This episode of Stories We Weren’t Supposed to Tell is a little different. Krystle is usually sitting beside Sunshine helping someone else tell their story. Today, we switch seats.

For the first time on the podcast, Krystle tells hers.

We go back to childhood and talk about the experiences that shaped the way Krystle saw herself, the need to feel chosen, and how wounds we don't recognize when we're young can follow us into adulthood and relationships.

Krystle opens up about relationships, sexual coercion, sexual assault, addiction, infidelity, manipulation, religious trauma, shame, and the years she spent questioning herself instead of questioning what was happening to her.

We also talk about the darker parts of survival that aren't discussed enough, anger, revenge, losing pieces of yourself, and what it actually takes to find your way back.

But this is also a story about light.

About boundaries, forgiveness, healthy love, healing, and discovering that surviving the darkness doesn't mean you have to live there.

Krystle calls herself a light.

Sunshine calls her a lighthouse.

And when Krystle answers the question we ask every guest

what would you tell yourself at your lowest point?

well its exactly what she needed to hear at that time.

Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of sexual assault, sexual coercion, emotional abuse, substance abuse, religious trauma, and suicidal thoughts.

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Sunshine Faye ☀️

This episode of Stories We Weren’t Supposed to Tell is a little different. Instead of talking about what happens once you’re already deep inside a relationship, we’re talking about what happens before the relationship even starts.

We sit down with Dave, creator of Is He Worthy?, to talk about dating, standards, red flags, relationship patterns, communication, non-negotiables, and how to take some of the emotion out of deciding who we allow into our lives.

Dave shares the heartbreak behind Is He Worthy? and how the end of his marriage and seeing the impact relationship failure had on his family, pushed him to create something designed to help people identify unhealthy or incompatible relationships before years are invested in them.

We also break down the W.O.R.T.H.Y. assessment, why defining your standards before chemistry gets involved matters, and why your list of non-negotiables should continue to evolve as you do.

We talk about why red flags can be so obvious from the outside but difficult to see when you’re the one emotionally invested, whether our past experiences can make us too quick to identify red flags, the difference between an apology and a pattern, passive-aggressive communication, and why sometimes the most important question isn’t whether someone wants you, but whether they actually match the life and relationship you want.

And when Dave answers the question we ask every guest

what would you tell yourself at your lowest point? his answer is simple:

Never give up. Pasted text

IS HE WORTHY?

Website:
https://isheworthy.com

Dave’s website includes the Is He Worthy? book, relationship tools and assessments, resources, and links to his social channels. Pasted text

Sunshine Faye ☀️

Kali grew up in a loving, safe home with a strong family, a deep connection to her faith, and absolutely no reason to believe she would ever become a victim of domestic violence.

At 21, she met a man who seemed to check every box she had been taught to look for. He was older, established, a returned missionary, educated, charismatic, and deeply involved in their faith. Within three weeks they were engaged. Six weeks later they were married.

And almost immediately, everything began to change.

What started with control, intimidation, broken belongings, and emotional abuse slowly escalated into physical violence, financial abuse, spiritual abuse, and fear that became part of everyday life for Kali and her children.

For nearly 20 years, Kali learned how to survive inside a life that looked completely different behind closed doors than it did from the outside.

Then one day, everything changed.

After witnessing an attack on her son and hearing the words that finally made something inside her snap, Kali made the decision she had spent years believing she couldn't make:

She was done.

But leaving wasn't the end of the abuse.

Kali shares what happened next — protective orders, stalking, financial control, the court system, hypervigilance, rebuilding her life, and learning who she was after spending nearly two decades surviving.

Today, Kali is a mother, professional, domestic violence advocate, survivor, and a woman who refuses to let what happened to her dictate what comes next.

⚠️ This episode discusses domestic violence, physical and emotional abuse, child abuse, spiritual abuse, strangulation, stalking, coercive control, financial abuse, and trauma.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or needs support, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788.

After hearing Kali’s story, you might be left wondering: How does something this extreme ever become normal?

In this episode of Stories We Weren’t Supposed to Tell, we go back through Kali’s story and break down the manipulation tactics that kept her trapped in an abusive marriage for nearly 20 years.

We talk about how the relationship moved incredibly fast, the future faking and image management that helped build trust, and how small acts of control slowly escalated into intimidation, isolation, financial abuse, spiritual abuse, and violence.

We also break down how coercive control doesn’t always look like someone physically preventing you from leaving. Sometimes it looks like making relationships with family so exhausting that you stop reaching out. Sometimes it’s making you question your own judgment. Sometimes it’s using your beliefs, your children, your finances, or your own sense of responsibility against you.

Most importantly, we talk about how abuse can slowly expand what a person learns to survive. Every time Kali adapted to one level, another was added until things that once would have seemed unimaginable became her everyday life.

Because the cage isn’t always built overnight.

Sometimes the bars are added one at a time until you don’t even realize you’re living inside one.

And when we return to what Kali said she would tell herself at her lowest point, her story leaves us with something worth remembering:

There are brighter days ahead.

