Her abusive marriage mirrored a made-for-TV movie.  Then she decided that God must see so much strength in her; she shifted her focus from victim to thriver.

Kim Lyons describes domestic abuse as emotional terrorism and says what we all know to be true: If you haven’t lived it, you just don’t get it!  Thrivers are a sorority of sisterhood. (Not a sorority in which we want to be Members, but in a sisterhood of support, encouragement, and inspiration.)

Now Kim works with people who want to harness their full power in life, with no limits!

Reach out to Kim and learn more about her on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/platinumkimmie  https://www.facebook.com/groups/hardcorebodybuildersfitnessfreaks/ 

or on Linked in at https://www.linkedin.com/in/strengthcoachkimmie/

 
"​"If you're working hard but not accomplishing your goal, you don't change the goal, you change the strategy!"​ ~Kim Lyons

Raise your hand if you have you said this about your abuser: “How foolish I was.  I thought he was perfect.”?  My hand is up!

Christine Cristina shares her story of shocking awareness of being undermined by a narcissist.  She sold her home and her business because he encouraged her to live the life he had created.  They decided to build a new home.  She chose to travel with him, to spend a lot of time on his boat, to give up her own life to embrace his.

She was 60 years old.  She had never been married.  Her gorgeous gown was purchased and fitted.  Wedding invitations were in the mail.  Then, he called to say he was breaking up with her.  She was not the woman he thought she was.  (!!!!)

Her life unraveled.  She spent four months on the floor crying.  She was suicidal.  She was Shattered.

Christine is a thriver.  With support from friends and through her faith, she became Unstoppable, Unlimited, Unsinkable.  Shatterproof.

Read more details about her unique experience in her book When Life Unravels. 

Reach out to Christine at www.WhenLifeUnravels.com

A 90-day temporary order took two years to resolve…YEA!  I finally got 50/50 custody of my daughter!

This conversation is not to discourage anyone.  It is to validate that right can eventually prevail, even in custody cases with abusive Dads.

Amber went to court without an attorney and everything her abuser and his attorney told the Judge was believed.  Her abuser was given full custody of their daughter, then and there.

The lies he told were that she was addicted to drugs and alcohol.  She was ordered to attend AA meetings.  He said he did not rape her; she liked rough sex.  She was ordered to seek sex therapy.  He and his lawyer convinced the court that she lived in her car.  She lived with friends.  She was encouraged to sign a 90-day temporary order, giving her abuser full custody of their daughter.  She was convinced it was the right thing to do. 

Finally, after many court appearances, finally hiring an attorney who believed her, and two years of supervised visits with her daughter, Amber gained 50/50 custody. 

Amazingly to me, Amber’s abuser fathered another child and he was given full-custody of that child, using the same tactics against that mother that he did with Amber.  It’s a story we hear over and over.

Amber’s story gives hope that persistence and a good attorney can turn things around.

Amber Elizabeth can be contacted on FaceBook and through her closed page supporting abused women, Breaking Free!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1877914985844912/?epa=SEARCH_BOX  Ask to join her group.

Jacqui Oh is a career teacher, student and vocalist who loves to ask questions, from dumb to inappropriate and often introspective.  Jacqui likes to have fun.

She is passionate about education, diversity and culture.  All of those areas are addressed on her podcast, StartDis.  She is also a victim turned thriver of domestic abuse.  Her story in this interview is openly shared with heart-felt honesty and emotion.

While Jacqui’s abusive relationship did not last many years, the trauma was tremendous.  They were young: late teens, early 20s.  They dated off and on for a couple of years. Controlling behavior led to threats of suicide and murder.

Still she moved in with him, believing he would not be physically violent toward her. She was wrong. And, after living together for just 4 months, he burned their apartment to the ground! 

Listen to and share this woman’s tremendous story.

Learn more about Jacqui Oh on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/StartDis/

My guest just celebrated 10 years out of abuse…she created a Facebook video and titled it her “Survivor-versary”!

A long hard road that began as a young child through abuse by her step-father, she was conditioned that being treated poorly was “normal”.

My guest is author Melinda Kunst.

At 17 Melinda moved into teen dating violence … like most of us, she ignored the red flags.   Now, she teaches teens and parents to pay attention to their daughters’ behaviors and words, to listen for control or abuse…she teaches teens not to ignore the red flags, like she did.

Her teen violence boyfriend said he’d kill himself and/or her and her family if she left him…he was a bully.  She married him out of fear…

When they were married, it looked good on the Outside; her friends thought she had married her ideal guy and that she was happy.  From the start, inside the marriage relationship, behind closed doors, her life was one of terror, rampant jealousy, and consistent, constant control by her husband.

