The Rising Beyond Podcast

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. Tog...

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 shi...

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...

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...

One of the most horrific and insidious consequences of coercive control and dv is the systematic way in which an abuser strips away their victim’s sense of self and identity. One of the most impactful parts of the healing process is rebuilding that connection with the self and redefining your roles and identities.  On this episode, I invited my friend and colleague, Erin Siegel to share how the fr...

For many survivors, the deepest wound from coercive control is the loss of your connection to who you truly are. And for many women, especially protective mothers, your role as a mom becomes so entwined with your identity that life changes. Whether it's from abuse, family court challenges, or shifting seasons of parenting. It can all feel cataclysmic. I’m joined by my friend and colleague, St...

You worked SO hard to find a therapist for your child and getting consent from your ex was no easy feat.  And now your child isn’t talking. If your child isn’t talking in therapy — or worse, tells you it’s “boring” or “pointless” — you’re not alone. Many parents feel discouraged or even panicked when therapy doesn’t look the way they expected. In this episode, I’ll walk you through the common reas...

It’s that time of the year when kids go back to school. This is stressful for most families, but if you are coparenting with a narcissist the stress can increase exponentially.   In this episode we are talking about how the start of the school year opens up opportunities for your ex to double down on their smear campaign, their continued expectations of you to be their secretary even though you ar...

If you’ve ever had to interact with Child Protective Services (CPS), you know the process can feel confusing, overwhelming, and, let’s be honest, downright terrifying. Whether you’ve made a report, had one made against you, or are just trying to protect your child in the midst of a high-conflict situation, understanding the system is key. In this episode, I’m speaking with Christine Garcia, LPC, a...

In this episode, I go on a bit of a rant—and for good reason. When people in positions of power make sweeping decisions without input from the people most affected, the results are often not just ineffective… they’re harmful. I share a recent example from my own therapy practice, where state-level Medicaid changes made by HCPF (Colorado’s Department of Health Care Policy & Financing) have had...

Money isn't just about numbers—it's about our stories, our sense of worth, and the messages we've absorbed over time. In this powerful episode, I'm speaking with a financial therapist (and friend) Khara, Croswaite Brindle, LPC, CFT to explore how our beliefs about money are deeply shaped by our past—especially for survivors of abuse. We talk about how messages from childhood, c...

If you’ve ever felt like you’re not enough, no matter how hard you try, this episode is for you. In this episode, we explore how trauma and post-separation abuse can wire your brain for shame, self-doubt, and a deep sense of inadequacy. You’ll learn how those “not good enough” beliefs aren’t your truth - instead you’ll see that they are neural pathways shaped by chronic invalidation, coercion, and...

If you’ve ever found yourself staring at a to-do list, knowing what needs to get done but feeling completely stuck… you're not alone. You know what needs to get done. You even want to do it. But the overwhelm hits like a wave and suddenly the dishwasher, the court papers, the email you need to send—it all feels impossible. This week’s podcast episode is for those days. In this episode, I brea...

Your ex says, “They don’t act that way at my house,” and then the GAL or judge deems that you are the worst parent? If you’re the parent your child melts down with, you might be blamed for being too soft, too emotional, or too permissive. But what if your child is acting this way because they feel safe with you? We're diving into the misunderstood dynamics of how children behave differently b...

What happens when the world tells you that you need “safety” to heal from trauma, but your life after leaving abuse still feels anything but safe? We’re talking about felt safety—what it is, why it matters, and how to begin creating moments of it even when post-separation abuse is ongoing. Sybil talks about: The difference between actual safety and felt safety Why most trauma therapies rely on saf...

Navigating a high-conflict divorce is overwhelming on its own — but when you're also raising a child with special needs? The legal, emotional, and logistical challenges multiply. In this important conversation, Sybil sits down with Dr. Susan Bernstein, a Certified Divorce Coach and expert in high-conflict divorce involving children with special needs. Drawing from her experience as both a pro...

Ever look in the mirror and think, “I don’t even know who I am anymore” ? If you've survived a coercive, abusive relationship — or are still dealing with the chaos of post-separation abuse — that feeling isn’t just common, it’s expected. You’ve been in survival mode for so long that things like identity, purpose, and values may feel like luxuries you can’t afford. But what if reconnecting wit...

If you’ve ever been told that a psychological test “proved” you were unstable or overeactive in your custody case—while your abusive ex seemed cool, calm, and collected—you are not alone. In this short but important episode, I’m unpacking why the MMPI and MMPI-2—often used in court-ordered evaluations—can misrepresent survivors of coercive control and domestic violence. These tests were not design...

How much did financial abuse impact you in your relationship? We know that over 98% of all domestic violence victims experience some form of financial abuse and that it does not stop once you have left. So, how can you be prepared for your separation and divorce and be set up to survive in the aftermath? Because I am not a financial expert AND because I understand the devastation that financial ab...

Are you in need of a little bit of hope? If you are a survivor of coercive control and domestic abuse (or a professional who works in this space) then hope can often be hard to come by.   In this episode, I reconnect with coercive control expert, Kate Amber, M.S. after our joint presentation at this year's International Justice Center Conference in San Diego in order to share our reflections...

If you’ve ever thought, “I should be further along by now,” this episode is for you. When you’re still navigating post-separation abuse, family court chaos, or co-parenting with someone who continues to hurt you, healing might not look—or feel—like what you expected. You might still freeze when a message comes in. You might still cry in the car before showing up for your kids. And you might believ...

As you heal from the narcissistic abuse from an intimate partner, you might come to this realization - that one of your parents is also a narcissist and has been abusive. Sometimes this realization is mind blowing and stops you in your tracks forcing you to rethink everything you thought you knew about your childhood and the family you grew up with. In today’s episode I have a conversation with Ka...

Feeling completely burned out from healing? You’re not alone. In this episode, Sybil dives into a phase of healing that almost no one talks about — the exhaustion that hits after leaving an abusive relationship. If you're feeling numb, unmotivated, or like healing is suddenly impossible… this is for you. We’ll explore: Why burnout happens after you finally find safety How the nervous system s...

In this episode, I speak with attorney, advocate, and author Meg Groff, whose 40+ years of experience supporting victims of domestic violence have impacted countless families. We dive into the critical missteps attorneys often make in family court, how those missteps put survivors and children at risk, and what needs to change. Meg also shares insights from her powerful new book, Not If I Can Help...

You finally left. You survived. So why do you still feel like you're the one who did something wrong? We’re unpacking the survivor’s guilt and moral injury that often surface after leaving an abusive relationship—especially when your children are still in contact with the abusive parent, or when you feel like others "had it worse." We explore: The psychological and emotional experie...