The Divorce Survival Guide Podcast

If you’re stuck in endless loops with a high-conflict ex, Brook Olsen wants you to stop expecting them to change, and start changing how you respond.

Brook is a Certified Parenting Educator, Divorce Coach, and author of The Black Hole of High Conflict. In this conversation, we get real about what happens when you stop feeding the conflict, why parallel parenting is often the only way forward, and how choos...

April Worthington is a teacher, mother of five, minister, and author of The Debriefing Workbook: Hope and Healing after Spiritual Abuse. In this conversation, April shares her experience involving a retreat led by Lundy Bancroft, author of Why Does He Do That?, a book many of us have clung to in our darkest moments. April’s story isn’t just one of personal harm, it’s a call to action. 

As a survivor of both spiritual abuse and high...

Dr. Kerry McAvoy returns to talk about what it means to heal from narcissistic abuse. Not just from an intellectual standpoint, but healing your nervous system, in your relationships, and in your relationship to yourself. Healing is not quick, it’s not tidy, and it’s definitely not linear.

Dr. Kerry and I talk about how women have been conditioned to serve, to disappear, to manage the emotions of everyone ...

Finding a partner after divorce can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. This week’s guest, Jennie Young, suggests a bold alternative - burn the haystack. Jennie is the creator of Burned Haystack Dating Method, a method grounded in applied rhetoric and feminist praxis, designed to push back against the toxic norm...

Nikki Tucker is back, and we’re tackling some of the most infuriating, and increasingly common, financial issues women are facing in divorce today. Nikki and I are arming you with strategies to fight back during divorce negotiations with facts and numbers.

In this episode, we talk about how fear can make you want to just give in, and why that urge to "just be do...

Dawn Pick Benson, a self-discovery travel coach and writer, joins me to explore how travel can be a powerful tool for transformation, especially during life’s crossroads, whether it’s divorce, a faith shift, or an identity crisis. 

When everything feels uncertain, moving forward can seem impossible. Dawn shares how travel became a catalyst for reclaiming her pow...

What if divorce didn’t have to be as complicated or expensive? Liz Pharo, the founder of Divorce.com, is on a mission to make the divorce process easier and less stressful. In this episode, Liz shares how she transitioned from the tech world to create Divorce.com, a platform designed to help people handle the paperwork, planning, and even mediation in a more streamlined way.

Liz and I talk about the differ...

Andrea Vacca returns to explore amicable divorce solutions, even in high-conflict cases. While avoiding litigation is often the goal, sometimes it's unavoidable. Andrea breaks down the benefits of staying out of court, how to keep children at the center, and when it’s time to shift from collaboration or mediation to litigation.

Together, we also explore the power of a team-based approach and the role of a div...

John Kim, aka The Angry Therapist, joins me to chat about his new book, Breakup on Purpose: A Catalyst for Growth. A bestselling author, well-known for his raw, no-nonsense approach to self-help, John keeps it real by practicing full authenticity and transparency.

In this episode, he challenges us to rethink breakups. No one really talks about the different kinds of breakups, but John breaks them down into eight distinct types and ...

Betrayal recovery coach Lora Cheadle is back on the show! She’s flipping the script on burnout and explains why “it’s not just stress—it’s betrayal.” When expectations break, whether in your career, marriage, or personal life, the real damage isn’t just exhaustion—it’s the hit to your sense of self and your self-worth. So, Lora breaks down why burnout happens when broken expectations rupture your view of yourself or the world—and h...

I’m diving into the concept of energetic self-perception with my friend and colleague, Karen McMahon. According to Karen, we are, at our core, walking balls of energy, constantly shifting between two primary states: our everyday selves and our stress-response selves. Karen returns to the podcast to discuss the seven levels of energy, a framework that can help you recognize where you are on the emotional scale and how to move toward...

Alyssa Dineen, founder of Style My Profile, joins me to talk about the ins and outs of online dating after divorce. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the dating apps, unsure how to craft a compelling profile, or just wondering if you're ready to date, Alyssa’s expertise will help you navigate it all.

Together, we tackle the realities of modern dating, from building a profile that actually sparks conversations to avoiding burnout in ...

Jennifer Lee, financial advisor and founder of Modern Wealth, returns to the show to break down the financial realities of grey divorce. Whether you're the stay-at-home parent wondering what you're entitled to or the moneyed spouse navigating how to divide assets fairly, Jennifer's insights will help you make informed decisions with a clear sense of direction.

Together, we unpack the unique financial challenges that come with untan...

Samara Bay, author of Permission to Speak, is here to reframe how we think about our voices—and the power they carry. Her work is for anyone who’s ever been told to sound different, speak softer, or conform to fit in. In this conversation, we explore how the way we speak shapes not just how others perceive us but how we see ourselves.

Samara’s insights are grounded in her own journey, from Shakespeare festivals to coaching Hollywoo...

What happens when life throws you curveballs like breast cancer, midlife dating, and unexpected sisterhoods? You turn them into stories, humor, and inspiration—and that’s exactly what Julie Edelman has done.

I’m thrilled to welcome author and humorist Julie Edelman for an empowering and laugh-filled conversation about love, resilience, and the unexpected sisterhoods that form through life’s detours. Julie shares the inspiration beh...

This episode is all about solo travel and how it can help you reconnect with yourself. Whether you're navigating a major life transition, like divorce, or just craving time to focus on your own needs, solo travel could be the adventure you didn’t know you needed.

I’m talking with Joy Huber, a solo travel pro with an incredible story. After overcoming stage 4 cancer, Joy decided life was too short to wait for "someday." She packed h...

Andrea Owen is back, and I’m thrilled to share this inspiring conversation. If you’re navigating life’s messy moments, like divorce, this episode is a must-listen. Andrea, a keynote speaker, life coach, and bestselling author, is a force in women’s empowerment. She helps high-achieving women maximize unshakeable confidence, master their mindset, and magnify their courage.

She’s here to discuss the re-release of her bestseller, 52 W...

I’m bringing back one of my most impactful conversations with psychologist and writer Dr. Kerry Kerr McAvoy about healing from narcissistic relationships. We unpack the challenges of being in a relationship with someone who has narcissistic personality disorder, the profound impact it can have on your emotional and mental well-being, and actionable strategies for self-nurturing after the relationship ends.

We also take a closer loo...

In this solo episode, I share strategies to help you find clarity amidst the overwhelm of abuse and divorce. I explain how borrowing someone else’s mental resilience—whether a trusted friend, mentor, or professional—can help you think clearly, make grounded decisions, and move forward with strength.

You don’t have to do this alone. Let’s explore how leaning on support can make all the difference.

What you’ll hear:

• Why proper d...