Ridgefield Journalist Amy Polacko Wins Two Connecticut Press Club Awards

RIDGEFIELD, CT — Ridgefield-based journalist and divorce coach Amy Polacko has received two top honors from the Connecticut Press Club for her work covering domestic abuse and the family court system.

Polacko earned first place in the nonfiction book category for "FRAMED: Women in the Family Court Underworld," which she co-authored with Dr. Christine M. Cocchiola of Litchfield County. The book, published in October 2024 to mark the start of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, explores the experiences of abuse survivors navigating the U.S. family court system.

She also received first prize in the personal essay category for her HuffPost piece titled, “I Barely Escaped My Abusive Marriage. If JD Vance Had His Way, I'd Still Be Trapped There.” In addition, she was awarded second place in the social issues category for a feature in Ms. magazine examining the impact of family court proceedings in the year following the assisted suicide of Westchester mother Catherine Kassenoff.

Polacko, who has written for The Washington Post, Newsweek, and The Independent, among other outlets, focuses her reporting on divorce, coercive control, and family court reform. She is also a certified divorce coach and founder of the Freedom Warrior practice, which provides guidance and support to women before, during, and after divorce.

“My heart has led me to this work,” Polacko said. “I didn’t have a coach during my own divorce and made a lot of mistakes. I’m on a mission to educate and empower other women.”

"FRAMED," which remains on multiple Amazon bestseller lists six months after publication, features stories from 22 women and has reached readers in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Europe, and Australia. The book includes a foreword by psychologist and author Dr. Ramani Durvasula and an epilogue by family court reform advocate Tina Swithin.

Polacko and Cocchiola describe the book as part of a broader movement to expose coercive control and advocate for systemic change in family courts. They warn the book’s stories are difficult but essential reading.

“Read it before you need it,” Polacko said. “This could be you someday—or your daughter, sister, mother or friend.”