Exploring Toxic Relationships Part 2

Mary Barbour hosts Mental State with guest Gabrielle Tattersall, a love and relationship coach who shares how she broke decades of anxiety, self-sabotage, and toxic relationships. Gabrielle says she currently coaches women and describes her first major boundary: cutting off men quickly when she noticed inconsistency, game-playing, or disrespect. She explains that healing doesn’t stop toxic people from appearing, but helps you recognize misalignment, trust intuition, and choose peace over desperation. Gabrielle contrasts past relationships—exhausting, anxious, and performative—with her current partner’s calm consistency, acceptance, and support during hard times. They discuss generational messaging about women needing men and how increased awareness around mental health, narcissism, and gaslighting helps. For women stuck in cycles, Gabrielle advises seeking therapy or coaching and redirecting obsessive energy into self-focus through journaling, meditation, breathwork, organization, hobbies, and building a life they love. They also caution against obsessively consuming social media about toxic relationships and instead creating new neural pathways through inspiring interests. The episode teases a next installment with practical strategies, supportive networks, and steps to reclaim your life.