the flying free podcast

the flying free podcast

The Flying Free podcast offers a Christ-centered perspective on emotional and spiritual abuse that protects and honors women. Tune in each week to hear conversations with abuse advocates and fellow survivors who will walk with you on your journey, offering hope and healing that will change your life.

New to the podcast, or not sure where to begin? Click below to see our most popular episodes.

recent podcasts

Praying for a Miracle—When the Miracle Might Be You Walking Away

Praying for a Miracle—When the Miracle Might Be You Walking Away [Episode 337]

What if the miracle you’ve been begging God for—the divine intervention, the total transformation of your emotionally bankrupt marriage—is actually you walking out the door?
In this episode, I pull back the curtain on my own bathroom-floor prayer sob sessions (complete with cold tile and mascara rivers) and challenge the dangerous theology that says staying in abusive marriages = holy martyrdom.
If you’ve been stuck in a cycle of “pray harder, suffer longer,” it’s time to consider that the still, small voice urging you to get out might actually be God.

Listen Now
Military Marriage Abuse: Elizabeth's Story

Military Marriage Abuse: Elizabeth’s Story [Episode 336]

Ever wondered what it’s like to be married to someone who swears allegiance to both their country and their ego? Meet Elizabeth, a brave survivor of emotional, spiritual, and psychological abuse within a military marriage. Spoiler alert: It’s not all flag-waving and family barbecues.

Listen Now
Why Do I Feel Sorry for My Mean Husband?

Why Do I Feel Sorry for My Mean Husband? [Episode 335]

Let’s talk about that weird emotional hangover you get after confronting your husband’s bad behavior. You know, the one where he hurts you, but somehow you end up feeling sorry for him? Yep. That old chestnut. In this episode, I get real about the trap so many of us Christian women fall into, the compassion boomerang that keeps us stuck in abusive marriages.
I’ve lived this. I breathed this for 25 years. I know exactly what it feels like to see the abuse for what it is, feel a spark of righteous anger… only to have it snuffed out by a fake tear, a Bible verse, or a bouquet of “I didn’t mean it that way” flowers. Before you know it, you’re back to feeling like the monster for having feelings in the first place.
So I’m calling it out. We’re unpacking why this happens, how it messes with your brain, and what you can do to flip the script and start feeling sorry for the person who truly deserves your compassion: you.

Listen Now

Search the Podcast:

Favorite Episodes

When You Are Betrayed by Your Church, Family, and Friends

In this interview with public speaker and coach, Patrick Doyle, we talk about how to cope with the betrayal from church, family, and friends that occurs when women of faith stand up against abuse in their homes. Betrayal of this kind is extraordinarily traumatic…

How Can You Tell if Your Abusive Partner Has Changed?

In the very first episode of the Flying Free podcast, we hear from Bob Hamp of Think Differently Counseling as he answers the question: how can you tell if your abusive partner has changed?

Bob Hamp is a licensed marriage and family therapist…

What Do You Do If You’re Married to a Fool?

What is a fool? How does the Bible define a fool? And what is a woman of faith to do when she realizes she is married to one? Join Rachel and Natalie as they talk about how to deal with the fools in your life…

Taking Back Your Life After Emotional Abuse

Oh my goodness GRACIOUS, do I have a treat for you. Today I’m speaking with Gender Justice Specialist, Natalie Collins, about how to take back your life from abuse as well as her brand new book, Out of Control: Couples, Conflict, and the Capacity for Change…

Seven Things an Abuser Does When You Set Boundaries

Learn the seven predictable things an abuser does when you set boundaries. Knowing what to expect in advance will empower you to respond with emotional control and self-respect…

What is Gaslighting in a Toxic Narcissistic Relationship?

You spend every conversation talking in circles, being told why you’re always at fault, apologizing for anything he did wrong, and feeling like a piece of human trash. The chance that you’re experiencing gaslighting…

The Difference Between a Normal Marriage and an Emotionally Abusive Marriage

In this episode, Rachel and Natalie compare and contrast their former marriages to emotionally abusive partners and their current relationships to emotionally healthy men…

Is Suffering Really One of God’s Purposes in Marriage?

In this episode Rachel and Natalie discuss the suffering wife. Is suffering really one of God’s purposes in marriage? And does an emotionally and spiritually abusive marriage reflect the relationship between Christ and His bride, the Church…

Are You Married to a Quiet Covert Abuser with a Hidden Lifestyle?

While Julie experienced more overt abuse during her formative years, she ended up married to a quiet, covert abuser with a hidden lifestyle.

“The hidden abuse made far more lasting marks on my soul than the overt abuse I experienced as a child ever did.”

Find out what helped her decide to pay the price for freedom…

The Beliefs That Keep Christian Women Stuck in Abusive Marriages

In today’s podcast episode, I share my own story of how I got into an abusive marriage, why I stayed, and how I got out.

I kept journals throughout the course of my marriage, and in this episode I will share an inside look into my heart and belief system while I navigated the relentlessly painful circumstances of my marriage…

When Your Husband and Pastor Demand Reconciliation and Forgiveness

Abusive people almost always demand reconciliation with their victims. Why is that? What is their motivation? And do victims owe their abusers trust and relationship after having prior trust and relationship violated over and over again…

Setting Boundaries with a Husband Who Blames You for Everything

In today’s episode, Natalie, Rachel, and Becky tackle a common issue many survivors have when they begin to set boundaries with a husband who blames you for everything. You’ll also learn why taking all the responsibility in a relationship is never a win-win for anyone and what you can do instead…