Bitch Is A Bad Word: A Domestic Violence Podcast on Healing and Empowerment

This episode of Bitch Sesh originally aired on July 17, 2025.If you or someone you love is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit www.thehotline.org-----What happens when a mother drops her daughter off at school—and never sees her again? In this gut-wrenching episode of Bitch Sesh, Lindsay sits down with “M,” a doctor, mother, and fierce advocate who dropped her daughter off at school one morning and never saw her come home. It’s been 262 days. No warning, no goodbye. Just a so-called “temporary” custody order that became a silent sentence. From lost milestones to supervised calls, M shares her story of post-separation abuse, litigation trauma, and relentless love. This is a call for family court reform and a voice for silenced mothersWe unpack the truth behind family court trauma, post-separation abuse, and the terrifying reality so many protective mothers face. M's story is a powerful call to action and a heartbreaking reminder that this system is failing the very people it claims to protect.Inside This Episode:What happens when a six-year-old is taken without notice or legal groundsWhy “temporary” custody orders often last for yearsParenting through supervised calls—and losing milestones to silenceHow the courts weaponize protective mothers and reward abusersThe quiet epidemic of litigation abuse and coercive controlThe grassroots movement demanding family court reformAbout M:M is a physician, a mother, and a survivor. She’s part of the National Safe Parents Coalition and an advocate for reforming the family court system. Her story is both a warning and a rallying cry for every mother told to stay quiet, and every child caught in the middle.If you or someone you know needs immediate help, please reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233We see you. We believe you. We've got your back, Bestie.

This episode originally aired on October 7, 2025.If you or someone you love is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit www.thehotline.org-----CLICK HERE FOR JAFARI LAW'S FREE GUIDE TO USING PARENTING APPSLeaving your abusive marriage or relationship may be the hardest step but picking the right lawyer may be the most important. You don't need someone who just knows the law but also understands what you've been through and the manipulative tactics your abuser will employ with the judge and with you. You need someone who knows your court, your judge and how "to read the room" to help you get what you are fighting for.Padideh Jafari is a trauma informed Family Law and Divorce Lawyer in Southern California who specializes working with victims of domestic abuse, domestic violence, narcissistic abuse, verbal abuse and coercive control. She lays out for you what you need to look for in an attorney and why choosing not just a good lawyer but an attorney who understands the mentality of your abuser and your judge is so important.Together they cover:- How to tell if a lawyer understands domestic violence and coercive control- Red flags to avoid when meeting with lawyers- How abusers weaponize the legal system against you (and what to do about it)- The truth about litigation abuse, custody court, and financial manipulationThis episode is your legal survival guide—whether you’re newly separated or stuck in a court battle that just won’t end.Need Help?If you or someone you love is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit thehotline.org.ABOUT PADIDEH JAFARI, ESQ.Padideh Jafari, Esq. is the Founder and CEO of Jafari Law & Mediation Office which is a Family Law and Divorce firm with offices in Los Angeles and Orange County. Attorney Jafari is a practicing lawyer for over 22 years. She is a former NYU and Southern California Institute of Law adjunct professor. She is the Podcast co-host of, the Narcissist Abuse Recovery Channel on iHeart Radio and Spotify.

This episode originally aired on November 25, 2025.If you or someone you love is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit www.thehotline.org-----In this episode, Lindsay sits down with two unstoppable forces changing the way we talk about abuse before it ever happens: Burd Beauty founders Leah (17) and Misha (15) Burdeen, and Shear Haven founder and advocate Susanne Post. Together, they are redefining what it means to use beauty, education, and community as tools for real safety.We get into how Burd Beauty is turning a hair care brand into a life saving mission, using shampoo to start conversations about teen dating violence, policy change, and giving young people language to protect themselves. Susanne breaks down how Shear Haven trains stylists around the world to recognize warning signs behind the chair and become first responders in moments that matter.This episode is a wake up call, a masterclass, and a battle cry for anyone who believes prevention starts with honest conversations, safe adults, and empowering the next generation.Inside This Episode:• How Burd Beauty is building a beauty brand that doubles as a prevention tool• Shear Haven’s global salon training movement and why cosmetologists are uniquely positioned to spot abuse• The red flags teens miss because no one teaches them what healthy is supposed to feel like• Why early education is the key to breaking generational cycles• How beauty spaces can save lives, literallyBurd Beauty: https://burdbeauty.com/Teen sisters Leah and Misha Burdeen are using their platform to change the culture around relationships, self worth, and prevention. Their products fuel confidence and a movement.Shear Haven: https://shearhaventraining.org/Founded by Susanne Post, Shear Haven trains stylists worldwide to identify signs of abuse, respond safely, and offer resources that can save a life.-----Support Our Sponsor: TALKINGPARENTS APPThe #1 App For More Confident Co-ParentingClick to Learn More: https://talkingparents.com/biabw💜 We’re teaming up with TalkingParentsApp to give the Bestie Gang one of the best tools for the Bestie Toolkit, the power to communicate without chaos. Because as much as we love reading your “Texties from your Exties,” some messages are better left professionally documented. 👀If you’re co-parenting with a narcissist, living through post-separation abuse, or just trying to protect your peace, the TalkingParents app will save your sanity. Every message. Every call. Every receipt. Safely logged. Documented bad words, gaslighting, word salads, or being run around more than a Target cart on a Sunday. Just boundaries, receipts, and your peace of mind. It’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and this collab is all about protecting survivors long after they leave.👉 Follow @TalkingParentsApp on Instagram & listen to the full episode of this Bitch Is A Bad Word ep now.----Need Help?If you or someone you love is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit www.thehotline.org

