When we think of abuse, our minds often go straight to physical violence. Bruises, threats, raised voices, broken things. But some of the deepest, most enduring wounds are invisible. They don’t leave scars on the skin. They live in the nervous system. They warp your perception of reality. They bury your voice.

This is coercive control.

And it is central to narcissistic abuse.

In this episode, I sit down once again with Kimberly Weeks, known for her expertise and advocacy in narcissistic abuse recovery, to talk about a form of abuse that is difficult to see, even harder to prove, and almost impossible to explain unless you’ve lived it.

Coercive control is not just manipulation. It’s a full psychological campaign. A dismantling of a person’s ability to think, feel, or choose freely. It often starts with seemingly small things — isolation from friends, monitoring phone use, constant criticism — and escalates into a complete takeover of a person’s agency.

And most of the time, no one sees it happening.

Together, Kimberly and I unpack the definition, patterns, and lived impact of coercive control. We talk about how survivors often feel like they’ve been placed under a spell, and why breaking free isn’t as simple as just walking away. It takes clarity, support, and a complete rebuilding of the self.

We explore how coercive control functions through fear, obligation, guilt, and shame. And we highlight the real-world example of the Diddy and Cassie case, not as tabloid fodder, but as a public illustration of dynamics that happen every day behind closed doors — in relationships that may look glamorous from the outside.

In this episode, we also touch on:

* How psychological control mirrors cult dynamics and war-time tactics

* The role of humiliation, surveillance, and forced compliance in abusive systems

* What happens when a survivor begins to question whether they are the problem

* The devastating aftermath of leaving, and the fog that begins to lift once safety is restored

Kimberly doesn’t shy away from naming the tactics — from love bombing and dog-whistling to coercion masked as fantasy. She explains how someone’s survival instincts can become entangled with their abuser, leading to silence, complicity, and deep self-blame. We also explore how survivors often carry the shame of having “gone along with it,” even when their choices were made under extreme psychological pressure.

This isn’t an easy conversation. It’s heavy. It’s complex. It’s personal for so many.

But it’s also necessary.

Because without naming these patterns, we can’t heal from them.

And for every person who has wondered, Was it really abuse if I said yes? or Why didn’t I just leave?, this episode offers validation, insight, and understanding.

We know these stories are hard to hear, especially if they mirror your own. We share them with care, grounded in compassion, because the truth deserves space.

And survivors deserve to be believed, even when there are no bruises.

🌀 Watch the full series on narcissistic abuse here:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlA0WyYyh_UOSsC2UBmsgypwCXs6-TSs8

📲 Connect with Kimberly Weeks on Instagram:@iamkimberlyweeks🌐 Website:

https://www.thenarcissisticabusecoach.com

🧠 Ready to heal, grow, and connect?

We often think of trauma as a mental experience. Something that happened in the past. Something you can "talk through" or "understand" with enough therapy, journaling, or willpower.

But what if your body remembers in ways your mind can't explain?

What if the tension in your hips, the inflammation in your gut, or the tightness in your chest is your body telling the truth your mind has long tried to forget?

In this episode of Flip Your Mindset, I sit down with Grant Clark—movement coach, trauma survivor, and founder of Hidden Warrior—to explore a perspective that many miss: the wisdom of the body and its role in deep emotional healing.

Grant doesn’t just teach movement. He teaches remembrance.He teaches reconnection.He teaches how to feel safe enough to return to your own body.

Because healing isn’t about fixing what’s broken. It’s about reintroducing yourself to parts of you that had to shut down just to survive.

Here’s what we unpack in this powerful conversation:

* The overlooked connection between chronic pain and unprocessed trauma

* Why the hips are often a storage vault for unspoken grief, shame, and rage

* How movement practices like Qigong and breathwork help discharge what words never could

* The difference between coping and healing

* And what it really means to live from a place of embodied safety

This is more than an interview. It’s a reminder.

That you don’t have to carry it all in silence.That healing is possible, even if you’ve tried everything.That your body has not given up on you—it’s just waiting for you to come home.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re “doing all the work” but still feel stuck… this conversation will meet you where you are.

