Episode 50

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Published on:

8th Sep 2025

Owning Your ‘Too Much’ and Never Apologizing Again

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:


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About the Podcast

Survival Mode Disrupted with Leticia R Francis
Disrupted Unapologetic Conversations about Survival Mode
Survival Mode Disrupted is not just a podcast. It's a rebellion.

A raw, unfiltered space where we finally stop pretending we're fine and start telling the truth—the truth about the trauma we've carried, the identities they had to wear to survive, and the radical decisions we made to break free.

Because here's the deal: survival mode isn’t just a season. It’s a damn identity. One that so many were forced to adopt just to get through life, to stay safe, to stay needed, to stay sane. But eventually, it starts costing you more than it protects. Your peace. Your purpose. Your power.

This podcast is for the disruptors—the people who were told to stay small, stay silent, stay grateful for crumbs… and said “hell no.”

Hosted by Leticia, The Survival Mode Disruptor herself—a trauma recovery mentor, speaker, and woman who has lived through the fires of abuse, betrayal, and breakdown and still chose to rise—this show dives deep into the unapologetic exits from survival mode that no one talks about.

You’ll hear from women (and a few brave men) who walked away from toxic relationships, soul-sucking careers, generational dysfunction, religious trauma, cultural expectations, and the lies they were taught to believe about themselves. Not because it was easy—but because staying would’ve killed something sacred inside of them.

These are the stories of bold pivots, quiet courage, and messy but miraculous rebirths.

Each episode is a conversation—a disruption—meant to wake something up in you. Whether it’s a guest sharing the moment they chose themselves for the first time, or Leticia dropping a truth bomb that makes you question everything you’ve normalized, this podcast is here to shake the foundation of your survival mode identity and replace it with something truer. Something freer.

We’re not here for surface-level self-care tips or fake empowerment slogans.

We’re here to talk about what it really takes to:

Reclaim your voice after being silenced.

Reinvent yourself after being broken down.

Rewrite your story when everyone else wants you to stay the same.

Release the guilt of choosing YOU.

This is for those who are done performing. Done pleasing. Done pretending.

It’s for the ones ready to exit survival mode—not slowly, not quietly, but disruptively and unapologetically.

You won’t leave this podcast the same.
You’ll cry. You’ll rage. You’ll laugh.
You’ll see yourself in every story.
And more importantly, you’ll remember who the hell you are.

Welcome to Survival Mode Disrupted.
It’s not just a podcast.
It’s a movement.
And your exit begins here.

About your host

Profile picture for Leticia Francis

Leticia Francis

I am not here to inspire you—I am here to activate you.

As a Survivor, Keynote Speaker, and Trauma Recovery Mentor, I know what it’s like to fight battles no one sees. I also know that breaking free is possible. My work is about disrupting survival mode, exposing trauma-driven success cycles, and giving women the blueprint to reclaim their lives.

🔹 200+ podcast features & speaking engagements
🔹 Global Women of Choice Award Winner 2022
🔹 Creator of the Survival Mode Exit Plan
🔹 Host of Survival Mode Disrupted Podcast