Lessons in Discernment

Stéphanie St-Jean
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Lessons in Discernment is a podcast about healing after emotional abuse—and learning to trust your truth again.  Hosted by Stéphanie St-Jean, a survivor, author and advocate, each episode explores the tender, transformative space between trauma and recovery through storytelling, reflection, and soul-deep conversations.  From EMDR to gaslighting, therapy to self-trust, this podcast is a place to examine the systems we’ve internalized, the language we’ve inherited, and the stories we’re ready to rewrite. Because the most powerful voice in your healing journey is your own.  Find Stéphanie on Substack: lessonsindiscernment.substack.com Check out her Linktree to view her children's book on self-worth, and download a free digital resource for survivors, by survivors: linktr.ee/lessonsindiscernment Find Stéphanie on Instagram: instagram.com/lessonsindiscernment

Episodes

  1. 22/10/2025

    Protecting Children from Coercive Control: Bill C-223 with MP Lisa Hepfner

    When the courts don’t recognize coercive control, children pay the price. This week on Lessons in Discernment, I’m joined by Canadian Member of Parliament Lisa Hepfner, sponsor of Bill C-223: The Keeping Children Safe Act—a groundbreaking piece of legislation that could transform how family violence is recognized and prevented in Canada. We talk about the stories that inspired the bill, the cultural shift it represents, and what it would mean for survivors and children to finally be protected from coercive control in the eyes of the law. Find Lisa Hepfner on Instagram: instagram.com/lisahepfnermp Learn more about Bill C-223: nawl.ca/stop-parental-alienation-accusations Find me on Instagram: instagram.com/lessonsindiscernment Check out my Linktree to view my children's book on self-worth, and download a free digital resource for survivors, by survivors: linktr.ee/lessonsindiscernment Find me on Substack: lessonsindiscernment.substack.com

    26 min

  2. 14/10/2025

    Speaking Truth Strategically: Surviving Family Court with Alex Mack

    What does it mean to tell the truth strategically — especially in a system that wasn’t built to protect you? In this episode of Lessons in Discernment, I sit down with Alex Mack—legal coach, high-conflict strategist, and domestic violence survivor. She’s the founder of Exodus Strategy Consultants and the creator of the CLEAR Method and StrongHER Masterclass, where she teaches women how to protect themselves in family court without losing their voice or their sanity. Together, we explore what it takes to move from survival to strategy, how to communicate effectively in the face of coercive control, and why credibility in court has more to do with clarity and organization than emotion. Find Alex on Instagram: instagram.com/narcsurvivoradvocate Learn more about her work: www.exodusstrategyconsultants.com If this episode resonates with you, share it with someone walking the same path—and remember: you are not just surviving the system. You are learning how to navigate it. Find me on Instagram: instagram.com/lessonsindiscernment Check out my Linktree to view my children's book on self-worth, and download a free digital resource for survivors, by survivors: linktr.ee/lessonsindiscernment Find me on Substack: lessonsindiscernment.substack.com

    26 min

  3. 29/09/2025

    Rewriting the Story: Trauma, EMDR and Resilience with Kate Michaud

    What does it mean to truly rewrite your story after trauma? In this episode of Lessons in Discernment, I sit down with Kate Michaud—EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapist, social worker, and founder of New Mindset Therapy. Together, we explore the power of EMDR as a tool for reprocessing trauma, the unintended consequences of diagnostic labels, and the path to reclaiming agency after experiences of narcissistic abuse and emotional manipulation. For me, EMDR was a turning point in my own journey of rediscovering self-worth. This conversation deepens that perspective with Kate’s expertise and her vision for a more empowering, humane future of mental health. Find Kate on Instagram: instagram.com/katemichaudofficial Learn more about her clinic: www.newmindsettherapy.ca If this episode resonates with you, share it with someone who needs to hear it—and remember: you are not your diagnosis. You are the storyteller now. Find me on Instagram: instagram.com/lessonsindiscernment Check out my Linktree to view my children's book on self-worth, and download a free digital resource for survivors, by survivors: linktr.ee/lessonsindiscernment Find me on Substack: lessonsindiscernment.substack.com

