Loop in Your Therapist: Real-Time Professional Support

Have you ever opened a text from your co-parent only to feel your chest tighten and old wounds flare up? For many co-parents—especially those who’ve experienced emotional abuse or coercive control dynamics—every new message can re-open an old wound. It’s not just triggering—it’s re-traumatizing. Over time, that constant reactivation makes real healing nearly impossible. That’s why BestInterest’s new Send to Your Therapist (or Coach, or Lawyer) feature is a game-changer for co-parenting communication and emotional recovery.

Why It Matters: Breaking the Cycle of Re-Traumatization

The Emotional Stakes of Co-Parenting Communication

• Constant reactivation: Unfiltered messages can bring back moments of criticism, gaslighting, or threats.
• Impact on mental health: Recurring stress responses interfere with therapy progress and everyday wellbeing. It’s difficult to heal if you are being triggered daily.
• Barriers to healing: However, without processing your triggers, the trauma/shame remains unaddressed—undermining your path to recovery.

Dr. Ramani Durvasula—leading expert on narcissistic abuse and an advisor to BestInterest—suggested integrating direct professional support into every exchange. When you can immediately share a hurtful message with your therapist, lawyer, or coach, you gain the opportunity to process emotions as they happen rather than weeks later in your next appointment.

How to Use the “Send to Your Therapist” Feature

1. Receive a message in BestInterest. The app’s AI moderation filters out inflammatory language but lets you see the original content.
2. Open the message and tap the “Send to Team” button.
3. Choose your support contact—therapist, lawyer, or coach—already added to your network within the app.
4. Include a quick note (optional) to highlight what you’re feeling or which part you want help unpacking.
5. Send instantly—your professional receives the exact message and can respond in real time, whether you’re together in the office or messaging remotely.

Pro tip: If you’re in the middle of a therapy session, share the message live. Your therapist can guide you through grounding exercises or help reframe the communication for healthier co-parenting strategies. This is the first time that therapists have been able to process such texts with clients in real-time.

Real-World Example

Scenario: Parallel Parenting with Peace of Mind

Sarah, a BestInterest user, was struggling to maintain her calm after her ex’s demanding texts. During a coaching call, she used Send to Your Coach to forward a message from her coparent that read:

“You never keep your promises. Don’t bother picking them up on Saturday.”

Her coach immediately helped her craft a parallel parenting response—focused on logistics and devoid of emotion—so she could reply without reigniting conflict.

Expert Endorsement

“Integrating professional support directly into every co-parenting message exchange revolutionizes healing. It’s an elegant way to foster accountability and emotional safety,” says Dr. Ramani Durvasula.

By validating and processing triggers in real time, you build resilience against emotional abuse and regain control of your co-parenting journey.

Benefits of Professional Real-Time Support

• Immediate validation: Know that your feelings matter, and get confirmation from a trusted expert.
• Faster coping strategies: Learn grounding techniques and communication reframing on the spot.
• Enhanced legal protection: Sending original messages to your lawyer creates an accurate, time-stamped record for family court documentation.
• Empowered co-parenting: Move from reactive to proactive communication—focusing on your children instead of emotional triggers.

Take the Next Step Toward Healing

Co-parenting is challenging, but you don’t have to face triggers alone. BestInterest’s Send to Your Therapist feature—suggested by Dr. Ramani—helps you break the cycle of re-traumatization by weaving professional support directly into every message. Whether you’re seeking emotional validation, legal guidance, or coaching insight, this tool ensures you never miss an opportunity for healing.

Next Steps:

• Download the BestInterest app
• Add your therapist, lawyer, or coach to your secure support network in the app, by going to: More > Professionals Team
• Open a message that has been flagged as “concerning” by tapping on it, and then tap “Send to Team“. The original message will be sent to your professional without you needing to see it first.
• Start sharing messages as they arrive—and reclaim peace in your co-parenting journey.

Healing is a process—but with real-time professional support, every message becomes an opportunity for growth and resilience.

Are you a therapist or other coparenting professional interested in using BestInterest as a healing intervention with your clients? Find out more about what we offer.

Ready for less conflict? The BestInterest coparent app is endorsed by family law experts and trusted by coparents just like you.

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