core values and personal resonance Alleviating shame connected to mental health and faith Writing from parts to connect with parts The power of empathetic witnessing in IFS therapy Solo parts work for healing and emotional intelligence Impacts of spiritual abuse on mental health Being excommunicated by a church or family for questioning beliefs Fear and shame created by rigid religious programming The lie that God and faith are confined to a church Letting go of fear instilled by religious teachings Speaking out and reclaiming your voice as a woman Tune in for an inspiring and thought-provoking conversation that will challenge you to explore, heal, and redefine your relationship with faith and spirituality. ___________________ Natalie Hoffman is the author of Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage and All the Scary Little Gods, as well as the host of the Flying Free podcast. A mother, grandmother, educator, and passionate advocate, Natalie is dedicated to empowering women of faith in abusive homes and religious communities. Through her Flying Free Sisterhood program, Natalie provides education, support, and mentorship, helping women discover their voices, embrace their gifts, and make adult choices for their spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being. Listeners can connect with Natalie and access resources on her website at www.flyingfreenow.com. By signing up on her homepage, you'll receive a free chapter of her book Is It Me? and its companion workbook. This chapter is designed to help assess whether you're in an emotionally abusive relationship—an often confusing experience for many victims. Discover more about Natalie's work and her mission to inspire healing and freedom for women of faith. ____________________ Want to work with Natalie? Contact her below   Website: https://www.ndwellnessservices.com/   Contact: https://www.ndwellnessservices.com/contact    Instagram: @nataliedeering _____________________________   Donate to the podcast Here!    Interested in sponsoring an episode of the podcast? Upgrade your business and let more people know about your amazing services or products by reaching hundreds to thousands of people by sponsoring an episode for only $100!  Please email ndwellness.services@therapysecure.com for more information.  Thank you for the support!    *Please support the podcast by following, rating, and leaving a review*

Today I visit with Diana Swillinger, a life coach and fellow advocate for personal growth and healing. Together, we explore the profound role of empathy—not just for others but for yourself—in overcoming life's challenges and moving forward.Key Topics Covered: The role of empathy in healingPersonal responsibility vs. victim-blamingThe difference between needing validation and needing empowermentThe importance of challenging our deeply rooted beliefsA powerful tool for growthBuilding a life aligned with the heart of GodRead the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Love Diana? Listen to Episode 256 of the Flying Free Podcast to get more of her!Check out Diana's website.Follow Diana's podcast, The Renew Your Mind Podcast. Some of her best episodes include “Staying Out of Family Drama,” “Have To Vs. Choose To,” “When People Are Wrong About You,” “When People Are Right About You,” and “Accepting What Is.”Follow Diana on Facebook and Instagram.Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote a book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse.My book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Flying Free is our online community educating and supporting Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip you through this program.Flying Higher is my live mentorship program for any Christian woman interested in 10Xing their self-development progress. Diana Swillinger is a life and business coach, host of The Renew Your Mind Podcast, and founder of the Renew Your Mind Institute Coach Training. After decades of trying please God, be a good person and do the right thing, she ended up exhausted and discouraged. Desperate for a solution, Diana went back to school, joined personal development programs, and more, then took what she learned and created mind renewal tools that let her love life in every situation no matter what comes her way. Over the past 5 year she has empowered thousands of women with those same tools to heal themselves, get back to who God created them to be, and build a life they love.

Send us a textIn this episode of Is It Me or Is It Them?, therapist & coach April Boyd explores the tension and frustration that arise in relationships when someone doesn't get you- and doesn't seem to want to.  Whether you're navigating challenging dynamics with family, in-laws, or friends, this conversation sheds light on how to stop chasing external validation and reclaim your sense of peace and agency.What You'll Learn:How to recognize when you're stuck in a pattern of frustration and approval-seeking.Why relationships can feel harder as you grow and start noticing dynamics that once seemed “normal.”The common trap of thinking your only options are “submit” or “burn it down.”The importance of stepping into "Option C"—taking care of yourself while letting others be who they are.How to shift away from giving others power over your emotional well-being.Key Takeaways:Many people feel torn between maintaining harmony by suppressing their needs or risking conflict to stand up for themselves.Self-validation begins with accepting that others may not respond the way you hope—and that's okay.It's empowering to let go of trying to force change in others and focus on what you can control in the relationship.Questions to Reflect On:Are you placing your emotional safety in the hands of someone who can't meet your needs?What would it look like to stop chasing validation from others and give it to yourself instead?How can you honour your boundaries while maintaining relationships in a way that feels healthier for you?Listen Now:Tune in for thoughtful insights and practical tips on creating healthier dynamics without losing yourself in the process..Have a topic or question you'd love to hear about?Message me and let me know.email april@lovelossproject.comInstagram @with.love.aprilhttps://www.instagram.com/with.love.april/Sign up to get tips & tools sent to your inbox.https://aprilboyd.ca/ Please note: This show is not a replacement for therapy, assessment, treatment or diagnosis. This show is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. See your physician, counsellor or local crisis support centre if neededAll identifying details about the people and the stories shared here are removed to protect confidentiality.

Would you like to try a week of Flying Free for only one dollar? Access one full week of classes, workshops, coaching sessions (searchable by topic), and professional coaches in our private forum, and get your new year off to a brand new, life giving start! This offer can only be accessed via this link ​HERE​. Hurry, because this offer ends on Sunday, January 5. SPECIAL OFFER: GET ONE WEEK OF FLYING FREE FOR ONLY $1! Access all the good stuff inside the Flying Free program for seven days and get your new year off to a brand new, life giving start! This offer can only be accessed HERE and it ends on Sunday, January 5, 2025. (If you wish you could be informed about free workshops, live Q&A's, and special offers like this one, be sure to hop on my mailing list by going to flyingfreenow.com!)In today's episode, I reflect on the incredible transformations that can happen in just one year. (That's not a very long time, when you think about it! I feel like every January, I blink, and it's December!)Through powerful testimonials from Christian women, I highlight the courage, growth, and healing that come in just one year of taking intentional steps to break free from abuse, rebuild a life of freedom, and pursue self-development.Discover how these women overcame fear, anxiety, and self-doubt to embrace healing, reclaim their identities, and create lives full of purpose and joy. Whether you're navigating the complexities of divorce, overcoming spiritual abuse, or simply seeking personal growth, this episode will encourage you to imagine your own transformation in the coming year.What You'll Hear in This Episode:Heartfelt stories of resilience and transformation from Christian women just like you.Reflections on recognizing abuse, setting boundaries, and finding freedom.Insights into rebuilding relationships with God, children, and oneself after abuse.An invitation to intentionally plan for growth and healing in 2025 Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Grab your own butterfly planner for 2025 (and consider joining us in Flying Higher if you want to go through the Wings to Soar planning workshop with me in January 2025!)Listen to the episode mentioned in today's show, Episode 197, about all of our different parts and how they interact on our bus!Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote a book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse.My book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Flying Free is our online community educating and supporting Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip you through this program.Flying Higher is my live mentorship program for any Christian woman interested in 10Xing their self-development progress. 

