What happens when the fairy tale was never a fairy tale to begin with?
In this powerful episode, Renee Swanson is joined by Andrea, the candid and courageous voice behind the hit podcast How Not to Suck at Divorce. Andrea doesn’t just share her story—she lays it all out. The red flags she ignored. The justifications she clung to. The slow unraveling of her identity. The physical collapse that finally forced her to confront the truth.
Together, Renee and Andrea dive deep into:
The invisible trauma of covert emotional abuse
How your childhood shapes the dysfunction you tolerate
The cost of trying to “make it work” while losing yourself
Why the hardest part isn’t leaving—it’s everything that comes after
The importance of creating a plan... and what happens when it all falls apart
Andrea’s brutal honesty, dark humor, and heartfelt wisdom remind us that healing starts with bravery—and that no matter how broken you feel, there is a way through.
💬 “Your life will never get better unless you get brave.” — Andrea
This episode is a must-listen for anyone feeling stuck, scared, or unsure about whether change is even possible. You’re not alone. And your future can look nothing like your past.
👉 Listen now—and get ready to feel seen.
👉 Then hop over to How Not to Suck at Divorce for even more practical tools and fierce support.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
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Dateline NBC
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