A nurse turned life coach has launched a specialized practice aimed at addressing what she calls a “silent epidemic” affecting thousands of families across the United States. Marisa Conway, founder of Presence & Persistence Life Coaching, is working to bring professional recognition and support to parents experiencing parental alienation—a form of psychological abuse where one parent systematically turns a child against the other parent.
Conway’s trauma-informed coaching practice represents a unique intersection of personal experience and professional healthcare expertise. As both a registered nurse and someone who has personally navigated parental alienation, she brings clinical knowledge to an area often overlooked by mental health professionals.
The practice offers virtual and in-person coaching sessions specifically designed for parents who have been emotionally cut off from their children through systematic manipulation. Unlike traditional therapy or counseling, Conway’s approach focuses on practical strategies for emotional resilience, lifestyle medicine, and holistic healing methods tailored to this specific trauma.
Central to Conway’s mission is her recently published book, “Shattered Bonds, Resilient Heart,” which combines memoir with advocacy to illuminate the psychological and societal impacts of parental alienation. The book serves as both a personal narrative and a call for institutional change in how family courts, mental health professionals, and society at large understand and respond to this form of abuse.
The coaching practice extends beyond individual client work to encompass a broader advocacy mission. Conway aims to establish parental alienation as a formally recognized psychological condition within professional medical and legal frameworks. This includes pushing for its inclusion in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and securing an official diagnostic code in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) system.
Such formal recognition would enable healthcare providers to properly diagnose and treat the condition, potentially transforming how family courts handle custody disputes involving allegations of parental alienation. Currently, many professionals lack the training to identify or address the complex dynamics involved, leaving affected parents to navigate the system without adequate support.
The specialized coaching services fill a critical gap for parents who often report feeling dismissed or misunderstood by traditional mental health services. Conway’s approach acknowledges the unique challenges faced by alienated parents, including identity loss, systemic failures in family court, and the emotional toll of being erased from their children’s lives.
Beyond individual coaching, Conway envisions developing comprehensive support systems including peer-led healing groups, professional training programs for healthcare providers, and interdisciplinary coalitions to advance research and treatment options. The goal is to create a network of informed professionals who can recognize the signs of parental alienation and provide appropriate interventions.
The practice also addresses the stigma surrounding alienated parents, who often face skepticism or blame when seeking help. By combining professional healthcare credentials with lived experience, Conway aims to legitimize these parents’ experiences and eliminate the burden of having to educate professionals about their trauma.
As family dynamics continue to evolve and high-conflict divorces remain common, the need for specialized support in cases of parental alienation becomes increasingly apparent. Conway’s Presence & Persistence Life Coaching represents an emerging model for addressing complex family trauma through a combination of individual healing work and systemic advocacy.
The long-term vision extends to reforming family law practices, training judges and attorneys to recognize emotional manipulation tactics, and protecting children from the psychological harm that results from being turned against a parent. By bringing professional attention to this issue, Conway hopes to prevent future generations from experiencing the same trauma that currently affects countless families.
