Tabitha Westbrook, a trauma therapist and author, brings clarity, courage, and compassion to the tender realities of sexual abuse, healing, and dating after harm. With deep honesty and a fierce belief in God’s good design, she helps name what has been distorted, what has been taken, and what restoration can actually look like. A central tension in this conversation is how often abuse is hidden under confusion, grooming, niceness, spiritual language, or pressure that slowly erodes a person’s boundaries. Tabitha speaks directly to the body’s experience of fear, freezing, shame, and self-doubt, while reminding listeners that consent, dignity, and personhood matter deeply to God. Her teaching offers a path toward formation that is honest, embodied, and full of integrity. Healing is not about pretending the harm did not happen or rushing back into romance before the story has been tended. It is about reclaiming wholeness, learning to recognize coercion, honoring the body’s wisdom, and rebuilding connection with God, self, and safe community. For anyone dating after pain, or wondering whether healthy sexuality can still be possible, this conversation is a compassionate invitation to slow down and trust what your body is telling you. What to pay attention to… is whether someone respects your no, honors your personhood, receives your boundaries, and helps you feel more safe, clear, and whole. That is where discernment, clarity, and self-trust begin to return. Watch this episode on YouTube Connect with Tabitha Westbrook Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tabithathecounselor/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_tjatpFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TabithaTheCounselorFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/thejourneyandtheprocess Mindful Connection - faith-based, self-paced skills course on mindfulness which includes a private podcast. Use code MINDFUL for 80% off. Want help applying this to your dating life? If something in this episode resonated with you, here are two ways to go deeper depending on what you need: 🩷 Work with Bridgett You don’t need more rules. You need a deeper understanding of your sexual desire.If you still feel confused about how to navigate dating without shutting down or crossing your boundaries, Bridgett helps you build sexual self-trust and honor your values → RECLAIM Cohort 📓 Free Guides and Ecourse → Instagram → Website 💙 Work with Lauren If you’re feeling unsure what to do next— whether that’s meeting people, choosing who to pursue, or trusting your judgment in dating, Lauren helps you move forward with clarity and confidence. → Work with Lauren 📔 Get the free guide Dating Apps Don’t Have to Be Confusing → Instagram → Website Have more questions? Email us at datinganddesirepodcast@gmail.com
