Family court asks survivors to explain years of coercive control within a system that often focuses on isolated incidents, limited evidence, and only a few hours of conversation. So how do you make sure the right information is actually heard?

In this episode, I’m joined by Renee Rodriguez from The Custody Blueprint and Best Foot Forward Consulting, LLC. Renee shares how her own experience with coercive control and a custody battle led her to combine her professional background in strategy with a passion for helping protective parents prepare for family court and custody evaluations.

We talk about why having the truth is not always enough in family court. Survivors also need to understand how to organize their evidence, communicate the impact on their children, work in partnership with their attorney, and stay grounded enough to be understood by evaluators and other professionals.

Renee introduces the three pillars she uses with clients: strategy, evidence, and mindset. We also discuss the idea of developing a “court persona” that allows you to show up as an authentic, capable, child-centered parent without allowing trauma, fear, or the other parent’s accusations to pull you away from what the court needs to understand.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• Why custody evaluations can hold so much weight in family court
• The gap between passing new domestic violence laws and implementing them effectively
• Why your attorney cannot be your savior and what it means to truly partner with them
• The difference between having a plan and having a strategy
• How preparation can reduce some of the anxiety created by uncertainty
• Why the strongest evidence often focuses on the impact on the child
• How to communicate your concerns without sounding like you are simply badmouthing the other parent
• The importance of presenting as a parent rather than a litigant
• Why healing and the family court timeline rarely move together
• The different roles a therapist, attorney, domestic violence advocate, divorce coach, and custody strategist can play
• What child therapists notice during intakes and throughout treatment
• Why play therapy and other expressive therapies may be especially helpful for children experiencing coercive control

This conversation does not pretend that there is a perfect way to navigate a deeply imperfect system. It does offer practical insight into how protective parents can prepare, communicate more clearly, and make intentional decisions about what information may help professionals understand what their children are experiencing.

Learn more about Renee:
Website: https://www.bestfootforwardllc.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecustodyblueprint
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/custody-help/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecustodyblueprint/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCustodyBlueprint
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecustodyblueprint
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thecustodyblueprint
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@thecustodyblueprint

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/

Wondering where to start? Check out our top free resources - https://www.risingbeyondpc.com/resources.html

If you're interested in guesting on the show, please fill out this form - https://forms.gle/CSvLWWyZxmJ8GGQu7

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