Ep 189: “High-Conflict” Divorce, Mediation, and Child-Centered Parenting Plans with Laura Lorber

Parenting plans, mediation, and negotiations are some of the most stressful parts of divorce — especially when abuse, coercive control, or high conflict are involved.In this episode of The Rising Beyond Podcast, Sybil is joined by Laura, a family law mediator and co-parenting coach, to unpack what mediation can look like when it is truly child-centered and trauma-informed — and when it isn’t.Laura brings years of experience mediating high-conflict parenting cases involving domestic violence, substance use, and power imbalances. Together, they explore how mediation can either reinforce harm or become a place where autonomy, safety, and children’s real needs are finally centered.This conversation is especially helpful for protective parents who feel trapped by cookie-cutter parenting plans, fear retaliation for speaking up, or are being pressured to “just agree” for the sake of the court.In This Episode, We DiscussWhy mediation often feels re-traumatizing for survivors — and how it can be done differentlyThe importance of autonomy after coercive controlWhy “getting to agreement” is not the same as creating a safe parenting planHow documenting only the bad can distort negotiationsLaura Lorber is an MC3 Certified Mediator, Certified Co-Parenting Specialist, and Program for Infant-Toddler Care (PITC) Fellow. She brings a deeply reflective and facilitative approach to complex family matters, including high-conflict co-parenting, interpersonal violence, and elder care. Laura’s evolving theory of mediation centers on the idea that every conflict offers a chance to model and teach — giving families a lasting legacy of learning to navigate challenges with understanding, resilience, and care for future generations.Connect with Laura:Website: www.lauralorberjd.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauramlorber/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lmlorber/Join me on February 18th at 12pm MST for the Parenting to Combat Coercive Control Live Workshop for protective moms focused on protecting and repairing the parent–child relationship: https://mailchi.mp/risingbeyondpc/coercive-controlPlease leave us a review or rating and follow/subscribe to the show. This helps the show get out to more people.If you want to chat more about this topic, I would love to continue our conversation over on Instagram! @risingbeyondpcIf you want to support the show, you may do so here at Buy Me A Coffee. Thank you! We love being able to make this information accessible to you and your community.If you've been looking for a supportive community of women going through the topics we cover, head over to our website to learn more about the Rising Beyond Community. - https://www.risingbeyondpc.com/Wondering where to start? Check out our top free resources - https://www.risingbeyondpc.com/resources.htmlIf you're interested in guesting on the show, please fill out this form - https://forms.gle/CSvLWWyZxmJ8GGQu7Where to find more from Rising Beyond:Rising Beyond FacebookRising Beyond LinkedInRising Beyond Pinterest