This episode discusses domestic abuse and coercive control in detail. Please take care while listening, and see the resources below if you need support.

Joy Forrest has been an advocate for domestic abuse survivors since 1997, founder of Called to Peace Ministries, and a survivor herself of a thirteen-year abusive marriage.

Prompted by the Netflix documentary The Death of a Pastor's Wife, Joy and Christine talk through coercive control, why marriage counselling routinely misses abuse, and the overlap between ADHD symptoms and complex PTSD, since difficulty focusing, time blindness, and memory gaps can look identical whether they come from someone's wiring or from sustained relational trauma.

Timestamps

00:00 Intro: who Joy is

02:20 Responding to the Micah Miller documentary

04:44 How abusers groom an entire community

13:25 Why marriage counseling fails in cases of abuse

16:29 Joy's own story: the man who changed after the wedding

25:46 Why Christians struggle with the idea of leaving

32:23 What complex PTSD actually looks like

36:56 The overlap between ADHD and CPTSD symptoms

44:19 Training pastors and churches: Protect the Flock

51:11 Where to find help, and Joy's closing thought on hope

Listen & connect

Joy Forrest (Called to Peace Ministries): Website · Warning Signs Quiz · Facebook · YouTube

Additional resource: Create a Personal Safety Plan (The Hotline)

Christine: Instagram · TikTok · LinkedIn

Think Time®: Website · Free Training · Instagram · YouTube · TikTok · LinkedIn

Hyperfocus & High Performance: Listen Here

This podcast is for educational purposes only and isn't a substitute for individualized medical, mental health, or professional care. Every brain is different, and results will vary.