The Parallel Lines Podcast

The Single Mama Club / The Safe Parent Institute

A Newly Rebranded Podcast bringing you, Real talk, tools, support and strategies on High-Conflict Co-Parenting & Post Separation Abuse

  1. Sep 17

    You Don’t Need To Explain Yourself AGAIN

    Why are you still explaining yourself to somebody who appears committed to misunderstanding you? After betrayal, emotional harm and years of being walked over, the urge to defend yourself can feel overwhelming. You want to correct the story, prove that you are child focused and make the other person finally acknowledge your point of view. But more explanation rarely creates more understanding in a high conflict dynamic. In this episode of the Parallel Lines Podcast, Katie explores: • Why we become trapped in cycles of over explaining• What it means to deal with a “right fighter”• The JADE principle: justify, argue, defend and explain• How lengthy messages create more opportunities for conflict• Why brief communication can initially feel wrong• When a serious welfare or safeguarding allegation may require a fuller response• Separating necessary information from emotional opinion• The difference between seeking understanding and communicating effectively• Why communication should remain focused on the logistics and welfare of the children Stop asking: “What do I need them to understand?” Start asking: “What do I actually need to communicate?” If this episode helps you recognise that something deeper is continuing after separation, listen to Post-Separation Abuse Exposed — The Secret Podcast: ⁠[ACCESS THE FREE SECRET PODCAST]⁠ Find further support and practical tools: ⁠[BOOK A STRATEGY CALL]⁠ ⁠[DISCOVER SAFESEND]⁠ ⁠[GET THE PARENTING PLAN BLUEPRINT]⁠ ⁠[EXPLORE THE SINGLE MAMA ACADEMY]⁠ Follow Katie and The Single Mama Club: ⁠INSTAGRAM⁠ ⁠TIKTOK⁠ ⁠YOUTUBE⁠ ⁠WEBSITE⁠ Please SUBSCRIBE to the Parallel Lines Podcast and share this episode with another parent who needs to hear it.

  2. Sep 10

    When SomeBody Else You Never Chose Enters Your Child's World

    Nobody prepares you for somebody else becoming part of your child’s everyday world after separation. They may sit at the dinner table, attend birthdays, join holidays and comfort your child when they’re upset. And when that person is connected to the betrayal that ended your relationship, their presence can feel almost impossible to tolerate. In this episode of the Parallel Lines Podcast, Katie explores: The emotional reality of a new partner entering your family dynamic When that person was involved in an affair or betrayal Why sensible boundaries around introductions aren’t automatically about jealousy How repeated introductions and disappearances can affect children Accepting what you cannot control without approving of it Shifting from “How do I feel about them?” to “How do they treat my child?” Why discomfort is not automatically danger Giving children permission to enjoy safe relationships Handling genuine welfare concerns through appropriate routes Separating emotional pain from strategic decision-making You don’t have to make room for this person in your heart. Just hope they’re making room for your child in theirs. If this episode helps you recognise that something deeper is continuing after separation, listen to Post-Separation Abuse EXPOSED — The Secret Podcast: ⁠[ACCESS THE FREE SECRET PODCAST]⁠ Find further support and practical tools: ⁠[BOOK A STRATEGY CALL]⁠ ⁠[DISCOVER SAFESEND]⁠ ⁠[GET THE PARENTING PLAN BLUEPRINT]⁠ ⁠[EXPLORE THE SINGLE MAMA ACADEMY]⁠ Follow Katie and The Single Mama Club: ⁠INSTAGRAM⁠ ⁠TIKTOK⁠ ⁠YOUTUBE⁠ ⁠WEBSITE⁠ Please follow the Parallel Lines Podcast and share this episode with another parent who needs to hear it.

  3. Sep 3

    What 'Safe Parent' REALLY Means....

