From Survivor to Thriver: Tarisha’s Journey to Freedom and Forgiveness

In this powerful episode of The Healing Lounge, Marcia Williams sits down with yoga instructor, meditation guide, and life coach Tarisha Fields, whose story of survival and self-reclamation after narcissistic abuse will move you to your core. 

What begins as a conversation between two women who’ve walked similar paths unfolds into a raw and heartfelt journey through love, loss, self-discovery, and freedom. 

For 17 years, Tarisha fought to hold together a marriage built on emotional manipulation and betrayal. Like so many survivors, she believed love could fix everything — if she just gave more, sacrificed more, and stayed loyal enough, it would finally be enough. But behind her strength and smile was quiet misery — a woman carrying the weight of everyone else’s needs while silently losing herself. 

When her husband left, she hit rock bottom — collapsing on her mother’s porch, praying for strength to survive. That breakdown became her breakthrough. What followed was years of rebuilding, self-reflection, and ultimately, rebirth. 

In this candid interview, Tarisha opens up about: 

• The patterns of over-giving, people-pleasing, and rescuing that kept her trapped in cycles of pain 
• The moment of surrender that changed everything and began her true healing journey 
• How she unknowingly entered another narcissistic relationship — and what finally woke her up 
• Why she says, “My healing began when I finally made it all about me.” 
• The daily tools that sustain her peace — yoga, breathwork, journaling, and community 
• The power of self-forgiveness and why you must forgive yourself before you can forgive them 
• How she now helps other women heal through her business, Empower Her Within, and her book Her Inner Place: A 60-Day Journey to Cultivating Self-Love, Self-Awareness, and Self-Acceptance 

This episode is a love letter to every woman who has ever stayed too long, loved too hard, or lost herself trying to fix someone else. It’s a reminder that healing isn’t about perfection — it’s about permission. Permission to pause, to breathe, to listen, and to start again. 

If you’ve ever found yourself asking, “Why do I keep ending up in these kinds of relationships?” or “How do I begin to trust myself again?” — Tarisha’s story will remind you that peace is not only possible — it’s waiting for you. 

Tune in, take notes, and take heart — because your healing begins the moment you decide to make it all about you. 

Transcript

Marcia: 

 I’m so excited to welcome my guest, Tarisha Fields. Hi, Tarisha! 

Tarisha: 

 Hello! It’s such a pleasure to be here. 

Marcia: 

 We’ve been on this journey together for a while, and I’m so happy to finally share your story—from survivor to thriver after narcissistic abuse. 

Tarisha: 

 I’m a certified yoga instructor, meditation guide, and life coach—all things that bring me joy. I’m actually speaking with you from Costa Rica right now, which is a place that means so much to me. Years ago, I never would’ve believed I’d be here for a month, just soaking it all in. My life now is about embodying the same tools that helped me heal—and sharing them with others. 

Marcia: 

 You sound like you’re in heaven! And that glow tells me you’ve done some serious work. When I met you, you were in a narcissistic relationship—actually, not your first. With your permission, I’m honored to share your story because it’s such a powerful example of reclaiming your voice and your peace. 

Tarisha: 

 Before therapy, I didn’t understand my own emotions. I was just doing—being loyal, being responsible, overgiving. I thought my love could fix anything. I was in constant pain but wore a mask so well that even I believed it. I was functioning—working, raising my boys—but completely miserable inside. 

Marcia: 

 That sounds so familiar. Tell us about your marriage—what were the red flags you didn’t recognize as abuse? 

Tarisha: 

 I was married for 17 years. He cheated often, but I told myself we were young and could grow through it. I wanted so badly to keep my family together that I ignored my pain. Even when he asked for the divorce, I would’ve kept going. Looking back, I realize I was addicted to fixing what was never mine to fix. 

Marcia: 

 You were doing what so many women do—trying to hold everything together. How did it feel when he finally left? 

