Engaging with Crystal's work was the first time in a while I felt sane. She brings clarity to something that is incredibly difficult to make sense of.
-Katy G.
WHAT I DO
Most people are still operating from an incident-based understanding of domestic abuse, one that treats it as isolated events and primarily physical.
In reality, coercive control is a pattern of behavior in which one person seeks to maintain power and control over another across multiple domains, including psychological, physical, financial, legal, relational, and more. It does not operate through a single incident or method, and when control is disrupted in one area, it often reappears in others. When it is not understood or properly addressed, it does not resolve, it adapts, persists, and often intensifies over time.
I help individuals and organizations understand what’s happening, navigate complex systems, and respond in ways that interrupt patterns of control rather than reinforce them.
WHO I WORK WITH
Individuals navigating a situation involving coercive control who need clarity on what’s happening and how to respond
Organizations and institutions seeking to better understand coercive control and improve their response
Events, trainings, and initiatives that aim to bring a clearer, research-based understanding of domestic abuse and systems into the conversation
HOW I WORK
Individual Consulting
One-on-one support to help you understand your situation, navigate complex systems, and move forward with clarity and strategy.
Speaking & Training
Workshops, trainings, and speaking engagements focused on coercive control, systems response, and improving outcomes.
Organizational Consulting
Support for organizations and professionals to better understand coercive control, improve responses, and align practice with evidence.
2026 Nonprofit of the Year
Bordentown Township Mayor’s Ball
In 2026, Crystal Fedeli, Founder and Executive Director of You Made a Way, was honored with the Nonprofit of the Year award, presented by Mayor Anika Miller.
This recognition reflects her work supporting women navigating domestic abuse and financial control, where financial control often keeps women stuck or pulls them back.
It also reflects her broader work addressing how systems respond to coercive control and how those responses shape outcomes over time.
ABOUT
I’m Crystal Fedeli, a social researcher and policy analyst focused on coercive control in the context of domestic abuse, including how the family court system responds and how those responses shape outcomes over time.
I work with individuals, organizations, and audiences to bring clarity to what’s happening, particularly in environments where coercive control is not well understood.
My work focuses on helping people understand patterns of control, navigate systems more effectively, and respond in ways that lead to better outcomes.
I always thought I was crazy, but then I came across Crystal and her work, and a whole new world opened up. I began to see that I’m not alone, that there is an explanation for what I experienced, and that there is a way through, and Crystal helped me find it.
-Brittany G.
