Divorce Conversations For Women

Mental Illness is a very difficult but extremely important issue to talk about. And this is even more heightened when one is going through divorce. Shedding light on this issue is Shelly Smith, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, who talked about Mental Health & Wellness in Episode 8. In this episode, we discuss the different factors that can affect the divorce process when mental illness is involved. But the overarching theme, and the most critical, is for women to build a strong support system around her. It is important to have family, friends, and professionals help and guide you as you go through divorce. Going through divorce while dealing with mental illness is difficult, but as one of my favorite quote says… “Fortune favors the brave” You are brave! You have what it takes to navigate through this season, to advocate for yourself and your family.   Listen in as Shelly and I talk about: Mental illness is rarely discussed but is more common than we realize If you suspect that you or your forme

Going through the divorce process and what comes after can be quite challenging. Having a dependable career and confidence in advocating yourself helps a lot in bringing normalcy and stability in this time. In this episode, Sara Reed shares her in-depth knowledge from an HR standpoint on how women can elevate themselves in the workforce. We talk about tips for women who are looking to re-enter the workforce and women who are looking to increase their cash flow. As women, we should learn to have the confidence and belief in ourselves that we have valuable skills that are valuable in the workforce and that we deserve to receive proper compensation. Sara reminds us… You need to believe in you before anyone else can.   Top Takeaways: For women who wants to re-enter the workforce: Look at your experiences in managing your home, volunteer work, passions, interests, and intangible qualities to build up your resume Think of people in your circle, utilize your connections, and get recommendations where you can find w

Budgeting. This is a powerful word. It creates fear and anxiety. It produces avoidance-type behaviors. It even impacts relationships. What are the costs of not budgeting? There are costs to our overall well-being. 1)     Health: Lack of sleep 2)     Quality of life: Financial-related stress 3)     Financial: Actual dollars & sense   Most of my clients come to meet without a budget. There was no formal system for tracking expenses. Each spouse had a debt card – and spent money freely. What was the cost? Credit debt with high interest rates. Overdraft fees to the tune of thousands of dollars. Not saving for college as the kids approach college-age. Using the equity to pay of debt. And, then add in divorce on top of all the mayhem. Budgeting is central to all financial decisions – and yet we avoid it at all costs. Women will often ask how much can I afford for housing? How much should I save? What can I afford for insurance? Etc. Those are all certainly great questions, but I don’t know the answers… until we

The more women I speak with who have spouses that are too controlling, the more my concern grows for them.  These women are in a situation where the person they trusted the most are now the threat to their safety. The question is, how can they assure their own security? From mental tips like changing one’s mindset, to practical advices like getting a new phone, Freddie Harris, Founder of Badger Krav Maga, joins us for today’s episode to give us substantial ways on how we can shelter ourselves from harm. TOP TAKEAWAYS: What are some safety concerns for women going through divorce What are the warning signs of violent behavior and what can we do about them What are some strategies Fred Harris gives to mitigate being a target How to effectively respond to sudden attacks and threats Freddie shares the steps women can take to assure their safety when going through divorce: First, take ownership of the fact that you have to protect yourself. Get a support network to navigate this journey. Be someone who can foll

The health component takes such a big impact in divorce. However, the mind component is just as significant. When women go through divorce, they are physically and mentally drained. How can women take care of themselves when it’s the mind they have to nurse? What can women do when they feel overwhelmed? Should they run away from it? Should they stay in place or move forward? How would they deal with the drama and challenges that linger? Who can they rely on? How will they become irrepressible from the situation? Judy Brier Hahn, a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, shares with us chunks of advices on how we can choose different paths to take when we are in tough situations. At the end of the day, what matters most is that our mind is at peace and we have found the strength to be resilient in these circumstances. TOP TAKEAWAYS: What are the thought orientations women have when they are in divorce: are they in the victim orientation or creator orientation? Judy also enumerates the things women shoul

