PODCAST · education
Stronger in the Difficult Places
by Dr. Zoe Shaw
Dr. Zoe, a licensed psychotherapist and relationship coach walks with you on your journey through fixing your difficult relationships, including that sometimes difficult one with yourself. Here, she offers a space where you can look at yourself and your relationship through a lens of psychology, faith and a dash of her own kind of feminism. Stronger in the broken places podcasts hosts guest from all over the world, from celebrity tv therapists to everyday women, authors and scientists, offering therapeutic tips, encouragement, camaraderie and support, helping women stay strong and transform difficult relationships. We're not fixing them, we're fixing you and that changes everything! Ask Dr. Zoe a burning relationship question https://www.drzoeshaw.comOr find her on Instagram@drzoeshaw
Episodes
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The Truth About Guilt No One Talks About
Guilt is one of the most misunderstood emotional experiences women carry, and one of the most controlling. In this conversation, I sit down with Dr. Jennifer Reid, author of Guilt-Free, to unpack why so many women still feel guilt in this day and age… even when they're doing everything "right."…
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Why Letting Go Isn't the Same as Giving Up
Letting go is one of the most misunderstood decisions we face in relationships. If you've ever stayed longer than you should have… Tried harder than felt sustainable… Or questioned whether walking away means you've failed- This episode is for you. In this conversation, Dr. Zoe unpacks the…
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The Epidemic of Not Enoughness: How It Shapes Your Relationships—and How to Break Free
That quiet belief- I'm not enough- doesn't just stay in your thoughts. It shows up in how you love, how you communicate, and how you stay in relationships that don't fully meet you. In this episode, Dr. Zoe is joined by Christina Ketchen, host of The Self Love Shift Podcast, to unpack what we're...
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When Forgiveness Feels Impossible
Forgiveness is often talked about like it's simple- something you should do if you want to heal. But what if it doesn't feel freeing… what if it feels impossible? In this episode, Dr. Zoe unpacks the complicated reality of forgiveness—why it's so hard, what it actually means, and why struggling...
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You Can't Change This (And Neither Can They): The Truth About Temperament in Relationships
What if the thing you keep trying to change about yourself… isn't actually changeable? And what if the same is true for your partner? In this powerful and perspective-shifting conversation, I sit down with Dr. Denim Slade, author of Unlock Your C.O.R.E. Potential, to talk about temperament,...
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What Do I Do When Overwhelming Shame Is Keeping Me From Seeking The Help I Truly Need?
You are my people. Everything I create- this podcast, my writing, these emails- is for one reason: to help you have a better relationship with yourself and with the people you love. And when you ask me questions, I listen. I really listen. I answered this question today because even though she...
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When You Feel Trapped In A Relationship You Chose
What happens when the relationship you once chose begins to feel heavy and you quietly tell yourself you're stuck? In this episode, Dr. Zoe speaks directly to the woman who feels trapped not by crisis, but by clarity she's been avoiding. The kind of clarity that comes when love hasn't…
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Love Won't Heal Your Self-Abandonment
Many women believe that if they are loved well enough, they will finally feel secure, whole, and at peace. But here's the hard truth: love doesn't heal self-abandonment—it reveals it. In this episode, Dr. Zoe explores why self-abandonment forms, how it shows up in romantic relationships, and why...
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How Releasing the Need to Be Right Can Heal Co-Dependency and Shame
Do you ever feel like you have to be "right" in order to feel safe? Or that if you could just figure out the answer, the relationship, or the next step, then the anxiety and shame would finally go away? If so, you're not alone. Many women stuck in co-dependency and complex shame cling to…
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When Someone You Love Won't Change
We've all been there—wishing someone we love would finally be different. Maybe it's a spouse who won't listen, a parent who won't soften, or a friend who keeps repeating the same destructive patterns. The temptation is to pour our energy into fixing them—but what if the real path to peace and...
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3 Things My Divorce Taught Me About Co-Dependency
What do you even call a divorce anniversary? Two years after the end of my marriage, I find myself reflecting—not on celebration, but on growth, healing, and the lessons heartbreak leaves behind. In this deeply personal episode, I'm sharing the three truths divorce taught me about co-dependency…
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The "Saving Him" Illusion: Love, Loss, and Finding Freedom
So many women in difficult relationships hold onto a dangerous belief: if I just love him enough, I can save him. Psychotherapist and author Shavaun Scott knows this illusion all too well. In her memoir Nightbird (Pierian Springs Press, May 12), she unflinchingly shares her journey through an...
