Armour Weight: Lisa Barwise on Burnout, Narcissistic Friendship and Coming Undone

In this episode I'm joined by Lisa Barwise, wellness alchemist, fitness feminist and bestselling author. Lisa takes us back to her edge-of-the-bed moment, the morning her legs simply gave out beneath her, and unpacks everything that had been quietly compounding underneath it. A narcissistic friendship with someone who was supposed to be like a sister to her. Unresolved grief, including losing both her parents by 22. A personal development organisation she'd been part of years earlier that turned out to be something far darker, and the strange, disorienting guilt of finding that out after the fact. And, running through all of it, what she calls Armour Weight™, the invisible load so many women carry without ever naming it. We talk honestly about a subject that rarely gets airtime, narcissistic friendships, not partners or parents, and what it actually looked like living alongside someone else's teenage son for two years while trying to protect him from it. It's raw, it's funny in places, and it's the kind of conversation that might help you name something you've been carrying too. We cover: The edge-of-the-bed moment, and what it actually felt like when her body said noArmour Weight™, and Lisa's framework for understanding what women carry emotionally, energetically and even ancestrallyThe narcissistic friendship that lasted over 20 years, the red flags she missed, and taking in her friend's teenage son when he needed somewhere safe to landLosing both her parents by 22, and grief she didn't fully process until years laterBeing part of a personal development organisation that was later revealed to be something much darker, and the survivor's guilt that came with finding out after she'd already leftThe four "curses" Lisa's identified that keep women stuck, and how naming them changes everythingHer books, Unarmoured and Burned, and the Warrior Goddess Saga™ she's built around themAbout Lisa Lisa Barwise is a Wellness Alchemist, Fitness Feminist, bestselling author, and founder of the Warrior Goddess Saga™. She is the creator of the Wellness Alchemy Triquetra™, a philosophy that weaves together biology, psychology and spirituality to help women make sense of their health, identity and transformation. Lisa has a unique gift for putting words to the complex, often invisible experiences of women in midlife, helping them understand what they've been feeling but could never quite explain. Through her books Unarmoured and Burned, she explores the hidden patterns that shape women's lives, from inherited beliefs and nervous system protection to what she calls Armour Weight™, the invisible weight women carry through stress, people-pleasing and survival. Blending science, storytelling and modern mythology, Lisa challenges conventional wellness advice and empowers women to understand themselves more deeply, reclaim their strength, and step into the next chapter of life with confidence, resilience and purpose. Connect with Lisa: Website: thewarriorgoddesssaga.com The books: warriorgoddesskettlebelltraining.com/the-books Take the quiz: warriorgoddesskettlebelltraining.com/the-quiz Instagram: @thewarriorgoddesssaga If this episode has affected you: If you've been affected by a high-control group or organisation, Humanists UK runs the Faith to Faithless helpline, offering confidential support for anyone leaving or questioning a high-control group. Visit humanists.uk/faith-to-faithless for details. About Fran Fran Willoughby is an evidential medium, Reiki practitioner and intuitive facilitator, and the host of The Power of the Truth. Through Mojo Motivator she offers mediumship readings, oracle card readings, Reiki healing and coaching, helping people find clarity, connection and confidence through life's biggest transitions. Find out more or book a session at www.mojo-motivator.com.Send us Fan MailIf you have a story that you think would be good for the podcast, please do get in touch by emailing [email protected].