How Emotional Abuse in Your Marriage Impacts Your Spiritual Health - Emotional Abuse 101 Part 5 Flying Free 2026-09-17 | How Emotional Abuse in Your Marriage Impacts Your Spiritual Health - Emotional Abuse 101 Part 5
Self Love Over Past Attachment Flying Free 2025-08-17 | Want to watch the rest of this episode of the Divorced Christian Woman Podcast? Head over to youtu.be/O9EH9K_y6zQYou don’t owe access to people who’ve proven they can’t show up for you.Loving someone doesn’t mean they get to keep a seat at your table. When you finally give yourself the love and loyalty you were always pouring into them, the need to be chosen by someone else? It fades.You are already whole.#FlyingFree #FaithAfterAbuse #ChristianWomen #SelfWorth #EmotionalHealing #LettingGo
Emotional Resilience: Always Bouncing Back 🌟 Flying Free 2025-08-17 | Want to watch the rest of this episode of the Divorced Christian Woman Podcast? Head over to youtu.be/O9EH9K_y6zQDiana reminded us of something simple but profound:You’ve had big emotions before.You’ve felt overwhelmed before.And guess what?You’ve always made it through.You’re still here. That track record matters.#FlyingFree #FaithAfterAbuse #EmotionalHealing #ChristianWomen #YouWillRecover #ResilienceIsReal
Facing the Storm: A Life Lesson from Buffalo Flying Free 2025-08-16 | Want to watch the rest of this episode of the Divorced Christian Woman Podcast? Head over to youtu.be/O9EH9K_y6zQSome storms aren’t meant to be avoided—they’re meant to be faced.Like the buffalo, we’re wired by our Creator with the strength to run into the pain, not away from it.It’s not easy. But it’s how we move through the hardest things… and come out the other side.#FlyingFree #FaithAfterAbuse #ChristianWomen #EmotionalHealing #RunThroughTheStorm #SpiritualResilience
Embracing Your Inner Outcast: A Lesson from Jesus Flying Free 2025-08-16 | Want to watch the rest of this episode of the Divorced Christian Woman Podcast? Head over to youtu.be/O9EH9K_y6zQIf Jesus moved toward the outcasts, the broken, and the shamed, why do we treat the hurting parts of ourselves like enemies?What if Christlikeness means moving toward your own pain with compassion, not condemnation?That’s where real healing begins.#FlyingFree #FaithAfterAbuse #ChristianWomen #SelfCompassion #SpiritualHealing #BeLikeJesusToYou
Grief, Rage, and the Uninvited Guests of Healing Flying Free 2025-08-15 | 💥 What if the emotions you’re trying to avoid are the very ones that could set you free?In this episode, Diana Swillinger joins me to talk about the messy emotional aftermath of divorce that no one prepares you for, especially if you’ve spent your life being told that “nice Christian women” don’t get angry, and grief is for people who aren’t trusting God.We talk about: ✔️ Rage as fuel for freedom ✔️ Why grief feels like a monster (and how it’s actually a healer) ✔️ Trauma bonding and future-faking ✔️ The difference between forgiveness and reconciliation ✔️ Why you might miss your ex and still not want him back ✔️ Emotional tools you can use so you don’t spiral, numb out, or scream into a pillow every nightIf you’ve ever worried that feeling your emotions might break you… this episode will show you how they can actually make you.🦬 Bonus: We talk about why buffalo are basically the official mascots of healing. Yes, really.Hit that thumbs up, subscribe, and ring the 🔔 so you don’t miss what’s next. And if you’ve ever wanted permission to rage cry while eating Dove chocolate in Shavasana... consider this it. 💁♀️Related Resources: 🦋 Flying Higher (joinflyinghigher.com) is my personal mentorship program for Christian women pursuing increased confidence, emotional management, relational health and empowered self-development. Want to work with me? This is how!💻 Feel like a hot mess after divorce? My 5-Day Workshop (flyingfreenow.com/five-day-workshop) will teach you a mind-shift tool to help you learn a powerful way to manage your thoughts and emotions in order to navigate adult decisions with clarity and peace. 🧠Check out Diana’s mind-changing podcast at dianaswillinger.com/renew-your-mind-podcast📚 Recommended books: 👉Altogether You by Jenna Remiersma (amzn.to/3HwBYei) 👉No Bad Parts by Richard Schwartz (amzn.to/4jCKgis) 👉Forgiveness After Trauma by Susannah Griffith (amzn.to/3SXiwKi) 👉Finding Meaning: the Sixth Stage of Grief by David Kessler (amzn.to/43OHkdH) 👉The Dance of Anger by Harriet Lerner (amzn.to/44XeOrr) 👉All the Scary Little Gods by yours truly (amzn.to/3SZMrl3).📓Read the full show notes that include powerful journal questions to help you process each episode for your own life at flyingfreenow.com/dcw11#ChristianWomenHealing #RecoveryFromAbuse #FlyingFree
“I Didn’t Feel Ready, But I Knew I Had to Go.” Flying Free 2025-08-14 | Want to watch the rest of this episode of the Flying Free Podcast? Head over to youtu.be/8As2hdUW4UkMaile shared what so many women feel: Emotionally, I wasn’t ready to leave. But I knew I had to.Leaving doesn’t always come with a clean, confident moment. It often comes with fear, shaking hands, and a quiet promise to yourself: “This time, I’m not going back.”And that is courage.#FlyingFree #FaithAfterAbuse #ChristianWomen #LeavingAbuse #DomesticAbuse #ReligiousTraumaRecovery
When the Church Sides with the Abuser Flying Free 2025-08-13 | Want to watch the rest of this episode of the Flying Free Podcast? Head over to youtu.be/8As2hdUW4UkReligious communities often blame the woman for filing for divorce while quietly siding with the abuser to “keep the marriage together.”But that doesn’t reflect God’s heart. Keeping women trapped in abuse sends the wrong message about who God truly is.It’s time to tell the truth.#FlyingFree #FaithAfterAbuse #ChristianWomen #ReligiousTrauma #SpiritualAbuse #DivorceAndFaith