Hi friends, and Merry Christmas! I hope this special day brings moments of peace and reflection, wherever you are and whatever you're doing. In this solo episode, I reflect on the powerful connection between scent, memory, and emotion—especially during the holiday season. I'll share personal stories, including my years as a soap maker, and how the fragrances of Christmas invite us to reflect on our own environments and experiences.We'll explore what it means to find hope and healing in unexpected circumstances and how the true spirit of Christmas can create a lasting fragrance of love, even in challenging seasons.What You'll Learn in This Episode:How our senses connect to our memories and emotions.Why we can grow numb to unhealthy environments.A reflection on religious attitudes and how they impact others,The hope and beauty found in embracing life as it is, not as we expected.Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote a book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse. (The Kindle version is only $2.99 now through the end of the year!)My book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. (Again - the Kindle version is only $2.99 now through the end of the year!)Flying Free is our online community educating and supporting Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip you through this program.Flying Higher is my live mentorship program for any Christian woman interested in 10Xing their self-development progress. 

In today's reflective episode, I share insights from my ongoing recovery following a recent car accident that left me with a broken wrist. I want to draw some powerful parallels for you between my physical therapy journey and the emotional and spiritual healing journeys faced by survivors of abuse.Key Topics Covered:The reality of physical therapy (hint - it's not a walk in the park) The role of support systemsEmbracing pain for growthHealing through alignment with your programmingThe power of music to healRead the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Check out the Flying Free playlist on Spotify! Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse.My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for Christian women interested in 10Xing their self-development progress. 

In this deeply insightful episode, I sit down with Dr. Emma Katz to discuss the phenomenon of coercively controlling fathers sabotaging mothers' relationships with their children. Dr. Katz introduces the term “child and mother sabotage” (CAMS) to replace the often co-opted term “parental alienation,” highlighting its roots in coercive control and its frequent targeting of mothers.Dr. Katz explains how societal sexism plays a critical role in these dynamics, amplifying the harm done to mothers and perpetuating harmful stereotypes. She also touches on the challenges survivors face in escaping abuse and emphasizes the strength and resilience it takes to rebuild after experiencing coercive control.Key Topics Discussed:CAMS Explained: Why “child and mother sabotage” is a more accurate and protective term than “parental alienation.”The Role of Societal Bias: How sexist stereotypes are weaponized against mothers in cases of coercive control.Global Gender Bias: Findings from UN research that show the pervasive bias against women worldwide.Survivor Recognition: Why victims of coercive control deserve societal recognition akin to war heroes.Practical Guidance: How survivors can use CAMS terminology in legal and advocacy settings.Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Read Dr. Katz's book, Coercive Control in Children's and Mothers' Lives.Read the article that Dr. Katz quoted from in today's interview. Check out Dr. Katz's Substack and connect with her on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse.My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for Christian women interested in 10Xing their self-development progress. Dr. Emma Katz is a researcher in domestic violence and coercive control, whose work has helped shape legislation and professional practice globally. Her book, Coercive Control in Children's and Mothers' Lives (Oxford University Press), is widely acclaimed. Emma also brings her research to the public in an accessible and influential way on her platform "Decoding Coercive Control with Dr. Emma Katz", which is read by 10,000s of people in more than 90 countries around the world. Emma's research has illuminated children's experiences of coercive control, which had previously remained largely invisible. She argues that children are affected by many forms of abuse inherent to coercive control, including the breaking down of close relationships with loved ones, deprivation of resources, constrained behavior and isolation from the outside world. Her research has been described as "pioneering work" that "will change how we understand and respond to children's experience of domestic abuse.”

In this personal and anecdotal episode, I reflect on a recent car accident that changed my perspective on pain, resilience, and staying present. Drawing from my own experience of navigating physical injury, emotional turmoil, and life's unexpected disruptions, I want to share some valuable lessons on accepting pain and choosing who we want to be in the midst of it.Key TakeawaysPain is a Universal Experience: Everyone faces pain in various forms. Adjusting expectations helps to navigate life's inevitable challenges.Choosing Who to Be in Pain: While we can't control painful circumstances, we can choose our response and who we want to become in those moments.Faith and Resilience: God is present in our suffering, showing us how to lean into pain and live authentically.The Value of Lament: Acknowledging and naming our losses is essential. Lamenting is not about toxic positivity but about truthfully addressing the pain while moving forward.Staying Present: Focusing on the current moment can alleviate overwhelm and help manage pain one step at a time.Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Check out the books I mentioned: Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl and The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse.My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for Christian women interested in 10Xing their self-development progress. 

In today's episode, I interview Natalie Deering, an Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist and host of That Wellness Podcast. Together, we explore practical and spiritual approaches to anxiety, offering tools to transform anxiety from an adversary into an ally. We discuss personal experiences, explain key IFS concepts like "trailheads," and share exercises to regulate the nervous system and foster self-compassion.Key Topics Discussed:Understanding anxiety as a trailhead (find out what a trailhead is in IFS too!)Practical self-regulation tools.The role of fear in anxiety.Spiritual integration.Everyday self-embodiment practices (SEEs).Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Connect with Natalie on her website and on Instagram.Listen to Natalie's podcast, That Wellness Podcast.Check out the books Natalie mentioned, “Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers” and “Fuel Your Brain, Not Your Anxiety: Stop the Cycle of Worry, Fatigue, and Sugar Cravings with Simple Protein-Rich Foods.” Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse.My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir using IFS about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for Christian women interested in 10Xing their self-development progress. Natalie Deering is a licensed mental health therapist and IFS level 2 practitioner who specializes in using Internal Family Systems therapy to help people get to know their authentic selves and heal the parts of them that are stuck in the past. Natalie hosts That Wellness Podcast, a podcast that provides interesting IFS-related interviews and meditations for people who are doing healing work on their inner parts using IFS. 

