Divorce Happens

You don’t plan for the moment you realize the marriage is over—you arrive there, breath held, heart loud, and somehow still responsible for packing lunches and paying bills. In this intimate conversation, actress, creator, and OG blogger Eva Amurri—now a remarried mom of three and the force behind The Westport Project—joins Olivia to talk about divorce recovery as a living practice: calling it before it gets ugly, learning to communicate in therapy, and reinventing when the ground keeps moving. What follows is a story about emotional turmoil that becomes usable wisdom.Drawing on her public divorce and collaborative co-parenting, Eva shares the choices that protected her kids and her sanity: mediate when you can, center the children in every decision, and build financial independence—even if it starts as $5 a day from a tiny side hustle. She talks candidly about losing friends during separation, the sting of holidays, and the discipline of keeping your words clean in front of the kids. It’s practical and tender: co-parenting tips, boundaries, and the mindset shifts that turn survival mode into resilience.Listeners will leave with hope and clear next steps: explore therapy or a co-parenting coach early, treat mediation as a way to design your family’s future, and start any income stream that puts agency back in your hands. This episode is rich with divorce support, co-parenting strategies, and starting-over stories for single mom life. Keywords naturally woven throughout: divorce recovery, co-parenting tips, mediation, financial independence after divorce, emotional resilience, starting over after divorce.🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/

When you’re facing divorce, the numbers can feel scarier than the heartbreak. In this powerful episode of Divorce Happens, host Olivia Howell sits down with Certified Divorce Financial Analyst and financial advisor Donna S. Cates, a woman on a mission to make sure no one signs on the dotted line without truly understanding what they’re agreeing to. With decades of experience helping women in transition, Donna blends practical financial insight with deep compassion—because she knows firsthand that financial fear can keep women stuck in unhappy marriages. Together, they explore how money myths, misplaced trust, and emotional overwhelm shape so many divorce stories—and how knowledge can become your most empowering form of self-care.Donna shares her signature framework for preparing financially before divorce, including the comprehensive checklist she gives her clients to uncover what they know, what they don’t, and what they need to find out. Through honest examples from her practice, she explains why hiring a CDFA before an attorney can actually save thousands of dollars—and how even in moments of chaos, small steps toward financial clarity can help women feel grounded again. The conversation moves beyond spreadsheets and settlement numbers into emotional healing, with Donna reminding listeners that understanding your finances isn’t about money—it’s about reclaiming your agency, your voice, and your future.Listeners will walk away with a renewed sense of possibility and tangible next steps: how to begin gathering documents, when to call in experts, and how to build confidence in conversations about money. As Donna says, “You aren’t your marriage, your mistakes, or your money story—you’re the author of your next chapter.” Whether you’re considering divorce or already rebuilding, this episode offers the clarity, compassion, and courage you need to start fresh.Learn more about Donna Cates, CDFA here: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/resourceguide/money-matters-wealth-solutions🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/

Transitions between two homes can feel like fault lines for children of divorce—every Sunday night drop-off or Friday afternoon pickup carrying the weight of change. In this episode of Divorce Happens, host Olivia Howell sits down with child development expert Dr. Joanna Hulton to explore how parents can ease the turbulence of co-parenting transitions and help children feel secure in both homes. What begins as a listener’s heartfelt question about her six- and eight-year-old’s struggles with back-and-forth routines opens into a compassionate and deeply practical conversation about children’s developmental needs in divorce.Dr. Hulton, a parenting psychologist, author, and long-time child advocate, brings decades of expertise to the conversation, weaving together research, clinical insights, and the lived realities of families navigating divorce. She highlights why consistency, transitional objects, and small rituals of acknowledgment can dramatically shift how children experience their “two houses.” Through anecdotes from both her professional practice and Olivia’s personal reflections, Dr. Hulton reveals how even small acts—like validating feelings instead of fixing them, or reframing “mom’s house” and “dad’s house” as your house with mom and your house with dad—can profoundly change how kids process separation.At the heart of the episode is a reminder that co-parenting is not about erasing conflict overnight, but about creating space for children’s growth amid uncertainty. Listeners will walk away with both hope and actionable strategies: the power of shared language, the importance of seeing each home as “theirs,” and the courage to set aside adult hurt for the sake of children’s sense of safety. Divorce may redraw family maps, but as Dr. Hulton makes clear, parents can still chart paths that help their children thrive.Learn more about Dr. Joanna Hulton: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/resourceguide/joanna-hulton-phd🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry

