The Rising Beyond Podcast

Attachment theory has become one of the most talked-about topics in the dating and relationship world. You have probably heard terms like anxious attachment, avoidant attachment, secure attachment, and disorganized attachment. Maybe you've even wondered whether your attachment style played a role in your abusive relationship. But what if attachment theory isn't about blaming yourself? In...

What if your body isn’t betraying you… but trying to protect you? In this episode, we’re rethinking the relationship survivors often have with their bodies after trauma. I’m joined by Karianne Gwinn to talk about the very real physical impact domestic violence and chronic stress can have on the body, including digestive issues, chronic pain, fatigue, nervous system dysregulation, and feeling disco...

Your child stopped fighting parenting time… but something still feels off. In this FCC episode, we unpack what may be happening when a young child goes from visible distress to emotional shutdown during transitions, how to think about attachment and regulation, and ways to support reconnection while avoiding assumptions or panic.  From a child mental health perspective, what could be happening whe...

What if “coparenting” isn’t failing because you are doing it wrong? And instead, it is not working because the map you were given on how to do it is not meant for “coparenting” with someone abusive. The way that our system is designed sets a huge trap for protective parents who want to do everything they can to protect their children and allows for someone who uses coercive control to maneuver in...

If you're sharing children with an abusive or controlling ex, parenting can feel like walking a tightrope. Every mistake feels high stakes. Every emotional moment feels like evidence. And many protective moms carry a quiet fear that if they don't do everything perfectly, they could lose connection with their child—or worse. In this episode, I'm challenging the myth of perfect parent...

What happens when a parenting plan leaves too much room for interpretation? In this episode, we’re talking about one of the biggest mistakes survivors make during divorce and custody negotiations: agreeing to vague parenting plans that unintentionally create openings for ongoing manipulation, conflict, and coercive control. I’m joined by Cat Climaco to discuss why detailed, clearly written parenti...

What if the reason you can’t relax… is because your body learned that calm never lasted and does not mean you are safe? In this episode, I’m talking about something so many survivors experience after coercive control and domestic violence: feeling constantly on edge, even when nothing is actively happening. The messages stop. The house is quiet. Things seem calm. But your body still feels like it’...

What happens when the parent who was minimally involved suddenly becomes “Parent of the Year” once court professionals start watching? In this Friday Coaching Corner episode, we’re talking about a situation many protective parents quietly fear: A second court evaluation where the abusive parent is seeking 50/50 parenting time and increased decision-making authority while pushing a narrative that t...

We don’t talk enough about the real collateral damage of broken systems. And it’s not just survivors. It’s our kids. In this episode, I’m naming something that so many of you are living through but rarely see acknowledged out loud — the ways children are impacted when systems like family court, child protection, and even therapeutic settings fail to fully understand coercive control and domestic v...

What actually happens when domestic violence cases enter the courtroom? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Carol Ann Peterson—expert witness, consultant, and longtime advocate—who brings a behind-the-scenes look at how abuse is understood (and often misunderstood) in criminal, civil, and family court. We talk about what expert witnesses really do, when they can make a difference, and why context—n...

A lot of survivors feel exhausted for a long time. Physically tired. Mentally overloaded. Emotionally drained. And then one day, something shifts. Anger shows up. And what surprises many people is not just the anger. It is the energy that comes with it. In this episode, we are looking at anger in a different way. Not just as something to manage or calm down, but as something that can actually be u...

What actually happens in a domestic violence assessment? And how do you know if you even need one? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Lisa Fontes, an expert in coercive control and domestic violence assessments, to talk about something many survivors are navigating but don’t fully understand — how these evaluations and expert witnesses show up in family court. If you’ve ever been told to “get an e...

At some point in healing, a lot of people hit this moment: You were making progress. You were starting to feel a shift. And then… it feels like nothing is happening anymore. It can feel confusing. Frustrating. Even discouraging. In this episode, we’re talking about something that does not get talked about enough: the phase of healing where things slow down and it starts to feel like you are stuck....

When child protection gets involved, it can feel like everything your ex threatened is starting to happen. Many survivors were told: “If you leave, I’ll make sure everyone thinks you’re unstable—and I’ll take the kids.” So when CPS opens an investigation, the fear isn’t just about the process. It’s about the possibility that the narrative could be turned against you. In this Friday Coaching Corner...

Sometimes the deepest wound isn't just what happened to you. It's what happens when you try to explain it, and no one believes you. In this episode, we are talking about epistemic injury — a form of harm that happens when your reality, your knowledge, or your credibility is questioned, dismissed, or minimized. Many survivors of coercive control experience this not only in their relations...

What if the most important parts of your story were never being asked about? Many survivors share a similar fear when the call in law enforcement for help: What if they only look at what happened that day… and not everything that led up to it? I'm talking with law enforcement captain, Eric Threlkeld who has over 30 years of experience to talk about something that needs to be discussed more op...

What happens when the place you expected to find support becomes another place where you feel unseen? In this episode, we talk about religious betrayal and how it shows up for survivors of coercive control and domestic abuse. Many survivors seek guidance from faith leaders or communities and are met with messages that unintentionally reinforce harm rather than safety. We explore how advice meant t...

Have you ever felt like your ex keeps pushing and pushing until you finally react… and then suddenly you’re the problem? In this episode, we’re talking about what I often call manufactured crazy — when someone intentionally provokes reactions and then uses those reactions to support a narrative that you are unstable, high-conflict, or difficult to work with. We also discuss dog whistles — subtle p...

What do you do when you know vague parenting plan language will create problems, but your attorney says you’re asking for too much detail? In this Bonus Coaching episode, we look at a common situation many protective parents face: trying to create clear agreements around things like extracurricular activities, schedule changes, and communication expectations after experiencing patterns of manipula...

There is something many survivors quietly wonder but don’t always say out loud: Will this ever end? Will my kids be okay? Will I ever feel like myself again? In this episode, I sit down with Jennifer, who spent over a decade navigating post-separation abuse and repeated family court litigation. Her story isn’t shared to scare you. It’s shared because so many survivors are living this reality and n...

Have you ever walked out of a court hearing, a meeting with a professional, or even a hard parenting moment and thought,  “Well, that didn’t come out the way I meant it?” Maybe your anxiety came out sharp.   Maybe your urgency sounded like anger. Or maybe you were doing everything you knew of to protect your child but feel like you showed up as “mentally unstable.” When you have lived through coer...

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...

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...

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 finan...

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, inclu...