ep 12 – Seven Years in Hiding: A Woman’s Journey from Shame to Truth
This week I had the pleasure of meeting Kristina Joy - a devoted Christian wife and mother, until the secret she carried for seven years forced her to face everything she believed about love, faith, and herself.
In this conversation, Kristina shares the story she once swore she’d never say out loud, the affair that became both her deepest shame and her greatest awakening.
We speak about the loneliness that hides inside “goodness,” the pressure to be the perfect woman, and how religious conditioning can separate us from our own desires. We explore what happens when your body remembers what your beliefs taught you to forget, and how honesty, rather than punishment, becomes the way home.
If you’ve ever whispered “I can’t believe I did this,” this episode will remind you that you are not alone, and that your past is not your downfall, it’s your portal home.
In this episode we explore:
The emotional disconnection that began long before the affair
How silence and shame keep women living double lives
The “good girl” mask and the repression of desire
Confession, forgiveness, and finding safety in truth
Why honesty, not morality, is what heals
Resources & Links:
Kristina Joy is a Christian coach and host of the Intimacy After Infidelity podcast. Once trapped in cycles of shame and self-sabotage, she experienced deep healing and freedom and now empowers other women to do the same. Her work helps women cut the cord to the past, move forward in confidence, and find joy beyond what they thought was possible.
Learn more at: www.kristinajoycoaching.com
Follow Kristina on Instagram: @kristinajoycoaching
✨ If this episode speaks to you and you want to explore these patterns in a safe, guided space, join me for the next Softening Session – a 90-minute healing circle for women navigating the shame and confusion after infidelity: www.alexcroxford.com/softening-sessions
📲 Instagram: @iamalexcroxford
🌐 Website: www.alexcroxford.com
