Flying Free

In this episode we tackle three questions: What happens when the abuser is the one who leaves? How do you live with the fear of post-separation or post-divorce revenge? And what do you do when your friends just don't get it? 🔑 Key Takeaways: Why some abusers discard their victims (and what it reveals about your progress) The difference between fear you should listen to and fear that steals your p...

This isn't my typical podcast episode. Today I get personal, sharing why I’ve decided to pursue graduate studies in theology after experiencing profound spiritual abuse throughout my entire life. If you've read All the Scary Little Gods , you know my story, and you might be wondering why I’d ever step back into that world. I invite you into my journey of healing, my commitment to simplicity in 202...

In Episode 369 of the Flying Free Podcast, you’ll learn a term that's more accurate than "narcissistic abuse,” and it's actually being recognized in courts of law. This is part four of The Narcissism Trap Series, and it shifts everything from trying to diagnose your partner to recognizing what's really happening to you. If you've been stuck wondering whether he meets the clinical criteria for narc...

In this third episode of The Narcissism Trap series, we shift from personal validation to legal strategy, exploring why the very word that brought you clarity could be the thing that sinks your court case. We’ll look at how judges actually view labels like "narcissist" and why focusing on clinical diagnoses can unintentionally dilute accountability and hand a "gift" to your ex’s legal team. 🎯 Key...

In this second episode of The Narcissism Trap series, we open up the DSM-5 and walk through the actual clinical criteria for Narcissistic Personality Disorder but with a crucial twist. 🎯 Key Takeaways: The diagnosis you're hunting for might be the least of your problems. Even if your partner doesn't meet all nine DSM-5 criteria for NPD, you can still be experiencing serious harm in your relations...

In this kickoff to a powerful new series, The Narcissism Trap , Natalie Hoffman challenges a popular narrative in abuse recovery: labeling an emotionally abusive partner as a “narcissist.”  While that term may feel validating at first, Natalie explains how it can actually work against your healing by keeping you locked in the wrong story.  If you've been Googling “narcissist” at 2 a.m. to make sen...

What happens when you stop asking for permission in an abusive marriage? Today, Jillian shares her story of waking up to covert abuse in her Christian marriage and what it took to finally get out. You'll hear how she recognized the patterns, why she chose to leave despite having a young son, and what life looks like now on the other side. If you've been wondering whether things could actually be d...

What if an AI could help you organize your abuse evidence, understand your trauma, and save you thousands in legal fees? Aimee Says isn't just another AI tool—it's a specialized digital health platform that understands power and control dynamics, helps you document patterns of abuse, organizes your evidence for court, and keeps your data completely private and encrypted. Whether you're trying to u...

How do you actually break free from emotional and spiritual abuse in your Christian home? Most Christian women stay stuck because nobody tells them the truth: breaking free requires three specific stages.  In this episode, you'll find out why you keep falling for the "honeymoon phase" trap, what you need to do first before anything else, and why writing everything down literally saves your sanity....

If you've been told that staying married "for the kids" is the most loving choice you can make, this episode will challenge everything you thought you knew about protecting your children. The truth is, emotional and spiritual abuse doesn't just harm you, it rewires your children's brains, damages their attachment systems, and poisons their relationship with God. Research shows that staying in a hi...

What is the weapon Christian abusers most commonly use? In this sixth installment of the Emotional Abuse 101 series, Natalie Hoffman talks about a subtle weapon many Christian men wield in emotionally abusive relationships: criticism . But not the obvious, name-calling type. This is the more insidious, underhanded kind that’s drenched in misogyny and spiritual distortion. If you've ever wondered w...

Emotional abuse in a Christian marriage doesn't just damage your mental health. It corrodes your spiritual foundation until you can't tell the difference between God's voice and your abuser's voice anymore. 🔑 Key Takeaways: Emotional abuse doesn’t just affect your mind and body. It wounds your soul. Natalie draws a powerful connection between emotional abuse and spiritual damage, especially for C...

What happens when you're the only one trying in your marriage? When your partner seems indifferent, and you're the one praying, planning, reading, learning, bending, sacrificing only to be met with silence or worse, resistance? In this episode, Natalie peels back the layers of emotional and spiritual exhaustion that come from being the only emotionally invested person in a relationship. With grace...

