What happens when you know something is wrong in your relationship, but you keep convincing yourself that everything is fine?

In this episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships, Deana sits down with Marcelle LeBlanc, known as the Conversation Architect, to talk about why so many women struggle to identify what they truly want, speak up about what they need, and have the difficult conversations they have been avoiding.

Marcelle shares her own story of discovering on her ninth wedding anniversary that her husband had taken his girlfriend to the British Virgin Islands. When he was caught, he never came home. Marcelle was left to dismantle the life they had built together, including dealing with the financial hardship and debt he left behind.

That devastating experience eventually forced Marcelle to examine a much deeper question: Why had she spent so many years living according to other people's expectations instead of asking herself what she wanted?

Through her work with thousands of women, Marcelle began noticing a pattern. Many women recognize that something is wrong in their relationships long before they are willing to admit it. Instead of treating their concerns as important information, they explain them away, minimize their needs, hope things will improve, or remain silent because speaking up feels too frightening.

In this conversation, Deana and Marcelle discuss:

Why women can be incredibly confident professionally but struggle to communicate their needs in relationships

How people-pleasing and inherited expectations can keep women disconnected from what they actually want

Why resentment grows when small disappointments are never addressed

How to prepare for difficult conversations without losing your message in emotion

Why phrases like "you always" and "you never" can derail communication

What your partner's response to an honest conversation can reveal

Why speaking up in a toxic relationship can feel especially dangerous

How starting with small conversations can help you develop the confidence to address bigger issues

And why it is never too late to begin working on yourself

Sometimes the goal of an honest conversation isn't to save a relationship. Sometimes the conversation gives you the information you need to understand the relationship you're actually in.

If you've been telling yourself that you're asking for too much, that you should just be grateful, or that what you're experiencing is "normal," this conversation may help you begin asking a different question:

What do I actually want?

You are not alone. You are not crazy. You are deeply loved.

Connect with Marcelle LeBlanc:
One Key Conversation
https://onekeyconversation.com/

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Disclaimer:  The views expressed by our guests are their own, and this show is for educational purposes only. It is not therapy, medical, or professional advice, and listening does not create a therapeutic relationship. If you need personalized support, please reach out to a licensed professional. If you’re in crisis or immediate danger, please call 911 for help. 

Leaving a toxic relationship is hard enough. Add divorce, finances, children, custody, and the legal system, and it can quickly become overwhelming.

In this episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships with The Matadoras, we sit down with San Francisco divorce attorney and Certified Family Law Specialist Diana Romanov, creator of Divorce Like a Boss, to talk about what you need to know before filing for divorce, especially when you’re dealing with a toxic or high-conflict partner.

Drawing from 15 years of experience in family law, as well as her own experience leaving a toxic relationship, Diana shares practical steps you can take to prepare and protect yourself before emotions and conflict take over.

We talk about why it’s so important to know what YOU want before walking into an attorney’s office, how to gather financial records and important documents, why consulting with more than one divorce attorney can matter, and the warning signs that may indicate a spouse is hiding money or assets.

Diana also shares her perspective on custody and high-conflict divorce, the emotional toll these battles can take on parents, and why getting the right emotional support early in the process is so important. Plus, we discuss a mistake many people don’t think about until it’s too late: what you post on social media during a separation or custody case can potentially be used against you.

We also turn the conversation toward prevention. What should couples talk about BEFORE marriage? Diana explains why conversations about debt, money, financial expectations, honesty, and even prenuptial agreements shouldn’t be considered unromantic. They may reveal important things about the person you’re planning to build a life with.

If you are contemplating divorce, preparing to leave a toxic marriage, navigating a high-conflict separation, or simply want to understand how to protect yourself before a relationship reaches that point, this conversation is filled with practical information and encouragement.

Because sometimes loving with your eyes wide open means asking the difficult questions before you ever need the answers.

In this episode:
• What to do before filing for divorce
• How to financially prepare for leaving a toxic marriage
• Divorcing a narcissistic or high-conflict spouse
• Financial abuse and potentially hidden assets
• Choosing the right divorce attorney
• Custody and co-parenting concerns
• Social media mistakes during divorce
• Prenups, debt, and financial transparency before marriage
• Finding the emotional support you need while leaving
• Rebuilding your life after a toxic relationship

You are not alone. You are not crazy. You are deeply loved.

This episode is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice. Laws and individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified attorney regarding your specific situation.

