What if your burnout, sexual dysfunction, anxiety, or confusion isn’t a hormone problem… but a coercive control problem?

In this powerful episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships, we sit down with naturopathic physician, author of The Pink Canary, and host of The Pleasure Principles, Dr. Jordin Wiggins.

Jordin works with high-achieving women who appear successful on the outside but are secretly struggling in sexless marriages, emotionally abusive relationships, or rebuilding after divorce.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• What coercive control actually looks like
• Why “super traits” make women more vulnerable to abuse
• The connection between toxic relationships and sexual dysfunction
• Why traditional therapy often misses power dynamics
• Why abuse escalates after separation
• How burnout, binge eating, libido loss, and anxiety may be trauma responses
• Why “hurt people hurt people” can excuse abuse

Dr. Wiggins shares her personal story of unknowingly being in an abusive relationship, the medical symptoms she developed, and how awareness changed everything.

If you have ever felt confused, blamed yourself, or wondered why nothing you tried “fixed” the relationship, this episode is for you.

Because sometimes the problem isn’t you. It’s the system you’re living in.

Links to Dr. Wiggins’ book, podcast, and quizzes are below.

Subscribe for more faith-centered conversations on discernment, emotional health, and healing from toxic relationships.

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What if boundaries aren’t rejection… but stewardship?

Many Christian women struggle to set boundaries because they fear being unloving, unforgiving, or “not submissive enough.” But boundaries are not walls. They are not punishment. They are protection.

In this episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships and the Love With Eyes Wide Open series, Lizzie and Deana unpack the biblical difference between boundaries and emotional walls — and why discernment and boundaries must work together.

You’ll hear:

• Why people-pleasing leads to resentment
• The difference between faith-based boundaries and fear-based walls
• How spiritual manipulation distorts Scripture
• What healthy boundaries actually sound like in real life
• Why boundaries require follow-through
• When a silent exit plan may be necessary
• How to stop feeling guilty for protecting your peace

If you’ve ever asked:
Am I overreacting?
Is it unchristian to protect myself?
Why do I feel guilty when I say no?

This conversation will help you move forward with clarity, courage, and Christ-centered wisdom.

Because discernment recognizes truth.
Boundaries protect the peace that follows.

Resources Mentioned:
Love With Eyes Wide Open: Teaching Our Daughters to Recognize Red Flags and God’s Voice in Relationships: https://amzn.to/45VZISD
Coming soon: When Something Feels Wrong

Follow Surviving Toxic Relationships for more faith-based conversations on emotional health, toxic relationship patterns, and spiritual discernment.

🎙️ Stay Connected with Us!
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📘 Our book is available on Amazon: Love With Eyes Wide Open: Teaching Our Daughters to Recognize Red Flags and God's Voice in Relationships

Not sure what you’re noticing yet?
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Divorce doesn’t have to be a battlefield.

In this powerful episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships, Lizzie and Deana sit down with divorce mediator and communication strategist Elizabeth Merrill, founder of Open Space Mediation. Liz shares her personal journey through a high-conflict marriage, emotional abuse, and the moment her children helped her find the courage to leave.

Together, they unpack the hidden emotional and financial costs of litigation, how fear and misinformation keep women stuck, and why mediation can sometimes create healthier outcomes for families navigating separation.
If you’re facing a toxic relationship, high-conflict divorce, or wondering how to protect your peace while making wise legal decisions — this conversation offers clarity, education, and hope.

In this episode, we talk about:
-Narcissistic abuse patterns and fear tactics in divorce
-Why many women stay longer than they want to
-The emotional brain vs logical decision-making during separatin
-Mediation vs litigation: cost, conflict, and co-parenting outcomes
-Communication tools for calmer, more productive conversations
-How education reduces fear in high-conflict situations

Whether you're considering divorce, supporting a friend, or healing after a toxic relationship, this episode brings practical insight and compassionate perspective.

You can reach Liz Merrill https://www.openspacemediation.com

🎙️ Stay Connected with Us!
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📘 Our book is available on Amazon: Love With Eyes Wide Open: Teaching Our Daughters to Recognize Red Flags and God's Voice in Relationships

Not sure what you’re noticing yet?
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What is discernment, and how do Christian women recognize red flags while still leading with faith, wisdom, and peace? In this first episode of the Love With Eyes Wide Open podcast series, Lizzie and Deana talk about biblical discernment, Christian relationship advice, guarding your heart, parenting with spiritual wisdom, and how to recognize toxic relationship patterns before heartache begins.