⚠️ This episode discusses domestic violence, physical and emotional abuse, child abuse, spiritual abuse, coercive control, financial abuse, intimidation, and manipulation.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or needs support, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788.

This episode of Stories We Weren’t Supposed to Tell is a little different, but it might be one of the most important conversations we’ve had.

We sit down with Joe Tuia’ana, founder of the I Love You Bro Project, to talk about men’s mental health, suicide prevention, addiction, loneliness, connection, and what men actually need when they’re struggling.

Joe shares the moment that changed the direction of his life: an encounter with a man named Aaron on an overpass that began with four simple words — “I love you, bro.”

What happened that day eventually became the I Love You Bro Project and a growing network of support groups built to give men something many of them are missing: a safe place to show up, connect, be vulnerable, and realize they aren’t carrying everything alone.

We also talk about what Joe has learned from thousands of conversations and surveys with men, why trying to “fix” someone isn’t always helpful, how women can better support the men in their lives, and why simply being present can sometimes mean more than finding the perfect thing to say.

And when Joe answers the question we ask every guest — what would you tell yourself at your lowest point? — his answer brings the entire conversation full circle.

⚠️ This episode discusses suicide, suicidal ideation, addiction, alcoholism, trauma, and mental health struggles.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988.

I LOVE YOU BRO PROJECT

Website:
https://www.iloveyoubroproject.org

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/iloveyoubroproject

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/iloveyoubroproject

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@iloveyoubroPROJECT

Sunshine Faye ☀️

In Part 2 of Mercedes’ story on Stories We Weren’t Supposed to Tell, the reality she had been living in finally begins to crack.

After nearly two years of being told she was the abusive one, Mercedes started questioning what she knew to be true.

One Google search changed everything.

She began reading about abuse expecting to recognize herself as the problem. Instead, she recognized him.

Mercedes contacted domestic violence resources, packed what she could, took her daughter, and left for a shelter.

But leaving didn’t mean the control ended.

Within hours, the man she had escaped found her at the shelter.

What followed were protective orders, threats, continued messages, changing stories, court battles, custody issues, financial consequences, and years of trying to create safety while still being legally connected to the person she escaped.

Mercedes also shares the reality survivors don’t always hear enough about:

Sometimes leaving is only the beginning.

Healing can mean learning that every message isn’t an emergency. It can mean setting boundaries you never thought you’d need. It can mean recognizing what your body remembers even when your mind knows you’re safe.

And sometimes healing means finally understanding:

You can have compassion for why someone became who they are without allowing their behavior to continue hurting you.

⚠️ Trigger Warning

This episode contains discussions of:

Domestic violence
Emotional & psychological abuse
Coercive control
Gaslighting & manipulation
Stalking and harassment
Threats of suicide
Protective orders
Custody and divorce
Child-related threats
Trauma and PTSD
Anxiety and mental health
Therapy and healing

Please listen at your own pace and take breaks if needed.

Disclaimer

Stories We Weren’t Supposed to Tell is a survivor-led podcast created to educate, raise awareness, and encourage healing. The experiences shared reflect one individual’s personal story and should not be used to diagnose yourself or others.

This podcast is not a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or legal advice. If you are experiencing abuse or are in crisis, please seek support from a qualified professional or local emergency services.

Episode Highlights

00:00 – Welcome Back & Part 1 Recap
05:00 – The moment Mercedes questioned her reality
08:00 – Realizing she might not be the abuser
12:00 – Calling domestic violence resources
15:00 – Packing the car & deciding to leave
18:00 – Arriving at the shelter
21:00 – He finds her
24:00 – Protective orders & continued contact
28:00 – The “stalker” story begins unraveling
34:00 – Saying “no” & watching the switch flip
39:00 – Court, protective orders & custody
45:00 – Years of continued control
50:00 – Divorce, parenting & protecting her daughter
55:00 – Trauma stored in the body
57:00 – What healing looks like now
1:00:41 – Final Thoughts

💛 If Mercedes’ story resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who may need to hear it.

Leaving an abusive relationship isn’t always the end of the story. Sometimes it’s the beginning of learning how to trust yourself again.

Next week: Krystle and Sunshine break Mercedes’ story down in The Manipulation Whisperer episode, identifying the manipulation tactics hiding underneath everything you just heard.

Connect with Sunshine Faye Media
🌐 sunshinefayemedia.com

In this episode of Stories We Weren’t Supposed to Tell, Mercedes shares what it
In this episode of Stories We Weren’t Supposed to Tell, Mercedes shares what it was like to slowly lose trust in her own reality inside a relationship built on manipulation, fear, isolation, and psychological control.

Mercedes didn’t know she was being abused.

She believed she was the problem. She believed she was causing the chaos. And little by little, the reality being created around her became the only reality she knew.

What began as a relationship quickly became a world filled with accusations, mysterious text messages, a supposed stalker, paranormal experiences, unexplained packages, missing pets, threats, isolation, and constant accusations of cheating.

Mercedes also shares how religious expectations and not having healthy relationship examples made it even harder to recognize what was happening.

As the relationship progressed, the control intensified—psychological abuse, attempted strangulation, isolation from family and friends, threats involving her daughter, animal abuse, and a constant rewriting of reality that left her questioning herself instead of the person hurting her.

