Divorce ReDefined with Cindy Stibbard

One of our most essential needs as human beings is to love and be loved. Since we are wired for relationships from the moment we enter the world, one would think it would be easy to pick partners that suit us well. But the truth is, many people repeatedly pick the wrong partner and end up feeling unhappy (and perhaps utterly pained) in their relationship. For some, it's easy to walk away from a relationship when it's not right but for others, not so easy. Many people stay in relationships and are even aware of their unhappiness as they know deep down that their partner is not the right one. There are many reasons that motivate how we choose our partners and why we stay in dead end relationships—some of these reasons are conscious while others are unconscious. In order for us to understand what motivates our choices we have to be willing to work on ourselves and build awareness around our patterns. Today's guest is going to help shed light on some of the factors that may lead us into unhappy partnerships, and what keeps us in them. She is known on Instagram as @theconscioushealingmams. Dayna Ciarfalia is a Conscious Parenting Mentor & Content Creator on a mission to inspire mamas to heal their childhood wounds so they can create the joyful, connected relationships they desire with both partners and with their kids. Dayna has two kids ages 4 and 2, who were (and still remain) the catalysts & inspiration for her healing & growth journey.

You learned how to love as a result of the relationship between you and your primary caregivers, most likely your parents. Children attach in different ways to their caregivers, which creates your attachment style. In your family, you also learned how to communicate if you are a high expressive person you are more vocal and verbal if you are a low expressive person you keep things to yourself. The combination of your attachment style and your communication style is called your LOVE STYLE. This is the way you connect with romantic partners. Your love style will dictate what you need from a partner and how you express your needs.

The most significant predictor of how teens will do after a divorce depends on how well their parents get along. Researchers have found that conflict between divorced parents increases the risk of mental health problems in kids. Specifically, parental contention can lead to a child's fear of abandonment, which can lead to future mental health problems. Even when a divorce is amicable, it's natural for teens to grieve the loss of their family life. Expect to see your teen experience a wide variety of emotions, ranging from anger to sadness. Let them know that it's healthy to share those feelings, but make it clear that it's important to express them in a healthy manner. But for parents the big question is - HOW do I connect with my teenager?

From weeknight dinners and homework sessions to Christmas card photos and vacations, Nikki and Ben have created a tight-knit, enviable family.They work and play well together, from the smallest daily tasks to the biggest life events—and it only took a divorce to get them there.Though their marriage has been over for nearly a decade, they still share a happy life with each other and their son Asher, along with their spouses and children. Nikki and Ben had hoped their wedding would start their happily ever after—but seven years, one child, and countless financial and familial entanglements later, their I do-s had turned into We can't-s. Armed with their fierce love for their son and a desire to give him the best, they realized they needed to find an alternative to the seemingly inevitable toxic divorce that loomed over their lives. Refusing to participate in the standard litigious legal divorce process, they devised a new strategy and worked to confront their hurt feelings and fragile egos head-on. Committed to putting Asher's needs first in every decision, they helped each other heal and build a future. Their happily blended family today is a testament to their commitment to a few core principles and their incredible son—during the divorce and beyond. Throughout the book, Nikki and Ben elaborate on the difficulties of their divorce experience, their individual pains and triumphs, as well as their unique approach to relationships and blended families. Their story is sure to inspire others to pursue something few believe possible...a happy divorce.

Dating After Divorce can be quite the feat! Daniel Herrold is a Divorced Dad of 3 daughters living in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is one of the Co-Founders of Divorced Over Forty ("DO40"), a national group that provides support & community to divorced men & women across the United States who are ages 40+. The DO40 community has enabled Daniel to pursue his passion for writing, where he writes on several topics including his own personal divorce journey, dating over 40, and being a dad to three daughters. This led him to create the Intentional Dating Club, an online dating community created that provides techniques & tips on how to create a safer and more positive dating experience. The club has grown to nearly 150 members since its launch in January. Daniel is also the hosts of 2 podcasts, is on the Board of Directors for an advocacy group to fight romance scamming and is currently advising several new & emerging dating apps. You can find Daniel most prominently on Instagram at @daniel.herrold or on TikTok at @danielherrold.