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Listen Like You Mean It - The Relationship Shift That Starts With Listening
In a world where we're taught to speak up, make our point, and persuade, the skill of listening often gets overlooked—and undervalued. Yet listening, when done well, can transform our relationships far more than talking or lecturing ever could. In this episode of Stronger in the Difficult Places,...
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Staying Married Is the Hardest Part: Infidelity, Empathy, and the Glue That Holds Us Together
What does it really take to make a long-term marriage work and why do so many couples struggle to stay connected over time? In this episode, I sit down with psychologist and author Dr. Bonnie Comfort to explore the hard truths and hopeful tools behind enduring love. With over 30 years of…
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Dear Brave Soul: When Life Doesn't Go As Planned- Shame, Blame And Other Things We Aren't Meant To Carry
What do you do when life takes a turn you never asked for? When the diagnosis, the betrayal, the loss, or the slow unraveling of your plans leaves you feeling like the wrong person for the job? In this deeply personal and compassionate episode, Dr. Zoe reads a letter to anyone facing a life they...
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How Men Are Conditioned to Emotionally Abandon us
Why do so many women find themselves in relationships where they're doing all the emotional labor? And what role does childhood—and especially the way we raise boys—play in this dynamic? In today's powerful episode, Dr. Gloria K. Vanderhorst joins me to unpack the lifelong impact of early…
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Anxiety Is Just Energy: Tools to Calm Your Relationship Anxiety
What if anxiety wasn't the enemy, but a signal? In this powerful episode, Dr. Zoe talks with psychotherapist and transformational coach Bonnie Brindle about why anxiety is just energy—and how to channel it instead of being ruled by it. Bonnie shares her own story of living with intense anxiety,...
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Enmeshment, Co-dependence, and What Healthy Connection Actually Looks Like
Welcome back to Stronger in the Difficult Places. I'm your host, Dr. Zoe, and today we're digging deep into a topic that hits close to home for so many women in difficult relationships: the difference between enmeshment, co-dependence, and healthy interdependence. These patterns can be hard to...
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Overcoming Guilt, Shame, and Blame in the Face of Our Children's Struggles
In this powerful episode, Dr. Zoe sits down with author and biblical life coach Dawn Ward to talk about the often-invisible toll that guilt, shame, and self-blame take on mothers of addicted children. Dawn shares how faith helped her move forward in her calling, even while her loved ones were…
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What To Do When You Don't Trust Your Partner
Trust is the foundation of every healthy relationship—and when it breaks, it can feel like your world is unraveling. In this deeply honest and empowering episode, Dr. Zoe speaks to the woman who finds herself in the painful in-between: staying in a relationship with a partner she no longer fully...
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Why We Need Radical Relaxation
If you're feeling tired—but not just in your body, in your soul—this episode is for you. Dr. Zoe sits down with Tracie Braylock, holistic nurse, educator, and author of Radical Relaxation: Releasing the Stress You Were Never Meant to Carry. Together, they unpack what "radical relaxation" really...
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How Shame Shows Up in Your Parenting—Even When Your Kids Are Grown
Parenting doesn't end when your kids become adults—and neither does the complicated relationship we have with shame as parents. In this powerful conversation, I'm joined by family coach, former educator, and licensed mental health expert Anastasia Arauz to explore how shame weaves its way into…
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How Couples Can Resist Priority Drift In Your Relationship
In this episode of Stronger in the Difficult Places, I'm joined by transformational relationship guide Nick Brancato for a powerful conversation on a subtle but common challenge in long-term relationships—priority drift. Nick opens up about his own relational journey and how even the most…
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Is it Emotional Abuse—Or Something Else?
Have you ever found yourself wondering, "Is this emotional abuse… or just a hard relationship moment?" You're not alone. In today's episode, Dr. Zoe breaks down the crucial difference between emotional abuse and other common relational struggles—like conflict, insensitivity, emotional immaturity,...
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The Link Between Insecure Attachment, Self Abandonment And Chronic Stress
In this episode, we dive deep into the body's role in healing with Kate, a physical therapist, author, and embodied freedom and transformation coach. Kate specializes in helping service-driven women who feel like they're falling apart—overwhelmed, exhausted, and trapped in cycles of chronic...
