The Messy Middle Podcast

If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Why did I stay so long?” after an abusive or controlling relationship — this one’s for you. In this raw, unfiltered episode, we break down the real reasons survivors stay — and spoiler alert: it’s not because you’re weak, naïve, or broken. It’s because your nervous system, your hope, your history, and a masterclass in manipulation were all working against you. We un...

In these first three episodes, I’m tackling the three questions I’ve been asked more than anything else. After almost a decade and a half in practice and well over 10,000 hours with clients, these questions come up again and again in different forms. And if you’re at the beginning of this healing journey, or even a little further along but still wrestling with these thoughts, I think you’ll find a...

In this episode of The Messy Middle, we tackle one of the biggest, most painful questions almost every survivor of narcissistic or emotionally abusive relationships eventually asks: How did I not see it? Spoiler alert: it’s not because you’re naive, dumb, gullible, or any of the garbage your inner critic might fling at you.  I break down exactly why intelligent, empathetic, emotionally aware women...

Welcome to The Messy Middle — the podcast for women finding their way through the raw, confusing, and often lonely aftermath of narcissistic and emotional abuse. I’m Erika Leon, Trauma-Informed Abuse Recovery Coach, mom of five, and creator of The 6 Keys to Unfu*kwithable. If you’ve ever felt like you’re piecing yourself back together, questioning everything, and trying to remember who the f*ck yo...