Did your husband leave you? Whether you had a feeling something was decaying in your marriage, or you were blindsided, the feelings in the aftermath are the same. It’s easy to feel like you don’t know where to go or what to do. That is exactly how this week’s guest felt when her husband left her. Julie Starr, author of Your Husband Left, Now What? is an award winning social issues advocate for human rights and environmental protection. Julie has long been a dreamer and a doer. Trained first as a professional dance therapist (a 4 year degree from York University in Toronto), Julie moved into life coaching, founding Possibility Life Coaching for Women.  Today, Julie works intimately with individuals and groups of women who have experienced a husband leaving and are eager to move through the grief to live their better life. Julie's been there, done that!  Right now Julie is generously offering a free 30 min clarity call for anyone who wants to consider where they are, where they want to go, and what’s getting in the way.    Learn more by visiting her website at https://possibilitycoaching.net/about-julie/ 

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Episode 40: What Will People Think?

Divorce is painful and our upbringing can play a huge role in how our family and friends choose to respond to our pain. This week’s podcast guest, Karen Chellew, shares her story of navigating divorce in a religious setting, and how she worked through her questions on her own and with her kids. The feelings we face during a divorce are complicated and it’s easy to let guilt and shame convince us that we don’t deserve what’s ours in the negotiation process. People rarely talk about all the overwhelming legalities and financial decisions that need to be made in a divorce. What you want more than anything is a trusted guide who has your back and who understands what it’s like to walk in your shoes.  Karen is a true gift to anyone going through this process. She is the Co-Founder of My Divorce Solution, a team that includes a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA) who can develop your financial portrait, the quintessential financial document any couple needs to make clear financial decisions for their future. As a Legal Liaison, Karen helps support your legal team and facilitates connections with critical resources. With her team’s combined professional and personal experience, they are uniquely qualified to assist clients through the divorce process.   Learn more about Karen Chellew by visiting her website at https://mydivorcesolution.com/  and following her on social media: Instagram - @mydivorcesolution Twitter - @mydivorcesolution Facebook Group - We Chat Divorce Financially Speaking - https://www.facebook.com/groups/mydivorcesolution/  Be sure to join her for the 2021 Mrs. to Me Summit held October 22, 2021 – October 24 at Hilton Head Island, SC. For more information visit https://mydivorcesolution.com/mrs2me-summit-2021/ 

Episode 39: Divorce in the Bible Belt

This week on The Divorce Doctor Podcast, I interviewed Michele Traina. After marrying the person from her first long-term relationship, Michele knew it wasn’t going to last. As a performer, she felt more of a rush during her on-stage appearances rather than on her wedding day. Michele shares how her attraction to a coworker pushed her to look inward and discover what she wanted from intimate relationships. From that point, Michele knew divorce was the best course of action. Her fearlessness brought her to a life of creative fulfillment and peace with her ex.   Learn more about Natasha by visiting her website at www.divorcediariesshow.com  

Episode 38: The Emotional Affair That Got Me To Leave

This week on The Divorce Doctor Podcast, I sat down with Natasha C. Dewhirst. After surviving a traumatic childhood, Natasha lived with PTSD and after repeating relationship patterns during her marriage she developed Chronic Fatigue and needed a wheelchair.  During the interview, Natasha shares her journey on how she divorced her husband, healed herself from Chronic Fatigue and is now on a mission to support women who live in a constant state of survival and burnout due to faulty childhood beliefs and dysfunctional relationships.   Learn more about Natasha by visiting her website at https://natashacarltondewhirst.com/    Did you resonate with Natasha’s story? Take her quiz to see if you’re close to burning out. http://bit.ly/burnoutreset 

Episode 37: My Divorce Got Me Out of My Wheelchair

On this week’s episode of the Divorce Doctor Podcast, I spoke with Tiffany Harnsongkram. She helps divorcees find the courage to survive and thrive through divorce without guilt and shame. Tiffany is the founder of From Divorce to Destiny, which is a conscious divorce platform where she offers coaching and education.  In this interview, Tiffany reveals the transformation she had to make when she was only granted 30% custody of her daughters. Tiffany discovered the flaws in the legal system and how she could be the best mother when she wasn’t around as much as she planned. It’s an inspiring story that has an incredible resolution.   Learn more about Tiffany by visiting her website at https://www.fromdivorcetodestiny.com/

Episode 36: Healing From Religious and Non-Custodial Parent Shame

While most divorces will have a catalyst event that leads to the divorce, such as addiction or infidelity, Kiki had a different experience. For some, divorce happens from within. We don’t hear from them often, but we should. Kiki’s divorce came when she and her ex-husband realized that they loved each other but were also growing apart. This week on The Divorce Doctor Podcast, I interviewed Kiki Orr. A novice blogger and host of Just Bloom, a podcast that reminds all of us it’s never too late to find happiness. Kiki’s divorce allowed her to bloom into a new woman, one that refuses to settle and finds validation in her heart.   Learn more about Kiki by visiting her website at https://www.kikiorr.com/ 