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What if You're The Red Flag? And What Do You Do About It?
We've all been taught how to spot red flags in others—but what if we're the red flag? In this powerful episode, Dr. Zoe unpacks the uncomfortable but essential question: could your own behaviors, coping mechanisms, or unresolved trauma be playing a role in your relationship struggles? With...
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How The 12 Steps Can Transform Your Life And Relationships
In this powerful episode, Ian and I explore how these time-tested principles can radically shift your relationship with yourself and others. We talk about the freedom that comes from radical honesty, the courage it takes to confront your own story, and how the Twelve Steps can guide anyone—no...
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Overcoming The Shame Of Your Everyday Addictions
Addiction isn't just about substances—it can show up in our everyday lives in ways we don't always recognize. Whether it's scrolling endlessly on social media, emotional eating, overworking, or even seeking validation from others, these everyday addictions can hold us back from true freedom. And...
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Navigating Everyday Grief
Grief isn't just about losing a loved one or experiencing life's biggest losses. In this episode, I sit down with Natasha Smith to explore the often-overlooked grief we carry in our everyday lives. From unmet expectations to life transitions, we discuss why acknowledging these losses matters and...
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How To Advocate For Yourself In Difficult Relationships
Why is it so easy to stand up for others but so hard to advocate for ourselves? If you've ever felt stuck between not wanting to seem "too much" and not knowing how to use your voice effectively, this episode is for you. I'm joined by Heather Hansen—former trial lawyer turned advocate coach—who...
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How To Make Good Decisions When You Feel Guilty
I hear this all the time: How do I make a good decision when I feel guilty for making it? In today's episode I address how to make a decision, even when you feel bad about it. It's easier than you think and you can do it! Connect with me: Dr. Zoe Shaw on Instagram Dr. Zoe Shaw on Facebook Dr. Zoe...
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Say it Right: How To Talk So Your Partner Will Listen and You Will Feel Heard - In Six Steps
It doesn't matter what you say, the only thing that matters is what is heard. This isn't my original quote, but I've lost who said it along the way. Understanding this truth has been the turning point in my communication in all of my relationships. In today's episode, I have such a wonderful,...
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Why You Shouldn't Believe Everything You Think - And If You Do, It's Holding You Back
Your thoughts are powerful and most of us believe them- much to the detriment of ourselves and our relationships. On today's episode, I have a discussion with renowned author, Joseph Nguyen about why you shouldn't- and more importantly how you go about the process of not believing what you think....
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Why Women Stay In Unhealthy Relationships
Stephanie Quayle, Nashville Recording Artist and author talks about her own toxic relationship, why she stayed and insight she hope will help other women in difficult relationships. Stephanie Quayle is a Nashville recording artist who tours the world with her music and an entrepreneur with her…
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Six Questions To Ask Yourself About Your Relationship
Today is a solo episode, where I ask you 6 questions to determine if you're in love with your partner or just their potential. If you are brave, you could ask your partner these questions, but if you are truly committed to health you should turn these questions back on yourself and ask if you...
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How Purity Culture May Be Affecting You And Your Relationships
Maybe you grew up in it. Maybe you've never heard about it. Dr. Camden Morgante and I had an eye opening conversation about how the purity culture in the evangelical community in the 1990's has created a ripple effect on relationships and marriages to this day. And we had a conversation regarding...
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Let's Say Their Name: Holding Space for Parents of Loss
Whether you have lost a pregnancy, an infant or an older child, or you know of someone who has, this episode is for you. Today, we honor Infant Loss Awareness Month with a very moving conversation with author, Chris Manion. We answer questions like: How do you incorporate the loss into your life?...
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How Our Early Experiences Determine The Quality of Our Relationships
Sometimes we can be anxious. Sometimes we can be avoidant. Sometimes we can be both. In this episode, I am joined by author, Charisse Cooke. We talk about understanding how your early childhood experiences can affect your relationships and what to do when you feel disappointed in your…
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My Lessons on Letting Go
In this episode I share five valuable lessons I've learned this past year as a result of letting go of things I previously held dear. My hope is that in hearing my experience, you can learn to let go of things that may feel like they are valuable, but are actually junk holding you back in your…
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How To Rebuild Your Life When You Didn't Sign Up For This
You had a plan for how your life would turn out. You were working your plan and then life happened. How do you cope and how do you rebuild a worthy life, full of joy when it hasn't turned out how you expected? Dawn Sanders and I have a talk about how she did it. Visit her website here Join her...