The first thing Samantha Boss tells us is that she did everything “wrong” the first time. It’s disarming and honest, the kind of confession that lets your shoulders drop. In this conversation, the Alabama-based divorce strategist—once a teacher, briefly a mediator, and now a high-conflict divorce coach with a fierce TikTok community—walks us through the moment her own life cracked open. She planned the conversation (“When do I say the word divorce?”) for six weeks, but not the life after. What followed—years of court dates, a four-page parenting plan that failed in real life, and the slow work of rebuilding—became the education she couldn’t find anywhere else.Sam’s expertise is forged in the fire and refined by study: a decade of coaching high-conflict clients, writing airtight parenting plans, and helping parents adopt “radical acceptance” of the co-parent they actually have. She shares the hard-won mindset shift of not letting divorce define you, and the equally brave admission that she once tried to “perform” cordial co-parenting to her children’s confusion. Her kids—now 21 and 19—eventually named what they sensed all along: when a parent is dysregulated, the whole house knows. That truth redirected her work. Today Sam builds parenting plans that anticipate real life—jobs changing, new partners, sick days—and teaches clients to keep the case in one corner of the room so it doesn’t burn down the rest of their lives.There’s hope threaded through every story. Sam calls it “diapers to diploma” planning: customized, practical, and designed to keep families out of court so parents can spend their time on connection, not conflict. Actionably, she urges listeners to front-load education, accept the co-parent in front of you, and calendar your legal tasks so you can be fully present with your kids. If you’re navigating a high-conflict divorce, wrestling with co-parenting, or rethinking your parenting plan, this episode offers clarity, compassion, and a map forward—proof that you are not your divorce, and that healing is a practice you can learn. Learn more about Sam here!🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/

The end of a marriage is never just paperwork—it’s an unraveling of identity, home, and history. In this deeply candid episode, we sit down with Kate Anthony, renowned divorce coach and host of The Divorce Survival Guide Podcast, to talk about what it really means to move through divorce with clarity and courage. Kate has spent over a decade guiding thousands of women through one of life’s most painful transitions, bridging the gap between therapy and legal strategy. Her wisdom comes not only from professional expertise but also from her lived experience of divorce, making her voice both practical and profoundly empathetic.Kate reminds us that divorce isn’t just about separating finances or signing documents—it’s also about emotional separation. She shares hard-won lessons from her own journey and those of her clients: the importance of boundaries, the pitfalls of trying to “stay best friends” with your ex too soon, and the reality that children need clarity more than they need their parents to pretend everything is fine. Through powerful anecdotes, Kate illustrates how parallel parenting can evolve into healthier co-parenting, but only after each person has taken the time to heal and individuate.At its core, this conversation is about empowerment. Kate’s insights challenge the fear of being alone, offering listeners a reframing: what if being alone is not something to dread, but a chance to rediscover who you are? She shows us that divorce can be the ultimate boundary-setting act—the moment you decide you deserve more than survival, you deserve joy. Listeners will leave this episode not just with strategies for navigating divorce, but with a sense of hope that healing, growth, and even laughter are possible on the other side.🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/