Breaking Free: The Moment She Knew She Couldnt Go Back Flying Free 2025-08-13 | Want to watch the rest of this episode of the Flying Free Podcast? Head over to youtu.be/8As2hdUW4UkMaile shared how she left with only the essentials, terrified, her arms still bruised, and like so many of us, she covered them up.She didn’t want to go back. And she took photos. She asked her doctor to document it. Because somewhere inside, she knew: this mattered.If you’re in this place, you’re not alone.#FlyingFree #FaithAfterAbuse #ChristianWomen #DomesticAbuse #LeavingAbuse #ReligiousTraumaRecovery
He Looked Perfect on Paper: Mailes Story [340] Flying Free 2025-08-12 | What happens when your “godly husband” turns out to be emotionally manipulative, spiritually abusive, and physically violent? Maile’s story is exactly what many Christian women need to hear to know they aren’t crazy, and they aren’t alone.In this episode, Maile shares how she went from stuck and silenced in a toxic marriage to finding peace, safety, and freedom for herself and her son. If you’ve ever wondered if it’s possible to leave and still keep your faith, this conversation will give you hope.In this episode:✔️ The red flags Maile ignored during dating (love bombing, control, snooping)✔️ How spiritual abuse kept her stuck under the “good Christian wife” lie✔️ Why COVID became the unexpected wake-up call she needed✔️ How she found the courage to leave, even after already being divorced once✔️ What freedom and faith look like on the other side of abuse🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell so you never miss a new video.Related Resources: • Book mentioned: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk (amazon.com/gp/product/0143127748/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0143127748&linkCode=as2&tag=visionwomanh-20&linkId=7d5bfeecefdada8ffe3840ea8d1e852e)• Some other survivor stories: Shelley’s story (flyingfreenow.com/246-2) and Stacie’s story (flyingfreenow.com/250-2/).• 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. Get a free chapter when you sign up for my mailing list at the top of my website: flyingfreenow.com• My book, All the Scary Little Gods (flyingfreenow.com/all-the-scary-little-gods), is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming.• The Kaleidoscope (joinflyingfree.com) 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 (joinflyinghigher.com) is my live mentorship program for any Christian woman interested in 10Xing their self-development progress.Read the full show notes at flyingfreenow.com/340#ChristianWomen #FlyingFree #SpiritualAbuse #EmotionalAbuse #FaithAfterAbuse
Not All Men Want Sex 24/7 🤯 Flying Free 2025-08-10 | Want to watch the rest of this episode of the Divorced Christian Woman Podcast? Head over to youtu.be/kho7z6-g1asMarie shared how church culture taught us harmful stereotypes: Men always want sex. Women are supposed to give it.And if reality didn’t match that narrative? Couples thought something was wrong with them.It’s not wrong. It’s human. And it’s time to let go of the shame these stereotypes created. #FlyingFree #FaithAfterAbuse #ChristianWomen #PurityCulture #ReligiousTraumaRecovery #SexualHealing
Purity Culture + Playboy: The Mixed Messages We Got Flying Free 2025-08-09 | Want to watch the rest of this episode of the Divorced Christian Woman Podcast? Head over to youtu.be/kho7z6-g1asDiana nailed it: we grew up with “Stay a virgin!” purity culture drilled into us at church—while the world around us was shouting a completely different message.No wonder so many of us entered adulthood confused, disconnected, and ashamed about our own bodies and sexuality.It’s time to talk about it.#FlyingFree #PurityCulture #FaithAfterAbuse #ChristianWomen #ReligiousTrauma #SexualHealing
The Beauty of Safe Friendships Flying Free 2025-08-09 | Marie shared how healing it’s been to learn the difference between safe and unsafe, and to finally experience friendships with safe men.We talked about how safety is essential for intimacy. Many of us never had that before, but it’s not too late to learn what safe love can feel like.Want to watch the rest of this episode of the Divorced Christian Woman Podcast? Head over to youtu.be/kho7z6-g1as#FlyingFree #FaithAfterAbuse #ChristianWomen #SafeRelationships #EmotionalHealing #ReligiousTraumaRecovery
Thinking about dating again as a divorced Christian woman? Flying Free 2025-08-08 | 👇 Watch this if you’re a divorced Christian woman wondering:❓Can I want sex AND still love Jesus?❓Is dating post-divorce just a swamp of red flags and weird profiles?❓What the heck do I do with all this purity culture baggage?Join me (Natalie) and four of my divorced Christian women friends—Diana, Marie, Lisa, and Loretta—as we have the open, awkward, beautiful convo no one at church ever dared to host.We talk:💥 Purity culture trauma💥 Learning how to want again (safely!)💥 First dates, new boundaries, and saying NO without guilt💥 How God actually made women’s bodies for pleasure💥 What a vibrator taught me at age 50 (yes. I’m going there.)This isn’t a rulebook. It’s a real talk about reclaiming your desires, trusting your gut, and figuring out what YOU want in your next chapter.✨ Whether you’re dating, swearing off men forever, or just wondering if you're normal (you are), this episode is for you.🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell so you never miss a new video.👇 Drop a comment:What’s one message about sex you’re ready to UNlearn?Related Resources: • Flying Higher (joinflyinghigher.com) is my live mentorship program for Christian women pursuing increased confidence, emotional management, relational health and empowered self-development.• Feel like a hot mess after divorce? My 5-Day Workshop (flyingfreenow.com/five-day-workshop) will teach you a mind-shift tool to help you learn a powerful way to manage your thoughts and emotions in order to navigate adult decisions with clarity and peace. • Listen to Diana’s podcast, the Renew Your Mind Podcast, at dianaswillinger.com/renew-your-mind-podcast• Connect with Marie on her blog, Live Like it Matters (livelikeitmatters.net), and website, Spiritual Direction with Marie (spiritualdirectionwithmarie.com)• Read Sheila Wray Gregoire’s The Great Sex Rescue at amzn.to/3HJx2mq• Check out one of my Flying Free Podcast episodes, “What to Do if You’re Married to a Fool” at flyingfreenow.com/7-3Read the full show notes that include powerful journal questions to help you process each episode for your own life at flyingfreenow.com/dcw10#SexAfterDivorce #PurityCulture #ChristianDating #FlyingHigher #NatalieHoffman #TheGreatSexRescue #Deconstruction #DivorcedChristianWoman
