Restored: Helping Children of Divorce

Most people don’t have a knowledge problem when it comes to wellness. They have a consistency problem. You already know the basics, but when stress hits, you fall off and you start chasing the next hack, app, plan, podcast, or supplement.In this episode, Brandon Hall (CatholicWell) explains why the real battle is willpower, how stress and trauma can train your brain to live on high alert, and why the most underrated wellness practice is going inward. Stillness, self-awareness, prayer, Scripture, and simple daily habits that actually stick.In this conversation, we talk about:Why you keep starting strong, then falling offHow stress and trauma can rewire your brain, and how neuroplasticity means you can rewire it backSimple nervous system tools (like breathing) that calm you fastWhy wellbeing is not just self-care, it’s self-gift and loveVisit CatholicWell.comGet Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to AvoidWatch the Documentary: KennyWatch the Trailer: Kenny (3:31 min)Kristen Holmes: Modern Society's Biggest Sleep Problem REVEALED | TUH #125Shownotes

In this episode, I’ll mentor three people LIVE through real-life situations that people like us from broken families face:A separated mom with adult kids asks: How do I support my kids through the fallout without pushing them, guilt-tripping them, or putting them in the middle?A man, wounded by his parents’ divorce and his struggles with alcoholism, asks: Is it actually worth digging up the past to heal, and can writing really help?A young woman, whose parents’ divorce has dragged on for five years, has moved back in with her mom, who overshares a lot. She asks: How do I set boundaries with my mom and navigate my relationship with my dad?Ask a question anonymously on the showGet Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to AvoidGet the Book or FREE chapters: It’s Not Your FaultShownotes

You might be “over” your parents’ divorce.But your body might not be.If you grew up in a divorced or dysfunctional home, chronic stress can get stored in your nervous system — quietly shaping your sleep, energy, digestion, hormones, and mental health years later.In this episode, I talk with Dakota Lane about how stress doesn’t just affect your emotions. It can literally rewire your body and keep you stuck in survival mode long after the chaos ends.In this conversation, we cover:Why your body remembers what your mind moved pastHow chronic stress disrupts sleep, gut health, hormones, and energyThe link between family dysfunction, inflammation, and burnoutWhy doing “more” can make stress and health issues worsePractical ways to calm your nervous system and restore your bodyIf you’re exhausted, anxious, on edge, or wondering why your body feels stuck — especially if you grew up in a broken family — this episode is for you.Contact or Schedule a FREE Consult with DakotaGet Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to AvoidGet the Book or FREE chapters: It’s Not Your FaultWatch the Documentary: KennyWatch the Trailer: Kenny (3:31 min)Shownotes

If you come from a divorced or dysfunctional family, this show is for you. We mentor you through the pain and help you heal, so you can avoid repeating your family’s dysfunction and instead build strong, healthy relationships. In this episode, you'll hear highlight clips from the podcast in 2025.If you’re new to the podcast, welcome! This is the perfect way to sample the podcast and learn how it will help you. If you’re a longtime listener, this is the perfect episode to share with someone you know who needs to hear it.View Restored’s ResourcesGet the Book or FREE chapters: It’s Not Your FaultGet the Guide: 5 Tips to Navigate the Holidays in a Broken FamilyEpisodes featured:#151: Even Necessary Divorces Hurt | Brandy#155: Am I Doomed to Repeat My Parents’ Divorce? | Dr. Brad Wilcox#156: “This Is Not the Marriage I Signed Up For” | Heather Khym#139: Dating or Marrying Someone from an Intact vs Broken Family | Paul & Maggie Kim#152: The 3 Ways to Find Meaning in Suffering | Jack Beers#144: The Secret to Not Repeating Your Family’s Dysfunction | Dr. Andrew Abela#146: 1/3 Less Marriages Today Are Making Us Lonely | JP De GanceShownotes

Growing up with divorced parents or a dysfunctional family does not just shape your childhood. It shapes your nervous system. Many young people from broken homes live with chronic anxiety, shutdown, emotional overwhelm, or conflict avoidance without ever knowing why.In this episode, Sr. Mary Stephen explains how childhood chaos trains your brain and body to stay on high alert and how to finally regulate your emotions instead of feeling controlled by them. You will learn simple, practical tools to calm your nervous system, process stored trauma, build internal safety, and integrate all of this with your spiritual life.In this episode:Why your body still reacts like your parents are fightingHow trauma gets stored in the nervous systemFight, flight, freeze, and shutdown explainedWhy talk therapy is not enough for many children of divorceSomatic exercises you can start using todayHow to feel safe, grounded, and present againIf you’re tired of feeling anxious, reactive, or stuck because of your family’s dysfunction, this episode is for you.Visit RestorativeCatholic.comGet the Guide: 5 Tips to Navigate the Holidays in a Broken FamilyWatch the Documentary: KennyWatch the Trailer: Kenny (3:31 min)Get Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to AvoidShownotes