In this episode, I walk you through five crucial differences between a healthy Christian marriage and an emotionally abusive one. 🔑 Key Takeaways: Healthy marriages = clarity, respect, and growth Abusive marriages = confusion, control, and punishment If you're constantly walking on eggshells, it's not normal.  God never asked you to sacrifice your soul on the altar of someone else's entitlement....

In this end-of-the-year BONUS episode, I want to share one of my recent PRIVATE podcast episodes exclusively for members of the Flying Free Kaleidoscope only .  I also made an 8-minute video tour of the Flying Free Kaleidoscope on my phone. It will show you what the INSIDE of the Kaleidoscope looks like here at the end of 2025 and going into 2026. You can watch that on YouTube HERE. The price is g...

Have you ever been told that saying "no" makes you selfish? That good Christian women never rock the boat, always serve with a smile, and definitely do not have thoughts of their own? This episode is Part 2 of our Emotional Abuse 101 series, and today we’re diving into the art of saying no . If the idea of saying no makes your stomach flip or sends you into a guilt spiral, this episode is your lif...

Welcome to part one of a brand-new series I’m calling “ Emotional Abuse 101: Everything You Need to Know ,” because, let’s face it, the church didn’t exactly hand out “How to Spot a Narcissist in Your Youth Group” pamphlets in Sunday school. In this episode, I’m diving into the 10 most subtle signs of emotional abuse , the kind of signs that don’t leave bruises on your body but do leave bruises on...

In this episode, I get down and dirty with a topic that triggers all the rule-followers and religious gatekeepers: salvation. Not the flannelgraph-Jesus kind where you prayed the “magic words” at age seven and then spent the next 30 years terrified you did it wrong. Nope. I’m talking about real, liberating, soul-exploding salvation. This one’s especially for you if you’ve ever stayed in an abusive...

Ever wonder why you keep getting stuck in the same soul-sucking relational merry-go-round and can’t get off? Why you feel like you're starring in a never-ending soap opera you didn’t audition for, but somehow you’re the villain for wanting out? I sat down with Gwendoline , a longtime member of Flying Free and Flying Higher, to talk about her epic butterfly transformation. We're talking cycles of c...

It’s time to talk about the two kinds of people in this world: the seekers and the stuck . In this episode, I dive deep into the real reasons why some lives transform after abuse while others continue to feel stuck. We’re unpacking: Why healing is not about labeling your abuser a narcissist and calling it a day  How to know when you’re ready to move from survivor to thriver . What your philosophy...

What if the very place you went for safety, love, and divine wisdom turned out to be the scene of the crime? Today we’re diving headfirst into the world of spiritual abuse .  This week, I’m joined by Katherine Spearing, founder of Tears of Eden, trauma recovery practitioner, and author of a new book, A Thousand Tiny Paper Cuts .  If you’ve ever been told that “God doesn’t want your happiness, He w...

Has your inbox turned into a dumpster fire of accusatory texts from your abuser? In this episode, I hand you a step-by-step strategy to shut down the inner emotional chaos without getting dragged into the mud pit with him. It's not just about survival. It's about winning (for YOU!) What We Cover in This Episode:  What to do when your abuser won’t stop texting lies, and the courts won’t let you blo...

“He doesn’t hit you, so it must not be abuse.” Yeah, no. That tired old line needs to die. This week, I sat down with Dr. Christine Cocchiola , a powerhouse expert on coercive control , the kind of abuse that doesn’t leave bruises but instead, destroys lives. Christine breaks down how abusers don't need fists to dominate; they weaponize EVERYTHING from the court system , to churches , to your very...

Have you ever felt like life has you wearing a 200-pound emotional backpack labeled “Christian womanhood”? In this episode, I unpack (literally) the toxic beliefs that are holding us back using a metaphorical story about a woman who wants to run, but can’t. Because, surprise! She's lugging around spiritual abuse disguised as Bible truths. You’ll meet Sarah , a fictional but oh-so-familiar woman wh...

What if that golden cage you're sitting in was never locked? What if all that “God’s will” rhetoric was just fear cosplaying as holiness? In this episode, I tell you a story, a simple one with birds, bars, and just enough metaphorical mic drops to wake up the part of you that’s been sedated by religious gaslighting. Buckle up, buttercup. It’s time to talk about freedom. This isn’t just another chi...