Light in the Battle: Autism, Single Motherhood and Trauma Recovery

Faustina
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A podcast for neurodivergent and autistic single mothers navigating trauma recovery, narcissistic abuse dynamics, high-conflict co-parenting and family court. Practical tools for nervous system regulation, court and custody stress, autistic burnout, sensory overwhelm, and raising autistic or PDA kids. Honest, practical, sometimes Catholic, ND-friendly guidance for moms seeking stability and peace in the middle of chaos. Trauma informed, ASD positive podcast for autistic moms, AuDHD women in spiritual warfare, and abuse survivors wanting to win in family court and better understand NPD.

  1. 25. Gratitude After Narcissistic Abuse: How Trauma Recovery Shifts You Out of Survival Mode & Victim Mode (Autism & ASD) | Emotional Detachment as a Tactical Advantage for Family Court, Season 2

    4D AGO

    25. Gratitude After Narcissistic Abuse: How Trauma Recovery Shifts You Out of Survival Mode & Victim Mode (Autism & ASD) | Emotional Detachment as a Tactical Advantage for Family Court, Season 2

    Gratitude is often misunderstood, especially for an autistic survivor of narcissistic abuse.   Emotional Detachment as a Tactical Advantage for FamilyCourt — Season 2 Welcome back to Season 2 of Light in the Battle— a podcast for autistic women healing from narcissistic abuse, where we become clearer, calmer, and spiritually and legally harder to mess with. This season is a journey from the trauma bond toemotional freedom. So far, we’ve covered trauma recovery through understanding the trauma bond, PTSD and CPTSD, EMDR, forgiveness without reconciliation, codependency, and the importance of fellowship and mentorship. In this episode, we move into a stage that can feeluncomfortable — even controversial: gratitude. Gratitude is often misunderstood, especially for a survivorof narcissistic abuse. We're not trying to minimize what happened, justify the abuse, or ignore our legitimate anger and pain. Gratitude only becomes accessible after traumarecovery has begun.If you are still in survival mode, gratitude may feel impossible — and that’s okay. But once emotional detachment starts to take hold, everythingchanges. In this episode, we explore: • Why the brain cannot focus on gratitude and fear at thesame time• How gratitude helps regulate the nervous system after trauma• The difference between denial and genuine gratitude• How gratitude helps break the victim mindset without dismissing reality• Why focusing only on what was lost keeps you emotionally entangled• How gratitude reorients your attention back to what is stable and safe• Why becoming a more grounded, peaceful person changes your relationships• How gratitude increases your capacity as a parent, professional, and decision-maker• Why gratitude becomes possible only after codependency begins to loosen• How gratitude prepares you for the final stages of emotional detachment For autistic women navigating narcissistic abuse recovery,this step is particularly important. When your nervous system is no longer constantly scanning for danger, you can begin to notice what is working, what is safe, and what is yours. Gratitude is a muscle that you grow, it's not a personality trait that you either have or don't have.It is a practice of redirecting your attention. And over time, it becomes a new way of experiencing life —one that is no longer defined by what happened to you. As we continue Season 2, we are approaching the final stepsof the journey:surrender and grief — where emotional detachment becomes complete. If this episode challenges you, take your time with it.Maybe pick a time where you’re more open to these suggestions.  Just stay open, and choose the correcttiming. 👉 Follow the show tocontinue the full Season 2 journey👉 Leave a review if this content is helping you — it helps reach more autistic women in trauma recovery Disclaimer: This podcast shares lived experience related tonarcissistic abuse recovery, trauma recovery, autism and ASD. It is not a substitute for professional medical, legal, or mental health advice. Take this life one day at a time, Mama. We’ll see you next week.   www.lightinthebattle.com

    42 min

  2. MAR 23 ·  BONUS

    Bonus - Autistic Burnout Meditation - Low-Demand Autistic Burnout Recovery for Women & Single Moms on the Autism Spectrum, Burnt Out PDA Women, PDA Moms and Single Moms in Burnout