After divorce, many entrepreneurs find themselves unsure how to lead again—how to rebuild not just a business, but a sense of self. In this episode of Divorce Happens, we sit down with Chedva “Vivi” Ludmir, a business strategist, speaker, and Fresh Starts Expert who helps founders move from reactive survival mode into intentional, empowered leadership. Known for her work with women and service-based business owners, Vivi brings both practical strategy and soulful insight to the conversation, reminding listeners that the journey from “helper” to “founder” is as emotional as it is professional.Drawing from her coaching framework and years of experience guiding entrepreneurs through life transitions, Vivi shares how self-compassion, narrative awareness, and intentional energy design can help divorced women reclaim their confidence as leaders. She explains how to identify and rewrite old stories of self-doubt, integrate daily rituals that anchor you in abundance, and build a business that aligns with the energy you want to embody. Through her advice, listeners learn how to lead themselves first—so they can lead their businesses with conviction, creativity, and calm.This episode is both a roadmap and a reclamation. Listeners will leave with tangible strategies to rebuild their careers and emotional resilience after divorce, alongside a renewed sense of personal power. Vivi’s insights offer a powerful mindset shift: your divorce doesn’t define your business—it refines it. By choosing intentional leadership and compassionate self-partnership, you can design a future that feels authentically yours.Learn more about Chedva Lumir: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/resourceguide/consider-by-chedva-ludmir🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/

The first days of divorce can feel like standing at the edge of a cliff—heart racing, mind spinning, and unsure where to step next. In this episode of Divorce Happens, we sit down with Meghan O’Malley, divorce coach, mediator, JD, and Fresh Starts Expert, who specializes in helping people find clarity, confidence, and calm at the very beginning of their divorce journey. With a background in law and years of experience coaching individuals through life transitions, Meghan brings a rare combination of professional authority and compassionate wisdom to the conversation.Throughout the episode, Meghan unpacks what it means to stop drowning in information overload and instead ground yourself in what you actually need—whether that’s reassurance, strategy, or simply a pause. She challenges outdated ideas of what it means to be “strong” in divorce, reminding listeners that true resilience comes from seeking support and surrounding yourself with the right people. She also offers practical divorce recovery tips, like breaking down overwhelming challenges into smaller steps, cultivating intentionality over speed, and using checklists and community to stay steady through the chaos.Listeners will leave this conversation with a new perspective on how to approach the early days of divorce with emotional resilience and practical strategy. Meghan’s insights offer not only reassurance but also actionable guidance: clarity about where to start, confidence in taking the next step, and calm knowing that you don’t have to face this process alone.Learn more about Meghan O’Malley: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/resourceguide/divorce-brave🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/

Asking for help during divorce can feel impossible—especially when the world expects you to carry it all alone. In this powerful episode of Divorce Happens, we sit down with Lisa Lisser, a certified divorce and co-parenting coach and Fresh Starts Expert, to talk about what it really means to find the courage to ask for support. With compassion, clarity, and years of experience guiding clients through the most overwhelming seasons of life, Lisa shares why reaching out for help is not a weakness but the foundation of rebuilding.Lisa walks us through the tools she uses with clients to reclaim confidence and direction during divorce. From developing financial clarity and becoming the “CFO of your life,” to building new communication protocols and preparing for tough conversations, her advice offers both practical strategies and emotional grounding. She also explores the complicated terrain of co-parenting, showing how parents can shift from combative dynamics to a child-centered, business-like model that prioritizes stability and well-being for kids.This conversation is a reminder that you don’t have to go through divorce alone—and that calling your divorce coach first can change everything. Listeners will walk away with actionable steps for clarifying their values, strengthening boundaries, and navigating procedural choices with calm authority. Most importantly, Lisa’s wisdom reframes asking for help as an act of courage, one that allows you to start over stronger, clearer, and more supported than ever before.Learn more about Lisa Lisser: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/resourceguide/lzl-coaching🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/

When you’re standing at the crossroads of divorce, one of the most overwhelming questions is whether the process will be uncontested—or turn into a lengthy, contested battle. In this episode of Divorce Happens, we sit down with Renee Turner, a respected family law attorney and Fresh Starts Expert, to explore the reality of uncontested divorce and what it takes for this path to truly work. Drawing on her extensive legal experience, Renee shares stories and insights that bring clarity to a process often shrouded in confusion and fear.Renee explains the circumstances in which uncontested divorce is most effective—when there’s mutual respect, open communication, and agreement on key issues like child custody, property division, and spousal support. She also dives into the red flags that signal when uncontested divorce may not be appropriate, such as safety concerns, emotional manipulation, or a lack of transparency. Through her expertise, she shows how divorce doesn’t have to be synonymous with chaos; with the right conditions, it can be a collaborative process that protects both your peace of mind and your finances.Listeners will walk away with practical tips and mindset shifts, including how to assess whether uncontested divorce is the right fit, how to prepare for conversations with your spouse, and what legal protections you need in place before moving forward. This conversation offers hope and clarity, proving that even in one of life’s hardest transitions, there are ways to move forward with dignity, safety, and strength.Learn more about Renee Turner: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/resourceguide/thoughtful-lawyering-pllc🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/

