I’m sharing one of the most requested and emotionally charged topics: the trauma bond. This episode is part of my private podcast series Unhooked: Mapping the Cycle of Abuse, and I felt it was important to bring it here too—for anyone who’s stuck in the pain, confusion, or shame of staying in a relationship they know is harming them.

We explore why trauma bonds form, how they keep you hooked, and what it takes to begin breaking free. This isn’t just about naming abuse—it’s about understanding how your nervous system got wired for survival in an environment where love and harm coexist.

Inside this episode:

• What a trauma bond actually is (and how it’s different from love)
• Why your body clings to the person who hurts you
• Signs you might be trauma bonded
• Why it feels impossible to leave—even when you know the truth
• What happens during withdrawal after leaving
• How to start untangling yourself, one step at a time
• The myth of mutual abuse and why blaming yourself keeps you stuck

This conversation comes directly from Unhooked, my in-depth series designed to help you map your personal cycle of abuse, reconnect to your clarity, and take back your power. If what you hear in this episode resonates, I invite you to join me inside the full series.

🧠 Learn more about Unhooked at emotionalabusecoach.com

Support the show

*Please Note: there is a long intro that explains my services. If you do not want to listen, just fast-forward 5 mins past. This intro will be changed in future recordings to be shorter. I am not paid to record this podcast and it is a free offering. Offering my work is the only way I can sustain the podcast*

Join the Patreon: https://patreon.com/Youarenotcrazy

*New Course*: Unhooked: Map the Cycle of Abuse in your Relationship

Website: Emotional Abuse Coach and high-conflictdivorcecoaching.com
Instagram: @emotionalabusecoach
Email: [email protected]

{Substack} Blog About Recovering from Abuse

{E-Book} How to Break Up with a Narcissist
{Course} Identify Signs of Abuse and Begin to Heal
{Free Resource} Canned Responses for Engaging with an Abusive Partner