Ep 189: “High-Conflict” Divorce, Mediation, and Child-Centered Parenting Plans with Laura Lorber
Wed Feb 04 2026
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 Discuss
Why 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.com
LinkedIn: 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-control
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
Rising Beyond LinkedIn
Rising Beyond Pinterest
If you're interested in guesting on the show please fill out this form - https://forms.gle/CSvLWWyZxmJ8GGQu7
Enjoy some of our freebies!
Choosing Your Battles Freebie Canned Responses Freebie Mic Drop Moments Freebie ...
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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 Discuss Why 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.com LinkedIn: 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-control 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 Rising Beyond LinkedIn Rising Beyond Pinterest If you're interested in guesting on the show please fill out this form - https://forms.gle/CSvLWWyZxmJ8GGQu7 Enjoy some of our freebies! Choosing Your Battles Freebie Canned Responses Freebie Mic Drop Moments Freebie ...