Coercive Control with Jess

Coercive Control with Jess

From The Mum Mind Podcast by Stef McSherry

March 10, 2026 · 52 min · Season 8 · Episode 21

About this episode

Stef McSherry interviews Jess about her experiences with coercive control and co-parenting after escaping an abusive relationship.

In this powerful episode, Stef chats with Jess, the force behind @jessrunsforsurvivors , to discuss the reality of navigating life after coercive control. While escaping an abusive relationship is a monumental feat, Jess sheds light on the "hidden" battle that follows: co-parenting under court orders with a high-conflict ex-partner. She shares her invaluable, battle-tested strategies for staying calm when the family court system feels chaotic, offering a lifeline to mothers who feel trapped in a cycle of post-separation abuse. Beyond the legal and domestic hurdles, we dive into Jess’s transformative journey as an athlete particularly advocating for  Mums In Need . She reveals how running became her ultimate tool for processing trauma, allowing her to physically outrun the stress. Stef McSherry is a mum of 2 and a pre-school activity specialist, working with that age group for over 20 years. Stef is also the creator of the award - winning, multi - activity programme Kinderama. If you're looking for imaginative classes for your pre-schooler check out www.kinderama.com . And if you want to spark some imaginative play at home why not take a look at https://irishfairytails.com/…

People in this episode

Host: Stef McSherry

Guest: Jess

Topics covered

  • coercive control
  • co-parenting
  • post-separation abuse
  • trauma processing
  • running as therapy

Keywords

  • coercive control
  • co-parenting
  • abusive relationship
  • trauma
  • running
  • family court
  • post-separation abuse

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: @jessrunsforsurvivors, Kinderama, irishfairytails.com, Mums In Need

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