This is part four of the High Functioning Christian Women in Destructive Marriages series, and today we talk about a concept that ties the whole series together: sovereignty. Synonyms for sovereignty include: freedom, autonomy, and independence. If you've spent years managing everyone's needs, shrinking your own, and building an identity around your capacity to give without limit, this episode will challenge a misunderstood theology that was never meant for women who are already pouring out from...
May 26, 2026•28 min•Ep. 377
This is Part Three of our series on high-functioning Christian women in destructive marriages. You are the woman people call when something complicated needs solving. You read rooms, spot patterns, and get it right. And yet in this one area of your life, you have been told that your judgment, specifically, cannot be trusted. Key Takeaways: Why the very perceptiveness that makes you exceptional everywhere else has been deliberately turned off in your marriage What is actually happening when relig...
May 12, 2026•34 min•Ep. 376
This is Part Two of my series on high-functioning Christian women in destructive marriages. In Part One, we explored how the very qualities that make these women extraordinary are the same ones that make them exceptionally vulnerable. Today we're going deeper into one of the most specific and targeted of those qualities: empathy. If you've ever felt like your compassion is working against you, like the more you understand him, the more stuck you become, this episode will show you exactly what's ...
Apr 28, 2026•29 min•Ep. 375
So many capable, gifted Christian women are living a double life that is impressive in public, but diminished in private, and they don't even have words for what's happening to them. This episode will change that. 🔑 Key Takeaways: There's a specific kind of loneliness that has nothing to do with being sad, and it's far more common among high-functioning Christian women The reason you can run a business, lead a ministry, and hold everything together but still feel like no one actually knows you ...
Apr 07, 2026•23 min•Ep. 374
This is one of my favorite interviews! Today I’m talking with my friend, Dr. Tiffany Yecke Brooks, author of Gaslighted by God , Holy Ghosted , and her brand-new book, To Rebehold the Stars: Reimagining Faith After Deconstruction. If you've walked through the painful process of deconstructing the toxic theology you inherited, this conversation is going to knock your socks off. Drawing from Dante's Inferno (I know, right?!), classical literature, and deep theological study, Tiffany shows you how ...
Mar 31, 2026•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 373
What happens when seeing your ex derails all your progress? And why do your friends think he's such a great guy when you know the truth? 🔑 Key Takeaways: Why seeing your ex after months can feel like all your progress disappeared (it didn't) What trauma bonding actually does to your memory of the relationship Why emotionally abusive people seem so great to everyone else The false equivalency that keeps people from believing abuse survivors How to know if you're lonely for him or for something e...
Mar 24, 2026•22 min•Ep. 372
In this episode we tackle three questions: What happens when the abuser is the one who leaves? How do you live with the fear of post-separation or post-divorce revenge? And what do you do when your friends just don't get it? 🔑 Key Takeaways: Why some abusers discard their victims (and what it reveals about your progress) The difference between fear you should listen to and fear that steals your peace What actually helps kids navigate their father leaving The one question to ask yourself when tr...
Mar 17, 2026•23 min•Ep. 371
This isn't my typical podcast episode. Today I get personal, sharing why I’ve decided to pursue graduate studies in theology after experiencing profound spiritual abuse throughout my entire life. If you've read All the Scary Little Gods , you know my story, and you might be wondering why I’d ever step back into that world. I invite you into my journey of healing, my commitment to simplicity in 2026, and the real reason I keep this podcast free. Get Today’s Free Resource: 🎁 I want to give you a ...
Mar 10, 2026•20 min•Ep. 370
In Episode 369 of the Flying Free Podcast, you’ll learn a term that's more accurate than "narcissistic abuse,” and it's actually being recognized in courts of law. This is part four of The Narcissism Trap Series, and it shifts everything from trying to diagnose your partner to recognizing what's really happening to you. If you've been stuck wondering whether he meets the clinical criteria for narcissism or whether therapy could change him, this episode will free you from that trap. Natalie break...
Mar 03, 2026•15 min•Ep. 369
In this third episode of The Narcissism Trap series, we shift from personal validation to legal strategy, exploring why the very word that brought you clarity could be the thing that sinks your court case. We’ll look at how judges actually view labels like "narcissist" and why focusing on clinical diagnoses can unintentionally dilute accountability and hand a "gift" to your ex’s legal team. 🎯 Key Takeaways: The label that saved your sanity might lose you your case. While identifying narcissisti...
Feb 24, 2026•22 min•Ep. 368
In this second episode of The Narcissism Trap series, we open up the DSM-5 and walk through the actual clinical criteria for Narcissistic Personality Disorder but with a crucial twist. 🎯 Key Takeaways: The diagnosis you're hunting for might be the least of your problems. Even if your partner doesn't meet all nine DSM-5 criteria for NPD, you can still be experiencing serious harm in your relationship. Everyone has narcissistic traits, but it's about pattern, pervasiveness, and pathology. The dif...
