WHEN DATING HURTS

This is part two of a two-part true dating abuse/violence story with Olivia Engstrom. Olivia was stretched to the limit by a man who swept her off her feet from the start. Never before had she felt so good about a guy—or about herself—as she did when dating him. That was his insidious scheme to capture her and keep her. At times, Olivia’s story will take your breath away. You will hear how this ma...

This is part one of a two-part true dating abuse/violence story with Olivia Engstrom. Olivia was stretched to the limit by a man who swept her off her feet from the start. Never before had she felt so good about a guy—or about herself—as she did when dating him. That was his insidious scheme to capture her and keep her. At times, Olivia’s story will take your breath away. You will hear how this ma...

This is part three of three parts with Laurie and her turbulent marriage to a law enforcement officer. Laurie wanted to tell the WHEN DATING HURTS podcast her “doozy of a story”. Those were her words. The point she wanted to make was being married to a serial abuser is complicated exponentially when he is also a law-enforcement officer. Typically, these interviews take between one and a half to tw...

This is part two of three parts with Laurie and her turbulent marriage to a law enforcement officer.  Laurie wanted to tell the WHEN DATING HURTS podcast her “doozy of a story”. Those were her words. The point she wanted to make was being married to a serial abuser is complicated exponentially when he is also a law-enforcement officer. Typically, these interviews take between one and a half to two...

This is part three of three parts. Stephanie always had a hard road ahead of her. From the moment she was adopted, there were scant times when life showed her an easy path. And yet, she has continually remained ultra-positive.   It's clear the one person Stephanie believed in most was herself. Listening to her story, your heart will go out to her years before she ever met up with Michael. It's a g...

This is part two of three parts. Stephanie always had a hard road ahead of her. From the moment she was adopted, there were scant times when life showed her an easy path. And yet, she has continually remained ultra-positive.   It's clear the one person Stephanie believed in most was herself. Listening to her story, your heart will go out to her years before she ever met up with Michael. It's a goo...

Stephanie always had a hard road ahead of her. From the moment she was adopted, there were scant times when life showed her an easy path. And yet, she has continually remained ultra-positive. It's clear the one person Stephanie believed in most was herself. Listening to her story, your heart will go out to her years before she ever met up with Michael. It's a good thing, because this man brought p...

Romana Frey's experience as a survivor of domestic abuse led this tireless advocate to her “life’s purpose”: working toward the elimination of violence against women, specifically violence that occurs in the home. Our interview would be full enough with her story of abuse from her parents and, later, her husband, but it also includes decades of stalking, a suicide within her family, and severe bru...

This is part two with Amy. Be sure to listen to part one first. We pick up on Amy and Brian as the turbulence he causes gets much worse. Amy holds onto the hope and good feelings she once felt about Brian, but he has other ideas.  Amy exhibits many of the characteristics we have seen in other abuse victims: She is affable, generous, optimistic, loyal and forgiving. He is the opposite of the man sh...

This is part one of two. It's a story you can relate to — and learn from. See how innocently this relationship began. Everything seemed perfect. It looked like it had a long future. What took place later could happen to anyone. Amy fits many of the characteristics of an abuse victim. She is affable, generous, optimistic, loyal and forgiving. Quite the opposite from the man she met online, thought...

Mikkel Becker joined with me months ago for her interview. Since then, I am happy to say she and I have kept in touch. She asked if there was anything she could do for the WHEN DATING HURTS Podcast. Mikkel offered to record her thoughts looking back upon two marriages she had with husbands who turned out to be abusers. What she created is a stream of thinking I hope you agree is priceless in its h...

Part two of Meagan's story of abuse picks up immediately after she escaped certain death had she fallen from her fourteenth-floor apartment balcony. Her fall would have been precipitated by her boyfriend, Max.  She is not sure what o do about this abuser/boyfriend. Is he an unfortunate victim of himself, or a serial abuser bent on making her life a living Hell? Meagan is presented with a few chanc...

Part one of Meagan's story of abuse, takes her from Canada to New Zealand to Australia. Along the way, she meets a man she thinks is just the one she needed at just the right time.  Her narrative soon becomes an inexplicable story of serial mistreatment. Like many accounts of abuse told on this podcast, Meagan's story left me speechless many times. How such an agreeable, young, smart woman could b...

