• Episode 26: What If You're the Toxic Person?
    2026/10/13
    Send us Fan MailToxic Behaviors, Accountability, Friendship Drama & How to Recognize When You're the ProblemWhat if you're the toxic person in the story?It's easy to recognize toxic behavior when someone else is doing it. But what happens when we're the ones gossiping, avoiding accountability, holding people to standards we don't meet ourselves, or cutting people off instead of having an uncomfortable conversation?In this episode of Mutually Unhinged, Lauren and Vicky are asking the question nobody particularly wants to answer: What if we're contributing to the relationship problems we're blaming on everyone else?We're breaking down the signs of toxic behavior in friendships and relationships, from struggling to apologize sincerely and feeling jealous when friends succeed to expecting more from other people than we're willing to give in return.We're also getting into the messy gray areas of friendship drama. Is talking about a friend always gossiping, or can venting be a healthy way to process your feelings? When does sharing someone's business cross a line? Is it always necessary to address conflict directly before ending a friendship? And how do you know when you're protecting your peace versus avoiding accountability?We'll explore why we sometimes forgive our own behavior more easily than we forgive other people's, what happens when someone tells us we've hurt them, and why playing the victim can keep us from seeing our part in a conflict.Because here's the uncomfortable truth: someone can genuinely hurt you and you can still have behaviors worth examining. Taking accountability for your actions doesn't mean accepting blame for everything that went wrong.We'll also talk about what real change looks like, why a genuine apology requires more than saying the right words, and how to recognize the difference between making a mistake and repeatedly refusing to take responsibility for it.This isn't about labeling yourself a toxic person forever. It's about getting honest enough to recognize patterns that may be hurting the people you care about, AND deciding what you're going to do differently.So, if every friendship seems to end the same way, you struggle when someone calls you out, or you've ever wondered whether you're the common denominator in your conflicts, this conversation might hit a nerve.And maybe that's exactly where the growth starts.In this episode, we're unpacking:Signs of toxic behavior and the difference between intent and impactAccountability versus excuses when you've hurt someoneJealousy, comparison, and struggling to celebrate your friendsExpecting more from others than you give yourselfVenting versus gossiping and when sharing crosses a lineDouble standards, hypocrisy, and judging others for behaviors we excuse in ourselvesCutting people off versus avoiding difficult conversationsPlaying the victim when someone confronts youRecognizing when you're contributing to a recurring relationship patternWhat genuine apologies, repair, and lasting change actually look likeAre You Healing or Just Surviving?Ready to get more honest about your own patterns? Take our assessment, Are You Healing or Just Surviving?, to explore areas like people-pleasing, self-trust, emotional safety, boundaries, and the patterns that may be keeping you stuck.Keep ListeningIf this episode has you rethinking your own relationship patterns, keep the conversation going:→ Episode 3 - Toxic Friendships - How to Spot Fake Friends & Walk Away Without Guilt: Revisit the conversation about fake friendships and toxic friendship dynamics, this time with a new perspective on your own role in the pattern.→ Episode 15 - You’re Not Setting Boundaries - You’re Testing People: Explore the difference between healthy boundaries and behaviors that can create confusion, resentment, and distance.→ Episode 5 - Episode 5: Self-Sabotage in Relationships - Why You Stay Stuck & How to Change It: Keep unpacking self-sabotage, personal responsibility, and what it means to own your part in a situation.Mutually Unhinged is a relationship and self-awareness podcast about messy relationships, uncomfortable truths, emotional growth, and learning to recognize the patterns that keep us stuck.Support the showAre You Healing or Just Surviving? Take our 3-Minute Assessment - Find What You're Carrying into RelationshipsFollow us on -Instagram: @mututally_unhinged_podTikTok: @mutually.unhinged.podYouTubeFacebook
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    45 分
  • Episode 25: Are We Mentally Unwell or Is Society Just Weird?
    2026/09/30

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    Social Anxiety, Overthinking, People-Pleasing & Surviving Modern Life

    Why does modern life feel like one giant social experiment nobody prepared us for?

    In this lighter, very unhinged episode of Mutually Unhinged, Lauren and Vicky are talking about the weird things we all experience but somehow pretend are completely normal.

