This is the story of a woman who spent years shrinking into boxes that weren't built for her — and turned the ending of nearly everything into the beginning of a life that's finally hers.

In this episode:

• The unbelievable synchronicity of endings — finalizing her divorce, selling her business, and parting with her longtime nanny all in a single day — and the beautiful new beginning it opened up on the other side
• The "Jumanji drum" that kept getting louder inside her — and the reckoning it forced with how disconnected she'd become from her own body and inner knowing
• Ashley's devastating miscarriage — and why the strongest people are often the ones who most need someone to grab them by the shoulders and say "bitch, you ain't okay right now"
• How a 4-day retreat in Tulum — breathwork, gateless writing, sound healing — cracked her open and became the blueprint for the work she now does with her coaching clients
• Why she got sober 6 months before saying the word "divorce" out loud — and what staying fully awake through the hardest conversations of her life made possible
• The North Star that steadied every hard decision: family stays family — rewriting the template of her own parents' divorce for her kids

About Ashley Logan:

Ashley Logan is a transformational coach and somatic guide based in Chicago. She works with women through coaching, retreats, and workshops to move beyond burnout and live with more authenticity, purpose, and joy — blending practical tools with a grounded, bottom-up approach that helps clients reconnect with the most aligned versions of themselves. A self-described "people-pleaser and entrepreneur in recovery," Ashley is committed to making the world a little more loving for everyone. She's also a loving mother of three.

Learn more: ashleydlogan.com

Follow Ashley on Instagram: @ashleydlogan

Subscribe to Ashley's Substack: https://ashleydlogan.substack.com/

About “Inner Alchemy with Ashley Logan”:

Ashley is also the host of Inner Alchemy with Ashley Logan, a podcast for the dreamers, doers, and changemakers navigating burnout, big questions, and the pull to come back to what truly matters. Inner Alchemy covers everything from nervous system regulation and somatic healing, to practical, embodied tools that help women reconnect with their bodies, intuition and sense of worth.

Listen to Inner Alchemy with Ashley Logan wherever you listen to podcasts.

Listen to Allison's guest episode on Inner Alchemy on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

Episode-Specific Notes:

Content note: This episode includes discussion of pregnancy loss and miscarriage. Please take care while listening.

About "The D. Tales with Allison Kahler":

The D. Tales blends real divorce stories with grounded expert insight — helping you find clarity and courage to move forward on your own terms.

Follow The D. Tales wherever you listen to podcasts.

Follow along on Instagram: @thedtalespodcast

Learn more at https://thedtalespodcast.com

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal, medical, mental health, or financial advice.

This is a story about a self-described "recovering nice guy" who spent decades outsourcing his self-worth — and how he learned that healing isn't feeling better, it's feeling everything.

In this episode:

• How the sensitive kid underneath armored up behind toxic masculinity — and why that armor "doesn't discriminate" between what it keeps out and what it keeps in
• How a first separation, a cancer diagnosis, and a decade of "should I stay or should I go?" surfaced a quieter, harder question — "maybe I’m the problem?"
• How a transformative experience at The Hoffman Process taught Billy that "forgiveness is giving up all hope for a better past"
• How Jack Kornfield's challenge to "die of boredom on the meditation mat" taught Billy he could sit with anxiety — and survive it
• What months on the living room floor processing delayed grief taught Billy about inviting grief to "come have a seat" instead of running from it
• Why healing isn't about feeling better — it's about feeling everything, and why finally trusting "I can handle it" changed everything

About Billy Kaitz:

Billy is a recovering perfectionist and lifelong overthinker who spent years trying to be everything for everyone — while quietly leaving himself out of the equation. He built the life he thought would finally make him feel whole, only to discover that nothing was missing except his connection to himself. What followed was a messy, humbling journey through loss, therapy, and real human connection — learning that the most meaningful parts of life often sit behind the doors we spend years avoiding. Today, Billy is still doing that work in real time, choosing honesty over performance, and showing up as a devoted girl dad grounded in something far more real than perfection.

Follow Billy on Instagram: @billkaitz

Connect with Billy on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/billkaitz

Find Billy on Facebook: facebook.com/bill.kaitz

Resources mentioned:

• The Hoffman Process
• Kristin Neff's Self-Compassion
• AEDP Therapy (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy)

About "The D. Tales with Allison Kahler":

The D. Tales blends real divorce stories with grounded expert insight — helping you find clarity and courage to move forward on your own terms.

Follow The D. Tales wherever you listen to podcasts.

