The Divorce Podcast

In this episode, Kate was joined by Professor Lisa Doodson to discuss stepfamilies following on from separation and divorce.

About the episode:

Kate and Lisa began by exploring what a ‘step or ‘blended family' is, as well as some typical challenges faced. Lisa talked about her own experience of being a stepmum and shared her tips on introducing biological children to stepchildren, as well as the importance of listening to your children and taking time when doing this. They discussed the notion of drawing boundaries and ways of coping with certain obstacles such as an uncooperative ex.  Lisa shared her tips about choosing your battles, not falling into the good-cop, bad cop cycle, setting realistic expectations and what to expect from children of different ages and genders.

Please note: this episode was recorded before the introduction of no-fault divorce in England and Wales, and may mention the previous legal system. For accurate information on the legal process of divorce, please visit amicable.co.uk

About our guests:

Lisa is a chartered psychologist and founder of HappySteps, a consultancy providing training and advice to both professionals and stepfamilies directly.  As an expert in the field, Lisa frequently contributes to TV documentaries and comments in the press.  The most recent being the BBC documentary following Rio and Kate Ferdinand on their journey to become a stepfamily.

As part of her PhD she conducted an extensive study on stepfamily wellbeing and has published several books on the topic including ‘How to be a Happy Stepmum’ and ‘Understanding Stepfamilies: A practical guide for professionals working with blended families’.  Lisa has also developed a range of evidence-based materials, including workshops and courses that she delivers to stepfamilies and family professionals. All services, research and educational materials are managed through her website.

More resources:

Get in touch with amicable for information on the legal, financial and children aspects of separation. Book a free 15-minute consultation with an amicable expert through the amicable website.

Try the amicable co-parenting app free for three months. Share calendars, track expenses and communicate clearly.
iPhone: Redeem your three months free via this link
Android: Download the app and create an account. At the paywall, choose your payment method, select 'Redeem code' and enter DIVORCEPODCAST.

#Coparenting

In this episode, Kate was joined by Clare Reilly from PensionBee and Anna Dunne from amicable to discuss pensions on divorce.

About the episode:

In the episode, Kate, Clare and Anna discuss the various types of pensions available to individuals and the key differences between them. They explored the typical issues that might arise during divorce in terms of pensions and the ways in which they can be dealt with as part of a divorce financial settlement, such as off-setting, sharing, and less commonly -  through pension attachment orders. They reviewed how overseas pensions offer further complexity when it comes to divorce proceedings as these can be difficult to value and split. They also discussed the decisions individuals need to make when dealing with a pension award in their divorce and the fees which are involved in this.

Please note: this episode was recorded before the introduction of no-fault divorce in England and Wales, and may mention the previous legal system. For accurate information on the legal process of divorce, please visit amicable.co.uk

About our guests:

Clare is Chief Engagement Officer at PensionBee, a leading online pension provider. PensionBee's mission is to make pensions simple so that everyone can look forward to a happy retirement. It helps consumers combine, contribute and withdraw from their pension, all in one place. Clare focuses on helping PensionBee transform the pensions industry to better serve consumers, such as the UK’s first Open Banking - pension integrations and launching one of the UK's first mainstream fossil-fuel-free pensions. 

Anna has worked in family law for over 16 years, 11 of which as a family law solicitor. She has a thorough knowledge of dealing with finances upon divorce and separation and oversees the drafting of consent orders at amicable.

More resources:

Get in touch with amicable for information on the legal, financial and children aspects of separation. Book a free 15-minute consultation with an amicable expert through the amicable website.

#TheLegalBit

In this episode, Kate was joined by Helen Thorn, a comedian, author and co-host of the podcast –  The Scummy Mummies.

About the episode:

Kate and Helen discuss the break-up of her marriage during the first lockdown, and what she felt the hardest part about getting divorced was. Helen explained, why it was so important for her to have her husband’s adultery noted in her divorce petition and her view on the approaching change in the law to a no-fault system. Kate explored how Helen manages to make her co-parenting relationship work when it’s clear there is a sense of betrayal, and trust between her and her ex has been clearly damaged. Helen also shared her dating anecdotes and how talking about her divorce helps her navigate the road ahead.

Please note: this episode was recorded before the introduction of no-fault divorce in England and Wales, and may mention the previous legal system. For accurate information on the legal process of divorce, please visit amicable.co.uk

About our guests:

Helen is widely known for her honest and hilarious take on parenthood, being single in her 40s and body positivity. She is co-host of one of the most popular parenting podcasts in the UK – The Scummy Mummies.

Get Divorced, Be Happy is a Sunday Times Bestselling book and follows the first year of Helen’s single life after her relationship of 22 years ends abruptly just before the March 2020 lockdown. Helen shares her roller coaster journey; from the initial shock of separation, the messy months hanging out in her PJs through to the highs of rediscovering sex, rock-solid female friendship and the glorious joy of just being alone.

More resources:

Get in touch with amicable for information on the legal, financial and children aspects of separation. Book a free 15-minute consultation with an amicable expert through the amicable website.