It’s Not You. It’s the Culture. Flying Free 2025-08-08 | If a whole group suddenly turns cold, that’s not because you’re broken. It’s a toxic culture problem.You don’t owe loyalty to a building or to “your husband’s people” if it’s costing you your peace.You deserve to choose spaces where your soul can breathe.Want to watch the rest of this episode of the Flying Free Podcast? Head over to youtu.be/3hn3COQLhYk#FlyingFree #FaithAfterAbuse #ToxicChurchCulture #ChristianWomen #ReligiousTraumaRecovery #Boundaries
Build Your Own Table 🪑 Flying Free 2025-08-07 | You don’t have to keep begging for a seat at a table that refuses to see your worth. You can build a new table, surrounded by people who understand grace, healing, and second chances.And if your family ever decides to join you there? Wonderful. But if not, you still belong.Want to watch the rest of this episode of the Flying Free Podcast? Head over to youtu.be/3hn3COQLhYk#FlyingFree #ChosenFamily #FaithAfterAbuse #ChristianWomen #RebuildingYourLife #ReligiousTraumaRecovery
You’re Not Responsible for Their Healing Flying Free 2025-08-07 | Rejection from family while you’re rebuilding your life is a special kind of cruel. It can feel like you’re being punished for your own trauma.But hear me: their healing is not your job. Their emotional work is not your burden.You deserve space to heal without carrying everyone else’s pain on your back.Want to watch the rest of this episode of the Flying Free Podcast? Head over to youtu.be/3hn3COQLhYk#FlyingFree #FaithAfterAbuse #FamilyEstrangement #ChristianWomen #ReligiousTraumaRecovery #Boundaries
Church Hurt Hits Different Flying Free 2025-08-06 | You’re not crazy. You’re not imagining it. When rejection and exclusion happen in the church, it cuts deeper. Spiritual betrayal isn’t just painful—it can feel like your soul is unraveling.You deserve to know: Jesus doesn’t stand with abuse, even when it’s wearing a Sunday smile.Want to watch the rest of this episode of the Flying Free Podcast? Head over to youtu.be/3hn3COQLhYk#FlyingFree #ChurchHurt #FaithAfterAbuse #SpiritualAbuse #ChristianWomen #ReligiousTraumaRecovery
You’re Not Weak. You’re Wounded. Flying Free 2025-08-06 | If you’re barely functioning right now, it’s not because you’re lazy or faithless—it’s because you’re injured. You wouldn’t expect a burn victim to run a marathon, so why expect yourself to “bounce back” when your soul is still healing?It’s okay to slow down. Rest is part of recovery.Want to watch the rest of this episode of the Flying Free Podcast? Head over to youtu.be/3hn3COQLhYk#FlyingFree #FaithAfterAbuse #ChristianWomen #HealingJourney #SpiritualAbuse #ReligiousTraumaRecovery
Help! I’ve Been Rejected by People I Thought I Could Trust! [339] Flying Free 2025-08-05 | 💔 Feeling iced out by the people who should love you the most? You’re not alone.In this episode of the Flying Free Podcast, I answer two powerful listener questions, one from a woman cut off by her family after escaping abuse, and another from a churchgoer in Germany being ghosted by a tight-knit clique of “Christian” moms. (Yes, the ones with the matching water bottles and judgmental stares.)We’re talking: 👉 Why family and church rejection feels so brutal 👉 What to do when “reconciliation” becomes emotional manipulation 👉 The difference between real grace and performative guilt-tripping 👉 Why Jesus never meant for you to beg for belonging 👉 And how to build a new table when your old one collapses under the weight of toxicityThis episode is for every woman who has ever asked, “What did I do wrong?” and is finally ready to ask, “What do I need to heal?”✨ Get ready to feel seen, validated, and a little bit fired up.💡 Subscribe for more truth bombs, hope-filled wisdom, and survivor strength straight to your feed. 🛎️ Hit the bell so you never miss a new episode.🙏 Like + Share if this gave you hope, clarity, or a much-needed “OH MY GOSH SAME.”Related Resources: • Get a free chapter of my book, “Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage” and companion workbook when you hop on my mailing list at flyingfreesisterhood.com/free-download• Listen to some related Flying Free Podcast episodes, including “Why Being Rejected by Your Church and Family Hurts So Bad” (flyingfreenow.com/186-2) and “When You’ve Been Hurt by Church” (flyingfreenow.com/295-2/).• 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. Get a free chapter when you sign up for my mailing list at the top of my website: flyingfreenow.com• My book, All the Scary Little Gods (flyingfreenow.com/all-the-scary-little-gods), is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming.• The Kaleidoscope (joinflyingfree.com) 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 (joinflyinghigher.com) is my live mentorship program for divorced Christian women interested in 10Xing their self-development progress.Read the full show notes at flyingfreenow.com/339#ChristianWomenHealing #RecoveryFromAbuse #FlyingFree