Feb 17, 2026•32 min•Ep. 367
In this kickoff to a powerful new series, The Narcissism Trap , Natalie Hoffman challenges a popular narrative in abuse recovery: labeling an emotionally abusive partner as a “narcissist.” While that term may feel validating at first, Natalie explains how it can actually work against your healing by keeping you locked in the wrong story. If you've been Googling “narcissist” at 2 a.m. to make sense of your painful marriage, this episode is for you. 🎯 Key Takeaways: Stop giving the abuse a medica...
Feb 10, 2026•17 min•Ep. 366
What happens when you stop asking for permission in an abusive marriage? Today, Jillian shares her story of waking up to covert abuse in her Christian marriage and what it took to finally get out. You'll hear how she recognized the patterns, why she chose to leave despite having a young son, and what life looks like now on the other side. If you've been wondering whether things could actually be different, this conversation will show you what's possible when you start rescuing yourself. 🔑 Key T...
Feb 03, 2026•55 min•Ep. 365
What if an AI could help you organize your abuse evidence, understand your trauma, and save you thousands in legal fees? Aimee Says isn't just another AI tool—it's a specialized digital health platform that understands power and control dynamics, helps you document patterns of abuse, organizes your evidence for court, and keeps your data completely private and encrypted. Whether you're trying to understand what's happening in your marriage, preparing for custody battles, or just need someone to ...
Jan 27, 2026•57 min•Ep. 364
How do you actually break free from emotional and spiritual abuse in your Christian home? Most Christian women stay stuck because nobody tells them the truth: breaking free requires three specific stages. In this episode, you'll find out why you keep falling for the "honeymoon phase" trap, what you need to do first before anything else, and why writing everything down literally saves your sanity. This isn't feel-good advice. This is the actual path thousands of women have walked to get out and s...
Jan 20, 2026•40 min•Ep. 363
If you've been told that staying married "for the kids" is the most loving choice you can make, this episode will challenge everything you thought you knew about protecting your children. The truth is, emotional and spiritual abuse doesn't just harm you, it rewires your children's brains, damages their attachment systems, and poisons their relationship with God. Research shows that staying in a high-conflict, abusive marriage can be up to 10 times more damaging to children than divorce. And when...
Jan 13, 2026•43 min•Ep. 362
What is the weapon Christian abusers most commonly use? In this sixth installment of the Emotional Abuse 101 series, Natalie Hoffman talks about a subtle weapon many Christian men wield in emotionally abusive relationships: criticism . But not the obvious, name-calling type. This is the more insidious, underhanded kind that’s drenched in misogyny and spiritual distortion. If you've ever wondered why your husband criticizes you, even while appearing like a “good Christian man,” this episode will ...
Jan 06, 2026•24 min•Ep. 361
Emotional abuse in a Christian marriage doesn't just damage your mental health. It corrodes your spiritual foundation until you can't tell the difference between God's voice and your abuser's voice anymore. 🔑 Key Takeaways: Emotional abuse doesn’t just affect your mind and body. It wounds your soul. Natalie draws a powerful connection between emotional abuse and spiritual damage, especially for Christian women who’ve been taught not to trust themselves. When you’re conditioned to distrust your ...
Dec 30, 2025•34 min•Ep. 360
What happens when you're the only one trying in your marriage? When your partner seems indifferent, and you're the one praying, planning, reading, learning, bending, sacrificing only to be met with silence or worse, resistance? In this episode, Natalie peels back the layers of emotional and spiritual exhaustion that come from being the only emotionally invested person in a relationship. With grace, clarity, and a no-nonsense look at reality, she answers a powerful listener question: “If I’m the ...
Dec 23, 2025•37 min•Ep. 359
In this episode, I walk you through five crucial differences between a healthy Christian marriage and an emotionally abusive one. 🔑 Key Takeaways: Healthy marriages = clarity, respect, and growth Abusive marriages = confusion, control, and punishment If you're constantly walking on eggshells, it's not normal. God never asked you to sacrifice your soul on the altar of someone else's entitlement. Read the full show notes and/or ask Natalie a question here 🎙️ Watch the rest of this Emotional Abus...
Dec 16, 2025•43 min•Ep. 358
In this end-of-the-year BONUS episode, I want to share one of my recent PRIVATE podcast episodes exclusively for members of the Flying Free Kaleidoscope only . I also made an 8-minute video tour of the Flying Free Kaleidoscope on my phone. It will show you what the INSIDE of the Kaleidoscope looks like here at the end of 2025 and going into 2026. You can watch that on YouTube HERE. The price is going up on January 1, 2026, and I'd love to see you get in on the lower price if you can. Prices neve...
