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Welcome to the 27th episode of Automating Quality. Mandy Gervasio is your host, and she’s on a mission to bring you hot industry topics with her fellow life sciences partners and friends!    Today on the podcast, Mandy is bringing you a topic that has yet to be discussed in-depth on the show, and that is Laboratory Investigation Reports (also known as LIRs) and critical elements to consider when designing or implementing enhancements to the quality management process. Ensuring that your LIR process is robust is critical to your business operation and will help set you up for success if scrutinized during an inspection. All-in-all, it is a key part of the QMS.     Joining Mandy today is Life Sciences veteran and Quality expert, Kathy Landes, to provide expert feedback on this topic! Kathryn has more than 20 years of experience and is an absolute wealth of knowledge in this space! As someone who has spent many years developing and managing QC laboratories as part of her career as a quality professional and knows the LIR process inside and out, Kathy sheds light on some of the key areas to consider, breaks down some of the processes to their fundamental parts, and highlights many important considerations related to LIR.   Key Takeaways: [:30] About today’s episode. [1:22] Mandy welcomes Kathryn Landes to the podcast! [1:57] Kathryn gives an overview of her background in the Life Sciences space. [4:10] What is the intent of the LIR process? And what are the key elements that must be included as part of a robust process? [8:13] What are some common issues or barriers related to the LIR process that are often scrutinized by regulatory agencies? [14:27] Kathryn recommends some best practices for companies that are new to implementing this process as part of their QMS infrastructure as well as those who are focused on improving their existing process. [19:22] What steps should be taken when the root cause of an issue cannot be pinpointed through the LIR process? [23:50] Mandy recaps the key learnings from today’s podcast and thanks Kathryn for her time!   Mentioned in this Episode: Mandy.Podcast@Solabs.com Kathryn Landes’ LinkedIn

If you can work cooperatively with your spouse through the end of your marriage, it's better all round. Better for your emotional health, better for your kids and absolutely better for your wallet.But that's not always possible especially when there's been domestic abuse, whether it's physical. emotional or financial.Abuse makes ending a relationship much, much more difficult. We know that on average it takes a victim seven attempts to leave an abuser before staying away for good. We also know that the risk of being killed increases 75 percent when a woman tries to leave her batterer. Those are somber statistics.Getting a protection order is one way of shielding yourself. So what is it, when would you get one, how do you get one and how safe does it make the world for you?Joining Mandy for this Conversation is Karen Covy, Karen is a divorce attorney turned divorce adviser and coach. Karen offers a Divorce Road Map program - find out more at her website, https://karencovy.com.You'll find a synopsis of this Conversation at Mandy's blog at https://sincemydivorce.com/will-your-divorce-be-safe-without-a-protection-order.DOMESTIC ABUSE HOTLINE: 1-822-799-7233

It's pretty typical in a marriage for one spouse to take on the responsibility for doing the taxes and often times, the other spouse is all too happy to be relieved of that task. And then divorce happens ...And then they find out that the taxes they thought they had filed, haven't been filed ...Or, the taxes they thought had been paid, haven't ...Or, they hear for the first time that there's tens of thousands of dollars owed to the IRS.Then what?Joining Mandy for this Conversation is Claudia Revermann from the Minnesota-based firm of Lucent Tax Relief. Revermann has been practicing last for 16 years and worked previously as a tax accountant. Lucent Tax Relief offers a free consultation - call 888-589-0474.You'll find a synopsis of this Conversation at Mandy's blog at https://sincemydivorce.com/divorce-could-make-an-irs-problem-worse

Talking about credit scores doesn't sound like a very interesting topic and in fact, it's good if your credit score is boring. That would mean that it was at least stable.But stable is often not what's going on in divorce and divorce is frequently the time when people are looking at their credit score for the first time or in a long time. As we start to talk about things like getting a new credit card, closing out old accounts, qualifying for a mortgage or car loan, the importance of your credit score becomes very clear.So how does getting divorced impact your credit score? Why do many people find their scores plummeting during divorce? What can you do to protect yourself?Joining Mandy for this Conversation About Divorce is attorney John Heath from Lexington Law. Call 1-844-422-0817 for a free credit repair consultation.You'll find a synopsis of this Conversation at Mandy's blog: https://sincemydivorce.com/how-to-better-manage-your-credit-score-through-your-divorce

There's little disagreement that ending your marriage is one of the most difficult experiences and transitions you'll have in life. It can also be one of the most isolating. In the months leading up to going public, people often hide the truth about what is going on from family and friends because if you can work it out, you don't want people to know about all the problems.Once the decision is public, people are still quiet about what's going on. That's a mixture of wanting some privacy, fear of judgement, feeling embarrassed and simply not wanting to talk about it.Yet, it is precisely at these times that we need the support of others.So how do you reach out for help? Where are the safe places to find support? How much do you share about what is going on? When do you need to be cautious?Joining Mandy for this Conversation, is Judy Herbst, director of PR ad Partnerships at Worthy.com. Worthy.com is the online auction site for wedding rings, estate jewelry, watches and more and is also the creator and moderator of the Facebook group, Worthy Women And Divorce. It's a group with more than 60,000 members, so clearly Worthy is offering support that people.Find a synopsis of this Conversation at Mandy's blog here: https://sincemydivorce.com/how-to-find-the-right-divorce-support-for-you

While deciding to divorce is always a hard decision and not something anyone wants, for some people it becomes very clear that this is what needs to happen. Often times this involves infidelity, domestic abuse or addiction problems.For others, making the decision is much more challenging. They get along OK with their spouse, don't really argue, parent well together, can make decisions together but there's something's missing. Usually it's a lack of intimacy - physical and/or emotional. It's a roommate marriage.These are the hardest marriages to end. People agonize over the decision for months, even years. Couples counselling often doesn't help but you don't want to make a mistake and you don't want to hurt your spouse.Is there a way for you to change the dynamic with your spouse? Can you be sure that you won't be making a mistake if you divorce? How do you engage your spouse in this?Joining Mandy for this Conversation are world-renowned relationship experts Doctors John Gottman and Julie Schwartz Gottman. For forty years, the Gottmans have studied what separates the masters of relationships from the disasters. They have a new book out - EIGHT DATES: Essential Conversations For A Lifetime Of Love. Find out more about the Gottmans and their work at https://www.gottman.com.You'll find a synopsis of this show at Mandy's blog at https://sincemydivorce.com/sure-divorce-8-dates-help/

One of the most common reasons for not ending a marriage is not wanting to break up the family. Yet, ask people who are post-divorce and they'll tell you with no uncertainty that they are still a family, just a bit different now.This tells us that the sense of family is important to many people and that what family means is fluid.So how do people accept their family is changing? What does family after divorce mean? What can you do to shape the family you have after divorce?Joining Mandy for this Conversation is relationship counselor and coach, Wendy Smith Baruc who has worked with couples and families for over thirty yeas. Wendy is the author of Accepting Your blended Family: A Handbook For Life After Divorce.Wendy is offering listeners a complimentary 30-minute consult. Contact Wendy through her website at https://wendysmithbaruc.com/.Get a synopsis of the show at Mandy's blog at https://sincemydivorce.com/wrong-thin-family-divorce .

