Restored: Helping Children of Divorce
Episodes
You’re the Third Parent: How to Break Free Without Hurting Your Siblings | Celeste: #172
07 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
At 14 or 15 years old, Celeste learned her parents’ marriage was unraveling.Affairs.Addiction.Secrets.Her siblings didn’t know.But she did — bec...
You’re Invited: A Healing Retreat May 1-3 in Philadelphia
06 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We’re hosting a rare healing retreat for young adults from divorced or dysfunctional families May 1-3 in Malvern, PA, just outside Philadelphia. Vie...
Recommend Your Therapist to Our Community
31 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Recommend a TherapistYou’re rare: you found a therapist who massively helped you heal and grow.Most people from broken families never get that. They...
Low Confidence? Here’s How to Build It | Dr. Nicole Gabana Chiesa: #171
24 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
If you grew up in a broken or divorced family, struggling with confidence isn’t random.Research has consistently shown that children of divorce are ...
Your Advice Needed: A NEW Solution for People from Broken Families
11 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
If you grew up in a divorced or really dysfunctional family, this is for you.I’m working on a new 6‑week program for people like us, but before we...
Money Stress in a Broken Family Forces You to Grow Up | Liz: #170
11 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What if your anxiety about money didn’t start in adulthood, but in your dysfunctional family during childhood?Growing up with financial instability ...
Dating is a Mess: A NEW Way to Meet High Quality, Virtuous People | Emily Wilson Hussem: #169
24 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Dating today feels exhausting. Confusing. And for people from divorced or dysfunctional families, it can feel even heavier — because one wrong choic...
Your Phone Might Be Blocking Your Healing (Here’s the Plan) | Christen Routh: #168
10 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Most people think screen time is a harmless habit. But what if it’s quietly training your brain against healing?In this conversation, Christen Routh...
Why You’re Not Healthier: The Real Fix Nobody Talks About | Brandon Hall: #167
27 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Most people don’t have a knowledge problem when it comes to wellness. They have a consistency problem. You already know the basics, but when stress ...
“My Mom Overshares and Relies on Me Too Much. What Do I Do?” | Live Call In: #166
13 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I’ll mentor three people LIVE through real-life situations that people like us from broken families face:A separated mom with adult...
How to Heal the Physical Cost of Your Parents’ Divorce | Dakota Lane: #165
07 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
You might be “over” your parents’ divorce.But your body might not be.If you grew up in a divorced or dysfunctional home, chronic stress can get ...
Best of 2025 | Restored Podcast Highlights: #164
26 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you come from a divorced or dysfunctional family, this show is for you. We mentor you through the pain and help you heal, so you can avoid repeatin...
How to Heal Your Nervous System Impacted by Your Parents' Divorce | Sr. Mary Stephen
04 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Growing up with divorced parents or a dysfunctional family does not just shape your childhood. It shapes your nervous system. Many young people from b...
The Bible’s Messiest Families & What They Reveal About Yours | Deacon Ryan Budd: #162
21 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
So many young people from divorced or dysfunctional families assume their story is unique — or worse, that they’re destined to repeat the same pat...
His Parents Divorce Led Him to Alcoholism: Here's How He Broke Free | Scott Weeman: #161
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 addicti...
The Mentor Who Became the Father I Never Had | Brandon Allaman | 160
24 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When your parents divorce, you almost always miss out on the mentorship and guidance that parents are meant to give their children about life, relatio...
“Should I Ask My Divorced Parents for Relationship Advice?” Live Call In! | 159
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 r...
Breaking the Cycle of Divorce in Your Marriage | Kaseena Birnbaum | 158
23 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 sp...
#157: The Lie Every Child of Divorce Secretly Believes | Jim Havens
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 divorc...
#156: “This Is Not the Marriage I Signed Up For” | Heather Khym
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Heather thought her family life was normal. But over time, she uncovered two buried traumas that quietly shaped her childhood—and required deep heal...
#155: Am I Doomed to Repeat My Parents’ Divorce? | Dr. Brad Wilcox
12 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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,...
#154: Should I Reconnect with My Estranged Parent? | Kreed Revere
31 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ev...
