Episode #169 – Coercive Control & Suicide Loss – Reinvent Impossible

Coercive Control & Suicide Loss

What happens when the person who should protect you becomes your greatest threat?

On Aging with Purpose and Passion, host Beverley Glazer MA, CCC, sits down with counselor and author Patricia Gordon Stevens to trace a harrowing path from a high-control marriage to a life of service and resilience.

Patricia opens up about the chilling reality of coercive control—from being marched out of a university class by a partner to the calculated bravery required to leave when control turns dangerous. Her story takes an even deeper turn as she discusses the back-to-back deaths of her sister and her son to suicide, exploring how the world responds to “stigmatized” grief.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

Identifying Coercive Control: The red flags of domestic abuse that go beyond physical violence.
Safety Planning: Why the most dangerous moment is the decision to leave—and how to do it safely.
Grief Without Stigma: Navigating the specific isolation and “silence” of suicide loss.
The Power of Study: How returning to psychology in midlife restored Patricia’s identity and income.
Madness in Memphis: Using storytelling and fiction to expose the truth about domestic violence.

For similar episodes on reinvention in later life check out #104 and 154 of Aging with Purpose and Passion

Key Takeaways from this episode: Coercive Control & Suicide Loss

0:00	Welcome And Patricia’s Mission
1:32	Memphis Childhood And Sister Constance
3:26	Teen Pregnancy And School Expulsion
5:15	Young Marriage And Early Motherhood
7:26	The Controlling Second Marriage
9:06	Sabotaged Education And Isolation
11:06	Leaving And Escalating Danger
12:34	Physical Abuse And Police Report
13:45	Tragedy In Australia And New Love
16:24	Son’s Death By Suicide And Grief
19:12	How To Support The Bereaved
20:14	Writing Madness In Memphis
22:03	Women’s Stories And Systemic Abuse
23:06	Advice For Reinvention At Any Age
24:26	Mind Body Signals And Red Flags
25:38	Takeaways And Listener Actions
27:15	Links, Resources, And Closing

BONUS: Tired of 3 AM Overthinking?

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Resources:

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Patricia Gordon Stevens – Author & Owner, Maxwell House Counselling

stevensofmemphis@gmail.com
https://www.maxhouse.com.au
https://www.patriciagordonstevens.com
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