Go to flyingfreeworkshop.com to register for our $1 workshop: Is It Abuse? (or am I just being too sensitive?)

Is your husband’s addiction tearing your marriage—and your heart—apart?

In today’s powerful episode, I unpack the often-overlooked reality of addiction-fueled abuse. We’ll talk about how addictions—from porn and gambling to drugs and spending—impact the brain, hijack relationships, and leave women spiritually and emotionally devastated.

If you’ve ever tried harder, prayed longer, or changed yourself to fix what’s broken in your marriage, this episode is a healing balm and a wake-up call. I want to remind us that addiction is the problem—not you—and offer biblical, practical wisdom for reclaiming your power, peace, and dignity.

Key Takeaways:

• Addiction ≠ love problem. You can’t love, pray, or submit your husband out of his addiction. Change only happens when he chooses it.
• Addiction changes the brain. It affects dopamine systems, impulse control, and emotional regulation, making empathy and honesty difficult.
• You are not crazy. Gaslighting, mood swings, and financial chaos are symptoms of a deeper issue—not proof you're “too sensitive.”
• God does not call you to endure abuse. You are permitted to set boundaries, seek legal protection, and pursue peace—even if that means separation or divorce.
• Healing begins when you turn inward. Like one brave woman in the Kaleidoscope said, "Help me get free from the constant pain"—and everything changed.

Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question here

Related Resources:

• Some Flying Free Podcast episodes you might be interested in: “Can My Alcoholic Husband Change?” and “Am I the Problem in My Marriage?”

This week, I'm excited to share something transformative I just learned from the book "Coming Alive" by Barry Michels and Phil Stutz. Have you ever felt so completely demoralized that you couldn't see a way forward? That crushing feeling when you believe nothing will ever get better? I've been there too.

In this episode, I'll talk about a powerful tool from this book that can gently pull you out of those darkest emotional spaces and reconnect you to hope, resilience, and even joy. Through the story of Ann, a woman devastated by another failed relationship, we explore how we often chase external solutions (like the perfect partner) to fix our internal emptiness, only to find ourselves more disappointed when they don't deliver the salvation we crave.

Here's what you'll learn from this episode:

• How to identify when you're caught in the trap of "false hope" and why external achievements, relationships, or possessions never fill the void we think they will

• The simple 5-step Mother Tool practice that can lift you out of demoralization and reconnect you to your inner strength, even when everything feels hopeless

• Real examples of how this tool has helped people transform their creative blocks, unhealthy relationship patterns, and even approach chronic pain with renewed resilience

When we're at our lowest, what we need isn't logic or problem-solving – we need love. That's exactly what the Mother Tool helps us access: an unconditional, nurturing presence inside ourselves that sees our worth regardless of our circumstances.

This practice isn't about fixing your external situation; it's about shifting your emotional state so you can show up to life with clarity and strength. Because when you reconnect to that loving presence within, you discover the resilience to keep going – not because things are perfect, but because you're loved.

Join me for this heart-opening episode where I walk you through exactly how to use this tool in your own life. And if you're craving more connection and growth, remember that my Flying Higher mentorship program offers weekly classes, coaching, and a beautiful community of almost 300 women supporting each other's journeys. You can learn more at joinflyinghigher.com.

Ever been told you’re too sensitive? That you just need to forgive more? Or that if you were a better Christian wife, everything would magically get better?

Yeah. Me too. And Dr. Ramani Durvasula’s book It’s Not You is here to throw a holy wrench into that narrative.

In this week’s episode of the Flying Free Podcast, I’m unpacking the powerful truths in this book and showing you exactly how it validates the lived reality of women in emotionally and spiritually abusive relationships.

We’re talking:

• What narcissistic abuse actually looks like (hint: it’s not always loud or obvious)
• The spectrum of narcissism and how it shows up in faith communities
• How to stop blaming yourself and start protecting your peace
• Practical strategies to regain your emotional footing (no seminary degree required)

This episode is part validation, part education, and 100% you’re-not-crazy encouragement. If you've ever felt spiritually duped or emotionally wrung out in a relationship that was supposed to be “biblical,” I promise—this one will hit home in the best way.

Hit play, breathe deep, and remember: You are not the problem. You never were.

Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question here

Related Resources:

• Read Dr. Ramani’s book for yourself, It’s Not You.
• Check out some related, past Flying Free episodes: “What is Gaslighting in a Toxic Narcissistic Relationship” and “Using Art to Heal from Narcissistic Abuse.”