Divorce is always an opportunistic event except that most people don't see it that way.It's opportunistic because at least for the person making the decision to end the marriage, they have concluded that life will be better outside the relationship. It doesn't mean that the divorce was what they wanted or that it isn't hurtful, painful and difficult. Nor does it mean that every aspect of their life will be better. Finances might be worse but emotionally it would be better. Lifestyle may change but parenting may become easier. Weighing all the considerations, the decision-maker sees that their life on balance would be better.And usually that's not just by a little. People often say that it's the 'I can't stand it any longer' type of better or the 'there is no hope of change' type of better, even the 'I'm going to make myself sick if I don't do this.'So what does it take to see divorce as an opportunity? What does it take if you aren't the one making the decision? Is there a way to make sure you aren't making a mistake?Joining Mandy for this Conversation is attorney and mediator Gabrielle Hartley. Gabrielle has been developing a non-toxic approach to divorce for over twenty years and keeps 99 percent of her cases out of the courtroom. She's the author of Better Apart: The Radically Positive Way to Separate.You can download Gabrielle's The Five Essential Elements to Becoming Better Apart at her website https://gabriellehartley.com.You'll find a synopsis of this show at Mandy's blog at https://sincemydivorce.com/divorce-opportunity-end-world

The standard advice for a non-working spouse used to be to sit tight and not make any changes. They likely could continue to stay-at-home and may even get lifetime alimony. That's not the case any longer. Alimony is likely going to be limited in duration and more and more professionals are saying get back to work and don't wait.So what should you consider? What sort of work are you expected to be doing? How could this impact your spousal support?Joining Mandy for this Conversation is Ann Grant, an attorney who experienced her own high-conflict divorce and author of the recently published The Divorce Hacker's Guide To Untying The Knot: What Every Woman Needs To Know About Finances, Child Custody, Lawyers and Planning Ahead. Read more about Amy at www.TheDivorcehacker.com.You'll find a synopsis of this show at Mandy's blog: https://sincemydivorce.com/divorcing-still-working-might-regret

Healing from divorce is something we all need to do. It applies just as much to the person who initiates the divorce as the person whose spouse makes the decision.Working through the recovery process stirs up so much - some from your childhood and family of origin, some from our cultural and societal norms and expectations and, of course, a whole lot from what happened during your marriage and previous committed relationships.While we all need to work on our healing, many people don't and the consequences of that plays out in our relationships with our family members, with our friends and with new intimate partners.So what does healing from divorce look like? How long does it take? What does it involve and how do you do it?Joining Mandy for this Conversation is transformational divorce coach and wellness strategist, Dawn Burnett. Dawn is the author of Connect: How To Love And Accept Yourself After Divorce. (available on Amazon)You can find a synopsis of this show at Mandy's blog: https://sincemydivorce.com/easy-quick-way-heal-divorce

When you hear a tale of abuse, whether it's in the news, a friend or a family member, and whether it's physical, emotional or financial abuse, do you find yourself wondering why the person doesn't just leave? Why do they stay?They know why. They know exactly what it takes to leave an abusive relationship. In fact, survivors have often left many times and the obstacles to being alone force them back to their abuser.Joining Mandy for this Conversation about leaving an abusive relationship are Jackie List and BreAnne Meyer with Safe Shelter of St. Vrain in Longmont, Colorado. Safe Shelter offers services to victims of abuse, working with them to develop their safety plan for remaining in the relationship or leaving.The national domestic abuse hotline is 1-800-799-7233 and the website is http://thehotline.org.Find a synopsis of this show at Mandy's blog: http://sincemydivorce.com/know-takes-leave-abuser

Juggling parenting and working is hard enough - doing it when your children are in two homes is even more challenging. When you're trying to make sure your child's other parent is on the same page with schedules, transportation, homework, activities, play-dates, doctor's appointments, it's easy for something to fall through the cracks.In fact, it's inevitable. You know it's going to happen and you just hope that it won't be something too important.Who doesn't want an assistant? Well, chances are you already do have an assistant - your smartphone and if you haven't discovered this yet, there are lots of digital tools available to help your life easier.Joining Mandy for this conversation is Priya Rajendran - a technology veteran and creator of S'moresUp, a free iOS app that helps families manage parenting and particularly co-parenting after divorce. Priya developed her app based on what she learned during her own single parenting experience.You can read a synopsis of the show at Mandy's blog: https://sincemydivorce.com/use-technology-solve-common-single-parenting-problems

Apologies are powerful - done well, they open the door to healing, make amends for wrong-doings and may lead to forgiveness and rebuilt relationships.The absence of a sincere apology on the other hand, can make relationships worse, destroy trust and create obstacles to healing.In the context of divorce, the lack of a heartfelt apology can lead to bitterness and resentment over the end of the marriage, and may seriously hamper the ability of parents to work together for their children.But apologies are often in short supply. What difference does an apology make? What makes it so difficult to say 'I'm sorry'? Should you ask for an apology?Joining Mandy for this Conversation is divorce coach Martha Bodyfelt from SurvivingYourSplit.com.You can find a synopsis of this Conversation at Mandy's blog here: https://sincemydivorce.com/apology-make-right-divorce

The gold standard in parenting after divorce that we're all supposed to aim for is co-parenting - you work collaboratively on all aspects of your child's life with your ex. You work to adopt common parenting strategies, have consistent rules between homes, attend events together, and some even vacation together.The reality is that very few parents can accomplish this all the time and for some parents this is an impossible standard most of the time. Trying to follow co-parenting strategies may actually cause more conflict and leads to stress and anxiety for everyone, including your child.The alternative model is parallel parenting, something that isn't talked about enough. Joining Mandy for this Conversation is Jai Kissoon from Our Family Wizard, the third party communication platform which helps parents managing their parenting and reduces the conflict.There's a synopsis of this show posted at Mandy's blog: https://sincemydivorce.com/parallel-parenting-doesnt-make-bad-parent

If you're looking for guidance on divorcing with adult children, you might not find much.They tend to be the forgotten demograhic: the legal system is all about minor children and there simply hasn't been much research on the impact of divorce in adult children. That's probably because until recently divorce among people with long term marriages was less common. That's changing and in fact, the divorce rate among people aged 50 and older is increasing. That means more and more adults are experiencing their parents' divorce.What we're finding is that the age of the children doesn't matter - they will still care that you're divorcing and their age doesn't make it any easier or harder to handle. Their age brings its own set of problems and complications.Joining Mandy for this Conversation is divorce-attorney-turned divorce adviser and coach Karen Covy. Karen's mission is to help people understand their divorce options so they can make choices that will help them not only survive their divorce but put them in a position to thrive afterwards. Visit KarenCovy.com to download Karen's FREE Divorce Tool Kit with checklists and worksheets to help you get oganized.For a synopsis of this Conversation about divorcing with adult children, visit Mandy's Since My Divorce blog.