After divorce, the world can feel like it’s spinning out of control. Even the smallest tasks—washing your hair, eating a real meal, or getting out of bed—can feel like climbing a mountain. In this powerful episode of Divorce Happens, divorce recovery guide and somatic practitioner Madisen Rose brings honesty and compassion to one of the hardest realities of post-divorce life: sometimes the basics are the bravest acts of self-care.Madisen shares her philosophy of “back to basics” healing, offering listeners five simple practices—hydration, rest, nutrition, movement, and hygiene—that become anchors in the chaos of transition. Drawing from both her professional expertise and her lived experience, she reminds us that it isn’t about lofty wellness goals or reinventing yourself overnight. Healing begins with the smallest gestures, like pouring a glass of water or brushing your teeth, and building from there with patience and compassion.Through her work with clients, Madisen has seen how tiny, consistent acts of care can shift someone from surviving to slowly thriving. In this conversation, she offers both clarity and hope, showing listeners that progress doesn’t have to be big to be meaningful. You’ll walk away with permission to keep it simple, a mindset shift around what counts as “self-care,” and the gentle reminder that sometimes survival itself is a triumph.Learn more about Madisen Rose: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/resourceguide/better-half-to-whole🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/

Losing your voice in marriage—whether through years of conflict, emotional neglect, or simply the slow erosion of self—can feel like one of the deepest wounds of divorce. It’s not just about starting over with a new home or co-parenting schedule. It’s about remembering who you are, and daring to put words around that identity again. In this episode of Divorce Happens, we explore what it really means to reclaim your voice after divorce, and why it matters for your healing.Our guest, Dara Resnik, is a writer and director whose work in film and television is rooted in storytelling, character, and truth. As a Fresh Starts Expert, she brings not only professional expertise but also personal lived experience of divorce. Dara knows what it feels like to come out of a relationship turned upside down, and she offers five fresh, practical tips for finding your voice again—ranging from journaling practices to creative exploration, community support, and the courage to share your story.Throughout the conversation, Dara reminds us that voice is more than words—it’s about identity, safety, and power. Whether you’re navigating silence after emotional abuse, or simply unsure of who you are outside your marriage, Dara’s insights offer both clarity and comfort. By the end of the episode, you’ll leave with not just tools, but also a reminder: divorce may have rewritten your story, but you still hold the pen.Learn more about Dara Resnik: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/resourceguide/little-bear-ink🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/

Music has a way of reaching the places words can’t, and in times of family transition, those quiet melodies often hold the most healing. In this episode of Divorce Happens, host Olivia Howell sits down with Mama Nous, a singer-songwriter who has reimagined what children’s music can be. Far from the repetitive jingles many of us grew up with, her songs are rich with emotional intelligence, compassion, and truth—crafted to speak not only to kids, but also to the parents and caregivers guiding them through life’s hardest moments.Though happily married now, Mama Nous carries the perspective of both being a parent herself and having grown up as a child of divorce. She knows intimately how difficult it can be to find language that helps kids feel secure, loved, and understood. Her music bridges that gap with lyrics that serve as a gentle witness: words that assure children they are lovable, that family changes are not their fault, and that resilience can bloom even in seasons of grief. Songs like You Are So Easy to Love and Right Hand Child have become anthems of healing for countless families, inspiring tears, conversations, and breakthroughs across generations.Together, Olivia and Mama Nous explore how music can help families navigate transitions like divorce, opening doors for connection, reflection, and repair. Listeners will walk away with more than just a playlist—they’ll leave with a new way of thinking about how to support children’s inner worlds. Whether you’re in the car with your kids or searching for your own balm in the storm, this conversation is a reminder that healing often starts with the simplest truths, repeated until they become part of who we are.Check out Mama Nous on her website: https://mamanous.com/🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/📬 Newsletter: https://divorceguide.substack.com/

