How are you, really? With the Jeffrey Epstein coverage everywhere, many survivors are feeling triggered, angry, betrayed, and exhausted. The language in the media. The redactions. The victim blaming. The protection of powerful people. It is a reminder of the same power and control dynamics many of you are living through in family court and post separation abuse.

In this episode, I am not breaking down the files or diving into case details. Instead, I am talking about the impact.

Why this coverage hits so hard.
Why systemic betrayal feels personal.
Why it is exhausting to watch people in power protect each other.
And what you can do if you find yourself doomscrolling, dysregulated, or unable to turn it off.

We talk about:

• The harm of language that minimizes abuse
• How power structures silence victims
• Why betrayal from trusted public figures feels destabilizing
• When to limit exposure to media
• How to protect your nervous system
• The two steps that actually matter if we want change
  
  

If you are overwhelmed, you are not weak.
If you are angry, it makes sense.
If you need to turn it off, you are allowed.

Believe survivors.
Hold people accountable.

That is where it starts.

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If you've been looking for a supportive community of women going through the topics we cover, head over to our website to learn more about the Rising Beyond Community. - https://www.risingbeyondpc.com/

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We have been conditioned to be polite over safe. To make others comfortable even when our bodies are signaling danger. To be small, sweet, accommodating.

That conditioning increases risk for women, especially survivors of coercive control. What kept you safer inside an abusive relationship can make you more vulnerable outside of it.

I unpack why love bombing is better understood as grooming. It is not just gifts or grand gestures. It is learning your values and vulnerabilities so they can be used later.

We also talk about:

• Trusting your body’s warning signals
• Seeing trauma responses as data
• Practicing strategic rudeness when something feels off
• Using the broken record approach in communication
• Naming patterns clearly with an ex or even professionals
• Teaching your children discernment instead of forced politeness

Your discomfort matters.
Your instincts matter.
And awareness is the first step in breaking this conditioning for you and your kids.

If this episode brings something up for you, I would love to hear from you.

BOOK: The Gift of Fear: https://a.co/d/0gxTtekZ

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A mother of three is navigating ongoing post-separation abuse from two different ex-partners. After disagreeing with a proposed school and therapist change, her second ex escalated with threats of full custody, weaponizing her trauma history and mental health. Shortly after, her first ex announced a move near the second ex, and she discovered the two men have been communicating.

With limited financial resources, no attorney, and little outside support, she is trying to understand what is happening, how to protect herself and her children, and how to respond without making the situation worse.

This episode explores coordinated coercive tactics, fear-based legal threats, and how protective parents can ground themselves, preserve stability, and respond strategically without escalating conflict.

Questions Answered in This Episode

1. Have you ever seen two abusive ex-partners coordinate or team up, and why does this happen?
   
   
2. How should a protective parent respond when custody threats and mental health accusations are used as leverage after saying no?
   
   
3. What practical steps can you take to protect yourself and your children, especially when you cannot afford an attorney and want to avoid court?

Want your question featured in a future Friday Coaching Corner? Send a short paragraph explaining your situation and 2–3 specific questions to [email protected].

Download the free script guide, Protective Parenting Scripts for Hard Moments: https://mailchi.mp/risingbeyondpc/parentingscripts

Please leave us a review or rating and follow/subscribe to the show. This helps the show get out to more people.

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If you've been looking for a supportive community of women going through the topics we cover, head over to our website to learn more about the Rising Beyond Community. - https://www.risingbeyondpc.com/

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Family court is one of the most overwhelming environments a trauma survivor can face.

For some survivors, the idea of court brings intense anxiety, panic, or shutdown. For others, it feels like a space where they must perform calm and composure at all costs, even when their nervous system is under threat.

What many survivors do not realize is that disability rights may apply in family court, including for conditions like anxiety and PTSD.

In this episode, we begin a grounded, realistic conversation about disability rights in family court, with a specific focus on what survivors with anxiety or PTSD should know before deciding whether to request accommodations.

This episode is not about telling you what you should do.
It is about helping you understand what may be possible, what the risks are, and how to think strategically about access to justice in a system that was not designed with trauma in mind.

Transparency Matters

I want to name this clearly. I am not an expert in disability law or ADA accommodations. In this episode, you are learning alongside me as I share what I have been able to research and understand so far.

