JITT Talks

What happens when abuse doesn't leave a bruise?

Sometimes harm doesn't look the way we've been taught to recognize it. It can show up through manipulation, emotional control, isolation, constant criticism, or the feeling that you're always walking on eggshells.

In this special bonus episode of JITT Talks, Somaej and Geneva continue The Survival Series with an important conversation about the forms of abuse that often go unnoticed.

Together, we explore:

• Recognizing patterns of emotional, psychological, and other nonphysical abuse.

• The difference between keeping the peace and actually feeling peaceful.

• How trauma and survival responses can make harmful patterns difficult to recognize.

• Why asking "Why didn't you just leave?" overlooks the complexities of abusive relationships.

• The importance of awareness, compassion, support, and healing.

Because just because it didn't look like abuse doesn't mean it wasn't abuse.

Our hope is that this conversation encourages greater understanding, removes judgment, and reminds survivors that their experiences matter.

Special Mention: Forever Young Life Coaching

We also want to recognize Forever Young Life Coaching, mentioned during this episode.

Website: https://www.foreveryounglifecoaching.com

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/foreveryounglifecoaching/

Domestic Violence Support Resources

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, confidential support is available through the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

Call: 800-799-SAFE (7233)

Text: START to 88788

Website: https://www.thehotline.org

Content Advisory: This episode discusses domestic violence, emotional abuse, manipulation, and trauma. Please listen with care.

Stay Connected with The JITT Group

Website: https://www.thejittgroup.com

Social Media & Resources: https://linktr.ee/TheJITTGroup

Follow, share, and subscribe to JITT Talks on your favorite listening platform. Your support helps us continue conversations that encourage growth, healing, and transformation.

JITT Talks — Real Conversations. Real Transformation.

JITT Talks | The Survival Series — Part 3 When Trauma Shapes How We See God: Healing Our Understanding of Trust, Surrender & Safety

What happens when the Bible tells you God is trustworthy, but the people you trusted weren't?

What happens when you're told to surrender, but control is how you learned to survive? Or when Scripture describes God as a loving Father, but your experiences with love, authority, or family have been painful?

In the final episode of The Survival Series: How the Past Shapes How We Heal, Lead, and Believe, we're exploring a deeply personal connection between trauma, faith, and how our past experiences can influence the way we understand and relate to God.

Sometimes we know what Scripture says about God's love, grace, and faithfulness, yet emotionally struggle to trust, surrender, or receive those truths.

This doesn't necessarily mean we lack faith. Sometimes our experiences have shaped what we've learned to expect from relationships, including our relationship with God.

In this episode of JITT Talks, we have an honest, faith-centered, trauma-informed conversation about the intersection of our lived experiences, spiritual beliefs, and the journey toward healing.

• How past experiences can influence our perception of God

• Why trusting God can feel difficult when trust has been broken

• The relationship between survival patterns, control, and surrender

• Understanding God as Father when earthly relationships have been painful

• How experiences with authority can affect our understanding of God's authority

• Church hurt, spiritual manipulation, and rebuilding trust

• Why forgiveness doesn't automatically mean reconciliation or restored access

• How conditional love and performance can shape our understanding of God's grace

• Navigating disappointment, grief, and unanswered prayers

• Why faith and emotional struggles can coexist

• Learning to distinguish God's character from the behavior of people who may have misrepresented Him

A question worth reflecting on:

“Am I experiencing God for who He is—or through the lens of what people have taught me to expect?”

Throughout this conversation, we also reflect on themes from Geneva Martin's book, Surrendered in Silence, exploring what it means to release control, navigate grief, and discover God's presence even when life doesn't unfold the way we expected.

Trauma doesn't change who God is, but our experiences can influence the lens through which we see Him.

Healing isn't about pretending our past didn't happen. It's about recognizing how those experiences may have shaped us and allowing room for a deeper understanding of faith, trust, love, and surrender.

Part 1: When Trauma Doesn't Look Like Trauma — How the Past Shows Up in Everyday Life

Part 2: Survival Mode Became My Personality — When Coping Becomes Identity

Part 3: When Trauma Shapes How We See God — Healing Our Understanding of Trust, Surrender & Safety

Thank you for joining us throughout this three-part journey of awareness, identity, faith, and healing.

Explore Geneva Martin's book, Surrendered in Silence, a personal journey through grief, faith, resilience, and surrender.

Find the book and additional resources through our Linktree below.

🌐 Website: www.TheJITTGroup.com

🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/TheJITTGroup

Connect with us on social media!

🎧 If this episode resonates with you, follow JITT Talks, leave a review, and share The Survival Series with someone who may benefit from these conversations.