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How Your Masculine Energy Is Affecting Your Relationship
This masculine/feminine energy debate may feel over discussed, but the more I work with women who are experiencing difficulty in their relationships, the more I see this issue creeping up. In this episode, I address how an imbalance of the masculine/feminine energy may be wreaking havoc in your...
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How's Your Relationship With Food?
We talk about all your other relationships on this podcast, but we've never addressed your relationship with food. It's time. Many, if not most American women have a dysfunctional relationship with food. I teamed up with Courtney Gray and had a wonderful conversation about how changing your...
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Why Women Lie
We all lie. Whether it's the little "white" seemingly insignificant ones or the really big, shameful deceits, we are all guilty of not being completely honest all of the time. As I continue to seek deeper wisdom regarding women, our relationship with ourselves, others and God, I have done a deep...
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How Even a Wobbly Faith Can Change Everything
Do you feel like you don't believe enough in yourself, your relationships, your God or that things will even work out for you? Listen in as I talk about how even a wobbly faith can change everything. Connect with me: Dr. Zoe Shaw on Instagram Dr. Zoe Shaw on Facebook Dr. Zoe Shaw Website
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Is Your Relationship Right For You?
There a number of qualities a relationship must have to make it a viable, healthy one. In this episode, Dr. Zoe and Dr. Meaghan Rice discuss the qualities of a healthy relationship. Dr. Meaghan Rice is a licensed psychotherapist. She has a busy private practice. She has been in the mental health...
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How Do You Know When it's Safe to be Vulnerable?
Vulnerability. How do you know when it's safe to be vulnerable in a relationship? Join me as I discuss this crucial topic with my guest, Jason VanRuler, a licensed therapist, author, speaker, and coach who helps people grow their relationships, become stronger leaders, and own their past to drive…
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Understanding the Cravings of Your Soul
There are five reasons that people want to get married, and those are the same five reasons that people ultimately choose divorce. How powerful is that statement? Today I am excited to talk about the 5 cravings of your soul with my guest Corey Rosenke, the author of The Magnetic Heart of God:...
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How to Have the Hard Conversations
It's the things that we don't say that get us in the most trouble. Often we are afraid of saying the wrong thing, for fear that our loved ones can't handle what we need to talk about. These fears prevent us from saying the thing that needs to be said. Listen in and learn how to overcome those…
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Feeling Lonely on Valentine's Day - Even When You're in a Relationship
You know what's worse than being by yourself on Valentine's Day? Being in a relationship and still feeling lonely on Valentine's Day. In this episode, I help you make sure you're asking for what you need in your relationship and I also give some tips for healthy self-care on this day of…
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How to Respond to Repeat Boundary Violations in Your Marriage
In this episode, I discuss setting boundaries between you and those you love. Often I work with clients who work to set and keep boundaries, but are constantly violated when their loved one crosses those boundaries. I talk through the clear steps you can take to set and hold those boundaries that...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Dr. Zoe, a licensed psychotherapist and relationship coach walks with you on your journey through fixing your difficult relationships, including that sometimes difficult one with yourself. Here, she offers a space where you can look at yourself and your relationship through a lens of psychology, faith and a dash of her own kind of feminism. Stronger in the broken places podcasts hosts guest from all over the world, from celebrity tv therapists to everyday women, authors and scientists, offering therapeutic tips, encouragement, camaraderie and support, helping women stay strong and transform difficult relationships. We're not fixing them, we're fixing you and that changes everything! Ask Dr. Zoe a burning relationship question https://www.drzoeshaw.comOr find her on Instagram@drzoeshaw
HOSTED BY
Dr. Zoe Shaw
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Stronger in the Difficult Places have?
Stronger in the Difficult Places currently has 294 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Stronger in the Difficult Places about?
Dr. Zoe, a licensed psychotherapist and relationship coach walks with you on your journey through fixing your difficult relationships, including that sometimes difficult one with yourself. Here, she offers a space where you can look at yourself and your relationship through a lens of psychology,...
How often does Stronger in the Difficult Places release new episodes?
Stronger in the Difficult Places publishes regularly with 294 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Stronger in the Difficult Places?
You can listen to Stronger in the Difficult Places on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Stronger in the Difficult Places?
Stronger in the Difficult Places is created and hosted by Dr. Zoe Shaw.
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