The Rising Beyond Podcast
Are you ready to thrive as you are coming out of a toxic or abusive relationship? Join Sybil Cummin, a licensed professional counselor who has specialized in working with victims and survivors of domestic violence and narcissistic abuse for over a decade and runs a membership community for women on their healing journey. On this podcast you will finally feel understood and your experience will be validated as you learn tangible strategies to handle family court, coparent with your abuser, improve your connection with your children, and heal from the trauma of narcissistic abuse and domestic violence.
Episodes
184 episodes
Ep 179: The Cult of One: How Narcissistic Abuse Mimics a Cult with Brooke Deanne
How long do you think it takes for someone to heal after leaving a cult?Coercive control is the underlying tactic of narcissistic abuse relationships, often known as a cult of one.Does it give you more self compassion as you wor...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 179
•
39:00
Bonus Coaching Session: Staying Connected to Your Teen When an Abusive Ex Is Pulling Them Away
In this final Friday Coaching Corner of 2025, Sybil follows up on a previous episode after hearing from a listener whose story echoes so many others navigating malicious interference in the parent–child relationship.This mom has been end...
•
Season 1
•
17:49
Ep 178: The Retaliation Playbook: How Narcissists Punish Survivors and Silence Their Allies
Speaking out about abuse is never easy.For survivors of coercive control and domestic violence, telling the truth can feel like reclaiming your voice and your dignity, but telling the truth often comes with a significant cost: re...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 178
•
20:51
Ep 177: Documentation, Subpoenas, and Soft Strength: Family Court Strategy with Becky Sampson
Family court can feel like a battlefield — especially when your ex-partner uses the system as another tool for control. But what if advocacy didn’t have to mean becoming hardened or adversarial?In this episode of The Rising Beyond Po...
•
Episode 177
•
51:20
Ep 176: Double Standards in Narcissistic Abuse: How to Stay Grounded as a Co-Parent
Do the double standards that show up in a narcissistic relationship and “co-parenting” relationship drive you crazy?Double standards are a hallmark of narcissistic abuse and are pervasive even (maybe especially) after you have left the ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 176
•
24:22
Bonus Coaching Session: How to Support Your Child’s Relationship with an Abusive Co-Parent (Without Gaslighting Them)
In this week’s Friday Coaching Corner, I respond to a mom’s heartfelt question that so many survivors share:“How do I support my children’s relationship with their dad—because the court says I have to—while knowing he is emotionally and ...
•
Season 1
•
13:24
.png)
Ep 175: Protect Your Peace In Spite of Having to Communicate with Your “High Conflict” Co-Parent with Jill Kaufman
How do you communicate with someone who continues to abuse you post separation?I cannot stress how important it is to learn how to communicate with your “high conflict” co-parent in ways that will protect you and your mental health in o...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 175
•
41:08
Ep 174: Don’t Let Family Court Break You
Family court can feel like it’s designed to wear you down. The long waits, the unpredictability, the endless back-and-forth with your ex — it can seem impossible to get through without breaking.But what if you didn’t have to let court de...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 174
•
26:01
Bonus Coaching Session: When Unconditional Love Looks Like “Being Walked Over”
In this week’s Friday Coaching Corner, I respond to a listener who’s six years post–custody loss and doing her best to stay connected with her teen daughter—while being accused of crossing boundaries and “embarrassing” her.This mom wonde...
•
Season 1
•
11:09
.png)
Ep 173: Staying Steady in Family Court: Handling Provocation and Curveball Questions
Walking into family court is intimidating enough — and then your ex smirks, rolls their eyes, or drops a lie designed to rattle you. On top of that, opposing counsel may throw you questions that feel like traps or come out of nowhere.In ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 173
•
30:36
Ep 172: Training Attorneys to Recognize Coercive Control — With Jill Montes and Dr. Ramona
Family court is often the last place survivors expect to or actually find safety, yet for so many, it’s where their battle continues. What if we could do something to change that?I’m talking with Jill Montes and Dr. Ramona Probasco from ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 172
•
50:02
Bonus Coaching Session: Rebuilding the Parent-Child Bond When the System Gets in the Way
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 ...
