14. Loving Recklessly: What We Find After Our First Heartbreak
Welcome everyone to episode 14! In this episode, Cristina and Jon dive into the raw, unforgettable experience of first love and the heartbreak that often follows. They unpack why that initial connection can feel so intense, all-consuming, and sometimes even reckless, pushing us to act in ways we never expected. Together, they explore the deep emotional pain that heartbreak leaves behind, how it can harden us or shape the way we show up in future relationships, and the protective walls we buil...
8 Apr 2026
13. How to Stay In a Relationship Without the Need to Control
Welcome back to Beyond the Darkness, episode 13! (I can't believe we're here) 🎉 In this episode, Jon and Cristina get honest about what it really takes to stay in a relationship when love gets tested by fear, differences, and the need to control what we cannot control. So often, we think control will give us peace, but in reality, it usually creates more distance, more tension, and less freedom for both people. This conversation is about learning how to love in a way that feels safe, honest, ...
10 Mar 2026
12. When Love Gets Hard: How to Handle Relationship Challenges
When love feels heavy, confusing, or just plain hard, most of us slip into survival mode—shutting down, lashing out, or pretending everything is “fine.” In this episode, Jon and Cristina talk honestly about what to do when connection feels out of reach, the same arguments keep looping, or you’re questioning how much more you can give. You’ll learn simple, practical ways to regulate your nervous system in the middle of conflict, communicate your needs without starting a war, and tell the diffe...
23 Feb 2026
11. Beyond Reaction: How to Live Without Being Dominated By Emotions
In this episode, Cristy and Jon get real about what it means to feel your emotions without letting them take over. They open up about how easy it is to react out of fear, anger, or hurt, and how choosing to pause, and respond from truth can change everything. This talk isn’t about ignoring your feelings or staying “positive.” It’s about learning to sit with your emotions, understand who you are, and move through relationships with honesty and security. If you’ve ever felt stuck in a cycle of ...
7 Feb 2026
10. Becoming Who You Are: The Fear and Freedom of Breaking Expectations
They’re back 🎉 Starting 2026 strong! In this week’s tenth episode, Jon and Cristy open up about what it really takes to break free from familial expectations and choose your own path...even when fear shows up every step of the way. Why is it so hard to step away from what’s “expected” of us and choose the life that truly feels honest? This week, Jon and Cristy open up about their personal experiences, sharing how fear was constant as they began owning their unique journeys, moving away from w...
28 May 2025
9. I Am Not What Happened to Me: Discovering My Identity Beyond The Suffering
Chris revisits the podcast to explore detaching one's identity from past suffering, revealing the potential for self-discovery beyond painful experiences in this interview episode.
30 Apr 2025
8. Our Relationship With Change: What Are You Afraid to Leave Behind?
Welcome back to Beyond the Darkness! In this episode, Cristy and Jon discuss change and what it asks of us. Often more than we feel ready to give. In this episode, they share personal stories and unique perspectives on the fear that lives quietly beneath transition, uncertainty, and growth. It’s the fear that whispers, stay where it’s safe, even when something deeper within us knows we’re being called to make the change and move forward. Together, they unpack why discomfort shows up when we’r...
30 Mar 2025
7. Chasing Love in the Wrong Places: Understanding Emotional Unavailability
In this week’s seventh episode, Jon and Cristina dove into the complex and often confusing attraction to emotionally unavailable people. Why do we sometimes find ourselves drawn to people who are distant, closed off, or incapable of offering the emotional connection we crave? Is it a pattern rooted in past experiences, or are we simply wired to chase what we can't have? Welcome BACK to the Beyond the Darkness podcast. My name Is Cristina and I am your host alongside my dear friend Jon. Jon an...
23 Aug 2024
6. From Addiction to Finding a New Way of Life: The Journey of Transformation
Welcome back to Beyond the Darkness- Episode 6!Chris joined us this week and what an unbelievable story he shares. He talked about his childhood, the cycle of suffering from addiction, how he came to believe in God and the journey to complete transformation. This is a very special episode and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did!If you are in need of a mental health provider:Talk with a NAMI HelpLine Specialist, please call 800-950-NAMI (6264). The NAMI HelpLine is a free, nationwide peer-s...
10 Jul 2024
5. Owning The Way We Show Up In Relationships: How Can We Go From Toxic To Healthy Relationships?
Jon is BACK and we're so excited!!
Wow- this conversation was filled with so much vulnerability and wisdom on all the ways we can start being better and healthier in relationships.
Jon and Cristy sat down for almost an hour and talked about their experience with being willing to own up to their side of the street in ALL relationships. They were honest about the not-so-proud moments and how they started making long-lasting changes and experiencing a complete transformation for the better.
Sit back and enjoy this special show!
We would love to hear from you! Feel free to share your experience in the comment section, leave a review, and most importantly, THANK YOU for being part of this crazy, and a little scary, fun journey!
30 May 2024
4. The Power Of Forgiveness: Who Are We Underneath The Pain?
Welcome back, everyone! You’re listening to Beyond the Darkness.
Have you ever asked yourself, who am I? What is my identity? Why do I need to forgive someone when I don't want to? Could I change my past?
Javi and Cristy got together and talked about the power of forgiveness, and how it brings us closer to understanding who we are.
They dove deep into explaining how everyone can actually change their past and create a life worth living.
Sit back and enjoy the show!
We would love to hear from you! Feel free to share your experience in the comment section and thank you for being a part of this crazy, a little scary, and fun new journey!
19 Apr 2024
3. Processing Grief: How Do We Work Through Losing Someone We Love?
Who teaches us how to process grief and loss? What do we say when someone we know loses someone they love?
In this week's episode, Cristina and Jon share about their process after losing their grandmother. Jon also shares about losing his mom and what he had to work through to overcome the pain. They speak on the anger and guilt that comes up the moment they hear their loved one has passed and what they wish people knew about loss and grief.
We would love to hear from you. How did you wish someone consoled you in the beginning stages of grief? How do you process emotions and pain when thinking about someone close that you have lost? Share in the comment section.
27 Mar 2024
2. Intimacy in Relationships: How To Discover The Secret Language Of Real Connection
How can we improve our relationships? How can we go from being reactive, selfish, and dishonest to a more understanding, authentic, and honest dynamic?
In this week's episode, Jon and Cristy talk about the beginning stages of breaking out of unhealthy relationships. They share their personal experience on why they stayed and the process of developing authentic, meaningful, and fulfilling relationships.
Through their share, you'll hopefully gain hope and discover the "why" behind unhealthy patterns and how to choose a safe relationship where intimacy and vulnerable connection are celebrated.
Please share your own experience and how you can relate to their share in the comment section below!
Sit back, get some popcorn, and enjoy!
20 Mar 2024
1. Introducing Beyond The Darkness: How to Break From The Cycle Of Suffering
Have you ever felt like you’re stuck in the cycle of suffering, feeling controlled by your emotions, questioning your purpose in life, not knowing who you really are, and unable to be free from debilitating anxiety?
Well, you are in the right place. Welcome to Beyond the Darkness podcast. My name Is Cristina and I am your host alongside my dear friend Jon.
In this week’s first episode, Jon and I got together to talk about what Beyond the Darkness means to us, and why we get stuck in the cycle of suffering. We shared personal life experiences to hopefully help you not feel alone on this sometimes, very confusing and overwhelming journey.
Sit back, get some popcorn, and enjoy our very vulnerable, real, and raw conversation.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
8 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 9 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
6
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
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