Getting out of an abusive or controlling relationship is only the first step. So many people think, “Once I leave, I’ll feel better right away.” But the truth is, your nervous system may be stuck in survival mode long after the relationship ends.I see this constantly: people who are technically free — living in a new home, signing divorce papers […]
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When you’re stuck in a cycle of emotional abuse — especially the covert kind — you often don’t even know it’s happening. You just feel crazy. You feel like you’re the problem. You twist yourself into knots trying to fix the relationship, when in reality, the problem was never you.If you’re recovering from emotional abuse, you need to know this: […]
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One of the most life-changing moments I see when I coach people through relationship transitions is when they realize: “I’m not crazy. There’s a pattern.”Narcissistic behavior isn’t random. It’s painfully predictable. It follows a cycle: love bombing, gaslighting, blame-shifting, and manipulation. The narcissist’s goal? Keep you stuck, confused, and off balance so you doubt your reality.When we’ve grown up with […]
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When you’re leaving a controlling or toxic relationship, money is more than dollars and cents — it’s your safety, your security, and your escape hatch.For many women I work with, money has been used as a weapon: hidden accounts, financial gaslighting, or threats that you’ll “have nothing” if you leave. So when you start to untangle your life, you may […]
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When it comes to surviving — and thriving — during divorce or in a difficult relationship, the hardest lesson many of us learn is this: it is not your job to fix someone else’s life.As I often tell my clients, “It’s not your job to heal your partner’s childhood wounds, to make him show up for your kids, or to […]
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When you’re in a relationship that feels broken, it’s normal to think, “Maybe we need couples therapy.” After all, we’re taught that healthy couples work on their issues together. But what if the “issue” isn’t miscommunication or mismatched expectations — what if it’s abuse?When one partner is abusive, traditional couples therapy is not just ineffective — it’s dangerous, contraindicated, and, […]
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Divorce is one of the most emotionally and logistically complex decisions you’ll ever face. And when it comes to navigating the legal aspects, the attorney you choose can significantly impact the outcome of your case—not to mention your stress levels along the way. But how do you know who’s the right fit?The truth is, not all divorce attorneys are created […]
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Divorce is rarely easy, but for those recovering from emotional abuse, it can feel like escaping a war zone with nothing but emotional shrapnel. The wounds are deep, invisible, and slow to heal—but healing is possible. Whether you’re freshly out or still navigating the emotional wreckage, the journey ahead is about more than just survival. It’s about reclaiming your identity, […]
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When you think about dividing assets in a divorce, you probably imagine things like bank accounts, retirement funds, and real estate. But there’s a growing category of marital assets that’s harder to spot—and even harder to trace: cryptocurrency.Crypto is no longer a fringe investment or tech-world experiment. It’s a real financial asset that can significantly impact the outcome of a […]
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We don’t talk enough about how divorce impacts older kids and adult children. There’s a pervasive myth that once your kids are out of the house—or close to it—they’re essentially immune to the emotional fallout of divorce. After all, they’re more mature. They get it. They’ll be fine… right?Not so fast.In a recent episode of The Divorce Survival Guide Podcast, […]
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