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	<title>One Mom&#039;s Battle</title>
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	<link>http://onemomsbattle.com</link>
	<description>Divorcing a Narcissist</description>
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		<title>“Emily&#8217;s Story” ~ Blog 6</title>
		<link>http://onemomsbattle.com/emilys+story+blog+6</link>
		<comments>http://onemomsbattle.com/emilys+story+blog+6#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 14 May 2013 15:26:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tina</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[5. “Emily's Story” –Guest Blogger]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Divorcing a Narcissist]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://onemomsbattle.com/?p=3635</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Note from Tina: There are many faces to this battle and I am currently featuring a total of six different people who are all affected by narcissism. Some are divorcing a narcissist, some share custody with a narcissist, one is a man who is affected by his ex-wife’s personality disorder and one is an amazing [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://onemomsbattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Footprints.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-3459" alt="Footprints" src="http://onemomsbattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Footprints-200x300.jpg" width="200" height="300" /></a><em>Note from Tina: There are many faces to this battle and I am currently featuring a total of six different people who are all affected by narcissism. Some are divorcing a narcissist, some share custody with a narcissist, one is a man who is affected by his ex-wife’s personality disorder and one is an amazing young woman who is away at college but <i>still</i> feeling the effects of her father’s narcissism. While we are all different, we share the same story—the same trials and tribulations.  There are many faces to this battle and I am happy to share them with you. -Tina</em></p>
<p><strong>“Emily&#8217;s Story” ~ Blog 6<br />
</strong></p>
<p><b>Marriage</b></p>
<p>Growing up, I remember hearing that marriage was hard work.  This was a message that I took to heart and I knew that divorce would never be an option for me.  Making a marriage work was simply a matter of trying hard enough.  The problem is that nobody ever tells you how much work is <i>too much</i> work.</p>
<p>My marriage to Craig was constant work and it was exhausting.  I went to bed most nights feeling hopeless then woke up the next morning with new resolve.  I was on a mission to create a happy marriage and a healthy family for my children and nothing was going to stop me.</p>
<p>I left no stone unturned in my search for ways to fix my marriage.  Craig and I went to counseling together and I saw a counselor separately.  My counselor told me that Craig’s violence would not change.  I remember her saying, “Violent people will always react to stress with violence and life is full of stress.”  But, of course, she didn&#8217;t know my husband like I did.  I had an endless supply of hope for Craig and the person I knew that he could be.</p>
<p>When counseling didn&#8217;t give me the answers I needed, I broadened my search.  I read countless relationship books and articles.  I Googled things like “Why do men lie?” and “Men who are selfish.”  I thought that if I could understand Craig’s behavior, I could fix the problem.  Craig and I went to a weekend retreat for troubled marriages.  I even tried backing off of all of my efforts and just praying for Craig.  I loved Craig and I believed that he loved me.  I told myself that I had to be patient and wait out the rough patch; surely things would get better soon.</p>
<p>Craig would go along with all of my efforts in order to appease me and to look like the “good guy” but there was never any substance behind any of it for him.  I tried desperately to get him to care about our family but, as I learned, you can’t make someone care.  To say that Craig didn&#8217;t “get” what being a father and a husband meant is an understatement.</p>
<p>In the end, I was exhausted and out of hope.  I had to accept that Craig would never change.  In fact, despite all of my efforts, his behavior was escalating.  I had to choose to either accept the reality of life with him or leave.  After weighing my options carefully, I told Craig that I was moving out with our children.  He never once asked me to stay.</p>
<p>Bio: <em>First and foremost, I am a mother to my two beautiful girls.  I come from a large Catholic fa</em><em>mily of 6 children which includes my 3 sisters and 2 brothers.  My parents have a stable, loving marriage and my family is very close and supportive.  I make a point of saying this because I believe that anyone can end up in an abusive relationship.  I grew up believing in the goodness of others and had never really experienced any major disappointments in life, until I met Craig.  I am currently in the beginning stages of divorcing Craig, but I have been here before.  Craig has left us a total of 3 times and I have allowed him to “suck me back in” with his empty claims of remorse and short-lived promises of change.  He is (was) very good at making me question myself.  After Craig’s lies and violence toward me continued throughout my pregnancy with our second daughter, I knew that our marriage consisted of only one healthy party and I was done.  Although leaving for good was the hardest thing I have ever done, I will never again look back.</em></p>
<p>###</p>
<p>“Like” One Mom’s Battle on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/One-Moms-Battle/275190549199889">Facebook</a> or “follow” on <a href="https://twitter.com/onemomsbattle">Twitter </a></p>
<p>Click the link to purchase Tina’s new book, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Divorcing-Narcissist-One-Moms-Battle/dp/0615720552/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1355611423&amp;sr=8-6&amp;keywords=divorcing+a+narcissist">Divorcing a Narcissist- One Mom’s Battle</a>.”  You will find insight, red flag reflections and strategies on how to survive (and thrive!) while divorcing of co-parenting with a narcissist. Tired of panicking at the site of a new email from the narcissist in your inbox? Learn how to decode the emails and see them for what they are. You will learn to forgive yourself and you will begin to heal.</p>
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		<title>One Mom&#8217;s Battle: Mother&#8217;s Day</title>
		<link>http://onemomsbattle.com/mothersday</link>
