The Separation Guide | A starting point for better separation and divorce

Jack Whelan, Barrister, Mediator and Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner spoke with Dr Mandy-Jo Ellis from the Relationspace, Carolyn Devries, CEO of NEW Way Lawyers, Australia’s first not for profit law firm, and New Way Law Family Law expert practitioner Ryan Cropper to discuss some of the issues facing separating and divorced families in a pandemic. 

Superannuation is often overlooked in separation, but it’s a crucial asset that can significantly impact your financial future. In this episode, we break down the key things you need to know about super in separation—why it matters, common misconceptions, and how to approach it fairly and equitably.We explore the common fight-or-flight response in high-conflict separations, the importance of financial disclosure, and practical steps to take control of your super. From understanding your balance to consolidating funds and seeking professional advice, our experts share their top takeaways to help you make informed decisions.Plus, we discuss the bigger picture—how these conversations today can create long-term financial security and even drive generational change.If you’re navigating separation and want to ensure your financial well-being, this episode is a must-listen.Want to learn more? Join our free online event: Super in Separation: 5 Things You’ll Want to Know Before Finalising a Separation Agreement on Wednesday, 26th March, 12:00-1:00 PM (AEDT) via Google Meet.

In this episode, host Sabina Read sits down with Arabella Feltham, Separation Consultant at The Separation Guide, to explore how men can navigate separation with strength and support. They discuss: Staying out of conflict and prioritising health The importance of support networks Why men are often blindsided by separation news Managing grief, anger, and mental health challenges Practical advice for FIFO and emergency service workers Discover tools and resources to regain control and move forward. Don’t miss it!

Positive Co-parenting over the holiday season In this episode, Lisanne Iriks of the Co-Parenting Institute talks with Sabina Read about creating a positive co-parenting environment for your children during the holiday season. Whether the separation is relatively new or you are tackling your first Christmas as a separated family, Lisanne shares some ways to manage the emotions and changes to traditions over this time. She shares how to give yourself and your children a positive experience, creating new rituals for the future.

How can I plan for my financial future? Live, love, legacy and laugh During this episode, Ryan Watson of Tribeca Financial will share how to escape fear and live the life you want in the future, following the priorities to live, love, legacy and laugh. Ryan shares the range of emotions you may feel about your finances during separation. He shares some common fears many people experience during this time, such as the fear that you will lose everything in the process (which isn’t true if you get the right support around you) and how to balance immediate needs versus long-term goals. His philosophy is that a problem shared is a problem halved.Ryan thoughtfully covers how you can feel a greater sense of security and certainty by having the right financial advice and the power of seeing your options laid out. It’s an empowering episode that will give you practical information to step forward confidently.

This episode explores family law finance - a line of credit available to people who are going through separation and need to access funds to pay for professional support to reach a fair and equitable settlement that will set them up for a secure future. We talk to Jack O'Donnell from JustFund about: the purpose of family law finance what it can cover how it differs from traditional loans who is eligible, and how it is assessed who can benefit from a family law line of credit. This episode is a must-listen for people facing a property split who have money tied up in property, a trust or a business that they can't access until settlement. There are options to pay for the right advice. Resources mentioned in this episode Check if you're eligible for family law finance with JustFund https://theseparationguide.com.au/resource/podcasts/listen-how-can-i-pay-for-my-separation/ JustFund Borrower Guide https://theseparationguide.com.au/app/uploads/2024/01/2024-Borrower-Guide-The-Separation-Guide.pdf Family law finance information on The Separation Guide website https://theseparationguide.com.au/resource/podcasts/listen-how-can-i-pay-for-my-separation/  If you know someone who will find this podcast helpful, please share. The Separation Guide aims to make separation and divorce simpler, more manageable and less stressful. To find out more about how one of our Network Members could support your separation, take our free 3-minute Q&A. DisclaimerThe information in our resources is general only. Consider getting in touch with a professional adviser if you need support with your legal, financial or wellbeing needs.

The number of separated couples still living together in Australia is on the rise. Over 50% of people tell us that they have separated but are still living under one roof. The transition from partners to moving out can take some time, but we’re seeing that period grow longer for more and more couples. In this episode, separation and relationship coach Kelly Bagshaw joins us to talk about what’s causing this rising trend making this period work in the best way re-negotiating your relationship, your space, your boundaries and your expectations of each other communication styles support to help you get through this period and move on afterwards. Listen here, or listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to chat with Kelly for independent separation coaching, counselling or relationship coaching either before separation or to work towards a successful separation, you can book in a free 15-minute chat here. Or read our blog, How to separate from your spouse while living together. For the latest stats on separation in Australia, you can download our State of Separation Impact Report If you know someone who will find this podcast helpful, please share. Disclaimer The information in our resources is general only. Consider getting in touch with a professional adviser if you need support with your legal, financial or wellbeing needs.

