Surviving Covert Narcissistic Abuse: Kids, Courts & Money

Surviving Covert Narcissistic Abuse: Kids, Courts & Money

From Pulling Threads, Weaving Authenticity by Leslie Mathews

March 17, 2026 · 57 min

About this episode

In this episode, Leslie Mathews interviews Trish Michael about surviving covert narcissistic abuse and the challenges of co-parenting and financial recovery after leaving a narcissistic partner.

What happens when you leave a covert narcissist — but the war doesn't end? In this episode of Pulling Threads, I sit down with Trish Michael, author, publisher, and creator of trauma-informed books and courses for families healing from narcissistic abuse and high conflict divorce.Trish spent 20 years married to a covert narcissist and has been navigating co-parenting, court battles, and financial recovery for the eight years since. She didn't write her books to sell them — she wrote them to help her own kids survive. They've now sold in the tens of thousands.In this deeply honest conversation, we talk about what it actually looks like to heal — for yourself and your children — when the abuse doesn't stop just because the relationship did.In this episode:How covert narcissists make you look like the problem — even in courtThe golden child, the scapegoat, and how abuse lands differently on each childWhy you can't treat PTSD when you're still on the battlefieldWhat really happens in courtrooms (and why victims are often misread)Weaponizing differentiation in teenagers — and how narcs use independence against youFinancial abuse: how narcissists keep you broke through endless…

People in this episode

Guest: Trish Michael

Topics covered

  • covert narcissism
  • narcissistic abuse
  • co-parenting
  • court battles
  • financial recovery
  • PTSD
  • generational cycles of abuse

Keywords

  • healing
  • financial abuse
  • high conflict divorce
  • trauma-informed
  • children

Sponsors

Trish Michael

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Financial Freedom After Narcissistic Abuse™

Books & works: Surviving Covert Narcissistic Abuse: Kids, Courts & Money, Pulling Threads, Financial Freedom After Narcissistic Abuse

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