Ep. 352: Trauma Bonds, Toxic Love & the Venus Fly Trap with Dr. Stephen Paul Edwards

Dr. Stephen Paul Edwards spent most of his life running. After a traumatic, controlling childhood in Blackpool, England, a psychiatric hospitalization at 16, and four marriages, he found himself at rock bottom just as he met a woman who would turn his life upside down. Their relationship, full of luxury, chaos, false accusations, and police standoffs, became the basis for his book The Venus Fly Trap.

In this conversation, Stephen explains how he came to see that relationship as a gift: the experience that finally forced him to face his patterns and heal. He talks about trauma bonds and borderline personality disorder, why we keep attracting “the same person in a different body,” how forgiving his father changed everything, and his REAL method for breaking the cycle. He and Zach close with a big question: could stepping away from religion and toward spirituality solve some of these problems?

Learn more about Stephen: 
https://vft23.com/dr-stephen-paul-edwards-speaker/ 

Buy Stephen's books: 
https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0FRY7HLSD?ccs_id=3ee1d169-5072-4d41-9fb5-5f00caa28b1f 

Podcast song by SIXFOOT 5: https://www.sixfoot5prod.com

Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ

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