The LOVE>hate Podcast

In Part 1 of this four-part series on The LOVE>hate Podcast , host Melissa Etzler welcomes guest Ruth Carroll to share her story of surviving long-term domestic violence, coercive control, and severe emotional abuse. Ruth provides a candid look into what daily life looks like inside an abusive home, describing the hypervigilance required to protect herself and her children while navigating a vo...

Episode Title: Unsilenced: Overcoming Religious Cult Trauma, Domestic Abuse, and Finding Inner Peace with Brooke Deanne Episode Overview: In this powerful and deeply moving episode of The LOVE>hate Podcast , host Melissa Etzler sits down with author, transformational coach, and podcast host Brooke Deanne for an intimate conversation on reclaiming one's voice after severe trauma. Born and ra...

In the powerful conclusion of our three-part series on The LOVE>hate Podcast , author and speaker Peter Young equips listeners with practical tools to identify high-control groups, recognize red flags in relationships, and cultivate unshakable internal joy after enduring trauma. Diving deep into the mechanics of group dynamics, Peter breaks down the critical differences between cultural or educ...

What happens when the scales finally fall from your eyes and you realize you are trapped in a cult? In Part 2 of our three-part series with Peter Young on The LOVE>hate Podcast , Peter shares the pivotal moment his life changed forever when an anonymous package arrived in his mailbox containing Steven Hassan’s seminal book, Combating Cult Mind Control . Reading that book ignited a courageous jo...

How does an ordinary person end up trapped in a high-control cult without realizing it? In Part 1 of this compelling conversation on The LOVE>hate Podcast , author and speaker Peter Young sits down with host Melissa Etzler to unpack his powerful story of marrying into a family dominated by a charismatic, manipulative guru known as "Uncle Robert." What began as subtle theological differe...

In this powerful episode of The LOVE>hate Podcast , host Melissa Etzler sits down with Brittany Fields, clinical herbalist, author, and survivor, for a deeply moving conversation on escaping domestic abuse, finding justice, and transforming trauma into personal strength. Brittany shares her journey through a long, abusive marriage that began in her youth and the pivotal moment she chose to figh...

What happens when you stop reacting to life out of your woundedness and start choosing from your wholeness? In Part 2 of this inspiring conversation on the LOVE > hate podcast, host Melissa Etzler continues her interview with Gina as she shares her journey of self-advocacy, overcoming personal crisis, and stepping into her authority as a conscious creator. Picking up from her inner healing work...

Can childhood trauma secretly dictate the choices, relationships, and career environments you step into as an adult? In Part 1 of this moving two-part conversation on the LOVE > hate podcast, host Melissa Etzler sits down with guest Gina to explore the complex journey of processing intergenerational trauma, setting boundaries, and decoupling inherited shame. Gina opens up about growing up in a...

How can faith communities become places of true refuge rather than silent spaces of isolation? In the final installment of our three-part series on the LOVE>hate podcast , author Liberty Steele and host Melissa Etzler address church leaders, pastors, and community members on how to spot covert abuse and effectively support victims. Liberty breaks down eye-opening statistics regarding domestic a...

Leaving a toxic relationship is only the first step on the road to freedom. In Part 2 of our three-part series, Liberty Steele joins host Melissa Etzler on the LOVE>hate podcast to discuss the complex legal, emotional, and psychological reality of rebuilding your life after emotional abuse. Liberty details her experience navigating high-conflict divorce court and custody proceedings with a narc...

What happens when emotional and verbal abuse hides behind the doors of a faith-based marriage? In Part 1 of this powerful three-part series on the LOVE>hate podcast , host Melissa Etzler sits down with author and advocate Liberty Steele to unmask the early warning signs of toxicity, covert manipulation, and love bombing within Christian relationships. Liberty candidly shares her personal journe...

In Part 2 of this inspiring episode of the Love is Greater Than Hate podcast, host Melissa Etzler picks up the conversation with Carly to explore the transformative journey of healing, self-discovery, and post-traumatic growth after escaping domestic violence. Shifting the focus from survival to thriving, Carly opens up about what it takes to rebuild your life and cultivate unshakeable internal pe...