    From NPC coworkers and painfully awkward small talk to people-pleasing, social anxiety, overthinking, and the bizarre social rules nobody actually explained to us, we're asking one very important question:

    Are we mentally unwell… or is society just weird?

    We're getting into the everyday situations that somehow require an unreasonable amount of emotional energy. The conversations you rehearse beforehand, the interactions you replay afterward, the workplace personalities that feel like they were generated by an algorithm, and the things we're apparently all supposed to tolerate without questioning.

    Because sometimes what feels like anxiety isn't necessarily a personal failure. Sometimes you're responding to a genuinely strange situation.

    And sometimes...

    you're just overthinking the hell out of it.

    This episode is less “here's how to heal” and more “can we please acknowledge how weird being a person actually is?”

    If you've ever wondered whether you're socially awkward, overly sensitive, chronically anxious, or simply surrounded by people who have collectively agreed to pretend this is normal...

    Yeah.

    This one's for you.

    If you're ready to go a little deeper than laughing at the chaos, take our free assessment:

    Are You Healing or Just Surviving?


    It'll help you identify where you may be getting stuck, whether that's people-pleasing, self-trust, emotional safety, boundaries, hypervigilance, or feeling like you have to hold everything together.

    Keep Listening

    If this episode made you laugh, cringe, or question our entire social construct, keep the binge going:

    → Episode 21: You're Not a Bad Friend, You're Emotionally Exhausted - How to Spot Emotional Dumping
    Keep going if you've ever wondered why certain friendships leave you completely emotionally exhausted.

    → Episode 15: “You’re Not Setting Boundaries - You’re Testing People”
    For the people-pleasing, boundary-setting, and “why did I do that?” side of things.

    Support the show

    Are You Healing or Just Surviving? Take our 3-Minute Assessment - Find What You're Carrying into Relationships

    Follow us on -

    Instagram: @mututally_unhinged_pod

    TikTok: @mutually.unhinged.pod

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    33 分
  • Episode 24: The Pressure of Family Approval - How Much Should It Matter?
    2026/09/15

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    Family Expectations, Boundaries & Choosing Your Relationship Without Guilt

    What happens when the people who raised you don't approve of the life you're choosing?

    When your family has an opinion about your partner, your relationship, your choices, or even who you're supposed to be. It can feel almost impossible to separate what you actually want from what you've been taught you should want.

    In this episode of Mutually Unhinged, Lauren and Vicky dissect the complicated pressure of family approval, family expectations, loyalty, boundaries, and relationship conflict. Especially, when keeping the peace with your family starts costing you peace in your relationship.

    Because sometimes “I just want my family to be happy for me” isn't really about wanting approval.

    Sometimes it's about wanting permission to be yourself.

    We get into how family dynamics and long-standing expectations can shape the way you make decisions, why family disapproval can trigger guilt and shame, and what happens when you're forced to choose between keeping your family comfortable and protecting the relationship you've built.

    We also talk about the uncomfortable reality of loyalty conflicts: when you love your family but don't agree with them, when your partner feels like they're coming second to your family's expectations, and when trying to keep everyone happy leaves you completely disconnected from yourself.

    And eventually, you have to ask the harder question:

    How much of your life are you willing to sacrifice just to keep everyone else comfortable?

    In this episode, we uncover:

    • Why family approval can become a form of control
    • How family expectations can influence your identity and relationship decisions
    • The guilt and shame that can come with family disapproval
    • What happens when family rejection starts affecting your romantic relationship
    • The difference between family loyalty and abandoning yourself
    • Why people-pleasing can keep you trapped between your family and your partner
    • How suppressing your truth can create resentment, stress, and loss of self
    • When protecting your relationship requires setting boundaries with family
    • What to do when family members refuse to respect your decisions
    • When limiting contact or disengaging from conflict may become necessary
    • How to stay authentic without automatically turning every disagreement into a war
    • Why choosing yourself doesn't necessarily mean choosing against your family

    Because here's the uncomfortable truth:

    Your family's disappointment doesn't automatically mean you've made the wrong decision.

    And keeping the peace doesn't always mean you're actually at peace.