Disclaimer: JITT Talks is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Our conversations are informed by professional experience, faith, and lived experiences. This podcast is not a substitute for therapy, diagnosis, or professional mental health treatment.

JITT Talks: Real Conversations. Real Transformation.

JITT Talks | The Survival Series — Part 2 Survival Mode Became My Personality: When Coping Becomes Identity

What happens when the things you learned to do to survive become the very things you believe define who you are?

Maybe you've always been the independent one. The overachiever. The problem solver. The strong one. The person who keeps everything together, takes care of everyone else, and rarely asks for help.

But have you ever stopped to consider whether those characteristics developed from your personality—or from experiences that taught you how to survive?

In Part 2 of The Survival Series: How the Past Shapes How We Heal, Lead, and Believe, we're exploring what happens when survival patterns become part of our identity.

In this episode of JITT Talks, we take a deeper look at hyper-independence, control, overworking, people-pleasing, and the pressure to always be strong. We also explore how these patterns can influence our relationships, careers, decision-making, and leadership.

Geneva brings her leadership expertise and personal experiences into the conversation as we discuss how survival patterns can show up in leadership roles, why high achievement doesn't always mean emotional wellness, and how learning to surrender can become an important part of personal growth.

We also highlight themes from Geneva's book, Surrendered in Silence, exploring the relationship between strength, responsibility, faith, and releasing what we were never meant to carry alone.

• When coping mechanisms become part of our identity

• Why hyper-independence can sometimes be a survival response

• The hidden pressure of always being the strong one

• How overworking and productivity can become connected to self-worth

• The relationship between control, uncertainty, and emotional safety

• How past experiences can influence leadership styles and decision-making

• Why successful, high-functioning individuals may still carry unresolved emotional patterns

• The difference between healthy leadership and leading from survival mode

• How people-pleasing and over-responsibility can affect relationships

• Why asking for help isn't a sign of weakness

• Learning to recognize when a survival pattern is no longer serving us

• Moving from surviving to living and leading with greater intention

A question worth reflecting on:

“Is this who I truly am, or is this who I learned I needed to become to survive?”

This conversation isn't about criticizing the ways you've learned to cope. Many of those patterns may have helped you navigate difficult seasons.

It's about recognizing that what helped you survive one season doesn't have to define how you live every season that follows.

Part 1: When Trauma Doesn't Look Like Trauma — How the Past Shows Up in Everyday Life

Part 2: Survival Mode Became My Personality — When Coping Becomes Identity

Coming Next — Part 3: When Trauma Shapes How We See God — Healing Our Understanding of Trust, Surrender & Safety

Explore Geneva Martin's book, Surrendered in Silence, a personal journey through grief, faith, resilience, and surrender.

Find more information about the book through our Linktree below.

🌐 Website: www.thejittgroup.com

🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/TheJITTGroup

Visit our Linktree to connect with us on social media, explore our coaching resources, learn more about Surrendered in Silence, and stay connected with The JITT Group.

🎧 If this episode resonates with you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who has spent their life being everyone's strong one.

Disclaimer: JITT Talks is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Our conversations are informed by professional experience, faith, and lived experiences. This podcast is not a substitute for therapy, diagnosis, or professional mental health treatment.

JITT Talks: Real Conversations. Real Transformation.

JITT Talks — The Survival Series: Part 1-When Trauma Doesn’t Look Like Trauma: How the Past Shows Up in Everyday Life

Trauma doesn’t always look like someone falling apart.

Sometimes it looks like being highly independent. Overthinking. People-pleasing. Difficulty trusting. Always preparing for the worst. Staying busy. Needing control. Or being the person everyone describes as “strong.”

In Part 1 of our new three-part Survival Series, we’re exploring the ways past experiences can quietly influence how we live, love, lead, parent, work, and respond to the world around us.

This conversation isn’t about labeling every behavior as trauma. It’s about becoming curious about the patterns we carry, understanding where they may have come from, and recognizing when something that once helped protect us may still be shaping our lives today.

In this episode, we discuss:

• One of the biggest misconceptions about trauma
• Why trauma doesn’t always look the way we expect
• How past experiences can show up in everyday life
• Trauma and patterns in relationships
• How our own experiences can influence parenting
• Trauma in the workplace and leadership
• Why high-functioning doesn’t always mean healed
• The difference between feeling uncomfortable and actually being unsafe
• How protective patterns can sometimes push away something healthy
• Why awareness matters in the healing process

And we sit with an important question:

“Is this warning me about what’s happening now—or reminding me of what happened then?”

This is Part 1 of The Survival Series: How the Past Shapes How We Heal, Lead, and Believe.