My guest, Kaytee Gillis, is a psychotherapist, author, and consultant working with survivors of traumatic relationships—whether familial or romantic. She is also a domestic abuse survivor herself. She will talk about this. Her recent book, Invisible Bruises: How a Better Understanding of the Patterns of Domestic Violence Can Help Survivors Navigate the Legal System, sheds light on the ways that th...

My guest, Kaytee Gillis, is a psychotherapist, author, and consultant working with survivors of traumatic relationships—whether familial or romantic.  She is also a domestic abuse survivor herself. She will talk about this.  Her recent book, Invisible Bruises: How a Better Understanding of the Patterns of Domestic Violence Can Help Survivors Navigate the Legal System, sheds light on the ways that...

Bianca contacted me wanting to share a situation her daughter, Gracie, experienced in high school. It was not in any way a romantic relationship, but had all the markings of an unhealthy relationship with Liz, another high school student. Gracie was lured into this abusive relationship during the high water days of Covid, when students needed to stay at home. So, getting access to school friends w...

Maureen Murray is not a "counselor" per se. Her task with Laurel House Domestic Violence Agency in Montgomery County, PA is teaching in the community (mostly with the school populations) educating students about healthy relationships, dating violence, or domestic abuse depending on the audience. The education Maureen dispenses also brings her teams into universities, police stations, corporate off...

The prevailing stereotype about dating (and domestic) violence is that it mostly happens in the toughest parts of towns and cities. You know, the most depressed parts. And that’s not true at all. It can happen anywhere. My guest on the WHEN DATING HURTS Podcast, Mikkel Becker, is a domestic and dating abuse survivor. She grew up in a perfect, loving nuclear family. Everything seemed absolutely rig...

I met Jen Lee two years ago when she and I launched our separate podcasts at around the same time. Both are heavily aimed at identifying and supporting survivors. Jen and I share podcast tips and have remained professional friends ever since. Residing in Virginia, her first marriage ended amicably (really). She wanted a relationship that matched her energy and zest for life. While having an after-...

Elizabeth Overstreet has been featured by ABC, CBS, NBC, The New York Times, and many other media outlets. She is a trusted love and relationship strategist. She says she, "Keeps things real". You will hear how she does it in this episode of the WHEN DATING HURTS podcast. Through her expert coaching and motivational speaking, Elizabeth is known for creating personalized, practical roadmaps to happ...

Lauren is about 30-years old. Hers is a cautionary tale that needs to be heard by everyone. In high school, Lauren fell in love with Max. She didn’t know what she was getting into. Abusive guys, like Max, become well-practiced at the manipulation and grooming of their targets. Lauren mistook his behavior as love. It was not. It was a classic example of dating abuse. Like many innocent young women,...

We met J R Waltemyer in the summer of 2019, and he remains a valuable contact for us at the Office of Victim Advocate (OVA) in Pennsylvania. OVA is the state agency with the authority and duty to advocate for the rights and needs of crime victims. OVA accomplishes their mission through victim services, which includes post-sentencing notifications of offender status and movements within the Departm...

"Rosy" is a listener from London, UK. She first came across our podcast when listening to an episode on the This Is Actually Happening podcast. It led to her listening to the WHEN DATING HURTS podcast and hearing interviews with abuse survivors. Rosy has spent most of her late 20's and early 30's recovering from the dating abuse she experienced. The WHEN DATING HURTS podcast has helped her in unde...

I was delighted when I was contacted by "The Only One in the Room" podcast. Hosts Laura and Scott have a series that has earned national attention.  Getting onto this podcast series takes having a story they feel is worth their precious time and attention. The story of our family's journey after my daughter's tragedy gained us this opportunity.  This is quite a comprehensive interview. You will le...

This episode is a repeat of the first one in the series. I wanted to remind listeners why we created this podcast. I lost my daughter in 2005 when she was murdered by her ex-boyfriend after she was breaking up with him. Something like that stays with you for a lifetime. It was 17 years ago and feels like yesterday. Since 2005, I wrote a book about what happened with Kristin and gave it the same na...