    Listen next:

    Episode 4: Toxic Family Dynamics - How to Set Boundaries Without Losing Yourself

    How to break free from toxic family expectations, stop carrying generational guilt, and finally choose peace.

    Episode 15 - You're Not Setting Boundaries, You're Testing People

    One of the most common (and uncomfortable) patterns in healing: believing you’re setting boundaries when you’re actually testing people.

    If this hit a little too close to home take our free 3 minute assessment, Are You Healing or Just Surviving? It'll help you figure out where you're actually at, and what's keeping you stuck.

    Support the show

    Are You Healing or Just Surviving? Take our 3-Minute Assessment - Find What You're Carrying into Relationships

    Follow us on -

    Instagram: @mututally_unhinged_pod

    TikTok: @mutually.unhinged.pod

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    Facebook


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    54 分
  • Episode 23: When Your Best Friend Hates Your Partner - Toxic Loyalty, Friendship Betrayal & Choosing Sides
    2026/09/01
    Send us Fan MailWhat happens when your closest friend becomes the person creating the most tension in your relationship?Having a best friend who doesn't like your partner can put you in an impossible position. You may find yourself defending your relationship to the person who was supposed to be one of your biggest sources of support...or constantly trying to keep the peace between two people you love.But there's a difference between a friend expressing genuine concern and a friend trying to control who you love.1. When Your Best Friend Doesn't Like Your PartnerWe start by unpacking the situation that created the conflict: a best friend's distrust of your partner and the way that tension can slowly turn a friendship into a toxic triangle.We explore: What originally triggered the conflict Whether the friend's concerns were legitimate or rooted in personal loyalty The difference between protecting someone and controlling them What happens when you're constantly placed in the middle How pressure from a friend can affect your relationship Whether the friendship can actually be repaired 2. When Friendship Loyalty Becomes a WeaponLoyalty sounds like a good thing, until someone starts using it to control you.What happens when “I'm just looking out for you” becomes pressure to agree with your friend? Or when not taking their side becomes proof that you've betrayed them?We'll talk about: Toxic loyalty in friendships Being pressured to choose sides Manipulation and gaslighting Feeling guilty for prioritizing your relationship When friendship loyalty crosses a boundary How to tell the difference between concern and control 3. When Your Best Friend Becomes Your EnemySometimes a friendship doesn't end because you stopped caring about each other.Sometimes it ends because the relationship became a battlefield.We'll unpack what happens when a best friend becomes increasingly hostile toward your partner, including how loyalty gets weaponized and how outside influences can turn interpersonal conflict into something much bigger.And we'll ask the uncomfortable question:When does defending your friend become participating in the destruction of your own relationship?4. Social Media Makes Everything WorseToday's friendship conflicts don't always stay private.Muting someone. Not liking their pictures. Liking everyone else's. Making vague posts. Calling someone out publicly. Performing friendship for an audience.Social media can turn an already complicated friendship conflict into a public loyalty test.We'll talk about how online behavior can amplify jealousy, resentment, exclusion, and misunderstandings—and why sometimes what happens online is just another symptom of what's happening underneath.The Bigger QuestionWhat do you do when the people you love don't like each other?And more importantly:How do you stop being forced to choose?Healthy relationships require boundaries, not loyalty tests.If your best friend doesn't like your partner, you don't automatically have to choose your partner over your friend.But you also don't have to sacrifice your relationship to prove that you're still loyal.Sometimes the healthiest thing you can do is stop participating in the war.❤️ If You're Listening From the Receiving End...If you've ever been the person caught between a best friend and a partner, this episode is for you.If you've been told that choosing your relationship means you've “changed,” if you've felt guilty for spending time with your partner, or if you've wondered whether your friend's behavior is actually controlling rather than protective..you aren't imagining how complicated this dynamic can become.You deserve friendships that can express concern without demanding control, relationships that don't require you to pick sides, and boundaries that don't come with punishment.🔥 Keep ListeningStart at the beginning: 🎧 Episode 1: I Married the Wrong Person - Healing After Betrayal & Infidelity Affairs and Rediscovering Yourself Where Lauren and Vicky begin unpacking betrayal, infidelity, and what happens when the person you trusted most breaks that trust.Then listen to: 🎧 Episode 2: Why People Cheat - The Truth About Affairs & Relationship Breakdown Recovery and Honest Relationship Reflection The conversation goes deeper into the questions, anger, and confusion that follow betrayal.And if friendship drama is your thing: 🎧 Episode 21: You're Not a Bad Friend, You're Emotionally Exhausted - How to Spot Emotional Dumping When friendship becomes manipulation, emotional labor, resentment, and something you don't recognize anymore.Support the showAre You Healing or Just Surviving? Take our 3-Minute Assessment - Find What You're Carrying into RelationshipsFollow us on -Instagram: @mututally_unhinged_podTikTok: @mutually.unhinged.podYouTubeFacebook
