What if your body knew the truth before your brain could catch up?
In this riveting episode of Bitch Is a Bad Word, I sit down with Kelly Sutliff, a trauma-informed psychotherapist, domestic abuse survivor, and founder of Kelly’s Canines—a nonprofit providing canine support for survivors of trauma. Despite her professional training, Kelly found herself entangled in a high-speed relationship with a pathological abuser who manipulated, gaslit, drugged and assaulted her behind closed doors.
Here’s the most chilling part: her abuser once told her she’d “end up on TV”—for his murder, the one he planned to stage and blame on her. But the plot twist? She ended up on TV for surviving his abuse. Kelly’s story was later featured on the true crime docuseries Toxic: Secrets Behind the Mask, exposing the calculated manipulation, coercion, and psychological warfare she endured.
We unpack what it means when your intuition speaks, why smart and strong women get targeted, and how shame keeps us stuck in silence. Kelly’s story is raw, brave, and necessary—and it’s going to change the way you think about trauma, red flags, and trusting your gut.
Inside This Episode:
• The difference between red flags and pink flags—and why they matter
• How abusers fast-track relationships to gain control
• Why even trained professionals can fall for manipulators
• What it means to be love-bombed, gaslit, and stalked
• How to break free, especially when kids are involved
• Why trauma-informed therapy is non-negotiable for real healing
About Kelly Sutliff:
Kelly is a licensed psychotherapist, survivor, and co-founder of Kelly’s Canines, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing trauma-informed canine companionship to abuse survivors. She brings deep clinical knowledge, lived experience, and fierce compassion to every conversation—especially this one.
Visit Kelly at www.kellysutlifflpc.com
If you or someone you know needs immediate help, please reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233
You’re not alone. Your healing matters. We’ve got your back, Besties!
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