New Year’s greetings!

Jill and I are always grateful for the sense of connection we feel with all of you. We know you are doing important, inspiring work, and we are always glad to hear about your experiences.

We’re excited to share that all eight episodes of the When Love Hurts Podcast are now available. We’ve received so much thoughtful and encouraging feedback, and we deeply appreciate it.

One thing we didn’t fully anticipate is how helpful the podcast has been for women who are already in appropriate counselling or participating in a When Love Hurts support group. Women are telling us that listening to the podcast helps them hold onto the truth about their experiences in the face of their partner’s abuse and the dominant discourse—especially in the spaces between structured support.

We know that women need a great deal of support to navigate abuse and the harmful systemic realities that often accompany it, including the legal system. None of us can singlehandedly provide all the support a woman needs and deserves. The podcast can be offered as a free, easily accessible way for women to feel supported between counselling appointments or group sessions.

We are also finding that the podcast is serving as a first door for some women. Several have shared that hearing the podcast helped them feel validated and understood, and gave them the courage to reach out for further support. It has been equally meaningful to hear from both men and women who previously knew little about this issue, and who are now beginning to understand key ideas that we believe everyone should know.

We have always believed that educating the wider society is essential if women are to receive better and more appropriate support from family members, friends, and helping professionals. It is exciting to hear the podcast is doing that. Below are a few quotes we’ve gathered from listeners.

What our listeners have to say

“Finally! People who understand. And everything is laid out so clearly. I feel hopeful that others, who have not had this experience, will come to understand and be able to support women like me better.”

Miranda, survivor

“The When Love Hurts approach saved my life—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I am still working on healing mentally and financially. The affirmation I received was a bright light at the end of a very long, dark tunnel. To hear about season one of the podcast, and to share it with everyone I know, is a privilege. The message of hope and recovery from abuse is so important for those who feel lost and don’t know why—or who may know why but cannot do this alone. Thank you for doing the podcast.”

Tami, thriver

“I worked in the field of violence against women for many years. I often felt alone because my colleagues seemed to bring judgement to women’s stories that I did not share. The unconditional support and validation this approach offers to women is so needed.”

Annette, former support worker

“I listened to episode three and it opened my eyes to how many different ways a man can be abusive. I had no idea. It also made me wonder whether I, as a man, have done—or may still do—some of these things unconsciously, simply because I was raised in a patriarchal society.”

Rob

If you haven’t had a chance to listen to the podcast yet, we hope you will. Subscribing, liking, or writing a review helps make it easier for women to find it. If you are using the podcast with clients, we would love to hear how that’s going.

Upcoming online training

Our next Certified Training for Professionals will take place on February 19 and 20. Our trainings consistently fill up, so we encourage you to register as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Certified Training for Helping Professionals

Training for helping professionals to provide a proven framework and comprehensive guide to strengthen their practice and enrich the support they offer women who have experienced partner abuse.

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Best Practice Guide and Curriculum (PDF)

Purchase and download today. This Best Practice Guide and Curriculum (PDF) is the essential guide for supporting women impacted by partner abuse from the most trusted experts in the field.

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