When Letting Go Brings Freedom Flying Free 2025-08-03 | Diana shared how letting go of clutching so tightly to faith didn’t make Jesus disappear. She woke up and realized: He’s still here.All that striving to “keep faith alive”? She didn’t need it anymore. And that felt like freedom.Sometimes, letting go is when you finally learn you’re held.Want to watch the rest of this episode? Head over to youtu.be/Mdzn0O7XXLw#FlyingFree #FaithAfterAbuse #ChristianWomen #SpiritualHealing #ReligiousTraumaRecovery #LettingGo
Facing Faith Crisis After Divorce? You’re Not Alone. Flying Free 2025-08-02 | Diana shared how divorce often sparks a faith crisis: “Have I betrayed God? Is He disappointed in me?”Even if it’s not a total free fall, many women hit this crossroads, and it’s a normal part of healing.If you’re wrestling with these questions, you’re not alone.Want to watch the rest of this episode? Head over to youtu.be/Mdzn0O7XXLw#FlyingFree #DivorceAndFaith #FaithAfterAbuse #ChristianWomen #ReligiousTraumaRecovery #SpiritualHealing
The Messy Middle of Great Stories Flying Free 2025-08-02 | Maybe you’re in the messy middle of your story, wondering if you’re loved, if you’re worthy, if you belong.You do.And sometimes, when people fail to say it, God says it even louder.Want to watch the rest of this episode? Head over to youtu.be/Mdzn0O7XXLw#FlyingFree #FaithAfterAbuse #ChristianWomen #GodLovesYou #MessyMiddle #SpiritualAbuseRecovery
Is It Still Faith if You’re Full of Doubt? Flying Free 2025-08-01 | Are you wondering what the heck you believe anymore after your divorce, or maybe after your church gave you the holy boot for daring to question the status quo? You’re not crazy, you’re not backslidden, and no, you’re not going to hell for thinking “maybe the “god” I was taught to worship is…kind of a jerk?”I sat down with Diana Swillinger to talk honestly about what it’s like to unravel your faith and find out that God was never the problem.If you’ve lost your church, your family, or your sanity, but still feel this tug that God is bigger, better, and more loving than you were told? This episode is for you.✨ Expect some Jenga metaphors. Some healthy sarcasm. And a whole lot of freedom.🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell if you want more honesty and hope in your YouTube feed.And remember: doubt isn’t a sign of spiritual failure. It’s the doorway to authentic faith.Related Resources: • Flying Higher (joinflyinghigher.com) is my live mentorship program for Christian women pursuing increased confidence, emotional management, relational health and empowered self-development.• Flying Free (joinflyingfree.com) is for Christian women in emotionally abusive marriages who are looking for support and healing. Apply to join today!• Feel like a hot mess after divorce? My 5-Day Workshop (flyingfreenow.com/five-day-workshop) will teach you a mind-shift tool to help you learn a powerful way to manage your thoughts and emotions in order to navigate adult decisions with clarity and peace. • Check out Diana’s podcast, The Renew Your Mind Podcast, at dianaswillinger.com/renew-your-mind-podcast• Books mentioned in this episode: The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse by David Johnson and Jeff Van Vonderen (amzn.to/43EyZYI), Love Wins by Rob Bell (amzn.to/43Rabhs), and Faith After Doubt by Brian McLaren (amzn.to/43mjhmc).Read the full show notes that include powerful journal questions to help you process each episode for your own life at flyingfreenow.com/dcw9#FaithDeconstruction #DivorcedChristianWoman #SpiritualAbuseRecovery #ReligiousTrauma #HealingAfterDivorce #QuestioningFaith #ChristianPodcast
Domestic Servitude in Jesus’ Name? Flying Free 2025-07-31 | “The expectation of domestic servitude extended beyond the home into the church.”Women weren’t just expected to meet their husband’s demands. They were expected to serve the entire church. Joyfully. Pleasantly.Because God forbid an insecure man feel uncomfortable.A contributor to the book "Framed: Women in the Family Court Underworld" said she learned to disappear, to survive the shadows of her abuser’s hatred.But not anymore.Want to listen to the rest of this episode with guest Amy Polacko? Head over to youtu.be/PYr5rZT60u8#FlyingFree #FaithAfterAbuse #SpiritualAbuse #ChristianWomen #ReligiousTrauma #AmyPolacko
Divorced Twice… and Then Came the Magic Flying Free 2025-07-30 | Amy joked that being divorced twice is an exclusive club, and I told her I just joined. 🫠After her second divorce, she started a support group in her living room in small-town Connecticut. She thought she’d be the only one. She wasn’t.Her house filled with women, and what happened next?Magic.Because when women support each other through the wreckage, healing happens.Want to listen to the rest of this episode? Head over to youtu.be/PYr5rZT60u8#FlyingFree #DivorceSupport #FaithAfterAbuse #ChristianWomen #AmyPolacko #PostDivorceHealing #DivorcedNotDone
Making Yourself Small Won’t Save You Flying Free 2025-07-30 | Amy Polacko said it best: “Making ourselves small to accommodate someone’s rage does not end well.”One of the contributors to Amy's co-authored book had to lose everything to learn that. But you don’t have to.Her new co-authored book, Framed: Women in the Family Court Underworld, exposes what so many of us have lived—but were never supposed to name out loud.Want to listen to the rest of this episode? Head over to youtu.be/PYr5rZT60u8#FlyingFree #FaithAfterAbuse #FamilyCourtCrisis #ChristianWomen #AmyPolacko #FramedBook
