Episode 5: Divorcing a Narcissist – A Survivor's Guide with Tina Swithin of One Mom’s Battle

Grey Minds Think Ali.Ke

In this episode of Grey Minds Think Alike, host Ali Kesler engages in profound discussions with Tina Swithin, founder of One Mom's Battle, to expose the deep-rooted issues within the family court system. Ali and Tina discuss the challenges faced by mothers in family court, particularly those dealing with narcissistic partners, and the systemic issues that prioritize the abuser's rights over child safety. Tina shares her personal journey from being a victim of abuse to becoming an advocate for family court reform, highlighting the importance of awareness and community support. They delve into the complexities of recognizing abuse, the impact of parental alienation, and the need for accountability within the family court system. The discussion also touches on the controversial father's rights movement and its implications for family court dynamics and the importance of empowering children in high-conflict situations. They highlight the challenges faced by both everyday individuals and celebrities in navigating domestic violence and custody battles, emphasizing the need for awareness, education, and support. Tina shares her personal experiences and insights from her work, advocating for children's rights and the necessity of empathy in healing, along with initiatives like Family Court Awareness Month.

Takeaways

• Tina Swithin is an advocate for family court reform.
• Family court often fails to prioritize children's safety.
• Recognizing different forms of abuse is crucial.
• The family court system can feel like a business transaction.
• Awareness and community support are vital for change.
• Parental alienation is a controversial and harmful concept.
• Accountability in family court is desperately needed.
• The father's rights movement complicates family court issues.
• Media attention on family court is increasing.
• Reform requires a multi-faceted approach. When exposed, family court issues will be seen as a major scandal.
• Parental rights should prioritize children's rights.
• Leaving a toxic relationship is crucial for children's well-being.
• Documenting experiences is essential in family court cases.
• Therapists must understand trauma and narcissistic abuse.
• Empathy can be taught and modeled to children.
• Children need to know their truth to combat gaslighting.
• Celebrities face unique challenges in family court.
• Support from therapists can significantly impact recovery.
• Empowering children helps break the cycle of abuse.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Family Court Challenges

01:37 Tina's Journey: From Victim to Advocate

02:25 Personal Experiences and Challenges in Family Court

05:11 Understanding Abuse: Recognizing the Signs

09:24 The Role of Family Court: A Broken System

12:46 Awareness and Advocacy: Family Court Awareness Month

18:05 The Impact of Parental Alienation and Systemic Issues

20:03 The Impact of Financial Constraints on Family Court Outcomes

20:20 The Father's Rights Movement: A Controversial Perspective

23:47 The Impact of Celebrity Cases on Domestic Violence Awareness

28:18 Divorcing a Narcissist: Book Series and Personal Stories

30:18 Advice for Women in Abusive Marriages

34:27 Empathy Bootcamp: Raising Compassionate Children

39:08The Role of Therapists in Healing and Recovery

41:16 Final Thoughts and Reflections

About Tina Swithin: Tina Swithin is an author, blogger, speaker, and advocate for Family Court Reform. She is the founder of One Mom’s Battle, a community and resource for all moms fighting to protect their children and themselves in family court. In 2020, Tina Swithin founded “Family Court Awareness Month.” Tina is the author of Divorcing a Narcissist (series) and founder of the High Conflict Divorce Coach Certification Program. Tina Swithin has been awarded honors such as the “Top 20 Professionals Under 40” and the “Top 40 Professionals Under 40” in several regional California newspapers. Tina resides in San Luis Obispo, California, with her husband and her two daughters.

Contact:

One Mom’s Battle

Email

Tina Swithin Books

About One Mom’s Battle:

In 2009, One Mom’s Battle (OMB) began with one mother, Tina Swithin, navigating a high-conflict divorce in the California Family Court System in pro se (self-represented). Against all odds, Tina successfully protected her daughters - she refused to accept that 50-50 custody was her destiny or in the best interest of her children. She spent countless hours sitting in courtrooms learning the system and studying the professionals. She created an intricate documentation system and learned to see things through a lens of strategy versus emotion. Tina has now dedicated her life to teaching others everything she learned and is advocating for change through Kayden's Law.

One Mom’s Battle is the intersection of narcissistic abuse and child custody issues. The mission at One Mom’s Battle is to raise awareness and educate family court professionals on post-separation abuse as it relates to co-parenting and the family court system (divorce, paternity, and child custody battles). Education on high-conflict individuals and post-separation abuse will allow family court professionals (Judges, Commissioners, Magistrates, CPS workers, Guardian ad Litems (GAL), Parenting Coordinators (PC), Custody Evaluators, therapists, and attorneys) to recognize the abusive dynamics that play out in the family court system so they can make decisions that are in the best interest of children.

One Mom’s Battle (OMB) has grown from one mom to a community of over 250,000 members worldwide. Whether you are in need of a documentation system for your custody battle or a consultation with a divorce coach (trained by me), you will find everything you need right here.

About Ali Kessler

Ali Kessler is a writer, marketing professional, passionate parent advocate, and founder of Greyson’s Choice, a 501(c)(3) created to raise awareness about the risk of domestic abuse on children. Greyson’s Choice was founded by Ali Kessler in memory of her sweet, vibrant, and fearless 4.5-year-old son, Greyson, who was murdered by his biological father in a murder-suicide during an unsupervised, court-approved visit in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, in 2021. This came just hours after her petition for a domestic violence injunction was denied by a Broward County judge, citing that the “petitioner has failed to allege any overt acts by the respondent which would constitute domestic violence under Florida Statute.”

Ali’s advocacy efforts culminated in successfully passing Greyson’s Law during the 2023 legislative session. This bill now requires the court to consider threats against ex-partners or spouses when making child visitation and custody determinations in the court, expanding to include the following factors: evidence of domestic violence, whether a parent in the past or currently has reasonable cause to believe that they or a minor child is, or has been in imminent danger of becoming the victim of domestic/sexual violence by the other parent, even if no other legal action has been brought or is currently pending in court.

Contact Ali:

Email

LinkedIn

Website

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