We now need to bring the cortisol, adrenaline, dopaminelevels back to normal. In this final episode about breaking the addiction to chaos, Faustina goes over 6 steps that worked for her, when she DECIDED to LEARN to enjoy peace. With compassion and understanding, with humour and Catholic faith, with small action steps that are easy to implement, shedescribes what has worked for her to bring the levels of the neurochemicals back to healthy levels.
Chaos and danger are a true neurochemical addiction, andit's one Faustina was able to white knuckle by the grace of God and by inventing 6 steps for herself, based on her very basic understanding of things she found online. She goes over these steps as possible shortcuts in your recovery from narcissistic abuse, legal abuse, or any form of childhood trauma that may have wired your brain to crave chaos.
Autistic women are particularly prone to this addiction,because they have a craving for predictability, patterns, the type you see in the cycle of abuse... Women with ASD are often more vulnerable to harmful relational patterns and can get pulled into cycles of instability very easily.
These 6 steps to break the addiction to chaos incorporate aCatholic interpretation of why that peace feels foreign, despite God’s promise, “My peace I give you”. We stress the importance of the Rosary, the Eucharist, and Confession, as rhythm and structure. You can pray novenas for peace,novenas for protection, sure, but you should also learn about the science of addiction!
Season 2, Emotional Detachment as a Tactical Advantage for Family Court (starting with this "addiction to chaos"mini-series) is a Liberation Series that suggests things to look into as you rebuild yourself, so that you can become the version of yourself that is so detached emotionally, that you can prepare for family court correctly.
Emotional detachment is where I want to help you get to, so that any thoughts I may have about court prep actually land.
DETACH, BABY, DETACH!
Here is the order I recommend for your healing journeytowards emotional freedom, as you work to become a new version of yourself - the version that can actually win in court:
Follow the show so you can hear the entire Season 2 about Emotional Detachment.
While you wait for the entire season 2 to come out about Emotional Detachment as a Tactical Advantage for Family Court, check out Episode 9: The Court Date you Can't Stop Thinking About - Breaking the Anxiety Spiral.
Light in the Battle is where you come to think about how toheal from trauma, how to break the addiction to chaos, how to recover from narcissistic abuse or legal trauma, and about nervous system recovery. This content is for general information and inspiration only. It is not medical, mental‑health, legal, or professional advice, and it isn’t a substitute for advice tailored to your situation. Please seek support from a qualified professional.
Choose to find Light in the Battle. Your circumstances (yourASD diagnosis as an adult woman, your PDA child's nervous system, your high-conflict coparenting reality, and single motherhood) will not change any time soon, but the trauma neurochemistry and the harmful levels of the neurochemicals can.
To go deeper into the neurochemistry behind stress, overwhelm, and emotional intensity, Huberman’s episode “Tools for Managing Stress & Anxiety” expands on the dopamine, cortisol, and survival-mode loops.
"Why didn't she leave", you ask.
"Why does she keep dating the same types of men over and over? When will she learn? "
Sounds familiar? Don't we just love that judgment coming from uneducated, well-meaning people who are not familiar with the concept of trauma bonding.
Well... It's biology. Childhood trauma and/or narcissistic abuse can create a true addiction in the brain. A trauma bond.
This Episode is the logical next step in our Chaos Addiction Mini-Series, after Episode 15 A and Episode 15B, where we talked about how things feel and how we suffer from the boredom and the deafening silence that follow years of running on adrenaline, oxytocin and cortisol - but precisely, we didn't dive into the brain chemicals and the biology of addiction to chaos.
Here, Faustina goes over:
Please leave this show a 5* review.
In 16B we will talk about concrete steps to normalize the levels of the neurochemicals we described here.
More here about Trauma Bond Science with Darlene Lancer.
Season 2, Emotional Detachment as a Tactical Advantage for Family Court (starting with this "addiction to chaos" mini-series) is aLiberation Series that suggests things to look into as you rebuild yourself, so that you can become the version of yourself that is so detached emotionally, that you can prepare for family court correctly.
Emotional detachment is where I want to help you get to, so that any thoughts I may have about court prep actually land.
DETACH, BABY, DETACH!
Here is the order I recommend for your healing journey towards emotional freedom, as you work to become a new version of yourself -the version that can actually win in court:
Follow the show so you can hear the entire Season 2 about Emotional Detachment.
