Work with your ex! You may think we are mad!

The words ‘divorce’ and ‘amicable’ are rarely used in the same sentence. But there are so many benefits to working with your ex, rather than against him, during your separation process.

No-one can explain this better than Anne-Marie Cade who is a single mum to three and an award-winning Lawyer, Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner, Nationally Accredited Mediator and founder of Divorce Right.

In this podcast we discuss her simple yet effective 4-step pathway. This includes the benefit of being amicable during the divorce process, now and in the future; the 4 steps that Anne-Marie suggests and what’s involved in each; the importance of a mediator and what results you can expect; why court is not the best option to resolve your separation issues; and how to get the process started right now for an amicable divorce.

Narc, narc, narc … every man seems to be a narcissist nowadays. It is a word used far too lightly.

But for those who have experienced a true narcissist, you will know that extricating yourself from the relationship can be one of the hardest things of all. You can feel broken, crazy and emotionally drained. But you can regain your power and your inner-strength as well as protecting your financial future, and most importantly, your children.

And nobody knows this better than Megan Holgate, who has not only experienced the destructiveness of being with and breaking up with a narcissist, but is now a Divorce and Narcissist Recovery Coach.

We discuss the true traits of a narcissist and how these traits affect your relationship; the first steps to recovery (understanding and acceptance) and how to reach them; dealing with difficult emotions; how to support your children who may also be experiencing control issues with your ex-partner; and finally tips to break the cycle and ensure you don’t attract another similar relationship.

L-O-V-E … Are you ready for it, but not sure how to go about finding it?

Getting back on the dating scene as a single mum can be exhausting and deflating. It can leave us questioning ourselves and wondering if we will ever find our perfect partner.

But it doesn’t have to be like that.

In this podcast I chat to the wonderful Elly Johnson from Truth Lies & Love about how to find your very own Mr Amazing.

In this enlightening chat we discuss the importance of accepting that you deserve nothing but the best in your next relationship; the most common obstacles standing in the way of you finding your Mr Amazing; how to diffuse your limiting belief that your Mr Amazing doesn’t exist; why you should put the same amount of effort into finding a partner, as you do with a job; and why lack of self-confidence can hinder your search and how to overcome it. We finish with Elly’s actionable tips that will guide you into the oncoming path of your very own Mr Amazing.

Save $$$ and make life so much easier by home-sharing with another single parent family.

There are so many advantages, but many women don’t know where to start to find the perfect family to share with.

That’s where the wonderful Wilhemina Ford comes in. Willo is the Founder of ShareAbode, which is an Australian first and a not for profit that connects single parents wanting to share the load of rental and living expenses. She makes matching easy and works daily to create harmonious home-sharing situations that will not only save you money, but will save you time, alleviate loneliness and create a live-in support system.

In this podcast we discuss the numerous ways you can save money by sharing a home; how to manage the financial aspects of home-sharing; the many other benefits, besides financial, of sharing a home; the important factors that make a home-share match work; and how you can start the process today to find yourself the perfect home-share family.

Breakup blues are the worst.

We’ve all had ‘that’ horrible breakup. You know the one which literally puts your life on standstill? Even the seemingly strongest of women can be floored by a lost love.

How you heal, learn and ultimately move-in is incredibly important. But, of course, that is easier than it sounds.

Here I chat to my official Beanstalk Relationship Advisor and Beyond Blue speaker, Leah Sheppherd from Honour Your Breakup about what’s happening within our bodies during this difficult time. For if you can understand WHY you feel the way you do, you have more control over the healing process.

In this fascinating podcast we discuss the ‘three stages of love’ and the affect they have on your brain; the changes within your body and how the chemicals in your body put you in ‘survival mode’ when the breakup happens; actions to speed up the healing of your heart; and why time is not necessarily a healer (but other things are). Finally, Leah shares her absolute top tips to stop hurting and start healing today.

Health insurance can easily (and understandably) be forgotten about during a separation. But it’s so important that you know the implications of your health insurance policy and the options available to you as a single parent.

In this podcast I chat with Bessie Hassan, Insurance and Money Expert at finder.com.au, to get all the answers you need to make an informed decision and, most importantly, to save money.

Just some of the things we discuss are why we need health insurance and when to get it; how Lifetime Cover Loading works; the implications of sticking to a family policy with your ex after separation (don’t do it!); different types of polices available for single parents; how to get different levels of cover for different family members; Bessie’s personal top tips to save money on your health insurance; a super helpful tip about how comparison websites work and how to use them to you advantage.

BIG mistake to think your separation is part of your divorce, because they are oh so very different.

To unravel the mystery, I chat to Belinda Etheridge from Divide – Simple Financial Separation.

This podcast is jam-packed with information, including understanding exactly what a divorce is; when and how to apply for a divorce; where to find free, excellent support with your divorce proceedings; understanding what a financial settlement is and when you can apply for one; where consent orders fit in and whether we really need them; and emotional and financial advice for a stress-free resolution with the right results for all involved.

Shhhhhh .. there’s no need to shout and argue with your baby-daddy .. well most the time anyway.

When it comes to life’s conundrums, I swear this is one of the biggest doozie’s of them all. You breakup with a guy because the relationship isn’t working, yet you have to communicate with him about the most important issue in your world .. your children.

No wonder it’s hard.

Which is why I chat to Shelby Timmins from Divorce Done Differently to get as many tips as possible to get through and MAKE IT WORK.

Listen to us chat about the importance of a healthy line of communication with the father of your children; the biggest problems between ex-couples communicating and how to avoid them; the advantages of effective communication during the separation process and in the future; the effect of body language and other non-verbal communication; and resources (including apps) that can help you communicate effectively with your ex.

Be prepared! The first year after a separation has got to be one of the most challenging in the life of a single mother. It is a time of huge change and highly-charged emotions. And it is almost impossible to prepare for.

However, there are some wonderful resources out there to help you along the way and I was lucky enough to have this chat with Sarah Whitechurch from My Divorce Coach.

To help you through this turbulent time we discuss clinical hypnosis and how it assists the divorce process (I had no idea!); where to find support and tools for the first year; where the court process fits in (and where it doesn’t); how to manage well-meaning friends and family; whether dating again is a good idea and how to know if you’re ready; Sarah’s key words of wisdom to take with you on the first year of your separation.

BEWARE the horrible breakup. Most woman have experienced one at some point. They can be soul destroying.

But this podcast is all about getting over it, getting back out there, and starting to date again.

And there is no better person to guide us through these tentative first steps than Leah Sheppard from Honour Your Breakup.

In this podcast Leah and I chat about the benefits of getting out there and dating again; how to know the right time to date again; the biggest mistakes you might make, and how to avoid them; how to prepare yourself if things go wrong; the ‘reptile brain’ what it is and how it guides us; and Leah’s beautiful words of encouragement to get us back into the dating arena.