Survivor Stories Archives

Survivor Story: Married by Myself

Today’s guest is Laurie Sullivan, a survivor of emotional abuse and sexual infidelity at the hands of her husband, a prominent leader in several churches they attended. Laurie outlines her story from getting married at age nineteen to a man she loathed in childhood to eventually finding freedom years later.

Christ is at the center of Laurie’s story, showing Himself to her throughout her custody battle for her children and her third marriage to a good man. Listen in to this eventful story of Laurie’s journey out from abuse.

Rising Above Narcissistic Abuse

When twelve women come together to write a book about rising above narcissistic abuse, you know they are a force to be reckoned with. Today’s episode is a sneak-peak into their stories and how they escaped their abusers, what their healing journey has been like since then, and more.

Join Ina Johnson Meyers, her co-authors, and yours truly as we discuss red flags, how religion can keep you in bondage, and how these women gained the courage to leave their abusive situations. Spoiler alert: God is at the center of all of these women’s stories, and He wants to give you the courage to rise above narcissistic abuse, too.

12 Life-Changing Beliefs That Will Unhook You From Abuse Part Three

Life after abuse can feel like you’re just spinning your wheels. You struggle with the same things. The same thoughts. The same downward spirals. Over and over and over.

Flying Free is all about breaking out of harmful cycles, in and after abusive relationships. If you want to see this in action, Amie is a poster child for life beyond abuse: healing, thriving, and constantly growing.

Our discussion was so powerful, her story so incredible, the amazing freedom she’s experienced so inspiring, that we talked for two hours. There was no way I was going to cut a single minute from the recording, so I broke it into three episodes.

This series catalogs her thought transformations, from old to new, across the most important aspects of her life, the parts that were hit the hardest by spiritual and emotional abuse. So if you’re feeling stuck, defeated, or just plain frustrated as heck in your recovery process, this is one of the greatest freebies you’ll come across.

12 Life-Changing Beliefs That Will Unhook You From Abuse Part Two

“I’ve got to share this with as many people as possible.” That’s what I decided when Amie showed me her thought work from Flying Higher.

What the heck is “thought work”? Well, I’ll answer your question with a question.

How often do you have the same thoughts? You know, the crappy ones. “Nothing will ever change. If I could just get him to see how much he’s hurting me. I have to wait for God to move; I can’t do anything about this. I need someone to come rescue me. I’m trapped. I’ll never heal.”

What if you had new beliefs that led to new emotions and new actions and an ENTIRE NEW LIFE?

I’m not blowing smoke up your tailpipe. The truth is: You could have all your problems solved right now, and you’d still be stuck if your thoughts didn’t change too. And they don’t on their own.

Our beliefs keep us in abuse. It’s only our beliefs that can free us. Thought work is the simple way to break free.

Want some clear evidence? I recorded three episodes’ worth—Amie’s story. It’s incredible, and one of many in the Sisterhood.

12 Life-Changing Beliefs That Will Unhook You From Abuse Part One

“I would keep the peace or create peace at any cost. And a lot of the time, the cost was myself.”

Amie searched for love her entire life. But all she found were unsafe people. And all she learned was that love demanded everything and gave nothing but pain in return.

Despite this, Amie is a poster child for what’s possible after a life of abuse. She’s flourished in Flying Free and Flying Higher, moving from a caterpillar perspective to a butterfly perspective, from crawling to flying.

How? It all comes down to old thoughts versus new thoughts. Just like a caterpillar, Amie wove a cocoon of new thoughts to replace the ones that had led her into harm and kept her from living beyond her trauma.

What she learned is so powerful, so practical, and so encouraging, we talked for 2 hours. I broke our discussion into a 3-part podcast series, diving into exactly what Amie did and providing listeners the simple, downloadable resource she used to fly free.

Rediscovering Your True Self After Toxic Relationships and Emotional Abuse

Feeling like a moldy lemon?

Maybe you’re just an onion.

If you’ve escaped the horror of a destructive relationship, but you still feel numb, anxious, depressed, and like a steaming hot mess…it’s easy to believe that “being jacked up” is the new normal. And your whole identity.

It’s not. In fact, what you’re searching for is closer than you can believe:

You’re still a whole person. Your true self isn’t lost. Your body is actually trying to help you heal. The best of you is still there.

But some of these things are covered by layers. Like an onion.

Coatings of trauma. Blankets of pain. Wrappings of core wounds. Cocooned lies.

Want to know how to find that sweet little onion core again? Sara Richmond and I explore this very question.

A Teen’s Perspective on Divorce During the Holidays

What’s it like to experience divorce as a kid?

You’ve heard from me. You’ve heard from experts. You’ve heard from survivors.

What about the young ones caught in the throes of things they don’t understand. The ones who only know that Thanksgiving, and Christmas, and life, will never be the same again.

Divorce through the eyes of a teen…my own daughter.

Three False Beliefs My Abusive Relationship Gave to Me

Imagine carrying around a backpack full of books from high school.

You aren’t taking those classes anymore, but you always carry the weight anyway.

It digs into your shoulders. It makes you tired. Slows you down. Doesn’t let you truly rest. It keeps others from getting close.

Abuse is like that. It teaches us a lot—lessons no one should ever learn. And lessons we don’t even realize we’re still living out.

So we may escape abusive relationships, but we’re stuck in limbo, carrying the textbooks we think hold the truth about life, love, and ourselves.

Listen to this episode to learn how to be truly free from your past.

Finding Joy Even When Life Hurts

If your life is already a tough pill to swallow, taking more medicine is the last thing you want to do. Gross.

But what if it’s the “best medicine”? The type that makes you laugh-cry, hold your sides, and snort with glee.

Laughter and joy and humor can transform the darkest days, the bleakest seasons, and the hardest nights.

And no matter what you’ve been through, you really can experience their life-giving power.

I talk with prolific laugher, Sara Richmond, about how.

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