This is a starting point, not the end of the conversation. In Part 2, I plan to invite a guest who specializes in disability rights and court access so we can explore this topic more deeply and responsibly, including best practices and real world considerations.

Colorado Court ADA Information

• ADA Frequently Asked Questions
  https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/ada-faq-0
• Request for Accommodation by a Person with a Disability
  https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/request-ada
• Colorado Judicial Department ADA Overview
  https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/ada

Disability Rights Support

• Disability Law Colorado
  https://disabilitylawco.org

Download the free script guide, Protective Parenting Scripts for Hard Moments: https://mailchi.mp/risingbeyondpc/parentingscripts

Please leave us a review or rating and follow/subscribe to the show. This helps the show get out to more people.

If you want to chat more about this topic I would love to continue our conversation over on Instagram! @risingbeyondpc

If you want to support the show you may do so here at, Buy Me A Coffee. Thank you! We love being able to make this information accessible to you and your community.

If you've been looking for a supportive community of women going through the topics we cover, head over to our website to learn more about the Rising Beyond Community. - https://www.risingbeyondpc.com/

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What happens when survivors of domestic violence and coercive control enter family court isn’t just anecdotal — it’s documented, researched, and deeply concerning.

In this episode of The Rising Beyond Podcast, Sybil is joined by Joan S. Meier, Professor of Clinical Law at George Washington University Law School and founder of the National Family Violence Law Center, and Danielle Pollack, Policy Manager at the Center, to unpack what decades of research and policy work reveal about how family courts respond to abuse allegations — and why so many protective parents feel disbelieved, punished, or silenced.

Together, they explore how concepts like parental alienation are frequently weaponized against survivors, how unregulated reunification programs put children at risk, and what policy efforts like Kayden’s Law are doing to change the system. This conversation also speaks directly to therapists, advocates, and professionals, offering insight into how research can inform ethical practice, advocacy, and trauma-informed testimony.

NSPO: https://www.nationalsafeparents.org/ 

About the Guests

Joan S. Meier
Professor of Clinical Law at George Washington University Law School and founder of the National Family Violence Law Center. Joan is a leading national expert on domestic violence, child abuse, and family court outcomes, and the lead author of the landmark study examining how courts respond to abuse allegations in custody cases.

Website: https://www.nfvlc.org/

Danielle Pollack
Policy Manager at the National Family Violence Law Center. Danielle works at the intersection of research and legislation, helping states adopt laws that better protect children and survivors, including implementation efforts related to Kayden’s Law. She also supports survivor-led advocacy through the National Safe Parents Organization (NSPO).

Join me on February 18th at 12pm MST for the Parenting to Combat Coercive Control Live Workshop for protective moms focused on protecting and repairing the parent–child relationship: https://mailchi.mp/risingbeyondpc/coercive-control

Please leave us a review or rating and follow/subscribe to the show. This helps the show get out to more people.

If you want to chat more about this topic I would love to continue our conversation over on Instagram! @risingbeyondpc

If you want to support the show you may do so here at, Buy Me A Coffee. Thank you! We love being able to make this information accessible to you and your community.

If you've been looking for a supportive community of women going through the topics we cover, head over to our website to learn more about the Rising Beyond Community. - https://www.risingbeyondpc.com/

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What happens when one parent leans on a child emotionally and you are determined not to do the same?

Many protective parents notice it quietly at first.
Their child starts worrying about the other parent.
They feel responsible for adult emotions.
They try to comfort, reassure, or stabilize situations that are far beyond their role.

And when you are isolated, overwhelmed, or under constant pressure, the temptation to lean back can feel very real.

In this episode, Sybil explores why children are so often pulled into adult emotional roles after abuse, separation, or high conflict co parenting and why resisting that pull is one of the most protective parenting choices you can make.

This episode is not about shaming parents who are struggling.
It is about understanding impact, preserving family hierarchy, and keeping children emotionally safe even when the other parent does not.

Links to episodes mentioned: 

Episode 56: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-56-start-healing-from-moral-injury-with-guest-dr/id1633920067?i=1000621633927

Episode 50: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-50-how-narcissistic-abuse-leads-to-moral-injury/id1633920067?i=1000616005777

Parenting to Combat Coercive Control Live Workshop, Feb 18th 2026: https://mailchi.mp/risingbeyondpc/coercive-control 

Download the free script guide, Protective Parenting Scripts for Hard Moments: https://mailchi.mp/risingbeyondpc/parentingscripts

Please leave us a review or rating and follow/subscribe to the show. This helps the show get out to more people.

If you want to chat more about this topic I would love to continue our conversation over on Instagram! @risingbeyondpc

If you want to support the show you may do so here at, Buy Me A Coffee. Thank you! We love being able to make this information accessible to you and your community.

If you've been looking for a supportive community of women going through the topics we cover, head over to our website to learn more about the Rising Beyond Community. - https://www.risingbeyondpc.com/

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Parenting plans, mediation, and negotiations are some of the most stressful parts of divorce — especially when abuse, coercive control, or high conflict are involved.

In this episode of The Rising Beyond Podcast, Sybil is joined by Laura, a family law mediator and co-parenting coach, to unpack what mediation can look like when it is truly child-centered and trauma-informed — and when it isn’t.

Laura brings years of experience mediating high-conflict parenting cases involving domestic violence, substance use, and power imbalances. Together, they explore how mediation can either reinforce harm or become a place where autonomy, safety, and children’s real needs are finally centered.

This conversation is especially helpful for protective parents who feel trapped by cookie-cutter parenting plans, fear retaliation for speaking up, or are being pressured to “just agree” for the sake of the court.

In This Episode, We Discuss

• Why mediation often feels re-traumatizing for survivors — and how it can be done differently
• The importance of autonomy after coercive control
• Why “getting to agreement” is not the same as creating a safe parenting plan
• How documenting only the bad can distort negotiations

Laura Lorber is an MC3 Certified Mediator, Certified Co-Parenting Specialist, and Program for Infant-Toddler Care (PITC) Fellow. She brings a deeply reflective and facilitative approach to complex family matters, including high-conflict co-parenting, interpersonal violence, and elder care. Laura’s evolving theory of mediation centers on the idea that every conflict offers a chance to model and teach — giving families a lasting legacy of learning to navigate challenges with understanding, resilience, and care for future generations.

Connect with Laura:
Website: www.lauralorberjd.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauramlorber/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lmlorber/

Join me on February 18th at 12pm MST for the Parenting to Combat Coercive Control Live Workshop for protective moms focused on protecting and repairing the parent–child relationship: https://mailchi.mp/risingbeyondpc/coercive-control

Please leave us a review or rating and follow/subscribe to the show. This helps the show get out to more people.

If you want to chat more about this topic I would love to continue our conversation over on Instagram! @risingbeyondpc

If you want to support the show you may do so here at, Buy Me A Coffee. Thank you! We love being able to make this information accessible to you and your community.

If you've been looking for a supportive community of women going through the topics we cover, head over to our website to learn more about the Rising Beyond Community. - https://www.risingbeyondpc.com/

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In this Friday Coaching Corner, Sybil responds to a protective mother navigating ongoing post-separation abuse involving her highly gifted, autistic teenager. The abusive co-parent has repeatedly pulled the child into adult financial and legal conflicts, framing the protective parent as the cause of manufactured crises and positioning himself as the victim and rescuer.

Over time, the child has become increasingly aligned with the abusive parent — repeating legal language, expressing contempt toward court-ordered support, rejecting care from the protective parent, and threatening legal consequences when demands aren’t met. This episode explores what happens when a child is placed in an impossible loyalty bind and the emotional toll this takes on both the child and the protective parent.

Questions Answered in This Episode

• How do you respond when your child has been weaponized against you and genuinely believes the abusive parent’s narrative?
• How can a protective parent hold boundaries when their child uses legal threats, contempt, or adult language learned from the abusive parent?
• What does staying connected look like when your child is rejecting you to remain loyal to the abusive parent?
• How can protective parents grieve the loss of connection without collapsing, over-explaining, or losing themselves in the process?

Want your question featured in a future Friday Coaching Corner? Send a short paragraph explaining your situation and 2–3 specific questions to [email protected].

Join me on February 18th at 12pm MST for the Parenting to Combat Coercive Control Live Workshop for protective moms focused on protecting and repairing the parent–child relationship: https://mailchi.mp/risingbeyondpc/coercive-control

Please leave us a review or rating and follow/subscribe to the show. This helps the show get out to more people.

If you want to chat more about this topic I would love to continue our conversation over on Instagram! @risingbeyondpc

If you want to support the show you may do so here at, Buy Me A Coffee. Thank you! We love being able to make this information accessible to you and your community.

If you've been looking for a supportive community of women going through the topics we cover, head over to our website to learn more about the Rising Beyond Community. - https://www.risingbeyondpc.com/

Where to find more from Rising Beyond:
Rising Beyond Facebook
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If you're interested in guesting on the show please fill out this form - https://forms.gle/CSvLWWyZxmJ8GGQu7

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• ...

Custody evaluations tend to bring up two very different reactions for survivors.

For some, the idea of an evaluation is terrifying, especially if they have heard stories about how much power evaluators hold and how often survivors feel misunderstood or mischaracterized.

For others, a custody evaluation feels like hope. It can feel like the moment they will finally be seen, believed, or taken seriously after months or years of being dismissed.

Both reactions make sense.

In this episode, we break down what custody evaluators are actually supposed to assess, where the process often breaks down, especially in cases involving coercive control or post-separation abuse, and what options survivors may have if the evaluation does not reflect their reality.

This episode is not meant to scare you or tell you to expect the worst.
It is about understanding the process well enough to reduce surprises and protect yourself emotionally and strategically.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Rocks in a Jar technique: https://youtu.be/ibqemrMJe2w (If you're short on time, scroll to 10:30 in the video)
• Project Justice USA: https://www.projectjusticeusa.com/

Join me on February 18th at 12pm MST for the Parenting to Combat Coercive Control Live Workshop for protective moms focused on protecting and repairing the parent–child relationship: https://mailchi.mp/risingbeyondpc/coercive-control

Please leave us a review or rating and follow/subscribe to the show. This helps the show get out to more people.

If you want to chat more about this topic I would love to continue our conversation over on Instagram! @risingbeyondpc

If you want to support the show you may do so here at, Buy Me A Coffee. Thank you! We love being able to make this information accessible to you and your community.

If you've been looking for a supportive community of women going through the topics we cover, head over to our website to learn more about the Rising Beyond Community. - https://www.risingbeyondpc.com/

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Rising Beyond Facebook
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Should you keep trying to repair a relationship, or is it time to walk away? If you’ve found yourself repeatedly questioning the level of toxicity in your relationships — with a parent, sibling, friend, or even a new romantic partner — this episode will help you sort through the tug of war inside your body and mind.

For many survivors of narcissistic abuse, the end of an abusive marriage doesn’t magically clarify all of the other relationships in your life. Instead, it often brings more confusion. You may start noticing behaviors you once excused, feeling drained after interactions, or wondering whether you are seeing red flags or simply overreacting because of your trauma history. And when you’re already carrying the emotional weight of post-separation abuse and rebuilding your life, the question “Should I mend this relationship or should I go?” can feel overwhelming.

To help bring clarity, I sit down with Kate King, LPC, who offers a grounded framework for checking in with your authentic self to decide whether a relationship can be repaired with boundaries or whether it’s healthier — and safer — to step away. We talk about:

• What your nervous system is trying to tell you about a relationship
• How your trauma history influences the way you assess safety
• What repair actually looks like in healthy relationships
• The signs that it may be time to move on
• How to begin healing through the body, not just the mind

Kate also shares insights from her upcoming book, Mend or Move On: A Guide to Healing or Leaving Toxic Relationships (coming January 2026), including how survivors can use it to navigate these complex decisions with more confidence and compassion.

If you’re wrestling with whether to give someone another chance, set firmer boundaries, or let go completely, this conversation offers clarity, direction, and deep validation.

Connect with Kate:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theradiantlifeproject
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@TheRadiantLifeProject 

Please leave us a review or rating and follow/subscribe to the show. This helps the show get out to more people.

If you want to chat more about this topic I would love to continue our conversation over on Instagram! @risingbeyondpc

If you want to support the show you may do so here at, Buy Me A Coffee. Thank you! We love being able to make this information accessible to you and your community.

If you've been looking for a supportive community of women going through the topics we cover, head over to our website to learn more about the Rising Beyond Community. - https://www.risingbeyondpc.com/

Where to find more from Rising Beyond:
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If you're interested in guesting on the show please fill out this form - https://forms.gle/CSvLWWyZxmJ8GGQu7

Enjoy some of our freebies!

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• Mic Drop Moments Freebie
• ...