This episode of Bitch Sesh originally aired on June 26, 2025.If you or someone you love is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit www.thehotline.org-----What if healing didn’t come in a bottle—but in a mushroom grown from the dirt?In this powerful episode of Bitch Is a Bad Word, I’m joined by Tracey Tee, founder of Moms on Mushrooms, to talk about motherhood, microdosing, and the kind of healing no one teaches us—especially not in a doctor’s office. We talk about how psilocybin is helping women process trauma, release rage, and get clarity on the choices that actually serve them.Tracey breaks down what it means to be whole in your pain, why community is essential when you're waking up, and how mushrooms help moms stop people-pleasing and start listening to their gut—even when it goes against everything we've been told.Inside This Episode:• Why crying for five days doesn’t mean it’s not working—it means it is• What Big Pharma won’t tell you about emotional processing• How to “two sleeps” your way out of a fight with your ex• What psilocybin can do that SSRIs never could• Why you don’t have to respond to every message from your narcissist co-parent• What it looks like to take radical responsibility for your own healing• How Moms on Mushrooms is building community off social media and outside the algorithmAbout Moms on Mushrooms:Founded by Tracey Tee, Moms on Mushrooms is a digital community and education platform for mothers exploring microdosing, plant medicine, and personal transformation. With courses, peer support, and private forums, M.O.M. offers a grounded space to heal, connect, and reclaim your story—one dose at a time.Visit them at https://www.momsonmushrooms.com/If you or someone you know needs immediate help, please reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233You’re not alone. Your healing matters. We’ve got your back, Besties!

This episode originally aired on June 24, 2025.If you or someone you love is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit www.thehotline.org-----What if you could take the chaos of your divorce and build something that actually works—for you?In this empowering episode of Bitch Is a Bad Word, I’m joined by Alex and Amanda, certified mediators and co-hosts of the Dirty Laundry Podcast. These two brilliant Canadians specialize in helping women navigate the legal minefield after leaving abusive relationships—and today, they're breaking down how to build a post-separation plan on your own terms.We dive deep into the realities of self-representation, family court, and co-parenting with a high-conflict or abusive ex. Whether you're knee-deep in legal drama or just trying to figure out your next step, this episode is packed with clarity, strategy, and truth.Inside This Episode:• Why mediation might be your best move after leaving an abuser• How to “Frankenstein” your divorce using the right experts at the right time• What the courts don’t tell you about parenting plans• Alternatives to hiring a shark lawyer (and why you might not need one)• What every woman should know before walking into family courtAbout Dirty Laundry:Alex and Amanda are certified mediators and hosts of the Dirty Laundry Podcast, a must-listen for anyone navigating toxic exes, legal chaos, and the healing that comes after. They bring sharp insight, deep empathy, and a much-needed dose of realness to the family law space.FOLLOW Dirty Laundry:Instagram @dirty.laundry.podcastYouTube @DirtyLaundryPodcastYou’re not alone. Your healing matters. We’ve got your back, Besties!