🌀 Watch the full episode here🌐 Learn more about Grant’s work at Hidden Warrior

We end the episode with a moment of stillness—and I invite you to do the same after listening. Let your body speak. Let it breathe. Let it guide you.

You’re not broken. You’re healing. And you’re not alone.

With love,Stacey

Have you ever had a moment where you realize you’re doing everything “right”—but still feel completely disconnected from yourself?

You’re holding down the job. Showing up for your friends. Getting things done.But underneath the surface? You feel numb. Burned out. Stuck in your head. Your body? It’s just… surviving.

That’s not failure. That’s functional freeze—and it’s a lot more common than we think.

In this powerful episode of Flip Your Mindset, I had the chance to sit down with Jessica Parente—a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, somatic trauma-informed coach, and Level 4 brainspotting practitioner. She’s also the founder of It Ends With You, LLC, and someone who’s lived through and healed from many of the same struggles our community faces: childhood trauma, narcissistic abuse, grief, dissociation, and high-functioning burnout.

Jessica brings a rare mix of clinical expertise and lived experience. And our conversation? It cracked something open for me—and I believe it will for you, too.

What we talked about:

🧠 Functional Freeze vs. High-Functioning AnxietyMost of us have heard about fight or flight. But what about freeze? Jessica explains how many people (especially women) are walking around in a state of functional freeze—disconnected from their bodies, emotionally numb, and constantly doing as a way to avoid feeling.

Pathologizing vs. Non-Pathologizing Mental HealthThis part gave me chills. Jessica breaks down how the traditional mental health model is built around diagnosis, labels, and meds. And while that’s helpful for some, it often misses the deeper truth: we’re not broken. Our nervous systems are doing exactly what they were trained to do—protect us. Real healing starts with seeing the human, not the disorder.

Brainspotting: A Portal to Healing the BodyJessica describes brainspotting as a somatic modality that helps people access and release trauma through fixed eye positions and body awareness. It’s not about reliving the past or talking your way through it. It’s about feeling safe enough to let your body finish what it never got to complete.

“You can’t think your way out of a trauma response. There is no mantra strong enough to override the nervous system when it’s in survival.” — Jessica Parente

Why You’re Not ‘Over It’ Yet (And That’s Okay)We talk about how trauma healing isn’t linear—and how your nervous system might intellectually want to move forward, but your body isn’t ready yet. And that’s not a flaw. That’s wisdom.

“There were things I had processed over and over in therapy. I understood them—but I didn’t feel any better. It wasn’t until I started brainspotting that my body actually began to let go.” — Jessica Parente

Why this episode matters

So many of us walk around thinking, “I’ve already dealt with that,” just because we’ve talked about it. But talking isn’t the same as processing.

Your trauma didn’t just happen in your mind.It happened in your body.And your healing has to reach your body, too.

If you’ve been stuck in a loop—doing the work, saying the affirmations, going to therapy—but still feel anxious, disconnected, or chronically burnt out… this episode will help you understand why.

There’s nothing wrong with you.You’re not broken.Your nervous system is doing the best it can with the tools it has.

Ready to go deeper?

🎧 Listen now to Flip Your Mindset🔗 Learn more about Jessica Parente at:

https://itendswithyoullc.com

You deserve to feel safe in your own body.You deserve to feel whole.And most importantly—you don’t have to figure it out alone.

With you on the journey,—Stacey

What happens when the version of you that made everyone else comfortable finally becomes too heavy to carry?

In this week’s episode of Flip Your Mindset, I sat down with Megan Pisano—interior designer, mother of two, and someone who reached her breaking point through years of quiet burnout masked as “go with the flow.”

She found me during a networking event, where I was speaking about burnout. Mid-talk, she locked eyes with me and knew: “That’s me.”

Megan’s story is the story of so many high-functioning women—those who say yes to everything, keep up appearances, and slowly erode their sense of self in the name of being liked, needed, or simply not abandoned.

