Ep 218: When Your Ex Turns the Kids Against You (Guest Lisa Johnson BTGO)

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Parental alienation as a broad concept is one of the most painful and misunderstood experiences a parent can go through—especially after emotional abuse, divorce, or separation.

In this episode, I sit down with Lisa Johnson of "Been There Got Out" to talk about the devastating reality of parental alienation, abuse by proxy, and what happens when an unsafe parent uses children as emotional weapons.

We discuss how manipulative ex-partners use children to maintain control, how to avoid feeding into the same toxic dynamics, and what to do when your children begin pulling away from you. Lisa shares powerful insights and we talk about nervous system regulation, emotional self-control, and why becoming grounded—not defensive—is one of the most important things you can do.

We also dive into parenting plans, custody agreements, and why iron-clad legal wording matters when dealing with high-conflict co-parenting situations.

If you are navigating divorce, separation, custody battles, narcissistic abuse, or emotional abuse involving your children, this episode will help you feel seen, prepared, and empowered.

Inside this episode:
• What parental alienation actually looks like
• Abuse by proxy and how children are used for control
• Why reacting emotionally can work against you
• Nervous system regulation during high-conflict co-parenting
• How to respond when your child pulls away
• Parenting plans and custody agreement mistakes to avoid
• Protecting yourself emotionally and legally

This conversation is honest, practical, and deeply important for anyone trying to parent through emotional abuse.

If this episode resonates, make sure to grab my book Hack Your Mind, Heal Your Heart for deeper healing and subconscious reprogramming after emotional abuse.

Connect with LISA JOHNSON & the BTGO team here: https://beentheregotout.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/been_there_got_out/

Get Lisa & Chris's Book: https://a.co/d/09VuyuWK

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Formerly The Emotional Abuse Recovery Podcast