Episode 35: I Am More Than My Divorce Experience

Tracy Malone’s divorce was described to her as, “the most tortured” in her town’s history by her judge. After seven hearings and a slew of false allegations, Tracy was legally removed from her narcissistic ex, but their relationship left her with lessons she would never forget. From this she became a coach, author, and founder of NarcissisticAbuseSupport.com. Tracy takes pride in making lemons out of lemonade and sharing it with everyone! This week on the Divorce Doctor Podcast, I had the privilege of interviewing Tracy. She fearlessly dives into her experience with narcissism within her family and marriage. Tracy’s presence is calming, assuring, and inspiring. Her insight proves that you can heal from narcissistic abuse with the right support.  Learn more about Tracy by visiting her website at https://narcissistabusesupport.com/ There you can also find support if you are or know someone who is experiencing narcissistic abuse.

Episode 34: Stop Hoping Your Narcissist Will Change

Life moves fast, and sometimes you may feel like you have no power in the direction of it’s flow. True freedom is recognizing that you always have autonomy over your life, and that you can and should make the decisions that work best for you. Janine Wirth, the trauma whisper, is an internationally recognized trauma expert, licensed psychotherapist, clinical hypnotherapist, and business coach. She helps women worldwide heal and create impact fun and financial freedom. In this episode, Janine and I discussed her marriage at 19 years old, the power of learning to enjoy your own company, and giving your children a childhood they won’t need to recover from.   Learn more about Janine by visiting her website at https://janinewirth.com/ 

Episode 33: Give Your Kids a Childhood They Don’t Have To Recover From

It can be hard to do what’s best for yourself. It takes time, hope, and a whole lot of courage to make the leap toward a more fulfilling life. My recent guest on the Divorce Doctor Podcast shows us a beautiful example of what it takes to show up for yourself. “Joyologist” Tricia Huffman is on a mission to inspire you to claim your joy and own who you are.  While living out her first dream as a touring sound engineer, she saw that everyone, including the people we think “have it all” often still don’t feel fulfilled enough and fight doubts, fears, and worries everyday. With her unique background and knowledge in self-care and wellness, and the entertainment world, she first created her “Joyology” to keep artists healthy, grounded and inspired in body and mind while on tour. She works with everyone from Grammy Award winning artists to stay at home moms, to become and commit to the person they know they are capable of being deep down and keep them in integrity with who they want to be in the world and most importantly for themselves. In this episode, Tricia and I discussed the experience of coming to terms with the fact that someone who you really love may not always be the right match for you, and how to find the courage to believe in yourself.   Learn more about Tricia by visiting her website at https://yourjoyologist.com/

Episode 32: I Couldn’t Stay Even if It Was Easier

 “Opposites attract, but they don't last.” I’m always inspired by the wonderful guests I get to have on The Divorce Doctor. The wisdom my guests are able to share, what they gained through their divorce, is truly inspiring. You never know where an experience like divorce can take you. My recent guest, Regina DeMeo, is certainly an example of that. Regina has been helping families in the DC area with family law issues for over 20 years. Since 2007, she has also practiced mediation and collaborative divorce. For two years, she hosted a TV show to help families tackle major issues. In 2012, she became a legal commentator for Sirius XM and in 2013 she appeared on Good Morning America. The past 10 years, she has been a frequent guest lecturer at law schools, and in 2019 was an adjunct professor at the GW University Family Law Clinic. She's been featured in The Washington Post, as well as Bethesda Magazine. She's frequently quoted in the media as an expert in family law, who candidly shares her own experience going through the divorce process and the challenges of being a single mom. On this episode of The Divorce Doctor, Regina and I discuss how her divorce led her to finding her biological father. Her story is certainly inspiring and unique.   Learn more about Regina by visiting her website at www.reginademeo.com   

Episode 31: My Divorce Led Me to Look For My Biological Father

 “My ex is my greatest teacher.” When you’re going through divorce, it can be hard to see the light at the end of this dark, lonely, and agonizing tunnel. You may start to wonder where you went wrong, how you never saw it coming, and regret every second leading up to now. But what if every breakdown you had with your ex was exactly the breakthrough you needed? Karen Stanley was a single mom for eight years and she finally experienced real love after dealing with abuse, going through divorce, bankruptcy, foreclosure, and repossession of her car all while raising two kids alone. After struggling with self-worth and attracting the wrong partner time and time again, she wondered if she could use similar strategies that she used in business to create a plan to build her self-worth with easy to implement actionable steps. So she built a plan and it worked and she shares it with others in her book, The Single Mom’s Guide to Creating the Life You Want.  On this episode of The Divorce Doctor, Karen and I discuss how her painful breakdown with divorce actually became her greatest breakthrough. Her story of struggle and survival serves as a light to those stuck in the darkness of divorce. Learn more about Karen by visiting her website at https://mrskarenstanley.com/ 

