The Rising Beyond Podcast
If you're trying to protect your children while navigating an abusive ex, this podcast is for you. Because leaving the relationship didn't end the abuse, and no one prepared you for what came next.
The Rising Beyond Podcast is for protective mothers navigating the overwhelming reality of sharing children with someone who continues patterns of manipulation, coercive control, or emotional abuse after separation. Join Sybil Cummin, licensed professional counselor, who has spent the last decade helping survivors and their children navigate this incredibly difficult chapter. Every week, we share trauma-informed education, nervous system insights, protective parenting strategies, and honest conversations about family court, post-separation abuse, and healing, so you can feel more confident, more grounded, and better equipped to protect both your children and yourself.
Whether you're in the middle of family court, struggling with parenting alongside someone who continues patterns of control, or simply trying to become the parent you want to be after everything you've survived, you'll find validation, practical guidance, and hope here.
The Rising Beyond Podcast
Ep 218: Surviving a Smear Campaign Without Losing Yourself
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Back-to-school season often brings more than new teachers, new classmates, and new routines.
For many protective parents, it also marks the beginning of a new round of smear campaigns.
Whether it's with teachers, other parents, coaches, family members, or professionals involved in your case, someone who uses coercive control often looks for opportunities to shape the narrative before you have a chance to tell your own story.
The result? Anxiety. Isolation. Self-doubt. And the overwhelming urge to defend yourself.
But what if your greatest strength isn't convincing everyone you're telling the truth?
What if it's learning to stay grounded in your values while allowing your consistency to speak louder than their accusations?
In this episode, we explore practical mindset shifts that can help you respond differently to smear campaigns while protecting both your peace and your credibility.
In this episode, we answer:
- How do I stop a smear campaign from taking over my thoughts and emotions?
- When should I respond to false accusations—and when is it better not to?
- How can I protect my credibility without constantly defending myself?
If you've ever found yourself replaying conversations, worrying about what other people think, or wondering how to protect your reputation without losing yourself in the process, this episode is for you.
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