So many young people from divorced or dysfunctional families assume their story is unique — or worse, that they’re destined to repeat the same patterns. But the truth is, family brokenness is far more common than anyone talks about. And God has been dealing with messy family dynamics since the beginning of time.In this episode, Deacon Ryan Budd, who served as Dr. Scott Hahn’s research assistant, reveals how the Bible is full of families just as complicated, chaotic, and wounded as ours. He explains why God doesn’t simply “fix” things instantly, how healing actually unfolds, and what Scripture shows us about breaking cycles and building something new.We cover:Why broken families are more common than you thinkThe surprising dysfunction hidden in biblical storiesHow God works through pain instead of erasing itDavid’s family drama — and what it shows us about redemptionPractical steps to begin healing and avoid repeating the pastIf you’ve ever feared that your future family is doomed by your past, or you’re searching for hope in the mess you come from, this episode is for you.Buy the Book: Salvation Stories: Family, Failure, and God’s Saving Work in ScriptureGet the Guide: 5 Tips to Navigate the Holidays in a Broken FamilyWatch the Documentary: KennyWatch the Trailer: Kenny (3:31 min)Get Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to AvoidShownotes

What if your parents’ divorce, or the chaos you grew up in, didn’t just hurt you emotionally but actually wired you to seek relief through addiction?This might explain why you feel unsafe for no reason, why you keep numbing out when life gets hard, or why you crave control but end up stuck in the same self-destructive cycles.In this episode, we explore the deep connection between addiction and family dysfunction, especially how growing up in a chaotic or broken home can make substances, screens, or success feel like your only safe place.My guest is Scott Weeman. He began drinking at 15. By 21, he was spiraling, binge drinking, hiding vodka bottles, waking up in jail, and living a double life.Today, he’s an author and the founder of Catholic in Recovery, helping thousands find freedom from alcoholism, lust, and more.If you’ve ever wondered, “Is this just who I am now?” or “Will I always feel stuck?” this episode is for you.Visit CatholicinRecovery.comGet the Guide: 5 Tips to Navigate the Holidays in a Broken FamilyWatch the Documentary: KennyWatch the Trailer: Kenny (3:31 min)Get Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to AvoidShownotes

When your parents divorce, you almost always miss out on the mentorship and guidance that parents are meant to give their children about life, relationships, and so much more.  Without that kind of guidance, you feel lost, alone, and stuck - unsure what to do about it all.But that’s where a mentor can be incredibly helpful and even healing.In this episode, we dive into the power of mentorship: why it’s essential if you grew up without one or both parents, how to find the right mentor, and how those relationships can heal what was broken.If you’ve ever wished someone older and wiser could show you the way, or wondered how to stop repeating your family’s dysfunction, this episode is for you.Visit Brandon’s websiteGet the Book or FREE chapters: It’s Not Your FaultWatch the Documentary: KennyWatch the Trailer: Kenny (3:31 min)Listen to Episode #036: Healthy Relationships Are Impossible Without BoundariesListen to Episode #058: Forgiveness: The Secret to Healing and Freedom | Fr. John BurnsGet Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to AvoidGet the Book: Healing the Family Tree Get the Book: Never FinishedGet the Book: Searching for and Maintaining PeaceGet the Book: How to Win Friends & Influence PeopleShownotes

To serve you better, we’re trying something new. In this episode, I’ll mentor three people live, right here on the show. Each of them brings a raw, honest question—things most of us from broken families have wrestled with.A college student asks how to heal from his dad’s abandonment—and whether he should leave the door open for a relationship or finally close it.A man wonders how he can help young people from broken homes.And finally, a woman in her 20s opens up about concerns with her mom’s second marriage, and asks, “Who do I go to now for advice, now that I’m in a relationship myself?”If you’ve ever felt alone or unsure what to do when faced with problems in your broken family… this episode is for you.Ask a question anonymously on the showWatch the Documentary: KennyWatch the Trailer: Kenny (3:31 min)Get Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to AvoidShownotes

What if divorce didn’t just break your childhood—it rewired how you see love and marriage?Most people think divorce only affects the couple who splits. But the truth is, when you grow up watching marriage after marriage fall apart, you start to believe that brokenness is normal.That was Kaseena Birnbaum’s story. With six divorces between her parents and in-laws, she once assumed she’d rack up divorces too. But when her own marriage hit a breaking point, she chose a different path: radical honesty, mentorship, and personal responsibility.Today, she and her husband are thriving—sober, faith-filled, and raising a strong family.In this episode, you’ll discover:Why children of divorce often fear marriage or expect dysfunctionThe subtle patterns that keep couples stuck in cycles of brokennessThe turning points that transformed Kaseena’s marriageHow humility, responsibility, and faith can rebuild trust and intimacyIf you’ve ever wondered, “Am I doomed to repeat my parents’ mistakes?”—this episode is for you.Get Kaseena’s Course, F*** DivorceFollow Kaseena: Instagram or TikTokView Restored’s ResourcesWatch the Documentary: KennyWatch the Trailer: Kenny (3:31 min)Get Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to AvoidShownotes