Restored: Helping Children of Divorce

Growing up with divorced parents or a dysfunctional family does not just shape your childhood. It shapes your nervous system. Many young people from broken homes live with chronic anxiety, shutdown, emotional overwhelm, or conflict avoidance without ever knowing why.In this episode, Sr. Mary Stephen explains how childhood chaos trains your brain and body to stay on high alert and how to finally regulate your emotions instead of feeling controlled by them. You will learn simple, practical tools to calm your nervous system, process stored trauma, build internal safety, and integrate all of this with your spiritual life.In this episode:Why your body still reacts like your parents are fightingHow trauma gets stored in the nervous systemFight, flight, freeze, and shutdown explainedWhy talk therapy is not enough for many children of divorceSomatic exercises you can start using todayHow to feel safe, grounded, and present againIf you’re tired of feeling anxious, reactive, or stuck because of your family’s dysfunction, this episode is for you.Visit RestorativeCatholic.comGet the Guide: 5 Tips to Navigate the Holidays in a Broken FamilyWatch the Documentary: KennyWatch the Trailer: Kenny (3:31 min)Get Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to AvoidShownotes

So many young people from divorced or dysfunctional families assume their story is unique — or worse, that they’re destined to repeat the same patterns. But the truth is, family brokenness is far more common than anyone talks about. And God has been dealing with messy family dynamics since the beginning of time.In this episode, Deacon Ryan Budd, who served as Dr. Scott Hahn’s research assistant, reveals how the Bible is full of families just as complicated, chaotic, and wounded as ours. He explains why God doesn’t simply “fix” things instantly, how healing actually unfolds, and what Scripture shows us about breaking cycles and building something new.We cover:Why broken families are more common than you thinkThe surprising dysfunction hidden in biblical storiesHow God works through pain instead of erasing itDavid’s family drama — and what it shows us about redemptionPractical steps to begin healing and avoid repeating the pastIf you’ve ever feared that your future family is doomed by your past, or you’re searching for hope in the mess you come from, this episode is for you.Buy the Book: Salvation Stories: Family, Failure, and God’s Saving Work in ScriptureGet the Guide: 5 Tips to Navigate the Holidays in a Broken FamilyWatch the Documentary: KennyWatch the Trailer: Kenny (3:31 min)Get Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to AvoidShownotes

What if your parents’ divorce, or the chaos you grew up in, didn’t just hurt you emotionally but actually wired you to seek relief through addiction?This might explain why you feel unsafe for no reason, why you keep numbing out when life gets hard, or why you crave control but end up stuck in the same self-destructive cycles.In this episode, we explore the deep connection between addiction and family dysfunction, especially how growing up in a chaotic or broken home can make substances, screens, or success feel like your only safe place.My guest is Scott Weeman. He began drinking at 15. By 21, he was spiraling, binge drinking, hiding vodka bottles, waking up in jail, and living a double life.Today, he’s an author and the founder of Catholic in Recovery, helping thousands find freedom from alcoholism, lust, and more.If you’ve ever wondered, “Is this just who I am now?” or “Will I always feel stuck?” this episode is for you.Visit CatholicinRecovery.comGet the Guide: 5 Tips to Navigate the Holidays in a Broken FamilyWatch the Documentary: KennyWatch the Trailer: Kenny (3:31 min)Get Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to AvoidShownotes

When your parents divorce, you almost always miss out on the mentorship and guidance that parents are meant to give their children about life, relationships, and so much more.  Without that kind of guidance, you feel lost, alone, and stuck - unsure what to do about it all.But that’s where a mentor can be incredibly helpful and even healing.In this episode, we dive into the power of mentorship: why it’s essential if you grew up without one or both parents, how to find the right mentor, and how those relationships can heal what was broken.If you’ve ever wished someone older and wiser could show you the way, or wondered how to stop repeating your family’s dysfunction, this episode is for you.Visit Brandon’s websiteGet the Book or FREE chapters: It’s Not Your FaultWatch the Documentary: KennyWatch the Trailer: Kenny (3:31 min)Listen to Episode #036: Healthy Relationships Are Impossible Without BoundariesListen to Episode #058: Forgiveness: The Secret to Healing and Freedom | Fr. John BurnsGet Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to AvoidGet the Book: Healing the Family Tree Get the Book: Never FinishedGet the Book: Searching for and Maintaining PeaceGet the Book: How to Win Friends & Influence PeopleShownotes

To serve you better, we’re trying something new. In this episode, I’ll mentor three people live, right here on the show. Each of them brings a raw, honest question—things most of us from broken families have wrestled with.A college student asks how to heal from his dad’s abandonment—and whether he should leave the door open for a relationship or finally close it.A man wonders how he can help young people from broken homes.And finally, a woman in her 20s opens up about concerns with her mom’s second marriage, and asks, “Who do I go to now for advice, now that I’m in a relationship myself?”If you’ve ever felt alone or unsure what to do when faced with problems in your broken family… this episode is for you.Ask a question anonymously on the showWatch the Documentary: KennyWatch the Trailer: Kenny (3:31 min)Get Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to AvoidShownotes