Could You Be FRAMED in Family Court? [338] Flying Free 2025-07-29 | 👇 OPEN ME FOR ALL THE GOODS 👇Welcome to a no-fluff convo where we expose the not-so-holy underbelly of the family court system. I’m talking with divorce coach and investigative journalist Amy Polacko, who has lived through it, written about it, and now coaches other women through the legal maze.If you’re a Christian woman thinking about divorce or already knee-deep in the legal swamp, this is your warning and your wake-up call.Key Takeaways:• You MUST become the CEO of your divorce.• Nice church guy? Might still frame you.• Hiring an attorney without strategy = burning cash.• Most women aren’t believed in court—plan accordingly.• Yes, you can be framed. And yes, you can fight back. (But you need to know how!)🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell so you never miss a new video.Amy is a divorce coach and an award-winning journalist who is a domestic abuse survivor. Through her Freedom Warrior coaching business, she has guided hundreds of women out of toxic relationships and empowers women to be the CEO of their divorce. She is a former full-time investigative reporter on television. Amy’s work has been featured in HuffPost, The Washington Post, Newsweek, NBC News, The Independent, New York Observer and Ms. She co-authored the groundbreaking book FRAMED: Women in the Family Court Underworld with Dr. Christine Cocchiola which exposes the gender bias crisis in our justice system.Related Resources: • Check out Amy’s website at freedomwarrior.info and get some one-on-one coaching (freedomwarrior.info/coaching-services) with her.• Get Amy’s FREE resource, 10 Divorce Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make, at freedomwarrior.info/10-divorce-mistakes• Get the Proactive Playbook for Divorce (freedomwarrior.info/proactive-playbook-for-divorce) or take her course, Divorce Decoded (freedomwarrior.info/divorcedecoded).• Read her co-authored book, Framed: Women in the Family Court Underworld, at amzn.to/4kTi10c• Connect with Amy on Instagram at instagram.com/freedomwarriortribe• Go listen to some related Flying Free Podcast episodes, including “Winning Child Custody & Divorce Battles” (flyingfreenow.com/329-2) and “How to Be the Parent Your Child Needs During Divorce” (flyingfreenow.com/314-2/).• 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. Get a free chapter when you sign up for my mailing list at the top of my website: flyingfreenow.com• My book, All the Scary Little Gods (flyingfreenow.com/all-the-scary-little-gods), is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming.• The Kaleidoscope (joinflyingfree.com) 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 affordable program. (Seriously - it’s the least expensive, most comprehensive support and education community out there!)• Flying Higher (joinflyinghigher.com) is my live mentorship program for any Christian woman interested in 10Xing their self-development progress.Read the full show notes at flyingfreenow.com/338#ChristianWomenHealing #RecoveryFromAbuse #FlyingFree
Let Go of the Holiday Fantasy Flying Free 2025-07-27 | Grace reminded us: Joy isn’t found in big crowds or picture-perfect plans.She let go of the “ideal holiday” script and discovered that two people, good conversation, and a peaceful vibe can be just as sacred as a full house.She even asked her kids what they actually enjoy—and turns out, half the stuff she was stressing over? They didn’t even like. 😂Joy isn’t out there. It’s in the real, right here.Want to listen to the rest of this episode of the Divorced Christian Woman Podcast? Head over to youtu.be/VuWj8F1uEJ0#FlyingFree #ChristianWomen #LettingGo #HolidayPressure #EmotionalFreedom #FaithAfterAbuse
No One Owes You a Special Birthday Flying Free 2025-07-26 | Rochelle said something that stopped me in my tracks: “No one is responsible for my happiness except me.”So when her birthday rolls around? She doesn’t wait for someone else to show up with balloons and a cake.She asks, “What will I do to make me feel special?”That’s not selfish—it’s sacred.Want to listen to the rest of this episode of the Divorced Christian Woman Podcast? Head over to youtu.be/VuWj8F1uEJ0#FlyingFree #SelfWorth #ChristianWomen #FaithAfterAbuse #EmotionalIndependence #BirthdayOnPurpose
Grief ≠ Failure Flying Free 2025-07-26 | Diana nailed it: “Just because it hurts doesn’t mean you failed.”Grief doesn’t mean you messed up. It doesn’t mean you failed your family. Or God. Or your calling.Pain is real. So are your emotions. But let’s not confuse grief with shame. You’re not broken. You’re human.Want to listen to the rest of this episode of the Divorced Christian Woman Podcast? Head over to youtu.be/VuWj8F1uEJ0#FlyingFree #FaithAfterAbuse #ReligiousTrauma #GriefIsNotFailure #ChristianWomen #DivorceRecovery
You Didn’t Fail. Read That Again. Flying Free 2025-07-25 | Diana asked the question we all need to hear: “Could you have single-handedly made your marriage healthy?”No. You couldn’t have. And that doesn’t make you a failure.It means you gave everything you had and it still wasn’t enough, because a one-sided marriage isn’t a marriage. That’s not failure. That’s reality.So let’s stop telling ourselves stories that aren’t true.Want to listen to the rest of this episode of the Divorced Christian Woman Podcast? Head over to youtu.be/VuWj8F1uEJ0#FlyingFree #ChristianWomen #FaithAfterAbuse #DivorceRecovery #YouDidNotFail #ReligiousTraumaRecovery