In this deeply moving episode of the Love is Greater Than Hate podcast, host Melissa Etzler sits down with Carly to discuss the nuanced realities of domestic abuse, survival, and the courage it takes to break free. Sharing her powerful story, Carly sheds light on a critical truth that many survivors face: the time you decide to leave an abusive relationship is often the most dangerous. Carly takes...

What does life look like after the survival mode ends and the silence sets in? In the powerful conclusion of our two-part conversation, host Melissa Etzler sits down with advocate and survivor Jason to discuss the long, profound journey of emotional healing, overcoming trauma, and breaking down the stigma surrounding male vulnerability. Picking up 16 years after escaping an abusive relationship, J...

What happens when the person you are supposed to feel safest with becomes the source of your greatest fear? In part one of this deeply moving and courageous conversation, host Melissa Etzler sits down with survivor and advocate Jason to break the silence on a topic that is far too often left in the dark: male domestic abuse and men’s mental health. Jason opens up about the insidious nature of toxi...

How do you break a toxic cycle for good and reclaim your personal sovereignty? In the conclusion of this powerful two-part series, host Melissa Etzler and Joelle dive deep into the profound evolution of self-healing. Picking up in 2018, the pivotal year Joelle chose radical singledom after escaping a second abusive relationship, this episode shifts the narrative from enduring trauma to mastering t...

What happens when the person you swore to love becomes the catalyst for your deepest trauma? In this raw and deeply moving episode, host Melissa Etzler sits down with Joelle, a certified practitioner and nurse, to unpack her devastating experience surviving severe narcissistic abuse. Joelle pulls back the curtain on the subtle red flags she missed early on, exploring how childhood wounds and empat...

Rebuilding your life after leaving a coercive environment is an everyday work in progress. In Part 2 of our feature interview, Christine Dillard opens up about the daunting reality of reclaiming her autonomy. After 17 years of a controlled marriage, she realized she didn't even know what she liked to eat for dinner, let alone what her hobbies were. Christine explains her unique approach to reb...

In this first part, Christine Dillard joins the Love is Greater Than Hate podcast to break down the complex mechanics of coercive control and domestic abuse. For 17 years, Christine lived an entirely double life: she was a confident, strong team lead in corporate America who managed boardrooms with ease, only to return home to an environment filled with walking on eggshells, explosive outbursts, a...

How do you find peace and joy on the days when life simply feels too heavy? In Part 2 of this inspiring conversation on the Love is Greater Than Hate podcast, host Melissa Etzler continues her discussion with author and podcaster Maria to explore the practical daily habits, tools, and mindsets required for long-term emotional healing and self-discovery. Following her survival of multiple health cr...

Why do some people survive impossible circumstances, and how do we shift from feeling like life is happening to us to realizing it is happening for us? In the first part of this deeply moving episode of the Love is Greater Than Hate podcast, host Melissa Etzler sits down with Maria, a remarkable survivor who has spent her life defying the statistics. From the very beginning, surviving a less-than-...

In this deeply moving episode of The LOVE>hate Podcast , host Melissa Etzler sits down with the incredibly resilient Amanda Goldman-Petrie (affectionately known as AGP) for a powerful conversation on trauma, survival, and why growth is always greater than pain. AGP shares her "utterly insane" life journey, walking listeners through three distinct evolutions of herself. She opens up abou...

In this powerful episode of The LOVE>hate Podcast , host Melissa Etzler sits down with author, minister, and overcomer Denise M. Walker for an intimate conversation on healing, faith, and reclaiming your voice after trauma. Denise opens up about her deeply personal journey overcoming the painful wounds of childhood abuse and the physical and emotional toll of a severe endometriosis diagnosis. A...

In the powerful second half of this interview on the Love is Greater Than Hate podcast , host Melissa Etzler dives deeper with advocate Dan Roth into the complex realities of mental health, family dynamics, and intentional recovery. Dan opens up about his personal turning point, sharing the precise mindset shift that saved his marriage and reshaped his entire approach to emotional healing. Navigat...

In this powerful episode of the Love is Greater Than Hate podcast , host Melissa Etzler sits down with advocate Dan Roth to discuss a critical yet frequently overlooked topic: male domestic violence and sexual assault survivorship . Dan opens up about his personal journey, shedding light on the complex realities of relationship trauma, mental health struggles, and the long road to recognizing abus...