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/thedvsurvivorsisterhood

Listen to Dismissed True Stories: buzzsprout.com/2353153

Donate to Tala’s Closet: bit.ly/m/thedvsurvivorsisterhood

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.emotionallyslutty

Visit Amy’s website: amywatkinsstudio.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

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/@Julietheis

Find Julie on Instagram: instagram.com/julietheisofficial

Find Julie on TikTok: tiktok.com/@julietheis

Read the article: What Joe Goldberg Taught Me About My Abusive Relationship

Read 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