When you’re sitting at the mediation table and someone asks, “What do you want?” it can feel like a trick question. In this episode of Divorce Happens, Olivia Howell sits down with certified ADR divorce coach, pre-mediation coach, and trauma-informed coach Lyerly Spongberg, to unpack why that deceptively simple question is the key to unlocking better outcomes in divorce. With warmth and candor, Lyerly explains how getting clear on your why—the deeper reason behind your wants—can transform negotiation, reduce conflict, and protect your peace of mind.Drawing from years of coaching individuals through the chaos of divorce, Lyerly shares the common pitfalls she sees when people cling to rigid positions, and how shifting the conversation from what you want to why you want it opens the door to creative, flexible solutions. She shares client stories that illustrate how reality testing and curiosity can ease conflict—whether it’s navigating custody arrangements or deciding what to do about the family home. Her trauma-informed approach helps clients slow down, regulate their nervous systems, and focus on what truly matters.For anyone overwhelmed by the divorce process, this episode offers clarity and hope. Listeners will walk away with practical strategies like breaking down decisions into manageable steps, naming fears out loud, and entering mediation with confidence and emotional grounding. Most importantly, Lyerly reminds us that divorce, while often disorienting, can also be a process of empowerment, dignity, and growth when guided by the right support.Learn more about Lyerly Spongberg: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/resourceguide/step-up-with-lyerly🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/📬 Newsletter: https://divorceguide.substack.com/

Divorce has a way of silencing even the loudest voices. In this episode of Divorce Happens, Olivia Howell sits down with Chedva Ludmir—business strategist, mentor, and the founder of Consider Labs—to talk about what it really means to lose your confidence in the storm of separation. Chedva knows this terrain not only as a strategist who guides entrepreneurs but as someone who has walked through divorce herself. She shares how gaslighting and subtle shrinking can chip away at a person’s identity until one day you wake up and no longer recognize your own voice.From her years in strategy and leadership, Chedva brings a unique lens: the personal and professional are never separate. When you’re silenced at home, it seeps into your work. She speaks candidly about her own season of shrinking—where she shifted from visionary strategy to small, menial tasks—and how that disconnect drained her energy and joy. Through gentle but powerful questioning, she helps clients, and herself, rediscover what lights them up and where their true genius lies. Her methodology centers on curiosity, forward-thinking vision, and building rituals that slowly expand your capacity to take up space again.Listeners will leave with more than just validation—they’ll have a map. Chedva offers concrete ways to notice when you’re “going through the motions,” to begin asking small, non-judgmental questions, and to envision the bolder, braver self waiting on the other side of divorce. This conversation is a reminder that your voice isn’t gone forever; it’s waiting for you, and reclaiming it can change not just your personal healing, but your entire future.Learn more about Consider by Chedva Ludmir: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/resourceguide/consider-by-chedva-ludmir🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/📬 Newsletter: https://divorceguide.substack.com/

Divorce rarely ends at the signing of papers. It lingers in the day-to-day decisions, the cast of new characters who enter the family orbit, and the quiet ways insecurity, judgment, or outside voices can unsettle the fragile ecosystem of co-parenting. In this episode of Divorce Happens, Olivia sits down with relationship coach Anna Howerton, who not only works with clients navigating these moments but has lived them herself. Anna shares the raw, unexpected story of stumbling upon her ex-husband’s new partner speaking publicly about her, a moment that forced her to confront the messy overlap of private life, public perception, and the resilience it takes to rise above.Anna brings deep credibility to this conversation—not only as a coach who supports individuals in crisis points before, during, and after divorce, but as someone who has walked the road of conscious uncoupling, rebuilding, and dating again. She explains how step-partners often act from a place of insecurity, and why compassion, rather than retaliation, is sometimes the only way forward. Through her story, she illuminates the often invisible labor of divorced moms: to regulate emotions, protect children, and elevate above drama—even when their character is publicly challenged.Listeners will come away with both clarity and hope. Anna offers practical strategies like resisting the urge to engage in public battles, keeping communication with your ex at the center of co-parenting, and grounding yourself through nervous system resets. At the heart of her message is a reminder that children are on “mom WiFi”—they feel our energy more than they hear our words. Divorce is never simple, but as Anna beautifully says, “Every rainstorm runs out of rain.” Healing is possible, and your steady presence can be the anchor your children need as you build a new beginning.Learn more about Anna: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/resourceguide/anna-howerton-coaching-llc🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/📬 Newsletter: https://divorceguide.substack.com/

