In this episode of P.S I Love Me, Lynda is joined by Joanna Wynes — business owner, former attorney, and someone who knows first-hand what it truly takes to rebuild your life after postpartum depression, PTSD, divorce, and raising a child with special needs. Professionally, Joanna has spent her career guiding families through their most catastrophic moments, helping injured individuals navigate complex legal settlements and secure their futures. But behind the professional success, she was quietly holding herself together as her own world fell apart. Through therapy, deep self-reflection, and a hard-won mindset shift, Joanna learned the most important lesson: you have to be okay with yourself before you can truly be open to love.

They explore why so many women who've been through layered trauma find themselves rushing into the wrong relationships out of loneliness and fear of being alone and what it takes to stop that cycle. If you've been through divorce, heartbreak, or a season that left you wondering whether you'll ever feel whole again, or question if you can even find love again, this episode is for you.

In this episode you’ll discover: 

• What it's like to hold everything together professionally whilst falling apart behind closed doors

• Why the first round on the dating apps after a long marriage is almost always awful

• How the Burned Haystack Method gave Joanna the language to spot red flags she didn't even know she was missing

• Why codependency and people-pleasing set you up to attract the wrong partner and what shifting out of it actually looks like

• The difference between anxious-attachment chemistry and what genuine calm feels like in your nervous system

• What green flags look like in practice

• Why being truly comfortable in your own company is the real prerequisite to choosing a healthy relationship

• Joanna's non-negotiables — and why she refused to drop a single one

Key Moments:

02:42 – The year everything hit: business launch, pregnancy, her father's diagnosis, and a tumour no one saw coming

07:51 – Postpartum: months in bed with the lights off and the mask barely holding

09:21 – A client sees through the mask — and the real turning point begins

11:33 – How the marriage quietly unravelled, and the moment therapy changed everything

19:21 – "Life isn't meant to be easy": the mindset shift from surviving to empowered

21:20 – Back on the apps: "God, they were awful, awful"

24:50 – A boat with a stranger, a love bomber, and two years of being stalked

28:19 – Discovering the Burned Haystack Method — and finally feeling safe enough to try again

39:08 – 75 non-negotiables — and why she wouldn't drop a single one

50:58 – The Bumble prompt that revealed his character before they ever met in person

54:13 – The arcade first date: green flags in real time

56:39 – "I never had to overthink" — what it feels like when your nervous system finally says yes

1:03:02 – Lynda's closing: fall in love with yourself first, and the rest follows

To learn more about Lynda and her transformative coaching check out: https://www.lyndawilliamscoaching.com/home 

Connect with Lynda on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lyndawilliamscoach/ 

Follow Lynda on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyndajw/ 

Join her Evolved Woman Program: https://www.lyndawilliamscoaching.com/lwc-evolved-woman-program 

Check out Joanna via her website: https://settlement-expert.com/ 

🌟 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and comment! Share this episode with someone who needs to hear: you don’t have to be in crisis to deserve support.

The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding any health concerns or before making changes to your wellness routine.

This episode of PS: I Love Me was produced by Heart Centered Podcasting.