Episode 1 Gaslighting, Codependency, and Your Nervous System: Breaking the Silence

In this first episode of Leave Your Toxic Relationship, we confront destructive patterns, expose gaslighting, and use God’s truth to begin stepping into freedom.

Is staying silent betraying your own well-being? When does keeping the peace begin to do more harm than good?

In this episode, we talk about abuse, gaslighting, and the nervous system — and how God can use everything meant to break you for His glory.

I share how cycles of childhood abuse, emotional neglect, and learned silence can train us to ignore our own needs and tolerate mistreatment in adulthood. Many women who find themselves in abusive relationships learned early on that their thoughts, feelings, wants, and needs did not matter — and that conditioning doesn’t simply disappear with age.

We explore how codependency develops as a survival strategy, why red flags are often ignored, and how gaslighting causes women to question their reality and distrust themselves.

This episode also addresses covert narcissistic abuse — how image control, manipulation, and lack of accountability operate behind closed doors — and why trying to change or save an abuser only deepens harm.

This is not about shame. This is about understanding what happened to you so healing can begin.

What This Episode Covers • Why staying silent can damage your emotional and physical health • How childhood trauma conditions us to neglect our own needs • The connection between abuse, codependency, and gaslighting • Why your nervous system may recognize abuse as “normal” • How covert narcissism operates through image management and deception • Why abusers rarely change and refuse accountability • The mental health impacts of long-term narcissistic abuse • Why forgiveness does not mean forgetting or allowing continued harm

Nervous System Insight When abuse is familiar, your body may interpret chaos as safety and calm as threat. This does not mean you are broken — it means your nervous system learned how to survive.

Biblical Perspective God is not asking you to stay silent in order to be faithful.

• John 8:32 — “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” • Romans 8:28 — God can redeem what was meant to harm you. • Galatians 5:1 — “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.”

If This Resonates If you’ve ever questioned your reality, minimized abuse, or wondered how you ended up here — you are not alone, and it is not your fault.

Call to Action If this episode resonated with you, I’d love for you to help this podcast reach more women who need clarity and freedom.

Please take a moment to: • Follow or subscribe to Leave Your Toxic Relationship wherever you listen to podcasts • Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts (or your preferred platform)

You’re also invited to join my Facebook group, Break Free From Codependency, where we walk this healing journey together with truth, compassion, and biblical grounding.

My Book Rec's

Lysa TerKeurst:

FORGIVING WHAT YOU CAN'T FORGET & GOOD BOUNDARIES AND GOODBYES

You are God’s daughter — beloved, deeply known and understood, with potential and purpose.

XOXO, Amy

Amy@LeaveYourToxicRelationship.com

Disclaimer This podcast is for educational and supportive purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care, medical treatment, or legal advice. If you are experiencing severe distress or are in immediate danger, please seek help from a qualified professional or contact your local emergency services.