When someone goes through divorce, there are so many aspects to assess, so many decisions to make. With all of the processes to go through, people tend to overlook their financial assets. Estate planning is one of the most vital financial assets to consider, but one that is usually left out. Why exactly is estate planning a significant asset to check? It’s all about protecting your loved ones from a sudden change in assets. How do we set up an estate plan? What should we prepare for the plan? When is the right time to plan for it? Elizabeth Ruthmansdorfer, a Small Business and Estate Administration Lawyer from the firm Moertl, Wilkins and Campbell takes us through the whole process. Elizabeth and I discuss: Why women should take time in estate planning and what benefits it can have in the long run What women should be doing when it comes to estate planning after the finalization of a divorce What documents and records should be present when building up an estate plan When should women be having an estate pla

One of the most overwhelming and intimidating aspects of a divorce is its financial aspect. Most women going through it find it difficult to manage their finances, along with all the other things to think about. How can they exactly prepare for it when they are in this situation? Today’s guest, Michelle Gabor, MBA, CPA walks us through the process of taking charge of our assets. Talking finance does not need to be baffling. If women are properly guided by the right people and they explore their options, talk about finance would be one less thing to worry about. Michelle Gabor, MBA, CPA guides people going through divorce in financial management. She works as an advisor to women so they can regain financial stability and get expert help. TOP TAKEAWAYS: How can we check financial statements and who can we ask help from. What documents should we gather and review which can be used for financial planning Who are the people we can ask for guidance when it comes to financial management Why having a checklist for t

For someone who is going through divorce, it is not a cake walk. It’s more like riding on a never-ending emotional rollercoaster. Emotions are all over the place and it may feel like you are in a pit. Women going through divorce are constantly seeking guidance and directions on how to manage their feelings, and on how to improve their self-compassion. Shelly Smith, a Licensed Therapist on Marriage and Family Therapy, shares her insights on how women can be empowered during these tough times. Listen in as Shelly and I talk about: Self-care and how we can practice self-care in such a rocky, emotional time of our lives What major shifts happen when you are going through divorce and what can you do about them Self-compassion and how can having this present during divorce can help us feel much better How self-talk is an important aspect in achieving self-care What tools you can use to uplift your confidence and worth during these times How changes in our personalities shift and what it could mean to our relations

We have always been told that people need 7-8 hours of sleep. However, forty percent of Americans are sleep-deprived. We understand the importance of sleep, but add stress with divorce? Then you get sleep deprivation. People would most likely just overlook this by thinking that they are just tired, but the effects of not having enough sleep should not just be shrugged off. A higher risk of experiencing anxiety and depression, mental capabilities hindered and the immune system weakening are just some of the side effects of sleep deprivation. It can clearly  impact our quality of life. Then what should we do? What steps can we take to help us become motivated in getting more sleep? In this episode, Elise Miller shares some tips on how to get more sleep: Set a bedtime routine and apply it to yourself. Setting your brain as well can be a huge help. Leave your bedroom for just sleep and nothing else! Clear the clutter so that you won’t feel anxious seeing unfinished businesses. Get new sheets and bedding - It can

For a divorced woman experiencing loss, and perhaps on her way to losing the confidence she once had, enlightenment is necessary. Throughout my conversation with Rebecca, I learned that we have our own identity, and that we are powerful. I was reminded that we are all significant and that our style matters. Our inner and outer beauty, indeed, needs an investment, and for it to grow, we need to take action by opening ourselves to new styles and embracing it. In this episode, Rebecca and I discuss: What to wear during the different milestones coming in our life What to wear in court Confidence as it relates to discovering personal style Why appearance matters How our confidence can strongly be influenced by what we wear How to dress in different occasions What women should have in their closet based on their fashion style and budget How women can own their significance when they feel different types of emotions Listen to this podcast as we reveal how to empower yourself through style. Always keep in mind that

