The moment divorce begins to whisper into your life—quietly, insistently—it becomes nearly impossible to ignore the question at the center of it all: Can I trust myself? In this deeply moving episode of Divorce Happens, Olivia sits down with Rachael Needham, writer, coach, and author of Blueprints for Divorce, who brings clarity, compassion, and profound inner steadiness to one of the most disorienting chapters a person can face. Drawing from her own divorce and her work grounded in Internal Family Systems, Rachael gently guides listeners back toward a truth that often gets buried in chaos: your instincts, your values, and your inner voice matter more than anyone else’s.

Throughout the conversation, Rachael shares the lessons she learned when her entire life was reshaped—lessons about reclaiming self-trust, navigating faith in the midst of heartbreak, and reframing divorce not as failure but as one of the bravest acts of personal growth a person can choose. She tells powerful stories from her own marriage ending, including the moment in her lawyer’s office when she realized no outside authority could give her confidence. Only she could. Her quiet reassurance that divorce can be an act of love, sacrifice, and self-respect—especially for those raised in religious communities—is a lifeline for anyone drowning in guilt, fear, or confusion.

Listeners will walk away with both grounding and hope: permission to trust their own decision-making, clarity about how to navigate manipulation or grandiosity from an ex-partner, and the reminder that the court system can’t be your compass—you must be. Whether you’re considering divorce, in the thick of it, or rebuilding your life after, this episode offers emotional validation and practical insight. Expect to leave with at least one mindset shift—like the radical idea that the healthiest choice is the one that brings you peace—and one actionable takeaway for cultivating self-confidence during divorce recovery.

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