Follow along on Instagram: @thedtalespodcast

Learn more at https://thedtalespodcast.com

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal, medical, mental health, or financial advice.

Today's conversation with CFP® and CDFA® Bridget Borel unpacks what divorce money fears are really about — and why it's not "how much?" but "will I be okay?"

In this episode:

• Why a financial professional experienced helplessness and shame around the money side of her own divorce — compounded by losing her mother at the same time
• "Money isn't math, and math isn't money" — how this reframe changes everything about the financial side of divorce
• Accumulation vs. decumulation — why dividing a financial life you built together is fundamentally different from building it, especially in gray divorce
• "Show me your calendar and your checkbook, and I'll tell you what you value" — how money quietly reveals what matters most
• Divorce as one of the single biggest financial transactions of your life — yes, it will be terrible, yes, it will take longer than you want, and no, it won't last forever

About Bridget Borel:

Bridget Borel is a Certified Financial Planner® professional and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® and the founder of Clairwell Financial Planning, a practice focused on gray divorcées. In addition to her technical expertise, she brings her own lived experience of divorce when serving her clients — her mission is to be the advisor she wishes she'd had when she went through her own. Bridget lives in Annapolis, Maryland, and is a lover of live music, good food, and the Chesapeake Bay.

Learn more about Clairwell Financial Planning: https://clairwellfp.com/

Subscribe to Clairwell Conversations on Substack: https://substack.com/@clairwellconversations

Follow Clairwell on Instagram: @clairwellfp

Connect with Bridget on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridget-borel-44177240/

Episode-Specific Notes:

This conversation offers general perspective on divorce-related financial planning and is not personalized financial, legal, or tax advice. Please consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Resources mentioned: For more on the "gray divorce" phenomenon, listen to The Oprah Podcast episode featuring Dr. Susan L. Brown, the sociologist who helped coin the term: Gray Divorce (after 50) & Adult Children: The Fallout for the Family

About "The D. Tales with Allison Kahler":

The D. Tales blends real divorce stories with grounded expert insight — helping you find clarity and courage to move forward on your own terms.

Follow The D. Tales wherever you listen to podcasts.

Follow along on Instagram: @thedtalespodcast

Learn more at https://thedtalespodcast.com

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal, medical, mental health, or financial advice.

Today's conversation with licensed marriage and family therapist Shelly Stover reframes what "success" looks like in couples therapy — and explores how grief, attachment styles, and agency shape the path forward, whether that's choosing each other or choosing yourself.

In this episode:

• Why attachment is a strategy, not a label — and how the same person can show up differently in different relationships
• How childhood wounds and unmet needs show up in adult relationships, often in ways we don't recognize
• What couples therapy actually looks like when it's working — the small physical and emotional shifts that signal real change
• Why couples therapy can be "working" even when it ends in a breakup — and the freedom in a conscious, deliberate divorce
• How grief after divorce is fundamentally different from grief after death, and why it requires its own kind of healing
• We all deserve to be chosen — and sometimes that means choosing ourselves

About Shelly Stover:

Shelly is a licensed marriage and family therapist in Los Angeles who specializes in women's issues and relational trauma. She works with couples and individuals navigating major life transitions — helping them find a safe space to explore the grief, anxiety, identity shifts, and relational conflict that often surface during periods of change. Her approach is holistic, incorporating mindful and somatic exercises that teach clients how to listen to their bodies and learn to trust themselves. More than anything, she's a proud mother of two daughters.

Learn more: https://www.shellystover.com/

Find Shelly on Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/shelly-stover-studio-city-ca/1246644

Connect on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/shelly-stover-lmft-a04938236

About "The D. Tales with Allison Kahler":

The D. Tales blends real divorce stories with grounded expert insight — helping you find clarity and courage to move forward on your own terms.

Follow The D. Tales wherever you listen to podcasts.

Follow along on Instagram: @thedtalespodcast

Learn more at https://thedtalespodcast.com

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal, medical, or mental health advice.

This is the first episode of what I'm calling "Dear Diary" — where I go back to my journals and share what I actually wrote during the hardest parts of my divorce. In this one, I revisit the contemplation years — and what I found is that I knew what I needed to do. I just didn't trust myself enough to do it.

In this episode:

• The journal entries from early 2017 that reveal what I already knew — and couldn't yet act on
• What the contemplation phase actually looked like — the endless loop of therapy, journaling, and searching for an answer I already had
• Why I read a book with 36 diagnostic questions about my marriage and still landed on "I don't know"
• The fear underneath it all — that trusting myself and being wrong would be worse than staying stuck
• Why indecision wasn't a lack of choosing — it was a choice in and of itself
• What Bozoma Saint John taught me about intuition — and the question I'd ask anyone in the contemplation phase right now

About "The D. Tales with Allison Kahler":

The D. Tales blends real divorce stories with grounded expert insight — helping you find clarity and courage to move forward on your own terms.

