Women of Impact

You guys know I am obsessed with understanding why we do the things we do, especially the things that get us hurt. And today’s guest is the perfect guide. Dr. Gad Saad is an evolutionary behavioral scientist, professor, bestselling author, and one of the world’s boldest truth-tellers when it comes to the hard science behind jealousy, abuse, attraction, and the dark side of human relationships. If you’ve ever wondered why the “bad boy” draws you in, why jealousy can be so dangerous, or why some relationships escalate into control and even violence, this is the episode you need. Dr. Saad pulls no punches, and you’ll be SHOCKED by how much of your love life can be explained by ancient evolutionary pressures.

In Part 1, we dig deep into the evolutionary truths behind why women are repeatedly drawn to the same red-flag men, why men get so possessive and jealous, and the biological reasons behind dangerous behavior in relationships. Get ready to have your mind blown (and maybe cringe a little) as we unpack child abuse, infidelity, the real meaning of jealousy, red flags to watch for, and why “dangerous” is sometimes so damn attractive.

SHOWNOTES

Why Your Husband Is Statistically the Most Dangerous Person In Your Life

Child Abuse, Step-parents & the Cinderella Effect

The Lion Analogy: Brutal Nature, Brutal Lessons

Different Types of Abuse: Stepmother vs. Stepfather

Why Men Evolved Jealousy & Rage Over Infidelity

Evolutionary Explanations Aren’t Excuses

Lisa’s Story: Taking Ownership After Staying Silent

How to Vet for Jealousy: Traits & Red Flags

Controlling Partners: When Jealousy Becomes Dangerous

Situational vs. Dispositional Jealousy & Fundamental Attribution Error

Opposites Attract? Or “Birds of a Feather”? (What Actually Works)

The Height Rule: Why Almost No Women Pick Shorter Men

What Makes “Alpha” Men So Risky? (From Lions to Epstein)

Ostrich Parasitic Syndrome: Why We Ignore Red Flags

Why Some Women Fall for Predators: Ambition, Gut Instinct, and Dangerous Men

Parental Investment Theory & Women’s “Calibration”

The Fantasy vs. The Reality of Taming Bad Boys

“Mate Value” and Why High-Value Women Don’t Settle for Red Flags

Why High-Status Men Cheat (and What Unlocks Male Power)

What Women Really Want: Social Dominance, Empathy, and the Right Amount of Power

When Power Spills into Abuse

Why Certain Famous Men are Sex Symbols for Some, Not All

The Real-Life “Fifty Shades” and the Power of Arrogance

Sneaky F*cker Strategies: How “Soft Boys” Manipulate Empathy

Serial Killer Tactics: The Wounded Bird Routine

Lisa’s Real-Life Crime Story: Trusting Your Gut, Not Your Empathy

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Follow Dr. Gad Saad

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/GadSaad

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GadSaad

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctorgadsaad/

Book: “The Parasitic Mind” (and pre-order “Suicidal Empathy”)

FOLLOW LISA BILYEU:

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If you’ve ever blamed yourself for someone else’s chaos, or worried that “genius” gives people a hall pass for bad behavior, Part 2 is your game-changer.

In the second half, ex CIA spy Andrew Bustamante and I dive even deeper into the psychological maze of Kanye West. From his infamous Sway interview to his viral Piers Morgan clashes, we dissect the moments that had everyone screaming “Narcissist!”, and reveal why the truth is far more complicated, painful, and urgent for every woman dealing with emotional instability in her world. We dig into the impact of brain injury, bipolar disorder, and why some people never develop the filters that keep their emotions (and outbursts) in check. Most importantly, we talk about what to do when love collides with someone’s untreated (or undiagnosed) mental health struggles, and how to protect yourself when patterns are clear but solutions aren’t.

Here’s how you spot the difference between manipulation and genuine developmental challenge, and why YOU are always your own hero.

SHOWNOTES

“I am the most impactful artist of our generation”—how to decode self-aggrandizement

The Sway interview: repetition, rage, and spectrum behaviors

No eye contact, mic awareness—signs of autistic spectrum

Creative talent meets developmental challenge: Where the myths fall apart

Emotional escalation and de-escalation: The validation pattern

Body language: manufactured confidence, defensive posture, and what’s different (Piers Morgan)

Answering like a child: What the “look at my view” moment really tells us

Cognitive struggle, stalling, and stunted adaptation

Male competition, showmanship, and abrasive deflection

Shifted tone, no aggression, and dissociative energy—possible signs of medication

The letter: Car accident, frontal lobe injury, and newly diagnosed bipolar I

Excuses vs. explanations: What medical trauma DOES and DOESN’T excuse

Shared responsibility: How to protect yourself, love wisely, and make the safest next decision

Thank you to our sponsors:

Cozy Earth: code COZYLISA for 20% off https://cozyearth.com

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Follow Andrew Bustamante:

Website: https://everydayspy.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EverydaySpyPodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everydayspy

Twitter: https://twitter.com/everydayspy

FOLLOW LISA BILYEU:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisabilyeu/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/womenofimpact

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lisa_bilyeu?lang=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisabilyeu
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You know those moments when you’re transfixed by someone’s words, but what’s lurking underneath is screaming for your attention? Or when you wonder, is this person unpredictable out of passion, pain… or something darker?

Today’s episode is the breakdown you didn’t know you needed. I’m joined by Andrew Bustamante, a former CIA spy, elite operations officer, and real-life human lie detector. Together, we analyze the one and only Kanye West (Ye): his outbursts, emotional swings, the public meltdowns. Is Kanye simply a misunderstood creative genius? Dealing with undiagnosed mental health struggles? Or is he, as many headlines have suggested, a classic narcissist? We use real clips, direct transcripts, and Andrew’s expertise in body language and behavioral analysis to pull back the curtain on one of pop culture’s most polarizing figures.