    This is a low-demand reflexion for women in autistic burnout. We’re not going to try and address our stress, tiredness, or overwhelm as there are a lot of resources about this online. We’re also not going to control our breathing or our body. Zero demands over here. We’re going to address the underserved segment of autistic women in burnout, especially autistic single mothers - that deep, full-body shutdown that feels like our nervous system has nothing left to give, our executive functioning has crapped out, we can’t speak, the sensory sensitivity has become overwhelming, and we can't function beyond taking care of our babies' needs. This standalone, bonus episode is a low-demand, quiet "meditation" that validates ASD Moms going through autistic burnout. This Episode may also help all single moms in burnout. Mom burnout and parental burnout in general can happen, and the nervous system can recover. This "meditation" is one of the tools you can use in your autistic burnout recovery, or in your mom burnout recovery journey. We don’t have to heal in this moment. We  don’t have to feel better. This is simply a pause in the Battle. You are welcome to come back as often as you need to. Keywords: PDA, autistic woman, autistic single mom, single mom on the spectrum, woman on the spectrum, autistic burnout, autistic burnout recovery, ASD burnout, meditation, mom in burnout, burnout in single moms, burnout recovery

    10 min
  3. 24. Why Survivors of Narcissistic Abuse Need Fellowship & Mentorship: TAR Anon, Trauma Recovery, Autism & ASD - Podcasthon - Emotional Detachment as a Tactical Advantage for Family Court, Season 2

    MAR 16

    24. Why Survivors of Narcissistic Abuse Need Fellowship & Mentorship: TAR Anon, Trauma Recovery, Autism & ASD - Podcasthon - Emotional Detachment as a Tactical Advantage for Family Court, Season 2

    Episode — Fellowship & Mentorship in Narcissistic Abuse Recovery — Podcasthon Emotional Detachment as a Tactical Advantage for Family Court — Season 2 Welcome back to Season 2 of Light in the Battle — a podcast for autistic women healing from narcissistic abuse, where we become clearer, calmer, and spiritually and legally harder to mess with. This season is a step-by-step journey from the trauma bond to emotional freedom. Along the way we’ve explored trauma recovery through understanding the trauma bond, working through PTSD and CPTSD, using trauma therapies like EMDR, practicing forgiveness without reconciliation, and breaking patterns of codependency. In this episode we move into the next phase of narcissistic abuse recovery: fellowship and mentorship. Healing from abusive dynamics is extremely difficult to do in isolation. Survivors often leave these relationships with confusion, self-doubt, and lingering trauma responses that make it hard to trust themselves again. Community support can provide something that individual trauma recovery work alone cannot: shared understanding, validation, and co-regulation. For many survivors of narcissistic abuse, finding rooms where people understand these patterns can be life-changing. In this episode, we discuss the importance of recovery communities and introduce the STAR Network (Survivors of Toxic and Abusive Relationships), an organization that provides support groups, mentorship, and resources for survivors. In the context of Podcasthon week, promoting this organization was a natural fit with where we're at in Season 2: Fellowship & Mentorship as a way of achieving emotional detachment after narcissistic abuse, and in preparation for family court hearings. • Why narcissistic abuse recovery often requires community support • The role of fellowship in trauma recovery • Why survivors of narcissistic abuse often struggle to heal in isolation • How peer support helps rebuild trust in your perception of reality • Why autistic women (ASD) may benefit especially from structured recovery communities • The difference between codependency and healthy fellowship • How mentorship and survivor communities can accelerate healing • Why emotional detachment becomes easier when you are not carrying the recovery journey alone Recovery spaces like TAR Anon meetings offered through the STAR Network, led by Dr. Jamie Huysman, provide opportunities for survivors of narcissistic abuse to connect with others who understand the dynamics of toxic and abusive relationships. For many survivors, these communities reduce shame, provide understanding, and support long-term healing. For autistic women navigating narcissistic abuse recovery, trauma recovery can feel especially complex. ASD traits such as pattern-seeking, deep empathy, and difficulty interpreting manipulative social dynamics can make survivors more vulnerable to codependent patterns. Fellowship and mentorship can help provide perspective, pattern recognition, and emotional support along the way. As we continue Season 2, we will move from fellowship into the next stages of emotional detachment: gratitude, surrender, and grief — the final steps toward emotional freedom. If you are a survivor of narcissistic abuse, remember: recovery does not have to happen alone. 👉 Follow the show to continue the Season 2 journey.👉 Join a TAR Anon meeting ASAP👉 Leave a review if this episode helped you — it helps this information reach more survivors. Disclaimer: This podcast shares lived experience and perspectives on narcissistic abuse recovery, trauma recovery, autism and ASD. It is not a substitute for professional medical, legal, or mental health advice.