Dividing assets and property in separation and divorce may seem like a simple equation, but it gets complicated quickly. A 50-50 split may not always be the best outcome. Listen to find out what factors need to be considered in determining a fair property split. In this episode, we talked to Lauren Patford-Smith of Padford-Smith Legal Services about: the 4-step process of Family Law what assets and debts should you should include in your marital asset pool how the length of your relationship and when you acquired assets impact the percentage split how financial and non-financial contributions are considered how the circumstances of your situation over the life of your relationship affect the split what happens when one person has spent time out of the workforce as a primary carer how your needs after separation are considered. Listen here, or listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. For more information on property splits, check out these resources: Blog: If you know someone who will find this podcast helpful, please share. The Separation Guide aims to make separation and divorce simpler, more manageable and less stressful. To find out more about how one of our Network Members could support your separation, take our free 3-minute Q&A. DisclaimerThe information in our resources is general only. Consider getting in touch with a professional adviser if you need support with your legal, financial or wellbeing needs.

Telling your partner that you want to separate is a daunting prospect. Doing it wrong could have consequences like escalating conflict, creating unnecessary hurt for those around you and, in extreme circumstances, it could be dangerous. Preparing yourself to tell your spouse the right way can set the tone for a low-conflict separation from day one. In this episode, we speak to our Senior Separation Consultant, Arabella Feltham, about: safety as your number one consideration discussing separation if moving out isn’t an option the right moment to bring up separation having a support person present what to consider if you have children how to prepare yourself the words to use to avoid escalation how to approach a trial separation emotional reactions to expect from your partner and yourself. You can find out about the Separation Support sessions mentioned in the podcast here. Please subscribe for episodes about all aspects of separation and divorce in Australia. If you know someone who will find this podcast helpful, please share. The Separation Guide aims to make separation and divorce simpler, more manageable and less stressful. To find out more about how one of our Network Members could support your separation, take our free 3-minute Q&A.

Around a third of Australia’s population was born overseas. Many married and de facto couples have at least one person from another country. If this is you, what happens if you separate in Australia?  In this episode, we talk to experienced migration and family Lawyer from Starlight Legal, Eva Liang, about: how Australian Family Law recognises overseas marriages how to divorce when one party is overseas relocating children overseas in a separation spousal visas and their effect on separation cultural and linguistic barriers when dealing with the Family Court system understanding different cultural values,  best interests and family structures.  Please subscribe for episodes about all aspects of separation and divorce in Australia. If you know someone who will find this podcast helpful, please share. You can find information about forms of family violence and links to support services in our blog Separation when there is family violence. The Separation Guide aims to make separation and divorce simpler, more manageable and less stressful. To find out more about how one of our Network Members could support your separation, take our free 3-minute Q&A. If you offer professional help and advice to people going through separation and divorce, Join the Network.

We’ve had ‘no-fault’ divorce in Australia since 1975. Unlike criminal law, there's not a guilty verdict. Your lawyer isn't fighting to 'win' - their job is to help you reach an agreement with your spouse over property and financial settlement and child arrangements. So is there really a place for escalating your matter to an inevitable court date, and who is actually benefiting when that happens? Is it time in Australia for a kind approach to Family Law? In this episode, we speak to Perpetua Kish from Balance Family Law and Angela Harbinson, CEO of The Separation Guide about: the role of the law in separation and divorce what kindness in Family Law looks like and how it benefits clients de-escalation and proactive communication between lawyers what to look for when choosing a lawyer who will avoid escalation possible points of escalation and how to avoid them the financial and emotional cost of escalation and going to court. Please subscribe for episodes about all aspects of separation and divorce in Australia. If you know someone who will find this podcast helpful, please share. The Separation Guide aims to make separation and divorce simpler, more manageable and less stressful. To find out more about how one of our Network Members could support your separation, take our free 3-minute Q&A. If you offer professional help and advice to people going through separation and divorce, Join the Network.

Putting children through a family separation isn’t something anyone ever wants to do. So, how should you approach it if it happens? In this episode, we speak with Bron O’Loan from O’Loan Family Law about: telling children about your separation what to say if you can’t answer their questions involving children in decisions about their future messages you give children about the separation support networks for parents and children resilience in children talking about the future after separation. You can purchase Bron O’Loan’s book The Splits: How to help your kids navigate separation and divorce here. If you know someone who will find this podcast helpful, please share. Find out more about your options in separation and divorce at www.theseparationguide.com.au

The Separation Guide CEO, Angela Harbinson, spoke with industry experts Kylie Harding and Selena James about their advice and suggestions for financial empowerment before, during and after separation. Find out more about your options in separation and divorce at www.theseparationguide.com.au Note that Kylie Harding was known by her married name Kylie MacDonald when our podcast was recorded.