Follow The D. Tales wherever you listen to podcasts.

Follow along on Instagram: @thedtalespodcast

Learn more at https://thedtalespodcast.com

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal, medical, or mental health advice.

Today's conversation with divorce attorney and mediator Mardi Chadwick-Balcom reframes divorce through the lens of the nervous system — and explores how staying regulated can change not just your experience, but also the outcomes you walk away with.

In this episode:

1. Mardi's early work in domestic violence law — and what it taught her about conflict, power, and the realities of family court
2. Her own divorce at 35 and the empathy it brought to her work with clients navigating high-conflict cases
3. Why even "winning" in divorce rarely feels like justice — because in the end, you're still breaking something in half
4. What it actually means to regulate your nervous system in the middle of divorce — including specific tools to experiment with to find what works for you
5. How lawyers and clients can co-regulate — and how tuning forks in court have led to calmer rooms and better outcomes

About Mardi Chadwick-Balcom:

Mardi is a divorce mediator, former litigation attorney, and nervous-system–informed coach with more than 25 years of experience in family law. After decades in traditional litigation, she shifted her practice toward integrative divorce mediation — blending legal strategy with neuroscience, somatic regulation, and emotional intelligence to help couples reach thoughtful, durable agreements. She is also the founder of Anchor + Rise Yoga and Coaching, where she teaches somatic yoga and breathwork to support people navigating major life transitions. Mardi lives in coastal Massachusetts.

Learn more about Integrative Divorce Mediation: www.integrativedivorcemediation.com

Try Mardi's Chakra Tapping: https://youtu.be/s2HK-nNhAEg

Download additional free resources: https://www.integrativedivorcemediation.com/store/free-resource

Follow her on Threads and Instagram: @integrativedivorcemediation

Follow her on Facebook and LinkedIn: Mardi Chadwick-Balcom

Stay tuned for Mardi's upcoming podcast, "The Regulated Lawyer"

If you or someone you know may be experiencing domestic abuse:

You are not alone. Confidential support is available.

1. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline (U.S.): 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
2. Text START to 88788
3. Visit thehotline.org for live chat and local resources

If you are outside the U.S., search for domestic violence support services in your country or region.

If you are in immediate danger, call your local emergency number.

About "The D. Tales with Allison Kahler":

The D. Tales blends real divorce stories with grounded expert insight — helping you find clarity and courage to move forward on your own terms.

Follow The D. Tales wherever you listen to podcasts.

Follow along on Instagram: @thedtalespodcast

Learn more at https://thedtalespodcast.com

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal, medical, or mental health advice.

Today’s conversation with men’s coach Luke Entrup explores how divorce can become the catalyst for radical self-examination and personal transformation — and the role “conscious bachelorhood” can play in men’s healing and growth.

In this episode:

1. How a structured discernment process helped Luke and his then-wife identify their unmet needs — and determine whether they were truly capable of meeting each other’s needs
2. Why Luke describes his divorce as one of the most catalytic periods of his life — and how he now supports other men through similar periods of transformation
3. How cleanses, erotic experiences, and “conscious bachelorhood” can help men heal from divorce and prepare for something deeper, more stable, and more committed in the future
4. How masculinity, femininity, and gender dynamics can shape the way we experience divorce
5. How the role of marriage may be evolving — from safety and security toward growth and transformation

About Luke Entrup:

Luke Entrup is an Austin-based coach who helps men navigate relationship challenges and divorce — and the ensuing questions around identity, purpose, and broader life transformation. He works with founders, executives, and creative leaders through the consulting firm Evolution, where he focuses on leadership development, culture alignment, and high-performing teams. He has also co-founded several leadership and sustainability initiatives, including the Father-Son Connection Experience, a rite of passage for boys and their fathers.

Learn more about one-on-one coaching: https://www.lukeentrup.com/

Follow him on Instagram and TikTok: @lukeentrup

Register for The Father-Son Connection Experience: https://www.fathersonconnection.com/

About "The D. Tales with Allison Kahler":

The D. Tales blends real divorce stories with grounded expert insight — helping you find clarity and courage to move forward on your own terms.

Follow The D. Tales wherever you listen to podcasts.

Follow along on Instagram: @thedtalespodcast

Learn more at https://thedtalespodcast.com

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal, medical, or mental health advice.