Household bills, credit card bills, bank charges, late-payment fees, kid expenses, mortgage refinancing, IRA transfers ... divorce often means having to deal with all of these all at once. It's a deluge that can be overwhelming even if you are used to handling all the finances. If you haven't been handling the finances, then you might feel like you're drowning.Layer on top of that the emotions and beliefs we all attach to money and it's no wonder people procrastinate and delay dealing with this and end up feeling incompetent and inadequate.But living on a fixed income, with no one else sharing the financial responsibilities means we do have to deal with it, and the sooner the better. But where do you start, and how do you do it?Joining Mandy for this Conversation is Shannon McLay, CEO of The Financial Gym. Shannon believes the key to financial success for most people is human contact, not a website or an app and given the right guidance, anyone can be financially fit.Find out more about working with a financial trainer at the Financial Gym. Membership is usually $85 per month with a money back guarantee and through the Summer you can get up to 30% off the monthly membership for your first year. This is the special offer Shannon talks about during the show.Remember, you'll find a synopsis of this show at Mandy's blog, Since My Divorce.

Most people don't make snap decisions to end a marriage and that's as it should be. Getting a legal and financial assessment about the impact of divorce is helpful but how do you assess the emotional relationship? And if it's your spouse who's deciding to end the marriage, how do you know whether to keep fighting for the marriage or to accept their decision?Joining Mandy for this Conversation are Elaine and Joe Foster, co-authors of I Wish I Knew This Before My Divorce: Ending The Battle Between Holding On And Letting Go. Their book is available on Amazon and features the marital autopsy, developed by Elaine Foster based on the 24 factors that are most often found in divorcing couples.

It doesn't matter who it is, best-friend, niece, cousin ... who wants to go to an event celebrating a marriage when your own marriage is falling apart or if you're in the middle of all the legal wrangling or even when you're just starting out on your own again?Can you say no to wedding invites?Can you go solo, even before you and your spouse have gone public?Who else can you take as a plus one?How do you handle those awkward questions from extended family members?Joining Mandy for this Conversation is Elise Pettus, founder of Untied.net, an online magazine and real-life community based in New York, for women going through divorce. Pettus says weddings are the perfect opportunity to push yourself out of your comfort zone and to start exploring the next phase of your life and she has plenty of suggestions for keeping them fun.Check out Mandy's Since My Divorce blog for a synopsis of the show. 

Regardless of how civil or amicable you want your divorce to be, disagreements are inevitable. Knowing how to calm anger in divorce could be your key to resolving these disagreements and staying out of the courtroom.When you're negotiating over the division of assets and how to parent together, and the hurt and pain are fresh and raw, it's hard to approach this simply as a business negotiation. It's easy to let all the past history bubble up into angry outbursts.Those angry exchanges can continue long after the divorce is final when you're parenting together.Are there things you can do to calm your SBTX's anger?If you're uncomfortable around anger, is it possible to stop yourself from walking away, withdrawing?What if it's you who's angry? Is it healthy to get angry? How can you stop yourself from directing your anger at other people?Joining Mandy to explore this Conversation is attorney, mediator and peacemaker Douglas Noll. Doug coaches people as diverse as Fortune 500 company executives and inmates in maximum security prisons. He is the author of De-Escalate: How To Calm An Angry Person in 90 Seconds or Less. Visit Mandy's Since My Divorce blog for a synopsis of this Conversation.

Most people don't want a litigated divorce. They want a civil divorce. They hope their spouse will agree that the marriage is over and then they can discuss the parenting and finances as reasonable people who once loved each other. No one wants the nastiness and expense of a courtroom battle and no one wants long, drawn out negotiations that keep you locked in a state of limbo for months.The good news is that you can have a civil divorce and the key to that is being emotionally prepared to choose that path. It's not easy. It requires patience and maturity and a commitment to that path.Joining Mandy for this Conversation to chat about how you can choose a civil divorce is Sally Boyle, a certified finanical planner and certified divorce financial analyst. Boyle is also the author of Deconstructing Divorce: Taking The Mystery Out Of Divorce And Its Impact On Your Family, Finances, and Future.You can find a synopsis of the show at Mandy's blog Since My Divorce.

Whether you like the term or not, gray divorce is real and the rate for midlife divorces in the U.S. is increasing. Most of the time, the kids are adults or in college so the absence of parenting issues can make the divorce easier. Conversely, there may be more assets that need to be divided and this makes these divorces more complex. What is clear, is that midlife splits are not easy or straight-forward and men and women experience these divorces very differently.Listen in to discover what drives these divorces, the social penatly that men often pay and the financial challenges women have to overcome.Joining Mandy for this episode Jocelyn Elise Crowley, Ph. D, professor of public policy at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. Crowley's most recent book is, Gray Divorce: What we Lose and Gain From Mid-Life Splits.You can find a synopsis of the show at Mandy's blog, Since My Divorce

Nobody likes to talk about their debts and it's often the hardest part of negotiations in divorce.Too often, one spouse didn't realize the extent of the debt or perhaps there's always been conflct because one party is a spender and the other is a saver. Perhaps both spouses knew about the debt but didn't really pay attention to it because, well, life was grand, the money was coming in, and borrowing for a second car or a vacation was part of the plan. It was all going to work out.But then it doesn't work out and divorce happens. That means you have to confront reality.Can the debt be paid off?Who should take which debts?Who can afford to pay back the debt?How all that happens depends on circumstances for the debt in the first place and the type of debt it is - credit card debt is different from car loan debt is different from 401(k) debt is different from student loan debt. You get the picture?Ugh. But you don't have to figure it yourself! Joining Mandy for this Conversation is financial guru, Lili Vasileff. Lili's latet book is Money & Divorce: The Essential Roadmap To mastering Financial Decisions (available on Amazon).Sounding complicated? You'll find a handy synopsis over at Mandy's blog, Since My Divorce.

Compensation issues in divorce may be more common than you would expect. They often come up in connection with spousal support or alimony and when it comes to things like stock options and deferred compensation arrangements, the division of marital assets is impacted.The questions that come from different compensation arrangements are frequently confusing and complex and even the recipients often don't fully understand what they have. So if you're the divorcing spouse what are you supposed to do? How will you figure this out and how will you handle it them in your divorce?It might be tempting to ignore them or accept your STBX's position that they have no current value but that's not the answer. Do that and you'll likely end up with a divorce agreement you'll later regret or second guess.In this Conversation, we're going to tackle some of the more common challenges and help you identify the questions you need to ask.Joining Mandy for this Conversation is Michael Wayland, assistant professor of business at Methodist University and a mediator with Christian Divorce Services. During the show, Michael references a stock option value calculator. You can find that Black Scholes calculator here.Remember to check Mandy's Since My Divorce blog for a synopsis of the common compensation issues in divorce.