Coming next:
🎙️ Part 2 — Survival Mode Became My Personality: When Coping Becomes Identity
🎙️ Part 3 — When Trauma Shapes How We See God: Healing Our Understanding of Trust, Surrender & Safety

Disclaimer: JITT Talks is for educational and informational purposes only. This episode is not intended to diagnose or treat any mental health condition or replace therapy or other professional mental health care.

🌐 TheJITTGroup.com

🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/TheJITTGroup

Follow our Linktree to connect with us on social media, explore our resources, and stay connected with The JITT Group.

JITT Talks: Real Conversations. Real Transformation.

Learn More About The JITT GroupConnect With Us

Episode 11: Why We Can’t Sit Still Anymore: When Constant Connection Makes Stillness Uncomfortable

When was the last time you sat in complete silence—no phone, no television, no music, no notifications, and nothing demanding your attention?

For many of us, constant connection has become so normal that stillness can actually feel uncomfortable.

In this episode of JITT Talks, we explore why we've become so accustomed to always being connected, entertained, productive, and accessible—and what all that stimulation may be doing to our ability to simply be still.

From smartphones and social media to work, family responsibilities, FOMO, and the expectation that we're always available, there seems to be very little space in our lives where nothing is asking for our attention.

But we take the conversation deeper than screen time.

We also explore why silence can sometimes feel uncomfortable, how chronic stress and past experiences may influence our relationship with stillness, and why constantly staying busy or distracted can sometimes keep us from noticing what's happening internally.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why we've become dependent on constant connection

• Convenience, FOMO, notifications, and social expectations

• The pressure to always be accessible

• Why being reachable doesn't mean we're obligated to respond

• Overstimulation and our difficulty slowing down

• Why silence can sometimes feel uncomfortable

• How stress and trauma can influence our relationship with rest and stillness

• The difference between being quiet and actually feeling peaceful

• Why busyness can sometimes create a sense of control

• What we may discover when the distractions finally stop

• Practicing stillness in small, intentional ways

• The connection between faith, trust, rest, and being still

Maybe the question isn't simply, “Why can't we sit still anymore?”

Maybe it's:

“What becomes noticeable when everything finally gets quiet?”

This conversation isn't about throwing away your phone or disconnecting from the world. It's an invitation to become more intentional about connection, distraction, rest, and creating space to hear what's happening around you—and within you.

If this episode resonates with you, share it with someone who could use a little more stillness in their life.

Learn More About The JITT Group
🌐 Website: www.thejittgroup.com

Connect With Us & Stay Connected
🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/TheJITTGroup

Visit our Linktree to connect with us on social media, explore our resources and programs, and discover more ways to grow, heal, and thrive with The JITT Group.

This is JITT Talks. Real Conversations. Real Transformation.

When Purpose Feels Heavy: Purpose, Pressure & Learning to Surrender

What happens when the thing you prayed for starts to feel heavy?

We often talk about finding our purpose, walking in our calling, and pursuing the things we believe God has placed on our hearts. But we don't always talk about the responsibility, expectations, and pressure that can come with it.

In this episode of JITT Talks, we're having an honest conversation about what happens when purpose begins to feel more like pressure. We explore the difference between faithfully carrying what God has assigned to us and carrying expectations that were never ours to begin with.

Because sometimes the problem isn't your purpose—it's everything you've attached to it.

In this episode, we discuss:

• When does purpose become pressure?
• Are you carrying God's assignment or everyone else's expectations?
• How do you know when you're striving instead of surrendering?
• The pressure to prove yourself through productivity
• People-pleasing and saying yes to things that aren't your assignment
• The difference between purpose and performance
• Why rest, boundaries, and self-care belong in a purpose-driven life
• Learning to trust God with the outcome
• Pursuing purpose without sacrificing your peace

One of the biggest lessons we've learned is that not every opportunity is an assignment, and not every expectation deserves your yes.

Purpose may stretch you. It may challenge you. It may require sacrifice and obedience. But when your calling becomes consumed by comparison, approval, perfectionism, and the need to constantly prove yourself, it may be time to pause and ask what you're actually carrying.

You don't have to perform your purpose.

You can faithfully steward what's been placed in your hands and trust God with the rest.

If this conversation encouraged you, subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who may be carrying more than they were ever meant to carry.

Learn More About The JITT Group
🌐 Website: www.thejittgroup.com

Connect With Us
🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/TheJITTGroup

This is JITT Talks. Real Conversations. Real Transformation.

Burnout Isn’t a Badge of Honor: When Busy Becomes Burned Out

Burnout has become so common that sometimes we mistake it for success. We wear exhaustion like proof that we're working hard enough, caring enough, or accomplishing enough—but constantly running on empty was never meant to become a way of life.