While you wait for the entire season 2 to come out about Emotional Detachment as a Tactical Advantage for Family Court, check out Episode9: The Court Date you Can't Stop Thinking About - Breaking the Anxiety Spiral.
Light in the Battle is where you come to think about how to heal from trauma, how to break the addiction to chaos, how to recover from narcissistic abuse, how to become the person you need to be in order to win a custody battle, and about nervous system recovery. This content is for general information and inspiration only. It reflects lived experience and summaries of publicly available research. It is not medical, mental‑health, legal, or professional advice, and it isn’t a substitute for advice tailored to your situation. Please seek support from a qualified professional who understands your needs.
"Why does this keep happening to me?"
"Why do I keep attracting narcissists?"
You choose to stop. With 6 ASD-friendly practical tips that Faustina used repeatedly in her journey of taming peace after years of running on adrenaline and cortisol, we can slowly familiarize ourselves with our new life. Whether that's getting out of domestic violence, healing from narcissistic abuse, or winning a custody battle in family court, there's going to be a point where things will stop being a constant threat, a constant chaos loop. And your brain won't like it. So here are 6 trauma informed, practical ways that you teach your brain to enjoy the quiet after the storm, so you can settle into it, and change the course of your life - one day at a time!
Addiction to chaos is a real thing. In this episode we get practical with 6 mindset shifts and day-to-day habits that may help us not dive head first into another problem, another abusive relationship, another overwhelming situation. In the next episode we nerd out on the hormones in the brain that drive that addiction, and how we can help normalize those hormone levels.
I want to point you to one of my biggest pillars in my trauma recovery, Dr. Ramani, who teaches from a more authoritative perspective, things you need to know about narcissism, NPD, and about recovery.
The content in this podcast is for general information and education only. It reflects lived experience and summaries of publicly available research. It is not medical, mental‑health, legal, or professional advice, and it isn’t a substitute for advice tailored to your situation. Please seek support from a qualified professional who understands your needs.
Season 2, Emotional Detachment as a Tactical Advantage for Family Court (starting with this "addiction to chaos" mini-series) is aLiberation Series that suggests things to look into as you rebuild yourself, so that you can become the version of yourself that is so detached emotionally, that you can prepare for family court correctly.
Emotional detachment is where I want to help you get to, so that any thoughts I may share about court prep actually land.
DETACH, BABY, DETACH!
Here is the order I recommend for your healing journey towards emotional freedom, as you work to become a new version of yourself -the version that can actually win in court:
Follow the show so you can hear the entire Season 2 about Emotional Detachment.
While you wait for the entire season 2 to come out about Emotional Detachment as a Tactical Advantage for Family Court, check out Episode9: The Court Date you Can't Stop Thinking About - Breaking the Anxiety Spiral.
Through the story of winning a custody battle, despite what felt like years of legal intimidation and harassment, Faustina shows an example of what addiction to chaos looks and feels like. Winning in family court after many years of feeling unseen and misunderstood by a legal system that isn’t trauma-informed, completely stunned her like a deer in the headlights.
We discuss the fact that calm can feel threatening, that trauma wires your nervous system to seek more chaos, why peace showing up abruptly can be destabilizing, in order to plant the scenery for Episode 15-B where we will list 6 practical Tips to retrain the body to feel safe again.
This mini-series about the addiction to chaos for trauma survivors, sets the stage for a deeper analysis about Emotional Detachment after narcissistic abuse.
A story most single moms who have left relationships that felt narcissistic, intimidating and confusing, and who are carrying relationship or childhood trauma, and suddenly find themselves forced to adjust to some level of peace, will relate to.
Faustina suggests we start thinking about surrender with the words, "Be still and know that I am God" as a great mantra for the transition out of chaos and into peace. Surrender is one of the mindset shifts that she built her newfound freedom around.
After this practical description of behaviors and feelings, in Episodes 16A and 16B we then dive into the neurochemical aspect of the addiction to chaos, talk about the stress hormones, and suggest ways to get the neurochemical levels back to normal.
This Season 2, Emotional Detachment as a Tactical Advantage for Family Court, starting right here with the "addiction to chaos" mini-series is a Liberation Series that suggests things to look into as you rebuild yourself, so that you can become the version of yourself that is so detached emotionally, that you can prepare for family court correctly.