		<comments>http://onemomsbattle.com/mothersday#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 10 May 2013 06:01:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tina</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[1. Tina's Story]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Divorcing a Narcissist]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://onemomsbattle.com/?p=3629</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This particular week has always been a difficult week for me. This week is Mother&#8217;s Day and it&#8217;s the week of my mother&#8217;s birthday. As a child, Mother&#8217;s Day was a reminder that my mom wasn&#8217;t mentally healthy enough to be my mom.  Each year, I hoped that things would change and that she would [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_365" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 206px"><a href="http://onemomsbattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mom-and-tina.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-365" alt="My Mom and I - 1975" src="http://onemomsbattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mom-and-tina-196x300.jpg" width="196" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">My Mom and I &#8211; 1975</p></div>
<p>This particular week has <em>always</em> been a difficult week for me. This week is Mother&#8217;s Day<em> and</em> it&#8217;s the week of my mother&#8217;s birthday. As a child, Mother&#8217;s Day was a reminder that <a href="http://onemomsbattle.com/2000/01/01/tinas-childhood/">my mom wasn&#8217;t mentally healthy</a> enough to be my mom.  Each year, I hoped that things would change and that she would be a part of my life.  Each year that passed, I lost more and more hope. My mom never became a part of my life and she died twelve years ago.</p>
<p>Last month I went to a hypnotist to deal with my fear of public speaking. I have to admit that while I have a pretty open mind, I was a bit skeptical about the thought of being hypnotized. The gentleman that I went to (Harvey) has been teaching and practicing hypnosis for 55 years. Harvey explained that he would be tapping into my subconscious to free any areas of negative self talk or childhood issues that would cause self doubt.</p>
<p>One of the topics that Harvey addressed had to do with my mother. While under hypnosis, I was completely relaxed but aware of everything that was happening. I was remembering things that I had completely forgotten about such as my favorite toy at the age of three!  During the session, I expressed sorrow that I never got to say goodbye to my mom.  Harvey explained that <em>now</em> was the time to tell my mother anything that I needed to say.  With tears streaming down my face, I said, &#8220;<em>I love you and I forgive you, mom</em>.&#8221;  Harvey then told me to say good-bye to my mom and as I choked back tears, I said good-bye.  Prior to my hypnosis session, I thought that I had made peace with my mom however, the peace that I experienced during and after that session is difficult to put into words.</p>
<p>Now that I am a mother, Mother&#8217;s Day has a new meaning for me. The sorrow that I once had is replaced by joy.  With that said, I do not take this day for granted as I did for the first few years of my daughters&#8217; lives. Each week I hear horrific stories about mother&#8217;s loosing their children- some have lost custody due to failure in the Family Court System and others have children who are donning angel wings up above. My heart breaks with each story that I hear.</p>
<p>I wanted to stop and send (((hugs))) to all of the mothers who are without their little ones this Mother&#8217;s Day. Please know that you <em>all</em> hold a special place in my heart and I will be thinking of you this week.</p>
<p>Love, Tina</p>
<p>###</p>
<p>“Like” One Mom’s Battle on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/One-Moms-Battle/275190549199889">Facebook</a> or “follow” on <a href="https://twitter.com/onemomsbattle">Twitter </a></p>
<p>Click the link to purchase Tina’s new book, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Divorcing-Narcissist-One-Moms-Battle/dp/0615720552/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1355611423&amp;sr=8-6&amp;keywords=divorcing+a+narcissist">Divorcing a Narcissist- One Mom’s Battle</a>.”  You will find insight, red flag reflections and strategies on how to survive (and thrive!) while divorcing of co-parenting with a narcissist. Tired of panicking at the site of a new email from the narcissist in your inbox? Learn how to decode the emails and see them for what they are. You will learn to forgive yourself and you will begin to heal.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>“Emily&#8217;s Story” ~ Blog 5</title>
		<link>http://onemomsbattle.com/emilys+story+blog+5</link>
		<comments>http://onemomsbattle.com/emilys+story+blog+5#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 05 May 2013 21:45:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tina</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[5. “Emily's Story” –Guest Blogger]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Divorcing a Narcissist]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://onemomsbattle.com/?p=3627</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Note from Tina: There are many faces to this battle and I am currently featuring a total of six different people who are all affected by narcissism. Some are divorcing a narcissist, some share custody with a narcissist, one is a man who is affected by his ex-wife’s personality disorder and one is an amazing [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em><a href="http://onemomsbattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Footprints.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-3459" alt="Footprints" src="http://onemomsbattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Footprints-200x300.jpg" width="200" height="300" /></a>Note from Tina: There are many faces to this battle and I am currently featuring a total of six different people who are all affected by narcissism. Some are divorcing a narcissist, some share custody with a narcissist, one is a man who is affected by his ex-wife’s personality disorder and one is an amazing young woman who is away at college but <i>still</i> feeling the effects of her father’s narcissism. While we are all different, we share the same story—the same trials and tribulations.  There are many faces to this battle and I am happy to share them with you. -Tina</em></p>
<p><strong>“Emily&#8217;s Story” ~ Blog 5<br />
</strong></p>
<p><b>A Letter to Craig’s Girlfriend</b></p>
<p>Dear Allison,</p>
