When a single text can hijack your nervous system, “being strong” isn’t a mindset - it’s a skill you can hone and strengthen. We go behind the scenes of protective parenting and my simple three-step framework (knowledge, capacity, and advocacy) and shine a light on the quiet, invisible work that makes it all come together. Through a powerful client story, we trace the journey from sleepless, fear‑soaked message drafting to calm, clear responses - WITH healthy boundaries, and without the drama spiral.We unpack why capacity is the missing link, and you’ll hear how neuroplasticity turns tiny pauses into durable safety. Subtle shifts add up: a steadier heart rate when notifications land, fewer compulsive rewrites, and a growing ability to set boundaries without collapsing. That’s the bridge between knowing and doing - especially when you're under pressure from a former partner, family, or even your own legal team.Subscribe, share this with someone who needs steadier days, and leave a quick review to help more protective parents find tools that work. About Danielle Black: Danielle Black is a respected authority in child-focused post-separation parenting in Australia, helping parents cut through professional pressure and harmful myths to make decisions, and advocate strategically, based on what their children actually need. Having worked in the education, counselling and coaching space for over twenty years - with experience navigating her own complex separation and divorce - Danielle has guided hundreds of clients to successful outcomes. Ready to transform your approach to parenting after separation? Learn more by visiting the website: danielleblackcoaching.com.au *This podcast is not legal advice and is provided for educational and informational purposes only. All listeners are strongly encouraged to: Consult with legal, medical, financial and mental health professionals for advice specific to their unique situation and circumstances. Use appropriate judgement when applying any information to their situation. All listeners acknowledge responsibility for any decisions made or actions taken based on information in The Post-Separation Abuse Podcast.
--------
12:58
--------
12:58
68. The Power of your mind after separation: Sanctuary or Torture Chamber?
After separation, our mind can turn into either a sanctuary or a torture chamber. In this episode we touch on neuroplasticity, the brain–body loop, and how visualisation activates many of the same pathways as real experience. From there, we translate insight into action. The goal isn’t to eliminate big, uncomfortable feelings; it’s to build a reliable path back to steadiness so you can respond, not react.If this resonates, follow the show, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a review to help others find these tools.About Danielle Black: Danielle Black is a respected authority in child-focused post-separation parenting in Australia, helping parents cut through professional pressure and harmful myths to make decisions, and advocate strategically, based on what their children actually need. Having worked in the education, counselling and coaching space for over twenty years - with experience navigating her own complex separation and divorce - Danielle has guided hundreds of clients to successful outcomes. Ready to transform your approach to parenting after separation? Learn more by visiting the website: danielleblackcoaching.com.au *This podcast is not legal advice and is provided for educational and informational purposes only. All listeners are strongly encouraged to: Consult with legal, medical, financial and mental health professionals for advice specific to their unique situation and circumstances. Use appropriate judgement when applying any information to their situation. All listeners acknowledge responsibility for any decisions made or actions taken based on information in The Post-Separation Abuse Podcast.
--------
9:49
--------
9:49
67. When silence feels safer, and why 'communicating better' isn't enough
You know the message you need to send - your body knows it too. The heart race at each notification, the late‑night rehearsals, the drafts you delete because every time you raise a concern it explodes into denial or a character assassination. Today we go straight to that paralysis and unpack why it isn’t a “communication skills” problem at all, but a control dynamic that punishes you for advocating for your kids.Then we offer a practical path out, but none of this sticks without nervous system capacity - with regulation first and strategy second, you can finally stop chasing “magic words” and "silver bullets", and start building momentum. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s progress you can feel - fewer 2am intrusive thoughts, steadier changeovers, stronger evidence if orders need to be varied, and more presence with your kids.If you’re done being labelled “high conflict” for protecting your children, this conversation gives you language, structure, and tools to act. Follow, share this with a friend who needs it, and leave a review telling us the one boundary you’re putting in place this week.About Danielle Black: Danielle Black is a respected authority in child-focused post-separation parenting in Australia, helping parents cut through professional pressure and harmful myths to make decisions, and advocate strategically, based on what their children actually need. Having worked in the education, counselling and coaching space for over twenty years - with experience navigating her own complex separation and divorce - Danielle has guided hundreds of clients to successful outcomes. Ready to transform your approach to parenting after separation? Learn more by visiting the website: danielleblackcoaching.com.au *This podcast is not legal advice and is provided for educational and informational purposes only. All listeners are strongly encouraged to: Consult with legal, medical, financial and mental health professionals for advice specific to their unique situation and circumstances. Use appropriate judgement when applying any information to their situation. All listeners acknowledge responsibility for any decisions made or actions taken based on information in The Post-Separation Abuse Podcast.