This faith-centered conversation explores how spiritual sensitivity, observation over time, and listening for God’s voice help women and mothers guide themselves and their daughters toward healthy, Christ-centered relationships. Lizzie and Deana share personal experiences, lessons learned from past marriages, and practical encouragement for parents raising daughters in today’s world.

If you are a Christian woman seeking clarity, wisdom, and discernment in relationships, this episode will help you slow down, notice patterns, and choose peace over pressure. And for Christian mothers who desire to guide their daughters with faith and wisdom, this conversation offers encouragement and practical insight to help you model discernment, recognize red flags early, and teach the next generation how to build Christ-centered relationships.

🎙️ Stay Connected with Us!
📺 Subscribe on YouTube: @survivingrelationships12
🎵 Follow us on TikTok: @survivingtoxicrel
🌐 Visit our website: survivingtoxicrelationships.org

📘 Our book is available on Amazon: Love With Eyes Wide Open: Teaching Our Daughters to Recognize Red Flags and God's Voice in Relationships

Not sure what you’re noticing yet?
↓ Discernment Checklist ↓ https://the-matadoras.kit.com/survivingtoxicrelationships

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Trauma. Addiction. Toxic relationships. Shame. Mindset renewal.
In this powerful episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships, we sit down with Rose Ann Forte, international bestselling author and creator of the Choose Freedom program—a faith-forward, neuroscience-backed approach to overcoming life-interfering behaviors.

Rose Ann shares her personal journey through a toxic marriage, substance use as coping, CPTSD, and deep spiritual confusion—and how renewing her mind through Scripture paired with neuroscience transformed her life. As a former C-suite executive and church leader, Roseanne brings wisdom, compassion, and clarity to conversations many women of faith struggle to have out loud.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why faith alone without mind renewal can keep people stuck
• How trauma, addiction, and toxic relationships share similar brain patterns
• What cognitive dissonance looks like in relationships and substance use
• How gratitude and awareness literally rewire the brain
• Why labels and shame prevent healing for many women
• How boundaries restore agency and self-respect
• What “renewing the mind” looks like in real life, not theory

This conversation is for women who love God but feel trapped in patterns they can’t break—and are ready to experience freedom without shame.

🔗 Learn more about Roseanne Forte & the Choose Freedom program:
https://www.choosefreedom.today

🎙️ Stay Connected with Us!
📺 Subscribe on YouTube: @survivingrelationships12
🎵 Follow us on TikTok: @survivingtoxicrel
🌐 Visit our website: survivingtoxicrelationships.org

📘 Our book is available on Amazon: Love With Eyes Wide Open: Teaching Our Daughters to Recognize Red Flags and God's Voice in Relationships

Not sure what you’re noticing yet?
↓ Discernment Checklist ↓ https://the-matadoras.kit.com/survivingtoxicrelationships

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Narcissistic abuse. Gaslighting. Coercive control. Legal abuse.
In this episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships, we sit down with Skye Bellarmine, author of the Breaking Solace trilogy, to talk about surviving 20 years of narcissistic abuse, the moment she realized she wasn’t “crazy,” and the practical steps that helped her leave, heal, and rebuild.

Skye shares how narcissists weaponize reputation (“she’s too sensitive,” “she’s brain damaged”), how they use financial control, and why survivors often feel hypervigilant even after the relationship ends. We also unpack gray rock, the role of faith during separation and divorce, and Skye’s powerful tool: writing your “20 reasons why” so you don’t get pulled back into doubt and love-bombing.

