Emotional Abuse Archives

Natalie Hoffman Flying Free Podcast Episode 391 with the text "Why Do Christians Get So Mad When I Talk About God’s Love?"

Why Do Christians Get So Mad When I Talk About God’s Love? [Episode 391]

October 6, 2026

Today I’m going to tell you about the last of the three books I picked as the most life-changing for me so far. I was nervous to write this episode because the book is controversial in some circles, and even I was afraid to read it many years ago. I expected to confront all kinds of lies and heresies (this is what I was taught at my church!)

Instead, I found permission to believe in a God big enough, powerful enough, and loving enough to actually win. I found in its pages what it would truly be like to lean into the God I believed in as a child.

Natalie Hoffman Flying Free Podcast Episode 390 with the text "How to Deal with Triggers that Make You Spiral Out"

How to Deal with Triggers that Make You Spiral Out [Episode 390]

September 29, 2026

This is the second in a 3-part series where I’m sharing the top three books that have changed my life. Last week I talked about the book A Failure of Nerve by Edwin Friedman. This week I will talk about Altogether You by Jenna Remiersma. And next week…well, you’ll have to come back then to hear me talk about a VERY controversial book in conservative Christian circles, but WOW did it absolutely do a number on my chronic fear, shame, and anger.

But for now – let’s dive into a book that helped me make sense of the contradictory thoughts I struggled with every single day.

“I can totally do this!” “I could NEVER DO THAT!”

See what I mean?

Natalie Hoffman Flying Free Podcast Episode 389 with the text "Why Do People Get Mad When You Change?"

Why Do People Get Mad When You Change? [Episode 389]

September 22, 2026

A lot of people got mad at me when I started to change over ten years ago. They got so mad, they booted me out of my church and my family. In this episode, I’m going to tell you about a book that changed the way I parent, lead, and show up in my own life.

It’s a book about what it actually takes to become the leader of your own life when everyone around you wants things to stay the same.

Natalie Hoffman Flying Free Podcast Episode 388 with the text "What if I'm the Abuser?" Is There Such a Thing as "Reactive Abuse?"

“What if I’m the Abuser?” Is There Such a Thing as “Reactive Abuse?” [Episode 388]

September 15, 2026

If you’ve ever screamed, thrown something, said something you regret, and then wondered if you’re the abusive one, this conversation will clear that up for you. Our guest, Annette Oltmans breaks down what’s really happening in your brain, why “mutual abuse” is a myth, and what happens when the very people you turn to for help end up hurting you all over again.

Natalie Hoffman Flying Free Podcast Episode 387 with the text Are You Estranged From a Parent or Adult Child? The Complicated Reasons and Layers of Pain in Parent/Adult-Child Estrangement

Are You Estranged From a Parent or Adult Child? The Complicated Reasons and Layers of Pain in Parent/Adult-Child Estrangement [Episode 387]

September 8, 2026

Family estrangement. It’s kind of big on social media right now, but not always in a healthy kind of way. Gretchen Baskerville, author of The Life Saving Divorce, has done research on this, and she’s discovered nine types of family estrangement.

Chances are, you’ve had a brush with…or are experiencing…at least one type.

Watch or listen in to hear real stories that show how addiction, control, mental illness, outside manipulation, and even distorted theology can all play a role in family estrangements, and why the truth is almost always more layered than “who’s the villain here.”

Natalie Hoffman Flying Free Podcast Episode 386 with the text 4 Types of Trauma Bond Withdrawal Symptoms You Need to Know

4 Types of Trauma Bond Withdrawal Symptoms You Need to Know [Episode 386]

September 1, 2026

If you are stepping away from an emotionally or spiritually destructive marriage and suddenly feel hit by severe anxiety, physical illness, obsessive thoughts, or a desperate urge to run back, you may be experiencing trauma bond withdrawal.

When a relationship alternates between unpredictable emotional mistreatment and periods of seeming “niceness,” your body builds a biological and neurochemical dependency on that cycle. Breaking free triggers a physical and emotional detox.

This episode is a faith-informed, clinically grounded guide to understanding trauma bond withdrawal symptoms, dismantling weaponized scripture, and restoring your nervous system.

Category: Emotional Abuse