#153: He Grew Up Without a Dad. Here’s What He Learned | Tommy
15 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In many places, we’re facing an epidemic of fatherlessnes. Fatherlessness not only leaves an invisible mark but it also shapes how you view yourself...
#152: The 3 Ways to Find Meaning in Suffering | Jack Beers
01 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
So many of us from divorced or dysfunctional families never learned how to deal with pain and suffering in a healthy way. As a result, we usually eith...
#151: Even Necessary Divorces Hurt | Brandy
18 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When Brandy was only a few months old, her parents divorced due to her father’s alcoholism. From the outside, her story might seem like a “best ca...
#150: Attachment Theory: What It Is and Why It Matters | Kirsty Nolan
04 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What is attachment theory? How does your attachment style impact your relationships? As an expert in attachment theory, Kirsty Nolan joins us to discu...
#149: He Was His Parents’ Therapist Until It Broke Him | Cole
23 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when you become your parents’ emotional confidant—their therapist—during a divorce? At first, it might feel like you’re helping. ...
#148: Why You're Anxious, Tired, & Sick—and What to Do About It | Jackie Mulligan
07 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
So many of us feel depleted and exhausted, yet we might not know why. This is especially true for those of us from divorced or broken families. Resear...
#147: From Athlete to Paralyzed: “It’s the Best Thing That’s Happened to Me” | AJ De La Rosa
24 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
AJ had a normal life as a college student-athlete. But one night, a violent car accident left AJ paralyzed from the waist down. What started as 15 mi...
#146: 1/3 Less Marriages Today Are Making Us Lonely | JP De Gance
13 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
At the root of our culture’s many problems is the breakdown of marriages and families. My guest shares sobering statistics, such as that “there ar...
#145: Mother Wounds, “Parts Work” Therapy, & Healing from a Broken Family | Dr. Gerry Crete
27 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Growing up, Dr. Gerry experienced deep turmoil at home. His father was abusive, and his parents’ marriage was full of conflict. When they eventually...
#144: The Secret to Not Repeating Your Family’s Dysfunction | Dr. Andrew Abela
11 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
So many of us from divorced or broken families fear repeating our parents' mistakes. If you want to avoid that, one of the keys is building virt...
#143: When Your Divorced Parent Dies: Grieving, Healing, & Closure | Ben
25 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After a relapse into alcoholism, Ben’s mom left him, his family, and the country for years when he was just 5 years old. When she returned, he strug...
#142: How to Break the Cycle of Your Broken Family
13 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Has your parents’ divorce or broken family brought pain into your life? Do you fear repeating the cycle of dysfunction or divorce?You’re not alone...
#141: Good Can Come from Broken Situations | Dylan
28 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
At age 5, Dylan’s parents divorced. Visitation brought challenges, but he learned to appreciate the time it gave him with his dad, who really helped...
#140: Hardest Part of the Divorce: Seeing My Siblings Struggle | Anthony
15 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The hardest part of your parents’ divorce or family breakdown is seeing the people you love suffer. That was true for my guest today who happens to...
#139: Dating or Marrying Someone from an Intact vs Broken Family | Paul & Maggie Kim
06 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
So many of us from broken families end up dating or marrying someone from an intact family. But that presents challenges, which we discuss in this epi...
#138: The Best of 2024: Restored Podcast Highlights
02 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you come from a divorced or broken family, this show is for you. We help you heal your brokenness, navigate the challenges, and build healthy relat...
#137: You’re Not Doomed to Get Divorced | Samantha
04 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you come from a divorced family, research says you’re more likely to get divorced. But does that mean you’re doomed to that fate? My guest toda...
#136: Relationship Advice for Young People from Broken Families | Jackie & Bobby Angel
20 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The biggest area of struggle for young people from divorced or broken families is in romantic relationships. Why so much struggle? In short, we were p...
#135: Holidays with Divorced Parents? 5 Tips to Navigate Them
05 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Whether holidays with your divorced or separated parents are new or you’ve done it numerous times, this episode is for you. In it, you’ll get 5 pr...