#SeparationStories

In this episode, Kate was joined by Toby Hazlewood to discuss co-parenting and nesting arrangements post-separation and divorce.

About the episode:

Kate and Toby discussed his marriage and separation,  how his parenting- arrangement evolved over time, with him and his wife having experimented with multiple co-parenting patterns before landing on ‘bird nesting’. They discussed the various criticisms levelled at this type of shared-care arrangement and also the potential advantages of nesting.

Please note: this episode was recorded before the introduction of no-fault divorce in England and Wales, and may mention the previous legal system. For accurate information on the legal process of divorce, please visit amicable.co.uk

About our guests:

Toby is a father, husband and writer living in the North-West of England. Through his writing, he shares his experiences of co-parenting and the lessons he’s learned, in the hope of helping others who are going through the same thing. Having divorced when his daughters were 7 and 4, Toby and his wife eventually opted for a nesting co-parenting arrangement until his children reached adulthood. 

You can find out more about Toby here. 

More resources:

Get in touch with amicable for information on the legal, financial and children aspects of separation. Book a free 15-minute consultation with an amicable expert through the amicable website.

Try the amicable co-parenting app free for three months. Share calendars, track expenses and communicate clearly.
iPhone: Redeem your three months free via this link
Android: Download the app and create an account. At the paywall, choose your payment method, select 'Redeem code' and enter DIVORCEPODCAST.

#Coparenting

In this episode, Kate was joined by Haifa Barbari to discuss bouncing back after divorce, separation, and break-ups.   

About the episode:

In the episode, Kate and Haifa discussed Haifa's former work as a relationship coach, helping those who are going through a break-up and the impact of lockdown on relationships as well as why divorce rates are higher in the first three years for those who have met through dating apps. Kate and Haifa explored the difference between a broken relationship and one that needs work as well as ‘good break-ups’ and what is meant by ‘conscious uncoupling'.  

Please note: this episode was recorded before the introduction of no-fault divorce in England and Wales, and may mention the previous legal system. For accurate information on the legal process of divorce, please visit amicable.co.uk

About our guests:

Haifa Barbari is a self-coach who is passionate about empowering healthy relationships with oneself, others and life in general. 

More resources:

Get in touch with amicable for information on the legal, financial and children aspects of separation. Book a free 15-minute consultation with an amicable expert through the amicable website.

#LifeAfterDivorce

In this episode, Kate was joined by Joe David, founder of Myna, for a deeper understanding of the implications of cryptocurrency on divorce financial settlements.

About the episode:

In this episode, Kate and Joe explore the various types of cryptocurrencies currently available in the market exchange, including the less well known NFT’s, as well as the problems surrounding these sorts of cryptoassets. They look at potential ways to trace back transactions,  as well as the volatility of crypto more generally, as well as specific types. They also discussed the apparent void in experts who are prepared to help couples to sort through their crypto assets due to its unregulated nature, however,  agreed that both amicable and Myna would be happy to help if you are divorcing with crypto in your portfolio.

Please note: this episode was recorded before the introduction of no-fault divorce in England and Wales, and may mention the previous legal system. For accurate information on the legal process of divorce, please visit amicable.co.uk

About our guests:

Joe is the U.K.'s leading cryptocurrency accounting expert. His cryptocurrency specialist accountancy business supports entrepreneurs and business owners to take control of their finances whilst gaining insight and educating them on the financial market shifts. Joe believes crypto is the future of finance, and that there’s been no better time to get started. However, from Bitcoin and Ethereum to Monero and Litecoin, he says there’s a lot to consider.

More resources:

Get in touch with amicable for information on the legal, financial and children aspects of separation. Book a free 15-minute consultation with an amicable expert through the amicable website.

#TheLegalBit

In this episode, Kate is joined by Denise Evans and Suzanna Kingsford-Smith to discuss no-fault divorce implementation in Australia and New Zealand.

About the episode:

In this episode, Kate is joined by Denise Evans and Suzanna Kingsford-Smith, to discuss no-fault divorce implementation in Australia and New Zealand, and what we can expect from the rollout of no-fault divorce on the 6th of April 2022 in England and Wales. 

Please note: this episode was recorded before the introduction of no-fault divorce in England and Wales, and may mention the previous legal system. For accurate information on the legal process of divorce, please visit amicable.co.uk

About our guests:

Denise is a lawyer, mediator and arbitrator and has worked in family law for the last 30 years.  She was part of a group that pushed for the out of court Family Dispute Resolution service which assists parents to make care arrangements for their children. She believes that people need to rearrange their lives in a practical way and that systems should support this rather than set up adversarial conflicting approaches. She is grateful for the influence of Māori values and beliefs which are continuing to influence the delivery of justice services in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Suzanna is a divorce coach at amicable and has worked in the area of family law for the majority of her career. Suzanna has seen the full spectrum of divorces from the most litigious to the most amicable and is a strong believer that a healthy amicable divorce can be obtained with the right attitude and guidance. 

More resources:

Get in touch with amicable for information on the legal, financial and children aspects of separation. Book a free 15-minute consultation with an amicable expert through the amicable website.