    43 min
  4. 23. Where Am I in the Narcissistic Abuse Recovery Journey? Healing Roadmap From Trauma Bond to Freedom as an Autistic Woman - Emotional Detachment as a Tactical Advantage for Family Court, Season 2

    MAR 9

    23. Where Am I in the Narcissistic Abuse Recovery Journey? Healing Roadmap From Trauma Bond to Freedom as an Autistic Woman - Emotional Detachment as a Tactical Advantage for Family Court, Season 2

    I want to do something a little different in this episode. If you’ve been listening to Season 2 from the beginning, you probably already feel that there’s a progression. We didn’t just randomly move from trauma bonds to EMDR to forgiveness to codependency. There’s a reason the season unfolds the way it does. And if you’re newer here — if you found this podcast somewhere in the middle — you might not realize that Season 2 was intentionally built as a roadmap, for autistic women healing from narcissistic abuse. Because healing after narcissistic abuse, trauma, nervous system dysregulation, and identity loss is not random. It has phases, like pit stops. And depending on when you found this podcast, you might be asking yourself: Where am I in this process?Am I at the trauma bond stage, or past it?Am I behind?Should I start at the beginning?Why does this episode resonate but that one makes me so mad? This episode is here to help you orient yourself, and understand how this season is structured. We started with the trauma bond because you can’t rebuild your life if your nervous system is still organized around the person who hurt you. This is the stage where you might still feel pulled toward them. Where you know logically it was harmful, but emotionally you still feel attached. Where you’re confused about why you miss someone who damaged you. Those episodes break down what the trauma bond actually is, how it forms, and how it begins to loosen. If that’s where you are — start there with Episode 15A. Once the trauma bond starts to weaken, something else often shows up more clearly: the nervous system. This is where you might feel dysregulated, anxious, exhausted, reactive, numb, or flooded with emotions. We talk about PTSD. We talk about EMDR. We talk about how trauma is encoded and how it can be reprocessed. This phase is about stabilization. Forgiveness comes next. And it does not mean excusing what happened, giving second chances, nor reconciling. Forgiveness, in this context, is about releasing the chronic emotional charge that keeps you tied to the injury. It only becomes accessible after some stabilization. If you tried to forgive too early and it felt fake or forced — that’s why. This episode sits exactly where it belongs in the roadmap. Once you’re no longer just surviving, you start asking harder questions. Why did I tolerate this?What patterns in me made this possible?Why do I over-accommodate?This is where we move into codependency — what it is, why it forms, and why autistic women in particular are often especially vulnerable to it. Because we’re often deeply attuned, conscientious, and conditioned to overgive and keep relationships smooth. This stage is about reclaiming autonomy. It’s about understanding your wiring so you can rewire it. After stabilization and restructuring comes expansion. Gratitude — understanding that this nonsense happened FOR you. Fellowship and mentorship — including safe, grounded coregulation through the STAR Network.Surrender and grief — the deeper integration work where you release the version of you that survived domestic abuse, as well as all the negativity in your current reality.These phases each become accessible when your nervous system is ready. If you’re still emotionally pulled toward the dysfunctional person, you’re probably in trauma bond work. If you’re physically out but your body still feels unstable, PTSD and stabilization work might be most relevant. If you’re questioning your own relational patterns, you need to understand codepedendency. If you’re beginning to feel stable and asking how to build forward — you’re moving into integration. You fall somewhere on a sequence. And this season was built so that wherever you are, there’s a place to land on a nervous system recovery journey. Please do not force yourself into a phase you’re not ready for. You just have to meet yourself honestly where you are. There is Light in this Battle — at every point.

