Are you getting ready to face a custody battle in court? I have been there and done that and it was one of the most stressful situations in my life. Plus, the fact that it went on for two years before anything was resolved didn’t help. ? But there was one thing that got me through the whole ordeal: An amazing lawyer. I couldn’t image trying to navigate the complexities of family law by myself, let alone while fighting against a narcissist. This is why I always recommend to anyone dealing with court and custody to get a lawyer. But with so many lawyers out there, how do you choose the best one ..read more

Are you tired of your ex manipulating the visitation schedule? I mean, for god’s sake, why are they messing around with time with their child? If you’re dealing with a narcissistic co-parent, it’s because they want control. It’s as simple as that. But when your ex consistently changes plans, cancels visits, or makes last-minute alterations, it’s the kiddos that suffer. Don’t get me wrong—life happens! There are going to be times when even the most responsible co-parents need to make changes. But when they’re happening all the time without a good explanation, then that’s manipulation. If you fi ..read more

What happens when you starve a fire of oxygen? That’s right. It dies. Dealing with a narcissist is kind of the same thing – just as oxygen fuels a fire, attention and reaction fuel a narcissist’s manipulative behavior. Take away the attention they crave and you can starve their tactics of power and extinguish their ability to manipulate and control you. But I know that ignoring a narcissist is easier said than done. They are persistent in maintaining contact with you because it feeds that sense of control. But cutting them off and ignoring them is the best thing you can do to break free of the ..read more

Are you worried about being a good single mom? Being a single mom is hard. Even if you have a co-parent, you are the only person in your home responsible for your kiddo. That can definitely be overwhelming. Throughout my daughter’s life, I’ve had little to no support from my co-parent. As soon as she was born, I became 100% responsible for her. While this definitely worked in my favor, it’s also stressful. And on top of all that responsibility is the lingering fear that I’m a shitty mom. I still struggle with that, but I also worked hard to change my mindset and gain perspective on my situatio ..read more

Parenting is hard enough without having someone trying to manipulate and undermine everything you do. This is what can happen when you are co-parenting with a narcissist. Counter-parenting is exactly as it sounds: Your ex intentionally and actively works against your efforts and authority. Why? For control, basically. Narcissists want to control what you do and how you feel. By counter-parenting, they are trying to change your parenting style while upsetting you and stressing you out. Sometimes, during a separation, there are bad feelings, and people act like dicks while adjusting to the new s ..read more

Dating as a single mom is fucking hard. Not only do we have to figure out how to get out there and meet people, then we have to worry about the type of people we’re letting in. And if you’ve ever been in a relationship with a narcissist, that adds a layer of fear to the whole process. If you’re a single mom and want to start dating, you’re probably wondering if narcissists target single moms. The ugly truth is: They certainly do. Narcissists are notorious for their self-centered and manipulative behavior and will prey on people they see as vulnerable. Single moms have unique challenges and res ..read more

Are you dealing with a difficult co-parent? Are they just a bitter baby daddy? Whether you’re co-parenting with your ex or simply trying to maintain a civil relationship for the sake of your child, it’s important to recognize the signs of bitterness early on. Just keep in mind that bitterness is a normal part of a breakup. There are always residual feelings, and they’re not all great. When I left my ex during my pregnancy, I just assumed he was acting like an asshole because he was butthurt over me leaving him. I worked with the theory that he was a bitter baby daddy until things took a dark t ..read more

When someone comes off as a confident individual, it can be easy to interpret their behaviors as narcissistic. Maybe they brag or constantly demand attention. Perhaps they like to talk about themselves and show off. But this doesn’t make someone a narcissist. Narcissism, by definition, is a personality disorder in which someone lives in a delusional world where they are perfect. They will manipulate, control, and emotionally abuse people to maintain that perception. I’ve did a podcast episode about telling the difference between narcissists and people who are just plain annoying – but now we’r ..read more

Are you ready to put a restraining order on your ex? Man, I wish it was that easy. But it’s hard to cut all contact with someone you’re supposed to be co-parenting with. And narcissists know this and will weaponize co-parenting to make their ex-partners’ lives hell. So how do you go no contact with someone you have to stay in contact with? There are legal avenues you can take to control communication (like court orders and peace bonds), but there are things you can do too. Whether your child lives with one parent or spends equal time with both, going no to little contact is your best bet to co ..read more

As a single mom, it’s hard enough to meet new people and get yourself into a dating situation. Then your narcissistic ex has to come along and mess it all up. I remember being terrified of dating in my early days of co-parenting. As much as I wanted to get out there and meet someone, I was scared of how my ex would react when he found out. Even before I officially left him during the pregnancy, he was threatening future partners! But as I grew resilient in my co-parenting, I learned how not to let potential conflicts ruin my fun. And you shouldn’t either! Even if your ex is narcissistic or jus ..read more