#134: Holidays After Your Parents’ Divorce: What Nobody Tells You | Danielle
25 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
While the rest of the world is filled with holiday cheer, people like us from divorced or broken families usually feel very differently. While you can...
#133: Digital Addiction: Why It Hurts You & How to Beat It | Andrew Laubacher
11 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Technology certainly has benefits, but there are dangers as well. Sadly, our misuse of technology is causing us to be more depressed, more anxious, le...
#132: Why Your Wounds & Subconscious Are Ruling Your Life | Dr. Gregory Bottaro
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Carl Jung once said, “Unless you make the subconscious conscious, it will rule your life and you will call it fate.” In this episode, Dr. Greg Bo...
#131: Family Felt Stressful, Tense, & Unstable | Jordana
11 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After 24 years of marriage, Jordana’s parents divorced. Overall, her experience of family felt tense, stressful, and unstable. Once she learned of h...
#130: An Exercise to Heal | Dr. Peter Malinoski
30 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re like me, you’ve experienced trauma or brokenness in your life which has led you to seek healing. One method of healing used in therapy i...
#129: What Does It Mean to Be Healthy & Whole? | Matthew Rudolph
22 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We talk a lot about being healthy and whole, but what exactly does it mean to be healthy and whole?We dive into that topic in this episode with a man ...
#128: Abuse Led to My Parents’ Divorce | Emma
30 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Emma was 14 years old when her parents divorced, but the dysfunction at home had been happening for years. In this episode, she shares how the dysfunc...
#127: How Functional Neurology Helps You Heal | Dr. Paul Link
16 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A doctor of functional neurology joins us to explain a new, cutting edge healing science that’s used to heal dysfunction in our bodies and minds, an...
126: Former Porn Actress: Over 90% of People in Porn are from Broken Families | Bree Solstad
02 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Bree Solstad went from being a top-selling porn actress to quitting her job and completely turning her life around. That transformation started becaus...
#125: Is Marriage Doomed to Fail? | Michael & Rachel Villanueva
18 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For people like us from divorced and broken families, love and marriage can be extra scary. After my parents separated, I swore, “If this is where m...
#124: I Wanted My Divorced Parents Back Together | Ethan
04 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For many of us from divorced families, we unconsciously want our parents to resolve their problems and get back together. Even if that isn’t possibl...
#123: What I Wish Never Happened, I Am The Most Grateful For | Jack Beers
21 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
At a young age, Jack learned he had an incurable disease. That naturally brought lots of physical and emotional pain into his life. But through that s...
#122: What Caused So Many Broken Marriages & Families? | Dr. John Bishop, PhD
07 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
With so many marriages and families falling apart, the natural question is: What has caused all these broken marriages and families?In this episode, D...
#121: A Cure for Feeling Needy or Helpless | Margaret Vasquez
23 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
So many people from broken families struggle with feeling helpless or needy. Our efforts to heal or grow might even feel fruitless like tires spinning...
#120: Freedom You Never Tasted But Always Wanted | Jake Khym, MA
09 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Two years into marriage, Jake found himself enslaved to a sexual addiction. He longed for freedom but felt very stuck. As a result, he lived a double ...
#119: Broken is What Happened to Me, Not Who I Am | Stacey
26 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After her parents divorced, my guest felt abandoned and badly hoped it was all a dream that she could just wake up from. Dealing with all the brokenne...
#118: Resolving Conflict is a Skill | Cody & Katherine
12 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re like me, you never saw conflict resolved peacefully in your family. As a result, you might feel a bit lost about how to resolve conflict i...
#117: Children & Parents Deserve Better Than Divorce | Jennifer Friesen
27 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
So many divorces happen because one spouse follows their desires at the expense of their vows. That happened in the family of my guest today. In this...
#116: Divorce (on Restore the Glory Podcast)
13 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today we’re sharing a podcast where I was interviewed by two therapists, Dr. Bob Schuchts and Jake Khym, on their podcast, Restore the Glory. Joey e...
#115: The Antidote to a Life of Emptiness | Dr. Andrew & Sarah Swafford
30 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s said that Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.” Doesn...
#114: You Were Not Made to Be Without a Father and Mother | Nicole Rodriguez
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When your parents divorce, you almost always lose one or both parents physically or emotionally. But as our guest today says, we’re not meant to go ...