In this episode of JITT Talks, we have an honest conversation about the difference between simply being busy and experiencing burnout. We explore what happens when we consistently prioritize productivity over our mental, emotional, and physical well-being—and why recognizing the warning signs matters.

We also talk about the people who are often most vulnerable to carrying too much: parents, caregivers, leaders, professionals, and those who have become "the strong one" for everyone around them.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The difference between being busy and burned out

• Why we've normalized exhaustion and overworking

• Emotional, mental, and physical signs of burnout

• Over-responsibility and constantly carrying the needs of others

• Why rest alone may not solve burnout

• Healthy boundaries and knowing your limits

• Receiving support instead of trying to do everything alone

• Self-awareness and emotional honesty

• Practical steps toward creating a healthier, more sustainable life

If you've been telling yourself you're just tired  but can't seem to feel restored, this conversation may be the check-in you didn't know you needed.

Free Burnout Resource
📘 Want to learn more about burnout and how to begin making meaningful changes? Download our free eBook on burnout through the Linktree below.

Learn More About The JITT Group
🌐 Website: TheJITTGroup.com

Connect With Us + Download the Free eBook
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This is JITT Talks. Real Conversations. Real Transformation.

What does it really mean to be emotionally mature?

It doesn’t mean never getting angry, never feeling hurt, or avoiding difficult conversations. Emotional maturity is about understanding what you feel, taking responsibility for how you respond, and learning to navigate relationships with greater self-awareness, wisdom, and intention.

In this episode of JITT Talks, we challenge some common misconceptions about emotional maturity and explore what it actually looks like in everyday life. From learning to respond instead of react to navigating healthy conflict, setting boundaries, practicing forgiveness, and owning our emotions, this conversation is about progress—not perfection.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Responding instead of reacting

• Taking ownership of your emotions

• Why boundaries are part of emotional maturity

• Forgiveness and letting go

• Navigating conflict in healthier ways

• The importance of self-awareness

• Why emotional maturity doesn't mean avoiding difficult emotions

• Becoming more intentional in the way we communicate and relate to others

Emotional maturity isn't about feeling less—it's about learning how to handle what you feel in healthier ways.

If this conversation encouraged you, subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who could benefit from the conversation.

Learn More About The JITT Group
🌐 Website: www.thejittgroup.com

Connect With Us
🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/TheJITTGroup

This is JITT Talks. Real Conversations. Real Transformation.

Grief is one of life's most universal experiences, yet one of the most misunderstood. While many people associate grief with the loss of a loved one, grief can also accompany the loss of relationships, careers, health, dreams, identity, and significant life transitions.

In this episode of JITT Talks, we have an honest and compassionate conversation about what grief really looks like, why everyone experiences it differently, and how healing doesn't mean forgetting—it means learning to carry love and loss together while continuing to move forward with hope.

We also explore how grief impacts leadership, decision-making, and emotional well-being, offering practical encouragement for both those navigating loss and those supporting someone who is grieving.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What grief really is and why it affects us differently
• The many faces of grief beyond the loss of a loved one
• Common emotions experienced throughout the grieving process
• Grief and leadership: navigating loss while continuing to lead
• How to support someone who is grieving with compassion
• Why moving forward doesn't mean forgetting
• Finding hope while honoring the people, relationships, and seasons we've lost

If this conversation encouraged you, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who may need the reminder that healing is possible and that they don't have to walk through grief alone.

Learn More About The JITT Group
🌐 Website: www.thejittgroup.com

Connect With Us
🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/TheJITTGroup

This is JITT Talks. Real Conversations. Real Transformation.

What if the beliefs holding you back aren't true?

In this episode of JITT Talks, we have an honest conversation about some of the biggest lies we've had to unlearn on our own personal and professional journeys. From believing our worth is tied to productivity to thinking we have to do everything ourselves, we explore how unhealthy mindsets can quietly shape our identity, relationships, leadership, and overall well-being.

Together, we discuss the freedom that comes from letting go of people-pleasing, embracing healthy boundaries, redefining failure, and discovering that true transformation often begins by releasing beliefs that no longer serve us.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why our identity is more than our accomplishments
• The difference between productivity and self-worth
• Letting go of the belief that you have to do everything alone
• Why healthy boundaries aren't selfish
• Redefining failure as part of growth
• How unlearning unhealthy beliefs leads to lasting transformation
• Taking one thoughtful step toward becoming a healthier version of yourself

If this conversation encouraged you, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who may need the reminder that growth isn't just about learning something new—sometimes it's about letting something go.

Learn More About The JITT Group
🌐 Website: TheJITTGroup.com

Connect With Us
🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/TheJITTGroup

This is JITT Talks. Real Conversations. Real Transformation.