The link to register for this week's FREE Q&A with the founder of Aimee Says, Anne Wintemute, is HERE! This Q&A will take place on Saturday, November 23 at 11:00 am Central Time. Again, you can register for this event on Zoom HERE.In this compelling episode, Natalie Hoffman talks with Anne Wintemute, founder of Aimee Says, an innovative AI tool designed to support abuse survivors. Natalie and Anne explore how Aimee Says provides both immediate, compassionate assistance and long-term documentation capabilities for those navigating abusive situations. Anne shares the tool's features, including its free and paid versions, and emphasizes its privacy and security safeguards. Together, they illustrate how Aimee Says can be an empowering companion for survivors, particularly those involved in legal matters like custody cases.Key Points:Anne's personal motivation for creating an AI tool focused on empowering abuse survivors.The tool's core purpose of providing survivors with a private, supportive, and easily accessible resource.The features of both free and paid accounts.AI as a transformative tool in abuse advocacy.Practical use case examples.Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Check out Aimee Says for free today. Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse.My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for divorced Christian women. Come rebuild your life after divorce with women just like you. Anne Wintemute is the Co-Founder and CEO of Aimee Says, the AI companion for victims and survivors of domestic violence.  She is a fierce champion for the rights of survivors and children, and systems that hold perpetrators accountable. Prior to working with survivors, Anne founded and directed an elementary school that became a model for micro-schools across the United States. In her spare time, she enjoys urban homesteading with her partner and their blended family in Denver, Colorado.

Sebastian Mansicalco jokes about vaccines in his Netflix special, "Is It Me?".

In this episode, I interview Dr. Stephanie Holmes to explore the unique challenges and dynamics within neurodiverse marriages. We talk about how Autism interacts with faith, how religion plays into neurodiversity, the difference between abusers and neurodiverse individuals, and how neurodiverse couples can navigate their relationships more effectively. Dr. Holmes shares insights from her extensive experience working with these couples.Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Check out Stephanie's Autism Spectrum Resources for Marriage & Family as well as the International Association of NeuroDiverse Christian Marriage. Go listen to Stephanie's podcast, NeuroDiverse Christian Couples.Find Stephanie on YouTube.Pre-order Stephanie's book, Uniquely Us.Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse.My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for divorced Christian women. Come rebuild your life after divorce with women just like you.Dr. Stephanie C. Holmes is an ordained minister, author, autism researcher, speaker, and certified autism specialist. She is the owner and founder of Autism Spectrum Resources for Marriage & Family, LLC, and she and her husband, Dan, are co-founders of The International Association of NeuroDiverse Christian Marriage, LLC, and the podcast NeuroDiverse Christian Couples.  

We are celebrating 300 episodes of the Flying Free podcast by looking at where this podcast started, what has been accomplished since then, and where we are heading in the future! Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse.My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for divorced Christian women. Come rebuild your life after divorce with women just like you. 

Ever wondered why transitioning from Halloween to Thanksgiving feels like a comedic relay race? Join us as we unpack this festive conundrum with a sprinkle of humor and a trip down memory lane, filled with personal stories of awkward costumes and candy debates. One of us has a theater background that's given our podcast intros a thespian flair, while the other—well, let's just say monotone is an art in itself. We share how these quirks shape our communication style and even ponder the joys of adult trick-or-treating, if only society would get on board.Friendships at work can be both a boon and a bane, and we explore this delicate balance through our own experiences. What started as a shared passion for the Legend of Zelda outside the office blossomed into a tight-knit team that revolutionized a tedious product testing process. Our camaraderie fueled creativity and productivity, yet we also reflect on how these bonds are tested as career demands grow. Through personal anecdotes, we highlight the importance of these rare connections and their profound impact on workplace dynamics and personal well-being.Finally, we stir the pot with our engaging segment, "Is It Me or Is It Corporate?" A listener's confession about navigating the corporate world sparks a lively debate on whether workplace woes stem from personal actions or systemic issues. Spoiler alert: the corporate world might just be the culprit. We invite you to join the conversation through our Discord community, where you can share your own stories, get involved, and maybe pick up some exclusive podcast merch along the way.Click/Tap HERE for everything Corporate StrategyElevator Music by Julian Avila Promoted by MrSnoozeDon't forget ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ it helps!

In today's episode, I answer a listener's question about co-parenting with an abusive ex and challenge the idea of "working together" with abusers. You'll learn the importance of shifting the focus away from the abuser and toward personal healing and growth.Key Takeaways:Stop investing emotional energy into trying to "fix" or "work with" an abusive person. It's a cycle that leads nowhere.Redefine what it means to be a "father"—biological ties do not make someone a healthy or safe parent.Avoid gaslighting your children by pretending their experiences with their abusive parent are fun or normal.It is impossible to thrive while working with someone who thrives on control and abuse. The focus should be on healing yourself and your children.Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Episodes mentioned with Bob Hamp: Episode 1, Episode 76, Episode 277, and Episode 297.Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse.My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for divorced Christian women. Come rebuild your life after divorce with women just like you. 

In this episode, Natalie interviews guest Anne Blythe, a leader in the Betrayal Trauma Recovery community. Together, they discuss the profound impact of sharing survivor stories, how lived experience can be just as valuable as formal expertise, and the damaging effects of sexual coercion in abusive relationships. Anne also sheds light on critical issues like manipulation, trauma, and reclaiming safety.Some Key Takeaways: Sexual Coercion and Abuse: Anne emphasizes how sexual coercion is often a hidden form of abuse within relationships. Many women face manipulation and pressure regarding sexual behaviors, which is often downplayed or ignored by their abusers, adding layers of trauma.Removing Shame from the Healing Process: Survivors often feel isolated or ashamed of their experiences, but through sharing their stories and seeking help, they can shed this burden.Prioritizing Safety Over Confrontation: Directly confronting an abuser often leads to further manipulation. Instead, focusing on safety and gathering support is a crucial first step in the healing process.Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Listen to Anne's podcast, Betrayal Trauma Recovery, on your favorite podcast listening app. Read Anne's book, Trauma Mama Husband Drama.Check out Anne's Meditation, Living Free, and Message workshops.Connect with Anne on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. If you've found porn on your husband's phone, you can get a simple PDF HERE about what to do next.Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse.My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for divorced Christian women. Come rebuild your life after divorce with women just like you. Anne is the Producer & Host of The BTR.ORG podcast and the author of Trauma Mama Husband Drama. She's also the creator of: The BTR.ORG Meditation, Living Free, and Message Workshops. After years of attempting to stop her husband's pornography use and “anger issues,” she turned her attention to establishing emotional and psychological safety for herself and her three children. As she learns in real-time, Anne shares her journey to help women safely and effectively separate themselves from their husbands' (or exes') emotional & psychological abuse and sexual coercion in order to establish peace in their homes. You can sign up to get group sessions with the coaches at BTR.ORG HERE.