Empowering yourself to make wise and informed choices regarding finances as you are going through divorce is one of the key factors as you are stepping into independence. Gaylene Stingl has over 25 years experience in providing business management, tax and financial consulting to individuals and small businesses. She is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Valuation Analyst, and has a Masters of Science in Taxation. In this episode, we talk about empowering yourself, gaining knowledge, and confidence to make informed decisions in divorce settlements. Women typically struggle to understand the financial aspect of the process. We break down the new tax law, settlement when a business is involved, and the different models of reaching a settlement and completing the divorce process. Our goal is to help women become self sustaining. And it all begins by empowering yourself by... Learning how to ask the right questions Learning how to find the answers   More about our Guest: Gaylene Stingl, MST, CPA, CVA Blau

There is a quote by Beverly Ingall that I want to share with you. “Turn down the volume of your negative inner voice and create a nurturing inner voice to take its place.” Why is it that when we are already down in the dumps, we become our biggest critic? Why is it that when we make a mistake, instead of learning from it, we obsess over it? To help us go through a divorce, we must all be aware of our self-talk. Our biggest pep talk comes from within us. I would like to share five tips on managing self talk: Acknowledge our past relationship with money Identify the situations and topics that can create feelings of shame, guilt and anxiety Choose to begin our day with positive affirmations Extend grace to yourself Be open and intentional to the change process Listen in as I expand on these tips and help you manage your self-talk. Remember that financial confidence begins with a little pep talk. In this episode, I have mentioned Kathleen Burns Kingsbury. She is a wealth psychologist, and someone I greatly admi

One thing is for sure. Going through a divorce is overwhelming. It is a heavy, arduous thing to go through. And the question that floods our mind is, “What do I do now?” The first step I always tell my clients is to identify your strengths. When you do, you can use your strengths as leverage and tackle this situation in a more logical and empowered way. There are two key factors when seeking financial knowledge. Get acquainted with the facts of your specific situation Become familiar with financial terminology With these two things in mind, we can get started on what course to take on this journey. If you are looking for a book to read on this topic, I highly recommend grabbing a copy of Smart Women Finish Rich by David Bach. If you are curious to know your strengths, you make take the Strength Finder 2.0 assessment online. --- In the meantime, be sure to reach out if you would like to connect personally with The Women’s Financial Wellness Center. You can visit our website at https://www.womensfinancialwe

Let’s be real. Contacting a divorce attorney may be hard enough, but asking the real questions may be harder. When a woman goes through a divorce, it’s hard to stay focused on what to ask and what not to. To help our listeners, I have listed some essential questions to ask your attorney. What is your hourly rate? How much is the upfront retainer? How much do you bill? Do you exclusively practice family law? What is exactly the process? What is your philosophy? What is your post-divorce follow-up process? Would you consider yourself a low-conflict or litigation attorney? Are you familiar with the judges in my county? Overwhelming? It really shouldn't be. Listen in as I dig step-by-step into these questions. If we ask the right questions, we will get the right answers. --- Be sure to reach out if you would like to connect personally with The Women’s Financial Wellness Center. You can visit our website at https://www.womensfinancialwellnesscenter.com or grab a complimentary 30-minute consult at http://bit.ly/d

I have worked with a lot of clients throughout the years. But working with women has always been special for me. And women who are going through divorce need more support, especially when it comes to finances. Which is why I have given birth to this podcast. It is to be the go-to resource for increasing financial clarity for women going through divorce. With this podcast, I want to cover everything from the practical side, such as financial wellness, questions to ask lawyers, increasing cash flow, to the emotional side, such as maintaining creativity at work and redefining your life’s purpose. Let this podcast be a support to women who are going through this tough time and help them make wise decisions. Be sure to reach out if you would like to connect personally with The Women’s Financial Wellness Center. You can visit our website at https://www.womensfinancialwellnesscenter.com or grab a complimentary 30-minute consult at http://bit.ly/dashboardwfwc.