“I didn’t know who I was,” she said. “I wasn’t even sure what I liked.”

It wasn’t until her second child was born and her marriage began to crumble that the truth became undeniable: the people-pleasing, the perfectionism, and the constant nervous system overload were not sustainable. She was exhausted. She was empty.

But this isn’t a story of collapse. It’s a story of rising.

Megan walked through her healing journey in the most human way—one yoga retreat at a time, one boundary at a time, one small moment of choosing herself when the old version of her would’ve said yes out of fear. She went from the woman who texted me, proud she said no to a group boat ride, to someone confidently renovating her home, running her design firm, and parenting with clarity.

She’s still healing. But aren’t we all?

If you’ve ever felt like you’ve abandoned yourself to be accepted, if you’ve lived in fear that someone not liking you means you’re not worthy—you’re not alone. And you don’t have to stay stuck.

Start small.

Get curious about what lights you up. Follow what makes you smile. And remind yourself: healing doesn’t mean never taking steps backward. It means trusting the process, even when the steps are messy.

“The more I’m myself, the more people kind of gravitate,” Megan shared. And she’s right. Authenticity has a gravitational pull. But it starts with letting go of the masks.

👉 If you’re ready to stop hustling for your worth and start healing the invisible wounds underneath it all, I’d love to support you.Book a 75-minute trauma consultation today.

Book now at www.flipyourmindset.com

Most people don’t understand narcissistic abuse until it’s too late.

It’s not just about emotional manipulation. It’s a complete hijacking of your nervous system. Your sense of safety. Your identity. It’s a form of trauma that masquerades as confusion, as loyalty, even as love.

That’s why I brought Kimberly Weeks back for the third time. If you’ve listened to parts one and two, you already know the depth and clarity she brings to this topic. But this conversation? It’s the most raw, unfiltered, and practical one yet.

“This is not a mindset flip. The mindset flip does not come before the nervous system flip.” — Kimberly Weeks

When You’re Being Sabotaged for Healing

Kim shares how people with narcissistic traits often sense when you’re about to take your power back—and how they weaponize your growth.

“If you have an exit strategy, absolutely do not let them know you have your plans. If you tell them you’re seeing a coach or therapist, they’ll sabotage it. They will feel the shift in your energy and destabilize you.”

It’s diabolical. The abuse isn't always loud. Often, it’s a calculated erosion of your reality—leaving you doubting your own sanity and craving their approval.

Trauma Bonds Are Not About Logic—They’re About Survival

If you’ve ever felt stuck in a relationship that was clearly hurting you, you’re not alone—and you’re not weak.

Kim reminds us that trauma bonds are survival-based. They’re rooted in early wiring and nervous system responses. That’s why her healing model centers on somatic safety, co-regulation, and community—not just mindset work.

“We need accountability. We need people walking the same walk. We need rituals, regulation, and reflection.”

Why Talk Therapy Isn’t Always Enough

Kim gets personal about her journey. She had a therapist. But that therapist didn’t understand narcissistic abuse.

So Kim did the work herself. She trained. She healed. And now she’s created Stand Firm—a trauma-informed coaching community designed specifically for women breaking free from narcissistic abuse.

“I want to make it easier for the next woman. I want her to understand what’s happening—neurologically, emotionally, spiritually—so she can reclaim her life.”

The Power of Being Believed

If you’re in this cycle—maybe silently suffering, maybe deeply confused—Kim wants you to hear one thing:

“I believe you. You don’t have to convince me or anyone in my community that what you’re experiencing is real.”

💔 Still Questioning Your Relationship?

Take the Exit Plan Quiz and find out if you're ready to leave the narcissist behind—and how to start your journey to freedom.

✅ It's free ✅ Takes less than 5 minutes ✅ Gives you personalized next steps

👉 Start your Exit Plan now – Your healing begins with clarity. Take the Quiz:

https://www.thenarcissisticabusecoach.com/

Ready to Begin Healing?

If you're feeling stuck in a trauma bond or navigating post-separation chaos… 👉 Book a 75-minute consultation with me at flipyourmindset.com