In today's episode, I have a powerful and insightful discussion with guest speaker Bob Hamp as part of a live Q&A we did with members of the Flying Free Kaleidoscope about the complexities of emotions, particularly anger, and the challenges faced by those in emotionally abusive relationships. Here's a summary of the key points and concepts:1. Understanding Emotions:Emotions as Drivers: Emotions are energy in motion that propel us forward and should be embraced rather than repressed.Indicators of Inner States: Emotions serve as indicators (like a dashboard) that reveal our internal states and beliefs, particularly anger, which signals that a boundary has been crossed.Anger as a Response: Anger can be a protective response to repeated boundary violations, masking deeper emotions such as pain or fear.2. The Need for Validation:Craving Validation: After experiencing emotional abuse, individuals often seek external validation to affirm their feelings and experiences due to a distorted self-image created by the abuser.Living in a House of Mirrors: Emotional abusers create an environment where one's self-perception is constantly challenged and distorted, leading to confusion and self-doubt.Research on Healing: Studies show that validation from others can help regulate the nervous system and facilitate healing for trauma survivors.3. Mutual Abuse vs. Conflictual Enmeshment:Mutual Abuse: This term suggests that both parties are equally culpable, but in abusive dynamics, there's often a power differential where one partner exerts control over the other.Conflictual Enmeshment: This involves two people blaming each other for their issues without one holding more power over the other. The dynamics can feel like mutual blame, but there's usually a more dominant party in emotionally abusive situations.4. Setting Boundaries:Empowerment Through Boundaries: Establishing personal boundaries is essential. Boundaries involve controlling one's response to others rather than attempting to control others' behaviors.Responses to Boundaries: Abusers often react negatively to boundaries, framing them as controlling behaviors. Recognizing this is crucial in identifying an abusive dynamic.5. Independence and Self-Validation:Moving Towards Independence: The journey from dependence to independence is critical for emotional and relational health. The goal is to validate oneself rather than rely on others for validation.Finding Self-Worth: Ultimately, the most empowering position is to own your self-worth, which frees you from the need for external validation and allows for healthier relationships.6. Practical Steps Forward:Healing Courses: Engaging in resources like courses focused on healing relationships with oneself can aid in developing self-validation and independence. We have a course called “Healing Your Relationship with Yourself” inside of the Flying Free Kaleidoscope. Join today to get access to that course as well as many others! Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Connect with Bob on Facebook and Twitter, and take a look at his program, Think Differently Academy.Check out Bob's “Think Differently” book series.Listen to more episodes of the Flying Free Podcast that we've done with Bob: Episode 1, Episode 76, and  Episode 277, Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse.My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for divorced Christian women. Come rebuild your life after divorce with women just like you. Bob Hamp is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist as well as an author and teacher. His life message has always been about freedom and healing. He and his wife, Polly, are the founders of Think Differently Academy, an online community for training, personal growth and healing. He and Polly have six kids and six grandkids with one more on the way.

Understanding and Overcoming Emotional Abuse: A Journey to Personal FreedomIn this episode of the Flying Free Podcast, Natalie reflects on the power of transformation and shares profound insights from both the Flying Free Kaleidoscope community and the personal stories of women who are seeking freedom from abusive relationships. With heartfelt testimonials and a listener's deeply personal question about navigating a difficult separation, this episode delves into the complexities of emotional abuse and the path to self-discovery.The Power of Transformation: Real-Life Experiences from the Flying Free KaleidoscopeNatalie begins the episode by reading reviews from members of the Flying Free Kaleidoscope community—a safe space for Christian women seeking healing and growth. These women share how the program has impacted their lives in profound ways:"Two months in this program has changed my life. My relationship with myself and the way I parent my children has changed dramatically. I'm addicted to the coaching sessions.""Your programs are incredible. I talk about them every chance I get. They have literally changed my life. Hugs.""There are so many resources in this program. It is mind-blowing.""I am blown away. I joined a few months ago, and every course I take, I listen to three to five times. Each lesson gets better and better."These testimonials emphasize the depth of support available to women within the Flying Free Kaleidoscope program. Natalie likens the community to a “kaleidoscope of butterflies,” a metaphor representing the beauty and strength of women transforming their minds—and ultimately their lives—through support, coaching, and faith.A Listener's Question: Navigating Separation and Emotional AbuseNatalie addresses a question from a listener who is struggling to understand her husband's childlike behavior and lack of engagement during their separation. The listener shares her journey of enduring seventeen years of anxiety, feeling inadequate in her marriage, and facing a spouse who refuses to communicate or take responsibility.The listener asks three key questions:Why is my husband choosing childlike behavior and ignoring me and our separation?How do I work with him to move forward?I want insight into this type of man.The Alligator Metaphor: Focusing on What You Can ControlIn response, Natalie draws a vivid analogy, comparing an abusive relationship to falling into a swamp with alligators. She explains that focusing on why the alligator behaves the way it does is futile. Instead, the priority should be on getting out of the swamp. Similarly, understanding the abuser's mindset isn't the key to healing. Rather, the focus should be on what you can control—your own decisions, actions, and growth.“We can't control other people. Our challenge is not to understand the psyche of an abuser. Our challenge is to gain self-awareness and understanding around our own psyche and what is driving our beliefs and behaviors. This is where 100% of our opportunity lies.”Reframing the QuestionsInstead of asking why her husband behaves in a certain way, Natalie encourages the listener to shift her focus. She offers three thought-provoking reframes for the listener's questions:Why is my husband choosing childlike behavior?Reframe: Why am I choosing to revolve my life around this other adult, meanwhile ignoring my own sanity and health?How do I work with him to move forward?Reframe: How do I work with myself to move forward? You can't force someone else to change, but you can focus on your own path to healing and freedom.I want insight into this type of man.Reframe: I want insight into my own mind and beliefs so that I can evolve into the next version of who I was created to be.Natalie emphasizes that healing comes from within, not from trying to understand or change the abuser. She explains how many women are conditioned to prioritize the needs and feelings of others, often at their own expense. But true freedom comes when you take control of your own life, set boundaries, and focus on your own growth.The Mission of Flying Free: Transforming Minds to Transform LivesNatalie ends the episode by reminding listeners of the mission of Flying Free—to help Christian women find freedom, truth, and love in their lives. The Flying Free Kaleidoscope community offers resources, coaching, and support to help women on their journey toward healing and wholeness.For those who are ready to take the next step, Natalie invites listeners to join the Flying Free Kaleidoscope community, where they'll find a network of support, guidance, and hope.Join the Flying Free Kaleidoscope CommunityIf you're looking for a place to belong and grow, the Flying Free Kaleidoscope community might be the support system you've been searching for. Visit joinflyingfree.com to learn more about how you can start your journey toward healing today.Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse. My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. 

