I Was a Psych Student, Then I Was Stuck in an Ab*sive Relationship

About this episode

Natalie Stavola shares her journey through childhood trauma, addiction, and abusive relationships, highlighting the challenges of healing and recovery.

What happens when the very things you swore you'd never become are the things that slowly take over your life? In this episode of the Rollercoaster Podcast, I sit down with Natalie Stavola, a recovery coach, filmmaker, and survivor whose life was shaped by childhood trauma, abusive relationships, addiction, and years of self-destruction. Natalie shares the harrowing moments that changed her forever, including having a gun held to her head by a man she loved, battling alcoholism and cocaine addiction, and finding herself trapped in cycles of abuse she never thought she would tolerate. Despite studying psychology and criminology, she discovered firsthand that understanding trauma and escaping it are two very different things. Together, we explore how childhood wounds can shape our adult relationships, why addiction is often rooted in pain, and what it really takes to heal after years of running from yourself. Natalie also opens up about the spiritual awakening that helped her get sober and the work she now does helping others find hope in their darkest moments. If you've ever struggled with addiction, experienced abuse, battled your inner demons, or wondered whether healing is…

People in this episode

Host: Tyler Hall

Guest: Natalie Stavola

Topics covered

• abusive relationships
• childhood trauma
• addiction recovery
• self-destruction
• healing after trauma
• spiritual awakening

Keywords

• psychology
• trauma
• abuse
• addiction
• recovery
• self-improvement
• mental health

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