<p>I have often thought about writing to you.  I would love to tell you to turn back now and save yourself from the pain that lies ahead.  Craig is nothing if not predictable and I know how your relationship will play out.  Unfortunately, because I have learned the hard way, I know that you will have to find your own answers.</p>
<p>Strangely enough, I always knew that Craig would pursue you if I ever left him.  You are an easy target for him, a single mother with a young son.  He knew that he could suck you in very quickly.  Another key for Craig is your long-distance relationship which makes it even easier for him to keep up his charade.  I’m sure you feel like you’ve won the lottery with a wonderful boyfriend who will be a great father to your son.  By now you should know that if things seem too good to be true, they probably are.</p>
<p>I’m sure you think you know Craig but, trust me, you don’t know the half of what life is really like with Craig.  I realize that you know he is still married but do you know that he has already cheated on you at least twice?</p>
<p>I wonder how he explains the demise of our marriage and his lack of involvement as a father.  Have you started to see his patterns yet?  Craig is not responsible for any of his actions; he is the perpetual victim.  Have you seen my complaint for divorce?  If you have, do you justify the counts of violence that are listed?  I’m guessing that you have yet to see Craig angry and can’t imagine him hurting a fly.  I used to think the same thing.</p>
<p>While I don’t know you, I am fairly confident that you are a kind person with every good intention.  Part of me is glad that Craig is someone else’s problem but I wouldn’t wish the road that you and your son have ahead on anyone.  My hope for you is that you discover the truth sooner rather than later and that you are strong enough to leave.</p>
<p>Sincerely,</p>
<p>Emily</p>
<p>###</p>
<p>“Like” One Mom’s Battle on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/One-Moms-Battle/275190549199889">Facebook</a> or “follow” on <a href="https://twitter.com/onemomsbattle">Twitter </a></p>
<p>Click the link to purchase Tina’s new book, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Divorcing-Narcissist-One-Moms-Battle/dp/0615720552/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1355611423&amp;sr=8-6&amp;keywords=divorcing+a+narcissist">Divorcing a Narcissist- One Mom’s Battle</a>.”  You will find insight, red flag reflections and strategies on how to survive (and thrive!) while divorcing of co-parenting with a narcissist. Tired of panicking at the site of a new email from the narcissist in your inbox? Learn how to decode the emails and see them for what they are. You will learn to forgive yourself and you will begin to heal.</p>
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		<title>Divorcing a Narcissist: Becoming Empowered</title>
		<link>http://onemomsbattle.com/Divorcing+a+Narcissist+Becoming+Empowered</link>
		<comments>http://onemomsbattle.com/Divorcing+a+Narcissist+Becoming+Empowered#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 May 2013 21:06:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tina</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[1. Tina's Story]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Divorcing a Narcissist]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://onemomsbattle.com/?p=3623</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I hated having my hair brushed as a little girl. I remember hiding under the bed as a small child whenever my stepmother wanted to brush my hair.  I knew that if I went far enough into the back corner, she couldn&#8217;t get to me. For as long as I can remember, Seth controlled my [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://onemomsbattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/girl-under-bed.jpg"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-3625" alt="girl under bed" src="http://onemomsbattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/girl-under-bed.jpg" width="200" height="132" /></a>I hated having my hair brushed as a little girl. I remember hiding under the bed as a small child whenever my stepmother wanted to brush my hair.  I knew that if I went far enough into the back corner, she couldn&#8217;t get to me.</p>
<p>For as long as I can remember, Seth controlled my financial world.  During our marriage, we never merged finances and I always maintained my own checking account although it was never really mine.  It had my name printed on the checks but in order for those checks to work, I had to ask him for money.  It wasn&#8217;t that I didn&#8217;t work- we ran a business together and I worked my pale little arse off.  He controlled everything and put money in my account as needed.  He gave me credit cards and he handled the financial aspect of those cards along with all of our bills.</p>
<p>Since our separation and divorce, Seth has become the master at holding finances over my head and previously, it worked.  I was still dependent on him for child support.  Some people struggle with body issues and I struggle with money issues.  I don&#8217;t have a spending addiction or anything of the sort but the mere topic of money or finances triggers post traumatic stress from the financial roller coaster that Seth put us through during our marriage.</p>
<p>I can&#8217;t even remember how many jobs Seth has lost since our divorce. His jobs last 3- 6 months and then the countdown begins. I discovered at the beginning of this year that Seth lost his job (again). I have received that same phone call many times since our divorce began in 2009. For the first time, I didn&#8217;t panic. I knew that we would be okay.</p>
<p>I found out this week with the help of a private investigator that Seth is heading to <em>Cancun</em> (the &#8220;out of state&#8221; wedding for which he cancelled his weekend visitation) this weekend.  At his last visitation, he arrived in a new car.  These two things are interesting given that he hasn&#8217;t made a full child support payment since February.  Priorities, right? I received a call yesterday from Child Support Services stating that Seth had actually been employed since March and that they had caught up with him again- and were successful in attaching his wages.</p>
<p>I felt like that little girl under the bed again.  I had managed to stay out of his reach this time.  His job loss doesn&#8217;t affect me anymore.  I have worked so hard to get to this place- it&#8217;s taken four years but I am out of his reach.</p>
<p>Seth has nothing to hold over my head anymore.</p>
<p>That is an amazing feeling.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s empowering.</p>
