Flying Free

I'm watching my babies go from being children to being young men, and I gotta be honest, it's making me sadder than I've been in a long time. In this Flying Higher moment I'll share a new thought I had this morning as I watched my 14-year-old in the kitchen. A thought that helped create a deeper shift within me from sadness to joy. Maybe it will help you as much as it helped me. Need a mentor this...

Today I visit with Diana Swillinger, a life coach and fellow advocate for personal growth and healing. Together, we explore the profound role of empathy—not just for others but for yourself—in overcoming life’s challenges and moving forward. Key Topics Covered:  The role of empathy in healing Personal responsibility vs. victim-blaming The difference between needing validation and needing empowerme...

This week's Flying Higher moment introduces a simple exercise that will help you discover core beliefs that are keeping you stuck. You'll also learn how to quickly create a shift in your body that will give you just enough energy to regain some power and control in your life. It's a powerful exercise to try right at the beginning of 2025! Links mentioned: Try Flying Free one week for one dollar no...

In today’s episode, I reflect on the incredible transformations that can happen in just one year . (That’s not a very long time, when you think about it! I feel like every January, I blink, and it’s December!) Through powerful testimonials from Christian women, I highlight the courage, growth, and healing that come in just one year of taking intentional steps to break free from abuse, rebuild a li...

Do you ever wonder if you're measuring up to God's standard? If you're good enough to win God's attention and help? If you've done enough to make your life really matter? If you're looking for a little hope, joy, and maybe even a restored connection to God’s original design for humanity, I invite you to listen in to today's Flying Higher moment and embrace the possibility of a deeper faith journey...

Hi friends, and Merry Christmas! I hope this special day brings moments of peace and reflection, wherever you are and whatever you’re doing. In this solo episode, I reflect on the powerful connection between scent, memory, and emotion—especially during the holiday season. I’ll share personal stories, including my years as a soap maker, and how the fragrances of Christmas invite us to reflect on ou...

In this episode, we explore what it truly means to "fly higher" in life, even when weighed down by challenges and pain. Through a story and metaphor, you'll learn how letting go of control and embracing internal freedom can transform your darkest moments. Resource mentioned: Flying Higher

In today’s reflective episode, I share insights from my ongoing recovery following a recent car accident that left me with a broken wrist. I want to draw some powerful parallels for you between my physical therapy journey and the emotional and spiritual healing journeys faced by survivors of abuse. Key Topics Covered: The reality of physical therapy (hint - it’s not a walk in the park)  The role o...

"If I could give you 10x what I paid to join Flying Higher it wouldn't even scrape the true value of the deep level of understanding you have for being exactly where I am right now and how grateful I am that you teach us without holding back." Flying Higher Butterfly Resources mentioned: The Butterfly Planner The Flying Free Website (to hop on my mailing list!) Flying Free Flying Higher

In this deeply insightful episode, I sit down with Dr. Emma Katz to discuss the phenomenon of coercively controlling fathers sabotaging mothers' relationships with their children. Dr. Katz introduces the term “child and mother sabotage” (CAMS) to replace the often co-opted term “parental alienation,” highlighting its roots in coercive control and its frequent targeting of mothers. Dr. Katz explain...

What is Christmas Magic? Do you feel like you're missing out? Here's an idea that might help you have the most magical Christmas of your entire life this year, and your circumstances don't even have to change. Resources mentioned: Podcast episodes and articles related to holiday challenges HERE. Flying Free (for Christian women stuck in emotionally and spiritually abusive relationships, families o...

In this personal and anecdotal episode, I reflect on a recent car accident that changed my perspective on pain, resilience, and staying present. Drawing from my own experience of navigating physical injury, emotional turmoil, and life's unexpected disruptions, I want to share some valuable lessons on accepting pain and choosing who we want to be in the midst of it. Key Takeaways Pain is a Universa...

