Recognizing Psychopathy: A Personal Journey of Healing

This chapter shares a personal narrative about experiencing psychopathic traits in a past relationship, focusing on controlling behaviors and their normalization. It also explores the journey toward reclaiming identity and self-worth, emphasizing personal growth and healing after trauma.

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Lisa Bilyeu welcomes Terra Newell, survivor of the infamous Dirty John case, to share her powerful journey of intuition, survival, and self-empowerment. Terra opens up about her harrowing experience with her mother’s boyfriend—a manipulative psychopath who infiltrated their lives, ultimately forcing Terra into a deadly confrontation. With refreshing honesty, she unpacks the red flags she noticed, the family dynamics and generational conditioning that left them vulnerable, and how she learned to trust her gut even when everyone around her doubted her concerns.

Lisa and Terra dive deep into the psychological traps that confident, loving women fall into, from dismissing their instincts to excusing dangerous behavior. Terra shares tactical advice for spotting manipulative partners, the challenges of being heard when expressing concern, and why women are so often taught to appease and forgive rather than protect themselves. Whether you’re here for the true crime story or practical wisdom for self-defense and intuition, the first half of this episode delivers both with courage and clarity.

SHOWNOTES

00:00 Caught in a Toxic Relationship

06:12 Dog Saves Owner In Knife Attack

09:47 Curious Chats With Mom

10:39 Dodging Questions and Telling Stories

14:35 Catfishing Chaos: A Twisted Game

19:10 Set Boundaries, Focus on You

22:29 Trust vs. Boundaries Juggle

25:18 Dreams and Gut Feelings Silenced

28:58 From Victim Mode to Empowerment

30:50 "Routine Builds Stability After Trauma"

35:28 "Trusting Your Gut Instincts"