In this Simple Tips to Support Yourself episode of A Fresh Story, host Olivia Howell is joined by therapist and author Oona Metz to offer clear, practical guidance on one of the most difficult parts of divorce: talking to your kids when your co-parent refuses, avoids the conversation, or isn’t emotionally available. With nearly 30 years of clinical experience and more than 15 years leading divorce support groups for women, Oona brings calm, child-centered expertise to a moment that often feels overwhelming for parents.

Oona breaks down actionable co-parenting strategies for navigating this conversation solo, including how to explain divorce in age-appropriate language, how much information is enough, and how to answer hard questions without blaming or oversharing. She explains why children don’t need perfect wording—they need emotional consistency, honesty, and reassurance—and how one regulated parent can create stability even in high-conflict or uncooperative co-parenting situations. These divorce recovery tips are especially helpful for single parents carrying the emotional labor of the transition.

The episode also draws from Oona’s book, Unhitched: The Essential Divorce Guide for Women, which focuses on the emotional realities of divorce rather than legal logistics. Listeners will leave with increased emotional resilience, practical scripts, and a key mindset shift: you don’t need agreement from your ex to protect your children’s emotional wellbeing. Presence, clarity, and care are enough.