Artwork for podcast Survival Mode Disrupted with Leticia R Francis
Owning Your ‘Too Much’ and Never Apologizing Again
Episode 508th September 2025 • Survival Mode Disrupted with Leticia R Francis • Leticia Francis
00:00:00 00:33:30

Share Episode

Shownotes

This is not a surface-level chat about “moving on.” This is survival mode, cracked wide open. Darla Illa shares the raw truth about growing up in dysfunction, surviving narcissistic abuse, and taking her power back through radical self-love and grace. We unpack the love-bombing, the trauma bonds, the gaslighting, and the decades-long reprogramming it takes to finally feel free.

  • 💥 What “love bombing” really is—and why it works
  • 💥 How trauma bonds mimic addiction
  • 💥 The silent role childhood plays in adult relationships
  • 💥 Why healing isn’t a destination but a lifelong reinvention
  • 💥 The power of grace when breaking the cycle


🎙️ What We Talk About:

  • Growing up in abuse and emotional neglect
  • How “too much” became her superpower
  • Narcissistic abuse beyond the stereotypes
  • The mechanics of trauma bonding and Stockholm Syndrome
  • Human design as a tool for identity restoration
  • Learning radical ownership without self-blame
  • Why setting boundaries is an act of self-love

🔑 Key Takeaways:

“Love bombing is the bait; trauma bonding is the hook.”
“Your standards aren’t too high—your past taught you to set them too low.”
“Grace isn’t weakness—it’s a power move.”
“I stopped running when I realized I was giving away my power.”


🙌 Why This Episode Matters:

Narcissistic abuse isn’t just about bruises—it’s about rewiring your brain, dismantling your sense of reality, and stripping away your identity. Darla’s story is proof that escape is only the first step. The real freedom comes when you stop running, take radical ownership, and decide your ‘too much’ was never too much at all. This conversation is a guide for anyone ready to reclaim themselves without apology.


💬 Connect with Darla:

🌐 Website: highvaluewoman.info

🎙 Podcast: You Have the Power – The Road to Recovery from Trauma and Narcissistic Abuse


🔗 Resources & Links:


Chapters

Video

More from YouTube

More Episodes
50. Owning Your ‘Too Much’ and Never Apologizing Again
00:33:30
48. Why You Stayed, Why You Snapped, Why You’re Still Healing
00:39:09
47. When Love Is a Lie: Recognizing the Hidden Signs of Abuse
00:37:30
49. Sleeping in a Prius, Dreaming Bigger
00:34:47
46. Reclaiming Identity After Postpartum Survival Mode
00:29:55
43. When the Body Remembers What the Mind Forgets
00:34:06
41. Losing 150 Pounds… and Finding Herself Again
00:33:49
45. When Chaos Feels Like Home
00:27:46
42. You Are the MF Frequency
00:35:25
44. Reconnecting to Self After S*xual Trauma
00:42:19
38. How ‘Firm Foundations’ Was Built on Brokenness
00:32:13
37. You Only Have to a Step Ahead
00:32:44
40. Success Without Peace: The High-Achiever’s Survival Trap
00:32:31
39. When ‘Stable’ Becomes Soul-Sucking
00:29:58
35. Somatic Healing, Self-Betrayal & Starting Over
00:40:22
33. From Incest to Impact
00:35:09
31. Survival Isn’t Success: The Cost of Ignoring Your Intuition
00:37:02
36. When You Can’t Afford to Heal: Survival Mode’s Sneakiest Trap
00:33:52
34. The Dysfunctional Dance: Narcissists, Empaths & Trauma Bonds
00:32:54
32. Escaping the Cult, Reclaiming the Self
00:32:03
30. Miscarriage, Manipulation & Misalignment
00:37:12
29. Why High Achievers Crash
00:47:31
28. From Great Dane Attack to Great Awakening
00:43:47
27. How She Escaped the Fight-or-Flight Loop
00:30:47
26. Strong Black Woman? Or Silently Drowning?
00:33:02
24. The Hidden Pattern Keeping You Stuck in Survival Mode
00:39:19
25. What Radical Ownership Really Looks Like After Trauma
00:41:39
22. Surviving the Quiet Side of DV
00:35:27
23. Healing Complex Trauma with Compassion
00:30:28
21. When Chaos Feels Like Home
00:40:58
20. Blame Is a Drug. Healing Starts When You Quit
00:38:17
19. From Silence to Power: Breaking Generational Trauma
00:34:04
18. Homeless, Broke, and Obedient
00:32:22
17. It Wasn’t Just the Trauma. It Was Being Dismissed
00:29:34
15. Survival Mode vs. Midlife Crisis
00:37:20
16. The Cost of Being Alienated from Your Kids
00:35:15
14. Motherless, Not Loveless
00:38:52
13. Three Times Cancer Tried, Three Times She Fought Back
00:32:26
12. Scammed Twice, Still Standing
00:36:59
11. Finding Peace After Trauma
00:35:38
10. Survival Mode in Waves
00:32:26
9. Surviving COVID Wasn’t the Hardest Part
00:35:47
8. Silent Systems, Shattered Bones
00:29:42
7. Groomed by God’s Representative
00:38:54
6. This Is What I’ve Been Preparing You For
00:38:32
5. You're Not Broken, You're Patterned
00:33:48
4. The Healing Power Of Play
00:38:19
3. Addicted at 15. Imprisoned at 20 and again at 29. Free at 40
00:36:08
2. I Found Out I Was Abducted… On a Sidewalk in New Orleans
00:38:17
1. trailer Welcome to Survival Mode Disrupted – Why This Podcast Had to Exist
00:15:50