#TheLegalBit

In this episode, Kate is joined by Kathryn Colas, to discuss menopause and its impact on relationship breakdown.

About the episode:

They explore what menopause is, how it can impact relationships and the importance of separating the impact of menopause on relationships from other causes of relationship breakdown.   

Please note: this episode was recorded before the introduction of no-fault divorce in England and Wales, and may mention the previous legal system. For accurate information on the legal process of divorce, please visit amicable.co.uk

About our guests:

Kathryn founded SimplyHormones in 2007 following her own struggle with menopause over the course of 10 years. Simply Hormones offers face-to-face and online workplace training and one-to-one consultation to help women ‘survive’ menopause, both in and outside of work and offer support to managers to better understand this seismic change of life for their staff. Kathryn’s media appearances include the BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour, BBC Breakfast TV along with numerous national newspapers and magazines. In 2020 she launched her first book ‘How to Survive Menopause Without Losing Your Mind’ which dedicates several chapters to relationship breakdown and men. 

You can buy Kathryn’s book directly through SimplyHormones, or from all major online book stores. 

Please note: this episode was recorded before the introduction of no-fault divorce in England and Wales, and may mention the previous legal system. For accurate information on the legal process of divorce, please visit amicable.co.uk

 More resources:

Get in touch with amicable for information on the legal, financial and children aspects of separation. Book a free 15-minute consultation with an amicable expert through the amicable website.

#EmotionalJourney

Today is the three-month count down until no-fault divorce is introduced in England & Wales. Kate is joined by Isabel Syred from Her Majesties Courts and Tribunal Services (HMCTS) with an exclusive no-fault divorce update on exactly what will change when the new law is introduced this April. 

About the episode:

Key takeaways:

• The new no-fault divorce legislation is on schedule to take effect on the 6th of April 2022 and will replace the current fault-based system
• The last opportunity to use the current system will be on the 5th April 2022 at 23:59 and the online transition between the systems will be seamless
• You will still be able to submit your application for divorce by post, however, if you wish to apply before the new laws take effect you will need to be mindful of postal delays
• The current facts supporting that your marriage has broken down irretrievably will be removed. These are; adultery, desertion, two years separation with consent, five years separation and unreasonable behaviour
• There will be a change in terminology from decree nisi and decree absolute to conditional order and final order to reduce the legal jargon
• You will be able to petition jointly, removing the need for the acknowledgement of service if a couple choose to do this
• You can still make an individual application for divorce, however, the respondent has up to 14 days to respond to this
• Due to the 20 week cooling-off period between the issue date and the conditional order divorces will likely take a minimum of 30 weeks
• Civil partners will be able to use the new online system to dissolve their civil partnership, which is not currently available at the moment
• There shouldn’t be an impact on existing cases
• Expect further updates from HMCTS in February 2022

Please note: this episode was recorded before the introduction of no-fault divorce in England and Wales, and may mention the previous legal system. For accurate information on the legal process of divorce, please visit amicable.co.uk

About our guests:

Isabel is the Service Manager for Divorce and Financial Remedy, she has worked for HMCTS for 35 years and her background is mainly in family and civil work. She has worked on Divorce and Financial Remedy specifically for the last five years and moving the process from paper to digital. The digital products currently are well established digital uptake is 89% for people doing their divorce themselves and the majority of solicitors are also using the digital services.

More resources:

Get in touch with amicable for information on the legal, financial and children aspects of separation. Book a free 15-minute consultation with an amicable expert through the amicable website.

#TheLegalBit

In this episode, Kate is joined by Ash Pugh and Dan Martinez to discuss cryptocurrency and divorce.

About the episode:

Kate, Ash and Dan explore how the cryptocurrency space is developing and its impact on divorce financial settlements. They also discuss the importance of equipping yourself with knowledge if your spouse has cryptocurrency and when you may need expert help if cryptocurrency features in your marital assets.

Please note: this episode was recorded before the introduction of no-fault divorce in England and Wales, and may mention the previous legal system. For accurate information on the legal process of divorce, please visit amicable.co.uk

About our guests:

Ash is the co-founder of New Kids on the Blockchain, a leading content provider specialising in creation and distribution within the exciting and fast-moving blockchain and cryptocurrency space. Over the last three years, award-winning documentary filmmakers, Ash and Lisa have travelled the globe attending key events as media partners and filming the leading influencers, projects and key opinion leaders for both their online content channel, as well as a feature documentary released in 2020. They are currently in post-production on the sequel to this on the rise Of DeFi. The weekly blockchain show features all the news about the global scene and is growing a strong following. 

Dan has over twelve years’ experience in family law, with the majority of his clients coming from word-of-mouth recommendations. Dan has a great reputation and extensive knowledge of the legalities surrounding divorce and separation. He has been a divorce coach at amicable for over a year.

More resources:

Get in touch with amicable for information on the legal, financial and children aspects of separation. Book a free 15-minute consultation with an amicable expert through the amicable website.

#TheLegalBit