Recovering From a Codependent Relationship
For years Stephanie fought desperately to save her husband, her family, and herself from the overwhelming destructive power of alcoholism, addiction, and abuse. Ultimately, she realized that in her attempts to lift him up, she was burying herself. The only way to find peace and protect her family was to redefine them completely.
Now, as a single mom of two, she chips away at the armor she welded on over the years as protection. And hopes her story provides light to those cowering in the darkness of addiction - both the alcoholics and the unseen heroes - the spouses.
The guilt and the responsibility that I felt to stay so he could get better.
I'm in awe of Stephanie's bravery and her perseverance to help others who are experiencing the same thing in a marriage or relationship. Her vulnerability will help you realize that you are not alone; Stephanie's tagline.
The topics discussed in this episode.
Abusive Relationships
Getting married at twenty
Having an affair in her first marriage
Running away from the relationship because she couldn’t take the abuse
Moving in with someone else quickly after leaving her first marriage
Married a man who was an alcoholic - Mr. B.
Seeking help + self-reflection + recovery
Finding help on Instagram through hashtags
Justifying the relationship with her alcoholic husband
Her husband’s behavior when drinking beer
Why you don’t “just” leave an abusive relationship with an alcoholic
Trying to get her husband to recover instead of her own recovery
Telling her husband to leave the home in 2018
Surrendering as a codependent
Having the confidence to own who you are
Narrowing your circle - Quality over Quantity as an adult
Fitting In vs. Belonging
Finding Love again on IG
Resources discussed:
Codependency No More, by Melodie Beattie
To find Stephanie: