How do you communicate with someone who continues to abuse you post separation?

I cannot stress how important it is to learn how to communicate with your “high conflict” co-parent in ways that will protect you and your mental health in order to better protect your children.

In this episode I talk with Jill Kaufman about how she supports those going through a “high conflict” divorce and post separation abuse find peace in their lives while also having to communicate with their coparent about their children.  We discuss the pitfalls that many survivors fall into, how to pick your battles, and how to stop taking everything said personally to protect your peace.

Jill Kaufman is a Therapist, Divorce Coach, Mediator & Co-parenting Expert. After going through her own difficult divorce, she made it her life’s mission to help others not have it so tough. Her book, online course and transformative group coaching program help parents navigate the overwhelming process of divorce both emotionally and strategically with less stress, more confidence and a greater sense of peace. 

Connect with Jill:

• Website: www.divorcecoachjill.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divorcecoachjill/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jill.kaufman.353, https://www.facebook.com/groups/separationanddivorcesupportcommunity

If you are struggling with communicating with your ex, Rising Beyond Power and Control offers many resources including our Canned Responses that can help when you just can’t find the words.

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

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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 can feel like it’s designed to wear you down. The long waits, the unpredictability, the endless back-and-forth with your ex — it can seem impossible to get through without breaking.

But what if you didn’t have to let court define you?

In this episode, Sybil shares how survivors can walk through family court with steadiness and strength. Instead of waiting for one big “final win,” you’ll learn how to find momentum in small victories, focus your energy where it counts, and adopt key mindset shifts that protect your well-being along the way.

You’ll hear about:

• Small wins that matter — how to recognize progress in the middle of a long battle.
• Control vs. no control — a practical way to separate what deserves your energy from what doesn’t.
• Mindset shifts that sustain you, including:
  • Court is a chapter, not your whole story.
  • Your strength is not defined by the outcome.
  • Preparation is power.
  • The courtroom doesn’t define your parenting.
  • Endurance over perfection.
  • Anchoring in values when the process feels chaotic.

Court is difficult — but with these strategies, it doesn’t have to break you.

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

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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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In this week’s Friday Coaching Corner, I respond to a listener who’s six years post–custody loss and doing her best to stay connected with her teen daughter—while being accused of crossing boundaries and “embarrassing” her.

This mom wonders: “Am I doing okay? Or am I being walked over by my child and my ex?”

It’s a question many protective parents ask themselves when trying to balance compassion, boundaries, and the constant pressure to appear “perfect” under the court’s microscope.

In this episode, I explore:

• What it means to show unconditional love without losing your footing.
• How to reframe communication to focus on love, connection, and curiosity instead of control.
• The difference between compassionate boundaries and compliance.
• How to handle teens who use “therapy language” to push back or deflect.
• Why you can (and should) stop caring what outsiders think.
• Hope for parents who’ve lost time with their kids—how consistent, grounded love can bring them back in the long run.

This episode is for every parent who’s been told they’re “too soft,” when in reality, they’re showing incredible restraint and resilience in the face of impossible systems and emotionally complex parenting.

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].

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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Walking into family court is intimidating enough — and then your ex smirks, rolls their eyes, or drops a lie designed to rattle you. On top of that, opposing counsel may throw you questions that feel like traps or come out of nowhere.

In this episode, Sybil breaks down how to keep your composure in court when your ex tries to provoke you, and how to handle curveball questions during cross-examination.

You’ll learn:

• Why abusers use provocation in court and how judges often notice your reaction more than the provocation itself.
• Simple emotional defense strategies — like the “poker face,” grounding tools, and focusing only on the judge.
• The most common types of curveball questions attorneys ask (from vague to rapid-fire) and how to respond without being trapped.
• Practical scripts for redirecting with calm and keeping the focus on your child’s needs.

These strategies don’t make court easy — but they can help you feel steady, credible, and prepared in a system that often feels stacked against you.

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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• ...

Family court is often the last place survivors expect to or actually find safety, yet for so many, it’s where their battle continues. What if we could do something to change that?

I’m talking with Jill Montes and Dr. Ramona Probasco from the Healing While Living Free Foundation to talk about the systemic failures of family court, why survivors often lose their voice in the process, and what can actually be done to shift things, starting with training attorneys.

Together, we dive into:

• Why family court isn’t designed for abuse cases and how survivors end up at a disadvantage from the start.
• How abusers present in court vs. how survivors show up in trauma—and why courts often misinterpret both.
• The dangerous myths that persist, like “mutual abuse” or “false reporting,” and how they harm protective parents.
• Their new resource for attorneys and judges: practical do’s and don’ts to represent survivors safely and effectively.
• The role of “super traits” like empathy and loyalty that make survivors vulnerable to abuse—and how to reclaim them as strengths.
• Why training attorneys now matters for the future of family court.

We share with full honesty, lived experience, and hope for change. If you’re navigating family court or supporting someone who is, you’ll walk away with clarity, validation, and concrete ideas for next steps.

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 week’s Friday Coaching Corner, I respond to a heartbreaking listener story that highlights just how overwhelming it can feel to keep fighting for your child when the family court system and even your own attorney seem to be standing in the way.

This listener’s ex-partner is refusing to comply with the court order requiring their child to participate in family therapy, therapy that could be covered by Medicaid, while continuing to manipulate both the child and the process. The result is devastating: a protective parent with only a weekly phone call and a mountain of grief, legal obstacles, and financial strain.

Questions Answered in this Episode:

• How to use the exact language in your court order to advocate for family therapy.
• The difference between family therapy and reunification therapy (and why it matters for insurance coverage).
• Practical steps for documenting refusals and setting up a motion to compel, rather than just contempt proceedings.
• Strategies for getting your unresponsive attorney to act, including how to organize your communications using the Rocks in a Jar method.
• Where to turn for ADA accommodation requests or grievances in Colorado.
• Speaking to the grief of being kept from your child—and why your early bond still matters.

This is a tough but important conversation. If you’ve ever felt like you’re carrying the whole burden of advocacy while the system lets you down, I hope you find both validation and practical direction here.

Referred Links:
Rocks in a Jar video - https://www.canva.com/design/DAGv_UPUPeA/aGbiC6yT5hNhbsoevU-cQQ/edit
Project Justice USA Survey - https://www.projectjusticeusa.com/

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 you bring a passionate male advocate for survivors of domestic violence into a space that’s usually led by women? That’s what we're doing in this episode!

I talk with Michael, a rare but powerful male voice in this movement, to talk about the complexities of abuse, how children really experience it, and what it looks like for men to step into prevention and healing work.

Together, we cover:

• An unexpected start: How a “mess around job” at a domestic violence shelter shifted Michael’s path and purpose.
• Kids always know: Why children absorb far more than we think when abuse is happening at home.
• The gender gap: What keeps men out of advocacy spaces—and what could change that.
• Breaking cycles: Michael’s stories from working with boys and men, and how change actually happens.
• Parenting through it: How survivors can support their children in building healthy relationships and identities.
• The role of women: What’s yours to carry, and what isn’t, when it comes to men’s healing.

This conversation is honest, challenging, and full of hope. If you’ve ever wondered how to raise compassionate boys, how to include men in real culture change, or how to support your kids after abuse, this is one you won’t want to miss.

Michael Brasher, PhD, PCIC is a men's coach, researcher, and author working at the intersection of public health, gender, and racial justice. He helps men and boys unlearn toxic conditioning to build safe, equitable relationships with women, and engages them as allies in ending gender-based violence. His work focuses on the socialization of masculinity as a public health issue, with a research emphasis on domestic violence and anti-Blackness.

Connect with Michael:

• Is Your Partner a Robot? Take the free quiz: https://michael-odkf51tb.scoreapp.com/
• Free Healthy Masculinity Men’s Monthly Talking Circle: https://michael-uwrnhoyd.scoreapp.com
• Social Media: @lifeunboundcoaching
• Book some time with Me: https://dot.cards/michaelbrasher

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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When it comes to domestic violence and coercive control, the systems we rely on to protect children are often looking at the wrong thing.

Instead of assessing for patterns like, long-term, consistent dynamics of fear, control, and power imbalances, many custody decisions are still made based on isolated incidents. And that’s a huge problem.

In this solo episode, I’m sharing why we need a major shift in how we assess safety, parenting, attachment, and the best interests of the child, and how a pattern-based approach can more accurately reflect the lived experience of survivors and their children.

We’ll talk about:

• Why coercive control often doesn’t show up in isolated “incidents”
• How this outdated model fails kids in custody evaluations
• Why it can take months or even a year for a child to feel safe enough to reveal the full picture in therapy
• The dangers of assuming we can determine a child’s best interest after two brief sessions with an evaluator

Whether you're a survivor navigating the family court system or a professional working in this space, this episode offers clarity and validation, and a call to do better by the families most impacted.

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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Welcome to our very first Friday Coaching Corner! In this session, I answer questions from a listener navigating the challenges of living near her abusive ex, parenting through manipulation, and dealing with silent treatment in co-parenting apps.

The listener shares that her ex still lives in an outbuilding on the marital property, creating constant stress and safety concerns. On top of that, her ex is weaponizing the children against her, and she’s experiencing co-parenting sabotage through both denial of parenting time and the silent treatment in their communication app.

I answer these questions...

1. How can I create a sense of safety in my home when my abusive ex lives so close by?
2. How do I respond when my 13-year-old mimics my ex’s critical tone and behavior toward me, and how should I explain this shift to their therapist?
3. What strategies can I use when my co-parent stops responding to messages and uses the silent treatment as a tactic?

Want to have your questions featured on a Friday Coaching Corner? Send me a short summary of your situation and 2–3 questions at [email protected].

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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After years of surviving post-separation abuse and high-conflict co-parenting, you may find yourself disconnected from your older teen or adult child. Maybe they’re distant. Maybe they believe things about you that aren’t true. Or maybe they just don’t seem to want a relationship anymore. It can be heartbreaking.

Listen for ideas on how to begin rebuilding a stronger, more grounded connection with teenager or adult child, even when the path feels uncertain.

We cover:

• The emotional and developmental landscape of older teens and young adults
• How loyalty binds, trauma, and autonomy affect the parent-child dynamic
• Common emotional struggles parents face — like grief, guilt, and helplessness
• Small but powerful ways to reopen communication and rebuild trust
• The importance of boundaries — for you and for them
• How to let go of control while still showing up with love and steadiness
• What to do if your child isn’t ready (yet) to reconnect

I hope this episode leaves you feeling more grounded in your role as a parent, even if the relationship looks different than you hoped, and more confident in taking steps toward authentic, lasting connection.

Want to share your experience or ask a question for a future episode? You can do that anonymously via https://www.risingbeyondpc.com/podcasts.html or email me at [email protected].

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!

• Choosing Your Battles Freebie
• Canned Responses Freebie
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• ...