In this episode, Jack Whelan speaks with Heidi Rogers from Moving Mindsets, Tanya Hibberd from Aubrey Brown and Andrew Wilson, who is a Mediator with The Separation Guide, about the different types of family violence, how these can affect your separation, and some tips about what you can do if you find yourself facing family violence while also going through a separation. 

'This is a time where we can have new freedoms, new opportunities. We’re not held up by perhaps how someone saw us for many years. We can rebuild ourselves, get a new sense of self and we can actually flourish.' We chat with Heather Irvine Rundle, Senior Clinical Psychologist at READ Clinic, about: Staying physically well through separation Life after separation  Being in the life-long business of ‘raising children’ The transcript of this podcast is here. Thinking about separation? Our 3-minute Q&A can help connect you with the right experts to guide you through the maze. For more free separation resources, head to theseparationguide.com.au. If you offer professional help and advice to people going through separation and divorce, Join the Network.

Journalist and author Kate Halfpenny joins Sabina Read to share her raw and unflinching story of divorce, remarriage, midlife reinvention and love in the face of addiction. Drawing from her memoir Boogie Wonderland, Kate speaks with courage and candour about the grief of divorce, the challenges of raising children through separation, and the unexpected struggles of her second marriage when addiction surfaced. With warmth and humour, she reflects on what it means to honour love even as relationships change, and how resilience, honesty and connection can carry us through life’s toughest chapters.This is not just a conversation about divorce or addiction – it’s a conversation about what it means to be human, to stay open when it would be easier to shut down, and to find hope in the places we feel most alone.

Property is often the biggest asset in a separation – and one of the hardest to navigate. Should you sell the family home? Can you afford to stay? How do you avoid costly mistakes when emotions are running high?In this episode, host Sabina Read is joined by Evan Thornley, Co-Founder and CEO of Longview, and Jules Hewitt, Head of Customer Success at Agent Select, to unpack the complexities of property division during separation and divorce.Together they explore:The impact of soaring property prices on couples deciding whether to separate.Mistakes to avoid when buying or selling under pressure.How to find the right real estate agent (and what questions to ask).Strategies for staying on the “capital growth train” post-separation.The pros and cons of renting or “rentvesting” as a transitional step.Practical resources and tools to make better property decisions.Whether you’re separating, supporting someone who is, or simply wanting to future-proof your financial wellbeing, this episode is full of expert advice and practical tips to help you approach property decisions with clarity and confidence.

We often expect separation to be marked by conflict and disconnection - but what if it didn’t have to be that way?In this heartwarming and honest episode of The Separation Guide podcast, psychologist and host Sabina Read sits down with Jane and Matt Martino - former partners who chose a different path. Married for 12 years and separated for eight, they share how they put the needs of their three boys at the centre of every decision, even when it wasn’t easy.From co-parenting holidays and family dinners to welcoming new partners into the fold, Jane and Matt have redefined what it means to be a family post-divorce. Their story is a testament to the power of communication, intention, and mutual respect.Whether you're navigating your own separation or supporting someone who is, this conversation is a beautiful reminder that breaking up well is possible - and that love and laughter can still live in the space where marriage once did.

What are the signs a relationship has run its course - and how can you tell the difference between natural relationship challenges and something more? In this heartfelt and insightful episode, psychologist and host Sabina Read speaks with accredited divorce coach Bev Berelowitz about the deeply personal and often painful decision to separate.Bev shares her own experience of leaving her marriage, and the wisdom she’s gained from supporting others on their separation journeys. Together, they explore the power of trusting your gut, the role of fear, how to know when you’ve done “enough” to try to make it work, and how to reframe separation as a courageous, values-based choice rather than a failure.Whether you’re feeling stuck, wondering what’s next, or supporting someone who’s struggling, this episode offers clarity, compassion, and hope.

May is Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month. And with 25% of those who come to The Separation Guide for help experiencing some sort of violence or abuse, it is a very real barrier to many trying to leave relationships. In this episode, White Ribbon Australia Acting Director Dean Cooper and Coordinator of Counselling Services Zoe Hughes join host Sabina Read to shed light on the many types of violence and abuse happening in Australian homes. With some practical tips for how to find help and navigate a safe path through, for both women and men, this episode is a vital resource for anyone who finds themselves - or someone they know - trapped in an abusive situation. It also discusses available help for potential perpetrators who may realise that their behaviour makes others feel unsafe, but don't know what steps to take to make a change. Along with a call out to society at large to take note and speak up when they witness acts of disrespect. As we learn in this episode - not all disrespect leads to violence, but all violence begins with disrespect. As the number of Australian women who have died at the hands of male violence reaches 24 so far this year, this is a vital conversation that needs to be had - and heard.For more information about how you can help make a change this Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month, visit The Separation Guide's I Care About Conflict campaign at https://icareaboutconflict.com/