n this episode of Healed. Whole. Called., Wendy Melrose sits down with Beatrice Cortes — graduate counseling student, mother of three daughters, author, and aspiring therapist — for a deeply honest conversation about domestic violence, faith, and reclaiming identity after trauma.
Beatrice’s story begins within the church. Raised as a pastor’s kid, she grew up with a deep reverence for marriage and a belief that divorce was never an option. When she found herself in a domestic violence relationship where her life was threatened, the internal conflict was profound. She not only faced the reality of leaving for her safety and her children’s protection, but also wrestled spiritually — questioning whether God was disappointed in her and whether divorce disqualified her from sharing her faith.
In prayer, during one of her lowest moments, Beatrice sensed a powerful reminder from the Lord: He had not abandoned her. In fact, He had protected her. That encounter reframed her suffering. What she once interpreted as divine absence became evidence of divine intervention.
The healing process did not happen overnight. Beatrice confronted long-buried struggles with self-worth, disordered eating, generational patterns of abuse, and the pressure to perform spiritually. She began to separate identity from performance and learned to value herself as a daughter of God. Through counseling, community, and honest spiritual surrender, she discovered that empowerment — both clinically and biblically — is essential to healing.
When she remarried, she approached the relationship differently. She chose discernment over outside opinion, boundaries over fear, and authenticity over image. In her current marriage, she describes experiencing safety for the first time — a lived example of what it means for a husband to love with humility, repentance, and a contrite heart before God.
Beatrice also shares practical wisdom for women currently navigating abusive situations. Safety planning, trusted support systems, emergency contacts, code words, discreet location sharing, and legal consultation are not signs of rebellion — they are acts of wisdom. She emphasizes that leaving is often the most dangerous season, and no one should attempt it alone. Community matters. Preparation matters. Safety in numbers matters.
Her calling into therapy grew from both lived experience and lifelong instinct. Even as a child, people gravitated toward her with their confessions and burdens. Today, she is pursuing advanced training in psychology with the desire to integrate faith and mental health responsibly — offering trauma-informed care without condemnation. She is also developing a nonprofit initiative and safety-planning tools to support individuals in crisis.
Beatrice’s vulnerability extends beyond domestic violence. In her book, The Depths of His Love, she shares about suicidal thoughts, sexual abuse, and the internal struggles that often remain hidden within church culture. She speaks openly about how secrecy allows darkness to grow — but truth, brought into the light, becomes liberating.
For the woman listening who feels trapped, ashamed, or spiritually disqualified, Beatrice offers this steady reminder: everything has an expiration date. The enemy does not have permanent authority. There is a God who is stronger than the one who torments you.
This conversation embodies the heart of Healed. Whole. Called. — that pain is not the headline. Healing is. Trauma is not identity. Wholeness is. And through Christ, what once threatened to destroy can become the foundation of calling.
For more biblical encouragement and testimonies of restoration, visit .
How to Connect With the Guest
Book: The Depths of His Love by Beatrice Cortes
Additional contact details, website, and social media handles were not mentioned in this episode. Please check the show notes or Wendy Melrose’s social platforms for updates.
If you’re carrying a story or testimony and sense a quiet stirring to do something more with it, but you’re unsure what that next step should be, I’ve created a resource to help you discern that.
The Story Discernment Guide is a reflective guide designed to help you pause, pray, and gain clarity around the story you’re stewarding — before you write, publish, or share it publicly.
You can explore the Story Discernment Guide at storycalling.info.
Your story is not an accident.
You are healed.
You are whole.
You are called — and stewarding your story well matters.