What if divorce didn’t just break your childhood—it rewired how you see love and marriage?Most people think divorce only affects the couple who splits. But the truth is, when you grow up watching marriage after marriage fall apart, you start to believe that brokenness is normal.That was Kaseena Birnbaum’s story. With six divorces between her parents and in-laws, she once assumed she’d rack up divorces too. But when her own marriage hit a breaking point, she chose a different path: radical honesty, mentorship, and personal responsibility.Today, she and her husband are thriving—sober, faith-filled, and raising a strong family.In this episode, you’ll discover:Why children of divorce often fear marriage or expect dysfunctionThe subtle patterns that keep couples stuck in cycles of brokennessThe turning points that transformed Kaseena’s marriageHow humility, responsibility, and faith can rebuild trust and intimacyIf you’ve ever wondered, “Am I doomed to repeat my parents’ mistakes?”—this episode is for you.Get Kaseena’s Course, F*** DivorceFollow Kaseena: Instagram or TikTokView Restored’s ResourcesWatch the Documentary: KennyWatch the Trailer: Kenny (3:31 min)Get Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to AvoidShownotes

What if your parents’ divorce didn’t just split your family—but left you quietly carrying the blame?Most people think the hardest part of divorce is the day it happens. But often it’s the confusion, the pressure to act like everything’s fine, and the haunting thought: “Was it my fault?”In this episode, Jim Havens shares his journey of growing up in a broken family, spiraling into destructive choices, and the night everything changed. That turning point led him to healing, faith, freedom, and eventually to becoming a husband, father of six, and Catholic radio host.We talk about:Why “just move on” might be the most damaging advice you can getThe moment Jim realized he wasn’t as “fine” as he thoughtWhat one lonely night revealed—and how it changed everythingIf you’ve ever asked yourself, “Was it my fault my parents split up?” or wondered if you can truly build the marriage you long for, this conversation is for you.Watch the Documentary: KennyWatch the Trailer: Kenny (3:31 min)Visit Jim’s WebsiteVisit Catholic Family Men  Get the Book or FREE chapters: It’s Not Your FaultRead the Article: Is masturbation harmful? by Jason EvertGet Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to Avoid

Heather thought her family life was normal. But over time, she uncovered two buried traumas that quietly shaped her childhood—and required deep healing.Years later, as a newlywed, another wound came to light: her husband’s secret porn addiction. It shattered her—but it also became the turning point for restoration. Heather now calls it both the worst day and the best day of her life.In this episode, we dive into:Why she didn’t leave, and the non-negotiable conditions she set to even consider stayingHer advice for women facing the same gut-wrenching discovery, and for young people who just found out about a parent's addiction or affairHer biggest lesson for anyone from a dysfunctional family—and the practical steps she recommends to start healingIf you’ve ever found yourself wounded or betrayed, wondering if healing and restoration is possible, this episode is for you.Listen to Abiding TogetherVisit Heather’s WebsiteListen to Restore the GloryListen to the Healing Sexual Brokenness SeriesGet Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to AvoidShownotes

Am I doomed to repeat the mistakes I saw in my parents’ marriage? That question made me afraid of love—especially when I started dating. At times, it even made me not want to get married at all. And now, even as a married man, that fear still shows up.If you come from a divorced or deeply dysfunctional family, you probably feel it too.The question I kept asking: How do I avoid that? How do I not get divorced? And more importantly, how do I build a strong marriage?That’s what we explore in this episode, plus:Are children of divorce actually doomed to fail at marriage—or is there real hope?5 surprising predictors of whether your marriage will last—including one tip that lowers your divorce risk by 25%The truth behind the “soulmate” myth—and what actually makes couples happyWhy staying single might not be the safe bet you think it isIf you’ve ever felt afraid of love or marriage, this episode is for you.Buy Dr. Brad’s Book: Get Married: Why Americans Must Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families, and Save CivilizationView Restored’s ResourcesGet Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to AvoidShownotes

For so many of us from divorced or dysfunctional families, the tension with our parents doesn’t just fade. It can grow into silence, distance, or even a total cutoff where we can become estranged from each other. But what exactly is estrangement, why does it happen, and how can you rebuild an estranged relationship? In this episode, we discuss that and more:The subtle ways parents (and children) unknowingly push each other awayWhy grief is often buried beneath family conflict—and how to face it without getting stuckWhen reconnection is wise—and when staying estranged might actually be saferIf you’re dealing with an estranged relationship, this episode is for you.Visit Kreed’s website, TheEstrangedHeart.comGet Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to AvoidGet the Book or FREE chapters: It’s Not Your FaultGet the Guide: 10 Tips to Help Someone Whose Parents Are Separating or DivorcingShownotes