Better Because Of It: Stories of Heartbreak, Healing, and Growth

A relationship expert, Mark Groves had to confront the fact that he was abandoning himself in pursuit of his partner. She the distancer, he the chaser, he realized he was not living in his truth. Through the excruciating yet liberating process of ending things, they were both able to heal separately and came back together in more awakened and evolved versions of themselves.

Jennifer Rollin and her ex fell hard for each other, saying “I love you” a month into the relationship. But before long, she was feeling controlled and criticized, and chose to end things. Being the one who left, she thought she’d be okay… but she was not prepared for the heartbreak that comes along with being the instigator of a breakup.

Dr. Jackie Walters should write the book on resilience. From miscarriage to infertility to cancer that left her ineligible for pursuing adoption, her heartbreak has extended far beyond the romantic kind. But when she found out her husband was cheating in a very public way, she had to navigate deciding whether or not to take him back – and how to heal her heart and relationship on national television.

John Kim was excited to get out of the friend zone with his romantic interest after a drunken birthday kiss. A fellow seeker, they enjoyed creating personal development content and exploring sexual boundaries. But a miscommunication led to a breakup which led to John jumping into another relationship… and messiness ensued.

Jessica Powell met her ex at a silent meditation retreat. Before they’d even exchanged words, it was clear there was a magnetic connection and it was a blissful whirlwind but things never felt quite right. In the middle their 3 year on-again-off-again relationship Jess spent a year healing from Complex PTSD from childhood abuse and the more she healed the more she realized she was perpetuating her fathers abuse cycle, this time with a covert narcissist.

Bea Arthur found her tall, British, well-endowed boyfriend on Tinder. At first, he was attentive, generous, and consistent. When her company failed and she got evicted, he was there...until he wasn’t. She eventually healed from the on-again, off-again relationship in an unconventional way: a “white-boy slave.” 

Peter Katz married his college sweetheart. After witnessing his parents’ painful divorce as a child, he was determined to avoid the same fate. And for ten years, he and his wife were best friends in love… until she told him she’d fallen for someone else. His worst fear realized, he made the commitment to “come out on the other side of this like more able to love, wiser.”

Charity Gonzalez thought she’d met the man of her dreams. He was a successful tech entrepreneur with a penthouse apartment. From Cartier bracelets to private islands to paying to have her eggs frozen, everything was perfect – until she got “parked” (blocked) every time he was interested in dating other women. The toxic cycle finally ended after 6 years, but the healing didn’t begin until she watched him run the same playbook… on The Real Housewives of New York.