    30 min

  4. 22/09/2025

    When Silence Breaks: Discernment After Abuse with Elissa Swihart

    What happens after survival? In this deeply moving episode of Lessons in Discernment, I sit down with Elissa Swihart — survivor, advocate, storyteller, and creator of Dismissed True Stories, a podcast amplifying the voices of women silenced or erased by abuse. Elissa is also the founder of Tala’s Closet, a donation-based free store that offers practical support to women and children escaping violence. Her work is healing in action — proof that rebuilding after abuse is not only possible, but transformative. Together, we explore: The moment of clarity that sparks the realization: this isn’t love, this is control.How discernment becomes a daily practice in the healing journey.The revolutionary power of breaking silence and reclaiming your voice.The story behind Tala’s Closet, and how community care can be a lifeline.This conversation is an invitation to survivors everywhere: your story matters, your truth counts, and you are not alone. Find Elissa on Instagram: instagram.com/thedvsurvivorsisterhood Listen to Dismissed True Stories: buzzsprout.com/2353153 Donate to Tala’s Closet: bit.ly/m/thedvsurvivorsisterhood Find me on Instagram: instagram.com/lessonsindiscernment Check out my Linktree to view my children's book on self-worth, and download a free digital resource for survivors, by survivors: linktr.ee/lessonsindiscernment Find me on Substack: lessonsindiscernment.substack.com

    47 min

  5. 08/09/2025

    Discerning the Stories We Consume: Dark Psychology & Cultural Mirrors with Julie Theis

    In this episode of Lessons in Discernment, I’m joined by Julie Theis—creator of a powerful YouTube channel unpacking the dark psychology of celebrities, and a cast member on Netflix’s The Trust. From the Kardashian family’s dysfunction to the Internet’s insatiable obsession with the Bieber love triangle, Julie’s work goes far beyond gossip & conspiracy, and analyzes the patterns no amount of fame can avoid. We explore what it feels like for her to sit with the shadows of these case studies, the risks she takes in publishing her analyses, and the deeper intention behind her work: helping us discern the toxic dynamics embedded in the stories we consume. We also talk about her experience on The Trust, and how being part of a reality show gave her a unique perspective on the very cultural systems she critiques. Julie’s lens reminds us that celebrities aren’t just entertainment—they’re mirrors. And when we study them with discernment, we uncover deeper truths about ourselves and the world we live in. Find Julie on Youtube: youtube.com/@Julietheis Find Julie on Instagram: instagram.com/julietheisofficial Find Julie on TikTok: tiktok.com/@julietheis Read the article: What Joe Goldberg Taught Me About My Abusive Relationship Read the article: Why Are We Still Giving Known Hollywood Abusers an Influential Platform? Find me on Instagram: instagram.com/lessonsindiscernment Check out my Linktree to view my children's book on self-worth, and download a free digital resource for survivors, by survivors: linktr.ee/lessonsindiscernment Find me on Substack: lessonsindiscernment.substack.com

    33 min

  6. 01/09/2025

    From Abuse to Authenticity: Religious Conditioning, Sexual Trauma, and Self-Reclamation with Amy Watkins

    What happens when abuse and conditioning erase your sense of self, and the only way you believe you can be loved is as a sex object? This week on Lessons in Discernment, I’m joined by Amy Watkins—a therapist turned truth teller and the voice behind @ms.emotionallyslutty. Amy shares her story of growing up under religious conditioning and neglect, surviving sexual abuse, and how those experiences shaped her identity for years. At the same time, she carried a fire inside that refused to go out. In this conversation, we talk about how abuse becomes an identity, what it takes to dismantle false narratives, and the power of reclaiming self-worth through honesty and discernment. Find Amy on Instagram: instagram.com/ms.emotionallyslutty Visit Amy’s website: amywatkinsstudio.com Find me on Instagram: instagram.com/lessonsindiscernment Check out my Linktree to view my children's book on self-worth, and download a free digital resource for survivors, by survivors: linktr.ee/lessonsindiscernment Find me on Substack: lessonsindiscernment.substack.com

    40 min

  7. 25/08/2025

    Seeing What They Tried to Make Us Unsee: Abuse, Data, and Healing with Dr. Ruth

    What if the very thing your abuser tried to shame you for became the source of your strength? This week on Lessons in Discernment, I’m joined by Dr. Ruth—statistician, survivor, and founder of Healing by the Numbers. Blind in one eye and with limited vision in the other, Ruth endured years of cruelty from an abuser who weaponized her difference. Today, she transforms those scars into clarity: breaking down patterns of abuse through both numbers and story, and reminding survivors they are not alone. We talk about the subtle moments that reveal abuse, the power of naming what really happened, and how healing becomes possible when we reclaim our narrative. Find Dr. Ruth on Instagram: instagram.com/healingbythenumbers  Find Dr. Ruth on Substack: healingbythenumbers.substack.com  Find me on Instagram: instagram.com/lessonsindiscernment Check out my Linktree to view my children's book on self-worth, and download a free digital resource for survivors, by survivors: linktr.ee/lessonsindiscernment Find me on Substack: lessonsindiscernment.substack.com

    26 min

  8. 14/08/2025

    The Truth I Tried Not to Know: Remembering, Naming, and Breaking the Spell

    What changes when you finally say the word? In this raw and unfiltered episode of Lessons in Discernment, I share the quiet but life-altering moment I named my experience for what it was: abuse. Not when I left. Not when someone told me. But when I told myself—and the truth refused to be unnamed again. I unpack the myths about what abuse “looks like,” how emotional abuse hides in charm, guilt, and subtle erosion, and why language can be the first act of liberation. This isn’t about drama—it’s about clarity, power, and reclaiming your voice. If you’ve ever doubted your own reality, minimized your pain, or told yourself “it’s not bad enough to count,” this episode is for you. Whether you’re ready to name it or just whisper, “Something didn’t feel right,” you’ll find honesty, solidarity, and a reminder: You are not too sensitive. You are not too much. You are not broken. You are becoming. Find me on Instagram: instagram.com/lessonsindiscernment Check out my Linktree to view my children's book on self-worth, and download a free digital resource for survivors, by survivors: linktr.ee/lessonsindiscernment Find me on Substack: lessonsindiscernment.substack.com

    6 min

  9. 27/07/2025

    The Voice They Tried to Silence: Speaking, Remembering and Trusting the Truth

    In this episode, I share a story I spent years trying to write in silence—hidden in journals, unsent letters, and notes on my phone. It’s the beginning of my unraveling, and of my return. From miscarriage and grief to the slow, quiet devastation of narcissistic abuse, I speak the truth I was once too afraid to say out loud. This isn’t polished. It’s raw, emotional, and deeply personal—but I know now I’m not the only one. If you’ve ever been made to feel too much, too sensitive, or too loud—this episode is for you. You are not alone. And your voice was never the problem. Find me on Instagram: instagram.com/lessonsindiscernment Check out my Linktree to view my children's book on self-worth, and download a free digital resource for survivors, by survivors: linktr.ee/lessonsindiscernment Find me on Substack: lessonsindiscernment.substack.com

    14 min

  10. 22/07/2025

    When The Conversation Pauses: Healing, Waiting and Trusting the Timing

    This solo episode wasn’t the one I originally planned—but maybe it’s the one I was meant to record.  After a delayed interview with a special guest, I sat with the discomfort of the pause and uncovered something deeper: the sacredness of the in-between.  In this reflection, I explore what it means to trust yourself when timelines shift, how healing rarely happens on schedule, and why your voice is enough—even when it shakes, even when it stands alone. Find me on Instagram: instagram.com/lessonsindiscernment Check out my Linktree to view my children's book on self-worth, and download a free digital resource for survivors, by survivors: linktr.ee/lessonsindiscernment Find me on Substack: lessonsindiscernment.substack.com

    5 min
  • 10 Episodes

About

Lessons in Discernment is a podcast about healing after emotional abuse—and learning to trust your truth again.  Hosted by Stéphanie St-Jean, a survivor, author and advocate, each episode explores the tender, transformative space between trauma and recovery through storytelling, reflection, and soul-deep conversations.  From EMDR to gaslighting, therapy to self-trust, this podcast is a place to examine the systems we’ve internalized, the language we’ve inherited, and the stories we’re ready to rewrite. Because the most powerful voice in your healing journey is your own.  Find Stéphanie on Substack: lessonsindiscernment.substack.com Check out her Linktree to view her children's book on self-worth, and download a free digital resource for survivors, by survivors: linktr.ee/lessonsindiscernment Find Stéphanie on Instagram: instagram.com/lessonsindiscernment

Information

  • Creator
    Stéphanie St-Jean
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    10
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Stéphanie St-Jean
  • Show Website
    Lessons in Discernment
  • Provider