In episode 144, Shelby discusses the emotional challenges faced by alienated parents, focusing on the tendencies to desensitize and emotionally withdraw from their parenting roles. She shares personal experiences and observations on how coping mechanisms like masking emotions, disengaging from the parental role, and withdrawing socially can affect both the parent and the child. Shelby emphasizes the importance of resilience, processing emotions, and maintaining a connection with one's children to foster healing and potentially restore relationships in the future. Practical advice and insights on self-awareness, adaptive coping strategies, and the impact of emotional numbing are provided to help parents navigate their struggles.00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview00:14 Understanding Emotional Desensitization01:25 Personal Experiences with Desensitization02:18 Common Coping Mechanisms07:24 Recognizing Desensitization in Yourself19:21 Differentiating Resilience from Desensitization22:20 Coping Strategies and Their Impact25:58 The Cycle of Numbing and Groundhog Day26:20 Empathy and Connection in Resilience27:30 Impact of Desensitization on Relationships28:44 Maintaining Meaningful Relationships29:54 Self-Awareness and Emotional Processing31:49 The Role of Goals in Resilience33:23 Welcoming All Emotions36:30 Effects of Desensitizing on Parent-Child Relationships41:40 Avoidance and Its Consequences44:21 Personal Reflections and Final Thoughts48:00 4th of July and Fireworks

Turning Negativity into Empowerment: Strategies for Alienated ParentsIn episode 143 of the Beyond The High Road Podcast, Shelby Milford shares a heartfelt and insightful discussion about dealing with negativity, particularly meant for alienated parents. Shelby begins by sharing a personal story about finding a duckling and the challenges of unexpected situations. She then delves into the pervasive negativity that alienated parents often face, discussing how it stems from survival mode and past traumas. Shelby offers practical exercises to shift from a negative to a positive mindset, including evaluating daily events objectively and rewriting personal narratives. Through these methods, she aims to help parents break free from the cycle of negativity, enabling them to lead more joyful and productive lives.00:00 Introduction and Episode Teaser00:09 Unexpected Duckling Encounter02:33 Dealing with Negativity06:24 Client's Story and Negativity Bias13:26 Changing Your Narrative16:41 Story Writing Exercise19:44 Personal Example of Overcoming Negativity21:57 Aggressive Confrontation and Arrest23:46 Reflecting on the Incident26:48 Reprogramming Your Mindset27:41 Daily Reflection Exercise29:11 Challenging Negative Thoughts31:54 Adopting Positive Perspectives37:41 Breaking Free from Victimhood41:34 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

#ParentalAlienationRecovery #PodcastForAlienatedParents

Defining Personal Standards & Boundaries for Alienated ParentsIn Episode 142 of the 'Beyond The High Road Podcast', host Shelby Milford emphasizes the importance for alienated parents to define and maintain personal standards and boundaries in their lives. After thanking a reviewer and encouraging listeners to submit their own reviews, Shelby transitions into the main topic: evaluating what you currently accept in your life, and what you want moving forward. She stresses understanding the reasons behind both positive and negative self-talk, keeping commitments to oneself, the impact of relationships, and the difference between acceptance and resignation. Using personal anecdotes and practical advice, Shelby aims to empower listeners to set clear goals and standards, ultimately leading to a more purposeful and fulfilling life.

https://beyondthehighroad.com/mystandardsforlife

00:00 Introduction and Announcements

02:05 Reflecting on Last Week's Episode

03:05 Understanding Acceptance and Setting Standards

09:46 Empowerment Through Acceptance

17:22 Your Commitments and Self-Care

29:55 Evaluating Relationships and Setting Boundaries

33:03 Understanding Relationship Boundaries

34:01 Living Up to External Expectations

35:00 Setting Personal Boundaries

35:51 A Defining Moment: Personal Story

43:39 The Quality of Your Self-Talk

45:47 Root Causes of Acceptance

52:26 Shifting Your Mindset

53:45 Creating a Compelling Reason

01:00:09 Final Thoughts and Resources

#ParentalAlienationRecovery #ParentalAlienation #AlienatedParent

Father's Day Support for Alienated DadsIn this special bonus episode, Shelby addresses a missed acknowledgment of Father's Day and extends her heartfelt support to alienated dads. She discusses the struggles of lacking recognition from children and family, and emphasizes the importance of self-love and perseverance. Shelby encourages fathers to continue their efforts in maintaining a foundation for their children's return, while reminding them to honor and care for themselves. She also offers additional support for those who need it over the weekend through various communication channels. This episode is a poignant reminder of the unseen efforts and emotional battles faced by many fathers on Father's Day.00:00 Introduction and Apology01:58 Father's Day After Parental Alienation05:29 Recognizing the Pain for Alienated Fathers07:05 Encouragement and Support10:05 Closing Remarks and Contact Information

