What an Emotional Abuse Survivor Needs [243]

Flying Free

Natalie Hoffman

Emotional, Narcissism, Christianity, Abuse, Religion & Spirituality, Spiritual, Christian, Self-improvement, Education, Divorce, Marriage

5 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 3 October 2023

⏱️ 35 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

How do we help other women who are in emotionally abusive marriages? And how can the church help these women as well?

In today’s episode, I’ll be answering a listener question about this very topic, and then I’m going to read you a letter I wrote to the church leadership at the church I was ultimately excommunicated from.

This letter highlights sixteen ways that the church can reach out and support the emotionally abused woman instead of re-abusing her, which is all too common.

Key Points From This Episode:

Why holding space and allowing emotionally abused women to make their own decisions is so empowering for them.
Why some women may choose to stay in their emotionally abusive marriage even if they don’t want to.
My letter to the church leadership detailing the sixteen ways the church can support emotionally abused women in their congregation.
One very practical way that you can help someone you know who is being emotionally abused today.

Read the show notes and/or ask Natalie a question here

If you are a Christian woman who thinks you may be in an emotionally destructive marriage, learn more at https://flyingfreenow.com

I'll send you (free!) the first chapter of my book, Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage, which has an assessment to help you figure out if your relationship is abusive or not. All you have to do is hop on my mailing list.

You can also find out about our online education and support program for women of faith at https://joinflyingfree.com

And finally, if you are a divorced Christian woman who wants to take back her life and get healthy, lose weight, have amazing relationships, get things done, build a business or career, and even find a good man (if you want one) - check out Flying Higher.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, this is Natalie Hoffman of Flying Free Now.com and you're listening to the
0:09.3	Flying Free Podcast, a support resource for Women of Faith, looking for hope and healing from hidden
0:16.4	emotional and spiritual abuse. Welcome to episode 243 of the Flying Free Podcast.
0:27.0	Today I'm going to answer one question from a listener and here it is.
0:32.0	Hi, I was curious what advice you would give to close friends and supporters of women who are in emotionally and spiritually abusive marriages.
0:40.0	I've listened to a lot of your podcast episodes and really appreciate them and they have really helped me to
0:45.9	grasp the situation that my best friend is in in her marriage and I've really taken to heart
0:50.2	your repeated message about the importance of restoring power and decision-making to
0:55.5	women who are in these difficult situations and not taking that power away from them and how
1:00.9	you won't advise the women that they ought to leave or ought to stay, but instead
1:05.6	just reinforce again and again that it's their job to take ownership of their lives and make
1:09.7	decisions and you want to provide them with resources to do that.
1:13.0	And I love that message.
1:14.0	So I was curious kind of stepping beyond that
1:17.0	if you had any other suggestions for people like myself
1:20.0	who are just really
1:25.0	obvious that she should leave, to meagre, who are deciding if they want to stay or leave.
1:28.0	To me, it's really obvious that she should leave and soon
1:31.0	and that she's put too much into this relationship way too much and the prospects for change
1:36.4	happening at the level it would need to for them to have a healthy relationship just seem
1:40.8	incredibly unrealistic so I guess I'm asking if you have any advice for how to be a
1:45.7	supportive and loving friend and a safe space and to give wise counsel but without overstepping
	...

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