What's Actually Happening in Your Brain During Divorce—and How to Fix It You're not imagining it. The brain fog, the inability to focus, the way you keep replaying painful conversations on an endless loop—there's actual neuroscience behind what you're experiencing during divorce. I sat down with neuroscientist Dr. Nicole A. Tetreault to understand exactly what's happening in our brains during one of life's most stressful transitions. What she shared wasn't just fascinating—i

If you’re heading into the holiday season while navigating divorce or separation, this time of year can feel anything but merry. That mix of gratitude and complete overwhelm? Totally normal. Dread and anxiety? Yup, normal. The holidays during or after divorce feel different. But here’s what I want you to know: different doesn’t have to mean bad. Subscribe to The Divorce Planner weekly newsletter and get divorce prep tips and tools delivered right to your inbox! Whether it’s T

What the Podcast Didn't Cover: Strategic Financial Preparation for Divorce After 50 Watch Oprah's podcast about gray divorce. Last week, something significant happened in the divorce conversation. Oprah Winfrey released a podcast episode entirely dedicated to gray divorce—the term for divorce after age 50. The episode featured some of the leading voices in this space: Susan Guthrie, host of The Divorce & Beyond Podcast  and a family law attorney with over 30 years of experien

Let's talk about the elephant in the room. What does divorce actually cost? It's the question I get asked more than any other. And honestly, it's the one that makes people the most anxious. So I sat down with family law attorney Dennis Vetrano Jr.—who's been practicing for 25 years and handles 60 to 100 divorce consultations every single month—to get the real answer. And when I say real, I mean it. Dennis doesn't sugarcoat anything. Which is exactly why I love talking to him.

Watch the 25-minute video conversation above. Expert CDFA Advice on QDROs, Tax Strategies, and Protecting Your Financial Future When you're going through a divorce, the last thing you want to deal with is figuring out how to split up retirement accounts, who had what before marriage, what was earned during, and so on. But this is exactly the stuff you need to understand so you don't make expensive mistakes that'll haunt you for decades. I recently sat down with Certified Divo

High-Conflict Co-Parenting: How to Protect Your Kids With a Bulletproof Parenting Plan Does your co-parent make every interaction about drama instead of putting your kids first? That's not normal co-parenting—that's toxic behavior, and it requires a completely different approach. I sat down with parenting plan expert Samantha Boss, who specializes in high-conflict co-parenting situations. Samantha knows how to deal with manipulative co-parents who show up late on purpose, bad

"Where do I start when preparing for divorce? I feel completely overwhelmed and don't know what to do first." This question lands in my inbox almost daily, and honestly? It's completely understandable. Divorce feels like standing at the base of a mountain without a map. You know you need to get to the other side, but the path forward seems impossible to figure out. Here's the good news: you don't have to figure it all out at once. And you definitely don't need to do it alone.

"Some days I feel strong. Other days, I don't know who I am anymore." Who you get to be after divorce is up to YOU. This is one of the most common things I hear from clients—and it takes me right back to my own divorce. The hardest part wasn't just losing the relationship. It was losing me in the version of "we" that I had been living for years: the routines, the role of being a wife, the role of being a mother, being in "just trying to survive" mode, and having no idea who I

How treating yourself with kindness becomes your most powerful tool for navigating divorce with clarity and strength Treat yourself with the same compassion you would give to your best friend. When people talk about protecting your energy during divorce, they often suggest rest, long walks, or bubble baths. And while those things help, they don't go deep enough. Because the biggest energy drain isn't always your ex, your lawyer, or your to-do list -- it's your inner critic. Y

The strategic framework that turns overwhelming decisions into clear action steps Divorce can feel like a big game of chess. Every move you make has consequences—some you see immediately, others that don't reveal themselves until it's too late. Subscribe to The Divorce Planner newsletter  and get divorce prep tips and tools delivered right to your inbox! A client of mine came to me insisting that she wanted to keep the family home and most of the retirement accounts. It felt