<p>###</p>
<p>“Like” One Mom’s Battle on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/One-Moms-Battle/275190549199889">Facebook</a> or “follow” on <a href="https://twitter.com/onemomsbattle">Twitter </a></p>
<p>Click the link to purchase Tina’s new book, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Divorcing-Narcissist-One-Moms-Battle/dp/0615720552/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1355611423&amp;sr=8-6&amp;keywords=divorcing+a+narcissist">Divorcing a Narcissist- One Mom’s Battle</a>.”  You will find insight, red flag reflections and strategies on how to survive (and thrive!) while divorcing of co-parenting with a narcissist. Tired of panicking at the site of a new email from the narcissist in your inbox? Learn how to decode the emails and see them for what they are. You will learn to forgive yourself and you will begin to heal.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		<title>Divorcing a Narcissist: Are you Smarter than a 2nd Grader?</title>
		<link>http://onemomsbattle.com/Are+you+smarter+than+a+2nd+grader</link>
		<comments>http://onemomsbattle.com/Are+you+smarter+than+a+2nd+grader#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 30 Apr 2013 17:38:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tina</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[1. Tina's Story]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Divorcing a Narcissist]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://onemomsbattle.com/?p=3618</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I am writing today while channeling my funny bone.  Humor can be the best medicine. We&#8217;ve all seen the game show, &#8220;Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader?&#8221;  Lately I feel like I am stuck in an offshoot of that show called, &#8220;Are you Smarter than a 2nd Grader?&#8221; I hear stories from other men [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://onemomsbattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Your-actions-speak-so-loud-that-I-cant-hear-what-youre-saying.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-3619" alt="Your actions speak so loud that I can't hear what you're saying" src="http://onemomsbattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Your-actions-speak-so-loud-that-I-cant-hear-what-youre-saying-300x139.jpg" width="300" height="139" /></a>I am writing today while channeling my funny bone.  Humor can be the best medicine. We&#8217;ve all seen the game show, &#8220;Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader?&#8221;  Lately I feel like I am stuck in an offshoot of that show called, &#8220;Are you Smarter than a 2nd Grader?&#8221;</p>
<p>I hear stories from other men and women on my site and often I am left feeling thankful that my own personal narcissist isn&#8217;t as intelligent as the ones that I read about. For many years, Seth led me to believe that he was the cream of the crop- above average SAT scores, IQ, etc.  I drank the sparkly pink kool-aid and was in awe of him.  I am still in awe of him but in a much different way.  I am often left wondering, &#8220;Did he <em>really</em> just put that in writing?!&#8221; or &#8220;Did he <em>really</em> just do that or say that?!&#8221;  The answer is always the same: yes, he <em>really</em> just did that.</p>
<p>Children are amazingly intelligent and perceptive&#8211; even at the ages of 6 and 8.  My daughters are already aware of their father&#8217;s manipulations. Here are just a few of the things that have come up lately:</p>
<ul>
<li>&#8220;Dad bought us ice cream yesterday and then said, &#8216;I buy you way more treats that your mom buys you.&#8217; &#8221; She relayed this conversation with inflection in her voice. She <em>knows</em> that he is trying to manipulate- and she is in 2nd grade.</li>
<li>&#8220;Dad bought us Monster High Dolls and said that he doesn&#8217;t see a problem with them.  I know he buys them because you don&#8217;t like them&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;Dad said that he calls every night and that you block his calls.  I <em>know</em> that you don&#8217;t do that and that he is lying.&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;Mom, dad always promises us on the phone that we are going to have playdates and do fun things but we never do.  He is just saying that to make us excited about going to his house.  We never have playdates at his house.&#8221;</li>
</ul>
<p>Last night Seth called and spoke to my oldest daughter. I watched her personality change as she spoke to him.  At the end of the call he told her that he loved her and missed her.  &#8220;OK&#8221; was her response.  That obviously didn&#8217;t sit well with him.  He then said, &#8220;Don&#8217;t you have <em>any</em> enthusiasm?  You are supposed to say, &#8216;I love you and miss you, dad!&#8217; &#8221; I think that section is covered on page 834 of the Narcissist handbook-  you MUST tell the narcissist that you love them and miss them despite their ongoing harmful actions.</p>
<p>Like with anything, Glenn and I are careful about how we respond.  We practice the art of listening and never add fuel to the tiny little flames that are appearing with every visit. I don&#8217;t have to say a word because they already know.  One of my favorite sayings is, &#8220;Your actions speak so loud that I can&#8217;t hear what you are saying.&#8221;  Seth is teaching our daughters this life lesson at every visit.</p>
<p>###</p>
<p>“Like” One Mom’s Battle on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/One-Moms-Battle/275190549199889">Facebook</a> or “follow” on <a href="https://twitter.com/onemomsbattle">Twitter </a></p>
<p>Click the link to purchase Tina’s new book, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Divorcing-Narcissist-One-Moms-Battle/dp/0615720552/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1355611423&amp;sr=8-6&amp;keywords=divorcing+a+narcissist">Divorcing a Narcissist- One Mom’s Battle</a>.”  You will find insight, red flag reflections and strategies on how to survive (and thrive!) while divorcing of co-parenting with a narcissist. Tired of panicking at the site of a new email from the narcissist in your inbox? Learn how to decode the emails and see them for what they are. You will learn to forgive yourself and you will begin to heal.</p>
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		<title>“Emily&#8217;s Story” ~ Blog 4</title>
		<link>http://onemomsbattle.com/emilys+story+blog+4</link>
