How Betrayal, Divorce & Trauma Wrecked Her Body — And How She Healed
Dr. Josh Axe
133,681 views
The night before her oldest daughter's rehearsal dinner, Lysa TerKeurst discovered her husband of over two decades had been living a double life. She kept it secret from nearly everyone — and within months, the physical toll became impossible to hide. She collapsed getting out of bed, was rushed to the emergency room, and surgeons removed a significant portion of her colon. When the doctor showed her a picture and asked what had happened to her body, she told him everything was fine.
One year later, almost to the day, she heard the words: you have breast cancer.
In this conversation, Lysa and Dr. Axe talk through how unprocessed emotional trauma shows up in the body, why keeping pain locked inside accelerates physical illness, and what it actually takes to heal — including how to identify the lies you've built your life around, why forgiveness is something you do for yourself, how to set boundaries without pushing people away, and the difference between stewarding your life and trying to control it.
About Lysa TerKeurst:
Lysa TerKeurst is a New York Times bestselling author and the founder of Proverbs 31 Ministries. After enduring the discovery of her then-husband's double life, two major abdominal surgeries, and a breast cancer diagnosis, she has devoted her work to helping people heal emotionally and spiritually. Her latest book is *Making Peace with What I Can't Control*.
CONNECT WITH LYSA
Book — Making Peace with What I Can't Control → https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Making+Pea...
Website — Proverbs 31 Ministries → https://proverbs31.org
https://mybloodwork.com
Testing at mybloodwork.com covers some—but not all—of the 25 biomarkers discussed, including critical thyroid and metabolic markers. Consult your primary or functional doctor for the complete list.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
Sunlighten Sauna:
https://get.sunlighten.com/axepodcast
Manukora Manuka Honey:
https://manukora.com/axe
Watch The Dr. Josh Axe Show every Monday and Thursday:
@drjoshaxe
🎧 GET EARLY ACCESS
Spotify:
https://bit.ly/DrJoshAxeSpotify
Apple Podcasts:
https://apple.co/3JDvWcS
Order Heal Your Cells:
https://healyourcellsbook.com
Blood-sugar class:
https://DrAxeDiabetesClass.com
Thyroid class:
https://DrAxeThyroidClass.com
Hormone class:
https://DrAxeHormoneClass.com
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Why Emotional Health Drives Physical Health
1:03 Lysa's Story: Betrayal and a Double Life
3:23 Discovery vs. Disclosure and the Body's Response
4:59 Emergency Surgery and the Hidden Cost of Secrets
6:18 How Emotional Trauma Causes Physical Disease
9:41 When the Connection Finally Clicked for Lysa
14:54 Lies, Labels, and Liabilities You Carry
22:43 The Egg Exercise: Mapping Your Emotional Wounds
27:40 Forgiveness as a Choice to Stop Suffering
34:02 Control vs. Stewardship: A Key Distinction
37:45 Dr. Axe on Carrying Weight That Isn't Yours
42:57 What Boundaries Actually Are and Are Not
44:18 Matching Access to Demonstrated Responsibility
46:08 Saying Yes to One Thing Means Saying No to Another
49:18 Self-Awareness as the Starting Point for Healing
51:05 Lysa's New Book and Where to Find Her Work
CONNECT WITH DR. JOSH AXE
Instagram:
Instagram: drjoshaxe
Facebook:
Facebook: drjoshaxe
TikTok:
TikTok: thedrjoshaxeshow
X:
https://x.com/drjoshaxe
LinkedIn:
LinkedIn: joshaxe
Website:
https://thehealthinstitute.com
Newsletter:
https://bit.ly/4oE9Jf3
Ask Dr. Axe:
https://speakpipe.com/drjoshaxe
CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST — LYSA TERKEURST
Instagram:
Instagram: lysaterkeurst
TikTok (videos about Lysa):
https://www.tiktok.com/discover/lysat...
Facebook:
Facebook: OfficialLysa
YouTube (Proverbs 31 Ministries):
@officialproverbs31ministries
Website:
https://lysaterkeurst.com
DISCLAIMER
This content is strictly the opinion of Dr. Josh Axe and is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or replace advice or treatment from a personal physician. Viewers should consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Axe nor the publisher accepts responsibility for possible health consequences experienced by anyone reading or following this educational content. Anyone taking prescription or over-the-counter medication should consult their physician before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program.