    26 min
  5. 22. Codependency Recovery for Autistic Women: The Healing Journey as a Codependent Single Mother with Autism & ASD - Emotional Detachment as a Tactical Advantage for Family Court, Season 2

    MAR 2

    22. Codependency Recovery for Autistic Women: The Healing Journey as a Codependent Single Mother with Autism & ASD - Emotional Detachment as a Tactical Advantage for Family Court, Season 2

    How do you actually break free from codependency? Welcome back to Season 2 of Light in the Battle — a podcast for autistic women healing from narcissistic abuse, where we become clearer, calmer, and spiritually and legally harder to mess with. This is Part 3 of the Codependency mini-series, within Season 2. If you’re new to this topic, start with: Episode 20 — Codependent traits and behaviors Episode 21 — The link between autism and codependency In this episode, we focus on something hopeful and practical: How do you actually break free from codependency? Because forgiveness alone doesn’t reorient you. Trauma therapy alone doesn’t change identity. And leaving the relationship alone doesn’t remove the pattern. Codependency is not just about who you were with — it’s about who you became in order to survive. And recovery requires a reorientation. The core message of Codependent No More by Melody Beattie Why learning to depend on yourself is foundational How to stop abandoning yourself for others What healthy boundaries actually are (and what they are not) Practicing “no” and sitting with the discomfort The difference between supporting someone and fixing them Why detachment is not withdrawal, resignation, or indifference How to create internal predictability instead of seeking it through chaotic relationships Self-verification: why the autistic brain may cling to familiar dynamics — even painful ones Why joining support groups (like CoDA or other recovery spaces) can help with reorientation How recovery from codependency frees up bandwidth for parenting, work, strategy, and real peace For autistic women especially, letting go of codependency can feel like losing a self-definition. It creates a void. The real question isn’t: “Who am I without them?” It’s: “Who am I without the role that made me feel less like a misfit?” That void is uncomfortable — but it’s where detachment begins. And detachment, in this season, is not emotional coldness. It’s the ability to stop organizing your identity around someone else’s emotional states. That shift is what allows you to: show up calm in court stop sending reactive emails parallel parent strategically raise a non-codependent child engage in healthy relationships going forward Codependency fades when the nervous system learns that stability, worth, predictability, and control can come from within — not from managing external chaos. Later in Season 2, we’ll move into: Mentorship & fellowship Gratitude Surrender Grief All essential steps on the path to full emotional detachment. If this season is challenging you, that’s intentional. Growth is uncomfortable. But the woman you’re becoming is grounded, emotionally safe, and no longer defined by survival. 👉 Follow the show to receive the full Season 2 journey. 👉 Leave a review if this content is helping you. Disclaimer: I am not a medical, legal, or mental health professional. This podcast is based on lived experience. Please consult qualified professionals for guidance specific to your situation. Have courage. You can do this.

    30 min
  6. 21. Codependency and Autism: 5 Reasons ASD Women May be more Prone to Codependent Patterns - Linking ASD and Codependency - Emotional Detachment as a Tactical Advantage for Family Court, Season 2

    FEB 23

    21. Codependency and Autism: 5 Reasons ASD Women May be more Prone to Codependent Patterns - Linking ASD and Codependency - Emotional Detachment as a Tactical Advantage for Family Court, Season 2