Dec 14, 2025•28 min
Have you ever been told that saying "no" makes you selfish? That good Christian women never rock the boat, always serve with a smile, and definitely do not have thoughts of their own? This episode is Part 2 of our Emotional Abuse 101 series, and today we’re diving into the art of saying no . If the idea of saying no makes your stomach flip or sends you into a guilt spiral, this episode is your lifeline. I’ll walk you through WHY it’s so hard to say no and HOW to start saying it anyway with confi...
Dec 09, 2025•37 min•Ep. 357
Welcome to part one of a brand-new series I’m calling “ Emotional Abuse 101: Everything You Need to Know ,” because, let’s face it, the church didn’t exactly hand out “How to Spot a Narcissist in Your Youth Group” pamphlets in Sunday school. In this episode, I’m diving into the 10 most subtle signs of emotional abuse , the kind of signs that don’t leave bruises on your body but do leave bruises on your soul. These are the red flags that fly under the radar, the ones that make you ask “Am I too s...
Dec 02, 2025•29 min•Ep. 356
In this episode, I get down and dirty with a topic that triggers all the rule-followers and religious gatekeepers: salvation. Not the flannelgraph-Jesus kind where you prayed the “magic words” at age seven and then spent the next 30 years terrified you did it wrong. Nope. I’m talking about real, liberating, soul-exploding salvation. This one’s especially for you if you’ve ever stayed in an abusive marriage because you thought God would be mad if you left. If you’re exhausted from trying to pleas...
Nov 25, 2025•20 min•Ep. 355
Ever wonder why you keep getting stuck in the same soul-sucking relational merry-go-round and can’t get off? Why you feel like you're starring in a never-ending soap opera you didn’t audition for, but somehow you’re the villain for wanting out? I sat down with Gwendoline , a longtime member of Flying Free and Flying Higher, to talk about her epic butterfly transformation. We're talking cycles of chaos, religious gaslighting, and the sneaky little acronym that kept her trapped in marital misery: ...
Nov 18, 2025•45 min•Ep. 354
It’s time to talk about the two kinds of people in this world: the seekers and the stuck . In this episode, I dive deep into the real reasons why some lives transform after abuse while others continue to feel stuck. We’re unpacking: Why healing is not about labeling your abuser a narcissist and calling it a day How to know when you’re ready to move from survivor to thriver . What your philosophy of life has to do with your emotional garden. Why reading one more Instagram post about toxic people ...
Nov 11, 2025•30 min•Ep. 353
What if the very place you went for safety, love, and divine wisdom turned out to be the scene of the crime? Today we’re diving headfirst into the world of spiritual abuse . This week, I’m joined by Katherine Spearing, founder of Tears of Eden, trauma recovery practitioner, and author of a new book, A Thousand Tiny Paper Cuts . If you’ve ever been told that “God doesn’t want your happiness, He wants your holiness” while you were slowly disintegrating inside, well, friend, you’re in for a ride. B...
Nov 04, 2025•59 min•Ep. 352
Has your inbox turned into a dumpster fire of accusatory texts from your abuser? In this episode, I hand you a step-by-step strategy to shut down the inner emotional chaos without getting dragged into the mud pit with him. It's not just about survival. It's about winning (for YOU!) What We Cover in This Episode: What to do when your abuser won’t stop texting lies, and the courts won’t let you block him How to stop reacting and start playing offense with your own sanity-protecting strategy Why yo...
Oct 28, 2025•27 min•Ep. 351
“He doesn’t hit you, so it must not be abuse.” Yeah, no. That tired old line needs to die. This week, I sat down with Dr. Christine Cocchiola , a powerhouse expert on coercive control , the kind of abuse that doesn’t leave bruises but instead, destroys lives. Christine breaks down how abusers don't need fists to dominate; they weaponize EVERYTHING from the court system , to churches , to your very own kids . If you’ve ever been dismissed, disbelieved, or labeled “too angry,” this episode is a ma...
Oct 21, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 350
Have you ever felt like life has you wearing a 200-pound emotional backpack labeled “Christian womanhood”? In this episode, I unpack (literally) the toxic beliefs that are holding us back using a metaphorical story about a woman who wants to run, but can’t. Because, surprise! She's lugging around spiritual abuse disguised as Bible truths. You’ll meet Sarah , a fictional but oh-so-familiar woman who stands at the edge of a running trail, paralyzed by invisible weights. Enter Elena , the wise olde...
Oct 14, 2025•15 min•Ep. 349