20 Comments
I am SO grateful for this conversation.....I was starting to backslide with my healing.
How Betrayal, Divorce & Trauma Wrecked Her Body — And How She Healed
Dr. Josh Axe
133,681 views
The night before her oldest daughter's rehearsal dinner, Lysa TerKeurst discovered her husband of over two decades had been living a double life. She kept it secret from nearly everyone — and within months, the physical toll became impossible to hide. She collapsed getting out of bed, was rushed to the emergency room, and surgeons removed a significant portion of her colon. When the doctor showed her a picture and asked what had happened to her body, she told him everything was fine.
One year later, almost to the day, she heard the words: you have breast cancer.
In this conversation, Lysa and Dr. Axe talk through how unprocessed emotional trauma shows up in the body, why keeping pain locked inside accelerates physical illness, and what it actually takes to heal — including how to identify the lies you've built your life around, why forgiveness is something you do for yourself, how to set boundaries without pushing people away, and the difference between stewarding your life and trying to control it.
About Lysa TerKeurst:
Lysa TerKeurst is a New York Times bestselling author and the founder of Proverbs 31 Ministries. After enduring the discovery of her then-husband's double life, two major abdominal surgeries, and a breast cancer diagnosis, she has devoted her work to helping people heal emotionally and spiritually. Her latest book is *Making Peace with What I Can't Control*.
CONNECT WITH LYSA
Book — Making Peace with What I Can't Control → https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Making+Pea...
Website — Proverbs 31 Ministries → https://proverbs31.org
https://mybloodwork.com
Testing at mybloodwork.com covers some—but not all—of the 25 biomarkers discussed, including critical thyroid and metabolic markers. Consult your primary or functional doctor for the complete list.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
Sunlighten Sauna:
https://get.sunlighten.com/axepodcast
Manukora Manuka Honey:
https://manukora.com/axe
Watch The Dr. Josh Axe Show every Monday and Thursday:
@drjoshaxe
🎧 GET EARLY ACCESS
Spotify:
https://bit.ly/DrJoshAxeSpotify
Apple Podcasts:
https://apple.co/3JDvWcS
Order Heal Your Cells:
https://healyourcellsbook.com
Blood-sugar class:
https://DrAxeDiabetesClass.com
Thyroid class:
https://DrAxeThyroidClass.com
Hormone class:
https://DrAxeHormoneClass.com
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Why Emotional Health Drives Physical Health
1:03 Lysa's Story: Betrayal and a Double Life
3:23 Discovery vs. Disclosure and the Body's Response
4:59 Emergency Surgery and the Hidden Cost of Secrets
6:18 How Emotional Trauma Causes Physical Disease
9:41 When the Connection Finally Clicked for Lysa
14:54 Lies, Labels, and Liabilities You Carry
22:43 The Egg Exercise: Mapping Your Emotional Wounds
27:40 Forgiveness as a Choice to Stop Suffering
34:02 Control vs. Stewardship: A Key Distinction
37:45 Dr. Axe on Carrying Weight That Isn't Yours
42:57 What Boundaries Actually Are and Are Not
44:18 Matching Access to Demonstrated Responsibility
46:08 Saying Yes to One Thing Means Saying No to Another
49:18 Self-Awareness as the Starting Point for Healing
51:05 Lysa's New Book and Where to Find Her Work
CONNECT WITH DR. JOSH AXE
Instagram:
Instagram: drjoshaxe
Facebook:
Facebook: drjoshaxe
TikTok:
TikTok: thedrjoshaxeshow
X:
https://x.com/drjoshaxe
LinkedIn:
LinkedIn: joshaxe
Website:
https://thehealthinstitute.com
Newsletter:
https://bit.ly/4oE9Jf3
Ask Dr. Axe:
https://speakpipe.com/drjoshaxe
CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST — LYSA TERKEURST
Instagram:
Instagram: lysaterkeurst
TikTok (videos about Lysa):
https://www.tiktok.com/discover/lysat...
Facebook:
Facebook: OfficialLysa
YouTube (Proverbs 31 Ministries):
@officialproverbs31ministries
Website:
https://lysaterkeurst.com
DISCLAIMER
This content is strictly the opinion of Dr. Josh Axe and is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or replace advice or treatment from a personal physician. Viewers should consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Axe nor the publisher accepts responsibility for possible health consequences experienced by anyone reading or following this educational content. Anyone taking prescription or over-the-counter medication should consult their physician before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program.