Tarisha: 

 Devastating. It felt like the end of everything. I remember collapsing on my mother’s porch, unable to move, just praying for God to help me. My mom and aunt surrounded me, praying over me. That moment was a turning point—it reminded me I could go on. That was the beginning of my healing. 

Marcia: 

 You described what I call “hitting rock bottom.” And yet, your story didn’t end there. You entered another relationship, right? 

Tarisha: 

 Yes. Unfortunately, I repeated the pattern. The next relationship was toxic from the start. I kept thinking I could love him into healing. I even told myself, If I have to hurt for him to heal, I’ll do it. That belief came from a distorted idea of love and faith. It lasted five years and left me completely drained—losing hair, isolating myself, just surviving. 

Marcia: 

 That’s such an honest reflection. We often bring unhealed parts of ourselves into the next relationship, thinking it will be different. What finally led you to therapy? 

Tarisha: 

 It was actually another relationship after that. One day, during an argument, he said, “You need therapy.” And I thought, You know what? He’s right. I didn’t know what narcissism was then—I just knew something was wrong. 

When I started working with you, you didn’t label it for me—you gave me resources. And when I realized on my own that I’d been in narcissistic relationships, it changed everything. For the first time, I understood why I kept attracting the same dynamics. 

Marcia: 

 That awareness is the beginning of true healing. You said something powerful—you made it all about you. 

Tarisha: 

 Exactly. Once I realized I couldn’t fix anyone else, it became about me. My healing wasn’t fast—it came in stages. But I learned to listen to my body, to my intuition. When something didn’t feel right, I stopped ignoring it. 

Marcia: 

 That’s a huge milestone—listening to yourself after years of self-abandonment. What fears or doubts came up during your healing journey? 

Tarisha: 

 Once I started working with you, the doubts faded. You validated what I was feeling—that it wasn’t in my head. That changed everything. I learned to trust myself again. 

Marcia: 

 That’s the power of working with someone who understands narcissistic abuse. Healing requires knowledge, validation, and compassion. 

Tarisha: 

 Yes. I believe finding you was divine intervention. And for anyone listening—if your therapist doesn’t “get it,” it’s okay to find someone who does. 

Marcia: 

 Beautiful. Were there moments you wanted to give up? 

Tarisha: 

 Not give up—but I did need breaks. Once I made up my mind to heal, there was no backup plan. I was going to find peace no matter what. 

Marcia: 

 That’s the discipline of peace—no backup plan, no excuses. So tell us, what tools helped you most during your healing journey? 

Tarisha: 

 Yoga, meditation, breath work, and journaling—especially video journaling. I talk to myself because I believe my own voice more than anyone else’s. I also believe in sharing my story. Teaching others how to heal is part of my healing. It’s a lifestyle, not a phase. 

Marcia: 

 That’s so real. Healing is not a checklist—it’s a way of living. You also talked about anger and forgiveness. Tell me about that. 

Tarisha: 

 I was angry at myself for allowing certain behaviors, but therapy taught me grace. Forgiveness starts with yourself. You did the best you could with what you knew. Once you forgive yourself, it becomes possible to forgive others—not for them, but for your peace. 

Marcia: 

 Exactly. They’re not monsters—they’re human. We loved them for good reasons. Healing allows you to see that and still choose yourself. 

Tarisha: 

 Yes, and I still love them in a healthy way—from afar. Forgiveness doesn’t mean access. It means peace. 

Marcia: 

 I love that. And now you’re living in Costa Rica, thriving, glowing, teaching yoga, and helping women heal through your business Empower Her Within. And you even wrote a book! 

Tarisha: 

 Yes—Her Inner Place: A 60-Day Journey to Cultivating Self-Love, Self-Awareness, and Self-Acceptance. It was spirit-led—born from my video diary entries. Writing it was part of my own healing and a way to help others begin theirs. 

Marcia: 

 You are living proof that peace is possible. Thank you for being my first guest on The Healing Lounge. Your story will inspire so many women to believe that healing isn’t just possible—it’s their destiny.