Restored: Helping Children of Divorce

AJ had a normal life as a college student-athlete. But one night, a violent car accident left AJ paralyzed from the waist down. What started as 15 minutes of hell has transformed into what he calls “The best thing that’s happened to me.” In this episode, you’ll hear:The detailed story of the accident and the unexplainable emotions he experienced in the minutes after the accidentThe two things that helped him cope and beat feeling like a perpetual victimWhat AJ said to the driver of the vehicle and the miracles and transformations that have resulted from his injuryIf you’ve endured trauma, a horrible injury, or you’re just going through an intense season of suffering, this episode is for you.Follow AJ:InstagramTikTokYouTubeEmail: Ajoftherose@gmail.comGet Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to AvoidView Restored’s ResourcesShownotes

At the root of our culture’s many problems is the breakdown of marriages and families. My guest shares sobering statistics, such as that “there are 31% less marriages annually now than in the year 2000” and there are “65% less marriages now than in the year 1970.” He says this is hugely contributing to the loneliness crisis today. Thankfully, there is a cure, which we discuss in this episode, plus:How the lonelinest group of people at church aren’t the oldEncouragement for young people from broken families who fear love and marriageWhat a healthy relationship looks like and how to build it, including the 5 stages of healthy relationshipsIf you’ve been affected by the breakdown of marriages and families, this episode is for you.Buy JP’s Book: The Church's Strategic Move to Save Faith and Family in AmericaGet Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to AvoidView Restored’s ResourcesShownotes

Growing up, Dr. Gerry experienced deep turmoil at home. His father was abusive, and his parents’ marriage was full of conflict. When they eventually divorced, he felt like he lost both parents. Feeling alone, he became highly independent. Thankfully, he found healing, and today he helps others heal as a therapist. In this episode, we discuss:How Internal Family Systems (IFS) and “parts work” can help you heal emotional wounds and improve your relationships.The way our parts interact with our significant other—and how to avoid choosing a spouse from a wounded part of you.What a mother wound is and how it affects youHow movies like Inside Out, Encanto, and even Avengers’ movies illustrate “parts work” and the healing journey.If you have perhaps sustained a mother wound or want to heal using Internal Family Systems, this episode is for you.Get Dakota’s FREE Guide: The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to AvoidBuy Dr. Gerry’s Book: Litanies of the Heart: Relieving Post-Traumatic Stress and Calming Anxiety through Healing Our PartsView Dr. Gerry’s Team or schedule a FREE 15 min consultVisit Souls & HeartsView Restored’s ResourcesShownotes

So many of us from divorced or broken families fear repeating our parents' mistakes. If you want to avoid that, one of the keys is building virtue. But what is virtue? How do you build it? And what virtues might you acquire?My guest today wrote Superhabits, an amazing new book on virtue. He answers those questions, plus:How to override the unconscious bad habits we inherited in our familiesOne habit that could save your marriage before it starts and what virtues to look for in a potential spouseWhy virtue, not just therapy, is the key to healing family woundsIf you’re struggling with bad habits or you want to build good habits, this episode is for you.View Restored's ResourcesBuy Book Super Habits by Dr. Andrew AbelaGrow Virtue app Shownotes

After a relapse into alcoholism, Ben’s mom left him, his family, and the country for years when he was just 5 years old. When she returned, he struggled in his relationship with her but placed proper boundaries and found some resolution. But his mom’s death in Ben’s late 20s brought new pain. In this episode, you’ll hear his wild story, plus:The resolution he experienced with his mom and an unexpected tactic that’s helped him heal after his mom’s deathThe place of justice, mercy, and blame after your parents’ divorceHow he was skeptical of marriage and what taught him that a good family is possibleIf you’re struggle in your relationship with mom or a parent died without you resolving things with them, this episode is for you.View Restored’s ResourcesShare Your StoryGet Dakota’s FREE guide: The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to AvoidEmail Ben: benjamin.pluta@focus.orgSupport BenShownotes

