If you’ve ever had to interact with Child Protective Services (CPS), you know the process can feel confusing, overwhelming, and, let’s be honest, downright terrifying. Whether you’ve made a report, had one made against you, or are just trying to protect your child in the midst of a high-conflict situation, understanding the system is key.

In this episode, I’m speaking with Christine Garcia, LPC, a seasoned therapist and fierce advocate for families, to demystify what actually happens when CPS gets involved. Together, we discuss how the system works (and how it doesn’t), what survivors of domestic violence need to know, and how to best communicate and document when CPS is part of your reality.

We don’t shy away from the hard stuff, like how the system can retraumatize survivors or misunderstand coercive control, but we also offer practical tips for how to protect yourself and your child through the process.

Connect with Christine:

https://cwccolorado.com/

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In this episode, I go on a bit of a rant—and for good reason.

When people in positions of power make sweeping decisions without input from the people most affected, the results are often not just ineffective… they’re harmful.

I share a recent example from my own therapy practice, where state-level Medicaid changes made by HCPF (Colorado’s Department of Health Care Policy & Financing) have had huge ripple effects—harming my team’s ability to provide care and hurting the very clients those changes were supposed to help.

And unfortunately, this isn’t a one-off issue. It’s a pattern we see all the time in the family court system.

Survivors of domestic violence are rarely invited to the table when reforms are discussed or policies are implemented. Professionals make assumptions, apply blanket solutions, and often ignore the lived experiences of the people navigating these systems every single day.

In this episode, I explore:

• Why top-down decisions without feedback loops cause damage
• How survivors are continuously silenced and sidelined in court processes
• The emotional toll of fighting systems that claim to help—but don’t listen
• Why true change must include the voices of those impacted

Whether you’ve felt powerless in court, frustrated by the mental health system, or just plain angry at the disconnect between what’s needed and what’s delivered—this one’s for you.

Tune in and share your own story. We need more survivor voices in these conversations.

Please 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! @risingbeyondpc

If 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/

Where to find more from Rising Beyond:
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Money isn't just about numbers—it's about our stories, our sense of worth, and the messages we've absorbed over time.

In this powerful episode, I'm speaking with a financial therapist (and friend) Khara, Croswaite Brindle, LPC, CFT to explore how our beliefs about money are deeply shaped by our past—especially for survivors of abuse. We talk about how messages from childhood, cultural conditioning, and the experience of financial abuse or control from an ex-partner can distort the way we view ourselves and our financial decisions.

If you've ever felt shame, fear, or confusion around money, or if you've found yourself stuck in scarcity or self-sabotage, tune into this one.

Khara also shares practical tools and mindset shifts you can start using today to challenge negative money beliefs and begin healing your relationship with finances. You’ll learn that financial wellness isn't just about saving or budgeting—it's about reclaiming your autonomy and rewriting the story that money tells about you.

Connect with Khara:

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/kharacroswaite/
• https://croswaitecounselingpllc.com/financial-therapy
• https://www.instagram.com/kharacroswaite/

References:

• Financial therapist (online directory): https://financialtherapyassociation.org/find-a-financial-therapist/
• Financial Therapy Books List: https://www.riverbendfinancialtherapy.com/resources
• Money Minus Shame Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/money-minus-shame/id1789593271
• Money Healing Club (online community): https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/
• Book (and workbook of financial therapy exercises) Your Enneagram and Money: https://a.co/d/bQGu3oo

Please 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! @risingbeyondpc

If 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/

Where to find more from Rising Beyond:
Rising Beyond Facebook
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If you're interested in guesting on the show please fill out this form - https://forms.gle/CSvLWWyZxmJ8GGQu7

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• ...