The Scarlet Edit: Infidelity, Divorce, Starting Over.

I just moved to Arizona after 15 months of traveling the world solo, and I'm finally building a home studio for The Scarlet Edit. In this solo episode, I talk about what it feels like to settle down after living out of suitcases, why the last 15 months have been the best of my life, and what starting over in a new city looks like when you're doing it completely on your own terms. I also reflect on...

I sit down with Lisa Johnson, co-founder of Been There Got Out, a domestic violence advocate and high-conflict divorce strategist who spent 20 years married to a narcissistic serial cheater and sex addict. Lisa's story starts the way so many do — he was older, seemed stable, made her feel chosen. Within months there were phone numbers in his wallet. He confessed to an affair right after the weddin...

100 episodes. Countless stories. One powerful evolution. In this special milestone episode, I look back at the journey that started with Round Two and led to The Scarlet Edit — from launching my very first show, to finding my voice, to building a platform where no story is off-limits. I share the lessons I’ve learned about storytelling, self-trust, and showing up authentically, even when it’s unco...

Why does shame after infidelity feel so different from other kinds of shame? Why can't you just "be vulnerable" and make it go away? And why does it keep you stuck in relationships, patterns, and silence long after you know you deserve better? In this episode of The Scarlet Edit, I sit down with Dr. Zoe Shaw — psychotherapist, author, and host of Stronger in the Difficult Places — to talk about wh...

I talk with Mike Messeroff, a personal freedom coach who has been married for 16 years and polyamorous with his wife for the last seven. His wife brought up the idea over breakfast one morning, his initial reaction was no, and now he says it's the best thing that ever happened to their relationship. We get into what polyamory actually is versus what people assume it is — it's not swinging, it's no...

I couldn’t resist dropping a bonus episode today because our community created something amazing. I asked listeners on Instagram for their favorite breakup songs, and the result is The Scarlet Edit Listener’s Breakup Playlist , now live on Spotify and Apple Music. In this episode, I share my love of lyrics, why music feels like poetry set to sound, and how certain songs transport us back to pivota...

I sit down with Leah Mazur, founder of Mindfully Ready and The Next Chapter, who has been divorced three times — and instead of hiding from that, she built a community helping women release the guilt and shame around divorce and start rebuilding on their own terms. We get into why society still treats divorce like a failure, especially for women, and the hidden emotional and financial costs that n...

In this bonus episode, I talk about courage — not the inspirational poster version, but the kind that doesn't feel brave while you're living it. I share how a coworker told me I was courageous for going through my divorce and how that word caught me off guard because I wasn't feeling courageous. I was just sad and doing what I had to do. I get into what courage has looked like across my own life —...

Why do people cheat? And what happens when an entire company is built around making it easier? In this episode of The Scarlet Edit, I sit down with Paul Keable, Chief Strategy Officer of Ashley Madison — the website known worldwide for its tagline "Life is short. Have an affair." Paul has spent over a decade at Ashley Madison and brings research and real member stories that flip everything you thi...

I was 24 years old on 9/11. Like so many Americans, I’ll never forget where I was, what I saw, or how it felt to come together with neighbors and strangers in a moment of shared grief. That unity shaped me — and I’ve carried it with me ever since. This year, remembrance collided with tragedy as news broke of Charlie Kirk’s murder. I didn’t know him personally, but I followed his work for years, an...

Friendships evolve, change, and sometimes end — and it can hit harder than we expect. In this bonus episode of The Scarlet Edit, I share my reflections on losing friends, navigating seasonal relationships, and how to honor the value you bring while letting go with grace. I explore why friendships come and go, the difference between reason, season, and lifetime friends, and what it means to truly u...

In this episode of The Scarlet Edit, I sit down with Jonathon Aslay, a relationship coach who works primarily with women navigating dating after divorce, heartbreak, and long-term relationships. We talk about what it actually takes to build real emotional connection when you're starting over — and why leading with friendship instead of romance might be the move that changes everything. Jonathon sh...

In this episode of The Scarlet Edit , I sit down with Paul, a relationship expert and author, to uncover the real strategies couples can use to reignite intimacy, maintain attraction, and keep desire alive in long-term relationships. We talk about why some couples thrive while others struggle, diving into topics like: How hormones like testosterone and estrogen influence desire The role of physica...

Taylor Swift is engaged to Travis Kelce!!! In the first Red Alert Bonus Episode of The Scarlet Edit, I am sharing my thoughts as she enters into her new era of fiance. As a Swiftie and a fan of relationships, I’m diving into how Taylor’s relationship history, songwriting, and this exciting engagement can teach us all about love, heartbreak, and choosing the life you deserve. From private romances...

What is a long-term affair actually like beyond the sex and the secrecy? What does the day-to-day look like when you're the other woman for years — not weeks, not months, but years? In this solo episode of The Scarlet Edit, I answer the questions listeners have been asking since the first episode. I go deeper into my five-year affair with a married man — the real connection we had, the friendship...

What does dating after divorce actually look like in your 40s? When the apps have completely changed, the rules feel different, and you're trying to figure out who you even are outside of the marriage you just left? In this episode of The Scarlet Edit, I sit down with Elizabeth Rowan — yoga teacher, fellow divorcee, and someone who has been in the trenches of midlife dating right alongside me. We...

How do you know when love is actually emotional abuse? When the person you're with says all the right things, looks perfect to everyone on the outside, but is quietly dismantling your confidence one subtle comment at a time? In this episode of The Scarlet Edit, I sit down with Laura, who lived through a long-term relationship with a narcissist and is sharing her story so other women can recognize...

I knew starting The Scarlet Edit by telling the story of my five-year affair as the other woman would turn heads. I didn't expect the sense of freedom that came with finally saying it out loud. In this episode, I'm reflecting on what happened after I shared the truth about my affair — why I chose to lead with it, what the aftermath felt like, and the questions that have come in since. This is the...

What happens when a friend confesses she's having an affair? When someone you love is in a relationship that doesn't fit the script — and you've been the other woman yourself? How do you hold space without judgment when you know exactly what that gray area feels like? In this episode of The Scarlet Edit, I open up about what it means to love people who make choices the world judges, to sit with fr...

What happens when your person has full access to your world but you're a ghost in theirs? He met my parents, shared holidays with my family, showed up in photos with my closest friends — and I never met a single person from his life. That's what being the other woman looked like for five years. In this episode of The Scarlet Edit, I share what it really means to be completely known in your own wor...

I was the other woman for five years. He was married. It wasn't part of the plan — I wasn't chasing chaos. But it happened, and that affair shaped everything about who I am and why this podcast exists. In this first episode of The Scarlet Edit, I share the full story of my affair — without filters and without shame. How it started, how it evolved, how COVID became a turning point, and why leaving...

Welcome to The Scarlet Edit. ❤️‍🔥 I’m Nikki, and I created this show for the women who have lived the stories nobody wants to talk about—the affairs, the divorces, the cheating, and the starting over. If you’ve ever wondered if you’re the only one, you aren’t. Join us every Thursday for new episodes. Subscribe so new episodes are ready when you are.