This is Part 1 of Mercedes’ story.

Sometimes abuse happens so slowly that you don’t realize your reality has changed until you no longer recognize yourself.

⚠️ Trigger Warning

This episode contains discussions of:

Domestic violence
Attempted strangulation
Emotional and psychological abuse
Coercive control
Gaslighting and manipulation
Religious trauma
Isolation
Stalking and harassment
Animal abuse
Pregnancy and birth
Threats involving a child
Depression and anxiety

Please listen at your own pace and take breaks if needed.

Disclaimer

Stories We Weren’t Supposed to Tell is a survivor-led podcast created to educate, raise awareness, and encourage healing. The experiences shared reflect one individual’s personal story and should not be used to diagnose yourself or others.

This podcast is not a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or legal advice. If you are experiencing abuse or are in crisis, please seek support from a qualified professional or local emergency services.

Episode Highlights

00:00 – Introduction & Trigger Warning
01:13 – Meet Mercedes
04:00 – Life before the relationship
07:00 – Meeting him & the first warning signs
12:00 – Reconnecting & ending her engagement
16:00 – The proposal & moving in together
19:00 – Strange messages & a changing reality
23:00 – Paranormal experiences, fear & sleep deprivation
27:00 – Marriage, COVID & escalating control
31:00 – When the violence became physical
35:00 – The “stalker,” random numbers & paranoia
40:00 – Isolation, gaslighting & questioning herself
45:00 – Pregnancy & psychological abuse
49:00 – Packages, fraud & explicit messages
53:00 – Missing pets & animal abuse
57:00 – Isolation, accusations & being tested
1:00:00 – Giving birth while essentially alone
1:04:44 – Final thoughts & what comes next

💛 If Mercedes’ story resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who may need to hear it. Every conversation helps break the silence surrounding abuse and manipulation.

Next week, Mercedes returns for Part 2 to share what happened when the reality she had been living in finally began to unravel—and what it took to escape.

Connect with Sunshine Faye Media
🌐 sunshinefayemedia.com

You heard Mercedes tell her story in His Dream, Her Nightmare.

Now we’re breaking down what was actually happening underneath it.

In this episode of Stories We Weren’t Supposed to Tell, Krystle and Sunshine step into The Manipulation Whisperer to identify the tactics woven throughout Mercedes’ relationship and this one is unlike anything we’ve broken down before.

Because Mercedes wasn’t just being lied to.

Her reality was being manufactured.

Fake stalkers. Paranormal stories. Missing animals. Fake emergencies. Random messages. Mysterious packages. Accusations. Sleep deprivation. Isolation. Fear.

Individually, these things seemed confusing.

Together, they created an environment where Mercedes eventually stopped trusting her own perception and began relying on his version of reality instead.

We break down how love bombing and future faking pulled her in, how fear and exhaustion kept her confused, how triangulation created outside “proof,” how coercive control slowly removed her independence, and how intermittent reinforcement made the same person creating the fear feel like her only source of safety.

We also talk about DARVO, projection, financial control, trauma bonding, hoovering, isolation, communication control, intimidation, boundary testing, smear campaigns, and the nervous-system impact that can remain long after someone leaves.

Because manipulation doesn’t always convince you to believe one giant lie.

Sometimes it slowly teaches you to stop trusting your own truth.

⚠️ Trigger Warning

This episode discusses:

Domestic violence
Psychological & emotional abuse
Coercive control
Gaslighting & manipulation
Religious conditioning
Sleep deprivation
Stalking and surveillance
Animal abuse
Financial abuse
Threats and intimidation
Trauma bonding
Custody and protective orders

Please listen at your own pace and take breaks if needed.

Disclaimer

Stories We Weren’t Supposed to Tell is a survivor-led podcast created for education, awareness, and healing. We discuss manipulation tactics and behavioral patterns—not diagnoses.

This podcast is not a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or legal advice.

Manipulation Tactics We Break Down

01:08 – The Manufactured Reality
05:00 – Love Bombing & Future Faking
10:00 – Childhood Conditioning & Learning to Stay Quiet
15:00 – Early Red Flags & Boundary Testing
20:00 – Creating Fear Through a Manufactured Reality
25:00 – Sleep Deprivation, Paranoia & Hypervigilance
30:00 – Triangulation & Projection
34:00 – DARVO: Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim & Offender
38:00 – Isolation & Coercive Control
42:00 – Financial & Communication Control
46:00 – Trauma Bonding & Intermittent Reinforcement
50:00 – Escape, Hoovering & Protective Orders
54:00 – Smear Campaigns & Continued Control
57:52 – Final Thoughts

💛 If you listened to Mercedes’ story and wondered, “How could someone possibly make another person believe all of this?”—this is the episode you need to hear.

The answer isn’t one manipulation tactic.

It’s what happens when dozens of them work together.

Once you learn to recognize the pattern, the manipulation begins to lose its power.

Next week: We introduce you to Callie and a story spanning decades of extreme abuse and survival.

Connect with Sunshine Faye Media
🌐 sunshinefayemedia.com