Ways to connect with Diana Romanov:

 https://www.youtube.com/@Diana-Romanov

Diana Romanov's Website

https://www.youtube.com/@Diana-Romanov

Support the show

🎙️ Stay Connected with Us!
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Contact us anytime at our email:  [email protected]

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Disclaimer:  The views expressed by our guests are their own, and this show is for educational purposes only. It is not therapy, medical, or professional advice, and listening does not create a therapeutic relationship. If you need personalized support, please reach out to a licensed professional. If you’re in crisis or immediate danger, please call 911 for help. 

What happens when the person you trust most is secretly battling addiction?

In this deeply moving episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships, Deana and Lizzie sit down with bestselling author S.E. Tschritter to discuss her heartbreaking yet hope-filled journey after her husband—a pastor—relapsed into alcoholism, was diagnosed with stage-four cancer following a drunk driving accident, and ultimately asked her to write his story.

Together they explore:

• Living with a spouse struggling with addiction
• Why loving someone with addiction is so complicated
• The grief of broken trust
• Faith during unimaginable loss
• Shame inside Christian marriages
• Why leaving isn't always as simple as people think
• How God can redeem even the darkest stories
• Finding healing after addiction and loss

If you've ever loved someone battling addiction—or wondered how to balance grace with healthy boundaries—this conversation will encourage and challenge you.

Learn more about S.E. Tschritter and her books below.

Her next book, a romantic suspense entitled The Lakeshore's Secret, releases October 6, 2026.

The Lakeshore's Secret: 

https://www.amazon.com/Lakeshores-Secret-S-Tschritter-ebook/dp/B0GXLK7VKC/ref=sr_1_1?

The Prodigal's Son: Crackhead to Jesus Freak https://www.amazon.com/Prodigals-Son-Crackhead-Addiction-Recovery/dp/B0G6TFPRTR

Read more at https://loveunedited.com or Linktr.ee/LoveSamEvans.

If this episode encouraged you, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs hope today.

You are not alone.
 You are not crazy.
 You are deeply loved.

Support the show

🎙️ Stay Connected with Us!
📺 Subscribe on YouTube: @survivingrelationships12
🎵 Follow us on TikTok: @survivingtoxicrel
🌐 Visit our website:

Looking to be a guest or host a guest for your podcast?

https://www.joinpodmatch.com/deanalizzie

Contact us anytime at our email:  [email protected]

 📘 Join our Facebook community: Surviving Toxic Relationships with The Matadoras: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556560386678

Disclaimer:  The views expressed by our guests are their own, and this show is for educational purposes only. It is not therapy, medical, or professional advice, and listening does not create a therapeutic relationship. If you need personalized support, please reach out to a licensed professional. If you’re in crisis or immediate danger, please call 911 for help. 

Who were you before the relationship changed you?

In this honest conversation, Lizzie, Deana, and special guest Jennifer discuss what happens when years of people-pleasing, survival, and emotional abuse slowly erase your sense of identity. Together they share personal stories of rediscovering forgotten dreams, preferences, confidence, and joy while offering hope for anyone wondering who they are after a toxic relationship.

Whether you're still healing or beginning to reinvent your life, this episode reminds you that losing yourself does not have to be the end of your story.

Support the show

🎙️ Stay Connected with Us!
📺 Subscribe on YouTube: @survivingrelationships12
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Contact us anytime at our email:  [email protected]

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Disclaimer:  The views expressed by our guests are their own, and this show is for educational purposes only. It is not therapy, medical, or professional advice, and listening does not create a therapeutic relationship. If you need personalized support, please reach out to a licensed professional. If you’re in crisis or immediate danger, please call 911 for help. 

If you've left a toxic relationship but still feel anxious, emotionally exhausted, or like your nervous system is always on high alert, you're not imagining it.

In this powerful conversation, Lizzie and Deana sit down with breathwork pioneer Jon Paul Crimi to explore how trauma can become stored in the body—and why healing isn't always about talking through your past.

Jon Paul shares his remarkable personal journey through addiction, recovery, and emotional healing after discovering conscious connected breathwork through his friend, Matthew Perry. Together they discuss:

• Why trauma can stay trapped in your nervous system
 • The surprising connection between anxiety and stored emotional pain
 • How breathwork differs from box breathing and meditation
 • Why you may still feel "stuck" long after leaving a toxic relationship
 • The science behind nervous system regulation
 • How emotional healing can help you rebuild confidence and self-worth
 • Why healing is about more than simply "letting it go"

Whether you're recovering from narcissistic abuse, emotional manipulation, chronic anxiety, or simply longing for deeper healing, this conversation offers hope and practical insight.

Connect with Jon Paul Crimi:
 https://breathewithjp.com

If this episode encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a comment, and share it with someone who needs hope today.

