Coral Anika Theill on Patriarchy, Family Court, and a Real-Life Handmaid’s Tale

Trigger warning: This episode includes detailed discussions of marital rape, childhood sexual abuse, spiritual abuse, extreme domestic violence, coercive control, miscarriage, family court trauma, and suicidal despair. Please listen with care and step away if needed.In Part 2 of this conversation, survivor and author Coral Anika Theill continues sharing what it means to live inside a real-life “Handmaid’s Tale” world, where patriarchy, religious extremism, and family courts work together to strip her of safety, health, and even her children. She describes severe postpartum depression and medical neglect, marital rape, spiritual abuse framed as “deliverance,” and decades of legal warfare—23 years in court and more than 50 hearings—that left her without contact with her children and on the brink of homelessness. Coral and Dr. Christopher Barker explore how systems protect abusers and erase survivors, and why exposing both perpetrators and enablers is critical, especially for mothers who have lost their children in family court.To support Coral’s work and healing, you can purchase her candles at www.coralanikatheill.com/candles and learn more about her story at www.coralanikatheill.com. You can also connect with her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/coral-anika-theill-92440710/.If you are interested in having Dr. Christopher Barker as a guest on your platform, or if you would like to be a guest on the Holding Space podcast, please visit www.drchristopherbarker.com.