Divorce has a way of cracking us open, forcing us to confront truths we may have avoided, and reshaping the way we move through the world. In this episode of Divorce Happens, I sit down with Amanda Goetz—two-time founder, four-time CMO, and author of the upcoming book Toxic Grit—to talk about the lessons she learned while navigating her own high-stakes divorce. From financial shocks to emotional entanglements, Amanda shares candidly about the missteps, the strategies, and the breakthroughs that helped her reclaim her power.With honesty and clarity, Amanda reveals what it was like to be a successful executive making over $200,000 a year while still finding herself financially manipulated during her divorce. She discusses the importance of knowing where your money is, the hard-earned wisdom of choosing mediation over drawn-out litigation, and the gut-punch reality of how numbers on tax returns can shape your entire settlement. But she doesn’t stop at the legal and financial: Amanda also opens up about the emotional hooks of divorce, from learning to respond with “facts, not emotions” to creating rituals that sever lingering ties of control.What emerges from our conversation is not just a survival guide but a framework for transformation. Amanda encourages listeners to embrace divorce as a cocoon moment—a chance to explore new versions of themselves, step into main character energy, and learn which people and practices help them rise to higher frequencies. Her story is proof that while divorce breaks us open, it also invites us into a new, more expansive chapter of life. If you’ve ever wondered how to navigate both the chaos and the clarity of starting over, this episode will leave you with hope, courage, and actionable wisdom.Buy Toxic Grit here: https://www.toxicgrit.com/🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/📬 Newsletter: https://divorceguide.substack.com/

Divorce has a way of pulling everything to the surface—the grief, the guilt, the relief, the fear, and the hope. In this episode of Divorce Happens, Olivia sits down with relationship expert and EFT tapping practitioner Lizzy Gobst to explore what happens when all those emotions collide, and how to create space for them without being swallowed whole. Lizzy reminds us that mixed feelings don’t cancel each other out—they’re proof that we’re human, healing, and moving forward in our own time.With a background in communication coaching and emotional regulation, Lizzy brings both warmth and practicality to the conversation. She explains the science and simplicity of EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), a method that uses tapping on acupressure points to soothe anxiety, shift subconscious patterns, and reconnect us to agency. Through stories of her clients—and her own life—she illustrates how tapping can transform “stuck” moments into opportunities for insight, whether it’s navigating difficult conversations with an ex, handling paperwork that sparks dread, or untangling old family patterns that resurface post-divorce.At its core, this episode is about reclaiming calm in the chaos. Lizzy offers listeners permission to hold contradictory feelings—grief alongside gratitude, fear alongside excitement—while also equipping them with a tool to quiet spirals in real time. The conversation is grounding, hopeful, and filled with tangible reminders that healing isn’t about erasing the past, but about creating new patterns that help us live fully in the present.Learn more about Lizzy: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/resourceguide/love-smarts🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/📬 Newsletter: https://divorceguide.substack.com/

