Protecting Children When Co‑Parenting With A Narcissist

Send us Fan MailFear changes a family long before anyone says the word divorce. With narcissistic dynamics, the house learns to tiptoe, and kids internalize patterns of freezing, fawning, and pleasing. We invited coach Jamie Davis to unpack a humane path forward: regulate first, then respond. Jamie shares how a simple DBT practice—five grounded minutes of breath and focus—builds the pause you need to choose words that soothe nervous systems instead of inflaming them. That pause becomes the oxygen mask for you and, by extension, your children.We talk candidly about the myth of the “intact” family and the heavy pressure many women carry from culture, faith, and family to stay no matter the cost. Jamie offers practical questions to excavate old scripts—Has this person earned the benefit of the doubt? What does intact mean if fear rules the home?—and shows how reclaiming agency leads to clean, consistent boundaries. Rather than arguing the narrative, we learn to protect energy, name values, and model calm decisions that children can mirror.When smear campaigns and mind games begin, the instinct to defend can undo hard-won progress. Jamie gives language to keep kids’ critical thinking online: I heard what was said. How did that make you feel? What questions do you want to ask me? Who do you know me to be? We explore how steady, predictable responses help children navigate cognitive dissonance without picking sides out of fear. We also touch on recovering your own identity—preferences, pace, and joy—so you parent from fullness, not depletion.If you’re weighing whether to stay “for the kids,” this conversation offers tools, scripts, and perspective to make choices from clarity instead of fear. Listen, save the strategies, and share with someone who needs a steadier map. If this helped, subscribe, leave a review, and tell us the one boundary you’ll practice this week.To reach out to Jamie to see if she can help you:[email protected]://www.facebook.com/stopthespincycleHi and welcome to Thrive and Decide. I’m your host Sarah Thress. This podcast is intended to help women who are going through a divorce, continplating divorce or have lost a spouse feel seen, heard, understood and not alone. All the beautiful souls who share on here are coming from a place of vulnerability and a common belief that sharing your story will help others. You will also hear from industry experts on what to do and not do while going through a divorce. Sarah [email protected] and Decide Facebookhttps://www.instagram.com/thrive_and_decide/https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559936633799https://www.facebook.com/SarahThressRealtor/https://www.instagram.com/sarah_thress_realtor/Real Estate Podcast Come To Find Out:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/come-to-find-out/id1704949604Real Estate First Time Home Buyers course: https://sarahthress.graphy.com/