Gabi and Ress explore how many people, especially women are conditioned to be desirable before they ever feel safe or truly seen. They unpack how early praise for being attractive, agreeable, or impressive can lead to masking, people-pleasing, and emotional disconnection. The conversation contrasts being “wanted” with being “known,” highlighting the burnout that comes from performing versus the fulfillment of being understood.

On this episode of She Wolf Alchemy, hosts Ress interviews co-host Gabi about surviving two domestic violence relationships in her mid-twenties despite having education, family support, and a career helping others in crisis. Gabi describes meeting the first partner while struggling after graduation, moving in quickly, experiencing manipulation and neglect that kept escalating, and then meeting a second partner who initially love-bombed her before becoming controlling and violent, isolating her from friends, choking her in public, and pressuring her into a reality that she never wanted for herself . Gabi shares recovery through therapy, support, learning boundaries, intuition, and self-trust as safety.*Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of abuse, which may be distressing for some listeners.*

Ress of She Wolf Alchemy discuss recognizing when you’re in the “wrong rooms,” especially when feeling overlooked, underpaid, or underappreciated, and how overextending to prove your worth can lead to burnout and diminished confidence. Ress discuss' choosing alignment over familiarity and a fear of starting over.