So many people from broken families struggle with feeling helpless or needy. Our efforts to heal or grow might even feel fruitless like tires spinning in mud that never gain traction. We put in effort in learning, but transformation isn’t happening.  Whether that describes you or someone you know (like a friend, parent, or anyone else), this episode will help you!  In it, you’ll learn:  The simple solution to beat neediness and helplessness Why struggles are actually good for you The most important question you can ask to move beyond grief Margaret’s Website Dakota Lane Fitnes ..read more

Two years into marriage, Jake found himself enslaved to a sexual addiction. He longed for freedom but felt very stuck. As a result, he lived a double life, hiding his unwanted behavior from his wife.   But one random day, it all came to light. At that moment, he thought his marriage was over. In this episode, he shares what happened next, plus: What kept his marriage from falling apart? How a wound of abandonment from his family drove his addiction 6 tips to break free from sexual compulsion or addiction Go to Jake’s Website & Resources Listen to our series, Healing Sexual Brokenn ..read more

After her parents divorced, my guest felt abandoned and badly hoped it was all a dream that she could just wake up from. Dealing with all the brokenness that followed led her down a path of feeling stuck and thinking her brokenness defined her.  Thankfully, she realized that “‘broken’ is what happened to me, not who I am.” In this episode, we touch on that and more: How just having the pain of your parents’ divorce validated is incredibly helpful and often the first step of healing The many emotional problems she’s had to battle, including anxiety, depression, anger, self-hate, control ..read more

If you’re like me, you never saw conflict resolved peacefully in your family. As a result, you might feel a bit lost about how to resolve conflict in your life, especially in your relationships.  If that’s you, this episode will help. In it, a married couple joins to share tips they’ve learned on resolving conflict, plus: Why it’s important to let small things go, but how letting too much go can lead to resentment The four levels of learning any skill Advice to someone from an intact family who’s dating, engaged, or even married to someone from a broken family Get FREE Guide: 7 T ..read more

So many divorces happen because one spouse follows their desires at the expense of their vows. That happened in the family of my guest today.  In this episode, we cover: How her family’s dysfunction led to struggles with gender and sexuality The beautiful transformation she’s experienced and even seen in her parents The biggest lie about getting divorced A new organization that’s fighting for children’s rights Share Your Story View Restored’s Resources Follow Jenn’s Blog, Do Better Theology Visit Them Before Us Visit Dakota Lane Fitness Shownotes ..read more

Today we’re sharing a podcast where I was interviewed by two therapists, Dr. Bob Schuchts and Jake Khym, on their podcast, Restore the Glory. Joey especially opens up about his struggles in his relationship with God, plus they discuss: When we don’t face our wounds, we typically try to outrun them.  Since divorce is a wound of broken love, the antidote is authentic love. Why it’s so helpful to spend time with a couple who has a healthy marriage.  Donate to Restored Meet with Joey for Restored’s Donor Pitch Visit Dakota Lane Fitness Listen to the Restore the Glory podcast Visit ..read more

It’s said that Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.” Doesn’t that describe our culture? A culture that’s hooked on comfort and so void of meaning.  But thankfully, Dr. Andrew and Sarah Swafford have a solution to that problem. In this episode, we discuss: What holds us back from lives and relationships full of meaning? What’s needed to live a life of meaning and happiness? How do we navigate the dating scene today? How can you heal your brokenness? If you’ve ever felt that ache of wanting more from lif ..read more

When your parents divorce, you almost always lose one or both parents physically or emotionally. But as our guest today says, we’re not meant to go through life without the mentorship of a father and a mother.  In this episode, Nicole Rodriguez shares the immense healing she’s experienced through parents who were not her own. We also discuss: How her parents’ divorce started with infidelity and led her to feeling abandoned and lonely The emotional numbness and skepticism toward emotion that she experienced How she felt doomed to repeat the cycle of dysfunction and divorce, but thankfully ..read more

Trauma, such as your parents’ divorce or extreme family dysfunction, doesn’t only affect your emotions. It affects your body too. It quite literally has physical effects.  In this episode, Dr. Christopher Genn, a physical therapist and expert in applied kinesiology, explains how our bodies respond to trauma and how we can heal. Plus, we discuss: A new therapy to treat pain, trauma, and even rewire bad habits The story of a girl enduring her parents’ divorce who became physically debilitated  How we often lie to ourselves about our families, parents, and past - and why that’s a barri ..read more

There’s an extremely popular lie about how divorce affects the children. In this episode, we discuss that lie with my guest who is an only child from a divorced family, plus: The loneliness, addiction, and social problems that stemmed from his family’s breakdown The anger and even hatred he felt toward his parents and how he feels now A unique thing he and his wife did before they were married to strengthen their relationship Get the Book or First Chapters: It’s Not Your Fault Get the FREE Guide: 5 Tips to Navigate the Holidays in a Broken Family Shownotes ..read more