If you've ever wondered "is my child an abuser?" you'll want to listen to this Flying Higher moment. Learn more: Flying Free Flying Higher

In today’s episode, I interview Natalie Deering, an Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist and host of That Wellness Podcast. Together, we explore practical and spiritual approaches to anxiety, offering tools to transform anxiety from an adversary into an ally. We discuss personal experiences, explain key IFS concepts like "trailheads," and share exercises to regulate the nervous system and foste...

Introducing Flying Higher Moments: A short little weekly insight into topics that are important to you. Today we talk about the parts of us that want to hang onto things in case we might need them AND the parts of us who think that's dumb. Let's talk about decluttering!  Resources mentioned: All the Scary Little Gods Flying Free Flying Higher

The link to register for this week’s FREE Q&A with the founder of Aimee Says, Anne Wintemute, is HERE ! This Q&A will take place on Saturday, November 23 at 11:00 am Central Time. Again, you can register for this event on Zoom HERE . In this compelling episode, Natalie Hoffman talks with Anne Wintemute, founder of Aimee Says , an innovative AI tool designed to support abuse survivors. Nata...

In this episode, I interview Dr. Stephanie Holmes to explore the unique challenges and dynamics within neurodiverse marriages. We talk about how Autism interacts with faith, how religion plays into neurodiversity, the difference between abusers and neurodiverse individuals, and how neurodiverse couples can navigate their relationships more effectively. Dr. Holmes shares insights from her extensive...

We are celebrating 300 episodes of the Flying Free podcast by looking at where this podcast started, what has been accomplished since then, and where we are heading in the future!   Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question here Related Resources: Are you wondering what is happening inside your own painful and confusing marriage? I wrote another book just for you called Is It Me? Making Se...

In today’s episode, I answer a listener's question about co-parenting with an abusive ex and challenge the idea of "working together" with abusers. You’ll learn the importance of shifting the focus away from the abuser and toward personal healing and growth. Key Takeaways: Stop investing emotional energy into trying to "fix" or "work with" an abusive person. It's a cycle that leads nowhere. Redefi...

In this episode, Natalie interviews guest Anne Blythe, a leader in the Betrayal Trauma Recovery community. Together, they discuss the profound impact of sharing survivor stories, how lived experience can be just as valuable as formal expertise, and the damaging effects of sexual coercion in abusive relationships. Anne also sheds light on critical issues like manipulation, trauma, and reclaiming sa...

In today’s episode, I have a powerful and insightful discussion with guest speaker Bob Hamp as part of a live Q&A we did with members of the Flying Free Kaleidoscope about the complexities of emotions, particularly anger, and the challenges faced by those in emotionally abusive relationships. Here’s a summary of the key points and concepts: 1. Understanding Emotions: Emotions as Drivers : Emot...

Understanding and Overcoming Emotional Abuse: A Journey to Personal Freedom In this episode of the Flying Free Podcast, Natalie reflects on the power of transformation and shares profound insights from both the Flying Free Kaleidoscope community and the personal stories of women who are seeking freedom from abusive relationships. With heartfelt testimonials and a listener’s deeply personal questio...

Aimee Byrd, a well-loved guest of the Flying Free Podcast, is back again to tell us the story behind her newest book, The Hope in Our Scars. It’s not a pretty present of a book, wrapped in neat paper and topped with a bow. It’s real, it’s raw, and it’s full of beauty, and that’s exactly what this conversation is as well.  Aimee went through some unfathomable spiritual abuse and says, “That's what...

Have you ever gotten a toxic text from a friend, a family member—maybe your spouse? The women in our Flying Free Kaleidoscope have the opportunity to post the toxic texts they receive so that we can help them process, and I came across one I just couldn’t wrap my brain around, it was so incredibly full of toxicity and falsities.  So today’s episode is breaking down this particular abusive text tha...

Have you ever wondered, “Am I really being emotionally abused? Is it considered emotional abuse if my spouse is lying to me? Gaslighting me? Ignoring me? What are the kinds of mistreatments we can actually call ABUSE?  My friend, this is a question I’ve been answering for other women for almost a decade now. This is my my life’s work. My passion. Let me help guide you just a little bit in today’s...