What if the person everyone admires… is the one quietly breaking you?

In this deeply raw episode of Life & In Between, Diana Gonzalez-Lehboub sits down with Mia J. Hanks, author of Bridemaid, who shares her journey of surviving nearly 30 years in a covert narcissistic marriage.

Joined by special co-host Nikki Allen (stepping in for Patrick), this conversation unfolds into something powerful… three women, one shared truth, and a reality many live—but few can name.

⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussions of emotional abuse, narcissistic relationships, trauma, and the impact of long-term psychological stress. Please take care of yourself while listening.

From hidden abuse and emotional manipulation to the moment everything finally clicked… this episode dives into:

What a covert narcissist really looks like

Why it’s so hard for others to believe you

The cost of “staying for the kids”

How stress and trauma impact your body and identity

And what it takes to finally choose yourself

This isn’t just a story… it’s a wake-up call.

🎧 If you’ve ever questioned your reality… this conversation is for you.

🔗 CONNECT WITH MIA J. HANKS

📘 Book: Bridemaid (A Memoir)

👉https://www.amazon.com/Bride-Made-Memoir-Mia-J-Hanks/dp/B0CVC322MF/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.yFLeRDzL8x4ahfnHn5O86A.HUv1UbZa2J5uU4mwFRi09FsfWGX9F7bE3tL0yB0q9VU&qid=1719872156&sr=1-1

🌐 Website: https://miajhanks.com/

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/npd.andme/

💼 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@npdandme

🎙️ LISTEN / WATCH LIFE & IN BETWEEN PODCAST

🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4yGWQLlHVj3nzPwgzYXXot

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#NarcissisticAbuse #CovertNarcissist #EmotionalAbuse #HealingJourney #TraumaRecovery #LifeAndInBetweenPodcast #SurvivorStory #WomenHealing #ToxicRelationships #SelfWorth #PodcastClips #BreakTheCycle

What if addiction isn’t just about the person struggling…but about the silent pain carried by everyone around them?In this deeply raw and human conversation, we sit down with a couple who didn’t just study addiction… they lived it.This episode of Life & In Between goes beyond addiction—and into the real, unspoken impact it has on families, relationships, and identity.We’re joined by John McMahon and Lou Lewis, a powerful duo whose lives intersect through love, loss, addiction, and healing.John, a psychologist and recovering alcoholic, and Lou, a therapist who lost her first husband to alcoholism, bring a rare and deeply personal perspective. Together, they created a platform to support families navigating the chaos of addiction—because too often, the people around the addict are left without support.In this conversation, we explore:✨ What it’s really like to love someone struggling with addiction✨ The emotional toll families carry in silence✨ Recovery from both sides of the story✨ Turning pain into purpose through service and storytelling✨ Why support for families of addicts is still missing—and how to change that✨ The journey behind their platform Bottledup and their latest bookThis isn’t just a conversation about addiction…It’s about healing, second chances, and rewriting your story before it’s too late.Because at some point, we all ask ourselves:👉 Am I living a life I’ll regret… or one I chose on purpose?🔗 CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST📌 Learn more about John Mcmahon & Lou Lewis:👉 Website: https://bottled-up.com/👉 Podcast: https://pod.link/1824729126?view=apps&sort=popularity&fbclid=IwY2xjawREKyVleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE2Mjg1R21CeDlpWEsyUmpFc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHkkNjTDf6kFgpXUCYwvGiu7UYZd7EYjBXA0BF6Rx3hwq4XZ0lL-OEmqRXqLX_aem_4aMY1T1iPV0VJq1XLTSbLQ👉 Book: Bottled Up: https://bottled-up.com/bottled-up-book/https://bottled-up.com/bottled-up-books/first-steps-out-of-problem-drinking/👉 Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/BottledUp247/If this episode touched you…Share it with someone who needs to hear it.You never know who’s silently carrying this story.👉 Don’t forget to Like, Follow, and Share to help us reach more hearts.If this episode touched you…Share it with someone who needs to hear it.You never know who’s silently carrying this story.👉 Don’t forget to Like, Follow, and Share to help us reach more hearts

In this powerful episode of Life & In Between, Diana and Jessica sits down with executive coach, author, and “growth whisperer” Stephanie Peirolo for a conversation that will challenge the way you make decisions, trust yourself, and show up in your life.

From navigating corporate leadership and gender bias… to rebuilding her life after addiction… to helping women finally ask the question most of us avoid—

👉 “What do I actually want?”

Stephanie shares the deeply personal journey behind her book The Saint and the Drunk and introduces a different way of decision-making—one that moves beyond logic and taps into something we’ve been taught to ignore: our body, our intuition, and our inner wisdom.

This conversation gets real about:

✨ Why so many women struggle to say “I want”

✨ The hidden cost of ignoring your intuition

✨ How “resistance” might actually be protecting you

✨ The difference between attraction vs. aversion (and why it matters)

✨ Healing your relationship with your body and your voice

✨ Navigating workplace conflict with awareness and compassion

✨ Letting go of the “right decision” and trusting your own path

If you’ve ever felt stuck at a crossroads…

If you’ve ever second-guessed yourself…

If you’ve ever been told not to trust what you feel…

This episode is your reminder:You already know more than you think.

🌐 CONNECT WITH STEPHANIE PEIROLOWant to dive deeper into Stephanie’s work, coaching, and book?

🔗 Website: https://www.speirolo.com/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speirolo/

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/speirolo/

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@speirolo

✍️ Substack: https://speirolo.substack.com/

📖 Book: The Saint and the Drunk: A Guide to Making the Big Decisions in Your Life