Emotional detachment is where I want to help you get to, so that any recommendations I may have for court prep actually land.
DETACH, BABY, DETACH!
Here is the order I recommend for your healing journey towards emotional freedom, as you work to become a new version of yourself -the version that can actually win in court:
Follow the show so you can hear the entire season 2 about Emotional Detachment.
While you wait for the entire season 2 to come out about Emotional Detachment as a Tactical Advantage for Family Court, check out Episode 9: The Court Date you Can't Stop Thinking About - Breaking the Anxiety Spiral.
KEYWORDS
autistic single mom, narcissistic abuse recovery, trauma healing, nervous system regulation, custody battle, chaos addiction, addiction to chaos, life transition, NPD, ASD, Catholicism, court trauma, court battle, win a custody battle, post-abuse healing, trauma responses, high-conflict co-parenting, healing after abuse, emotional safety, breaking trauma patterns, Mental Health, Parenting, Self-Improvement, Trauma, Catholic Faith, Rosary, Jesus, spiritual warfare, demonic aspect of a court battle, legal abuse
This content is for general information and education only. It reflects lived experience and summaries of publicly available research. It is not medical, mental‑health, legal, or professional advice, and it isn’t a substitute for advice tailored to your situation. Please seek support from a qualified professional who understands your needs.
After gaslighting, rebuilding your intuition and body signals is the foundation for helping your child feel emotionally safe.
In this episode, we talk about what gaslighting is, how to heal from gaslighting, staying honest with your overwhelm, and modeling emotional safety for sensitive or neurodivergent kids. Faustina shares relatable, personal stories and real-life examples of learning to feel the emotions again, and humbly using those to model emotional intelligence to a sensitive child.
If this helped you feel less alone, please leave a 5 star review — it genuinely helps other overwhelmed moms find this space.
Healing from gaslighting is like finding strength in the storm that follows, with the post-separation dysfunctional dynamics that come after you leave.
emotional safety for kids
trauma-informed parenting
parenting after abuse
overwhelmed moms
neurodivergent parenting
PDA autism parenting
sensitive children
co-regulation strategies
healing from gaslighting
nervous system regulation
parenting when triggered
rebuilding intuition
overwhelmed mom support
Catholic mom podcast
mother wound healing
emotional literacy for kids
parenting through dysregulation
gentle parenting for trauma survivors
raising autistic or PDA children
how to stay calm with your child
healing your inner voice
teaching kids emotional regulation
Staying present isn’t easy when your nervous system is already overloaded. It's easier to dissociate.
In this episode, Faustina talks about what “being present” actually means for trauma survivors and neurodivergent single parents, why overwhelm shuts down connection, and how to stay grounded with an autistic child even when your body or your mind want to escape. Practical, realistic tools for single moms — no perfection required.
I do want to give credit to a major player in the ASD space, Orion Kelly, That Autistic Guy, who talks about parallel play.
Keywords: autism parenting, overstimulated parent, overwhelmed mom, trauma informed parenting, sensory overload parenting, parenting with PTSD, staying present with child, single parent, neurodivergent parent, autistic parent, PDA autism parenting, nervous system dysregulation
Breaking generational trauma for future generations is hard — especially when you’re parenting a neurodivergent child without a roadmap. It's little things you have to notice, to catch, and to do differently - one day at a time.
In this episode, we talk about how childhood trauma shows up in your parenting, why your nervous system reacts before your thoughts do, and how small, imperfect moments of awareness can break the cycle. Generational trauma doesn't have to be passed down to your bloodline, you can stop the cycle. This is for single moms recovering from abuse, healing, and trying to parent differently than what they lived.
Pro tip: going to therapy is always a good idea!
breaking generational trauma
parenting after trauma
trauma-informed parenting
cycle breaking parents
parenting a neurodivergent child
parenting autistic child
autism parenting support
PDA autism parenting
healing from abuse
moms recovering from trauma
overwhelmed moms
trauma triggers in parenting
nervous system dysregulation
gentle parenting after trauma
attachment repair
reparenting yourself
parent burnout recovery
high conflict co-parenting support
healing childhood wounds
trauma response in motherhood
how to parent differently after trauma
why parenting feels hard after abuse
how to break generational trauma cycles
regulating yourself while parenting
support for moms raising autistic kids
trauma responses during meltdowns
parenting when overstimulated
surviving high conflict parenting
How do you handle a meltdown when you're overstimulated already? How do you help your child calm down when you’re not calm yourself?
