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 4 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. I'm Faustina, I'm an autistic single mom of a 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 your reality? You *choose* to find Peace and Joy in the midst of chaos. I hope my reflections help you get there.

Keywords: narcissistic abuse recovery, NPD, personality disorders, neurodivergence, solo parenting