After she escaped, as part of her healing Journey, Melinda began writing a blog titled Hope When There Was None.  It’s now a Facebook page; check it out! https://www.facebook.com/hopewhentherewasnone/

Melinda Kunst is the author of two books Call Me Master and Awakening the Beauty of Life Without Abuse.  Both are available on Amazon.

My guest’s favorite quote is:  You can’t change where you have been, but you can change where you are GOING!!

When she was in her 20′s, she thought she had met her soul mate, the love of her life. He was a very successful businessman who owned an advertising/direct mail business. They married and she soon became his right-arm partner in business.

In September of 2001, The World Trade Center collapsed: their business income fell 90% that year. Her husband was able to choose retirement, she set out to work in corporate America and proudly made a name for myself.

Sadly, her husband did not celebrate his wife’s success.  He displayed only jealousy, resentment, and arrogance.  His action toward her spiraled into verbal, physical and financial abuse.

We all have choices! 

She chose to escape, and became empowered to not only seek safe refuge and healing, she began surrounding herself with positive, outgoing and caring people.

Angeline Mitchell’s favorite quote is from Michael Jordan: “I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.”

She now inspires other survivors/thrivers by sharing her philosophy that when obstacles arise, embrace the challenge and celebrate the opportunity for change.

Angeline is a firm believer that by doing so, you first empower yourself so that you can then empower others.

Reach out to Angeline on her Facebook business page: Let’s Break the Silence.

Just you and your thoughts in the midnight hour:  What are you thinking about?  Can’t sleep because you worry, you’re still fearful, you’re wondering if you REALLY can make it on your own, were you really abused?

Sheila Malloy-Hall talks about carrying the shame, pain and hurt of abuse, knowing these emotions are not who she is or who she was meant to be. Still the feelings kept her awake at night.

Sheila is now an Empowerment Speaker, Advocate, Survivor Strategist, Best Selling Author, and she has moved from being a victim of abuse and domestic violence to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of her life! 

She shares her story of triumph and her healing journey to provoke, inform, restore and activate healing in others … from the inside out…and she encourages women to reach their highest level of internal fulfillment.

Sheila Malloy-Hall’s story shared in this podcast and her public speaking presentations encourage and empower professional women, who have been or are being exposed to abuse and domestic violence.  These include professional women who may appear to have it all together on the outside, but who may still be adversely affected on the inside by the trauma of abuse and domestic violence. 

Learn more about Sheila on her Facebook page:
Healing2Grace, Inc.

Wouldn’t you love to have magic words to use when communicating with your narcissist…or any abuser? 

My guest, Lindsey Ellison, tells you exactly what to say on this podcast and in her book by the same title, Magic Words.   Lindsey is an author, a relationship coach and founder of Start Over Coaching, Inc. 

She specializes in helping people break free from narcissistic abuse, navigate their divorce or break-up, and find happiness and peace.

Originally stemming from her own personal experiences, Lindsey’s mission is to inspire you to make those amazing changes in your life to help you start over and find happiness.

Lindsey shared much of her story of transformation after abuse as my podcast guest in March 2018. That very insightful discussion was titled “You are not the only one…you are not alone”.  Check it out.

Today we are talking about her new book “Magic Words, How to get what you want from a Narcissist.”

More information about Linsey, her online courses and her book can be found at https://lindseyellison.com/

How is it possible for this to be your most abundant year?  That’s what I wondered…then I thought about what “abundant” really means!

Abundant is finances, of course.  And much more than that!  I discovered that this being my most abundant year included changing my perspective, releasing even more negative self-talk, recognizing and letting go of undermining beliefs tied to the Imposter Syndrome.  I spent the past few weeks changing my attitude and my energy. 

This is my most abundant year.  Will it be yours, too?

What does “abundant” mean to you?  Are you willing to step out of “Where you are” to move on to “Where you want to be”?

This can be your most abundant year.  That is a choice, right?

Listen to more podcasts, watch videos and read articles all created to inspire, encourage and empower thrivers of domestic abuse.
www.SurviivngAbuseNetwrok.com

I easily and effortlessly smile!  Why?  Because smiling is the quickest way to increase positive energy.

Several women in my Community have asked this week how to change their negative moods and attitudes…they were feeling sad, guilty, lonely, frustrated, angry, alone.  

We all feel negative emotions now and then.

Having left domestic abuse does not mean everything is good now…no more sad days, living in the past or fearful of the future.  Right?  We still carry all that negativity with us, in the recesses of our minds.  And it does surface from time to time.

This podcast discusses and teaches The Smile Exercise.  It is simple and free.  Anyone can do it.  And, it will improve your attitude.  I learned this process years ago and still use it often.

Test the theory…what have you got to lose (besides feeling sad, lost, alone, afraid?)

For more information about thriving after domestic abuse, listen to podcasts, watch live videos and read articles on my website www.SurvivingAbuseNetwork.com