The first truth Meredith Beardmore learned in divorce was deceptively simple: she wasn’t “crazy”—she was intuitive. In today’s conversation, Meredith—a therapist, author, and creator of the YouTube channel Men With Mare, where she offers therapeutic reactions to lyric-driven songs—walks us through the moment her body knew what her brain was not yet allowed to say out loud. The arguments that looked small from the outside (like whether her son should get ear tubes) were flares on the horizon. The real fire, she later discovered, was fueled by hidden drug use, financial fallout, and betrayal. That’s when the second truth arrived: when a partner becomes an adversary, protecting your child means protecting your own knowing.Meredith tells the story without varnish. She moved from New York City back to Ohio for family support, charged therapy to credit cards, and watched the numbers climb while her shame tried to keep pace. She names aloud what so many listeners whisper to themselves: freedom is expensive. Debt stacks, timelines stretch, and at every turn there’s unsolicited commentary from the sidelines—neighbors praising “bike rides,” strangers doubting emotional abuse because it leaves no bruise. But fast doesn’t equal free, and every hard choice became, in her words, “a down payment toward my peace.”And then the third truth: grace. Grace for the version of you that didn’t have all the information, grace for the professional who didn’t predict the plot twist, grace for the parent who is doing it all—because she was doing it all even before she left. Meredith’s memoir, The Plan B Chronicles: Divorce Defines Liberation, braids survival writing with therapeutic tools and pop-culture echoes to offer clarity without cliché. Listeners will leave with two grounding shifts: trust your intuition even without “proof,” and treat every practical step—therapy, safety planning, strategic boundaries—as an investment in future you. It will get better. You are stronger than you know.📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/📬 Newsletter: https://divorceguide.substack.com/

The first friendships to change after divorce aren’t always the loud ones—they’re the quiet ones that stop texting back. In this episode, Olivia sits down with psychotherapist and relationship specialist Stevie Blum to name that ache and offer language for it. Stevie works with high-achieving women navigating life transitions, anxiety, and perfectionism, helping them “rewire” unhelpful patterns and design lives aligned with their higher selves. Together, they map the overlooked grief of friendship during divorce: the early rush of check-ins that fades, the isolation of being the first in your circle to separate, and the sting of well-meaning but misguided advice.Stevie offers a compassionate toolkit for moments when you feel dropped by your people. She explains the spotlight effect—how we overestimate the space we occupy in others’ lives—and why depersonalizing helps. She shares how to turn a complaint into a clear request (“It would mean a lot if you checked in on Fridays” or “Please include me when your family does Saturday plans”), and gives boundary scripts for friends who keep saying the wrong thing. When a repair isn’t possible, she introduces her gentle sequence: solve, reframe, accept—and reminds us that acceptance isn’t approval; it’s choosing not to fight what’s true.Threaded through is Stevie’s wave metaphor for big feelings: stop thrashing, let the water roll over you, and trust there is another side. Listeners will leave with hope and practical language—assume best intent, ask for what you need, offer friends “the gift” of feedback—and a reframe that heals both directions: “Everyone’s doing the best they can…and they can do better.” Vulnerability can deepen certain friendships, reveal unexpected allies, and rebuild the confidence you’ll use everywhere else—from texting your best friend to asking your lawyer for what you deserve.To get in touch with Stevie Blum:https://www.stevieblumtherapy.com/https://www.instagram.com/stevieblumtherapy/

The end of a marriage can feel like a storm—messy, disorienting, and all-consuming. But what if, instead of letting the wreckage define you, you saw it as the start of a completely different chapter? In this episode of Divorce Happens, I sit down with Michelle Dempsey-Multack, certified divorce and co-parenting specialist, trauma and resilience coach, and bestselling author of Moms Moving On. Known as the “OG Divorce Queen,” Michelle has helped thousands of people not just survive divorce, but create a future they’re proud of—one that prioritizes peace, personal growth, and the well-being of their children.Drawing on her own divorce and years of working with clients, Michelle shares the hard-earned lessons that can completely shift the way you navigate separation. She reminds us that divorce is an adult’s choice, but a child’s lived experience—and that how we show up after the split matters far more than the split itself. Through candid stories and actionable advice, she challenges us to take ownership of our role in conflict, let go of the need to “win” against an ex, and see the potential for transformation in the midst of heartbreak.This conversation is equal parts grounding and hopeful, offering listeners a blueprint for co-parenting without resentment, healing without losing yourself, and raising children who don’t have to recover from their parents’ divorce. You’ll walk away with a fresh perspective on ego, boundaries, and why choosing peace over power can change everything. Whether you’re knee-deep in the process or on the other side looking to rebuild, Michelle’s insights will leave you feeling less alone—and more equipped to move forward.🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/📬 Newsletter: https://divorceguide.substack.com/