Category: Healing from Spiritual Abuse

Is Complementarianism Damaging the Mental Health of Christian Women?

Is Complementarianism Damaging the Mental Health of Christian Women? [Episode 334]

Have you ever sat in a women’s Bible study, nodding politely while someone says “your husband is your spiritual covering,” and inside you’re thinking, I think I’m dying a little bit every time I say “yes, dear”?
In this episode, I get real about complementarianism, the nice-sounding theology that quietly hijacked our self-worth, autonomy, and sanity. I share how I was the poster child for it once (hello, Created to Be His Help Meet), and how that life script nearly destroyed my soul.
I’m unpacking the research, the psychology, the theology, and yes, the “are you kidding me right now?” stories from real women who’ve lived this. It’s systemic. And it’s deeply damaging.

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Legal Separation Vs. Divorce

Legal Separation Vs. Divorce [Episode 333]

In this episode, I’m diving into a question I get all the time: Is legal separation the better option for Christian women in emotionally and spiritually abusive marriages? Or is divorce actually the path to healing and wholeness?
I know how hard it is to navigate these decisions, especially when your faith, your safety, and your identity are all tangled together. I’ve lived it. I’ve wrestled with it. And I’ve coached hundreds of women through it.
So I’m walking you through the differences between legal separation and divorce from a biblical, emotional, financial, and psychological perspective without shame, fear tactics, or pressure. Just clarity, truth, and love.

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Spiritual Abuse, Scapegoating, and the Mask of Virtue

Spiritual Abuse, Scapegoating, and the Mask of Virtue [Episode 330]

In this episode of The Flying Free Podcast, we’re talking about a book that forever changed my understanding of evil—M. Scott Peck’s People of the Lie.

This isn’t about cartoon villains or obvious monsters. I’m talking about the kind of evil that sits in church pews, leads Bible studies, and goes home to emotionally destroy their families while maintaining a pristine public image.

Have you ever felt crazy for questioning someone’s “godly” behavior when it leaves you feeling diminished and confused? You’re not alone, and you’re not imagining things. In this episode, I break down the subtle patterns of evil that hide behind masks of righteousness, especially in Christian contexts.

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What Does a Safe Church Really Look Like?

What Does a Safe Church Really Look Like? [Episode 324]

In today’s episode, I’m sitting down with someone who’s not here to play nice with toxic church culture—Dr. Andrew Bauman. He’s a licensed mental health counselor, a truth-teller, and the author of Safe Church: How to Guard Against Sexism and Abuse in Christian Communities.
If you’ve ever sat in a church pew feeling invisible… silenced… or like it was your job to hold everything together, this conversation was made for you.
Dr. Bauman gets it. He grew up as a pastor’s kid tangled in trauma, became a pastor himself while battling hidden struggles, and eventually found his way to becoming an outspoken advocate for women in faith spaces.

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Narcissistic Abuse in Christian Relationships

Narcissistic Abuse in Christian Relationships [Episode 322]

Ever been told you’re too sensitive? That you just need to forgive more? Or that if you were a better Christian wife, everything would magically get better?
Yeah. Me too. And Dr. Ramani Durvasula’s book It’s Not You is here to throw a holy wrench into that narrative.
In this week’s episode of the Flying Free Podcast, I’m unpacking the powerful truths in this book and showing you exactly how it validates the lived reality of women in emotionally and spiritually abusive relationships.

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