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    47 分
  • Episode 22: When Mental Health Diagnoses Become Weapons - Manipulation in Relationships
    2026/08/19
    Send us Fan MailHow Weaponized Diagnoses, Relationship Manipulation & Social Media Can Distort the StoryMental health awareness can help us understand ourselves, our partners, and our relationships.But there is a major difference between understanding someone's mental health and using a diagnosis to excuse behavior, shift blame, or control the narrative.In Episode 22 of Mutually Unhinged, Lauren and Vicky unpack what happens when mental health labels become part of the conflict, and when relationship manipulation gets disguised as psychological awareness.Understanding Labels Without Weaponizing ThemDiagnoses and psychological terms can help people find language for experiences they've struggled to understand.But social media has also made it incredibly easy to throw around labels like:narcissist borderline codependent toxic gaslighter without actually understanding what those terms mean.Lauren and Vicky talk about the line between genuine awareness and misuse of mental-health language, including what happens when someone is misunderstood or reduced to a diagnosis.When a Diagnosis Becomes a Tool for ManipulationWhat happens when a partner repeatedly uses their diagnosis..or someone else's diagnosis, as a shield against accountability?They explore how this can create confusion for the other person in the relationship:"You can't be upset because I can't control my symptoms." "You're the problem because you're triggering me." "You don't understand my diagnosis." "My behavior happened because of my condition." A diagnosis can explain someone's experience.It doesn't automatically erase the impact of their behavior.The External-Looker ProblemRelationship conflict rarely stays between two people.Friends and family may be asked to choose sides. People may hear completely different versions of the same story. And social media can turn a private relationship conflict into a public courtroom.Lauren and Vicky talk about:being pressured to choose sides navigating support systems when everyone has a different version of events misinformation online how social media can amplify one person's narrative the danger of diagnosing strangers from a viral story what happens when complicated relationships get reduced to "the narcissist" and "the victim" The Social Media MirrorSocial media has made relationship language more accessible than ever.That's impactful, but it can also make complicated situations feel deceptively simple.A 30-second video can make someone feel like they finally understand their relationship.But sometimes the internet gives us a label before we've actually understood the pattern.And that's where things can get dangerous.Healing: What Do We Actually Do With All of This?The goal isn't to diagnose your partner.It's not to prove that someone is a narcissist.And it's not to win the internet's approval.The goal is to understand what is actually happening in your relationship, recognize unhealthy patterns, take accountability for your own behavior, and decide what boundaries you need moving forward.Because a diagnosis can provide context, but it shouldn't become a weapon.🎧 Keep ListeningIf this episode hit a little too close to home, keep going down the rabbit hole with us:Episode 2: Why People Cheat - The Truth About Affairs & Relationship Breakdown Recovery and Honest Relationship ReflectionFor the deeper conversation about cheating, accountability, and trying to understand why someone makes the choices they make.Episode 15: You’re Not Setting Boundaries, You’re Testing People (And It’s Backfiring) Because sometimes the healthiest thing you can do isn't diagnose the other person, it's get honest about your own boundaries, expectations, and patterns.And if you're new here, start with Episode 1: I Married the Wrong Person - Healing After Betrayal & Infidelity Affairs and Rediscovering Yourself for the story that started this entire conversation.Support the showAre You Healing or Just Surviving? Take our 3-Minute Assessment - Find What You're Carrying into RelationshipsFollow us on -Instagram: @mututally_unhinged_podTikTok: @mutually.unhinged.podYouTubeFacebook
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    49 分
  • Episode 21: You're Not a Bad Friend, You're Emotionally Exhausted - How to Spot Emotional Dumping
    2026/08/04

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    How to recognize emotional dumping, one-sided friendships, unhealthy emotional dependence, friendship boundaries, and protect your own mental health.