This is your crash course in influence literacy, learning to spot red flags and decode the truth: Whether you’re dealing with a superstar, a partner, or your own inner circle. And trust me, by the end, you will never look at these behaviors the same way.

SHOWNOTES

Outbursts, danger, and childish tantrums—what’s really going on?

Andrew analyzes emotional outbursts vs. creative personality

Is this mental health, narcissism, or something else?

Clues from Kim Kardashian: When personalities change

Chemical imbalance, neurodivergence, and non-physical aggression

Autism spectrum, developmental issues, and family reactions

Validation, childlike reactions, and the power of emotional response

Breakdown: Manipulation vs. intimidation: Narcissist or something deeper?

Medication, hospital visits, and the suppressed self

Kris Jenner’s calm: Recognizing long-term family patterns

Why validation works and how patterns help partners cope

Storming off: The sensory overload escape

Why not all coping mechanisms are intentional

Hollywood, interviews, and new layers of Kanye behavior

Body language breakdown: aggression, openness, confusion

Structured thinking, repetition, and spectrum tells

The man-child trap: Obligation vs. manipulation in relationships

Repetition, grandiose demands, and the difference between narcissistic and developmental thinking

Mimicry, mental stunting, and what disrupted Kanye’s growth

Thank you to our sponsors:

Cozy Earth: code COZYLISA for 20% off https://cozyearth.com

IQ Bar: 20% off and FREE shipping, text LISA to 64000

Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://shopify.com/lisa

HomeServe: Plans start at just $4.99 a month https://homeserve.com

Follow Andrew Bustamante:

Website: https://everydayspy.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EverydaySpyPodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everydayspy

Twitter: https://twitter.com/everydayspy

FOLLOW LISA BILYEU:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisabilyeu/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/womenofimpact

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lisa_bilyeu?lang=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisabilyeu
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You ever get hit with that gut-wrenching moment when your bestie ghosts you for zero reason, or you’re stuck in a toxic group chat that makes Mean Girls look like a Disney movie? Or maybe you’re STILL overanalyzing that friendship you let go of a decade ago and wondering… did I really do the right thing?

Homie, grab your coffee and let’s talk. Because today, it’s just YOU and ME! And we’re getting real about all the juicy, complicated, and heartbreaking friendship dilemmas you sent in for our very first Q&A episode!

I’m peeling back all the layers on friendship breakups, boundaries, frenemy betrayal, toxic family, ghosting, and why trusting yourself is the first step to never abandoning who you really are. If you’ve ever felt alone, confused, stuck, or alone in a room full of “friends”… This is YOUR episode.

And if you love this, smash that follow button, slide into my DMs with your burning questions, and let’s make this the most supportive, unfiltered space on the internet.

SHOWNOTES

When to Let Go Of a Friendship (And How to Know It Was the Right Call)

Setting Boundaries with Toxic In-Laws (or Anyone!)

Getting Ghosted By Your Friend: Surviving Without Blaming (or Losing) Yourself

How to Set Boundaries Without Drowning in Guilt

The Phone-Off Weekend: My Bravest Boundary Move Ever

Dealing With Pushback & Teaching Others to Support Your Needs

Why True Friends Show Up Even When Plans Change

Ending the Cycle of Confusion, Guilt & Second-Guessing

Understanding you can’t “fix” other people—only YOUR response

How to show up strong after betrayal… and still let in the good ones

Thank you, EVERY single one of you, for sending in your most vulnerable questions and stories. You are NOT alone in this!

Want more? Make sure to follow, share your story, and DM me on Instagram! This Q&A series is just getting started.

FOLLOW LISA BILYEU:

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If you’ve ever stared at your phone, rereading a text from a so-called friend and thinking, “Am I crazy, or is she actually sabotaging me?”... Homie, THIS is the brutal-but-liberating episode you need. Part 2 dives HEAD FIRST into the most insidious, covert tactics that female narcissists and manipulators use to keep you confused, isolated, and doubting your own self-worth.

Licensed psychotherapist Dr. Peter Salerno seriously takes us to school on how reputation poisonings, smear campaigns, and performative loyalty can destroy your confidence in ways a bad boyfriend never could. We go deep into survival strategies, how to rebuild your self-trust, spot toxic patterns (even with family. Yes, we go FULL IN on mother-daughter dynamics), and the concrete steps that can get you OUT for good. This part is ALL about healing, reclaiming your reality, and setting unbreakable boundaries.

SHOWNOTES:

How Smear Campaigns Start Before You Even Meet

Golden Child, Scapegoat, and Narcissistic Mothers

Reputation Poisoning—Being Judged Before You Even Walk In

How to Rebuild Your Reality Confidence, Step by Step

Name the Behavior: Why Language Changes EVERYTHING

Spotting the Pattern: Liking or Not, It’s Still There

Accept It Was Intentional: The Truth About Manipulation

How to Validate Your Perceptions & Stop Gaslighting Yourself

Setting Boundaries: Contracting with Yourself for Integrity

First Steps Out: Education, Community & Freedom

Thank you to our sponsors:

Cozy Earth: code COZYLISA for 20% off https://cozyearth.com

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Follow Dr. Peter Salerno:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drpetersalerno

Website: https://www.drpetersalerno.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drpetersalerno

Books: Amazon search “Dr Peter Salerno”

FOLLOW LISA BILYEU:

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YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/womenofimpact⁠

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisabilyeu
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