This episode of Bitch Sesh originally aired on October 16, 2025.If you or someone you love is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit www.thehotline.org-----In this episode of B!tch Is a Bad Word’s: B!tch Sesh, Lindsay sits down with Malou.Malou found B!tch Is a Bad Word the same way so many of us do, scrolling through social media late at night, trying to make sense of the question that changes everything: What the fck is this relationship I’m in?*Through the endless carousel of “relationship advice” and trauma content, she began piecing together what was really happening behind closed doors. What started as confusion became clarity, and what once felt like isolation turned into community.In this conversation, Malou shares how discovering language around micro-aggressions, narrative abuse, and subtle forms of control helped her name what she was experiencing and start rebuilding her sense of self.More than that, she talks about the ripple effect that happens when survivors speak up, how one story shared online can become the reason another woman finally sees the truth in her own.Inside This Episode:• Using social media to decode emotional and psychological abuse• The “what the f*ck is this relationship?” moment that changes everything• How micro-aggressions and narrative abuse keep victims doubting themselves• The ripple effect of storytelling in survivor communities• Finding clarity and connection through shared experienceWhy this episode matters:Malou’s story is a reminder that healing often starts in the quiet scroll, in the comment sections, and in the courage to say something’s not right here. It’s about how awareness spreads, one post, one podcast, and one story at a time.If you’ve ever questioned your reality, doubted your instincts, or turned to the internet looking for answers, this one’s for you.Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of emotional abuse, manipulation, and coercive control. Please take care while listening.We’ve got your back, Besties.Need Help?If you or someone you love is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit thehotline.org.

This episode originally aired on September 15, 2025.If you or someone you love is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit www.thehotline.org-----She thought she married a charming, successful man. Instead, she ended up trapped in a controlling, emotionally abusive marriage that nearly broke her.In this episode of Bitch Is A Bad Word, journalist and divorce coach Amy Polacko opens up about her own experience with a covert narcissist—a partner who manipulated, isolated, and gaslit her behind closed doors. She explains how smart, accomplished women like her often find themselves stuck in relationships that look perfect on the outside but feel like walking on eggshells inside.Amy helps women spot the warning signs of abuse most people miss—especially when there are no bruises. From love bombing to emotional control, this conversation dives deep into the red flags that survivors often don’t recognize until it's too late.Whether you’re wondering:- “Why does my partner blame me for everything?”- “Is it really abuse if there’s no violence?”- “Why do I feel trapped, scared, and exhausted?”This episode will help you name what’s happening, understand the tactics of abusers, and realize you’re not alone.🔊 Trigger Warning: This episode discusses emotional abuse, control, manipulation, gaslighting, narcissistic relationships, and trauma.📞 If you need immediate help, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.ABOUT AMY POLACKOAmy is a divorce coach and award-winning journalist who survived a narcissist nightmare. She empowers women to be the CEO of their own divorce. Amy has coached hundreds of women in toxic relationships and writes for national news outlets about coercive control, domestic abuse, divorce, online dating and singlehood. Her work has been featured in HuffPost, The Washington Post, Newsweek, NBC News THINK, The Independent, New York Observer and Ms. magazine. She co-authored the groundbreaking book FRAMED: Women in the Family Court Underworld with Dr. Christine Cocchiola which exposes the gender bias in our family court system (www.narcfreepress.com). Learn more about Amy at www.freedomwarrior.info and on Instagram @freedomwarriortribe

This episode of Bitch Sesh originally aired on Aug 7, 2025.If you or someone you love is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit www.thehotline.org-----In this powerful and emotional episode of Bitch Is a Bad Word, survivor and advocate Lynn shares her harrowing journey through childhood trauma, reproductive coercion, intimate partner violence, emotional abuse, and sexual assault—including surviving strangulation and rape.Lynn bravely recounts her experience growing up with a compulsive gambler father, enduring multiple abusive relationships, and navigating the life-threatening consequences of reproductive coercion before eventually escaping a cycle of violence and finding healing. She also explains how trauma bonding, coercive control, and systemic failures kept her trapped—and how she finally broke free.Trigger Warning: This episode discusses childhood trauma, domestic abuse, reproductive coercion, strangulation, sexual assault, and emotional abuse.Topics Covered:- The psychological and financial impact of compulsive gambling- How trauma bonding keeps survivors in abusive relationships- What reproductive coercion really looks like (and why it’s rarely prosecuted)- The terrifying warning signs of strangulation and intimate partner rape- Why love bombing and control often hide behind “soulmate” language- Breaking generational trauma and healing through therapy and advocacyLynn is now a speaker and advocate affiliated with the National Domestic Violence Hotline’s Storyteller Collective and Advisory Council. Connect with her via Instagram or LinkedIn.We’ve got your back, Bestie. And your second (or third) act.If you or someone you know needs immediate help, please reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233