Why do smart, successful, accomplished women stay in abusive relationships? And why does the shame feel even heavier when everyone thinks you have the perfect life? In this honest conversation, Lisa talks with Machan Taylor, a professional singer who toured the world with Pink Floyd while her own relationship was quietly heading toward an abusive marriage. Machan shares how the red flags showed up early, how emotional abuse escalated into control, jealousy, and physical violence, and how her childhood made that pattern feel normal. Most importantly, she shares how she got out, healed, and built a healthy life and marriage on the other side. If you've ever asked yourself "How could I, of all people, have stayed so long?", this episode is for you. You are not stupid, and you are not broken. As Lisa explains, abusers are often drawn to exactly the qualities that make you shine. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: ✅ Why accomplished professionals often carry an extra layer of shame about staying ✅ Why abusers target creative, generous, empathetic, successful people ✅ How emotional abuse can quietly escalate into control, jealousy, and violence ✅ Why seeing red flags isn't the same as knowing what they mean ✅ How family-of-origin dynamics can make an unhealthy relationship feel normal ✅ The adaptive roles children take on in dysfunctional families, like caretaker and fixer ✅ Why kids in troubled homes can look like they're thriving on the outside ✅ What helped Machan find the strength to leave when she hit rock bottom ✅ The support that helped her rebuild: therapy, group work, and community ✅ How healing made space for a healthy, lasting relationship ✅ Why it's never too late to rebuild and reinvent your life 🎙️ ABOUT MACHAN TAYLOR: Machan Taylor is a singer, songwriter, performer, author, and educator whose four-decade career has taken her from world tours to the classroom. She toured as a vocalist with Pink Floyd on their 1987–88 world tour, and has also performed with Sting, Pat Benatar, George Benson, and Foreigner. Born in Japan to a Japanese mother and an American military father, she grew up in New Jersey in a family shaped by alcoholism and at a time of open anti-Japanese prejudice. After leaving an abusive first marriage, she spent years rebuilding and has now been with her husband for almost 30 years. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in her 50s, teaches voice and performance at NYU, and recently toured with Brit Floyd. Her memoir, "Naked Out Loud: From Yokohama to Pink Floyd and Beyond," tells the full story. 📚 MORE FROM MACHAN TAYLOR: 🌐 Website: https://www.machantaylor.com 📖 Memoir: "Naked Out Loud: From Yokohama to Pink Floyd and Beyond" (New Haven Publishing), available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble: https://www.amazon.com/dp/191597528X 📱 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/machantaylor 🎤 Recently toured as a special guest with Brit Floyd BEEN THERE GOT OUT RESOURCES: 🌐 Website & free 30-minute discovery call: https://beentheregotout.com 💬 Strategic Communication Course: https://programs.beentheregotout.com/strategic-communication 📚 Our books: "Been There Got Out" and "When Your Ex Turns the Kids Against You" (available on Amazon) 📱 Instagram: @been_there_got_out 🛟 IF YOU NEED SUPPORT RIGHT NOW: If you are in immediate danger, call 911. In the U.S., the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788. In Canada, find shelters and support in your area at https://sheltersafe.ca. If you're watching on a shared device, consider using a private browser window. #WhyIStayed #DomesticViolenceAwareness #NarcissisticAbuse #AbusiveRelationships #CoerciveControl #LifeAfterDivorce #BreakTheCycle #HealingFromAbuse #MachanTaylor #BeenThereGotOut