About this episode

The episode discusses the hidden pain of adult bullying and the grief associated with losing friendships, featuring insights from clinical psychologist Dr. Noelle Santorelli.

In this revisited episode, I sit down again with clinical psychologist Dr. Noelle Santerelli for a conversation that feels especially important. We talk about adult bullying, relational aggression, and the deep grief that can come from losing friendships and a sense of belonging, particularly within mom groups and close communities. This episode is rooted in mental health and grief, because these losses change how safe the world feels and how we see ourselves. I share openly about why I started this podcast. A devastating friend breakup in 2020 collided with unresolved childhood trauma and brought me to one of the lowest points of my life. What began as subtle exclusion slowly became isolation and public humiliation, leaving me without a community I believed was safe. The shame, loneliness, and grief that followed were overwhelming, especially during COVID, and that loss carried a weight I did not expect. Dr. Santerelli explains why these group dynamics are so harmful and why it is never as simple as just leaving. When kids are involved, fear, guilt, and judgment keep women stuck far longer than they should be. We talk about betrayal trauma, victim blaming, and the cycle many…

People in this episode

Host: I

Guest: Dr. Noelle Santorelli

Topics covered

• adult bullying
• friendship loss
• mental health
• grief
• relational aggression
• toxic groups

Keywords

• adult bullying
• friendship loss
• mental health
• grief
• relational aggression
• toxic groups
• betrayal trauma
• victim blaming

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