Episode 30: My Ex Is My Greatest Teacher

 “What will people think?” Divorce is often painful and can feel like something or someone we loved has died. Our dreams are dashed, our futures uncertain, and our belief in love or ourselves is questioned. But perhaps the most painful part of the process is breaking the news to others: What will they think of the perfect, little family they believed us to be? How will our children handle this new arrangement? Diane Sorensen is the creator of the Beauty in Behavior parent coaching program and podcast and holds degrees in Early Childhood Education and Behavioral Science. With over 30 years of experience in the field of early childhood education, Diane strongly believes that when a child acts out, they are presenting us with an opportunity for growth - both for our children and for ourselves. Her mission is to change how parents react to what traditionally has been labeled “bad behavior”. On this episode of The Divorce Doctor, Diane and I discuss the pain of divorce, ignoring the signs, and how she dealt with the awful thought of people knowing the truth. Her story provides hope that while divorce can be filled with grief, it can also be filled with beauty.   Learn more about Diane by visiting her website at www.dianesorensen.net

Episode 29: What will people think?

 “Healing Through Divorce” There came a time in every divorcee’s marriage when they realized that enough was enough. Some people know sooner than others, yet simply knowing divorce is an option doesn’t make the timing of divorce any easier or more straightforward. Sometimes following through with a divorce needs a little more planning, preparing, or bravery. Karen Millon is an author, podcast host, and transformational life coach on a mission to inspire and help people heal from divorce, breakups, and to eliminate roadblocks in their lives so they can thrive romantically and professionally. She offers over 22 years of entrepreneurial experience to the table as well as 15 years dedication to helping others heal from the pain of divorce. On this episode of The Divorce Doctor, Karen and I discuss the work of healing, EMDR therapy, and her personal experience with divorce. Her story is proof that deciding to divorce takes time.    Learn more about Karen by visiting her website at www.healin.net

Episode 28: Healing Through Divorce

 “Conflict is inevitable, combat is optional.” Every couple will encounter conflict during their relationship. Big or small, conflict is bound to happen, but we have the power to choose how we deal with it. In this episode of The Divorce Doctor, Rosemarie Farrante teaches us that divorce can be amicable despite its heavy nature. Rosemarie Farrante is an attorney licensed in New York and Connecticut who focuses her practice on non-adversarial divorce, through mediation and the collaborative divorce process. Rosemary’s goal is to make a positive impact on the divorce process. She founded Divorce Resource Connecticut to provide public education and awareness and support to those contemplating divorce. On this episode of The Divorce Doctor, Rosemarie and I discuss her work as a divorce attorney as well as her personal experience with divorce. Her story provides hope that divorce doesn’t have to be as messy as you might usually think.   Learn more about Rosemarie by visiting her website at http://www.divorcemediationct.com/ 

Episode 27: Conflict Is Inevitable, Combat Is Optional

 “You're stronger than you believe and you're worth it.” If you’ve kept up with The Divorce Doctor, you’ll know that I often ask my guests what they would say to their pre-divorced self if they could go back and tell them something. I’m so often inspired by the responses I get, including this one one. So many of us feel powerless once we realize we need to end our marriage. But no matter what, you have the strength to get through it. You have power, you’re worth it, and again, you will get through it. Catherine Shanahan is the co-founder of My Divorce Solution, a company whose mission is to transform an experience they know far too well from a difficult one into an empowering one. As an experienced certified divorce financial analyst (CDFA) and legal liaison, Catherine and her co-founder Karen stand strong by their commitment to ensure no one divorces without the opportunity of financial clarity. On this episode of The Divorce Doctor, Catherine and I go over the empowering lessons she’s learned through her divorce, and how it inspires the work she does today. I’m so grateful to have had her as a guest on the show and thoroughly enjoyed our talk!   Learn more about Catherine by visiting her website at https://mydivorcesolution.com/

Episode 26: Teachable Moments Come From Divorce

Have you ever wondered what your therapist is really thinking? Are you curious about how your own therapist might talk about the work you do? Are you curious as to whether therapy would work for you? Well listening to this podcast will give you some answers to those questions. This podcast asked therapist to talk about themselves, their work, and why they’ve decided to become therapist in the first place. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at the person who is not usually in the hot seat and telling you personal information about themselves.

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Off the Couch

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