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Powerfully Broken

Powerfully Broken

By: Barbara L Parker MA LPCC-S CEO
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About this listen

Because you don’t need to be perfect to live powerfully. You just need to be you—open, healing, and willing to grow.


Hosted by Barbara L Parker, MA, LPCC-S, CEO of BF Empowerment Center and advocate for healing, this podcast is a sanctuary for anyone navigating life after heartbreak, divorce, trauma, or major life transitions. Each episode dives deep into the real, raw, and often messy journey of healing—with honesty, compassion, and zero judgment.


We explore powerful conversations around:

  • Healing from intimate partner violence and toxic relationships
  • Authentic parenting and building stronger families
  • Mindset shifts that create emotional and financial freedom
  • Entrepreneurship with purpose and resilience
  • Wellness tools that support your mental, emotional, and spiritual health


You’ll hear from survivors, experts, change-makers, and everyday warriors—people who turned their pain into purpose and found the power in their brokenness.

© 2025 Powerfully Broken
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Episodes
  • Episode 6: From Pleasing Everyone to Saving Myself: A Working Mom’s Wake-Up Call
    Sep 15 2025

    In this deeply personal episode of the Powerfully Broken Podcast, host Barbara L. Parker, MA, LPCC-S talks with Miriam White — nurse, qualified behavioral health specialist, mother, and model — about her journey from people-pleasing and unhealthy love to reclaiming her identity, confidence, and peace.

    What happens when a lifetime of people-pleasing collides with new motherhood and toxic relationships? Miriam's powerful journey of transformation will resonate with anyone who's ever struggled to put themselves first.

    From the earliest years of her life, Miriam was conditioned to be the family caretaker. As the oldest child and first grandchild, nurturing others came naturally—until it nearly cost her everything. In this raw and honest conversation, she reveals the exact moment at age 30 when everything changed: "The day my son turned a year old, I just said that I could not please anybody but myself." That awakening began a courageous journey toward reclaiming her identity and establishing healthy boundaries.

    Miriam doesn't shy away from the darkest moments of her story—losing her father unexpectedly, facing postpartum depression, and reaching the breaking point in her relationship with a narcissistic partner. Her candid admission that she called her mother for help when she feared what she might do if her ex wouldn't respect her boundaries highlights the critical importance of reaching out when you're struggling. The conversation offers invaluable insights about rediscovering yourself after trauma and relationships that diminish your sense of worth.

    Perhaps most inspiring is Miriam's reflection on how books became her pathway to healing, teaching her to reestablish her personal "uniform," reclaim her confidence, and recognize her intrinsic value beyond physical appearance. Her message to her younger self—"continue to love yourself"—serves as a powerful reminder for anyone who has allowed others' opinions to shape their self-perception. Listen, subscribe, and share this episode with someone who might need to hear that they're not just surviving their struggles—they're becoming something powerful through them.


    🔥 What you’ll discover in this episode:

    • The hidden cost of growing up as a people-pleaser
    • How motherhood became Miriam’s turning point for self-love
    • The struggle of leaving a narcissistic relationship — and finding freedom
    • Postpartum depression, grief, and rebuilding mental health
    • 3 powerful lessons from an unlikely source that rebuilt Miriam’s confidence
    • Why true healing begins when you choose yourself first

    ✨ If you’ve ever lost yourself in a relationship, struggled with confidence after motherhood, or felt trapped by other people’s expectations, this episode will remind you that brokenness is the place where power begins.

    🔔 Don’t forget to Like, Comment, and Subscribe for new episodes every Friday at 9 AM EST.
    📲 Follow us: @powerfullybroken | @queenblparker
    🌐 Learn more: www.bfempowerment.com/pbp

    #WorkingMoms #PostpartumDepression #ToxicRelationships #PowerfullyBroken #DivorceRecovery #WomensEmpowerment #MentalHealthAwareness #NotAnother1

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    18 mins
  • God Didn't Design You to Be Miserable: Truth Bombs About Marriage
    Sep 5 2025

    What does it truly mean to maintain your identity within a relationship? The Powerfully Broken Podcast tackles this question head-on as host Barbara Parker welcomes a diverse panel of guests to share their journeys through healthy and unhealthy relationship patterns.

    The conversation takes a deeply personal turn when Stephanie Brent reveals her transformative realization: "I could still be a hundred percent me and still a hundred percent love God." This powerful statement sets the tone for an honest exploration of authenticity within both faith and relationships. The panel agrees that abandoning your true self doesn't honor God or strengthen your partnerships – quite the opposite.

    When discussing advice for prospective brides, each guest offers wisdom shaped by their unique experiences. Joy emphasizes following your own path rather than others' expectations. Lauren stresses the value of pre-marital counseling, sharing how therapy revealed incompatibilities in her own relationship: "That's when I started to realize this isn't working." Meanwhile, Stephanie advocates for balancing psychological insights with spiritual guidance, reminding listeners to "filter what you're learning in therapy through what your heavenly Father says."

    The most transformative segment challenges the harmful "other half" mythology many grew up with. Instead of seeking completion through another person, the panel promotes the healthier vision of "two circles that fit nicely together" – two whole individuals choosing partnership. As one guest poignantly observes, "God didn't want you to be unhappy every day of your life," dispelling the notion that suffering through bad marriages somehow honors commitment.

    Whether you're navigating a relationship, healing from divorce, or seeking to understand healthy partnership dynamics, this episode offers candid insights to help you maintain your authentic self while building meaningful connections. Follow us at @QueenBLParker or @BF_Empowerment and subscribe for more conversations that transform brokenness into power.

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    21 mins
  • ed Flags, Faith & Second Chances: Breaking Free from Toxic Love
    Aug 29 2025

    Why do we miss the red flags in relationships — and how do we heal enough to try love again? ❤️

    In this powerful episode of the Powerfully Broken Podcast, host Barbara L. Parker, MA, LPCC-S sits down with a panel of women — Miriam White, Stephanie Brown, Lauren, Joy Jackson, and co-host Mary Kent — to talk candidly about:

    • 🚩 Why we ignore red flags in relationships (even when they’re obvious)
    • 💔 How childhood and father relationships shape our standards in love
    • ✝️ What faith and Christian values teach us about marriage, divorce, and remarriage
    • 🌱 The courage it takes to love again after betrayal or loss
    • 👩‍👧 The impact of unhealthy relationships on family and mental health

    You’ll hear raw stories of eloping, jealousy, broken vows, deep faith journeys, and learning to rebuild with wisdom and courage. This is an honest look at how women overcome toxic cycles, redefine love, and walk boldly into second chances.

    Powerfully Broken Podcast is here to remind you: you are not broken — you’re powerful.

    🔔 Don’t forget to Like, Comment, and Subscribe for more healing conversations every Friday at 9 AM EST.
    📲 Follow us: @powerfullybroken | @queenblparker
    🌐 Learn more: www.bfempowerment.com/pbp

    #RedFlags #ToxicLove #DivorceRecovery #FaithAndHealing #PowerfullyBroken #RelationshipAdvice #ChristianMarriage #SecondChances

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    26 mins
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