Handling Holidays, Birthdays, and Other Emotional Landmines Flying Free 2025-07-25 | 👇 Open for real talk, raw stories, and survival tips for your first year divorced.So you’re newly divorced and suddenly it’s Christmas... and everyone expects you to smile like it’s fine. It’s not fine.In this episode, I sit down with five divorced Christian women—Rochelle, Michele, Grace, Diana, and Marie—who bravely share what it’s really like to face birthdays, holidays, and other emotional grenades in the first 365 days post-divorce.We’re talking: 🧨 Grief bombs (they’re real and they show up at the worst times) 🎆 Firework moments of unexpected joy 🚫 Awkward family dynamics and unsolicited “advice” 🛠️ Actual survival strategies (no fluff, just truth)🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell so you never miss a new video.Related Resources: • Flying Higher (joinflyinghigher.com) is my live mentorship program for Christian women pursuing increased confidence, emotional management, relational health and empowered self-development.• Feel like a hot mess after divorce? My 5-Day Workshop (flyingfreenow.com/five-day-workshop) will teach you a mind-shift tool to help you learn a powerful way to manage your thoughts and emotions in order to navigate adult decisions with clarity and peace. • Listen to Diana’s podcast, the Renew Your Mind Podcast, at dianaswillinger.com/renew-your-mind-podcast• Connect with Marie on her blog, Live Like it Matters (livelikeitmatters.net), and website, Spiritual Direction with Marie (spiritualdirectionwithmarie.com/).Read the full show notes that include powerful journal questions to help you process each episode for your own life at flyingfreenow.com/dcw8#DivorcedChristianWoman #EmotionalAbuseRecovery #PostDivorceLife #HolidayTriggers #ChristianWomenHealing #FlyingFree
Walking Away Can Be a Holy Act of Faith Flying Free 2025-07-25 | For so many women, leaving feels like betraying God.But what if walking away from destruction… is actually a holy act of faith?Yes, it feels like death—because it is a kind of death.The death of a dream.The death of a marriage.The death of the future you hoped for.That grief? It’s real. It’s sacred. And it deserves to be honored.Watch the rest of this episode of the Flying Free Podcast at youtu.be/Pb9d-e9Mx9s#FlyingFree #FaithAfterAbuse #DivorceAndFaith #ChristianWomen #ReligiousTrauma #GrieveTheDream
God Doesn’t Give Out Brownie Points for Suffering Flying Free 2025-07-24 | We’ve been spiritually abused to believe that submitting to a harmful spouse is the same as submitting to God. That staying in a toxic marriage earns us holy points. That suffering somehow makes us more valuable to Him.But that’s a lie.Your value was already established—when God made you in His image. It was confirmed at the cross.Your worth has never depended on how much pain you can endure.Watch the rest of this episode of the Flying Free Podcast at youtu.be/Pb9d-e9Mx9s#FaithAfterAbuse #FlyingFree #SpiritualAbuse #ChristianWomen #YouAreValuable #ReligiousTraumaRecovery
What Really Breaks God’s Heart Flying Free 2025-07-24 | We’ve been told that divorce breaks God’s heart. But you know what I think breaks His heart even more?Abuse.Watching His daughters be dehumanized in His name.Watching them wither while being told it’s their Christian duty to endure it.That doesn’t just break God’s heart—it blasphemes His name.Because it tells a lie about who He really is.Sometimes the miracle doesn’t happen until you take that first terrifying step.Watch the rest of this episode of the Flying Free Podcast at youtu.be/Pb9d-e9Mx9s#FaithAfterAbuse #FlyingFree #ChristianWomen #ReligiousTrauma #SpiritualAbuse #DivorceAndFaith
What If God Isn’t Fixing It… on Purpose? Flying Free 2025-07-23 | What if the very thing you’re begging God to fix…is the thing He’s gently asking you to walk away from?What if the unanswered prayers aren’t silence at all—but God’s way of leading you toward safety?That still, small voice nudging you to protect yourself and your kids?That might not be fear. That might be the Holy Spirit.Watch the rest of this episode of the Flying Free Podcast at youtu.be/Pb9d-e9Mx9s#FaithAfterAbuse #FlyingFree #ChristianWomen #DivorceAndFaith #SpiritualAbuse #HolySpiritWhispers
You Are the Miracle 🌟 Flying Free 2025-07-23 | You’ve been praying for a sign. A rescue. A breakthrough.But what if… you are the miracle?The same God who parted seas and raised the dead is powerful enough to guide you into peace, to heal your heart, and to restore what was stolen.So if you’re stuck in that space between hope and despair, listen to the still, small voice. Your body. Your soul. They're already telling you the truth.Watch the rest of this episode of the Flying Free Podcast at youtu.be/Pb9d-e9Mx9s#FaithAfterAbuse #FlyingFree #ChristianWomen #YouAreTheMiracle #HealingJourney #SpiritualAbuseRecovery
Praying for a Miracle—When the Miracle Might Be You Walking Away [337] Flying Free 2025-07-22 | Are you crying on your bathroom floor, praying for your marriage to magically stop hurting? I’ve been there. But what if the miracle you’re praying for isn’t your husband changing, but YOU finally walking away?In this episode, I get raw and real about the false promises of “pray harder and stay longer,” the spiritual gaslighting many Christian women endure, and the actual biblical truths that point toward safety, peace, and healing.You’ll hear: ✨ My own turning point (bathroom-floor edition) ✨ Real stories of women who left and found peace ✨ What the Bible really says about waiting, leaving, and faith ✨ A chapter from my book All the Scary Little Gods that might just break your heart (in the best way)🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell so you never miss a new video.💬 Drop a comment: What was your biggest takeaway? Have you ever felt like YOU were the miracle?Related Resources: • If you liked today’s episode, you may relate to some of my others, including “What Are the Biblical Grounds for Divorce?” (flyingfreenow.com/156-2) and “How Can You Tell if Your Abusive Partner Has Changed?” (flyingfreenow.com/1-2)• 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. Get a free chapter when you sign up for my mailing list at the top of my website: flyingfreenow.com• My book, All the Scary Little Gods (flyingfreenow.com/all-the-scary-little-gods), is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming.• The Kaleidoscope (joinflyingfree.com) 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 (joinflyinghigher.com) is my live mentorship program for any Christian woman interested in 10Xing their self-development progress.Read the full show notes at flyingfreenow.com/337#ChristianMarriage #FlyingFree #SpiritualAbuse #ChristianWomen #EmotionalAbuse #DivorceRecovery
