When “Normal” Isn’t Normal: Choosing Yourself After Toxic Love

In this candid episode of Shattered Not Broken, Dawn opens up about her second marriage—an experience marked by verbal abuse, neglect, shifting identities, and a slow unraveling of boundaries she didn’t yet know she needed. She walks listeners through what it looked like to stay too long, why she tolerated behavior she would never accept today, and what finally pushed her to choose herself and her kids over chaos.

This episode digs into the hard truths: how easy it is to excuse red flags, how damaging it is when someone tries to “change” you, and how quietly toxic patterns can take root when you’re used to surviving instead of thriving. Dawn reflects on the painful realization that she never set expectations for how she deserved to be treated—and how everything changed once she decided to stop shrinking for anyone.

Her message is simple and powerful: you deserve people who see your worth, not people who chip away at it. And if no one around you is treating you like you hung the moon? Then it’s time to treat yourself that way.

Honest, raw, and deeply validating, this episode is a reminder that surviving isn’t the finish line—learning to expect more, love yourself harder, and protect your peace is where the real healing begins. Tune in, breathe deep, and remember: you deserve better, too.