I Choose The Bear Podcast

From fairy tales to dating culture, many women grow up believing their greatest goal is to be chosen by a man. But what if we’ve had it backwards? In this episode of I Choose the Bear, I explore the surprising parallels between nature and human relationships, where, in many species, males are the ones trying to impress females and females are the ones making the choice. I unpack how culture has sh...

Have you ever looked in the mirror after divorce and wondered, “Who am I?” In this episode, I sit down with divorce coach Karin Nelson to talk about what happens when women lose themselves in marriage and how they begin finding themselves again. We discuss people-pleasing, self-trust, healing, and the journey of rebuilding a life that reflects who you truly are. If you’ve ever felt like you disapp...

There are seasons in life that don’t feel like living…they feel like surviving. Whether you’re still in an abusive relationship, navigating the aftermath of leaving, or carrying a sadness that feels heavier than words can describe, this episode is for you. In this episode, I share my own experience, “I’m not suicidal, but I don’t want to be alive like this” I offer encouragement for the woman who...

62 million views. A viral question. And the truth behind why women chose the bear.

You don’t realize how hard it is to breathe… until you finally can. No more walking on eggshells. No more bracing for someone’s mood. No more shrinking to keep the peace. Just quiet. Just safety. Just you. You get your voice back. You get your choices back. You get you back. This life exists for you too.

Have you ever falling in love with potential? You saw the good in him. You made excuses for the parts that hurt. You held onto potential… hoping one day it would become reality. But love doesn’t turn someone into a good partner. It doesn’t create consistency, effort, or respect. Love isn’t supposed to feel like something you have to manage. You were never meant to fix him. You are here to be loved...

I was told recently, “You are thriving now.” And if I’m honest… I didn’t know how to receive that. Because thriving, to me, sounded like peace. Like rest. Like finally feeling okay. And that’s not quite where I am. In this episode, I share what led up to that moment ..from stress that physically impacted my heart…to sitting in a doctor’s office being told I’m “thriving” while still feeling like I’...

You left. You moved on. So why does your body still react? In this episode, we’re talking about the kind of trauma that doesn’t end when the relationship does. The kind that shows up in your breathing, your thoughts, your need to double-check everything… This is about flashbacks that come out of nowhere. The silence that looks like zoning out. And the reality that your body remembers what your min...

What happens when your voice slowly disappears in a relationship? In this episode, I ask a series of questions that many women recognize but rarely say out loud. You might realize you weren’t the only one living it. You might find yourself answering “yes” more than you expected.

This episode is for the men. Not to accuse. Not to shame. But to invite understanding. In this episode, I talk about the everyday calculations women make for their safety, the phrase “it’s not all men, but it’s all women,” and what many good men may not realize about the world women experience. And for the men who are loving women who have been hurt before, the ones showing patience, kindness, and...

How many times have you felt that quiet internal nudge… and talked yourself out of it? In this episode, we’re talking about intuition, emotional safety, and the power of pausing instead of dismissing yourself. I share a personal story about a moment when listening to my instincts protected me and my children and how that same principle applies in relationships. If you’ve ever ignored a red flag or...

This episode isn’t about fixing anything. It’s about recognition. We talk about over-functioning, the weight of being the safety net, the quiet pressure of realizing no one is coming to rescue you and what that realization does to a woman. If you’re the strong one. The steady one. The one who keeps going because you have to. This episode is for you. I see you.

She survived a man who tried to kill her. She survived another who tried to destroy her with words. Nat’s story is not easy to hear, but it is necessary. In this episode, she shares what it was like to flee for her life… and what it feels like to carry the echoes of abuse long after you’ve left. Because sometimes the bruises fade. But the words still linger.

Dating after abuse isn’t just dating…it’s relearning safety. This episode is for anyone who wants love but still feels on edge. Just a gentle reminder that healing takes time.

Kim opens up about the emotional and verbal abuse she endured in her marriage and how her early relationship with her father shaped her understanding of love long before she ever chose a partner. This episode explores how unmet needs in childhood echo into adulthood, how certain dynamics become familiar, and what it takes to finally see the pattern and break it.

We are the generation living the freedom women before us fought for. This episode explores why expecting respect is not asking too much…it’s the natural result of women finally being treated as fully human.

Are women really more emotional than men — or are their emotions just more visible? In this episode of I Choose the Bear Podcast, we break down the myth using psychology, neuroscience, and lived experience. We explore how men and women feel emotions at similar levels, why emotional expression looks different, and how women’s emotions are more likely to be questioned, dismissed, or labeled “too muc...

Abuse doesn’t always end when the relationship ends. This episode explores what post-separation abuse can look like: withholding child support, legal intimidation, co-parenting manipulation, smear campaigns, digital monitoring, and more. If you’ve lived this, you’ll feel seen. If you haven’t, you’ll understand survivors more deeply. Listen, share, and bring light to someone walking through the aft...

In this episode, I sit down with Em, a woman who spent years trying to make sense of a marriage shaped by manipulation and half-truths. Em shares how deception slowly became the foundation of her relationship — and how she found the clarity and courage to trust her own discernment again. This conversation explores what happens when trust is abused, when spiritual support falls silent, and when som...

This episode dives into the truth about forgiveness …the real kind, not the rushed, pressured version so many women are taught to perform. We explore what happens when you’re expected to hold a relationship together alone, even while the other person keeps breaking it apart. We’re redefining forgiveness: not as silence, not as reconciliation, not as self-sacrifice… but as clarity, release, and cho...

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses experiences of physical aggression and animal harm. Abuse doesn’t always look like anger — sometimes it’s calm, mocking, or disguised as humor. This episode unpacks how emotional and psychological abuse can hide in plain sight and how survivors can begin to take their power back.

October is almost over… but what other awareness lives quietly among the rest? We see pink ribbons and mental health posts. We honor Down Syndrome and infant loss. But there’s another story woven through this month …one that isn’t always seen, but deeply felt. Domestic Violence Awareness. This isn’t just for survivors. It’s for all women and the men who stand beside them. Because nearly half of al...

What Abuse Looks Like (Part 3 of 4) ⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion of physical and sexual abuse. Please listen only if you feel emotionally safe to do so. Take breaks or skip this one if you need to — your safety matters. In this episode of I Choose the Bear Podcast, I explore three of the most visible and painful forms of abuse — physical, sexual, and financial. These forms...

Healing doesn’t mean you stop crying — it means your tears start to change. In this episode, I open up about the quiet grief that lingers after leaving a painful relationship — the ache for the love that never was, the longing for true partnership, and the strength it takes to keep rebuilding. Through raw honesty and faith, I hope to remind all of us that tears aren’t weakness — they’re release. B...

In this episode of I Choose the Bear, I sit down with Amy Liptak, a certified counselor in Bloomington, Indiana, to talk about the realities women face during and after abusive relationships. Amy brings years of experience walking alongside women as they untangle from the toll that abuse leaves behind. Together, we discuss how women fall into these types of relationships, why leaving can feel so d...