Surviving Toxic Relationships Podcast with The Matadoras

Is your partner struggling with addiction, narcissistic behaviors, or both? How can you tell the difference, and more importantly, how do you begin healing? In this powerful conversation, we welcome Dr. Sarah Michaud , a clinical psychologist with more than 30 years of experience specializing in addiction and codependency. Drawing from both her professional expertise and personal recovery journey,...

In this Behind the Mic episode, Lizzie and Deana share a personal update about everything that's been happening behind the scenes. From winning the Selah Award and attending the Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference to meeting with publishers, redesigning their books, expanding into coaching and speaking, and preparing for significant life transitions, this episode offers an honest look at...

What happens when childhood sexual trauma silently shapes every relationship, every decision, and every belief about your worth? In this powerful episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships, Tiffany Brearton shares her deeply personal story of childhood sexual abuse, shame, exploitation, toxic relationships, and the long road to healing. Tiffany opens up about how trauma affected her self-worth, why...

What happens when the relationship you've been fighting to save turns out to be something entirely different than you believed? In this powerful episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships with The Matadoras, Heather Justice shares her personal story of emotional abuse, trauma bonding, narcissistic manipulation, and the shocking discovery that changed everything. After two and a half years of an...

At 63 years old, David Nassif unexpectedly lost his job after nearly two decades with the same company. Faced with the possibility of financial collapse, he chose to rebuild instead of giving up. Six years later, he had achieved financial freedom and created a simple one-page framework to help others avoid the mistakes he made. In this powerful conversation, David shares practical financial wisdom...

This conversation originally aired during our 2025 Breaking the Chains… Escaping Abuse telesummit with financial coach Suzanne Skolian, where we discussed one of the most overlooked forms of abuse: financial control. Financial abuse rarely begins with obvious manipulation. Often, it starts slowly through secrecy, monitoring, “allowances,” restricted access to accounts, damaged credit, or being mad...

Many women do not realize they are experiencing financial abuse until they try to leave the relationship and suddenly discover they have no access to accounts, damaged credit, overwhelming debt, or no safe financial path forward. In this deeply personal conversation, Lizzie and Deana discuss the hidden red flags of financial abuse inside toxic relationships, including: financial control and survei...

Have you ever looked back on a relationship and wondered… “How did I miss the red flags?” In this deeply honest conversation, Lizzie and Deana unpack the emotional, psychological, and spiritual reasons people stay in toxic relationships longer than they expected. From trauma bonds and manipulation to confusion, shame, love bombing, and slowly adapting to unhealthy patterns, this episode explores w...

Why does betrayal cut so deeply—and why do so many people stay stuck for years, even decades? In this eye-opening episode, we sit down with Dr. Debi Silber, founder of the Post Betrayal Transformation Institute, to unpack the science and psychology behind betrayal trauma—and what it really takes to heal. Dr. Debi shares her groundbreaking research across 100,000+ people and reveals: ✔ Why betrayal...

What if the relationship you thought was “just difficult”… was actually harmful? In this powerful episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships with The Matadoras , we sit down with licensed therapist and trauma specialist Zulma Williams, founder of Dragonfly Therapy Services, to unpack the hidden reality of emotional abuse, gaslighting, and toxic relationship cycles. Zulma shares her personal story of...

Are you going through a difficult season… or is something deeper happening in your relationship? In this episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships with The Matadoras, we continue our Love With Eyes Wide Open series by unpacking one of the most confusing and important questions many women face. Sometimes conflict, stress, and outside pressures can make a relationship feel overwhelming. But how do yo...

Can you forgive someone and still walk away? In this powerful episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships , we sit down with award-winning author Eva Marie Everson to unpack one of the most misunderstood topics in relationships: forgiveness vs. reconciliation. Through personal stories, biblical insight, and themes from her upcoming novel Miss Beth Betancourt , Eva shares: Why forgiveness does NOT alw...

In this powerful episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships with The Matadoras , we sit down with Diane McDowell, creator of the Brain to Heart Code, to uncover why so many emotionally intelligent women still feel unsafe in love—even in healthy relationships. If you’ve ever:  Overreacted and didn’t know why   Felt triggered by something small   Struggled with people pleasing or weak boundaries   Att...