In this episode, Faustina shares small, realistic ways to co-regulate while healing — grounding tips for overstimulation, honest scripts for connection, and a reminder that repair matters more than perfection. This can be particularly difficult for autistic single mothers as there is no other adult to fall back on when we are not regulated.
single parenting, autism, trauma recovery, nervous system, co-regulation, single motherhood, resilience, gentle parenting, healing hacks
When your mind knows you’re safe but your body doesn’t, parenting can feel overwhelming. This episode explains what trauma-triggered overwhelm actually is, and offers practical steps to calm your nervous system in real time — without pretending or forcing it. This can be particularly challenging for single mothers.
panic, trauma recover, PTSD flare-ups while parenting, healed parent, good mother, abuse survivor
Legal stress and co-parenting conflict activate the nervous system in a deep, physical way. This episode shares grounded ways to work to break free from anxiety when you can’t stop thinking about court — without denying the reality of what’s at stake: the money side, the custody, the amount of contact that you'll have to maintain with your ex, how much control each parent has, and your child's safety.
Faustina shares how in her experience, all that anxiety did was rob her of her experience of the present. When she realized time was flying by, and her son was growing up, while she was spending all that time in her head preparing for potential scenarios, she decided to no longer let anxiety rob her of her son's childhood. Over time she learned to not go into that rabbit hole of rehearsing arguments, plan the hearing two or three steps ahead, brace for the consequences of a ruling... And instead, stay in the moment with her child, and stay connected to him as he grows up. There's wisdom in letting go and letting God.
Keywords: co-parenting stress, high conflict co-parent, custody anxiety, trauma-informed parenting, court stress, nervous system regulation, overwhelmed motherhood, parenting resilience, emotional grounding, parenting under stress, custody battle, legal battle, divorcing the narcissist, court hearing
Many mothers escape because their nervous system is overwhelmed, not because they lack strength. This episode explores the difference between rest that nourishes us and escape that numbs us — and offers simple, doable ways to create calm in small moments throughout the day.
As single mothers dealing with neurodivergence, trauma, and a lot of coparenting conflict, escaping can be the norm. It's just too much, on most days. Let's look at ways we can rest instead.
Keywords: rest vs escape, parenting overwhelm, trauma-informed parenting, nervous system regulation, autistic parent, sensory overload, self-regulation, healing from burnout, mindful parenting, maternal burnout, parental burnout, overwhelmed motherhood, neurodivergent parenting, parenting resilience, emotional fatigue recovery, solo parenting an autistic child
"I'm touched out!"
"My kid is always up against me, I need a break!"
Parenting spaces talk about this at great length, but no one is talking about being "stimmed out". Parenting an autistic child can be physically and emotionnaly draining. ASD parenting is a whole other level of sensory overload, especially for single, autistic parents carrying trauma.
When there's no other parent around to take over while you recover, what do you do?
When your child’s stimming, movement, or verbal repetition triggers your own sensory overload, and you feel like you're carrying most of the parenting load, what do you do?
For mothers coming into parenting a neurodivergent child when they themselves are neurodivergent, and have experienced trauma, it's a lot.
This episode is about what it feels like to be stimmed out as a single mother. It's noise, it's movement, it's bolting, it's much more than just wanting to be up against you or in your arms. As a matter of fact, a lot of the time our ASD kids don't even want to be held - they're just here for the noise levels, the running around and allll the sensory-seeking behaviours.
So here you will find 5 practical, tiny adjustments you can rely on in the midst of being stimmed out. It may help you stay present without shutting down or reacting. We cover guilt-free, real strategies for protecting your nervous system while still showing up with love.
parenting autism, sensory overload, autistic parent, mom guilt, overstimulation, stimming, PDA autism, neurodivergent parenting, stims, gentle parenting autism, regulating nervous system, autistic motherhood, parenting through overwhelm, coping skills for parents, single mom, single mother, trauma-informed parenting, emotional regulation for parents, parenting burnout, parenting resilience, supporting autistic children, sensory needs, autistic sensory experience, mindful parenting neurodivergence
After abuse, peace can feel wrong. After years of chaos and survival, calm can make your body panic — because silence used to mean danger.