		<comments>http://onemomsbattle.com/emilys+story+blog+4#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:02:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tina</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[5. “Emily's Story” –Guest Blogger]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Divorcing a Narcissist]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://onemomsbattle.com/?p=3615</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Note from Tina: There are many faces to this battle and I am currently featuring a total of six different people who are all affected by narcissism. Some are divorcing a narcissist, some share custody with a narcissist, one is a man who is affected by his ex-wife’s personality disorder and one is an amazing [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em><b><a href="http://onemomsbattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Footprints.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-3459" alt="Footprints" src="http://onemomsbattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Footprints-200x300.jpg" width="200" height="300" /></a>Note from Tina</b>: There are many faces to this battle and I am currently featuring a total of six different people who are all affected by narcissism. Some are divorcing a narcissist, some share custody with a narcissist, one is a man who is affected by his ex-wife’s personality disorder and one is an amazing young woman who is away at college but <i>still</i> feeling the effects of her father’s narcissism. While we are all different, we share the same story—the same trials and tribulations.  There are many faces to this battle and I am happy to share them with you. -Tina</em></p>
<p><strong>“Emily&#8217;s Story” ~ Blog 4</strong></p>
<p><b>Visitation: </b>It has always been my goal and my hope to find peace and to work towards co-parenting with Craig.  Over time, I have come to accept that this is not realistic.  My goal now is to simply learn to cope with all that Craig throws our way and to provide my daughters with the tools to do the same.</p>
<p>When I first moved out, I thought that Craig and I living apart would make him a less angry person.  After all, I was the cause of all of his stress.  The reality is that he isn’t a happy or content person and he certainly doesn’t like having people (i.e. a family) to answer to.</p>
<p>I moved in with my parents who live 2 miles away from the house that Craig and I had shared.  Craig literally drove by my parents’ house on his way to and from work.  In the beginning, I encouraged Craig to see the girl as much as possible.  I wanted to give our older daughter a sense of security and “normalcy.”</p>
<p>For the first couple of weeks, Craig came over about twice a week to put the girls to bed.  He soon grew bored of this when I paid little attention to him.  On two occasions, I went to our old house after he had called to say he was “too tired” to come see the girls after work.  I walked into the house both times to find a recycle bin overflowing with beer bottles and a new nearly empty bottle of liquor in the freezer, all of which Craig drank alone.</p>
<p>The next couple of months saw a variety of visitation arrangements, none of which were fulfilled reliably by Craig.  Thankfully, overnight visits have not been an issue.  After having to move out of the house we had previously shared, Craig moved into an apartment with two girls he claims that he met online.  He then got fired from his job and took a job an hour and a half away from us.  Craig makes claims that he wants to see the girls “every weekend at a minimum” and “as much as possible.”  It sounds good doesn’t it?  What he really wants is for me to cater to his every whim.</p>
<p>I can tell you that the reality of co-parenting with Craig involves a lot of cancellations, disappointments, and frustration.  He has a knack for creating a power struggle out of any situation which is fueled by his “no one is going to tell me what to do” attitude.</p>
<p>After Craig threatened to break my arm in front of the girls and strangled me while I was holding our younger daughter, I began insisting on supervised visitation every other weekend.  My parents now drive the girls to see Craig and stay during his time with them.  At least for now, I know they are safe.</p>
<p>I can’t say I know what the outcome will be as my legal battle has just begun.  Maybe my story will become the long struggle that so many others have endured but maybe my story will be a source of hope.  Either way, I am prepared to see it through to the end and am trying to accept that the final decision is out of my hands.</p>
<p>Bio: <em>First and foremost, I am a mother to my two beautiful girls.  I come from a large Catholic family of 6 children which includes my 3 sisters and 2 brothers.  My parents have a stable, loving marriage and my family is very close and supportive.  I make a point of saying this because I believe that anyone can end up in an abusive relationship.  I grew up believing in the goodness of others and had never really experienced any major disappointments in life, until I met Craig.  I am currently in the beginning stages of divorcing Craig, but I have been here before.  Craig has left us a total of 3 times and I have allowed him to &#8220;suck me back in&#8221; with his empty claims of remorse and short-lived promises of change.  He is (was) very good at making me question myself.  After Craig&#8217;s lies and violence toward me continued throughout my pregnancy with our second daughter, I knew that our marriage consisted of only one healthy party and I was done.  Although leaving for good was the hardest thing I have ever done, I will never again look back.</em></p>
<p>###</p>
<p>“Like” One Mom’s Battle on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/One-Moms-Battle/275190549199889">Facebook</a> or “follow” on <a href="https://twitter.com/onemomsbattle">Twitter </a></p>
<p>Click the link to purchase Tina’s new book, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Divorcing-Narcissist-One-Moms-Battle/dp/0615720552/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1355611423&amp;sr=8-6&amp;keywords=divorcing+a+narcissist">Divorcing a Narcissist- One Mom’s Battle</a>.”  You will find insight, red flag reflections and strategies on how to survive (and thrive!) while divorcing of co-parenting with a narcissist. Tired of panicking at the site of a new email from the narcissist in your inbox? Learn how to decode the emails and see them for what they are. You will learn to forgive yourself and you will begin to heal.</p>
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		<title>Divorcing a Narcissist: Tales of a Sick and Twisted Mind</title>
		<link>http://onemomsbattle.com/Tales+of+a+Sick+and+Twisted+Mind</link>