You’ll hear:

• What a narcissistic rage looks like (and why it feels unreal)
• How gaslighting erodes self-trust—and how to protect yourself
• Why narcissists drag out divorces and use courts to punish (“legal abuse”)
• Why building a tribe matters (attorney, support, trusted friends)
• How trauma bonds and love-bombing keep people stuck
• Why telling your story (writing/podcasting/journaling) helps survivors come back to themselves

Guest: Skye Bellarmine — author of Breaking Solace & Escaping Solace

Skye's Website: https://www.skyebellarmine.com

🎙️ Stay Connected with Us!
📺 Subscribe on YouTube: @survivingrelationships12
🎵 Follow us on TikTok: @survivingtoxicrel
🌐 Visit our website: survivingtoxicrelationships.org

📘 Our book is available on Amazon: Love With Eyes Wide Open: Teaching Our Daughters to Recognize Red Flags and God's Voice in Relationships

Not sure what you’re noticing yet?
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Conflict doesn’t mean failure, it means information.

In this powerful conversation, Dr. Jen Fry explores why self-advocacy, boundaries, and conflict resolution are essential skills, especially for women navigating toxic relationships, people-pleasing patterns, and emotional burnout.

Women are often taught to avoid conflict at all costs, but avoidance comes with a price: anxiety, resentment, loss of self-trust, and damaged mental health. Dr. Fry introduces the concept of micro advocacy—small, intentional acts of self-advocacy that build confidence, self-worth, and emotional resilience over time.

Together, we unpack:

-Why conflict is a learned skill, not a personality flaw
-How setting boundaries protects mental health
-Why your first no is often the easiest one
-How conflict reveals the depth (or limits) of relationships
-Practical steps for navigating toxic relationships safely

Why teaching children conflict resolution is essential for healthier communities

This episode is for anyone ready to stop shrinking, start speaking, and learn how to navigate conflict in a way that leads to personal growth, clarity, and empowerment.

This video explores conflict as a teachable skill rather than something to be feared, challenging societal conditioning that encourages women to prioritize peace and silence at the expense of their well-being. Dr. Jen Fry discusses why engaging in conflict is crucial for mental health, contributing to personal growth and self improvement. She introduces micro-advocacy as a way to build confidence and highlights that effective conflict resolution is key to healthy relationships.

Find Dr. Jen Fry at: https://jenfrytalks.com

🎙️ Stay Connected with Us!
📺 Subscribe on YouTube: @survivingrelationships12
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📘 Our book is available on Amazon: Love With Eyes Wide Open: Teaching Our Daughters to Recognize Red Flags and God's Voice in Relationships

Not sure what you’re noticing yet?
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In this powerful story, a teenager’s quick thinking after a devastating car crash leads to a startling discovery—one that forces him to confront years of emotional abuse, silence, and buried truth.

In this episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships, we sit down with Steve Eichenblatt, attorney and author of Pretend They Are Dead, to explore the lasting impact of childhood trauma and the quiet ways it shapes identity, relationships, and self-worth. At just sixteen years old, Steve witnessed a horrific accident and realized the severely injured man he helped save was his biological father—the same father who had abandoned him years earlier.

That single moment reopened a lifetime of unresolved pain, emotional neglect, and fear-based control. Like many survivors of childhood trauma, Steve learned early how to survive by staying silent. For decades, he carried this experience alone, unaware of how deeply it influenced his relationships, marriages, and sense of self.

This conversation highlights what it truly means to overcome a victim mentality. It is a testimony of self-improvement and personal growth, rooted in the conscious decision to stop living defined by past wounds. Steve shares how healing required accountability, vulnerability, faith, and the courage to confront what was hidden.

This episode serves as a reminder that trauma does not have the final word. Moving beyond survival is possible—and choosing healing is always allowed.

You are not crazy. You are not alone. And growth can begin, even after years of silence.

Thank you for our special guest, Steve Eichenblatt
https://www.stevenscotteichenblatt.com/
You can find a copy of his book using the link below:
Pretend They Are Dead: A Father's Search for the Truth: https://bit.ly/4ad8VIF

🎙️ Stay Connected with Us!
📺 Subscribe on YouTube: @survivingrelationships12
🎵 Follow us on TikTok: @survivingtoxicrel
🌐 Visit our website: survivingtoxicrelationships.org

📘 Our book is available on Amazon: Love With Eyes Wide Open: Teaching Our Daughters to Recognize Red Flags and God's Voice in Relationships

Not sure what you’re noticing yet?
↓ Discernment Checklist ↓ https://the-matadoras.kit.com/survivingtoxicrelationships

Contact us anytime at our email: care@survivingtoxicrelationships.org

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