There have been numerous studies finding that divorce increases the risk of suicide and that risk is much higher for men than for women. While the marriage maybe ending, suicide is not the outcome most people want.How do you respond if you start to discuss divorce and your spouse starts talking about suicide?What do you do if it's you whose having suicidal thoughts?And maybe even more difficult to deal with, what if your child starts to talk about just wanting to be done?Should the divorce be put on hold or do you push ahead? Is the threat of divorce reason to stay married?Joining Mandy for this important Conversation, is fellow divorce coach Martha Bodyfelt. Read more about Martha's work at her website, SurvivingYourSplit.com and sign up for Martha's free divorce survival guide.Important resources for suicide prevention: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline,  Suicide.org, Veterans Crisis Line and Man Therapy.Visit mandy's blog at SinceMyDivorce.com for a synopsis of this show and more guidance on coping with divorce.

Whether you are using attorneys or not, to get started on your divorce, you will have to gather all of your financial information and share it with your spouse (and vice versa). Many people, inadvertently skip this step and jump straight into discussions about who's going to keep the house and how other assets should be divided. That's not smart and it can lead to deadlocks and breakdowns in the negotiations. You'll also be making life-changing decisions with incomplete information.Yet, when people do start gathering this information, frequently it's overwhelming and confusing so they put it off and procrastinate.The reality however is that the sooner you do this, the better it is for you. You'll have a much more accurate assessment of the financial impact of divorce on your lifestyle, you'll have more clarity, more certainty and be in a better position to make the decisions that are right for you.So what financial information are we talking about? Where do you start? How do you value different assets? And what can you learn from different documents?Joining Mandy for this Conversation are financial advisors, David Chwalek and Renee Senes who are co-authors of the book, Money & Divorce: Costly Mistakes You Don't Want To Make.Check out Mandy's blog, Since My Divorce for a synopsis of the show. Visit the Insitute for Divorce Financial Analysts to find a CDFA near you.

Businesses come in all shapes and sizes. If the business is making money, then it's pretty obvious that there's going to be a discussion about how that business should be valued and divided in divorce and there's rarely one answer to that.If the business isn't making any money, then a common mistake is thinking that it can be ignored. It can't. You may still need to discuss compensation for the startup expenses and you'll definitely want protection from future debts and liabilities.Joining Mandy to discuss this complicated area is Chicago-based divorce adviser, attorney, mediator and coach, Karen Covy. Karen has a free divorce toolkit available for download at her website.Looking for a transscript? Visit Mandy's blog for a synopsis of this conversation and more essential information to help you make the best decisions for you.

If you're working on your marriage, trying to save your relationship, then you need to create a post-nuptial agreement. The communication that goes into creating one of these agreements means that your relationship could be transformed in a meaningful and lasting way. If it doesn't create lasting change, then the agreement could make your divorce much. much easier and significantly less expensive.Joining Mandy for this Conversation is attorney Tom Gardiner, author of The Post Nup Solution: How To Save A Marriage In Crisis Or End It Fairly. (Available on Amazon) Tom is a business attorney who has created many partner and sharehold agreements which involve many hours with the parties planning out the future and how to handle what-ifs. "But with the most important relationship, the spousal relationship, people don't do that," said Gardiner. "If corporate clients can do this, why can't couples?"Listen in to learn what goes into a post-nup, how you can create your own and how it might help you in divorce. If you're looking for synopsis, check out Mandy's Since My Divorce blog.

The Holidays are tough no matter where you are in the divorce process. And while you may feel like skipping them altogether, they are hard to avoid. Everywhere you go, there's a message about the holidays that hits you - on T.V., on the radio, at the grocery store, at work, in your neighborhood, at your kid's school .... There's no escape.So what are you supposed to do? Is there a way to change your thinking and instead of dreading them, embrace the holidays so you actually have fun and enjoy yourself?Yes! And you might be surprised at how some simple strategies can shift your thinking. Joining Mandy for this Conversation is divorce coach Martha Bodyfelt. Martha is a regular contributor to Mandy's blog, Since My Divorce and has also created an online course, How To Actually Love The Holidays Again. Remember to visit Mandy's blog for a synopsis of this Conversation and previous Converations.

Pets are an integral part of daily life for many families. They're often seen and treated as family members. So when it comes to divorce, deciding what happens to the pets can be every bit as contentious as deciding how to co-parent together.While couples may want to create a plan for sharing, in the vast majority of places in the U.S. the law still treats pets as property. That means if you can't come to your own agreement, then a judge will decide what happens to the pets following the same rules that apply to other property such as a car, a lawn mower or artwork.This becomes an even harder challenge when there are children involved who see the pets as theirs and want the pets to follow the same co-parenting schedule as them, moving between two homes.And, of course, because this is divorce, there's fear and hurt feelings and pets do get used as leverage in negotiations, manipulation, and power and control.Ugh. So what do you need to know so you can craft the agreement that a judge can't?Joining Mandy for this Conversation is attorney Jessica Leischner from the Washington D.C. law firm of Wade, Grimes, Friedman. Meinken and Leischner. Visit their website to download their free divorce guides covering topics such as mediation, collaborative divorce and divorce for members of the military.You'll find a synopsis of this Conversation at Mandy's blog, Since My Divorce.

Almost everyone getting divorced these days goes online for help, whether that's looking for information to help avoid using attorneys or for emotional support. Nobody is relying solely on what their attorney tells them.The good news is that there is a ton of information and resources available now. The bad news is that some of these could harm you more than help you. So what are the pitfalls of going online? What are the risks? How can you tell which sources are trustworthy and dependable and which sources should you steer clear of? What are the redflags you should be watching for?Joining Mandy for this show is Gregory Frank, co-founder of Divorce Force, one of the premier online communities committed to connecting and empowering those affected by divorce. Frank is an advocate of taking advantage of everything the Internet has to offer but cautions people to be smart. "The good news is that there are so many capabilities and so much information that you can obtain online that it's a phenomenal place to start."Remember to check out Mandy's blog, Since My Divorce,  for a synopsis of the show.

Disagreements are normal in any relationship so you have to expect that you and your ex are not going to agree on everything. If you're not comfortable handling disagreements, knowing this might make you groan, tense up and become anxious. You have choices.You could decide you're just going to say no to everything your ex asks. That will however lead to on-going unresolved conflict which is when divorce harms children the most.At the other end of the scale, you could choose to go along with whatever your ex wants. This is more a theoretical option rather than anything that is viable.. Or, you take it step-by-step, issue-by-issue and learn how to handle the difficult conversations better.Realistically, this third option is the only meaningful choice. And there are some pretty simple techniques you can follow that will help you communicate more meaningfully and effectively.Joining Mandy to discuss these techniques are two communication experts, Leslie Breisch and Christina Jensen. Breisch is the co-founder and Software Developer of Civil Communicator and Jensen is Director of Sales and Marketing. Civil Communicator is a third-party communication platform designed to help parents communicate productively about the needs ot their child.If you're interested in trying Civil Communicator, there's a 30-day free trial and special for listeners to Conversations About Divorce, Civil Communicator is offering an additional one month free with the coupon code "divorce." Remember to check out Mandy's blog, Since My Divorce where you'll find a synopsis of this Conversation together with lots more valuable insights and strategies for helping you through your divorce.

The data breach at Equifax has many of us monitoring our credit score more closely now but the data breach isn't the only threat to your credit score. Divorce is a common time when many people become aware of their score and the decisions that you make leading up to the end of your marriage and in your divorce settlement can have a significant impact on your score.Coming at a time when you may be applying for a credit, such as refinancing, a car loan or a new credit card, a lower credit score could mean higher interest rates or even worse, no loan.If your spouse was financially irresponsible, is there anything you can do to protect yourself?How do you manage this transition to minimize the impact on your creidt score?And if your credit score is in the tank, how long does it take to improve your score?Joining Mandy for this episode is money blogger Samantha Gregory from Rich Single Momma where you can download Samantha's Budget Sanity Worksheet. Visit Mandy's blog Since My Divorce for a synopsis of this show and more vital information to help you manage your divorce.

If you and your spouse have minor children, then you're going to need a plan for how you will parent together after you're divorced and this is an area with which many couples struggle.Part of the struggle is that the concept of successful shared parenting is relatively new. While people who are getting divorced now may have parents who were divorced and experienced living in two separate homes, the shared parenting they grew up with is very different from what we see today.Another challenge is the language we use to talk about this. While courts are now using concepts of decision-making and parenting time, divorcing parents are still taking about sole or primary custody without realizing what these terms may really mean or that they are out-dated.Not knowing what's typical these days or what works, divorcing parents turn to attorneys who can make the process more adversarial than it needs to be.The good news is that there are strategies and techniques to avoid an unwanted, unintended, damaging and expensive fight over your children. Joining Mandy for this Conversation to share her insights and expertise is Dr. Marlene Bizub. Dr. Bizub has an extensive background in psychology and has been working for over 20 years in domestic relations.Visit Mandy's blog at Since My Divorce for synopsis of this Conversation.

Sharing your child's expenses with your ex post-divorce can be a minefield on so many levels. It leads to disputes over what expenses should be incurred, what should be shared, what's the fairest way of sharing them, how to get reimbursed and on it goes ....It can also fuel competition between parents with each parent having their preferred activity or their philosophy on what their child needs for school and and how much to spend. That competition is rarely good for the child.It's easy for one parent to feel they're carrying the responsibility for these expenses especially when the reimbursements don't come. The debts accumulate and that can mean having to go to court to collect which is never fun.One key to managing the conflict is planning ahead and including some solid agreements in your divorce papers but to do that, you have to first know what to expect. Joining Mandy for this Conversation is family law attorney Alan Plevy from the law firm SmolenPlevy in Virginia. Alan has been practicing family law for over 30 years and has a wealth of knowledge to share in this area. Check out their website for some helpful videos and resources in divorce.And ... checkout Mandy's Since My Divorce blog for a synopsis of this show and everything else you need to know about divorce. 

A fundamental part of the American political scene is the difference between the Democrats and the Republicans and in Presidential election years it always gets intense. Look back to Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and Al Gore, Barack Obama and John McClain and Mitt Romeny. The list goes on.What's different now though is that even now, almost nine months after the Presidential election, the divisive political climate continues and that conflict is spilling over into friendships and intimate relationships.In a recent survey from the polling firm, Wakefield Research, nearly 25 percent of respondents said they'd fought with their spouse or partner over politics since President Trump was elected. A quick look through online dating profiles will show people requesting not to be contacted if you voted for a specific candidate.So if you're a Democrat and your spouse is a Republican, is your relationship doomed? Are politics just a no-go area for you until the next election? Should a political difference influence you to end your marriage? Are there strategies for bridging the divide?Joining Mandy for this important Conversation, is life coach Christine Khetarpal. Christine specializes in helping people find the clarity and confidence to decide whether to end their marriage.You'll find a synposis of this Conversation on Mandy's SinceMyDivorce blog.

We all want to be there for our children but what if you're not? What if you're travelling overseas and there's an event, that means you're stuck there and can't get home? What if you have a medical emergency that leaves you hospitalized, in intensive care, unable to communicate? What if the unthinkable happens and you die in a car accident?Without an emergency response plan, your child may be taken into protective custody or foster care, making an already traumatic event much worse.And while the odds of these events happening to you may seem remote, these are real risks. These are situations that all families, divorced or not need to consider and being divorced, can compound the drama.The good news is that with the courage to consider these possibilities you can put a plan in place that will make the world of difference to your child.Joining Mandy to discuss the ins and outs of a Children's Emergency Response Plan is estate planning attorney Martha Hartney. Inspired by her own two children, Martha is the creator of CHERP, the solution that walks you through creating your Children's Emergency Response Plan in 30 minutes.You'll find a synopsis of this episode over at Mandy's Since My Divorce blog.

In this episode of Conversations About Divorce, we're talking about child custody battles.We've all read about the ugliness and painful allegations that are made in celebrity divorces and those are mainstays of many custody fights. They're always ugly, always expensive and once started, there's rarely any backtracking. Once the accusations have been made, there's no taking them back. They can't be erased.The impact these battles have can spread far and wide. The children at the center of the arguments are always exposed and involved, and friends and family members are rarely immune.There are however, times when parenting absolutely does need to be restricted for the safety of the child. So how do you know when to fight and when to settle? How can you be sure you're making the right decision for your child? Are there alternatives that are less damaging for all?Joining Mandy for this Conversation is Connecticut-based family law attorney Larry Sarezky. Larry is the author of the book Divorce Simply Stated (available on Amazon) and he also wrote and directed the award-winning film, Talk To Strangers, which is aimed at helping parents avoid putting their children through a court-based custody battle.You'll find a synopsis of the show over at Mandy's blog, Since My Divorce .

How often have you read about someone reflecting back on their divorce, how awful it was at the time, how it wasn't their choice and yet, how they wouldn't go back to that marriage again, how much they've learned since then and how much they themselves have changed?Compare that to the person who talks bitterly about their ex, even years afterwards, the person who doesn't have a new circle of friends, doesn't have new interests and says that everything would have been OK if they hadn't gotten divorced?Two completely different perspectives - victim and survivor. The difference comes with healing from the emotional trauma and that's what divorce recovery programs are designed to do.And there are many different formats so what can you expect, when's the right time to participate and what things should you take into consideration when choosing a program?Joining Mandy for this Conversation is Zina Arinze who is based in London, England. Zina is a divorce coach and author of Reinvent You: How To Move From We To Me After Divorce. Find out more information about Zina at her website BelieveAndLiveAgain.Check out Mandy's blog, Since My Divorce for a synopsis of this Conversation and more helpful information about divorce.

Extra-marital affairs are not unusual - some studies have found that some 60 percent of married partners report having engaged in affairs. Some spouses do reconcile and recover from infidelity and may even report a stronger, closer relationship. There are some affairs however, where the exiting spouse already sees the marriage as over and in these case reconciliation is rare.For the victim or faithful spouse, the discovery of the affair comes as a brutal attack on what they often describe as a happy marriage. These exit affairs cut to the core, damaging self-esteem and self-confidence and they leave the victim playing catch up both emotionally and legally.So what can you expect if you discover your spouse is having an exit affair?Joining Mandy for this Conversation is Laura Scott, whose marriage ended abruptly when she discovered her husband's affair. Following her journey through divorce, Laura wrote The Accidental Divorcee - a guide book for navigating the twists and turns of divorce (available on Amazon.com).Are you considering ending your marriage? Register for Mandy's free course, Is Divorce The Answer?

Post-divorce travel adventures became familiar with Elizabeth Gilbert's epic, "Eat, Pray, Love" and while such a long, exotic trip may be out of reach for many, with some creativity and imagination you could make it happen.Joining Mandy for this episode is world traveler, photographer, writer and historian, Chandi Wyant. Wyant embarked on a pilgrimage following her divorce and spent forty days walking to Rome on Italy's historic route, the Via Francigena. Listen in to hear Mandy and Chandi talk about making the decision to travel and what to expect as well as some practical considerations such as the timing and length of the trip and what it's like to travel solo.The biggest takeaway from this conversation is that there are solutions to all the reasons you might give for not embarking on an adventure and that if you really want to do this, you absolutely can.Chandi Wyant's trip is captured in her newly published memoir, Return To Glow: A Pilgrimage of Transformation In Italy.Looking for more real-life no-nonsense advice about divorce? Check out Mandy's blog, Since My Divorce.

We all know someone who says their marriage ended suddenly with no warning. It’s hard to believe. We all like to think there must have been some red flags that were missed. After all, how could two people, married to each other, have such different views about the same marriage?But marriages do absolutely end without warning and when that happens it is a truly traumatic experience. Could it happen to you? What are the warning signs? Why does it happen? How do you recover?Joining Mandy to discuss these questions and more is psychotherapist Vikki Stark. Stark is the author of Runaway Husbands: The Abandoned Wife’s Guide to Recovery and Renewal and the newly published compilation Planet Heartbreak: Abandoned Wives Tell Their Stories. Find out more at RunawayHusbands.com.If you’re thinking of ending your marriage, there’s a much kinder, more compassionate way to do this than abandoning your spouse. First check out Mandy’s free course, Is Divorce The Answer? and then turn to her online coaching program, My Divorce Pal, for step-by-step guidance through all the logistics and practicalities.

The word alone carries tremendous negativity, judgment and fear and divorce is commonly portrayed in the media as hostile and high-conflict. Amicable or civil divorces aren’t considered news unless there’s a novelty factor associated with them like Gynweth Paltrow’s “conscious uncoupling.”Often, our own beliefs and expectations around divorce pushes us to stay in unhealthy relationships and we procrastinate or delay ending our marriage.What if there was another way?What if there was a way you could break up without hostility?What if you could get divorced without spending a ton on legal fees and without it consuming all your emotional energy?Well, it’s possible and there are loads of resources readily available to help you do that. It starts by setting the intention to have a good divorce.Joining Mandy to discuss the good divorce is Wendy Paris, journalist, communications professional and author of Splitopia: Dispatches From Today’s Good Divorce and How To Part Well. Wendy is also the creator of the website Splitopia – a comprehensive divorce wellness website. You can also learn how to manage the practicalities and logistics of getting divorced from Mandy’s online divorce coaching program, MyDivorcePal.com. And check out Mandy’s blog – SinceMyDivorce.com where you’ll find a write of this show.

How our children cope with divorce is front and foremost for many parents: none of us want our children to be harmed by the end of our marriage and their future well-being can be a major influence on the timing of divorce.Parenting after divorce isn’t by definition more difficult than parenting while married but it does often mean that differences between you and your child’s other parent are magnified. Resolving these differences is frequently easier said than done but not allowing them to become a source of conflict is key to your child’s well-being.Joining Mandy to discuss some proven ways to approach the most common parenting problems after divorce is  California-based psychologist, Dr. Erica Reischer. Reischer is the author of the book, What Great Parents Do: 75 Simple Strategies For Raising Kids Who Thrive. Find out more about Dr. Erica’s work at her website DrEricaR.com.Want to find out more about the impact of divorce on parenting? Download Mandy’s free audio program, What You Need To Know About Parenting And Divorce.  

Everyone files a tax return and that means there are some basic tax issues that face everyone getting divorced. These are often overlooked or not addressed until the divorce negotiations are nearing completion.By that time, your choices may already be limited. Even worse, you may be suffering with negotiation fatigue and make agreements without the benefit of prior research and full understanding.This Conversation will help you avoid that. Listen in to find out what your divorce could mean for your tax filing status, what you need to consider for tax payments and refunds that are due and some key points about the child tax exemption.Joining Mandy for this Conversation is Shawn Leamon, a certified divorce financial analyst and author of the book, Divorce And Your Money: The No Nonsense Guide which is available on Amazon.

Most people would love to save legal fees on their divorce. The first thing that comes to mind is doing without an attorney. While that may save you big time, it’s not always the smartest way to trim costs and it may actually end up costing you more in the long run.The good news is that there are a number of very simple, easy things you can do that can make a real difference to your legal bill while getting the benefit of legal advice.Joining Mandy to talk about these money saving strategies is Larry Sarezky, an experienced family law attorney and author, from Fairfield, Connecticut.Larry’s recently published a book, Divorce, Simply Stated: How To Achieve More, Worry Less and Save Money In Your Divorce, is a easy to understand layman’s guide to the divorce process.You need to know about these tips before you hire your attorney.You can find more practical tips on this in Mandy’s free eBook, Untangling From Your Spouse: How To Prepare For Divorce.

We’ve all heard someone say they tried divorce mediation and it didn’t work. The challenge here is whether they were truly part of the small percentage of divorces that do need to be resolved by a judge or if they didn’t take the proper steps to ensure mediation was successful.There’s a lot more to mediation than just showing up on a certain date at a certain time. It requires a commitment to being properly prepared and being invested in the process. And with the potential to save thousands of dollars in legal fees, mediation can be a very viable alternative to a traditional divorce.Joining Mandy to discuss ways to make your mediation successful is Joe Dillon from Equitable Mediation. Based in New Jersey and Illinois, Joe and his wife and partner, Cheryl Dillon help divorcing couples complete all the steps to divorce peacefully, fairly and cost-effectively.Saving money on your legal fees isn’t the only reason to mediate your divorce. Find out more by downloading Joe’s free ebook, 10 Reasons To Mediate Your Divorce. 

Usually it’s the kids that move between their parents’ homes after divorce. With nesting, the kids stay put and the parents move in and out.A few celebrity couples have famously tried this. Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin of the “Consciously Uncoupling” fame, and Jon and Kate Gosselin from Jon and Kate Plus 8. Now, with eight kids, having the child stay put is clearly much less work but most of us don’t have that challenge.Still, nesting can mean fewer changes for the children and that can make the transition through divorce much easier. Is nesting something you and your STBX should consider? What does it take to make nesting work and does it really help the kids?Joining Mandy for this show is writer and child of divorce Alana Romain who wrote about nesting on Romper.com. You can follow Alana on Facebook and Twitter as @AlsoAlanaRomain.

For most of us, there is always less money after divorce and that means having to be more intentional about your spending. Even before you’re actually divorced, knowing where the money goes each month can help you make more informed decisions about your housing and since that’s typically the largest portion of anyone’s spending that decision alone will impact everything else.If your spouse was the one who handled the household accounts, then learning to do this now, on top of everything else can seem a bit like learning a foreign language. Even if you did handle the bills, it’s still hard because not only is everything in a state of flux, there’s usually a whole of emotions and judgments mixed in with the money.Joining Mandy is Todd Curtis, Chief Customer Officer at YNAB.com – that’s You Need A Budget which offers software and education around managing your money. Listen in to hear:The difference between tracking expenses and budgetingWhy people find budgeting scaryHow to make budgeting funWhy downloading isn’t cheating, andHow to handle setbacksUnderstanding your financial situation is a big part of preparing to divorce and you can find out more in Mandy’s free audio download, What You Need To Know About Preparing For Divorce.

Nobody ever describes divorce as an easy time in life. Far from it. It’s emotionally traumatic, mentally challenging and there simply aren’t enough hours in the day to deal with everything that needs to be addressed. The one thing that’s easy for people to let slide is taking care of themselves and yet, that’s the very thing that will help you get through this while making the tough decisions you face.Joining Mandy to talk about what taking care of yourself means, how you can do it and why you might not, is fellow divorce coach Martha Bodyfelt. Martha is no stranger to having to take care of herself: her dream career in the Army ended abruptly with a devastating injury and five years after that, her marriage ended. Despite everything she’d learned recovering from her injury, Martha wasn’t eating or sleeping. She remembers cleaning out her closet in the early morning hours eventually falling asleep on the floor exhausted.Martha blogs about divorce at her blog at SurvivingYourSplit.com and has a free download: Divorce Warrior Survival Kit.

Many experts will tell you that you need to approach your divorce as a business transaction. If you can do that then figuring out the impact divorce will have on your finances becomes a mathematical analysis, but it’s rarely that simple or easy to do.There’s almost always less money after divorce and that creates many fears, such as not wanting to change your lifestyle, having to go back to work, or not being able to afford to stay in your current neighborhood. Sometimes those fears are enough to keep people in deeply troubled marriages.Fears however, are False Evidence Appearing Real and often the way to combat them is to do more research and gather more information and that’s definitely the strategy when it comes to financial fears.Joining Mandy for this conversation is Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, Russ Luna from Luna Financial Advisors. Listen in to learn what is a lifestyle analysis, how to identify the financial obstacles to divorce, how professionals evaluate the self-employed and what is dissipation and how you can spot it.

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, in today’s episode we’re talking about what it means to be a mother after divorce, how divorce can change your responsibilities as a mother, and of course, celebrating Mother’s Day after divorce.Joining Mandy for this show is licensed therapist, author and college instructor, Terry Gaspard. Together they discuss:if there are unique challenges for mothers after divorcehow changing gender roles have changed the role of mothersthe special role mothers play in helping children adapt to two homehow to enjoy Mother’s Day after divorce, even if you can’t be with your children.Terry is the author of the book, Daughters of Divorce: Overcome The Legacy of Your Parents’ Breakup and Enjoy a Happy, Long-Lasting Relationship which is available on Amazon. You can follow Terry at her website, Moving Past Divorce.

We don’t talk much about divorce and suicide but sadly, it’s not uncommon. Whether it’s a child whose parents are getting divorced, the person who wants to end the marriage but can’t or the person whose spouse has said they want a divorce, it’s a sign of a person who is struggling for their life and desperately needs help. So what should you do?Joining Mandy to discuss what you need to know about suicide and divorce is Samantha Nadler, regional coordinator with the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network. Samantha has made multiple suicide attempts both as the child of divorcing parents and as the person wanting to leave the marriage. She also experienced her husband’s threat of suicide. You can read Samantha’s story here.Listen in to learn:the signs that someone you love may be considering suicidewhy you always need to take talk of suicide seriouslywhen a suicide threat becomes domestic violencehow you can help someone who is suicidalwhy a suicide threat doesn’t mean changing the divorce decisionIf you or someone you know is considering suicide please contact the Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-8255, press 1 if you are a veteran. The text line is 741-741 and the chat line is crisischat.org.

Sooner or later most people try dating after divorce: some people dive right in with little hesitation, other people are more cautious, and some of us even need a push!While there is a danger in waiting too long, being ready is important. Being ready means approaching dating as an adventure with more self-confidence and less intimidation. You’ll be the chooser and less likely to take “no” as rejection. In short, being ready means opening yourself up to lots of fun.So what goes into being ready? Joining Mandy again today is dating expert and founder of LastFirstDate.com Sandy Weiner. Listen to learn:what being emotionally ready looks likethe essential physical preparations you don’t want to ignorethe difference between dating for fun and dating for keepsthe importance of open, direct communication, andhow many people are picky about the wrong thingsVisit Sandy’s website for her free download, The Top Three Dating Mistakes Midllife Daters Make.

Your child’s school is a major part of their life and teachers are key players in your child’s well-being. This makes it critically important that you work with your child’s school through your divorce. There’s a fine balance though between providing essential details and too much information.Joining Mandy is single-parenting expert Dr. Leah Klungess. Listen in as Mandy and Dr Leah discuss:when to let your child’s teachers know you’re getting divorcedwho needs to know and what do they need to knowthe difference between classroom communications and school communicationswhy your child’s school isn’t responsible for knowing your parenting scheduleLeah Klungness more widely known as Dr. Leah is the co-author of The Complete Single Mother — the best selling self-help book ever written for single parents. Visit her site DrLeah.com and follow her on Twitter @Dr_Leah.

It’s the start of a new year, the Holidays are over and many people will move ahead with filing for divorce. People who decided to end their marriage in the fall often hold off taking any action because they don’t want to spoil the Holidays.But now, one of you may be moving out, you might be getting your house ready for sale, and you may have stopped going to social events together. That means it’s hard to keep the truth about your marriage secret any longer. Other people are going to start noticing the changes that are happening in your life. You’re going to be forced to tell friends and family what’s really going on.So how do you do that? When is the time right? Are there some people you should tell before others? And how much detail do you share?Joining Mandy is New York based divorce coach, Karen McMahon. Karen McMahon offers a free webinar, Stepping Out of Chaos: Transforming Pain to Possibility.

If someone asks you why your marriage ended, you might respond that you and your spouse were constantly arguing about money or the kids or sex. What this really points to is an inability to resolve conflict and the most common reason for this is the parent-child dynamic. Where you the parent or child in your marriage?While many couples are able to endure this type of relationship, it often leads to resentment and bitterness and can cause one spouse to detach and disengage, resulting in divorce.Joining Mandy to discuss the parent-child dynamic is psychologist, Dr. Tony Ferretti. Listen in to discover:How to recognize the parent and how to spot the childWhere we learn these behaviorsWhy these behaviors cause marriages to endHow to start responding as an adultWhy responding as an adult is the best way to avoid making the same mistakesDr. Tony Ferretti, is a licensed psychologist specializing in helping professionally successful clients achieve work-life balance and manage interpersonal problems and conflicts. He is author of The Love Fight: How Achievers & Connectors Can Build A Marriage that Lasts available at Amazon.com. You read more about Dr. Ferretti’s work at his blog.

There’s no escaping them … if you have minor children then you will be attending Parent Teacher conferences. They’re certainly not most parents’ favorite activity and Parent Teacher conferences after divorce are even harder. However, your child will benefit if you can figure out how to keep these meetings focused on your child and their education and not on what’s happening between you and your ex.Joining Mandy to discuss the ins and outs of these dreaded meetings is psychologist and single parenting expert, Dr. Leah Klungness. Listen in to learn:When you should attend conferences soloWhy new partners attending makes it to complicated and may not be appropriate or even legalHow to handle disagreements with your ex during a conferenceWhat to do when the teacher makes inappropriate remarks about divorce.Leah Klungness, more widely known as Dr. Leah is the co-author of The Complete Single Mother. Visit her site DrLeah.com and follow her on Twitter @Dr_Leah.Looking for more parenting after divorce advice? Start by downloading Mandy’s free audio program, What You Need To Know About Parenting And Divorce.   

Feeling that you’ll never trust your ex or another partner again is a common reaction to divorce. Yet trust is a cornerstone of healthy relationships and as such is vital to connecting with others. So can you learn to rebuild trust?Joining Mandy in this episode is therapist, college instructor and author Terry Gaspard. Listen in to discover:What is trust and what mistrust looks likeThe root causes of mistrust – they’re not always what you thinkHow learning to trust is similar to getting fit (but without the costly gym membership, andSome exercises you can do to build your trust strengthTerry offers a healing community for adults dealing with divorce, parenting, and blended family issues on her website MovingPastDivorce.com where you can order her book, Daughters of Divorce:Overcome The Legacy of Your Parents’ Breakup and Enjoy a Happy, Long-Lasting Relationship 

The message we get from societal expectations, from Hollywood and even our families is that love can conquer all.That’s simply not true especially if you’re married to someone who has a chronic, severe mental illness. Conditions such as a personality disorder, anxiety, bi-polar or PTSD all create barriers to intimacy and those frequently lead to difficulty in being able to actively engage in a way that sustains a marital relationship. Ultimately that can mean a living situation that becomes untenable.Joining Mandy to discuss this tough topic is coach Sharon Zarozny. Sharon is the founder of BrilliantExits.com and has a number of resources listed on her website for dealing with divorce in difficult situations.

Even though you may not want to get divorced and no matter how much you wish it wasn’t happening to you, the question you need to ask is who is in charge of your divorce.The answer needs to be “you” because that’s the only way to increase the likelihood of a healthier divorce for you. However, that’s not easy when there are so many issues and concerns to resolve, some of which are interdependent, when every aspect of your life is being disrupted, and you’re experiencing a wild range of emotions that are difficult to manage.Joining Mandy today is family lawyer Henry Gornbein. Henry is the author of a new book Divorce Demystified. In this episode, Mandy and Henry give you tips and insights into:The first steps to taking charge of your divorceThe difference between having your attorney advise you and looking to your attorney to make your decisionsWhy going to trial may be good for your attorney but bad for youThe dangers in getting locked into a positionHow feasible it is to handle your own legal process.Henry S. Gornbein is a partner with the law firm of Lippitt O’Keefe Gorbein PLLC in Birmingham, Michigan. He has been working in family law for over forty years and has several publications: he is the author of the “Spousal Support” chapter of Michigan Family Law; author of the “Case of the Issue” for the Family Law Section Journal, State Bar of Michigan. His latest book, Divorce Demystified, Everything You Need To Know Before Filing for Divorce, is now available on Amazon.

Child support is often one of the most contentious and bitter areas of divorce negotiations and those disagreements can and do continue for years after the divorce is final.We frequently hear complaints of child support going unpaid, and unenforced leaving the custodial parent struggling to provide for their child. At the other end of the spectrum we hear complaints and fears about the consequences for non-payment such as garnishment of wages, loss of driver’s license and professional licenses and imprisonment.Joining Mandy for this episode is award-winning journalist Kimberly Seals Allers. Her article Forgiving $38,750 In Child Support, For My Kids’ Sake was recently published by the Motherlode Blog at The New York Times and received over 450 comments.Mandy and Kimberly discuss:How forgiving child support arrears could benefit your childrenThe alternative currencies for contributing child supportHow to avoid arrears and the associated penalties, andWhy forgiving arrears could a key part of your divorce recoveryKimberly Seals Allers is the author of The Mocha Manual series of books (HarperCollins) and founder of the award-winning pregnancy & parenting website, MochaManual.com. 

In 2014, 21-year-old Caitlyn Ricci took her divorced parents to court to force them to pay her college tuition and she won. The judge ruled that of her $26,000 annual bill, Caitlyn was to pay just over $9,000, her dad was to pay 60% of the balance and her mom the rest. Mom and dad are appealing the decision.In media reports, general public opinion seems to be against Caitlyn in support of her parents arguing that they have no obligation to pay for Caitlyn’s college and that Caitlyn needs to get a job.Caitlyn’s situation doesn’t automatically apply to other divorced parents but the case highlights an often contentious area in divorce negotiations. And since there’s almost always less money after divorce, single parents are frequently faced with some hard decisions around paying for their child’s college education.Joining Mandy to share their experience around divorcing parents and paying for college is financial advisor and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, Jamie Sladky, and retired magistrate and mediator, Simon Mole.Jamie Sladky is a financial advisor and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC.

Divorce is a confusing, chaotic and overwhelming time. Adding to that confusion is a wave of new services, products and divorce specialists. Are these people taking advantage of people when they are at their most vulnerable or are these new options enabling people to have a healthy divorce?Joining Mandy for this discussion about the Changing Face of Divorce is divorce coach Karen McMahon from Journey Beyond Coaching. Karen McMahon is a certified life coach and began divorce coaching in 2010 after her own divorce led her on an unwanted, uninvited journey of transformation to what she now describes as an incredible life.Visit Journey Beyond Coaching to download your free copy of Navigating Your Divorce, and Karen’s ebook Stepping Out Of Chaos.