#113: A New Therapy to Heal Trauma | Dr. Christopher Genn, DPT
02 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Trauma, such as your parents’ divorce or extreme family dysfunction, doesn’t only affect your emotions. It affects your body too. It quite literal...
#112: The Best of 2023: Restored Podcast Highlights
19 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, you'll hear highlight clips from the podcast in 2023. This episode, and the entire podcast, will help you heal from the trauma o...
#111: The #1 Lie About How Divorce Affects the Children | Cody
08 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There’s an extremely popular lie about how divorce affects the children. In this episode, we discuss that lie with my guest who is an only child fro...
#110: 10 Ways to Make Therapy Fail or Succeed for You | Clare Eckard
21 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If there were 10 things you can do to make therapy succeed (or fail), would you want to know them? I know I would. In this episode, a therapist joins...
#109: 5 Tips to Navigate the Holidays in a Broken Family
07 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re from a broken family, the holidays often bring more stress and challenges than joy. After my parents separated, I faced these challenges:A...
#108: It’s Not Your Job to Parent Your Parents | Ashton
24 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re from a broken family and you’ve struggled with OCD, relationships, overthinking, and filling a parent role for your siblings or parents,...
#107: Forgiving Someone Who’s Hurt You | John O’Brien
10 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When trauma occurs, it causes you to ask big questions. That’s where my guest found himself after being brutally attacked, almost to the point of de...
#106: Healing Sexual Brokenness: A Resource for Men Struggling | Steven Motyl
28 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When you’re struggling with unwanted sexual behavior, asking for help is terrifying. The struggle feels so shameful and admitting your weakness feel...
#105: Healing Sexual Brokenness: A Resource for Women Struggling | Rachael Killackey
12 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re a woman that struggles with unwanted sexual behavior, you are not alone. The myth of porn, or even lust, being a male problem is just that...
#104: Healing Sexual Brokenness: Why is Our Culture So Sexually Broken? | Christopher West
30 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Our world is very sexually broken. The examples are endless: Pornography use, sexual compulsions, addictions, hookup culture, paying for sex, infideli...
#103: How Does Your Body and Brain React to Trauma? | Patricia Scott, LPC, PhD Candidate
15 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What happens inside your brain and your body when you endure trauma?Surprisingly, there’s actually a predictable way that your body and mind respond...
#102: Healing Sexual Brokenness: Your Sexual Brokenness Isn’t Random | Jay Stringer
01 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What if I told you that your sexual struggles could be predicted by your untreated trauma?Today, we’re joined by author Jay Stringer who studied ~4,...
#101: Healing Sexual Brokenness: Freedom from Porn | Matt Fradd & Jason Evert
18 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to pornography, there are basically two types of people:Those who believe that porn is wrong and harmful. And those who do not.But beyo...
#100: How Restored Helps Children of Divorce and Broken Families
04 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What’s brought the most pain and problems into your life? If your answer (or a top answer) is your parents’ divorce or the breakdown of your famil...
#099: Healing Sexual Brokenness: The Cure to Unwanted Sexual Behavior | Dr. Bob Schuchts, PhD
20 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Millions of people right now are struggling with sexual compulsion and addiction. It’s a massive problem that doesn’t get the attention or resourc...
#098: Healing Sexual Brokenness: 6 Steps for Women to Break Free | Kelsey Skoch
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re a woman that struggles with unwanted sexual behavior, have you felt like you’re the only female that struggles? If so, that’s an absol...
#097: 3 Tips to Help Someone from a Divorced or Broken Family
25 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Are you worried about someone you love or lead from a divorced or broken family? Do you want to help them, but feel unequipped and somewhat helpless?I...
#096: How to Heal from the Trauma of Your Parents’ Divorce or Broken Family | Margaret Vasquez
10 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you come from a broken family, did your parents’ divorce or family dysfunction bring emotional problems, bad habits, and relationship struggles i...
#095: Healing Happens When We Ask for Help | Tanya Lyons
27 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You feel broken. You want to heal. But you’re unwilling to ask for help.If that describes you, your ability to heal will be stifled. Nobody ever hea...