#parentalalienationrecovery

Overcoming Directionlessness: Creating Purpose and Progress for Alienated Parents

In episode 141 of The Beyond The High Road Podcast, host Shelby Milford addresses the pervasive feelings of directionlessness, purposelessness, hopelessness, and helplessness many alienated parents experience. Shelby shares her personal struggles and offers a comprehensive approach to creating change by advocating for self-empowerment through detailed goal-setting and actionable plans. She emphasizes the importance of having a structured, measurable, and adaptable plan for achieving long-term goals, thus transforming how you see yourself and your circumstances. Key strategies include envisioning the future, setting specific milestones, focusing on process over outcomes, linking behaviors to future goals, and maintaining adaptability. She also highlights the pitfalls of relying on others and underlines the necessity of taking ownership and proactive steps to move one's life forward.

00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview

00:12 Feeling Stuck and Directionless

02:10 The Importance of Having a Plan

03:38 Personal Experiences and Realizations

11:18 Why Alienated Parents Don't Set Goals

18:46 Consequences of Not Having a Plan

28:37 Steps to Set and Follow Goals

28:55 The Importance of Detailed Planning

29:25 Envisioning Your Future

30:17 Setting Measurable Goals

31:31 Prioritizing Process Over Outcome

33:24 Linking Behaviors to Your Future Self

37:57 Tracking Progress and Celebrating Wins

41:51 Staying Flexible and Adaptive

45:33 Taking Control of Your Custody Case

53:20 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

#parentalalienationrecovery

Episode 140 examines the deep-seated fears and emotional turmoil experienced by alienated parents when their child decides to change their name. Shelby discusses this complex issue from multiple angles, including the parent's perspective of hurt and rejection, the child's motivations, and the potential psychological impacts on the child. The episode is structured to first address the parent's feelings, then delve into the children's reasoning behind such decisions, and finally offer strategies for parents to cope and maintain emotional stability. Shelby emphasizes understanding, compassion, and focusing on the child's internal struggles as key to navigating this challenging situation.

00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview

00:15 Understanding the Emotional Impact of Name Changes

02:21 The Significance of Names in Identity

05:15 Parental Reactions to Name Changes

14:16 The Role of Parental Alienation in Name Changes

20:04 Reinventing Identity and Seeking Control

31:57 Manipulation by Alienating Parent and Emotional Needs

33:27 Identity and Long-Term Implications

33:54 Personal Story: My Brother's Experience

36:23 Emotional Repercussions of Name Changes

37:15 Guilt, Shame, and Emotional Distress

39:27 Loneliness and Isolation

40:38 Psychological Impact and Identity Confusion

41:42 How to Support Both You & Your Alienated Child

50:50 Respecting Autonomy and Individuality

53:15 Seek Understanding and Compassion

58:58 Focus on Healing and Resilience

01:00:10 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

#parentalalienation #PodcastForAlienatedParents #ParentalAlienationRecovery #NameChangesByAlienatedChild

Redefining Your Story

In episode 139 of The Beyond The High Road Podcast, Shelby Milford announces a shift in how her episodes will be structured—moving towards more targeted and searchable content. This episode focuses on a critical issue faced by alienated parents: overcoming feelings of victimization to feel more empowered. Shelby shares personal experiences and discusses how distinguishing between objective facts and the emotionally charged stories created around them can help alienated parents regain their power. She outlines common mistakes and offers a step-by-step plan to develop a more empowering narrative. Shelby emphasizes the importance of intentional, mindful thinking and how reinterpreting stories can transform one's mindset and identity. The upcoming episodes will address specific problems and pain points faced by alienated parents in a more structured and approachable manner.

00:00 Introduction and Podcast Update

00:15 New Podcast Format and Focus

01:07 Addressing Victimization for Alienated Parents

03:36 Identifying and Changing Your Story

04:49 Common Mistakes in Perception

09:18 The Power of Reframing Facts

13:20 Kid's Graduation & Other Real Life Examples

23:16 Own Your Story - What Are You Making It Mean?

39:29 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

#podcastforalienatedparents #parentalalienationrecovery

In episode 138 Shelby shares personal journal entries to illustrate her painful journey of dealing with parental alienation along with the steps she took to regain her sense of power and worthiness. Shelby emphasizes the importance of identifying and adhering to core values and offers practical advice for alienated parents to navigate their lives more clearly and purposefully.

00:00 Introduction and Technical Difficulties

00:18 Lost Interviews and Birthday Troubles

03:33 Reading Journal Entries: Finding Your Power

04:43 Parental Alienation: A Mother's Struggle

10:00 A Heartbreaking Zoom Call

15:51 Reflecting on Past Trauma

20:50 Rewiring the Brain After Trauma

31:22 Creating a Personal and Parental Code

39:40 Conclusion and Final Thoughts