Your Body Remembers. Start Listening. Flying Free 2025-07-20 | For years, you’ve survived by disconnecting from your body. But your body has been carrying the fear and tension all along, waiting for you to notice.It’s not too late to come home to yourself. Noticing is the first step, and you don’t have to do it perfectly to begin.Want to listen to the rest of today's episode? Go to youtu.be/RvM_8ojWFj4 #FlyingFree #SomaticHealing #FaithAfterAbuse #ChristianWomen #TraumaRecovery #BodyAwareness
Reclaim Your Life. Its Not Selfish Flying Free 2025-07-20 | Diana said it best: “Now is the time to ask—what do I want?”Not because you’re selfish. Because you’re finally taking ownership of your life.Asking what you need—what you want—isn’t a betrayal of your faith. It’s the beginning of healing your body, your soul, and your mind.Want to listen to the rest of this episode? Go to youtu.be/RvM_8ojWFj4 #FaithAfterAbuse #ChristianWomen #HealingJourney #FlyingFree #ReligiousDeconstruction #OwnYourLife
Carry Yourself Like a Queen 👑 Flying Free 2025-07-19 | Rochelle said, “I carry myself like a queen.” And honestly? Yes. Steal that. Use it. Try it for a week—stand tall, shoulders back, and see what shifts.Then Grace added something just as powerful: giving yourself permission to be in your body. Not selfish. Not wrong. Just sacred.You’re allowed to take up space.Want to listen to the rest of today's episode? Go to youtu.be/RvM_8ojWFj4 #ChristianWomen #FlyingFree #EmbodiedFaith #EmotionalHealing #FaithAfterAbuse #WalkLikeAQueen
This Shift = Spiritual Maturity Flying Free 2025-07-19 | Grace—one of my amazing guests—said something that hit me right in the gut: “When you can see yourself from outside yourself, that’s a sign of maturity.”For her, that clarity came from renewing her mind and finally understanding what God actually says, not what toxic religion taught her.I know so many of you will relate.Want to listen to the rest of this episode? Go to youtu.be/RvM_8ojWFj4 #SpiritualMaturity #MindRenewal #FaithAfterAbuse #ChristianWomen #FlyingFree #ReligiousTraumaRecovery
Reclaiming Your Body, Time, and Voice Flying Free 2025-07-18 | Wondering how to take up space again after divorce? Like... literally? This episode is for every Christian woman who spent years shrinking herself for the sake of “peace” and is now wondering, “What do I even like?” I’m joined by five amazing divorced Christian women—Diana, Marie, Michele, Grace, and Rochelle—who share their hilarious, raw, and deeply honest stories of reclaiming their bodies, their time, and their voices after leaving emotionally and spiritually abusive marriages.Key Takeaways:• Reclaiming = no longer asking permission to exist• Taking up space is holy (and sometimes funny)• Your voice matters—even if it trembles• Fun isn’t frivolous—it’s healing🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell so you never miss a new video.Related Resources: • Feel like a hot mess after divorce? My 5-Day Workshop (flyingfreenow.com/five-day-workshop) will teach you a mind-shift tool to help you learn a powerful way to manage your thoughts and emotions in order to navigate adult decisions with clarity and peace. (It will give you a taste of the classes you’ll get every month in Flying Higher.)• Flying Higher (joinflyinghigher.com) is my live mentorship program for Christian divorced women who want to work more closely with me and an AMAZING group of women every week. And it won’t cost you your mortgage payment. Just a couple bucks a day. • Listen to Diana’s podcast, the Renew Your Mind Podcast, at dianaswillinger.com/renew-your-mind-podcast• Connect with Marie on her blog, Live Like it Matters (livelikeitmatters.net), and website, Spiritual Direction with Marie (spiritualdirectionwithmarie.com/).• Some recommended books: The Body Keeps the Score (amzn.to/43JYl8L) by Bessel Van der Kolk, MD, How to Do the Work (amzn.to/3Zz1XrH) by Dr. Nicole LePera, and Boundaries (amzn.to/43qWTH1) by Henry Cloud and John Townsend.• The app Marie mentioned, http://meetup.comRead the full show notes that include powerful journal questions to help you process each episode for your own life at flyingfreenow.com/dcw7#DivorcedChristianWomen #SpiritualAbuse #ReclaimYourLife #FaithAfterDivorce
Saying It Out Loud Changes Everything Flying Free 2025-07-17 | Elizabeth said the hardest part wasn’t the abuse. It was breaking the silence.She spent years protecting the image, because if she spoke up, he could lose his job. If she told the truth, everything would become real.But eventually… she said it out loud. And once you do that? There’s no going back.That bell can’t be unrung. And that’s when healing begins.Want to listen to the rest of Elizabeth's survivor story? Go to youtu.be/AQPNpK2FChI#FlyingFree #BreakingTheSilence #ChristianWomen #EmotionalAbuse #FaithAfterAbuse #ReligiousTraumaRecovery
I Tried Everything to Fix It Flying Free 2025-07-16 | Elizabeth poured herself into every marriage book, every therapy session, every “how to be a better wife” tip she could find. More sex. More date nights. More homemade meals.She bent over backwards to be “good enough.” But the goalpost kept moving. Every time she met his needs, he changed the rules.So eventually, she just… did everything. Managed the household. Managed the money. Managed him.And now she sees it for what it was: a grown man playing child, while she carried it all.Want to watch the rest of this interview with Elizabeth as she tells her survivor story? Head over to youtu.be/AQPNpK2FChI#FlyingFree #EmotionalLabor #ChristianMarriage #FaithAfterAbuse #MovingGoalposts #ReligiousTraumaRecovery
