Hi,

If you are reading my story, I first want to say thank you for your time. I have never asked anyone for help before, and have always tried to figure out things on my own. Unfortunately, this one I can't figure out on my own, and am asking for help from our wonderful community.

To provide context and divulge something very personal, I was in a very emotionally abusive marriage for 9 years. I have a beautiful son, 8 years old, born of that marriage, and he is the highlight of my life. I had tried to leave several times, but was never strong enough and so entrenched in the manipulation that I doubted myself. I was told if I left I would never see my son again. Then it was if I left the dog would be given away. I was told I was not capable of surviving on my own, that I was financially inept. I believed every single word, and doubted myself for years. The final nail in the coffin was when my grandmother passed away in 2024. My grandfather and grandmother had a loving marriage for over 60 years. As I watched her pass away, with my grandfather by her side as he said goodbye to his partner that he has known his entire life with, it hit me. If I died tomorrow, would this person be by my side? Would I want them to? Reality hit me in the face. As a result, I mustered up the courage to say goodbye to the person who made me feel smaller than an ant, who constantly told me I was not good enough, and always put me down. I thought to myself that even if I struggled, it would be worth it to not have to feel this way all the time. Thus, began my journey in finding who I am, going to therapy, and rebuilding a life where happiness is at the core of it with my son and I.

Unfortunately, my son is now being used against me and my ex-husband is attempting to weaponize the court system by petitioning for full custody (giving me only supervised visitation) and making claims that are not factual about me. If you personally know me, you know that I would NEVER do something that would harm my son. In addition, he is suing me for his attorney fees, child support, etc. I live in a state that he moved us to away from any family, so I am doing this alone and stuck here as I won't leave my son to go back to my home state. Being the mastermind that he is, he has set up the stage to try and make claims about situations that he, himself, created. I have been for the past few months requesting additional therapy for my son to address some behavioral issues, which he has denied. I have called every place I can think of to get my son the help he needs, and until you need those resources, you do not realize how limited services are.

There are a lot of alienating behaviors being done as well. Telling my son about the divorce case, letting my son read text messages sent between his father and I, and more.

So I am asking for help. Help to stand up to the person who belittled me all these years. Help to advocate on behalf of my son, who unfortunately is bearing the cost of a terrible situation that is beyond his comprehension. Help to show my son that there is justice out there and you need to stand up for yourself no matter how small you feel.

Whether it be a penny, a dollar, anything helps. I have a long, litigious battle in front of me, and unfortunately, attorneys are really expensive. I love my son and don't want to lose him. I want him to get the help he needs to be successful in life, but every time I try to co-parent and advocate, I'm met with complete disregard. Unfortunately, without an attorney, I am at a complete disadvantage. If you have never had to navigate the family court system, you are so lucky. There's only so much self-help resources out there.

If you have read this far, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. If you donated, thank you. I have never asked for help like this before, but am hoping the good karma I have put out into the world throughout my life might visit me back and help me get out of this awful situation. It is so mentally taxing, so stressful, and something I wish nobody ever had to go through.