Becoming a stepparent is a gift but is not always easy. It is important to view the challenges of being a stepparent honestly so that you can prepare yourself for the emotional work that it will take to make a happy blended family. With each challenge of being a stepparent, there is a way to overcome it - but you have to do the work. Some challenges take longer than others to move past, but eventually, you will look back on the early years of stepparent life and see growth. Jamie Scrimgeour is a mom of one and a stepmom of three with kids ranging in age from 7-19. Jamie creates digital content about all things parenting, step-parenting, entrepreneurship and living a KICK-ASS Life. Jamie's material is raw, real and relatable while always leaving her followers inspired. As a Life Coach with a specialization in Stepfamily Dynamics, Jamie is also the creator of the highly acclaimed digital membership platform for Stepmoms, The Exclusive Stepmom Community and the host of a top charting podcast, The KICK-ASS Stepmom Podcast. With candidness and humor, Jamie uses her personal and professional experience to support woman in living their best life.

Jennifer is known for her no-nonsense approach to all things relationships and is proud to say she's made quite the career out of pretty disastrous circumstances...her own divorce. She's a Relationship Expert, Dating Coach, best- selling author, and host of the award-winning Doing Relationships Right Podcast. Divorced since 2014, Jennifer lives in Charlotte with her two awesome, college-bound sons. Through her books and weekly podcast, Jennifer helps people understand what a happy relationship can look like and how to dip their toes back into the dating world post-divorce. Jen has been featured on OprahMagazine.com where her book, Woulda.Coulda.Shoulda: A Divorce Coach's Guide to Staying Married was chosen as one of the BEST books to read with your partner for a healthy relationship! Find Jennifer speaking all over the country and look for her name in publications like, Forbes, Scary Mommy & BluntMoms AND on THIS podcast, with ME!

Need Help In Your Custody Case? Anthony's online training program, How To Master Your Custody Case To Get What You Want Without Going Crazy Or Broke, is sure to help the parent or grandparent going through even the most complicated custody battle. In his training, Anthony uncovers the following three secrets: *Secret 1: How To Use The Rules Of Evidence To Prepare For Your Case With Or Without A Lawyer! *Secret 2: How To Present Evidence In Court Even If You've Never Done It Before! *Secret 3: How To Communicate In And Out Of The Courtroom Even In High Conflict Cases!

Tessa Spence was 13-years-old when her parents announced their divorce. Although initially very difficult for her and taking years to speak to her father again, she now looks back and sees the many opportunities her parent's divorce gave her to intentionally build a life that she loves. Because of her personal experience and the understanding that so many teens out there are struggling to navigate their own difficult family transition, Tessa is on a mission to change the experience by helping ALL teens thrive through their parent's divorce! Tessa has led and built a team of professional therapists and certified educators to develop the Teens Thriving Through Program. It helps teens avoid becoming a statistic and leverage the adversity of their parent's divorce by using it as a catalyst to greater growth, potential, and happiness.

Of all the major financial decisions you'll need to make in a divorce, few will involve larger amounts of money than the decision of what to do with the house. Few will also have a greater impact on the next chapter of your life. Some couples simply choose to sell, split the proceeds evenly and go their separate ways. Others choose to defer the sale of the home until a later date, especially if kids are involved. But for many divorcing couples, one spouse is inclined to keep the family home and own it outright on their own. The reason, again, could be that children are living at home and there is the goal of minimizing disruption by letting them reside there. Alternatively, if you don't have kids, perhaps you love your house so much you don't want to let it go. Or maybe the choice is being made out of pride and ego. Whatever the reason, it's well within your right to pursue sole ownership (after all, the house is partially yours). So you've decided you want it, but how do you get it?