You are not alone.
 You are not crazy.
 You are deeply loved.

Support the show

🎙️ Stay Connected with Us!
📺 Subscribe on YouTube: @survivingrelationships12
🎵 Follow us on TikTok: @survivingtoxicrel
🌐 Visit our website:

Looking to be a guest or host a guest for your podcast?

https://www.joinpodmatch.com/deanalizzie

Contact us anytime at our email:  [email protected]

 📘 Join our Facebook community: Surviving Toxic Relationships with The Matadoras: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556560386678

Disclaimer:  The views expressed by our guests are their own, and this show is for educational purposes only. It is not therapy, medical, or professional advice, and listening does not create a therapeutic relationship. If you need personalized support, please reach out to a licensed professional. If you’re in crisis or immediate danger, please call 911 for help. 

In this powerful conversation, we welcome Dr. Sarah Michaud, a clinical psychologist with more than 30 years of experience specializing in addiction and codependency. Drawing from both her professional expertise and personal recovery journey, Dr. Michaud shares practical insights into the similarities between addiction and narcissism, why both can leave partners questioning their reality, and how codependency quietly develops over time. 

Together we discuss:

• The overlap between addiction and narcissism

• Why partners often feel "crazy"

• Supporting versus enabling

• Codependency and losing yourself

• Boundaries that protect your well-being

• Why you cannot change another person

• Trusting your instincts when something feels wrong

• Beginning your own healing journey

Whether you're living with an addict, recovering from a toxic relationship, or trying to understand confusing behaviors in someone you love, this conversation offers practical wisdom and hope.

Remember:

You are not alone.

You are not crazy.

You are deeply loved.

You can find Dr. Sarah Michaud:

Dr. Sarah Michaud's Website

http://www.youtube.com/@leavingcrazytown

Support the show

🎙️ Stay Connected with Us!
📺 Subscribe on YouTube: @survivingrelationships12
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Looking to be a guest or host a guest for your podcast?

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Contact us anytime at our email:  [email protected]

 📘 Join our Facebook community: Surviving Toxic Relationships with The Matadoras: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556560386678

Disclaimer:  The views expressed by our guests are their own, and this show is for educational purposes only. It is not therapy, medical, or professional advice, and listening does not create a therapeutic relationship. If you need personalized support, please reach out to a licensed professional. If you’re in crisis or immediate danger, please call 911 for help. 

In this Behind the Mic episode, Lizzie and Deana share a personal update about everything that's been happening behind the scenes.

From winning the Selah Award and attending the Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference to meeting with publishers, redesigning their books, expanding into coaching and speaking, and preparing for significant life transitions, this episode offers an honest look at what it means to follow God's leading even when the future isn't fully clear.

Lizzie also shares her decision to leave a long career in education and the faith required to step into a new season, while Deana reflects on the importance of trusting God's timing and embracing life's transitions.

If you're navigating uncertainty, considering a major life change, or wondering what comes after healing, this conversation is for you.

Thank you for walking this journey with us.

Support the show

🎙️ Stay Connected with Us!
📺 Subscribe on YouTube: @survivingrelationships12
🎵 Follow us on TikTok: @survivingtoxicrel
🌐 Visit our website:

Looking to be a guest or host a guest for your podcast?

https://www.joinpodmatch.com/deanalizzie

Contact us anytime at our email:  [email protected]

 📘 Join our Facebook community: Surviving Toxic Relationships with The Matadoras: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556560386678

Disclaimer:  The views expressed by our guests are their own, and this show is for educational purposes only. It is not therapy, medical, or professional advice, and listening does not create a therapeutic relationship. If you need personalized support, please reach out to a licensed professional. If you’re in crisis or immediate danger, please call 911 for help. 

What happens when childhood sexual trauma silently shapes every relationship, every decision, and every belief about your worth?

In this powerful episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships, Tiffany Brearton shares her deeply personal story of childhood sexual abuse, shame, exploitation, toxic relationships, and the long road to healing.

Tiffany opens up about how trauma affected her self-worth, why so many survivors struggle with relationships, and the freedom she found through faith, counseling, community, and God's healing grace.

In this episode:

• Childhood sexual abuse and trauma
• Shame, secrecy, and emotional healing
• How trauma impacts adult relationships
• Human trafficking and exploitation awareness
• Why survivors often feel "too far gone"
• The power of safe community
• Faith-based healing and restoration
• Practical first steps toward recovery
• Finding freedom from the lies of the past

If you have experienced abuse, betrayal, trauma, or deep shame, this conversation offers hope that healing is possible and your story is not over.

You are not alone.
You are not crazy.
You are deeply loved.