		<comments>http://onemomsbattle.com/Tales+of+a+Sick+and+Twisted+Mind#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Apr 2013 21:48:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tina</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[1. Tina's Story]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Divorcing a Narcissist]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://onemomsbattle.com/?p=3608</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Visits have been infrequent lately (thank you, God) for a variety of reasons. Seth cancelled his March 30/31st visit with an email that stated,  &#8220;Tina, Most regrettably, I exceeded my available funds driving down the last two weekends in a row. The costs average $200-300 depending on where we go to get food.&#8221; Stepping back [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://onemomsbattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/doghouse.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-3609" alt="doghouse" src="http://onemomsbattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/doghouse-300x225.jpg" width="300" height="225" /></a>Visits have been infrequent lately (thank you, God) for a variety of reasons.</p>
<p>Seth cancelled his March 30/31st visit with an email that stated,  &#8220;Tina, Most regrettably, I exceeded my available funds driving down the last two weekends in a row. The costs average $200-300 depending on where we go to get food.&#8221;</p>
<p>Stepping back into reality for a moment: I sent them food on their last visit because he never has food in his &#8220;home.&#8221; I packed lunches <em>and</em> snacks.  Prior to that visit, he took them to Taco Bell.  I think that his bill from the Downtown bar is becoming blurred with his visitation expenses.  Not sure how he is spending $200-300 per weekend when he only has them  from 11am to 5pm and I feed them both breakfast <em>and</em> dinner?  Anyway&#8230;.</p>
<p>His next visitation was April 13th and 14th which is when I discovered that <a href="http://onemomsbattle.com/2013/04/14/divorcing-a-narcissist-the-gazelle-update/">Gazelle #2 </a>was back in the picture.  In a way, it was a welcomed relief as I know the girls are safer.  One would <em>think</em> that anyway. Not when you are dealing with a sick and twisted mind. Within minutes of getting into our car on Sunday, the girls proceeded to tell Glenn and I that while Gazelle #2 (Wendy) stepped out of the room to powder her nose, Seth threatened my youngest daughter, Sarah.  He told her that if she didn&#8217;t  get up and start cleaning that he would take her outside and put her in the doghouse.  He knows that she is scared of his brother&#8217;s dogs&#8211; and most dogs for that manner.</p>
<p>Most parents have had a &#8220;regrettable&#8221; moment where something is said in a moment of anger.  These are <em>not</em> things said in a moment of anger.  These are calculated, sadistic and planned things&#8211; these are things done to evoke fear. My youngest daughter seems <a href="http://onemomsbattle.com/2011/08/08/a-monster-and-the-parking-structure/">to be his target</a> for these threats while my oldest daughter receives most of his wrist squeezing and slapping. These recent events leave me thankful that our parenting evaluation is still in progress.</p>
<p>He just cancelled his next visitation during the first weekend in May.  His excuse: he is attending a wedding.  The excuse then changed to him <em>being in</em> the wedding.  Who knows what the real reason is but I am happy to have a peaceful weekend knowing my daughters won&#8217;t be threatened or bullied.</p>
<p>“Like” One Mom’s Battle on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/One-Moms-Battle/275190549199889">Facebook</a> or “follow” on <a href="https://twitter.com/onemomsbattle">Twitter </a></p>
<p>Click the link to purchase Tina’s new book, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Divorcing-Narcissist-One-Moms-Battle/dp/0615720552/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1355611423&amp;sr=8-6&amp;keywords=divorcing+a+narcissist">Divorcing a Narcissist- One Mom’s Battle</a>.”  You will find insight, red flag reflections and strategies on how to survive (and thrive!) while divorcing of co-parenting with a narcissist. Tired of panicking at the site of a new email from the narcissist in your inbox? Learn how to decode the emails and see them for what they are. You will learn to forgive yourself and you will begin to heal.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		<title>“Emily&#8217;s Story” ~ Blog 3</title>
		<link>http://onemomsbattle.com/emilys+story+blog+3</link>
		<comments>http://onemomsbattle.com/emilys+story+blog+3#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 21 Apr 2013 17:21:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tina</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://onemomsbattle.com/?p=3602</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Note from Tina: There are many faces to this battle and I am currently featuring a total of six different people who are all affected by narcissism. Some are divorcing a narcissist, some share custody with a narcissist, one is a man who is affected by his ex-wife’s personality disorder and one is an amazing [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em><b><a href="http://onemomsbattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Footprints.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-3459" alt="Footprints" src="http://onemomsbattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Footprints-200x300.jpg" width="200" height="300" /></a>Note from Tina</b>: There are many faces to this battle and I am currently featuring a total of six different people who are all affected by narcissism. Some are divorcing a narcissist, some share custody with a narcissist, one is a man who is affected by his ex-wife’s personality disorder and one is an amazing young woman who is away at college but <i>still</i> feeling the effects of her father’s narcissism. While we are all different, we share the same story—the same trials and tribulations.  There are many faces to this battle and I am happy to share them with you. -Tina</em></p>
<p>“Emily&#8217;s Story” ~ Blog 3</p>
<p><b>Support: </b>Craig&#8217;s needs always come first and child support is no exception.  Craig feels no obligation or desire to support or provide for his children.  He simply doesn&#8217;t &#8220;get&#8221; the concept of a man wanting to provide for and protect his family.</p>