    You may have heard this term thrown about so much on Social Media.... You may even resonate with it, but do you actually know what it is? What does it actually mean to be the “safe parent”? It isn’t simply about physical safety. It’s about becoming the person with whom your child feels emotionally and psychologically safe enough to express their feelings, ask difficult questions and tell the truth without becoming responsible for your reaction. In this episode of the Parallel Lines Podcast, Katie explores: What emotional and psychological safety looks like Why listening to children doesn’t mean allowing them to control every decision Why children may appear “fine” elsewhere but fall apart with you The difference between being the safe parent and claiming to be the “better” parent How to respond when a child discloses something concerning Why open-ended questions matter When and how to document a potential welfare concern Teaching children that adults are responsible for managing their own emotions Building the emotional intelligence children need for the future Being the safe parent doesn’t mean preventing every difficult experience. It means providing the space, validation and security your child needs to process those experiences safely. If this episode helps you recognise that something deeper is continuing after separation, listen to Post-Separation Abuse EXPOSED — The Secret Podcast: ⁠[ACCESS THE FREE SECRET PODCAST]⁠ Find further support and practical tools: ⁠[BOOK A STRATEGY CALL]⁠ ⁠[DISCOVER SAFESEND]⁠ ⁠[GET THE PARENTING PLAN BLUEPRINT]⁠ ⁠[EXPLORE THE SINGLE MAMA ACADEMY]⁠ Follow Katie and The Single Mama Club: ⁠INSTAGRAM⁠ ⁠TIKTOK⁠ ⁠YOUTUBE⁠ ⁠WEBSITE⁠ Please follow the Parallel Lines Podcast and share this episode with another parent who needs to hear it.

  4. Aug 26

    The REAL Reason Your Child Falls Apart With You and Not Them

    Why does your child seem fine with the other parent, then completely fall apart when they return to you?! In this episode of the Parallel Lines Podcast, Katie explores separation anxiety in children moving between two homes, why transitions can overwhelm their nervous systems and what their behaviour may really be communicating. We cover: How separation anxiety can appear as anger, clinginess, regression, withdrawal or physical symptoms Why children may hold everything together until they reach their safe space How love, fear, longing and anxiety can exist simultaneously Helping children regulate without interrogating or leading them Teaching children that they are not responsible for an adult’s emotions Balancing compassion with clear behavioural boundaries Why regulating yourself is one of the most powerful ways to support your child You’ll also learn a simple breathing exercise called “The Candles” that can help younger children calm their bodies through play. If this episode helps you recognise that something deeper is continuing after separation, listen to Post-Separation Abuse Exposed — The Secret Podcast: [ACCESS THE FREE SECRET PODCAST] Find further support and practical tools: [BOOK A STRATEGY CALL] [DISCOVER SAFESEND] [GET THE PARENTING PLAN BLUEPRINT] [EXPLORE THE SINGLE MAMA ACADEMY] Follow Katie and The Single Mama Club: INSTAGRAM TIKTOK YOUTUBE WEBSITE Please follow the Parallel Lines Podcast and share this episode with another parent who needs to hear it.

  5. Jul 21

    You Can’t Co-Parent With Someone Who Won’t: What to Do Instead

    You’ve tried being reasonable. You’ve explained, compromised, kept the peace and repeatedly attempted to put the children first... but co-parenting still feels impossible. Here’s the truth: You cannot build a cooperative co-parenting relationship alone. In this episode of Parallel Lines, Katie explores what happens when the traditional co-parenting model simply doesn’t work. We look at the difference between co-parenting and parallel parenting, why trying harder can sometimes expose you to even more conflict, and how to step out of the exhausting cycle without abandoning child-focused parenting. You’ll learn: • Why successful co-parenting requires cooperation from both parents• The signs that the co-parenting model may not be appropriate• How over-explaining and defending yourself can perpetuate conflict• What parallel parenting actually looks like• How clearer boundaries and more structured communication can protect your peace• Why changing your approach doesn’t mean you’ve failed If every message leaves you anxious, second-guessing yourself or wondering how to respond, SafeSend helps you create clear, child-focused communication without the arguing, over-explaining or emotional fallout. Discover SafeSend: https://www.singlemamaclub.com/safesendinfo Follow Parallel Lines for real talk, practical tools and meaningful support for navigating high-conflict co-parenting and post-separation abuse.