Has your parents’ divorce or broken family brought pain into your life? Do you fear repeating the cycle of dysfunction or divorce?You’re not alone—millions face these often unspoken struggles: hidden wounds, emotional problems, broken relationships, and destructive habits. Thankfully, you’re not destined to repeat your family’s dysfunction. In this episode, you’ll hear a breakout talk from the SEEK25 conference where you’ll discover the two keys to breaking that cycle and learn actionable tips to build healthy relationships.About the Speaker:Endorsed by Jason Evert and Dr. Bob Schuchts, Joey Pontarelli has spoken across the U.S. and internationally.He is the author of the book “It’s Not Your Fault” and hosts the podcast, “Restored: Helping Children of Divorce,” which has helped thousands of young people.He has been a guest on EWTN’s TV and radio shows, Dr. Bob Schuchts’s “Restore the Glory” podcast, Jason Evert’s “Lust is Boring” podcast, and Relevant Radio’s “The Drew Mariani Show.”Joey is married to Brigid, and they love life with their two kids, Lucy and John Paul.Get the ResourcesBook a TalkSchedule a Meeting with Restored’s TeamShownotes

At age 5, Dylan’s parents divorced. Visitation brought challenges, but he learned to appreciate the time it gave him with his dad, who really helped him grow. From that, he learned that good can come from broken situations.In today’s episodes, we also discuss topics like:How we need father figures, ideally our dads, in order to become men, find our strength, and learn what to do with itThe challenges and blessing of a stepfamilyHow your value isn’t measured by your performance or exterior qualitiesIf you’re from a blended family, you’ve questioned your value, you’ve felt unwanted, or you’re missing a father figure in your life, this episode is for you.Visit Dylan’s website, RadicalLoveCommunity.comFollow Dylan on Instagram, YouTube, or FacebookBuy the Book: God's Little KiddoView Restored’s ResourcesShare Your StoryShownotes

The hardest part of your parents’ divorce or family breakdown is seeing the people you love suffer. That was true for my guest today who happens to be my older brother, Anthony: Watching our siblings struggle was the hardest part for him.In this episode, you’ll hear us compare stories about our parents’ divorce from our perspectives as siblings, plus:How Anthony had a sense of, “This is not how things ought to be” and a little about how a family ought to be.How he was automatically made the man of the house when he shouldn’t have been and the effects of that.How healing is not a one-size-fits-all, the imperfections of certain types of therapy, and a new healing method that’s been effective for him.To parents listening: Tips on discussing your divorce with your children without oversharing.If your parents are divorced or struggling in their marriage and watching your siblings suffer has been hard for you, this episode is especially for you.Dakota Lane Fitness: Schedule a FREE ConsultGet Dakota’s FREE Guide: The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to AvoidShare Your StoryView Restored’s ResourcesTo request Anthony’s email address, email podcast@restoredministry.comShownotes

So many of us from broken families end up dating or marrying someone from an intact family. But that presents challenges, which we discuss in this episode with an amazing married couple where one spouse comes from a broken family and the other is from an intact family. We also discuss questions like:What did you fear about marriage? Maggie opens up about her fear of someone cheating on her.How have you handled conflict and how has marriage brought you joy?How do you choose the right person who won’t change after the wedding?If you’re from a broken family dating or marrying someone from an intact family, or vice versa, this episode is for you.Get Paul J. Kim’s Course: A Catholic Guide to AdultingGet 10% off with the code: RESTORED. If the code doesn’t work, please reach out to Paul’s team at pjkmusic.com.Dakota Lane Fitness: Schedule a FREE ConsultGet Dakota’s FREE Guide: The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to AvoidView Restored’s ResourceGet the Book or FREE chapters: It’s Not Your FaultShownotes

If you come from a divorced or broken family, this show is for you. We help you heal your brokenness, navigate the challenges, and build healthy relationships, so you can break that cycle and build a better life. In this episode, you'll hear highlight clips from the podcast in 2024.If you’re new to the podcast, this is the perfect way to sample our content 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:#115: The Antidote to a Life of Emptiness | Dr. Andrew & Sarah Swafford#120: Freedom You Never Tasted But Always Wanted | Jake Khym, MA#121: A Cure for Feeling Needy or Helpless | Margaret Vasquez#123: What I Wish Never Happened, I Am The Most Grateful For | Jack Beers#126: Former Porn Actress: Over 90% of People in Porn are from Broken Families | Bree Solstad#130: An Exercise to Heal | Dr. Peter Malinoski#132: Why Your Wounds & Subconscious Are Ruling Your Life | Dr. Gregory Bottaro#136: Relationship Advice for Young People from Broken Families | Jackie & Bobby AngelShownotes