In this vivid and important episode of Genuine Life Recovery, I’m joined by writer Christopher Carazas, author of the memoir Now That I’m Still Here: A Memoir of Ruin and Resurrection. Christopher shares the story of how a life that looked successful on the outside slowly collapsed under the weight of psychological abuse—and how he fought his way back after reaching the brink.
From the outside, his life looked awesome. He worked around the world in places like Haiti, Mali, and Madagascar, building a career in international development. But privately, he was caught in a cycle of psychological and emotional abuse within his marriage.
In this conversation, we talk about how abuse often doesn’t start in overt ways. We delve into the cycle of psychological abuse and how it moves—subtle shifts, small manipulations, and moments of control that gradually become normal. Over time, the danger becomes harder to recognize, and many people find themselves living inside something they never would have accepted at the beginning.
Christopher also shares how trauma doesn’t simply disappear when the situation ends. The body and mind can continue carrying those survival patterns long after the danger is gone. Diagnosed with autism later in life, he reflects on how autism shaped his self-esteem, relationships, and what he was experiencing.
Most importantly, this episode is about hope—leaving, healing, and rebuilding a life after surviving the unimaginable.