<p>When I was pregnant with our second child, Craig and I updated our life insurance policies.  I was still a stay-at-home-mom at the time and was desperate for any sense of security I could find.  Craig could never wrap his head around the concept of life insurance.  He asked me, more than once, &#8220;What will I care?  I&#8217;ll be dead.&#8221;  When the topic of death comes up, Craig is only worried about one thing &#8211; his funeral.</p>
<p>Craig sees me as the constant barrier standing between him and his happiness (which is closely tied to his money).  Child support is something I have to practically beg for every month.  Without fail, Craig starts an argument leading up to the due date of his monthly payment.  The argument is then used to justify him paying me late or adjusting the amount and basically making the whole thing into a very stressful ordeal.</p>
<p>I wish I did not have to rely on Craig for a single thing.  As a stay-at-home-mom for the majority of our marriage, I am basically at square one career-wise.   I was fortunate enough to find a stable job with benefits and to work with very supportive people.  Craig has left us without health insurance twice and at least I have that covered now.</p>
<p>Patience is a virtue that I struggle with and financial independence seems nearly impossible at this point.  The scary reality for us is that it will only be a matter of time until Craig loses his current job.  I rely on what he is giving me to make ends meet (and I still live with my parents).</p>
<p>For now, I am trying to focus on that fact that I am very lucky to have the support of my family and a place to live my girls.  While I have to deal with whatever Craig chooses to throw my way around the 15<sup>th</sup> of every month, at least I no longer live with it every day.   For now, Craig has control over his money and not much else and that alone is a reason to be grateful.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>###</p>
<p>Bio: <em>First and foremost, I am a mother to my two beautiful girls.  I come from a large Catholic family of 6 children which includes my 3 sisters and 2 brothers.  My parents have a stable, loving marriage and my family is very close and supportive.  I make a point of saying this because I believe that anyone can end up in an abusive relationship.  I grew up believing in the goodness of others and had never really experienced any major disappointments in life, until I met Craig.  I am currently in the beginning stages of divorcing Craig, but I have been here before.  Craig has left us a total of 3 times and I have allowed him to &#8220;suck me back in&#8221; with his empty claims of remorse and short-lived promises of change.  He is (was) very good at making me question myself.  After Craig&#8217;s lies and violence toward me continued throughout my pregnancy with our second daughter, I knew that our marriage consisted of only one healthy party and I was done.  Although leaving for good was the hardest thing I have ever done, I will never again look back.</em></p>
<p>“Like” One Mom’s Battle on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/One-Moms-Battle/275190549199889">Facebook</a> or “follow” on <a href="https://twitter.com/onemomsbattle">Twitter </a></p>
<p>Click the link to purchase Tina’s new book, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Divorcing-Narcissist-One-Moms-Battle/dp/0615720552/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1355611423&amp;sr=8-6&amp;keywords=divorcing+a+narcissist">Divorcing a Narcissist- One Mom’s Battle</a>.”  You will find insight, red flag reflections and strategies on how to survive (and thrive!) while divorcing of co-parenting with a narcissist. Tired of panicking at the site of a new email from the narcissist in your inbox? Learn how to decode the emails and see them for what they are. You will learn to forgive yourself and you will begin to heal.</p>
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		<title>Family Court Failure: Please Sign Kelly Rutherford&#8217;s Petition</title>
		<link>http://onemomsbattle.com/kelly+rutherford+custoddy+battle</link>
		<comments>http://onemomsbattle.com/kelly+rutherford+custoddy+battle#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 17 Apr 2013 22:11:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tina</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Bringing Change to the System]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family court]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kelly rutherford]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kelly rutherford custody battle]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://onemomsbattle.com/?p=3597</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Last September, I watched a tearful Kelly Rutherford on The View as she discussed her child custody case.  If you missed my original blog on this story, please click here. Kelly is a true warrior mom.  Her story goes to show that the crisis in the Family Court System affects everyone&#8211; even celebrities.  Stories like [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://onemomsbattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Kelly-Rutherford.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-3598" alt="Kelly Rutherford" src="http://onemomsbattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Kelly-Rutherford-300x255.jpg" width="300" height="255" /></a>Last September, I watched a tearful Kelly Rutherford on <a href="http://abc.go.com/watch/clip/the-view/SH002253950000/PL5554876/VD55231649/kelly-rutherford-on-her-custody-battle-part-1/moments">The View</a> as she discussed her child custody case.  If you missed my original blog on this story, <a href="http://onemomsbattle.com/Kelly+Rutherfords+Custody+Ruling+">please click here</a>.</p>
<p>Kelly is a true warrior mom.  Her story goes to show that the crisis in the Family Court System affects everyone&#8211; even celebrities.  Stories like Kelly&#8217;s should serve as a wake-up call to our entire country.  A Family Court Judge ripped two small children from their friends, family, home, school&#8230;but most devastating&#8211;they were ripped from their mother.  They were placed in the arms of a man who has been deemed unsafe and prohibited from entering the United States.</p>
<p>I ask that you sign <a href="http://www.change.org/kellyskids">Kelly&#8217;s petition</a> to bring her children home. ABC News called this “<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2012/09/two-american-kids-shipped-to-france-in-one-of-the-worst-custody-decisions-ever/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">one of the worst custody decisions ever</a>.” California Family Court Judge Theresa Beaudet ordered Kelly’s six-year-old son Hermes and her three-year-old daughter Helena to live in France with their German father (her ex-husband) after his visa was revoked.</p>
