Emotional Abuse Archives

How to Feel Safe Again After Divorce

July 14, 2026

Last week was the why. This week is the what now. In Part 2 of this conversation, Natalie Hoffman and Diana Swillinger get practical about what it actually takes to move your nervous system from a state of constant threat management into something that feels like real life. And they go somewhere unexpected: the resistance to joy itself.

This is not a list of lofty advice. These are specific, doable practices that teach your body moment by moment that it is safe to let its guard down. There is also a deeper question: is “survival mode” even still the right story for where you are now?

What if “Biblical Womanhood” is Actually a Trauma Response? [Episode 380]

July 7, 2026

Let’s talk about something called “the subjugation schema.” It’s a clinical pattern that secular psychologists are actively trying to help women heal from, and the conservative Christian church has rebranded the exact same wound as godliness, biblical womanhood, and a high calling.

If you’ve spent your life apologizing for taking up space, smiling when you wanted to scream, or feeling guilty about basic human needs like rest, preferences, and an opinion of your own, this episode is going to feel like someone finally turned the lights on.

The Divorce Is Over… So Why Am I Still in Survival Mode?

June 30, 2026

Three years since the divorce was finalized, and you’re still grinding your teeth at night and apologizing for things that aren’t your fault. What is going on? In this episode of the Divorced Christian Woman Podcast, Natalie Hoffman and Diana Swillinger tackle one of the most common and confusing questions from women who have finally gotten out: why doesn’t leaving make it stop?

Your brain knows the marriage is over. But your body hasn’t gotten that memo yet. And even when it does, it’s not flipping a switch for anybody. This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation on survival mode after divorce, and it begins with understanding why you’re still in it and what it’s doing to your daily life.

Is Your Church Actually Safe for Abuse Survivors? Here’s How to Find Out [Episode 379]

June 23, 2026

In this episode I’m answering a pressing question Christian women in difficult marriages ask: how do you find a church that will actually support you instead of silence you?

Because not all churches are created equal, and the difference between a safe church and a harmful one can change everything for a woman trying to find her footing. I’ll break down exactly what to look for, what to ask, and what red flags to run from.

Post-Divorce Grief (Does it Ever Go Away?)

June 16, 2026

Today we get honest about the grief that shows up even when you know you made the right decision. In this episode of the Divorced Christian Woman Podcast, we’ll answer a real question from a Flying Higher member who’s been circling back to her grief and wondering why she can’t just move on.

What we uncover might surprise you. It’s not just about missing him. And it’s definitely not something you can solve by scattering unity sand in a river.

The Pastor’s Wife Nobody Saw: Jessica’s Story [Episode 378]

June 9, 2026

In this episode, I sit down with my real-life friend Jessica, a pastor’s wife whose story intersects with mine: her husband was a pastor at the very church that excommunicated me. What started as a conversation about her story turned into one of the most layered, honest episodes I think we’ve ever recorded.

Jessica spent decades being told her emotions were idols, her feelings weren’t facts, and her needs were sin problems she needed to repent of. In this conversation, she shares what it took to finally see through that, what the long road out of a high-control religious marriage actually looks like, and why freedom sometimes takes many years to arrive even after the divorce papers are signed.

Category: Emotional Abuse