How To Embrace Healing When Life Falls Apart: Season 3 Episode 1
In this deeply personal episode, Dr. Cynthia Edwards-Hawver returns to The Mama Shrink Podcast after a year that nearly broke her. From the end of a 31-year marriage to the shock of becoming a single mom at 52, she shares what true healing looks like when life completely unravels.
If you’ve ever asked yourself how to survive divorce, narcissistic abuse, burnout, or the loneliness of starting over in midlife—you’re not alone.
Dr. Cynthia opens up about:
Grieving the loss of the family you imagined
Rebuilding your identity at midlife after a relationship ends
Why high-functioning women often break silently
The difference between fluffy self-care and survival-level self-care
Parenting through heartbreak without losing your mind
Why slowing down isn’t failure—it’s survival
How walking her rescue dog Stella became a lifeline
Why perfectionism hurts more than it helps in healing
This episode isn’t polished or perfect—it’s real. Healing isn’t a quick fix. It’s sobbing in your car, walking the dog in the cold because it’s the only safe place to cry, letting the laundry pile up while teaching your kids to name their feelings.
If you’re in the middle of divorce, post-separation grief, emotional trauma, or burnout at midlife, this episode is your reminder: you can be broken and brave at the same time.