--------
18:37
--------
18:37
66. Are you laying awake in the early hours? ...I've been there...
The clock says 3 a.m., but your mind won’t switch off. You can still feel your child’s legs wrapped around your waist at changeover, hear the cry that says "stay", and taste the guilt of agreeing to overnights that never felt right. You were told kids “adapt,” that “equal time” is always best. What if that advice ignores how young brains and bodies actually develop?We walk through the real signs of attachment strain - full-body clinging, sleep disruption, toileting regressions, and meltdowns that linger after return - and connect them to what the research shows about frequent overnights for children under four years. Drawing on peer‑reviewed, government‑commissioned findings from the Australian Institute of Family Studies, we explain why predictability with a primary attachment figure is protective, how stress systems in toddlers react to repeated separations, and how “fairness to adults” can conflict with child development. Then we offer a clear alternative.Knowing the evidence is only half the battle. We unpack the protective parenting framework - knowledge, capacity, and strategic implementation - so you can hold your position when pressure rises. The Post-Separation Parenting Blueprint is available now - learn more using this link.About Danielle Black: Danielle Black is a respected authority in child-focused post-separation parenting in Australia, helping parents cut through professional pressure and harmful myths to make decisions, and advocate strategically, based on what their children actually need. Having worked in the education, counselling and coaching space for over twenty years - with experience navigating her own complex separation and divorce - Danielle has guided hundreds of clients to successful outcomes. Ready to transform your approach to parenting after separation? Learn more by visiting the website: danielleblackcoaching.com.au *This podcast is not legal advice and is provided for educational and informational purposes only. All listeners are strongly encouraged to: Consult with legal, medical, financial and mental health professionals for advice specific to their unique situation and circumstances. Use appropriate judgement when applying any information to their situation. All listeners acknowledge responsibility for any decisions made or actions taken based on information in The Post-Separation Abuse Podcast.
--------
17:12
--------
17:12
65. Child-Focused Parenting After Separation: A conversation with specialist coach Trudie Hargrave
What if you already have the power to protect your children after separation, but no one's ever told you? In this revealing conversation, Principal Coach and Director of Danielle Black Coaching, Danielle Black, welcomes Specialist Coach Trudie Hargrave to share insights from both their professional expertise and personal journeys through high-conflict separations.From lighthearted coffee preferences to profound reflections on advocacy, this episode peels back the curtain on what makes these coaches uniquely qualified to support protective parents. Trudie's candid admission - "I now see that power lays with you right from the beginning" - challenges the common belief that parents must wait for court permission to act in their children's best interests.The discussion explores how one-on-one coaching creates a container for the emotional turmoil of separation, allowing clients to maintain healthier relationships with friends and family while developing the capacity to advocate effectively. Both coaches emphasise that early intervention and advocacy lead to better outcomes, something they wish they'd understood sooner in their own journeys. The conversation also introduces their comprehensive Post-Separation Parenting Blueprint™, designed as a living resource parents can return to throughout their journey.Whether you're just beginning to consider separation or deep in the court process, this conversation offers both practical wisdom and emotional validation. As Trudie poignantly reflects, "I wish I had given myself permission that it's okay to reach out for support, that I deserve support through it." Visit danielleblackcoaching.com.au to learn how Danielle and Trudie can help you navigate your post-separation journey with confidence and clarity.About Danielle Black: Danielle Black is a respected authority in child-focused post-separation parenting in Australia, helping parents cut through professional pressure and harmful myths to make decisions, and advocate strategically, based on what their children actually need. Having worked in the education, counselling and coaching space for over twenty years - with experience navigating her own complex separation and divorce - Danielle has guided hundreds of clients to successful outcomes. Ready to transform your approach to parenting after separation? Learn more by visiting the website: danielleblackcoaching.com.au *This podcast is not legal advice and is provided for educational and informational purposes only. All listeners are strongly encouraged to: Consult with legal, medical, financial and mental health professionals for advice specific to their unique situation and circumstances. Use appropriate judgement when applying any information to their situation. All listeners acknowledge responsibility for any decisions made or actions taken based on information in The Post-Separation Abuse Podcast.
The Post-Separation Abuse Podcast - hosted by Danielle Black, Australia's leading specialist in child-focused post-separation parenting.This isn't your typical separation, divorce or co-parenting podcast. We tackle the hard truths about what happens when separation involves family violence, high-conflict dynamics, and ongoing abuse - and most importantly, how to protect your children when the flawed Australian 'system' lets you down.Each episode challenges the dangerous myths that keep women and children in harmful situations. From exposing why Australia's love affair with 50/50 parenting arrangements is hurting Australian kids, to revealing how post-separation abuse operates through parenting arrangements - this is where protective parents get the evidence-based guidance they desperately need.Putting children first after separation - even when that means challenging professionals, fighting inappropriate arrangements, and refusing to accept "compromise" solutions that damage your children's development and wellbeing.Raw, unfiltered, and research-backed. Because your children's wellbeing matters more than adult concepts of "fairness." Transform from confused to confident in your post-separation parenting decisions. Join The Post-Separation Parenting Blueprint waitlist for exclusive early access, early bird pricing, and instant free mini-guide and private podcast episode. Join the waitlist todayReady to make child-focused decisions with confidence? Visit danielleblackcoaching.com.au to learn more about how we can help.
Ireland