Divorcing a Narcissist: The 2017 Return of Seth
On October 17th, I ran into "Cleo," -- my ex-MIL. I used to refer to her as, "Cleo- Queen of Denial," however, I was giving her way too much credit. I don't believe she is in denial - I think the pathology behind her actions is way beyond someone who is merely in denial.I didn't just "run into her" -- I found myself standing face to face with her at my local post office. I had a severe PTSD reaction to the encounter. My mind was racing yet blank at the same time. I was shaking so badly that I feared my legs were going to fail me. As I faced her for the first time in years (and the first time this close since her son's arrest), I stammered, "I can't believe you show your face in this town," before fleeing the post office in a true fight or flight mode. By that point, I was shaking so badly that I had to call my husband to drive my car back to my office because I could not drive.One week later I received papers in the mail from Seth -- an RFO (Request for Order) to re-establish visitation after four years of peace for my daughters. Cleo's handwriting was (literally) ALL over the documents -- and on the envelope. They filled the paperwork out the day after I ran into Cleo. Retaliation for upsetting the matriarch of this very disturbed family. I was in shock and triggered...and once again, my husband, Glenn to the rescue. We walked straight to the courthouse only to discover that while I had been (improperly) served, nothing had actually been filed with the court. My guess is that the court clerk took one look at the mess of paperwork (incomplete and not compliant) and kicked it right back to them to correct.The actual paperwork that I received should have been stamped as "delusional" by the court clerk. It is actually chillingly delusional. Seth attempted to recreate reality -- stating that I cancelled the visits between he and the girls because my youngest daughter wet the bed one night.He. Really. Wrote. That.This shows me where his mind is right now and it's frightening to think (from his mental health standpoint) that he would really put this in front of the court. We will be forced into mediation with the very agency who conducted our final custody evaluation and recommended permanent professionally supervised visits among many other things. Then there are the transcripts from our final court date when the Judge revoked his visits permanently and called him a sociopath (twice). Does he REALLY think the court will even consider this insane request?Oh, and in his declaration, he reveals newfound sobriety however, I have two witnesses who recently saw him in bars near his home and another witness here in my town who saw him on a date in a local bar just a few months ago.I haven't even touched on the financial aspect of his Income and Expense declaration. He claims that his total assets are $1,500 yet fails to mention that he owns two vehicles which he paid cash for. He claimed that his total monthly expenses sit around $2,300 per month but then posted (publicly) on Venmo asking his youngest brother to pay him back because he "has a $4,000 payment to make." It goes on and on.The bottom line is that Seth is back. While he hasn't officially filed, I have heard through a source that he is revamping and will be filing in short order. I am putting on my battle gear, preparing my response and getting ready to do what I have always done: protect my daughters.
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: Our mission at One Mom’s Battle is to increase awareness of Cluster B personality disorders (Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Antisocial Personality Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder) and their impact upon shared parenting and the Family Court System which includes Judges, CPS workers, Guardian ad Litems (GAL), Parenting Coordinators (PC), Custody Evaluators, therapists and attorneys. Education on Cluster B disorders will allow these professionals to truly act in the best interest of the children. Interested in educating your judge or Family Court professional?
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History of One Mom's Battle
: In 2009, One Mom’s Battle began with one mother, (
), navigating the choppy waters of a high-conflict divorce in the Family Court System. Since then, it has turned into a grassroots movement reaching the far corners of the Earth. Tina's battle spanned from 2009 - 2014 during which time she acted as her own attorney. Ultimately, Tina was successful in protecting her daughters and her family has enjoyed complete peace since October 2014 when a Family Court commissioner called her ex-husband a "sociopath" and revoked his parenting time in a final custody order.
: Tina Swithin's books are available online at
(print, Kindle or audio format). Each year, Tina offers life-changing weekends of camaraderie and healing at the
. Tina also offers
and a private, secure forum called,
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