Amy Byrd, a well-loved guest of the Flying Free Podcast, is back again to tell us the story behind her newest book, The Hope in Our Scars. It's not a pretty present of a book, wrapped in neat paper and topped with a bow. It's real, it's raw, and it's full of beauty, and that's exactly what this conversation is as well. Amy went through some unfathomable spiritual abuse and says, “That's what led me to write The Hope in Our Scars because I did find Christ intimately present with me through this.” We hope you'll be able to find hope and Christ in this conversation, too. Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Go listen to my first interview with Amy, “We Need a Sexual Reformation in the Church.” I highly encourage you to check out Amy's incredible books, including The Hope in Our Scars, The Sexual Reformation, Recovering from Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, Why Can't We Be Friends?, No Little Women, Theological Fitness, and Housewife Theologian.My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for divorced Christian women. Come rebuild your life after divorce with women just like you. 

Have you ever gotten a toxic text from a friend, a family member—maybe your spouse? The women in our Flying Free Kaleidoscope have the opportunity to post the toxic texts they receive so that we can help them process, and I came across one I just couldn't wrap my brain around, it was so incredibly full of toxicity and falsities. So today's episode is breaking down this particular abusive text that one of my members received, and honestly, it can actually be quite interesting once you get the hang of it. Come parse through this toxic texter's false beliefs and see how I would respond if I were the one getting this text. Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Read one of my favorite books, Forgiveness After Trauma, and listen in on an interview I did with the author, Susannah Griffith. Check out the article I mentioned by Christy Hemphill, “How Things Go Wrong with Metaphorical Reasoning in Ephesians 5.”Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse. My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Flying Free is my private online education community designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this community.Flying Higher is our educational community for divorced Christian women. 

Have you ever wondered, “Am I really being emotionally abused? Is it considered emotional abuse if my spouse is lying to me? Gaslighting me? Ignoring me? What are the kinds of mistreatments we can actually call ABUSE? My friend, this is a question I've been answering for other women for almost a decade now. This is my my life's work. My passion. Let me help guide you just a little bit in today's episode as we do a deep-dive on emotional abuse: what it is, how it destroys lives, and what we can do about it.Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereAre you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote a book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse. My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for divorced Christian women. Come rebuild your life after divorce with women just like you. 

Today I am honored to connect with a friend and fellow nurse practitioner, Marcelle Pick! Marcelle is passionate about transforming how women experience healthcare through an integrative approach. She has successfully treated thousands of women through her unique approach to wellness. Marcelle is currently a faculty member of The Institute of Functional Medicine and has served as a Medical Advisor to Healthy Living Magazine. She has written countless articles and multiple books, including Is It Me or My Hormones? I always think of Marcelle as a pioneer in the women's health/nurse practitioner space. In this episode, we dive into her background and the impact of the Women's Health Initiative. We discuss the limitations of the traditional allopathic model regarding hormones, common misconceptions about adrenal health, perimenopause, and menopause, adverse childhood events and adrenal health, how lifestyle affects our sex hormones, fibroids, endometriosis, PMS, PMDD, and contraception for perimenopause. We speak about endocrine disruptors, mold, and micro toxins. We also get into ways to think about hormone replacement therapy and ways to address intimacy and low libido. I love connecting with other nurses and nurse practitioners! I hope you will love today's conversation with Marcelle as much as I did! IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN: Marcelle was part of the first all-women practice in the country. How the Women's Health Initiative has impacted health care for women. The limitations of the traditional allopathic model, particularly in terms of perimenopause, menopause, and hormones. The less common labs that Marcelle likes to look at for her patients. Marcelle shares her approach to unraveling the symptoms of perimenopause. Some unique ways in which Marcelle deals with problems like fibroids and endometriosis. How childhood trauma could lead to adrenal and autoimmune issues, weight-loss resistance, and various other health problems. Many of the things Marcelle recommended for treating PMS and PMDD back in the day (1985) have now become the standard of care. Contraceptive options for women in perimenopause. The impact of stress on adrenal function during perimenopause and menopause. Marcelle dives into liver health and detoxification, chemicals and other factors that could impact our health, and changes we can make to avoid problems and feel better. What Marcelle does to help women with low libido. Connect with Cynthia Thurlow Follow on Twitter, Instagram & LinkedIn Check out Cynthia's website Connect with Marcelle Pick On her website    On Facebook and Instagram All of Marcelle's books are available on Amazon

Many years ago I paid $150 an hour for counseling. If you do the math, that comes down to $25 for every ten minutes of her time. Yes. I was paying $25 for someone else to listen to me for ten minutes. I would tell her what new horrors I had experienced the week before, and then she would validate and empathize with me, and then I would go home.That's expensive. $25 is a lot of money to pay for someone to listen to your troubles. And was it moving the dial in my life? Was it worth that $25 for those ten minutes that I was purchasing to change my life, to get me moving forward? Was I getting unstuck? Was I learning new things? After a year of seeing her for an hour every other week, because I couldn't afford to go every single week, I had spent $3,600 and I was still in the same place that I had been a year before. The only difference is that I had $3,600 less in my bank account. Can anyone else relate to this madness?I recently had a conversation with a group of Christian women about something that didn't cost them $75 or $100 or $150 an hour but that has changed the entire trajectory of their lives.Today you get to listen in on that conversation.I hated that I wasted so much money on something that not only got me nowhere but that set me back in my healing. I determined to help women in my shoes in a different way, and it would only cost them $29. Not for a few minutes. But for 438,000 minutes (that's one entire month) of having five coaches, including me, not only listen to you, but actually HELP you in your specific life with your specific circumstances. 438,000 minutes of access to powerful classes that will educate, train, and equip you to take the next best step in your life. 438,000 minutes of daily support whenever you need it to help you transform your thinking and change your life. Would that be worth it to you? I asked these women to share with you today why they think it's more than worth it. Why it's so worth it that they have been members for years. One said, “I actually still go to counseling and my counseling is 100% covered by insurance. So for me, my counseling is free, but I still feel like Flying Free coaching helps me more than my counseling sessions do.”I asked her why. Listen to find out! Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Wanna hear more about the money I wasted on trying to get help? Read my newest book, All the Scary Little Gods. It's a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for divorced Christian women. Come rebuild your life after divorce with women just like you. 