#094: Are You Trying to Outrun Your Trauma?
16 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How have you dealt with the trauma of your parents’ divorce or broken family? After enduring her parents’ divorce, her mom’s alcoholism, her da...
#093: Radio Interview: In Divorce, the Kids are Not Okay and Here’s Why
01 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Two things we’ve learned about divorce from scientific studies and stories of people like us:Almost always, divorce is traumatic and damaging for th...
#092: Is Divorce Good or Bad for Children? | Katy Faust
17 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Is divorce good or bad for children? There’s tons of confusion around that question. In this episode, speaker and author Katy Faust offers answers w...
#091: Infidelity: Healing from Your Spouse or Parent’s Affair | Dr. Christine Bacon
04 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Feeling hopeless, our guest prayed for her husband to die. Earlier in their marriage, she cheated on him. Thankfully, they turned things around and th...
#090: How’s Your Parents’ Divorce or Broken Family Affecting You Today?
16 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How is your parents’ divorce or your broken family affecting you today? If your answer is “I don’t really know” or you don’t understand the...
#089: How to Become Fit and Healthy | Dakota Lane
02 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
According to research, people like us from divorced or broken families are typically less physically healthy. If that describes you, or you simply wan...
#088: How to Respond to Your Pain in a Heroic Way | William Scheremet
19 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When William was in high school, his home was riddled with emotional pain and conflict. Eventually, his parents got divorced. That led to struggles in...
#087: A Special Operations Tactic to Stay Calm and Function under Stress | Tyler Morris
05 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If there was a technique used by Special Operators (Navy SEALs, Rangers, Special Forces, etc), firefighters, paramedics, and high performing athletes ...
#086: The Best of 2022: Restored Podcast Highlights
20 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, you'll hear six short highlight clips from the podcast in 2022. This episode, and the podcast as a whole, will help you heal and...
#085: How to Build a Beautiful Marriage Despite Your Struggles as a Daughter of Divorce | Leila Miller
08 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re a woman with divorced or separated parents, have you struggled a lot in your relationships? If you’re married, has marriage felt extra d...
#084: Angry at God? Why People from Broken Families Struggle Extra in Their Relationship with Him | Sr. Miriam James Heidland
22 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Have you rejected God? Do you really struggle in your relationship with him? If you’re from a broken family and that’s true, you’re not strange....
#083: 3 Steps to Navigate Your Broken Family During the Holidays | Margaret Vasquez
08 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re from a broken family, you don’t need anyone to tell you how stressful, depressing, or just plain difficult the holidays can be. If you c...
#082: You Deserve Better than a Broken Life and Relationships | Kailash Duraiswami
25 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine you have all the success, pleasure, money, and excitement you could want. But instead of being happy, you feel unhappy and empty. What would y...
#081: What to Do If Fear Holds You Back in Life and Relationships | Dr. Rebecca Showalter, PsyD
13 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re from a broken family, you’ve likely dealt with a lot of fear. For so many of us, that holds us back in life and relationships. At the co...
#080: My Parents’ Divorce Made Me Question Everything | Paula Chambers, PhD
28 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For so many of us, our parents’ divorce causes us to question everything — especially if it came out of the blue. We ask ourselves: What won’t f...
#079: Religious Art for Adult Children of Divorce | Dr. Daniel Meola & Michael Corsini
15 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Art is healing. If you’re not an artistic person, that might seem odd. But it’s true. In this episode, we discuss why and how art can be healing a...
#078: Ashamed of Your Past? It Doesn’t Need to Dictate Your Future | Crystalina Evert
31 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re ashamed of your past because of mistakes or abuse, it’s natural to feel stuck. But you don’t have to stay stuck. Healing and freedom a...
#077: The Past Sometimes Lives in the Present | Eddy Cervantes
16 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A myth about children of divorce is that the impact of our parents’ divorce is temporary. That’s simply not true, which research proves. Sadly, th...
#076: The #1 Thing Missing in Marriages Today | Matt & Mindy Dalton
02 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Marriage isn’t easy. There are good times and challenging times. According to research, people like us from broken families typically struggle more ...