    Have you ever looked at your phone, seen someone's name pop up, and immediately felt resistance?

    Do you leave certain conversations feeling emotionally drained, guilty, or responsible for fixing someone else's life?

    If you've ever wondered whether you're being a supportive friend, or if you've accidentally become someone's crutch this episode is for you.

    In this episode of Mutually Unhinged, Lauren and Vicky separate the difference between healthy venting and emotional dumping, why some friendships become emotionally one-sided, and how codependency, co-rumination, and unhealthy emotional dependence quietly develop over time.

    They discuss why emotionally draining friendships can leave you questioning yourself, why setting friendship boundaries feels so uncomfortable, and how to support people you love without sacrificing your own mental health.

    If you've ever felt emotionally responsible for someone else's happiness, constantly carried the emotional weight of a friendship, or struggled to protect your peace without feeling guilty, this conversation will help you recognize the signs, and remind you that healthy friendships should support both people.

    In this episode, you'll learn:

    • The difference between healthy venting and emotional dumping
    • Why some friendships leave you emotionally exhausted
    • Signs you're carrying someone else's emotional weight
    • How codependency can develop between friends
    • Why co-rumination keeps both people emotionally stuck
    • How to create healthy friendship boundaries without guilt
    • What emotionally healthy support actually looks like

    Because protecting your peace doesn't make you selfish.

    It makes your relationships healthier.

    *

    Listener Reflection

    Think about the first person who came to mind while listening to this episode.

    Now ask yourself (after removing history, dynamics, etc):

    • Do I feel supported by this friendship?
    • Or do I mostly feel responsible?
    • Do I feel like support is evenly distributed?
    • Or do I feel emotional weight?
    • Do I leave our conversations feeling lighter…
    • …or emotionally exhausted?

    Healthy friendships make space for both people.

    You shouldn't have to lose yourself to prove you care.

    *

    If This Episode Helped...

    Please follow Mutually Unhinged, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who's learning that healthy relationships also require healthy friendship boundaries.

    Your support helps us reach more people navigating messy relationships, healing, and personal growth.

    *

    Listen Next

    If this episode resonated with you, we think you'll love these conversations too:

    🎙 Episode 3: Toxic Friendships - How to Spot Fake Friends & Walk Away Without Guilt
    Learn how to recognize toxic friendships, emotional manipulation, and the relationships that quietly drain your energy.

    🎙 Episode 15: You're Not Setting Boundaries - You're Testing People
    Discover why indirect communication creates resentment and how healthy boundaries strengthen every relationship.

    🎙 Episode 18: Emotional Affairs That Don't Look Like Affairs
    Learn how emotional intimacy shifts over time, why secrecy matters, and how small relationship changes can have lasting consequences.

    Support the show

    Are You Healing or Just Surviving? Take our 3-Minute Assessment - Find What You're Carrying into Relationships

    Follow us on -

    Instagram: @mututally_unhinged_pod

    TikTok: @mutually.unhinged.pod

    YouTube

    Facebook


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    52 分
  • Episode 20: Do You Have to Forgive Someone to Heal? The Truth After Betrayal
    2026/07/21

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    Healing After Infidelity, Betrayal Trauma & Moving Forward Without "Forgive and Forget"

    Everyone says forgiveness is the key to healing after betrayal.

    But what if forgiveness isn't the first step?

    In this episode, Lauren and Vicky challenge one of the biggest myths in betrayal recovery...that you have to forgive someone before you can truly move forward.

    They explore the pressure to "forgive and forget," why anger and grief are normal after infidelity, and how healing after cheating often looks messy long before it looks peaceful.

    Together they discuss revenge fantasies, shame, identity after betrayal, and the terrifying realization that healing may completely change your relationship, or even end it. They also explore the difference between forgiveness after infidelity and rebuilding your own sense of peace, whether or not your relationship survives.