Books are like buses. When you open up a book, it will take you to a new place. It will take you on a new adventure. Sometimes the book will take you on a journey of the imagination to a new country or a science fiction place. Sometimes the book will take you on a path of learning you've never explored before, and that path will lead you down other paths, and then those paths will lead you down even more paths, and you will be able to meander through information that delights your mind and opens you up to new ideas and ways of looking at the world. Books shape the way we think, feel, and show up in the world. They can even influence who we hang out with, who we agree or disagree with, and how we approach those agreements or disagreements. Books are important. They have just as much influence over us as people do because they are written by people with bias, people with their own programming, people with their own lived experience or lack thereof. Charlie Jones once wrote “Remember, you are the same today as you will be in five years, except for two things: the people you meet and the books you read. Choose both carefully.”When it comes to books about deconstruction, I've found some to be life-giving and hope-saturated, and I've found others to be depressing and hopeless. In today's episode, I talk about some of the books that have changed my life and my relationship with God. For the better! Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Books on books on books: Gaslighted by God: Reconstructing a Disillusioned Faith by Tiffany Yecke Brooks (and the podcast interview I did with her)Holy Ghosted: Spiritual Anxiety and Religious Trauma and the Language of Abuse by Tiffany Yecke Brooks (and the podcast interview I did with her)All the Scary Little Gods by Yours TrulyFaith Beyond Doubt: Why Your Beliefs Stopped Working and What to Do About It by Brian McLarenA Spiritual Evolution by John McMurrayLove Wins by Rob BellSearching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church - a memoir by the late Rachel Held EvansThe Sin of Certainty: Why God Desires Our Trust More Than Our "Correct" Beliefs by Peter EnnsThe Bible Tells Me So: Why Defending Scripture Has Made Us Unable to Read It by Peter EnnsHow the Bible Actually Works by Peter EnnsThe Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth by Beth Allison BarrAttached to God by Krispin Mayfield (and the podcast interview I did with him)Christianity After Religion: The End of Church and the Birth of a New Spiritual Awakening By Diana Butler BassAre you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for divorced Christian women. Come rebuild your life after divorce with women just like you. 

We read an incredible book in our book club that is a part of Flying Higher, my program for divorced Christian women. This book healed me in ways I didn't expect, and I think the women in our book club would say the same.Our discussion on this book was so powerful that I just had to let you all listen to a portion of it, so that is what today's episode is all about!Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Check out the book we spent this whole episode talking about: The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd.My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for divorced Christian women. Come rebuild your life after divorce with women just like you. 

“Do I have C-PTSD? Surely not—it's not like I was a prisoner of war or something.” If you're a victim of emotional abuse, you very well could have C-PTSD. In today's episode, I want to introduce you to C-PTSD, how emotional and spiritual abuse can cause C-PTSD, what the symptoms are, and some practical ways that you can move forward and heal if you determine that you do have C-PTSD. I also want to debunk the theory that many emotional abusers have that their victims have Borderline Personality Disorder. Let's dive in, shall we?Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Read the article I mentioned about complementarianism versus egalitarianism.My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for divorced Christian women. Come rebuild your life after divorce with women just like you. 

I've been busy doing all the things recently, so I wanted to give you all the inside scoop on what I've been up to. This includes going to an intense Personality Hacker conference, running a twelve-week coaching intensive, and helping women in the private forum (which is a part of the Flying Free program - we'd love to have you join us!) with some parenting quandaries. Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Check out the Personality Hacker website and their podcast. Episodes 243 and 244 are the ones I mention in today's episode, “Making Peace With Your Parents” parts 1 and 2.My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for divorced Christian women. Come rebuild your life after divorce with women just like you. 

Have you ever dealt with a Bible counselor who just doesn't get it? Or maybe an elder from your church? Or have you ever been excommunicated from your church? Sister, I've been through all of the above, and I write about bits and pieces of it in my newest book, All the Scary Little Gods. In today's episode, I'm going to read three chapters from my book, and they all have to do with the different counselors and elders I dealt with during my emotionally abusive marriage. Grab your favorite beverage, and let me bring you into my world as we explore what can happen when you get Bible counseling for your abusive marriage. Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for divorced Christian women. Come rebuild your life after divorce with women just like you. 

Have you ever felt guilty about taking care of yourself? “I don't deserve to be taken care of, plus I have too many other responsibilities, how am I supposed to make time to take care of ME?!”Let me help dismantle this belief and show you that you do deserve some self-care, and, in fact, need it. I also received an interesting question in the Flying Free private forum about IFS (Internal Family Systems). This member wanted to know how she could accept and have compassion for her “bad” parts without ignoring sin in her life. Such a great question! Let's dig in!Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Want to learn more about IFS from a spiritual standpoint? Go grab Jenna Riemersma's book, Altogether You. My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming…with an IFS twist!Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for divorced Christian women. Come rebuild your life after divorce with women just like you. 

Zach Lupetin is a songwriter, playwright, podcaster, and founding member of Dustbowl Revival. The band, formed via a Craigslist ad, has toured over ten countries and released seven albums, with "Is It You, Is It Me" hitting the top 20 on alternative sales charts. Their 2022 EP, "Set Me Free," followed. Zach discusses his transition into fatherhood after a traumatic birth experience and how his daughter now inspires his music. His podcast, "The Show On The Road," has nearly one million downloads. In 2022, he also launched "The Sway Out West Radio Hour" on 88.5FM in LA.We asked Zach for wise words for someone going through a fresh start - especially a tough, forced fresh start. He shares why creativity is life-saving during forced fresh starts. And he shares how we can process fresh starts with storytelling and art.Listen to the full podcast episode with Zach Lupetin: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/podcast-episodes/zach-lupetinDustbowl Revival: http://www.dustbowlrevival.com/Mentioned in this episode:Become a Fresh Starts Expert!What is the Fresh Starts Expert Membership? The Fresh Starts Expert Membership is a business membership for entrepreneurs, experts, and small business owners to support them in business development, marketing efforts, public relations, networking, and community engagement. The membership includes a standalone profile on Fresh Starts Registry's website, weekly virtual coworking, open hours business coaching, and accountability groups, as well as exclusive press and media opportunities, workshops, seminars, a content and video library of resources, a podcast episode, and so much more. Membership is $55/month. Fresh Starts Registry is the first and only support registry platform for people to access the items and experts they need during life transitions. Fresh Starts has been featured in The New York Times, Time Magazine, Forbes, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, The Today Show, and more. It was founded in 2021 by sisters Olivia Dreizen Howell and Genevieve Dreizen. Who can be an expert? An expert is simply a small business owner, freelancer, entrepreneur, solopreneur, writer, creator, podcaster - or more! See HERE for a list of potential expert types. We are open to any and all expert types. What are the benefits of joining Fresh Starts? Joining Fresh Starts as an expert offers numerous benefits for professionals passionate about guiding individuals through life transitions. For just $55 a month, you gain access to a thriving community, complete with business development support, marketing tools, coaching, and networking opportunities. Your profile will be SEO-optimized, making it easier for clients to find you. You'll also enjoy press and media exposure, weekly offers including workshops and events, and a supportive network to share insights and celebrate successes.Fresh Starts Expert MembershipJoin the Fresh Starts Collective!Whether you're an ambitious entrepreneur, a dedicated student, a heads down writer or simply striving to achieve your professional goals, the Fresh Starts Collective is here for you. We believe that surrounding yourself with a supportive community can be the key to unlocking your full potential. The Fresh Starts Collective offers daily community gathering - whether it's VirtualCo-Working and Body Doubling, Open Office Hours or Accountability Hour - community support and growth, networking opportunities and access to marketing, design and writing professionals to bounce ideas off of, pick the brains of or crowd source some ideas. The Fresh Starts Collective is $35/month.Fresh Starts Collective

