As a society, cliches form our picture of abuse. Run-down trailers and alcoholic fathers are the face put on domestic violence. But the truth is far more complicated.

Abuse is everywhere. It's in the well-kept suburban home, the upscale gated community, the quiet farmhouse. It's in our schools, our workplaces and our churches. Techniques of psychological manipulation like DARVO, gaslighting and coercive control make abusive patterns difficult to spot and even more difficult to escape.

It takes a lot of courage to look honestly at ourselves, our patterns and the escapist stories we participate in. Abusive individuals are very skilled at targeting our vulnerabilities and playing upon our triggers. The only way to break free is to deep dive into those exact trigger points. Learning to love yourself, especially the traumatized pieces, is how you escape the web of abuse.

Cat and Jayenna share parts of their personal stories of surviving abuse, how they escaped its web and the reward of living as a Freewoman.

#narcissisticabuse #freewoman #dv #gaslighting #narcissist  #divorce #healingjourney 

https://www.thefreewomanpodcast.com/

Ritual is a powerful tool that indigenous societies were well acquainted with. A tool that has become obsolete in our modern world. Ritual allows us to connect with our tribe, our ancestors, ourselves and our purpose. Engaging in ritual makes us aware of the stories we are acting out. It brings in self awareness so we can be more intentional in building our lives. And it helps us see the connectedness of everything we do. We are not alone. We are part of an ecosystem, an ancestral line and a human family.

Engaging with ritual does not have to be difficult. You do not have to spend any money or invest much time. It's simply creating awareness and meaning in your daily life. It's dancing in the kitchen, reciting a mantra or putting on a special piece of jewelry. 

Because we live in a capitalistic society our rituals have lost their depth. We focus on acquiring "things" and displaying those "things" rather than the meaning, the sacred and the simple. We have lost our way and returning to ritual is like finding our northern star.

#freewoman #sacredrituals #selfhealingcommunity #healing #podcast 

https://www.thefreewomanpodcast.com/

Valentine's Day has seen quite the evolution since its origin in ancient Rome as the festival Lupercalia. In our modern Valentine celebration we focus on romance and love, a far cry from the animal sacrifice and hedonism of its early roots. But not only has our celebration of love evolved in modern times but so have our views of romance and marriage.

Cat and Jayenna explore the topics of love, romance and sex. They share their personal stories and ponder what 'love' is. Whether you hate or love Valentine's Day, it's going nowhere. It's been 2700 years and we still haven't figured love out.

#valentinesday #freewoman #podcast #love #romance #divorce 

https://www.thefreewomanpodcast.com/

Our society as a whole sees anger as a negative emotion. One to be quickly moved through on the path towards forgiveness. But what does forgiveness really mean? Does it allow victims the opportunity to process their pain and be seen or is the push to forgive simply a way to shame and silence them? The push to forgive is often about the comfort of others rather than the healing of the injured party.

Cat and Jayenna share their personal journeys (ongoing) with anger, grief and forgiveness. Tools that have helped them, and companionship for fellow survivors who are in the nitty gritty, day-to-day battle of rebuilding themselves after abuse. 

Whether you choose to forgive or not is up to you. There is no one answer and everyone's healing journey will be unique to them.

https://www.thefreewomanpodcast.com/

Cat and Jayenna discuss body image issues, cosmetic procedures and how wildly out of balance we've been thrown by social media and Hollywood. Superficial, outward appearances have become our focus while hunger and homelessness skyrocket. What the f*ck is going on?

#freewoman #aginggracefully #agingwoman #feminism 

https://www.thefreewomanpodcast.com/

We all create stories. Stories that make us feel comfortable, safe, and secure. Stories that protect us from the jagged, unpleasant reality of our lives. We project these stories onto the people we interact with and the situations we find ourselves in. Trauma bonding and codependent relationships are an example of how we use stories to protect ourselves. It is very common for victims of abuse to create the narrative that their relationship is somehow special or that their connection has a soulmate status. We must face these stories to escape our toxic cycles.

#traumabond #toxicrelationships #healing #freewoman

https://www.thefreewomanpodcast.com/

Midlife often triggers not only perimenopause but trauma work in women. Hormonal shifts make it difficult for women to continue to pretend and anger begins to surface as they process the many disappointments and injustices of life. Cat and Jayenna discuss the difficulty of processing their personal rage as well as the peace and even 'boredom' that comes from letting go of toxic cycles. Join them as they laugh their way through the hard parts.

https://www.thefreewomanpodcast.com/

*****Our last episode of 2025!*****

Anyone else struggle to get into the Christmas spirit during the most consumerist time of the year? Cat and Jayenna share their struggles with the holiday season as well as the things that have helped them feel more joyful. If you feel stuck during the holidays, you might just need to embody a little more Grinch and a little less Santa. Say no to the traditions that steal your joy and find your Christmas spirit by discovering what makes Christmas magical for you.

#christmas #pagan #grinch #freewoman

https://www.thefreewomanpodcast.com/

Inspired by the outcry around "Wicked for Good," Cat and Jayenna discuss their own body journeys. Around 80% of women report being dissatisfied with their bodies and tens of millions of women will suffer from a clinically significant eating disorder in their life. Cat and Jayenna share some of the body insecurities they have faced, along with tools they have used to work through the negative self talk. You do not have to be at war with your body. It is a journey but peace is possible.

#wicked #freewoman #bodyimage #bodypositivity #menopause 

https://www.thefreewomanpodcast.com/

Our increased understanding of nuerological functioning as well as the autism spectrum has caused many late in life epiphanies. As our neurodiverse children are being diagnosed and finding resources, Millenials and even Baby Boomers are realizing traits they'd thought of as family quirks actually fall within the DSM 5. The emotional response around this tends to be relief and a feeling of freedom.

Cat and Jayenna explain how their late-in-life epiphanies about their brains helped heal their self worth and boost their confidence. Part of becoming a freewoman is discovering your mind. Each and every brain is unique and the better you understand yours, the better you can get where you want to go in life.

https://www.thefreewomanpodcast.com/