    Let's continue our deep dive into codependency — why autistic women are particularly vulnerable to codependency, before we think about ways out of codependency. This entire Season is a journey towards emotional detachment, because detaching is essential not only for healing, but for protecting our children and showing up as the stable, credible parent in family court. One of the hardest truths I had to learn is that legal advice doesn’t land when emotions are running high. As long as survivors show up dysregulated — in emails, texts, reports, or in court — they continue to generate material that can be used against them, even when their concerns are valid. Emotional detachment does not mean we stop caring, what it does is it removes the reactivity that you shoot yourself in the foot with, time and time again. DETACH, BABY, DETACH!!! Welcome back to Season 2 of Light in the Battle — a podcast for autistic women healing from narcissistic abuse, where we get clearer, calmer, and spiritually and legally harder to mess with. So in Season 2, I’m taking you step by step through the journey I personally had to walk to detach completely — without detaching from my child’s wellbeing — and to finally be able to show patterns of behavior, in a way family court cannot ignore. So far this season, we’ve covered: Trauma bonding (⁠Episode 15⁠ & ⁠Episode 16⁠) PTSD / CPTSD and EMDR (⁠Episodes 17⁠ & ⁠Episode 18)⁠ Forgiveness — and why it does not mean reconciliation (⁠Episode 19⁠) Introducing Codependency - Behaviors and Traits, Episode 20Now it’s time to talk about codependency IN ASD WOMEN. Recap of the 5 traits & behaviors found in codependents Recap of the 5 more common traits found in austistic people and how much that looks like codependent traits How codependency can develop in autistic women, especially those raised in unstable environments Reminders about the concept of self-verification — and how the autistic brain’s need for predictability can keep codependent dynamics in place How codependency and narcissistic dynamics reinforce each other without blaming survivors of domestic violence Why emotional detachment is key to parallel parenting and raising a non-codependent child This episode draws in part from: Codependent No More, written by Melody BeattieAn ⁠Interview Of Melody Beattie⁠Research on self-verification (SimplyPsychology.org and publicly available resources on Google) This is Part 2 of the codependency arc. Part 1 has explained the common behaviors & traits of codependent people, and part 3 in Episode 22 will suggest ways to walk the journey of codependency recovery. In upcoming episodes, we’ll move into gratitude, fellowship & mentorship, surrender, and grief — all essential stages on the path to emotional detachment and freedom. 👉 Please follow the show and leave a 5-star review if this season resonates. It helps this content reach other women who need it. Disclaimer: I am not a medical, legal, or mental health professional. This podcast is based on lived experience. Please consult qualified professionals to determine what is appropriate for your situation. Stay with me through this season. It will get uncomfortable for sure. That's the whole point, I'm trying to help you get out of your own way so you can better hear what your lawyer is saying. I’m taking you on a journey, from the day you get out of the dysfunctional dynamic, all the way to emotional freedom. Follow the show so you can get all the episodes of Season 2.

    23 min
  7. 20. Codependency, Autism and Narcissistic Abuse: Understanding Codependent Behaviors & Traits That Lead to Narcissistic Abuse - Emotional Detachment as a Tactical Advantage for Family Court, Season 2

    FEB 16

    20. Codependency, Autism and Narcissistic Abuse: Understanding Codependent Behaviors & Traits That Lead to Narcissistic Abuse - Emotional Detachment as a Tactical Advantage for Family Court, Season 2

    Let's begin a deep dive into codependency — what it actually is, in preparation for why autistic women are particularly vulnerable to it next week - and why emotional detachment is essential not only for healing, but for protecting our children and showing up as the stable, credible parent in family court. One of the hardest truths I had to learn is that legal advice doesn’t land when emotions are running high. As long as survivors show up dysregulated — in emails, texts, reports, or in court — they continue to generate material that can be used against them, even when their concerns are valid. Emotional detachment does not mean we stop caring, what it does is it removes the reactivity that you shoot yourself in the foot with, time and time again. DETACH, BABY, DETACH!!! Welcome back to Season 2 of Light in the Battle — a podcast for autistic women healing from narcissistic abuse, where we get clearer, calmer, and spiritually and legally harder to mess with. So in Season 2, I’m taking you step by step through the journey I personally had to walk to detach completely — without detaching from my child’s wellbeing — and to finally be able to show patterns of behavior, in a way family court cannot ignore. So far this season, we’ve covered: Trauma bonding (Episode 15 & Episode 16) PTSD / CPTSD and EMDR (Episodes 17 & Episode 18) Forgiveness — and why it does not mean reconciliation (Episode 19) Now it’s time to talk about codependency. A clear definition of codependency and common traits Why codependent traits often emerge in dysfunctional or high-conflict family systems How codependency can develop in autistic women, especially those raised in unstable environments Why forgiveness alone doesn’t break emotional entanglement The concept of self-verification — and how the autistic brain’s need for predictability can keep codependent dynamics in place How codependency and narcissistic dynamics reinforce each other without blaming survivors of domestic violence Why emotional detachment is key to parallel parenting and raising a non-codependent child This episode draws in part from: Codependent No More, written by Melody BeattieAn Interview Of Melody BeattieResearch on self-verification (SimplyPsychology.org and publicly available resources on Google) This is Part 1 of the codependency arc. Part 2 in Episode 21 will link ASD to Codependency closely, andthen in Episode 22 we'll suggest ways to walk the journey of codependency recovery. In upcoming episodes, we’ll move into gratitude, fellowship & mentorship, surrender, and grief — all essential stages on the path to emotional detachment and freedom. 👉 Please follow the show and leave a 5-star review if this season resonates. It helps this content reach other women who need it. Disclaimer: I am not a medical, legal, or mental health professional. This podcast is based on lived experience. Please consult qualified professionals to determine what is appropriate for your situation. Stay with me through this season. It will get uncomfortable for sure. That's the whole point, I'm trying to help you get out of your own way so you can better hear what your lawyer is saying. I’m taking you on a journey. Follow the show so you can get all the episodes of Season 2.