One of our listeners submitted a heavy question asking about how long she has to let the abuse continue. The snagging point? She had an affair. So, what does one do if they have an affair while in an emotionally abusive relationship? Does that mean they now deserve to be in an abusive marriage until they die? What are their options, and how can we think about this?Join my candid conversation with Susan Estringel, one of our coaches within the Flying Free program, as we untangle this situation and speak with compassion to those of you who have lived this reality. Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Connect with Susan on her website and on Instagram.My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for divorced Christian women. Come rebuild your life after divorce with women just like you. Susan Estringel is a Life and Relationship Coach, Yogi, and Music Therapist with a message of self-compassion and resilience. Drawing from her own journey as a survivor of emotional abuse, Susan brings a personal perspective to conversations around Christian abuse survivors having affairs. With a passion for lifting others up to find and reclaim their voice, Susan offers a unique blend of lived experience and professional expertise in navigating the complexities of healing after having an affair. She specializes in rewiring limiting beliefs, setting boundaries, and shedding the heavy burdens of shame and guilt associated with affairs.

“Does God really hate divorce? And why haven't my years of praying brought any fruit?” Abuse survivors ask me these two questions regularly, and today, I'm going to use Malachi 2:16 as well as a chapter from my newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, to answer them both. Beautiful butterfly, I pray this episode is an encouragement to you as you wrestle with these important topics. Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Links to resources about the idea that God hates divorceMy newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for divorced Christian women. Come rebuild your life after divorce with women just like you. 

Joining me for today's fascinating episode is Dan Koch, podcaster and spiritual abuse researcher. Dan has created an incredible tool called the Spiritual Harm & Abuse Scale, and he breaks it down for us as we talk about spiritual abuse and the heavy impact it has on people's lives. Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Check out Dan's Spiritual Harm & Abuse Scale. Also mentioned in today's podcast episode was Dr. Keller's Spiritual Abuse Questionnaire. Connect with Dan on his website as well as Instagram. Listen to Dan's podcast, You Have Permission, and especially Episodes 10 and 123. Grab your copy of one of my favorite books, Faith Beyond Doubt. My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for divorced Christian women. Come rebuild your life after divorce with women just like you. Support the Flying Free podcast AND get in on monthly deep-dive discussions with podcast guests by joining the Flying Free Podcast Club for a $5 monthly donation HERE. (Members of Flying Free and Flying Higher can join these discussions FREE. Just reach out to me, natalie@flyingfreenow.com, and we'll get you set up!) Dan Koch is a licensed therapist in the state of Washington, the host of the You Have Permission Podcast and a spiritual abuse researcher who has developed the Spiritual Harm & Abuse Scale, currently in use by religious trauma clinicians around the world.

Sometimes a woman will say, “I decided to leave, but now my abuser is being so nice to me! What should I do?” Unless an abuser has found a new source of supply, the abuser will want to maintain control over you. He's been observing what makes you tick for a long time. He's been observing what works and doesn't work to emotionally manipulate you. He knows how to both push all your buttons AND pull on your heartstrings. One of the ways he knows he can pull on a nice girl's strings is to simply make a show of being nice to her, and then the victim thinks, “Oh, let's give him another chance. He's trying so hard, poor hapless man. I must be the wind beneath his wings.” We've been programmed to believe these kinds of things. A man can be chronically abusive, but when he's nice, we think that just negates everything else he has done, but our body knows it's not true. Our brain has been programmed to believe that if he is nice or says “I'm sorry,” that means he has repented, and we just need to take him back, suck it up, and sweep everything under the rug. But that's not what true repentance or forgiveness is.This is taken from today's episode in which I share part of a live emotional abuse Q&A I recently did for my email subscribers. These are people who have requested help and resources from me over the years. Sometimes I create free workshops or special events for everyone on that list. (If you don't want to miss any articles or events or resources I create for you, be sure to get on that list by going to my website, flyingfreenow.com, and signing up at the top of the page!) Here are some of the questions I answered in today's episode:Should I tell my adult children and close friends about the hidden emotional abuse I'm experiencing?I feel guilty because we're in the middle of the divorce process, but all of a sudden, my husband has started being nicer than he's ever been! Why am I so afraid to tell my husband that I am done with the marriage?How do I avoid being triggered in a situation where my needs are being ignored or misunderstood? Is my husband abusive, or just selfish and immature?And MORE! Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Books I recommended in today's episode: Forgiveness After Trauma, The Body Keeps the Score, The Tools, Divorcing a Narcissist: One Mom's Battle, and A Failure of Nerve.I also mentioned my interview with the author of Forgiveness After Trauma, Susannah Griffith, my article called “How to Leave an Emotionally Abusive Relationship: 10 Steps,” and another podcast episode, Episode 280, “Projective Identification in Abusive Relationships.”My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for divorced Christian women. Come rebuild your life after divorce with women just like you. Support the Flying Free podcast AND get in on monthly deep-dive discussions with podcast guests by joining the Flying Free Podcast Club for a $5 monthly donation HERE. (Members of Flying Free and Flying Higher can join these discussions FREE. Just reach out to me, natalie@flyingfreenow.com, and we'll get you set up!) 

