Surviving Toxic Relationships Podcast with The Matadoras

Épisodes

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  Episode #118: The Red Flags Were There: How to Stop a Bad Relationship Before It Starts with Dave McLaughlin 16.09.2026 24min

  Have you ever looked back at a relationship and thought, "The red flags were there. Why didn't I see them?" Sometimes the problem isn't that there were no warning signs. It's that we didn't understand what we were looking at, or we explained those behaviors away once emotions, chemistry, and hope became involved. In this episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships, Deana and Lizzie sit down with ICF-certified relationship coach Dave McLachlan, author of Is He Worthy? Using Red Flags to Find the ...
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  Episode #117: What Comes After Survival? Healing, Starting Over & Finding Yourself Again 09.09.2026 27min

  What happens when you're no longer just trying to survive? For years, your questions may have centered around the relationship: Why am I so confused? Am I the problem? Should I stay? Should I leave? Then, somewhere in the healing process, the question can change: Who am I now? In this solo episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships with The Matadoras, Lizzie shares where she is in her own story at 58: stepping away from a secure career, downsizing into a 16-foot travel trailer, and entering a s...
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  Episode #116: Why Women Stay Silent in Unhealthy Relationships with Marcelle LeBlanc 19.08.2026 27min

  What happens when you know something is wrong in your relationship, but you keep convincing yourself that everything is fine? In this episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships, Deana sits down with Marcelle LeBlanc, known as the Conversation Architect, to talk about why so many women struggle to identify what they truly want, speak up about what they need, and have the difficult conversations they have been avoiding. Marcelle shares her own story of discovering on her ninth wedding anniversary...
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  Episode #115: Leaving a Toxic Marriage: How to Prepare for Divorce and Protect Yourself with Diana Romanov 12.08.2026 35min

  Leaving a toxic relationship is hard enough. Add divorce, finances, children, custody, and the legal system, and it can quickly become overwhelming. In this episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships with The Matadoras, we sit down with San Francisco divorce attorney and Certified Family Law Specialist Diana Romanov, creator of Divorce Like a Boss, to talk about what you need to know before filing for divorce, especially when you’re dealing with a toxic or high-conflict partner. Drawing from 15...
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  Episode #114: The Hidden Grief of Loving Someone with Addiction Faith, Loss & Hope with S.E. Tschritter 29.07.2026 32min

  What happens when the person you trust most is secretly battling addiction? In this deeply moving episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships, Deana and Lizzie sit down with bestselling author S.E. Tschritter to discuss her heartbreaking yet hope-filled journey after her husband—a pastor—relapsed into alcoholism, was diagnosed with stage-four cancer following a drunk driving accident, and ultimately asked her to write his story. Together they explore: Living with a spouse struggling with addicti...
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  Episode #113: Who Were You Before Him? Rediscovering Your Identity After a Toxic Relationship 22.07.2026 34min

  Who were you before the relationship changed you? In this honest conversation, Lizzie, Deana, and special guest Jennifer discuss what happens when years of people-pleasing, survival, and emotional abuse slowly erase your sense of identity. Together they share personal stories of rediscovering forgotten dreams, preferences, confidence, and joy while offering hope for anyone wondering who they are after a toxic relationship. Whether you're still healing or beginning to reinvent your life, this ...
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  Episode #112:Can Breathwork Heal Trauma? How to Reset Your Nervous System After Toxic Relationships | Jon Paul Crimi 15.07.2026 58min

  If you've left a toxic relationship but still feel anxious, emotionally exhausted, or like your nervous system is always on high alert, you're not imagining it. In this powerful conversation, Lizzie and Deana sit down with breathwork pioneer Jon Paul Crimi to explore how trauma can become stored in the body—and why healing isn't always about talking through your past. Jon Paul shares his remarkable personal journey through addiction, recovery, and emotional healing after discovering conscious...
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  Episode #111: Addiction, Narcissism & Codependency: Why You Feel Crazy | Featuring Dr. Sarah Michaud 08.07.2026 34min

  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, Dr. Michaud shares practical insights into the similarities between addiction and narcissism, wh...
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  Episode #110: Behind the Mic: Big Changes, Publishers & Trusting God with What's Next 02.07.2026 24min

  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 it means to follow God's leading even when the future isn't fully clear. Lizzie also shares her d...
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  Episode #109: From Exploitation to Restoration: A Story of Hope After Sexual Trauma 17.06.2026 36min

  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 so many survivors struggle with relationships, and the freedom she found through faith, counselin...
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  Episode #108: The Red Flags I Ignored Before Discovering the Truth 10.06.2026 36min

  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 on-again, off-again relationship, Heather uncovered an expunged felony record that forced her to conf...
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  Episode #107: Fired at 63, Millionaire by 69 The Financial Comeback Every Woman Needs to Hear 02.06.2026 42min

  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 for anyone facing a major life transition, especially women navigating gray divorce, financial a...
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  Episode #106: Leaving Financial Abuse: What Women Need to Know Before Starting Over 27.05.2026 19min

  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 made to feel incapable of surviving independently. Over time, money becomes more than a financial is...
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  Episode #105: Financial Abuse Red Flags Every Women Needs to Spot Before Leaving a Toxic Relationship! 20.05.2026 33min

  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 surveillancehidden debt and secret credit cardsshame around spending moneybeing monitored through banki...
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  Episode 104: Why You Didn’t See the Red Flags Sooner | Trauma Bonds, Betrayal & Rebuilding Self-Trust 13.05.2026 30min

  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 why the warning signs often don’t feel obvious until much later. If you’ve struggled with self-bla...
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  Episode #103: The 5 Stages of Betrayal Recovery (Why You Still Feel Stuck & How to Heal) Dr. Debi Silber 06.05.2026 43min

  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 is a distinct type of trauma (not all trauma is the same) ✔ What Post-Betrayal Syndrome is—and ...
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  Episode #102: I Didn’t Know It Was Abuse… |Therapist Explains Hidden Signs of Toxic Relationships 29.04.2026 42min

  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 surviving a narcissistic and abusive relationship—and why so many strong, intelligent women don’t...
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  Episode #101: 5 Signs You’re Not Just in a Hard Season (You May Be in a Harmful Pattern) 27.04.2026 23min

  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 you know if what you’re experiencing is temporary… or part of a harmful pattern? We walk through 5 ...
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  Episode #100: Letting Go Without Going Back: Forgiveness, Boundaries & Healing | Eva Marie Everson 22.04.2026 33min

  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 always mean restoring the relationshipHow to set healthy, God-honoring boundariesWhat toxic relations...
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  Episode #99: Brain Hijack in Relationships; Why You Feel Unsafe in Love (Even When You’re Not) | Diane McDowell 15.04.2026 31min

  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 Attracted the same unhealthy relationship patterns …this episode...