    23 min
  8. 19. Forgiveness: 6 Reasons Forgiveness Matters After Narcissistic Abuse and with Autism - Emotional Detachment as a Tactical Advantage for Family Court, Season 2

    FEB 9

    19. Forgiveness: 6 Reasons Forgiveness Matters After Narcissistic Abuse and with Autism - Emotional Detachment as a Tactical Advantage for Family Court, Season 2

    Forgiveness is a tactical advantage. Once you're out of an abusive relationship, whether that's with a family member, a toxic work environment, etc, once you've handled your addiction to chaos so you don't go back, and you've found the right therapy for you in case you carry PTSD, next step is to think about Forgiveness. The 6 Items we think about when it comes to forgiveness, in this episode, are: What forgiveness is and what it is notForgive and Forget, really??? Forgiveness as a way of letting the hurt bear fruitForgiveness as a weapon of spiritual warfareForgiveness as a logical thing to do for autistic womenSecret and Juicy last item you will LOVE :) When we let go of the need for revenge, when we decide to let go of the emotional load, that's when we find Emotional Detachment, freedom and real impact. To go farther: The Christian Meaning of Suffering, on the Vatican's website. Another take on Forgiveness and Revenge by Stuff you Should Know Season 2, Emotional Detachment as a Tactical Advantage forFamily Court (starting with the addiction to chaos mini-series) is a Liberation Series that suggests things to look into as you rebuild yourself, so that you can become the version of yourself that is so detached emotionally, that you can prepare for family court correctly. Emotional detachment is where I want to help you get to, so that any legal advice you may receive about family court, actually lands. DETACH, BABY, DETACH! Here is the order I recommend for your healing journey towards emotional freedom, as you work to become a new version of yourself - the version that can actually win in court: First step is to think about not going back. There's a true addiction to chaos: Episode 15A, Episode 15B, Episode 16A, Episode 16B. You then want to work with a therapist and see if you carry PTSD, and what types of therapy will help you heal the PTSD. For me, it was EMDR: Episode 17, Episode 18. Here we talk about Forgiveness as a tactical advantage and as a massive step in your personal development. Your suffering must bear fruit, learning to forgive is one. The next things to think about in your liberation and in reclaiming your dignity, will be codependency,Gratitude, Fellowship & Mentorship with the STAR Network,Surrender & Grief Follow the show so you can hear the entire season about Emotional Detachment as a Tactical Advantage for Family Court This content is for general information and inspiration only. It is based on lived experience, on conversations had with others, and on deep research performed on publicly available information. It is not medical, mental‑health, legal, or professional advice, and it isn’t a substitute for advice tailored to your situation. Please seek support from a qualified professional who understands your needs. If you or someone you’re caring for is at risk of harm, please contact local emergency services or a trusted crisis service in your area. Keywords: autistic women, forgiving your abuser, forgiveness after abuse, how to forgive, how do I forgive, autistic brain, spiritual warfare, what is forgiveness, narcissistic abuse, forgiving the narcissist, freedom, forgiving as an autistic woman, emotional detachment, preparing for court, leaving an abusive relationship, ASD brain, letting go, how to let go, why should I forgive, reasons to forgive, resentment, christian meaning of suffering, domestic abuse, autism, ASD

    18 min
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A podcast for neurodivergent and autistic single mothers navigating trauma recovery, narcissistic abuse dynamics, high-conflict co-parenting and family court. Practical tools for nervous system regulation, court and custody stress, autistic burnout, sensory overwhelm, and raising autistic or PDA kids. Honest, practical, sometimes Catholic, ND-friendly guidance for moms seeking stability and peace in the middle of chaos. Trauma informed, ASD positive podcast for autistic moms, AuDHD women in spiritual warfare, and abuse survivors wanting to win in family court and better understand NPD.

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