To connect with Tiffany Brearton, learn more about her ministry, or explore her books and resources, you can find her here:

Website:  https://www.tiffanybrearton.com/

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/tiffanybrearton/

Book on Amazon:  From Stilettos to Grace. https://a.co/d/0hQDzVLL

Support the show

🎙️ Stay Connected with Us!
📺 Subscribe on YouTube: @survivingrelationships12
🎵 Follow us on TikTok: @survivingtoxicrel
🌐 Visit our website:

Looking to be a guest or host a guest for your podcast?

https://www.joinpodmatch.com/deanalizzie

Contact us anytime at our email:  [email protected]

 📘 Join our Facebook community: Surviving Toxic Relationships with The Matadoras: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556560386678

Disclaimer:  The views expressed by our guests are their own, and this show is for educational purposes only. It is not therapy, medical, or professional advice, and listening does not create a therapeutic relationship. If you need personalized support, please reach out to a licensed professional. If you’re in crisis or immediate danger, please call 911 for help. 

What happens when the relationship you've been fighting to save turns out to be something entirely different than you believed?

In this powerful episode of Surviving Toxic Relationships with The Matadoras, Heather Justice shares her personal story of emotional abuse, trauma bonding, narcissistic manipulation, and the shocking discovery that changed everything.

After two and a half years of an on-again, off-again relationship, Heather uncovered an expunged felony record that forced her to confront the reality she had been unable to see clearly.

Together we discuss:

• Trauma bonding and emotional addiction
• Breadcrumbing and intermittent reinforcement
• Why survivors struggle to leave
• Hidden red flags in toxic relationships
• Narcissistic abuse and manipulation
• Loneliness inside a relationship
• Faith, healing, and recovery
• Rediscovering your identity after abuse
• How God can bring beauty from painful seasons

Heather also shares her devotional resource designed to help survivors heal through biblical truth, prayer, and rediscovery.

If you've ever wondered:
"Why couldn't I leave?"
"Why did I keep going back?"
"How did I miss the warning signs?"

This episode is for you.

You are not alone. You are not crazy. You are deeply loved.

Connect with Heather Justice using the links below:

Website:  http://heathernjustice.com/

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@hnjustice?si=hrhrK9dOZ2vk7KTt

Book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4bKemyt

Support the show

🎙️ Stay Connected with Us!
📺 Subscribe on YouTube: @survivingrelationships12
🎵 Follow us on TikTok: @survivingtoxicrel
🌐 Visit our website:

Looking to be a guest or host a guest for your podcast?

https://www.joinpodmatch.com/deanalizzie

Contact us anytime at our email:  [email protected]

 📘 Join our Facebook community: Surviving Toxic Relationships with The Matadoras: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556560386678

Disclaimer:  The views expressed by our guests are their own, and this show is for educational purposes only. It is not therapy, medical, or professional advice, and listening does not create a therapeutic relationship. If you need personalized support, please reach out to a licensed professional. If you’re in crisis or immediate danger, please call 911 for help. 

At 63 years old, David Nassif unexpectedly lost his job after nearly two decades with the same company. Faced with the possibility of financial collapse, he chose to rebuild instead of giving up.

Six years later, he had achieved financial freedom and created a simple one-page framework to help others avoid the mistakes he made.

In this powerful conversation, David shares practical financial wisdom for anyone facing a major life transition, especially women navigating gray divorce, financial abuse, job loss, or the challenge of starting over later in life.

Together we discuss:

• Rebuilding after financial devastation
 • The emotional impact of losing your identity
 • Why many people feel trapped financially
 • Faith, perseverance, and resilience
 • The importance of financial education
 • Simple investing principles anyone can understand
 • Hope for those starting over after 50

This episode is a reminder that your story isn't over, and it is never too late to build a stronger future.

To learn more about David Nassif and download his free One Page Wealth Compass, visit:  https://onepagewealthcompass.com/

Support the show

🎙️ Stay Connected with Us!
📺 Subscribe on YouTube: @survivingrelationships12
🎵 Follow us on TikTok: @survivingtoxicrel
🌐 Visit our website:

Looking to be a guest or host a guest for your podcast?

https://www.joinpodmatch.com/deanalizzie

Contact us anytime at our email:  [email protected]

 📘 Join our Facebook community: Surviving Toxic Relationships with The Matadoras: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556560386678

Disclaimer:  The views expressed by our guests are their own, and this show is for educational purposes only. It is not therapy, medical, or professional advice, and listening does not create a therapeutic relationship. If you need personalized support, please reach out to a licensed professional. If you’re in crisis or immediate danger, please call 911 for help.