Up, up and away! In the months just after my separation, I soared into the stratosphere like a hot air balloon suddenly freed of sandbags. For too many years, my marriage had limped along,...
Have you lost trust because of a bad breakup or divorce? Everyone talks about the importance of trust in relationships, but what does that really mean? If you don't trust your partner, for...
"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony." There's something about this word "happy." Since going through my own divorce several years, I find that...
When I hired my divorce lawyer eight years ago, I was an easy client. I had a pithy two questions to ask: Are you available? and How much?This attorney, the third I approached, had represented a...
Shannon sat on the edge of her bed. She thought about her life and how hard it had been lately. "My parents divorced. Now I live in two homes" she thought. Shannon...
There seems to be a great deal of discussion surrounding the power of forgiveness as it relates to divorce. Forgiveness seems to be a buzz word in religious teachings, self help books and a regular...
Read Part 1 Here I had a long talk a couple of weeks ago with a local woman I'll call Alice, who is on her third divorce lawyer. It was clear the first two she'd hired didn't do much with the...
Parents are busy and frequently feel overwhelmed and harried these days; they worry about both the quality and the quantity of time spent with their children. My work has shown me over and over...
In any divorce, there are two primary issues that cause a fight. Children and money. Oftentimes, sadly, parties use one to gain leverage in the other. The big question we have to ask ourselves is: Do...
We're a cult of list makers. We make to-do lists, grocery lists, packing lists, and now a list of must-have qualities for our potential partner. She needs to be independent, yet be...
Have you heard the term, "Communication is King?" I couldn't agree with this statement more. I would, however, challenge this phrase to instead be, "Good communication is King." Good...
I am a life coach and a former mental health counselor, so sure, you can say I am biased when it comes to this particular subject but nonetheless, I do firmly believe that seeking counseling or...
How Does it Happen? How does a smart, confident woman fall victim to a narcissist? It's actually much easier than you might think. At the age of 25, I was bright-eyed and ready to take on the...
How do we protect our children when it comes to custody, child support and respecting their voices when facing divorce? Have your family court systems set up supportive, adequate and effective...
When I made the life-altering decision to leave my husband 25 years ago, I had no idea what the next 25 years would bring. I thought I had the world by the tail back then, and in some ways I...
"We just don't seem to be communicating" is often the first hint or sign that a relationship is in trouble. Suddenly, that "connection" you once had feels lost. You don't share the things you...
When I was "shopping" for a divorce attorney, I was already on the receiving end of much of the divorce gamesmanship I write about in my book. In short, this wasn't leisurely, thoughtful mall-style...
Co-parenting includes being supportive when working through visitation conflicts. Do you encourage your children to use their own voices when planning "their" visitation? Valuing your child's voice...
As a young, newly divorced parent, it was clear I would be the one making sure our sons had opportunities to develop their talents and participate in extracurricular activities they loved. I did not...
The end of a marriage is a time of turmoil for everyone, including extended family. It signifies a rupture in the relationship; never to be the same again. It is a time when those going through...
