84-Healing Together: Parent and Child After Abuse With Jacintha Field

When you finally escape an abusive relationship, there's that moment of relief—then reality hits. How do you heal yourself while also helping your children process their trauma? This question sits at the heart of today's deeply moving conversation with Jacintha, a family counselor, art therapist, and domestic violence survivor who transformed her personal healing journey into a mission to help families worldwide.

Jacintha opens up about the challenging aftermath of separation relationship that coincided with her son starting school during COVID. Her son's emotional outbursts—throwing bins and running away—became the catalyst for her work in emotional regulation. What started as drawing emotion circles with her son evolved into comprehensive approaches to help children express and process complex feelings.

The conversation offers practical wisdom for parents navigating post-abuse life with children. Jacintha emphasizes the importance of authentic emotional expression: "We need to be really honest with our children about how we're feeling." Rather than hiding your tears, acknowledging them teaches children that emotions are natural and acceptable. This transparency creates space for genuine connection during challenging transitions.

We explore the concept of emotional regulation versus dysregulation, with Jacintha explaining that children's tantrums often represent the culmination of many stressors throughout their day. When a child is fully dysregulated, they literally cannot hear your guidance—allowing the emotion to pass completely before attempting discussion proves more effective than immediate intervention.

For parents feeling overwhelmed, Jacintha offers a powerful reminder: "You need to put your face mask on first." Finding activities that bring you joy is essential for rebuilding your sense of self after abuse. Whether through simple rituals like "tea nights" for reading together, five-minute private check-ins with each child, or creating emotional release spaces in your home, the small connections you build will help both you and your children heal.

Ready to transform your family's healing journey? Listen now to discover practical strategies for processing emotions, understanding children's behavior cues, and rebuilding trust and connection after domestic violence.

Jacintha’s Links:

https://www.1in3podcast.com/guests/jacintha-field/

https://www.happysoulskids.com/

https://www.instagram.com/jacinthafield

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacinthafield/

https://www.tiktok.com/jacinthafield

1 in 3 is intended for mature audiences. Episodes contain explicit content and may be triggering to some.

Support the show

If you are in the United States and need help right now, call the national domestic violence hotline at 800-799-7233 or text the word “start” to 88788.

Contact 1 in 3:

• Send your emails to [email protected]
• Follow on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok @1in3podcast
• Check out the website https://www.1in3podcast.com/

Thank you for listening and please remember to rate, review & subscribe!

Cover art by Laura Swift Dahlke
Music by Tim Crowe