Military Marriage Abuse: Elizabeths Story [336] Flying Free 2025-07-15 | 📌 Think military marriages are all order and honor? Think again.In this episode, I chat with Elizabeth—a courageous woman who survived the landmines of emotional and spiritual abuse while married to a man in uniform. We’re not talking about the boots-on-the-ground kind of battle. We’re talking about the soul-crushing, gaslighting, “you’re the crazy one” kind of war that leaves no visible scars but all kinds of emotional shrapnel.🚩 What you’ll hear:• The unique ways military culture can cloak abuse.• How isolation and constant moving helped her husband keep control.• Why “he’s such a good guy” isn’t the glowing review you think it is.• The turning point when Elizabeth realized: I don’t have to live like this.🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell so you never miss a new video.Related Resources: • Listen to some of our other recent survivor stories, including Lisa’s story (flyingfreenow.com/331-2) and Erin’s story (flyingfreenow.com/327-2/). • 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. Get a free chapter when you sign up for my mailing list at the top of my website: flyingfreenow.com• My book, All the Scary Little Gods (flyingfreenow.com/all-the-scary-little-gods), is a spiritual memoir about healing from religious trauma and toxic programming.• The Kaleidoscope (joinflyingfree.com) 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 (joinflyinghigher.com) is my live mentorship program for any Christian woman interested in 10Xing their self-development progress.Read the full show notes at flyingfreenow.com/336#ChristianWomen #EmotionalAbuse #MilitaryWife #NarcissisticAbuse #SpiritualAbuse #FlyingFree #SurvivorStories #Boundaries #Deconstruction #FaithRecovery #ToxicRelationships #ReligiousTrauma #NatalieHoffman #DomesticAbuseAwareness #ChristianMarriage #WomenOfFaith #LeavingAbuse
You’re Not Here to Fix the Marriage Flying Free 2025-07-15 | I said it out loud: “I’m an adult. I get to make choices. And if my partner doesn’t want an actual adult relationship… maybe we’re not a match.”Elizabeth and I talked about how scary it feels to even think about divorce—but here’s the thing: you don’t have to.Start by healing you. Learn how to show up fully alive. And from there? The relationship either grows—or it reveals what it really was all along.Either way, you win.Want to listen to the rest of this episode where Elizabeth tells her survivor story? Head over to youtu.be/AQPNpK2FChI#FlyingFree #EmotionalAdulthood #FaithAfterAbuse #DivorceRecovery #ChristianWomen #YouGetToChoose
The Kids Aren’t Okay (But They Will Be) Flying Free 2025-07-11 | Welcome to another real-talk episode where we get honest about parenting post-divorce. You’re not ruining your kids, friend. You’re rescuing them.In this roundtable convo, I chat with five divorced Christian moms—Diana, Loretta, Wendy, Jillian, and Lisa—about the messy, beautiful, sometimes hilarious journey of raising kids after leaving a toxic marriage.👩👧👦 We talk: • How the kids reacted (hint: it wasn’t all tears and therapy) • Managing chaos with toddlers, teens, and all the feelings • Redefining family traditions (yes, you can have a tree in every room) • Boundaries, co-parenting drama, and when to call in backup (aka therapists)🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell so you never miss a new video.Related Resources: • Flying Higher (joinflyinghigher.com) is my live mentorship program for divorced Christian women pursuing increased confidence, emotional management, relational health and empowered self-development. And it’s a bargain at only $59/month or $590 for an entire year of concentrated education and support. “I’m a LIFER” is what members often say. Join us and find out why!• Feel like a hot mess after divorce? My 5-Day Workshop (flyingfreenow.com/five-day-workshop) will teach you a mind-shift tool to help you learn a powerful way to manage your thoughts and emotions in order to navigate adult decisions with clarity and peace. • Go listen to Diana’s podcast, The Renew Your Mind Podcast, at dianaswillinger.com/renew-your-mind-podcast• Contact Loretta at Info@mycoachloretta.com • Listen to Jillian’s podcast, The Hungry for Love Podcast, at podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/body-you-crave/id1573281085• Connect with Lisa at her Linktree at https://linktr.ee/lisa.kay.taylor• Check out Wendy’s art on her Instagram at instagram.com/wenkatdesignsRead the full show notes that include powerful journal questions to help you process each episode for your own life at flyingfreenow.com/dcw6#divorcedmom #christianwoman #emotionalabuse #parentingafterdivorce #faithandfreedom #toxicmarriage #healingjourney #boundaries #spiritualabuse
Stop Waiting to Be Rescued Flying Free 2025-07-10 | There comes a moment when you realize no one’s coming to save you. And maybe that’s not a tragedy. Maybe that’s the beginning of your freedom. God already equipped you to rise. One simple first step? Start a reality journal. Write what actually happened. No sugarcoating. No spin. Then read it later, especially when he's being nice.Want to listen to the rest of this episode of the Flying Free Podcast? Head over to www.flyingfreenow.com/335#FaithAfterAbuse #RescueYourself #ChristianWomen #EmotionalAbuseRecovery #FlyingFree
When “Being a Good Wife” Destroys You Flying Free 2025-07-09 | I was taught that a “godly wife” always gives the benefit of the doubt… even if it costs her her sanity. That if he’s ever kind, maybe the cruelty was just in my head. But that’s not love. That’s gaslighting wrapped in a Bible verse.Want to listen to the rest of this episode? Head over to www.flyingfreenow.com/335#ChristianMarriage #EmotionalAbuse #SpiritualAbuse #WakingUp #FlyingFree #FaithAfterAbuse