In this powerful episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships , we sit down with trauma support specialist and reclamation coach Ashana Kaiulani to unpack what toxic relationships really do to your identity, self-worth, and ability to receive love. We dive into: Why toxic relationships make you feel unlovable The truth about “reactive abuse” and self-blame How trauma rewires your identity and behavior...

Codependency, toxic relationships, healthy boundaries, and emotional healing are at the center of this powerful conversation with boundaries coach Barb Nangle , founder of Higher Power Coaching and host of Fragmented to Whole . After decades of therapy and personal development, Barb hit a codependent breaking point at age 52. What followed was a life-changing journey through 12-step recovery, wher...

Moral injury is one of the most misunderstood forms of trauma—and it may explain why so many women leaving toxic or abusive relationships still feel broken, ashamed, or beyond forgiveness. In this powerful episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships , we sit down with Navy Chaplain and combat veteran Dr. Larry Brant , who has spent decades helping individuals heal from PTSD, spiritual trauma, and mor...

Why do women stay in toxic relationships? In this powerful episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships, Nikki Allen shares her personal story of emotional abuse, physical violence, trauma bonding, identity loss, and the long journey toward healing and self-love. Nikki is the author of Loved You, Hated You, a bold novel inspired by real-life heartbreak. What began as a song became a screenplay and the...

Can scripture be misused in marriage? In this honest and faith-centered conversation, Lizzie and Deana explore a difficult but important topic many Christian women quietly wrestle with: what happens when Bible verses are quoted without context and used to justify control, silence, or emotional harm. This episode discusses spiritual confusion in marriage, the misapplication of scripture, and the di...

What if your burnout, sexual dysfunction, anxiety, or confusion isn’t a hormone problem… but a coercive control problem? In this powerful episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships, we sit down with naturopathic physician, author of The Pink Canary , and host of The Pleasure Principles , Dr. Jordin Wiggins. Jordin works with high-achieving women who appear successful on the outside but are secretly...

What if boundaries aren’t rejection… but stewardship? Many Christian women struggle to set boundaries because they fear being unloving, unforgiving, or “not submissive enough.” But boundaries are not walls. They are not punishment. They are protection. In this episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships and the Love With Eyes Wide Open series, Lizzie and Deana unpack the biblical difference between b...

Divorce doesn’t have to be a battlefield. In this powerful episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships, Lizzie and Deana sit down with divorce mediator and communication strategist Elizabeth Merrill, founder of Open Space Mediation. Liz shares her personal journey through a high-conflict marriage, emotional abuse, and the moment her children helped her find the courage to leave. Together, they unpack...

What is discernment, and how do Christian women recognize red flags while still leading with faith, wisdom, and peace? In this first episode of the Love With Eyes Wide Open podcast series, Lizzie and Deana talk about biblical discernment, Christian relationship advice, guarding your heart, parenting with spiritual wisdom, and how to recognize toxic relationship patterns before heartache begins. Th...

Trauma. Addiction. Toxic relationships. Shame. Mindset renewal. In this powerful episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships , we sit down with Rose Ann Forte, international bestselling author and creator of the Choose Freedom program—a faith-forward, neuroscience-backed approach to overcoming life-interfering behaviors. Rose Ann shares her personal journey through a toxic marriage, substance use as...

Narcissistic abuse. Gaslighting. Coercive control. Legal abuse.  In this episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships , we sit down with Skye Bellarmine, author of the Breaking Solace trilogy, to talk about surviving 20 years of narcissistic abuse, the moment she realized she wasn’t “crazy,” and the practical steps that helped her leave, heal, and rebuild. Skye shares how narcissists weaponize reputat...

Conflict doesn’t mean failure, it means information. In this powerful conversation, Dr. Jen Fry explores why self-advocacy, boundaries, and conflict resolution are essential skills, especially for women navigating toxic relationships, people-pleasing patterns, and emotional burnout. Women are often taught to avoid conflict at all costs, but avoidance comes with a price: anxiety, resentment, loss o...