  6. Mar 12

    The Social Aftershock After You Leave

    When a relationship ends, people often talk about the breakup, the court process, and the healing that follows. But there is a quieter phase that almost nobody prepares you for. The moment you begin returning to places where you were once known as a couple, and something about the energy feels different. Shared spaces, local communities, school gates, gyms, pubs, friend groups. Environments that still remember the relationship, even though your life has moved forward. In this episode, Katie explores what she calls the social aftershock after leaving a relationship, the subtle shifts that can happen in communities and shared spaces after separation. She reflects on why the person who is simply trying to rebuild their life can sometimes feel like the one who should step back, and why reclaiming your life often means continuing to show up in the places that matter to you. This episode also explores the experience of the emotionally steady parent after separation, the unseen efforts many people make to keep things amicable, and the difference between the stories people hear and the behaviours that led to a relationship ending. Because sometimes the strongest thing you can do after leaving a difficult relationship is not explaining your story to the world. It is quietly reclaiming your life. ____________________________________________________________ Want the SHORTCUTS & FASTTRACKED access to my strategies, coaching & support? Here’s how: 🎓 ⁠Join the Single Mama Academy ⁠– Get full support to become Emotionally Bulletproof & legally empowered against post-separation abuse. 👩‍🏫 Join my Mini Membership on IG, Facebook & TikTok – Get exclusive locked content + private live coaching. ⁠TikTok:⁠⁠Facebook:⁠⁠Instagram:⁠ 📕 ⁠Grab my Complete Parenting Plan Template for just £9.99⁠ 📞 ⁠Book a Strategy Call ⁠– Get instant, personalised guidance for whatever you’re facing RIGHT NOW HERE IS ALL THE FREE SUPPORT YOU CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF! 🗺️ ⁠Free Calm Comeback Kit ⁠– Copy-and-paste responses to toxic texts safely. 👩🏽‍💻 ⁠Free Single Mama Support⁠ – Resources on my website covering abuse, finances and rebuilding after separation.

  7. Mar 5

    Grief VS Anger - The Emotion You’re Actually Feeling Might Surprise You

    In this episode, we unpack something many single mothers navigating separation, conflict, and court battles experience… but rarely recognise in the moment. Anger. It can feel overwhelming.It can feel constant.And sometimes it can feel like it’s consuming everything. But what if anger isn’t the real emotion at the centre of it all? What if underneath that anger is grief? Grief for the relationship you thought you had.Grief for the future you imagined for your family.Grief for the version of someone you believed existed. In this episode, we explore the powerful relationship between grief and anger, and why recognising the difference can completely change how you respond to conflict, triggers, and toxic dynamics. We’ll talk about: • Why anger often feels easier than grief• How grief shows up during high-conflict co-parenting• Why emotional regulation becomes your greatest protection• How understanding this shift helps you become Emotionally Bulletproof If you’ve ever felt like your reactions don’t match the calm, grounded parent you’re trying to be… this episode will help you understand why. And more importantly, how to start responding differently. Want the SHORTCUTS & FASTTRACKED access to my strategies, coaching & support? Here’s how: 🎓 Join the Single Mama Academy – Get full support to become Emotionally Bulletproof & legally empowered against post-separation abuse. 👩‍🏫 Join my Mini Membership on IG, Facebook & TikTok – Get exclusive locked content + private live coaching. TikTok:Facebook:Instagram: 📕 Grab my Complete Parenting Plan Template for just £9.99 📞 Book a Strategy Call – Get instant, personalised guidance for whatever you’re facing RIGHT NOW HERE IS ALL THE FREE SUPPORT YOU CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF! 🗺️ Free Calm Comeback Kit – Copy-and-paste responses to toxic texts safely. 👩🏽‍💻 Free Single Mama Support – Resources on my website covering abuse, finances and rebuilding after separation.

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A Newly Rebranded Podcast bringing you, Real talk, tools, support and strategies on High-Conflict Co-Parenting & Post Separation Abuse

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