“In this book, I want to share parts of my journey paired with reflections based on my background as a biblical scholar to make available forgiveness paths different from the harmful ones so often proffered in the name of God.” Susannah Griffith's book, Forgiveness After Trauma, does exactly that, and it is now my absolute favorite book on forgiveness. In today's episode, Susannah and I sit down and talk about how we can look at forgiveness in a more healing way than we are accustomed to.Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:If you read any book about forgiveness, let it be Susannah's: Forgiveness after Trauma: A Path to Find Healing and Empowerment. She also has another book called Leaving Silence: Sexualized Violence, the Bible, and Standing with Survivors.Connect with Susannah on her website and Instagram.My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for divorced Christian women. Come rebuild your life after divorce with women just like you. Support the Flying Free podcast AND get in on monthly deep-dive discussions with podcast guests by joining the Flying Free Podcast Club for a $5 monthly donation HERE. (Members of Flying Free and Flying Higher can join these discussions FREE. Just reach out to me, natalie@flyingfreenow.com, and we'll get you set up!) Susannah is an independent scholar, writer, chaplain, and advocate. Her first book, Leaving Silence, was a finalist for a Christianity Today Book of the Year award. Susannah resides in Northern Indiana with her husband Michael and three young daughters.

Abusers will project their own inner identity and issues onto their victims. Let's talk about what that means, how it impacts a survivor, and what you can do about it. Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:The YouTube video that inspired this episode, “Projective Identification Explained.”The book by Tina Swithin I mentioned, Divorcing a Narcissist: One Mom's Battle. My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for divorced Christian women. Come rebuild your life after divorce with women just like you. Support the Flying Free podcast AND get in on monthly deep-dive discussions with podcast guests by joining the Flying Free Podcast Club for a $5 monthly donation HERE. (Members of Flying Free and Flying Higher can join these discussions FREE. Just reach out to me, natalie@flyingfreenow.com, and we'll get you set up!) 

Dr. Christy Bauman has written yet another beautifully rich book, and in today's episode, you will get a sneak peek! Her Rites: A Sacred Journey for the Mind, Body, and Soul takes you on a journey through each of a woman's six rites of passage and empowers women through words, art, and music. In today's episode, we discussWhat does birthright mean for Christian women?What is God's legacy through women?How does the rite of exile impact female survivors?How does the rite of intuition empower women who have been abused?And so much more!Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Get your copy of Her Rites: A Sacred Journey for the Mind, Body, and Soul, as well as Christy's other books, The Sexually Healthy Woman, Theology of the Womb, and A Brave Lament.Find Christy on her website.Listen to the corresponding music for Her Rites. Connect with Christy on Instagram on her main page and her Womaneering page.If you loved this episode, you'll love Episode 45 of the Flying Free Podcast which is also with Christy! My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for divorced Christian women. Come rebuild your life after divorce with women just like you. Support the Flying Free podcast AND get in on monthly deep-dive discussions with podcast guests by joining the Flying Free Podcast Club for a $5 monthly donation HERE. (Members of Flying Free and Flying Higher can join these discussions FREE. Just reach out to me, natalie@flyingfreenow.com, and we'll get you set up!) Dr. Christy Bauman, MDFT & LMHC (she/her) is committed to helping women come into their true voice. She is an author and psychotherapist who focuses on the female body, sexuality, and theology. Christy's work can be found at christybauman.com

I have been learning and reading and going to conferences and doing ALL the things recently, and I want to tell you all about it! This episode is a fun one where I let you in on what I've been up to and share a few golden nuggets I've found along the way. Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Book I've been reading recently: After by Dr. Bruce Greyson, It's Not You by Dr. Ramani, and Still Life by Penny Louise.Check out my new favorite podcast, The BEMA Podcast.My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. I also made a playlist for this book on Spotify! Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for divorced Christian women. Come rebuild your life after divorce with women just like you. Support the Flying Free podcast AND get in on monthly deep-dive discussions with podcast guests by joining the Flying Free Podcast Club for a $5 monthly donation HERE. (Members of Flying Free and Flying Higher can join these discussions FREE. Just reach out to me, natalie@flyingfreenow.com, and we'll get you set up!) 

We talk about the abuse so much, we sometimes forget about the actual healing process. That's why I've invited my long-time friend and seasoned guest Bob Hamp back on the Flying Free Podcast. Bob knows how painful and necessary the healing journey is, and he has some incredible golden nuggets of wisdom to share today that you do not want to miss.Some key points include How Bob found himself in the advocate world and his backstory Why trying to find resources for your abuser really isn't helpful How our bodies were designed to help protect usWhat the word “introject” means and how it relates to youA parable about a hiker that will help you with your healingHow your childhood dreams can help you healRead the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Connect with Bob on Facebook and Twitter.Check out Bob's incredible “Think Differently” book series.Experience Bob's new Sunday morning spiritual growth community, The Living Room, by becoming a Think Differently Academy member. My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for divorced Christian women. Come rebuild your life after divorce with women just like you. Support the Flying Free podcast AND get in on monthly deep-dive discussions with podcast guests by joining the Flying Free Podcast Club for a $5 monthly donation HERE. (Members of Flying Free and Flying Higher can join these discussions FREE. Just reach out to me, natalie@flyingfreenow.com, and we'll get you set up!) Bob Hamp is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist as well as an author and teacher. His life message has always been about freedom and healing. He and his wife, Polly, are the founders of Think Differently Academy, an online community for training, personal growth and healing. He and Polly have six kids and six grandkids with one more on the way.

Today I'm going to teach you how to use the same CBT triangle tool I use with the women I work with, my kids, and even myself to help us all understand and gain self-awareness around our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This CBT tool has three parts that can assist you in changing the way you think, and as a result, change your life and the lives of your kids.Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question hereRelated Resources:Previous episodes where I talk about this tool: Episode 160, Episode 105, and Episode 107.Previous episodes where I talk about sex: Episode 104, Episode 108, Episode 170, Episode 221, and Episode 230.My newest book, All the Scary Little Gods, is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming. Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse. Flying Free is my online membership program designed for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages. Whether you want to stay in your marriage or leave, we want to equip and support you through this program.Flying Higher is my online membership program for divorced Christian women. Come rebuild your life after divorce with women just like you. Support the Flying Free podcast AND get in on monthly deep-dive discussions with podcast guests by joining the Flying Free Podcast Club for a $5 monthly donation HERE. (Members of Flying Free and Flying Higher can join these discussions FREE. Just reach out to me, natalie@flyingfreenow.com, and we'll get you set up!)