Lessons in Discernment

What happens when the abuser doesn’t fit the stereotype?For this episode of Lessons in Discernment, I’m joined by Khelsy (@noonesmad)—a Paris-based content creator exploring queerness, neurodivergence, and life after narcissistic abuse.Together, we unpack the myths surrounding abuse in queer relationships, the role of U-hauling culture in masking unhealthy dynamics, and how neurodivergence can shape both vulnerability and resilience in recovery.Khelsy shares how working with a narcissistic abuse recovery coach and a therapist using ketamine-assisted psychotherapy helped her reclaim her truth, and how storytelling became her way back to power.This episode is a reminder that representation saves lives—and that healing, humor, and honesty can coexist.Follow Khelsy on Instagram and TikTok: @noonesmad

When the courts don’t recognize coercive control, children pay the price.This week on Lessons in Discernment, I’m joined by Canadian Member of Parliament Lisa Hepfner, sponsor of Bill C-223: The Keeping Children Safe Act—a groundbreaking piece of legislation that could transform how family violence is recognized and prevented in Canada.We talk about the stories that inspired the bill, the cultural shift it represents, and what it would mean for survivors and children to finally be protected from coercive control in the eyes of the law.Find Lisa Hepfner on Instagram: instagram.com/lisahepfnermpLearn more about Bill C-223: nawl.ca/stop-parental-alienation-accusationsFind me on Instagram: instagram.com/lessonsindiscernment Check out my Linktree to view my children's book on self-worth, and download a free digital resource for survivors, by survivors: linktr.ee/lessonsindiscernment Find me on Substack: lessonsindiscernment.substack.com

What does it mean to truly rewrite your story after trauma? In this episode of Lessons in Discernment, I sit down with Kate Michaud—EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapist, social worker, and founder of New Mindset Therapy.Together, we explore the power of EMDR as a tool for reprocessing trauma, the unintended consequences of diagnostic labels, and the path to reclaiming agency after experiences of narcissistic abuse and emotional manipulation.For me, EMDR was a turning point in my own journey of rediscovering self-worth. This conversation deepens that perspective with Kate’s expertise and her vision for a more empowering, humane future of mental health.Find Kate on Instagram: instagram.com/katemichaudofficialLearn more about her clinic: www.newmindsettherapy.caIf this episode resonates with you, share it with someone who needs to hear it—and remember: you are not your diagnosis. You are the storyteller now.Find me on Instagram: instagram.com/lessonsindiscernment Check out my Linktree to view my children's book on self-worth, and download a free digital resource for survivors, by survivors: linktr.ee/lessonsindiscernment Find me on Substack: lessonsindiscernment.substack.com

What happens after survival? In this deeply moving episode of Lessons in Discernment, I sit down with Elissa Swihart — survivor, advocate, storyteller, and creator of Dismissed True Stories, a podcast amplifying the voices of women silenced or erased by abuse. Elissa is also the founder of Tala’s Closet, a donation-based free store that offers practical support to women and children escaping violence. Her work is healing in action — proof that rebuilding after abuse is not only possible, but transformative.Together, we explore:The moment of clarity that sparks the realization: this isn’t love, this is control.How discernment becomes a daily practice in the healing journey.The revolutionary power of breaking silence and reclaiming your voice.The story behind Tala’s Closet, and how community care can be a lifeline.This conversation is an invitation to survivors everywhere: your story matters, your truth counts, and you are not alone.Find Elissa on Instagram: instagram.com/thedvsurvivorsisterhoodListen to Dismissed True Stories: buzzsprout.com/2353153Donate to Tala’s Closet: bit.ly/m/thedvsurvivorsisterhoodFind me on Instagram: instagram.com/lessonsindiscernment Check out my Linktree to view my children's book on self-worth, and download a free digital resource for survivors, by survivors: linktr.ee/lessonsindiscernment Find me on Substack: lessonsindiscernment.substack.com

In this episode of Lessons in Discernment, I’m joined by Julie Theis—creator of a powerful YouTube channel unpacking the dark psychology of celebrities, and a cast member on Netflix’s The Trust.From the Kardashian family’s dysfunction to the Internet’s insatiable obsession with the Bieber love triangle, Julie’s work goes far beyond gossip & conspiracy, and analyzes the patterns no amount of fame can avoid. We explore what it feels like for her to sit with the shadows of these case studies, the risks she takes in publishing her analyses, and the deeper intention behind her work: helping us discern the toxic dynamics embedded in the stories we consume.We also talk about her experience on The Trust, and how being part of a reality show gave her a unique perspective on the very cultural systems she critiques.Julie’s lens reminds us that celebrities aren’t just entertainment—they’re mirrors. And when we study them with discernment, we uncover deeper truths about ourselves and the world we live in.Find Julie on Youtube: youtube.com/@JulietheisFind Julie on Instagram: instagram.com/julietheisofficialFind Julie on TikTok: tiktok.com/@julietheisRead the article: What Joe Goldberg Taught Me About My Abusive RelationshipRead the article: Why Are We Still Giving Known Hollywood Abusers an Influential Platform?Find me on Instagram: instagram.com/lessonsindiscernment Check out my Linktree to view my children's book on self-worth, and download a free digital resource for survivors, by survivors: linktr.ee/lessonsindiscernment Find me on Substack: lessonsindiscernment.substack.com

What happens when abuse and conditioning erase your sense of self, and the only way you believe you can be loved is as a sex object?This week on Lessons in Discernment, I’m joined by Amy Watkins—a therapist turned truth teller and the voice behind @ms.emotionallyslutty. Amy shares her story of growing up under religious conditioning and neglect, surviving sexual abuse, and how those experiences shaped her identity for years. At the same time, she carried a fire inside that refused to go out.In this conversation, we talk about how abuse becomes an identity, what it takes to dismantle false narratives, and the power of reclaiming self-worth through honesty and discernment.Find Amy on Instagram: instagram.com/ms.emotionallysluttyVisit Amy’s website: amywatkinsstudio.comFind me on Instagram: instagram.com/lessonsindiscernment Check out my Linktree to view my children's book on self-worth, and download a free digital resource for survivors, by survivors: linktr.ee/lessonsindiscernment Find me on Substack: lessonsindiscernment.substack.com

What if the very thing your abuser tried to shame you for became the source of your strength?This week on Lessons in Discernment, I’m joined by Dr. Ruth—statistician, survivor, and founder of Healing by the Numbers. Blind in one eye and with limited vision in the other, Ruth endured years of cruelty from an abuser who weaponized her difference. Today, she transforms those scars into clarity: breaking down patterns of abuse through both numbers and story, and reminding survivors they are not alone.We talk about the subtle moments that reveal abuse, the power of naming what really happened, and how healing becomes possible when we reclaim our narrative.Find Dr. Ruth on Instagram: instagram.com/healingbythenumbers Find Dr. Ruth on Substack: healingbythenumbers.substack.com Find me on Instagram: instagram.com/lessonsindiscernment Check out my Linktree to view my children's book on self-worth, and download a free digital resource for survivors, by survivors: linktr.ee/lessonsindiscernment Find me on Substack: lessonsindiscernment.substack.com