In this episode, Faustina explains why calm feels unsafe and how to rebuild your nervous system’s trust in quiet. With simple grounding tools and sensory-aware examples, she shows how “micro-calm” moments can rewire your sense of safety over time.
For mothers recovering from trauma, navigating co-parenting, or living with ADHD or autism, this episode offers realistic, no-pressure steps toward peace that lasts.
Keywords: PTSD healing, nervous system regulation, parenting after abuse, hypervigilance, neurodivergent mom, neurodivergent mother
Healing doesn’t mean life gets quiet. It means you learn how to find stillness inside the noise.
In this reflection, Faustina shares how she practices calm in real moments — reading court emails, managing meltdowns, or feeling her body’s old panic rise up. This isn’t about perfection or pretending to be all good. It’s about creating small pauses that remind your nervous system: “We’re safe now.”
For single mothers healing from trauma or in the thick of high-conflict co-parenting, this episode offers practical ways to build real emotional safety, one small grounding practice at a time.
keywords: trauma recovery, co-parenting, mindfulness, trauma, parenting during abuse, single mother, finding peace, how to be happy
When you leave an abusive relationship and become a single parent, healing takes on a new shape.
In this quiet reflection, Faustina shares how moving countries during pregnancy opened the door to clarity — and how her child’s emotions later became mirrors of her own unhealed pain.
This episode explores the real experience of parenting after trauma: the body memories, the panic, and the work of re-teaching yourself safety while caring for a child who depends on your calm.
Light in the Battle is a space for single mothers rebuilding after emotional abuse, finding peace, and learning to parent with ASD.
#parentingaftertrauma #gentlemotherhood #healingjourney #PTSD #emotionalregulation
Detachment isn’t easy when your body is still in survival mode.
In this reflection, Faustina talks about what it’s really like to learn emotional detachment after trauma — when PTSD and panic make “staying calm” feel impossible amongst the craziness. Through her experience with EMDR and nervous system healing, she shares how true detachment isn’t about going numb, but about helping your body believe it’s finally safe.
For single mothers navigating co-parenting, high-conflict relationships, or life after emotional abuse patterns, this episode offers gentle, practical reminders that peace is something you grow into, but cannot force.
Keywords: trauma recovery, PTSD, EMDR, parenting after abuse, nervous system healing, emotional regulation, co-parenting, detachment, healing journey, single mother
How do you keep the faith when everything falls apart? How do you keep believing in a good God, when that God allowed all this to happen?
When logic fails and the path disappears, faith becomes the thread that holds us together. In this episode of Light in the Battle, Faustina reflects on trusting God when nothing makes sense—learning to surrender control, find calm in motherhood, and believe that God’s presence is constant even in pain.
A gentle reminder for Catholic mothers walking through uncertainty, raising children after trauma, and rebuilding peace through prayer.
Keywords: faith, trust in God, Christian parenting, healing after trauma, motherhood, peace, surrender, resilience, spiritual growth, trust in Jesus, listening to God's voice
Life can feel like a battle—especially for single mothers navigating co-parenting, trauma, or spiritual warfare. In this first reflection from Light in the Battle, Faustina shares gentle words on finding peace, faith, and emotional resilience when chaos surrounds you.
A quiet Christian meditation for autistic women healing from narcissistic abuse, solo parenting through hard seasons, and learning to let God fight for them.
Keywords: faith, Christian motherhood, narcissistic abuse recovery, peace in chaos, co-parenting, healing, trauma, God’s presence
Welcome to Light in the Battle, one of the rare AI-free resources available.
I'm Faustina, I'm an autistic single mom with a PDA child on the spectrum, I'm healing from narcissistic abuse patterns, I'm winning in court and I'm doing it all without a safety net.
I'm here to talk about my lived-experience, and to share battle-tested approaches to finding Light in the Battle despite the ASD, the difficult coparenting, the legal costs and the crushing weight of it all.
If you're anything like me, your reality's not going to change. How to find peace in the chaos? How do you adjust to an autism diagnosis? How do you learn to coparent in high-conflict dynamics? You *choose* to find Peace and Joy in the midst of chaos. I hope my reflections help you get there, one day at a time.
Light in the Battle is a Catholic space where we learn how to win in family court, how to soothe the nervous system, how to recover from PSTD, how to parent a neurodivergent child all the while honoring your own autism as a single mom.