    Whether you're recovering from betrayal trauma, navigating affair recovery, wondering can a relationship survive infidelity, or learning how to begin rebuilding trust after infidelity, this episode offers honest relationship advice and permission to heal at your own pace without rushing forgiveness.

    In This Episode

    • Do you have to forgive someone to heal?
    • The truth about "forgive and forget"
    • Healing after infidelity
    • How to heal after cheating
    • Betrayal trauma and emotional recovery
    • Why anger isn't the enemy
    • Rebuilding trust after infidelity
    • Can a relationship survive infidelity?
    • When healing changes your relationship
    • Reclaiming your story without rushing closure

    Key Takeaway

    Healing isn't measured by how quickly you forgive.

    It's measured by how honestly you're willing to face your pain.

    🎧 Continue the Conversation with our 'Betrayal Recovery Series'

    ➡️ Episode 1: I Married the Wrong Person - Healing After Betrayal & InfidelityAffairs and Rediscovering Yourself
    Hear the beginning of Lauren and Vicky's story and what betrayal looked like in real time.

    ➡️ Episode 2: Why People Cheat - The Truth About Affairs & Relationship Breakdown Recovery and Honest Relationship Reflection

    Explore the difficult conversations around accountability, infidelity, and rebuilding trust after an affair.

    ➡️ Episode 18: It Didn't Start as Cheating: How Emotional Affairs Really Begin
    Learn how emotional affairs develop gradually, the warning signs to watch for, and how emotional boundaries protect relationships before betrayal happens.

    🎙️ Follow Mutually Unhinged for honest conversations about relationships, betrayal recovery, affair recovery, emotional healing, boundaries, communication, and rebuilding trust.

    Support the show

    Are You Healing or Just Surviving? Take our 3-Minute Assessment - Find What You're Carrying into Relationships

    Follow us on -

    Instagram: @mututally_unhinged_pod

    TikTok: @mutually.unhinged.pod

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    49 分
  • Episode 19: Can an Open Relationship Save a Broken Relationship?
    2026/07/07

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    Jealousy, Broken Boundaries & The Truth About Opening a Relationship.

    Can opening a relationship fix what's already broken?

    Or does it simply expose problems that were already there?

    In this episode, Lauren and Vicky explore jealousy, trust, broken agreements, and the emotional realities that couples may face when considering or navigating open relationships.

    Drawing from their own experiences, they discuss how jealousy can spiral into control, why secrecy damages connection, and why relationship structures alone can't solve deeper communication or trust issues.

    They also unpack the difference between consensual openness and hidden betrayal, how boundaries can quietly erode over time, and the questions couples should ask before changing the structure of their relationship.

    Whether you're curious about open relationships, rebuilding trust, or trying to understand why some relationships struggle after opening up, this conversation is about honesty, accountability, and emotional safety.

    In this episode we unpack:

    • Healthy vs unhealthy jealousy
    • Why openness doesn't automatically solve relationship problems
    • Broken agreements and hidden betrayal
    • Boundaries that protect trust
    • The emotional realities of threesomes and non-monogamy
    • When communication breaks down
    • Questions couples should ask before opening a relationship

    Changing the structure of your relationship won't solve the problems inside it.

    If this episode hit deep, keep unpacking the layers of trust, betrayal, and emotional intimacy with these episodes:

    ➡️ Episode 1: Who the Fck Did I Marry? – Healing After Affairs and Rediscovering Yourself

    Continue the conversation about rebuilding after betrayal and what healing actually looks like after trust is broken.

    ➡️ Episode 2: So… Why the Fck Did You Cheat? – Affair Recovery and Honest Relationship Reflection

    Explore the emotional realities behind infidelity, accountability, and why relationships break down.

    ➡️ Episode 18: It Didn't Start as Cheating - When Friendship Crosses the Line Into Emotional Intimacy

    Blurring the lines between secrecy in relationships.

    We also referenced listening to Swing by Ashleigh Renard on Audible.

    Support the show

    Are You Healing or Just Surviving? Take our 3-Minute Assessment - Find What You're Carrying into Relationships

    Follow us on -

    Instagram: @mututally_unhinged_pod

    TikTok: @mutually.unhinged.pod

    YouTube

    Facebook


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    40 分