This is a story about outgrowing a love that shaped you — and realizing that love alone isn’t always enough to sustain a marriage.

In this episode:

1. Meeting at age 10, marrying at 27, and divorcing at 28 — growing up inside one love story
2. The quiet voice that said something wasn’t right — even when nothing was “wrong”
3. Cultural expectations, faith, and the martyr mindset that made leaving feel selfish
4. The realization that love is powerful — but not always enough for a lasting partnership
5. Why she didn’t need a dramatic betrayal or a final “nail in the coffin” to walk away
6. Stepping into Elena 3.0 — choosing self-trust, clarity, and a fuller version of herself

About Elena Mnayarji:

Elena resides in Oakland, CA where she is completing her MBA program at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. Previously, she worked in healthcare consulting and business development at Calm, where she focused on making workplace wellbeing an active conversation. Elena is a registered yoga teacher and passionate about somatic work, cognitive frameworks, emotional intelligence, and understanding why smart people get stuck.

Follow her on Instagram and TikTok: @lenamnayarji

Read her Substack: https://cominghometoyourself.substack.com/

About “The D. Tales with Allison Kahler”:

The D. Tales blends real divorce stories with grounded expert insight — helping you find clarity and courage to move forward on your own terms.

Follow The D. Tales wherever you listen to podcasts.

Follow along on Instagram: @thedtalespodcast

Learn more at https://thedtalespodcast.com

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal, medical, or mental health advice.

Today’s conversation with family law attorney and author Bree Sullivan-Howell explores what it takes to protect your future in divorce — without losing your peace or your faith in the process.

In this episode:

1. The costly mistakes people make when they sign divorce papers too quickly — and why some decisions can’t be undone
2. What it really means to “protect your future” in divorce
3. Why giving away your bottom line in negotiation weakens your leverage
4. How “legal abuse” shows up — and how to recognize it
5. The truth about alimony, trials, and what actually happens in court
6. Why representing yourself can cost more than you think
7. Debunking the idea that “God hates divorce”
8. How faith can deepen — not disappear — during one of life’s hardest seasons

About Bree Sullivan-Howell:

Bree is a family law attorney and author with more than 20 years of experience representing clients in divorce and custody matters. She is the founder of The Sullivan Firm and is known for blending strategic legal guidance with faith-informed perspective and practical wisdom. In addition to her courtroom and mediation work, Bree is the author of several books, including Crush Your Divorce & Keep Your Faith, where she explores how legal clarity and spiritual resilience can coexist during life’s most difficult transitions.

Follow her on Instagram: @lawyerbree and @crushyourdivorce

Buy Bree’s books: https://crushyourdivorce.com/

Learn more about The Sullivan Firm: https://www.sullivan-firm.com/

About “The D. Tales with Allison Kahler”:

The D. Tales blends real divorce stories with grounded expert insight — helping you find clarity and courage to move forward on your own terms.

Follow The D. Tales wherever you listen to podcasts.

Follow along on Instagram: @thedtalespodcast

Learn more at https://thedtalespodcast.com

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal, medical, or mental health advice.

This is a story about what happens when an outcomes-driven approach to love falls apart — and what emerges when you stop trying to “make it happen” and finally “let it happen” instead.

In this episode:

1. Andrea’s initial shame of being divorced twice before 40 — and the power of owning her narrative instead
2. The disconnect between the suburban fantasy she once imagined and the more authentic, “blissfully happy” life she’s living now
3. What she learned during her time as a divorce coach — and the healing that happened alongside her clients
4. The evolving relationship she’s had with motherhood, expectations, and identity
5. The shift from trying to “make it happen” to learning to “let it happen” — in love and in life

About Andrea Javor:

Andrea is a marketing executive and freelance writer based in Chicago. Her work has appeared in publications including Vogue, The Guardian, The Washington Post, HuffPost, and The Today Show, and she is currently working on her memoir. Across both her corporate leadership and her writing, Andrea is drawn to uncovering emotional truths, spotting patterns, and making meaning from the contradictions of being human.

Read Andrea’s work: https://www.andreajavor.com/my-work

Follow her on Instagram and Threads: @andreaejavor

About “The D. Tales with Allison Kahler”:

The D. Tales blends real divorce stories with grounded expert insight — helping you find clarity and courage to move forward on your own terms.

Follow The D. Tales wherever you listen to podcasts.

Follow along on Instagram: @thedtalespodcast

Learn more at https://thedtalespodcast.com

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal, medical, or mental health advice.