•
Season 1
•
15:10
Ep 171: How We Break Generational Cycles of Abuse — Together with Michael Brasher
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 movem...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 171
•
46:41
Ep 170: Why Custody Decisions Need a Pattern-Based Approach When There has Been Coercive Control
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 i...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 170
•
20:27
Bonus Coaching Session: How to Feel Safe When Your Abusive Ex Lives Next Door (and More)
Welcome to our very first Friday Coaching Corner! In this session, I answer questions from a listener navigating the challenges of living near her abusive ex, parenting through manipulation, and dealing with silent treatment in co-parenting app...
•
18:13
Ep 169: Rebuilding Connection with Your Older Teen or Adult Child After Post-Separation Abuse
After years of surviving post-separation abuse and high-conflict co-parenting, you may find yourself disconnected from your older teen or adult child. Maybe they’re distant. Maybe they believe things about you that aren’t true. Or maybe they ju...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 169
•
30:42
Ep 168: Finding Yourself After Abuse: Human Design as a Path to Healing with Erin Siegel
One of the most horrific and insidious consequences of coercive control and dv is the systematic way in which an abuser strips away their victim’s sense of self and identity. One of the most impactful parts of the healing process is rebuilding ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 168
•
51:23
Ep 167: The Pressure to be the Perfect Mom and How to Break Free with Stephanie Konter-O'Hara
For many survivors, the deepest wound from coercive control is the loss of your connection to who you truly are. And for many women, especially protective mothers, your role as a mom becomes so entwined with your identity that life changes. Whe...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 167
•
49:45
Ep 166: My Child Won’t Open Up to the Therapist… Now what?
You worked SO hard to find a therapist for your child and getting consent from your ex was no easy feat. And now your child isn’t talking.If your child isn’t talking in therapy — or worse, tells you it’s “boring” or “pointless” — y...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 166
•
27:21
Ep 165: Back to School Stressors: Coparenting with a Narcissist
It’s that time of the year when kids go back to school. This is stressful for most families, but if you are coparenting with a narcissist the stress can increase exponentially. In this episode we are talking about how the start of ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 165
•
22:01
Ep 164: Inside CPS: Navigating the System as a Survivor with guest Christine Garcia, LPC
If you’ve ever had to interact with Child Protective Services (CPS), you know the process can feel confusing, overwhelming, and, let’s be honest, downright terrifying. Whether you’ve made a report, had one made against you, or are just trying t...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 164
•
49:38
Ep 163: When Power Doesn’t Listen: The Cost of Excluding Survivors from the Conversation
In this episode, I go on a bit of a rant—and for good reason.When people in positions of power make sweeping decisions without input from the people most affected, the results are often not just ineffective… they’re harmful.I shar...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 163
•
24:35
Ep 162: Financial Healing for Survivors: Undoing Toxic Money Messages with Khara Croswaite Brindle, LPC, CFT
Money isn't just about numbers—it's about our stories, our sense of worth, and the messages we've absorbed over time.In this powerful episode, I'm speaking with a financial therapist (and friend) Khara, Croswaite Brindle, LPC, CFT to exp...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 162
•
47:50
Ep 161: You’re Not Broken—How Abuse Creates the “Not Enough” Belief
If you’ve ever felt like you’re not enough, no matter how hard you try, this episode is for you. In this episode, we explore how trauma and post-separation abuse can wire your brain for shame, self-doubt, and a deep sense of inadequacy.Y...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 161
•
24:01
Ep 160: Episode 160: What to Do When Trauma and Post Separation Abuse Hijack Your Executive Functioning
If you’ve ever found yourself staring at a to-do list, knowing what needs to get done but feeling completely stuck… you're not alone.You know what needs to get done. You even want to do it. But the overwhelm hits like a wave and...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 160
•
28:47