<p>Kelly will be appearing on the <a href="http://www.katiecouric.com/on-the-show/2013/04/19/kelly-rutherford/">Katie Couric Show on Friday</a> to discuss her case and the Family Court System.  I had the pleasure of speaking to Kelly this morning about the media that her case is generating. <em>&#8220;I am happy that I am able to bring a public voice to mothers who are going thru similar challenges,&#8221;</em>  said Kelly.  I for one am thankful that Kelly is willing to shine a very bright media spotlight on the crisis in our court system.  My children have been greatly affected as are thousands of children across the United States.</p>
<p><span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>To sign Kelly&#8217;s petition, <a href="http://www.change.org/kellyskids"><span style="color: #ff0000;">click here</span></a>.</strong></span></p>
<p><strong>Please Note:</strong> Kelly Rutherford will be the keynote speaker at the Battered Mothers Custody Conference in Washington DC on Friday May 10. For more information, visit: <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001_As-YhRrhvokd4Cq62zrrjW7eK4w7P_Rz3_D2BSzTzdzbuXMcuQb9hh-ts9J4ckUEmXKI-jem-NG1z3JzPuW2HdOGkVFlM2r2NJ1QScQs_ING1UO16gFzm0cVVTD0_-XxfL1DNXd36zuNUaMmODazg==" target="_blank">www.<wbr />batteredmotherscustodyconferen<wbr />ce.org</a></p>
<p>###</p>
<p>&#8220;Like&#8221; One Mom&#8217;s Battle on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/One-Moms-Battle/275190549199889">Facebook</a> or &#8220;follow&#8221; on <a href="https://twitter.com/onemomsbattle">Twitter </a></p>
<p>Click the link to purchase Tina&#8217;s new book, &#8220;<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Divorcing-Narcissist-One-Moms-Battle/dp/0615720552/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1355611423&amp;sr=8-6&amp;keywords=divorcing+a+narcissist">Divorcing a Narcissist- One Mom&#8217;s Battle</a>.&#8221;  You will find insight, red flag reflections and strategies on how to survive (and thrive!) while divorcing of co-parenting with a narcissist. Tired of panicking at the site of a new email from the narcissist in your inbox? Learn how to decode the emails and see them for what they are. You will learn to forgive yourself and you will begin to heal.</p>
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		<title>Divorcing a Narcissist: The Gazelle Update</title>
		<link>http://onemomsbattle.com/2013/04/14/divorcing-a-narcissist-the-gazelle-update/</link>
		<comments>http://onemomsbattle.com/2013/04/14/divorcing-a-narcissist-the-gazelle-update/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 14 Apr 2013 21:22:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tina</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[1. Tina's Story]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Divorcing a Narcissist]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://onemomsbattle.com/?p=3593</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I feel like I should be reporting live from the bushes while dressed in camouflage but you&#8217;ll have to settle for an update from my laptop computer.  Some of you who are new to my blog may be wondering if you stumbled onto the wrong website.  Why is a site dedicated to education about Narcissistic [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://onemomsbattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/gazelle.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-3594" alt="gazelle" src="http://onemomsbattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/gazelle-257x300.jpg" width="257" height="300" /></a>I feel like I should be reporting live from the bushes while dressed in camouflage but you&#8217;ll have to settle for an update from my laptop computer.  Some of you who are new to my blog may be wondering if you stumbled onto the wrong website.  Why is a site dedicated to education about Narcissistic Personality Disorder and the Family Court System discussing antelopes from the savannahs of Africa?  You&#8217;ll have to click here to catch up to speed: <a href="http://onemomsbattle.com/Divorcing+a+Narcissist+Prey+or+Pray">Is it Prey or Pray?</a></p>
<p>As I reported on my Facebook page a while back, Seth and Sharon (aka Gazelle #3) called off their engagement over Valentine&#8217;s Day dinner.  Their engagement took place mid-January so it was very short lived- about one month in duration.</p>
<p>Yesterday, Glenn and I picked up the girls from a daytime visit with Seth.  I looked over at Seth&#8217;s car as we pulled into the parking space and there sitting in the front seat was Wendy (aka Gazelle #2).  &#8220;<em>She&#8217;s baaaaaaaaaaaack</em>&#8221; and she was sitting in close proximity to the Cheetah.  Here I had been breathing a sigh of relief that all three gazelles had escaped.</p>
<p>Piper and Sarah are obviously as confused as the rest of us but sadly, even more so because Piper proceeded to tell us that she found it &#8220;weird&#8221; that Seth was texting Sharon (Gazelle #3) while Wendy was in the pool with Sarah.  She was sitting next to him and even at her age, she thought it was strange.  The girls had originally met Wendy in December and then were introduced to Sharon via his engagement photos online.  Seth has recently told Piper and Sarah that he has &#8220;lots&#8221; of girlfriends but it seems like Wendy is currently vying to be lead gazelle at this point in the game.</p>
<p>As I ponder the sheer insanity that my poor daughters are being exposed to, three things stay with me:</p>
<p>1.   The lyrics from John Mayer&#8217;s &#8220;<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daughters_%28John_Mayer_song%29">Daughters</a>&#8221; song which came out around the time I was pregnant with Piper.  It was one of those songs that made me tear up during pregnancy because I had high hopes that Seth would be the father that she deserved.  During my divorce, that song made me cry for entirely different reasons because I was facing the grim reality of who Seth really was.</p>
<p>2. In an odd and bizarre way, I want to send Gazelle #2 a thank you card for coming back onto the savannah.  I worry less about Seth&#8217;s daytime visits when she is here and I know that besides texting his ex-fiance, Sharon, he is on his best behavior when Wendy is present.  That means that there is less opportunity for him to inflict damage on our daughters.</p>
<p>3. Sheer gratitude that Seth&#8217;s time with the girls is as limited as it is.  I can&#8217;t even imagine what they would be exposed to if custody was shared.</p>
<p>###</p>
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