Divorce Happens

In this Divorce 101 A to Z episode of Divorce Happens, Olivia Howell explains your best interest standard, the legal principle courts use when making custody and parenting decisions in divorce cases. Brought to you by the letter Y and the number 3, this episode breaks down the three core areas judges evaluate: a child’s needs, safety, and stability.

Listeners learn what the best interest standard means, what it does not mean, and how aligning decisions with a child’s wellbeing supports stronger outcomes in custody and parenting plans. Olivia also offers a grounding reflection to help parents identify the three most important needs their child has right now.

This episode is ideal for divorcing parents, co-parents, family law professionals, and anyone supporting children through divorce.

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In this Divorce 101 A to Z episode of Divorce Happens, Olivia Howell explains the meaning of ex parte, a critical legal concept used in emergency or safety-related situations during divorce or custody cases. Brought to you by the letter X and the number 1, this episode explores how ex parte requests work, why they are used when immediate protection is required, and what happens after an ex parte order is granted.

Listeners learn the difference between temporary and long-term orders, the types of situations where ex parte actions are appropriate, and the emotional experience of navigating an emergency legal process. Olivia also shares a grounding reflection to help listeners identify one safety-related question they may need clarity on.

This episode is ideal for anyone navigating domestic violence, emergency custody concerns, or sudden financial risks — as well as anyone who wants to understand how courts handle urgent matters in divorce.

🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:

The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/

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🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/

📬 Magazine: https://divorceguidemagazine.com/

In this Divorce 101 A to Z episode of Divorce Happens, Olivia Howell explores the emotional side of divorce that most people never talk about: the withdrawal of emotion. Brought to you by the letter W and the number 2, this episode explains why most divorces have two endings — the emotional ending and the legal ending — and how those timelines often unfold at different speeds for each partner.

Listeners learn the subtle signs of emotional withdrawal, why it happens, and how this internal shift impacts the divorce process. Olivia also offers a grounding exercise to help listeners identify the two emotional truths they’re holding right now, creating space for clarity and self-compassion.

This episode is ideal for anyone experiencing emotional disconnection in their marriage, preparing for divorce, or trying to understand a partner who appears distant or “already done.”

🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:

The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry

🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/

📬 Magazine: https://divorceguidemagazine.com/

In this Divorce 101 A to Z episode of Divorce Happens, Olivia Howell explains the meaning of visitation — a traditional legal term that describes when and how a child spends time with each parent after separation or divorce. Brought to you by the letter V and the number 7, this episode highlights why most parenting schedules center around a seven-day structure and explores the most common visitation arrangements, including 2-2-5-5, 3-4-4-3, alternating weekends, supervised visitation, and long-distance parenting plans.

Listeners learn the emotional impact of visitation for both parents and children and receive a grounding action step to help them identify the weekly routines that matter most to their child’s wellbeing. Olivia also reframes visitation in modern, child-centered language, emphasizing that the number of overnights does not define a parent’s worth.

This episode is ideal for anyone building a parenting plan, navigating co-parenting, or trying to understand family law terminology.

🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:

The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry

🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/

📬 Magazine: https://divorceguidemagazine.com/

In today’s Divorce 101 A to Z episode of Divorce Happens, Olivia Howell breaks down one of the most essential pillars of divorce education: understanding your rights. Brought to you by the letter U and the number 5, this episode outlines the five fundamental rights every person should know when entering the divorce process, including the right to safety, financial transparency, marital assets, parenting involvement, and professional support.

Listeners learn why understanding their rights protects them from pressure, misinformation, or fear-based decision-making — and how clarity creates stability during an emotionally turbulent time. Olivia also offers a grounding reflection to help listeners identify the five questions they need answered to feel more confident.

This episode is ideal for anyone preparing for divorce, considering divorce, or supporting someone through the process.

🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:

The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry

🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/

📬 Magazine: https://divorceguidemagazine.com/

In today’s Divorce 101 A to Z episode of Divorce Happens, Olivia Howell breaks down the concept of a divorce timeline — one of the most grounding and helpful tools in the divorce process. Brought to you by the letter T and the number 6, this episode walks listeners through the six common stages of divorce: consideration, preparation, filing, negotiation, resolution, and implementation.

Listeners learn why timelines matter, how they reduce overwhelm, and how emotional timelines often unfold differently from legal ones. Olivia also provides a simple reflection exercise to help listeners identify the six steps they anticipate in their own journey.

This episode is ideal for anyone beginning the divorce process, planning ahead, or needing clarity about what comes next.

🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:

The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry

🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/

📬 Magazine: https://divorceguidemagazine.com/

In this Divorce 101 A to Z episode of Divorce Happens, Olivia Howell breaks down what a divorce settlement is and why it is the foundation of every finalized divorce. Brought to you by the letter S and the number 4, this episode walks listeners through the four key components of a settlement: parenting arrangements, support obligations, asset division, and debt division.

Listeners learn how settlements are created, why most divorces end in settlement rather than trial, and how settlement acts as both a legal roadmap and an emotional milestone. Olivia also discusses the emotional experience of reaching settlement and offers a grounding action step to help listeners identify their core priorities.

This episode is ideal for anyone negotiating their divorce, preparing for mediation, or trying to understand what a settlement actually includes.

🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:

The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry

🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/

📬 Magazine: https://divorceguidemagazine.com/

In today’s Divorce 101 A to Z episode of Divorce Happens, Olivia Howell breaks down one of the most important concepts in any divorce: resolution. Brought to you by the letter R and the number 3, this episode explains the three primary paths to resolution — agreement, mediation, and litigation — and helps listeners understand how their divorce might reach its final outcome.

Listeners learn what resolution actually includes, from parenting plans to financial agreements, and why reaching resolution is as much an emotional milestone as a legal one. Olivia also offers a grounding reflection to help listeners identify the three outcomes they most want from their divorce process.

This episode is ideal for anyone in the middle of divorce, preparing for negotiations, or trying to understand the roadmap to a finalized divorce.

🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:

The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry

🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/

📬 Magazine: https://divorceguidemagazine.com/

In this Divorce 101 A to Z episode of Divorce Happens, Olivia Howell explains what a QDRO (Qualified Domestic Relations Order) is and why it’s essential for dividing certain retirement accounts during divorce. Brought to you by the letter Q and the number 1, this episode highlights the one category of assets that require a QDRO — qualified employer-sponsored retirement plans.

Listeners learn how QDROs work, which accounts require them, common mistakes people make, and why these documents are crucial for protecting financial security and avoiding tax penalties. Olivia also explores the emotional side of dividing retirement funds and offers a grounding action step to help listeners begin the process with clarity.

This episode is ideal for anyone dividing retirement assets, preparing for mediation, or navigating financial decisions in divorce.

🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:

The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry

🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/

📬 Magazine: https://divorceguidemagazine.com/

Nobody walks into their marriage imagining they’ll one day be parsing text messages from a couch, wondering why their ex won’t respond, trying to figure out how to get through a conversation without it escalating into the same exhausting fight they’ve had a hundred times before. But here you are. And if you’ve ever told yourself “I don’t want this to be a high-conflict divorce” while feeling completely helpless to stop it from becoming one, this episode of Divorce Happens was made for you. Host Olivia Howell sits down with Tamar Barbash, a DCA certified ADR divorce coach and founder of NB Divorce Coaching, for an honest, grounded, and genuinely practical conversation about what it actually takes to reduce conflict in divorce — and why the answer is almost always closer than we think.

Tamar’s approach to divorce coaching centers on a truth that is both simple and surprisingly hard to sit with: the only behavior we can change in a divorce is our own. She shares a story about a client who was frustrated that her ex wasn’t responding to her texts about an upcoming weekend schedule change. What looked like stonewalling, Tamar gently helped her see, was actually a bid for control from someone who had watched his entire life be reorganized without his input. The fix wasn’t to send better texts. It was to shift the question from “here’s what I need” to “what do you need from me to make this work?” — a small pivot with an enormous downstream effect. This is the kind of insight Tamar brings to every client conversation: not a judgment about who is right, but a clear-eyed examination of what is actually working and what small shift might change everything. She also speaks candidly about nervous system regulation — the underrated skill of knowing when you are too activated to respond well, and giving yourself permission to wait until you’re not.

What makes this episode stand out is how much hope it holds without being naive about how hard any of this is. Tamar doesn’t promise easy. She talks about the moments when you genuinely have to hold your nose and take the high road with someone who, frankly, doesn’t deserve your generosity — and she reframes why doing it anyway is actually in your own interest. For anyone in the middle of a contentious divorce, the takeaway is quietly revolutionary: the goal isn’t to win. It’s to get to the other side with your values intact, your co-parenting relationship functional, and your energy preserved for the life you’re building.

🔗 Check out Fresh Starts Registry:

The first & only divorce registry + support platform ➡ https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshstartsregistry/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreshStartsRegistry

🎙 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/divorcehappenspod/

📬 Magazine: https://divorceguidemagazine.com/