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/

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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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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/

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

Enjoy some of our freebies!

• Choosing Your Battles Freebie
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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/

Where to find more from Rising Beyond:
Rising Beyond Facebook
Rising Beyond LinkedIn
Rising Beyond Pinterest

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
• Mic Drop Moments Freebie
• ...