The Mental Healness Podcast

In one of the most powerful and emotional episodes of the Mental Healness Podcast, host Lee Hammock sits down with survivor and creator Tonya, widely known as Burned Beauty 2018. Tonya shares her deeply moving story of surviving a 15-year toxic relationship that escalated to the unthinkable: being intentionally doused in lighter fluid and set on fire by her husband.
Tonya opens up about enduring 3rd and 4th-degree burns over 35% of her body, surviving a two-month coma, and waking up to immediate manipulation and calculated cover-ups. She walks us through the hidden warning signs that preceded the attack, how toxic partners weaponize empathy and isolation, and the reality of reactive abuse and smear campaigns.
Today, Tonya is a living testament to resilience, inner strength, and true transformation. From extensive reconstructive surgeries to building a thriving online platform that inspires survivors worldwide, her journey proves that your past does not define your future.

"I've seen a monster, and he didn't have any scars. You don't need closure, it wasn't physical until it was."

Instagram: @burnedbeauty2018

TikTok: @burnedbeauty2018

YouTube: @burnedbeauty2018

Facebook: Burned Beauty 2018

The early red flags and gradual escalation inside a 15-year toxic marriage

The night of the fire pit incident and surviving critical burns

Waking from a 2-month coma to immediate love-bombing and false narratives

How emotional manipulators play the victim and stage cover-ups

Understanding reactive abuse and overcoming legal manipulation

Rebuilding identity, self-worth, and finding true empowerment after trauma

🔗 Connect with Tonya (Burned Beauty 2018):💬

Can you heal while you are still in a relationship with a narcissist, toxic partner, or emotionally unsafe person? In this video, Lee Hammock explains the difference between surviving, coping, and genuinely healing while the harmful relationship dynamic is still active. Learn how trauma bonds, manipulation, gaslighting, broken boundaries, and constant emotional stress can interfere with recovery.
Book a Coaching Session: [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://link.me/mentalhealness⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠]🔥
My Books: [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://a.co/d/2WNtdKJ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠]
🎙 Listen to the Mental Healness Podcast: [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@mentalhealnesspodcast?si=AVcJfHa16HZReqHL⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠]

Diagnosed narcissist Lee Hammock explains why narcissistic, toxic, or abusive partners rarely change, even when they promise therapy, growth, or a fresh start. I break down front-loading and love bombing, why rewarded behavior never stops, and why hoping they'll improve keeps survivors stuck in narcissistic paralysis. I also share my own rock-bottom story and explains why change only happens when someone is internally motivated, not for another person.

This video is meant to empower survivors to release false hope and focus on their own healing journey. Find more resources and coaching at Lee’s website linked in the description.

Book a Coaching Session: [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://link.me/mentalhealness⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠]🔥
My Books: [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://a.co/d/2WNtdKJ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠]
🎙 Listen to the Mental Healness Podcast: [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@mentalhealnesspodcast?si=AVcJfHa16HZReqHL⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠]

Why do narcissists get angry when you move on even if they cheated, left, or appear happy in a new relationship? In this video, Lee Hammock explains how ego, jealousy, control, narcissistic rage, and the need to maintain the upper hand can fuel that reaction. You’ll learn why some toxic exes lash out, interfere with new relationships, or suddenly love-bomb a new partner after seeing you happy.

This discussion also makes an important distinction: legitimate concerns about a new partner’s safety are different from controlling, jealous behavior. If you are healing from narcissistic abuse, protecting your peace and moving forward matters.
Book a Coaching Session: [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://link.me/mentalhealness⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠]🔥
My Books: [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://a.co/d/2WNtdKJ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠]
🎙 Listen to the Mental Healness Podcast: [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@mentalhealnesspodcast?si=AVcJfHa16HZReqHL⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠]

What does a narcissist really think when you are trauma bonded to them and cannot let them go? As a clinically diagnosed, self-aware narcissist, I explain why they may not care about your trauma bond, but can still take full advantage of it through repeated forgiveness, access, attention, sex, money, and control. We’ll talk about why asking them to block you usually does not work, why they may intentionally deepen the attachment, and how they can use your desperate reactions to make you look like the problem. If you know logically that this toxic person is hurting you but still feel addicted to them, you are not alone, but breaking the trauma bond is a step you have to take for yourself. The narcissist may love that you’re stuck, but that does not mean they love you.

Book a Coaching Session: [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://link.me/mentalhealness⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠]🔥
My Books: [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://a.co/d/2WNtdKJ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠]
🎙 Listen to the Mental Healness Podcast: [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@mentalhealnesspodcast?si=AVcJfHa16HZReqHL⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠]