Divorce Dialogues

You’ve explained the divorce to your child as gently and clearly as you can. So why do they seem to tune you out?

Even children who are bright and articulate may struggle to process divorce through words alone. Licensed clinical social worker Trisha Sanders joins Katherine Miller to explore how children experience divorce, why uncertainty and loss of control can feel overwhelming, and what parents can do to help. Trisha brings nearly two decades of clinical experience and her own perspective as a child of divorce.

They discuss wh...

A dad's car blew up while he was behind on child support. His plan for telling Mom about the replacement was to send his young child with the message. The child froze, Mom found out anyway, and the kid stopped wanting to go to Dad's.

In this episode, Katherine Miller is joined by Bonus Families founder and director, Dr. Jann Blackstone to unpack how kids end up as messengers. Jann spent 35 years as a custody mediator and co-parenting counselor, and she explains what to do when your ex won't cooperate. You'll leave with language for your...

What if the biggest mistake in divorce recovery isn't moving too slowly, but rushing straight past the parts that actually need to heal?

Psychotherapist, relationship expert, and founder of Sussman Counseling Rachel Sussman joins the show to unpack the framework from her book, The Breakup Bible. She breaks recovery into three phases: healing, understanding, and transformation, and explains why skipping straight to the last one usually backfires.

Katherine and Rachel talk through why breakup grief can look a lot like grieving a death, how anxious and avoidant attachment patterns often show up years before a...

Most parents brace for the fight over money and assume custody will sort itself out. What if the custody process itself is what turns co-parents into opponents?

André Rainey, Chair of the New York Affiliate of the National Parents Organization and former mayor of Peekskill, joins the show to share what four years in New York family court taught him about shared parenting.

Katherine and André explore how the custody process can drive co-parents apart and why mediation works best before a judge decides anything. Parents facing court get practical steps to use right away.

You've probably thought about how you'd split assets in a divorce, but have you thought about who's going to take care of you at 85?

Raymond Lavine, Founder of Lavine LTC Benefits, joins Katherine Miller to talk about the financial risk most divorce settlements never touch: long-term care.

Katherine and Raymond dig into why long-term care insurance gets cheaper the earlier you buy it, what happens to life insurance policies people forget they own, and why even his own mother, worth nine figures, still needed a care plan.

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Every dollar spent fighting over a 50/50 schedule might be solving the wrong problem. What if the split barely matters to your kid at all?

Family psychologist and custody researcher Dr. Marsha Kline Pruett joins the show to break down what decades of research actually say about parenting time, and why the number of overnights rarely predicts how kids adjust.

Katherine and Marsha dig into why "quality time" can't be scheduled, what separates a real safety concern from a values disagreement, and how co-parenting quality (not competition) shapes both parents' relationships with their kids...

What if the same advice that helps most couples divorce well is exactly what keeps you stuck with a difficult one?

In this episode, Dr. Deborah Wilder, a licensed psychologist, divorce mediator, and Certified Narcissistic Abuse Treatment Clinician at the Center for Therapy and Mediation, breaks down how emotional abuse and coercive control change the rules of divorce, and how to tell the difference between a hard marriage and a harmful one.

Deborah walks through the warning signs your body picks up before your mind does, why compromise can backfire with a high-conflict ex...

Divorce doesn't have to be a conversation you dread having with your kids. What if it's the beginning of showing them they can get through something hard?

Childhood Grief Specialist and Award-Winning Author Dr. Korie Leigh joins the show to break down how to talk to kids about divorce without overwhelming them or trying to make it painless.

Katherine and Korie explore how to figure out what your child already knows before you say anything, how the conversation shifts by age, and why getting it wrong the first time isn't the failure it feels like...

Could securing a divorce attorney actually heighten complications instead of safeguarding your interests?

Certified family law specialist, mediator, and Hello Divorce founder and CEO Erin Levine explains why navigating a divorce doesn't have to mean choosing between going at it completely alone or turning everything over to a lawyer.

Erin shares the three problems she saw repeatedly in twenty years of practicing family law: unpredictable cost, unnecessary conflict, and a legal-only approach that ignores everything else changing in someone's life. She and Katherine talk through how transparency and the right mix of support, whether...

Most people going through divorce ask, "How do I keep the house?" But what if that's the wrong question entirely?

Katherine sits down with Jody Bruns, founder and president of the Divorce Lending Association and author of A House Divided: A Guide to Mortgage Financing and Divorce, to unpack the emotional and financial complexities of housing decisions during divorce.

Jody explains why treating the house as a purely financial asset misses the point, and why feasibility today doesn't guarantee sustainability tomorrow. She and Katherine dig into the hidden costs people overlook, from insurance and...

When a child says “I don’t want to go,” the most important question may be: why?

In this episode, Michael Saini, professor and Factor-Inwentash Chair in Law and Social Work at the University of Toronto, breaks down how courts, lawyers, and parents can separate genuine safety concerns from the noise of custody conflict.

Drawing on nearly two decades of research and parenting plan evaluations, Michael explores why labels like alienation or abuse can miss the complexity of a child’s experience, why a quiet child may still be struggling, and what helps protect children...

Grief after a divorce doesn't wait for the paperwork to catch up, and it rarely leaves the same moment the case closes.

In this episode, Oona Metz, LICSW, CGP, psychotherapist, and author of Unhitched: The Essential Divorce Guide for Women, joins Katherine to map the emotional side of divorce that the legal process never touches.

After running weekly divorce support groups for 16 years, Oona built a five-phase model that reflects how women actually move through loss, from the first heartbreak through the rollercoaster of conflicting emotions to finally reinvesting in a new life...

Divorce can make even simple decisions feel harder. Fear, anger, guilt, and resentment can shape what you say, what you ask for, and what you agree to before you realize they are driving the process.

In this episode of the Emotionally Savvy Divorce series, Katherine Miller, family lawyer and mediator at Miller Law Group, tackles the belief that good divorce decisions require setting emotions aside.

Katherine shares why trying to remove emotion from divorce is neither realistic nor helpful. Instead, she explores how emotional awareness can help you respond more thoughtfully, make clearer decisions...

What if the thing you're fighting hardest for in your divorce isn't actually what you need?

In this episode of the Emotionally Savvy Divorce series, Katherine Miller, family lawyer, mediator, and author of The Emotionally Savvy Divorce, breaks down one of the most useful distinctions in any negotiation: positions versus interests. Most people walk into divorce already certain of what they want. Katherine explains why that certainty is often standing in the way of a better outcome.

Using real mediation stories, including a custody case built around a family's summer vacation home, Katherine shows...

What if the thing you're fighting for in your divorce is actually keeping you stuck?

In this episode of the Emotionally Savvy Divorce series, Katherine Miller, divorce attorney, mediator, and author, unpacks why "fair" might be the most dangerous word in a divorce negotiation.

Katherine explains why two reasonable people can go through the same divorce and both walk away feeling wronged, and why chasing fairness often costs more in legal fees, time, and happiness than it's worth. Drawing on a real client story involving betrayal and a long, hard-won path to rebuilding, she shows...

Divorce doesn't have to be measured by who wins. What if success meant something entirely different?

In this episode, Katherine Miller, divorce attorney, mediator, and author, opens her Emotionally Savvy Divorce series by redefining what a successful divorce actually looks like — not in the courtroom, but in the life you build afterward.

Most people never stop to define what winning a divorce would even mean. Katherine explains why so many clients default to protecting the house, the custody schedule, or their pride, and how those goals are really just reactions, not a definition of...

Divorce isn't just a legal problem, it's an emotional one too—so what happens when people start bringing that problem to AI before they bring it to anyone else?

In this episode, @Jamie Lima, divorce financial specialist and co-founder of SecureSplit, unpacks why so many people are turning to AI first during divorce, sometimes before they've spoken to a lawyer, therapist, or financial advisor, and what that shift actually means for their outcomes.

Drawing on his own divorce and his work helping clients navigate the financial side of separation, Ja...

Divorce recovery isn't about getting over your marriage. It's about building something new after it.

In this episode, Ronald Platt, CEO of the National Association for Single and Divorced Families (NASDF), talks about what actually happens once the paperwork is signed and the legal process ends.

Most people prepare for the legal side of divorce for months, sometimes years. Almost no one prepares for what comes after. Ronald walks through the real challenges that show up once the ink dries: learning to live alone, coordinating a co-parenting relationship you never planned for, rebuilding a...

Think the divorce was the hardest part? Wait until you hear this.

In this episode, BF Empowerment CEO Barbara Parker, relationship coach, licensed mental health therapist, and author of A Powerful Divorce, walks through what it actually takes to rebuild after a marriage ends, not just the legal paperwork, but the identity, trust, and boundaries that have to be reconstructed from scratch.

Barbara argues that divorce rarely announces itself as one clean decision. There's the legal process, yes, but underneath it sits an emotional, financial, and spiritual unraveling that most people don't see coming...

Divorce is a financial restructuring, but most people only treat it as a legal battle.

In this episode, Gabriella Martinelli, divorce financial strategist and founder of Ever After Wealth, sits down with Katherine and breaks down why financial decisions made during divorce are so hard to get right, and what it takes to make them well.

Gabriella's central argument is deceptively simple: divorce is a high-stakes financial restructuring disguised as a legal event, constantly hijacked by emotions. The problem isn’t rooted in people being irrational; it's that they're being asked to make pe...

Most divorce conversations center on paperwork, parenting plans, and finances. The loneliness fathers carry through that process rarely gets a seat at the table.

In this episode, Andrew O'Brien, founder of Dad Tribes, talks openly about what men actually go through when a family separates — the silence of an empty house, the loss of a social life that was built around a relationship, and the quiet guilt of feeling like your needs shouldn't take up space. Andrew is living it in real time: he moved into a new home days before this conversation was recorded, six kids an...

Your settlement agreement is signed, but what happens if the money stops coming?

In this episode, divorce financial specialist Jeff Landers returns to break down one of the most overlooked risks in divorce: the fragility of alimony and child support. Death, disability, a job wiped out by a failing industry can make court-ordered support disappear overnight. And most settlement agreements offer no protection against any of them.

Jeff has worked on over 1,000 divorce cases nationwide and rarely sees disability insurance included in a settlement. He explains why that gap exists, what it costs families when...

Divorce ends a marriage. It doesn't have to end your sense of self.

In this episode, family law attorney, founder of Moore Family Law Group, and host of the podcast Made For Moore, Holly Moore, talks about what divorce actually costs people beyond the legal fees: their identity, their confidence, and the story they thought their life was supposed to tell.

Holly and Katherine dig into why so many people arrive at divorce already hollowed out — not by the split itself, but by years of losing themselves inside the marriage.

Th...

The most expensive divorce mistakes aren't made in the courtroom – they're made in the sequence of events that lead you there.

In this episode of Divorce Dialogues, Katherine Miller speaks with Kelly Lise Murray, professor, financial strategist, and Co-founder and CEO of Vetting the House, about the hidden sequencing problem at the heart of most divorce settlements.Together, they unpack why even highly accomplished people make costly financial decisions during divorce—not because they lack intelligence, but because they're operating with a brain under siege, incomplete information, and pressure to just get it done. Kelly draws on her...

Your brain on divorce doesn't always think straight. Beneath the legal paperwork and custody schedules lies a deeply physiological reality: intense heartbreak, anger, and grief can completely hijack your nervous system, driving you to make choices you’ll later regret. In this episode of Divorce Dialogues, Katherine Miller speaks with Alyssa Mairanz, owner and executive director of Empower Your Mind Therapy, about what happens in your brain and nervous system during a separation. Together, they explore how grief, anger, and shame can shape your decisions, and how to navigate these emotions with awareness and intention; offering a roadmap for emotional su...

Divorce doesn’t have to be a battle. What if it could be a thoughtful, strategic decision for your future? In this episode, Jenny Bradley, family lawyer and mediator, explores how reframing divorce can lead to more thoughtful, cooperative solutions that protect your family, your finances, and your future. Divorce is often seen as an adversarial process, but Jenny argues that this mindset is not only costly but unnecessary. She offers insight into how focusing on what you can agree upon—and intentionally shifting away from reactive behavior—can lead to more effective and dignified outcomes. Tune in for a conver...

What actually helps children through divorce is often misunderstood. Many parents focus on minimizing disruption, protecting feelings, or maintaining a sense of normalcy. But children are not measuring legal outcomes or schedules—they are responding to something more subtle and more powerful: the emotional tone between the adults they depend on. In this conversation, Katherine Miller speaks with Dr. Sasha Reiisieh, licensed therapist and founder of Compassionate Minds Therapy who specializes in early childhood mental health and relational trauma, about what children truly experience during divorce, and what supports their long term sense of safety and stability. This is not a...

Divorce is often framed as a battle, something to survive or endure. But what if it could be something you approach with intention, clarity, and respect? In this episode, Katherine Miller is joined by Karen McNenny, who not only is an advocate for Family Centered Divorce Reform, but is also an author, speaker, and the founder of The Good Divorce Academy. Together, they challenge the typical narrative of divorce and offer a fresh perspective: divorce as a tool of transformation. Through Karen's insights, explore how the mindset you bring to the divorce process can shape not just the outcome, but...

Divorce can turn your financial world upside down, but it doesn't have to stay that way. In this episode of Divorce Dialogues, Katherine Miller is joined by Kimberly Palmer, a personal finance expert from NerdWallet and the author of “Smart Mom, Rich Mom.” Together, they dive deep into the financial challenges that come with divorce, offering practical advice to help you regain control of your finances. Kimberly offers a judgment-free approach, guiding individuals to build a sustainable, grounded financial future that supports their life and goals. She emphasizes taking small, manageable steps and aligning financial decisions with personal values, which is e...

Divorce doesn’t just change your life, it disrupts the story you thought you were living. So how do you begin again? In this episode of Divorce Dialogues, Katherine Miller speaks with Tamara Frankfort Odinec, the founder of My Next Chapter, about how to reframe divorce not as a loss but as an opportunity for reinvention. Tamara’s journey from navigating her own divorce to building a platform dedicated to helping others thrive after separation is a story of resilience, empowerment, and self-discovery. Tamara shares insights into the emotional and practical realities of starting over post-divorce, from rediscovering who you are...

Money is rarely just about money in divorce. On this episode of Divorce Dialogues, Senior Wealth Manager Kimberley Threadgill of Stansberry Asset Management joins Katherine Miller to discuss the subtle, yet powerful, influence of emotions on financial decisions during a divorce. Together, they explore how factors like fear, identity, and uncertainty often override the raw numbers, significantly shaping outcomes, especially when facing an unknown future. This conversation offers a more grounded way to approach finances; one that prioritizes clarity, thoughtful decision-making, and long-term stability. If you are navigating divorce and feeling unsure about your financial future, this episode will help...

Mediation is more than just a tool to avoid court. It is a transformative process that helps individuals learn the skills needed to navigate conflict with empathy, clarity, and self-determination. In this episode of Divorce Dialogues, Katherine Miller speaks with divorce mediator Brian James whose approach focuses on helping parents not just reach agreements but improve their communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. Brian talks about the importance of self-determination in mediation, how it supports co-parenting, and why the ability to actively listen and express needs is crucial for long-term success. He also shares actionable advice for those in conflict, showing...

Wondering how to support your kids through a divorce without losing your own emotional stability? In this episode of Divorce Dialogues, Katherine Miller welcomes Angie Weber from the Divorce Support Collective and the Parent Toolbox to discuss how parents can better navigate the emotional landscape of divorce while supporting their children. Angie shares her expertise on balancing the challenges of divorce with the need to provide stability and care for kids during this transition. Their conversation touches on crucial topics that help parents avoid common pitfalls and build a healthier co-parenting dynamic. If you're a parent facing divorce, this episode...

Are you emotionally ready for divorce? It’s a question most people don’t consider when starting the process. In this episode of Divorce Dialogues, Katherine Miller and family law expert Theresa Lyons dive into the often overlooked role of emotional readiness in divorce. Theresa shares how the emotional side of divorce can determine the trajectory of the entire process, sometimes more than the legal elements. The conversation uncovers key insights into navigating the process with dignity, prioritizing what really matters, keeping conflict out of your future, and why it’s essential to make thoughtful decisions from the start. Whether you’re...

Divorce is often treated as a legal ending. In reality, it is a deeply emotional transition that can bring long-standing patterns, assumptions, and unresolved experiences to the surface. In this episode of Divorce Dialogues, Katherine Miller speaks with CEO & Founder of Love Solutions Consulting, Sayany Ortega about what really happens beneath the legal process of divorce. Their conversation explores how resentment, unmet expectations, and unspoken personal histories can shape the way couples communicate, separate, and move forward. They also reflect on what helps people regain a sense of identity and self-respect during this time, and why compassion, accountability, and clearer...

Divorce doesn’t just change your relationships — it can completely reshape your financial life. So how do you move from uncertainty and fear to clarity and control? On this episode of Divorce Dialogues, Katherine Miller speaks with Julia Shteynberg, a financial and mindset coach. Drawing on two decades of corporate finance experience, Julia now focuses on helping high-earning women gain financial clarity, confidence, and control, particularly as they navigate significant life changes such as divorce. Offering essential guidance for individuals facing the financial challenges of divorce, Julia’s approach begins with practical steps to gain clarity, such as understanding your cash f...

What if your divorce could be a pathway to preserving your child’s emotional security? In this episode of Divorce Dialogues, Dr. Erica Komisar, psychoanalyst and author of The Parents' Guide to Divorce, joins Katherine Miller in exploring how parents can navigate the emotional complexities of divorce while prioritizing their children's well-being. They discuss the impact of separation on kids and the importance of fostering an amicable co-parenting environment, even in challenging circumstances. Tune in for crucial insights on how parents can navigate separation while prioritizing their children's well-being and avoiding common emotional pitfalls that can make a lasting difference fo...

"Always try to keep children in the center and out of the middle of whatever that is." - Lyerly Spongberg" - Lyerly Spongberg Lyerly Spongberg is a dedicated divorce coach whose personal journey through a high-conflict divorce as a single mother deeply informs her professional practice. She views high-conflict divorce as a deeply human experience that affects every aspect of life, from identity and emotional well-being to finances and children. Drawing from her own experiences, Spongberg describes the process as overwhelming, akin to being blindfolded and thrown into a washing machine, emphasizing the need for comprehensive preparation and support during...

"For men it's important to feel appreciated, and for women, it is very important to be in charge." - Diana Romanov Diana Romanov, an experienced family law attorney, draws deeply from her own profound personal journey with divorce to guide her clients with empathy and insight. Having navigated a challenging separation while balancing life as an immigrant in the U.S. and studying for the bar exam, she understands the emotional and logistical complexities that can accompany marital dissolution. Romanov's unique perspective emphasizes the importance of building a supportive team that includes therapists to address the emotional aspects of divorce...

"Nobody can help me, that is the time that actually can be helped. You just have to seek it out and trust the process." - Dr. Lama Bazzi Dr. Lama Bazzi, a board-certified psychiatrist based in New York City, is renowned for her expertise in addressing the mental health challenges associated with divorce. She emphasizes the profound impact that major life transitions, such as divorce, can have on an individual's mental well-being, particularly highlighting the complexities of redefining oneself post-separation. Dr. Bazzi advocates for allowing space for grief as a critical step in the healing process, encouraging individuals to focus...