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The end of a relationship brings a flood of emotion and a maze of decisions. We sit down with financial planner and seasoned mediator Phil O’Connor to strip the process back to first principles: secure a home you can truly afford, protect your income, and keep a real buffer for life’s shocks.

Phil O'Connor - Resolution Accredited Independent Financial Adviser 

I specialise in the financial aspects of divorce. I work with my clients to help them make better, more informed financial decisions on all the marital assets including pensions, investments and property. I assist clients, mediators and family lawyers across the UK with joint expert, single expert and neutral work. I have been a Resolution Accredited Independent Financial Adviser since its inception in 2007 and a Resolution IFA committee member since 2014 and help to write the examination papers for IFA Resolution Accreditation and reaccreditation. I am an active member of Manchester POD and in 2013 and again in 2019 I was Joint Chair. I completed Foundation Mediation training with FMA in 2014 to understand the process better when working as a financial neutral.

• Free initial meeting with no obligation
• Fixed fees based on an hourly rate of £275. 
• Contact details: 
  • Tel: 01204 663904 
  • Email: [email protected] 
  • www.On-Divorce.co.uk 
  • www.thedivorceifa.co.uk

Tamsin Caine

Tamsin is a Chartered Financial Planner with over 20 years experience. She works with couples and individuals who are at the end of a relationship and want agree how to divide their assets FAIRLY without a fight.

You can contact Tamsin at [email protected] or arrange a free initial meeting using https://bit.ly/SmDiv15min. She is also part of the team running Facebook group Separation, Divorce and Dissolution UK

Tamsin Caine MSc., FPFS

Chartered Financial Planner

Smart Divorce Ltd

Smart Divorce

 P.S. I am the co-author of “My Divorce Handbook – It’s What You Do Next That Counts”, written by divorce specialists and lawyers writing about their area of expertise to help walk you through the divorce process. You can buy it here https://yourdivorcehandbook.co.uk/buy-the-book/

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Tamsin speaks to actuary and head of Mathieson Consulting, Jonathan Galbraith about the complications of uniformed pensions and dividing them on divorce. If you or your spouse have this type of pension, this is an essential listen!

Jonathan Galbraith

Jonathan Galbraith is the CEO of Mathieson Consulting and Pensions on Divorce Expert (PODE) with around 8 years of experience. He is the creator of the Galbraith Tables, intended for use in placing a broad value on DB pension rights in divorce settlements. He is also the co-author of Pensions on Divorce: A Practitioner's Handbook, 4th Ed, alongside HHJ Hess, Rhys Taylor and Joe Rainer.

More info here:
Website: https://mcact.co.uk/

Book: Pensions on Divorce - Practitioner's Handbook

Tamsin Caine

Tamsin is a Chartered Financial Planner with over 20 years experience. She works with couples and individuals who are at the end of a relationship and want agree how to divide their assets FAIRLY without a fight.

You can contact Tamsin at [email protected] or arrange a free initial meeting using https://bit.ly/SmDiv15min. She is also part of the team running Facebook group Separation, Divorce and Dissolution UK

Tamsin Caine MSc., FPFS

Chartered Financial Planner

Smart Divorce Ltd

Smart Divorce

P.S. I am the co-author of “My Divorce Handbook – It’s What You Do Next That Counts”, written by divorce specialists and lawyers writing about their area of expertise to help walk you through the divorce process. You can buy it here https://yourdivorcehandbook.co.uk/buy-the-book/

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Tamsin and our guest Adele Ballantyne guide the listeners through the first decisions after a relationship ends, focusing on pacing, safety, and pathways that reduce conflict and cost. Adele shares practical ways to build a support team, choose kinder legal routes, and protect children while emotions run high.

Adele Ballantyne

MA Relationship Therapy, P/G Dip Relationship Therapy, RGN/RSCN, Dip Health Visiting and Social Care

Adele specialises in relationship breakdown, separation, divorce and co-parenting, whilst also providing training and therapeutic support for all Family Law professionals.

In addition to this work, Adele is very passionate and proactive in her work in divorce and separation. Following work with private clients, she recognised a need for Family Law professionals to have a greater understanding of the psychological and emotional impact of divorce.

This has led Adele to become an active member of Resolution (www.resolution.org.uk ), taking on the role and Co-Chairperson of the Parenting After Parting Committee; the first therapeutic member of the organisation to hold two chair positions.

Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/eledaconsultancy/

Website: https://eledaconsultancy.com/about-us/

Tamsin Caine

Tamsin is a Chartered Financial Planner with over 20 years experience. She works with couples and individuals who are at the end of a relationship and want agree how to divide their assets FAIRLY without a fight.

You can contact Tamsin at [email protected] or arrange a free initial meeting using https://bit.ly/SmDiv15min. She is also part of the team running Facebook group Separation, Divorce and Dissolution UK

Tamsin Caine MSc., FPFS

Chartered Financial Planner

Smart Divorce Ltd

Smart Divorce

P.S. I am the co-author of “My Divorce Handbook – It’s What You Do Next That Counts”, written by divorce specialists and lawyers writing about their area of expertise to help walk you through the divorce process. You can buy it here https://yourdivorcehandbook.co.uk/buy-the-book/

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Planning a safe exit from a narcissistic or abusive relationship isn’t a single leap—it’s a step‑by‑step operation. We’re joined by Diana Jordan, former family law solicitor and author of How to Divorce a Narcissist and Succeed in the Family Court, to unpack what narcissism really looks like in separation and why time rarely calms a true narcissist. We draw a clear line between difficult divorce behaviour and entrenched narcissistic patterns, then map out a practical route to safety that protects your children, your finances, and your sanity.

Diana Jordan

I work with litigants in person many of whom are leaving an abusive relationship. I support parents whose former partners are narcissists and are using the courts to continue their abuse. I deal with cases labelled as "high conflict" which more often than not simply means no-one knows which is the abusive parent and it's easier to blame both of them for the problems. I help parents in cases of parental alienation as well as some who have false allegations of parental alienation made against them by the abusive parent.

With over 25 years experience in the legal profession I am able to give guidance and information throughout the process of separation and divorce. Some clients wish to do as much as they can of the legal work themselves and I assist them with form-filling and letter writing, referring them to the best mediators, financial advisors, solicitors, and direct access barristers as and when appropriate.

I enjoy finding creative solutions to the different challenges faced by families in transition. Although I work with parents, securing the best outcomes for their children is my primary focus. My skills as a life coach assist clients to gain clarity in their situation and to move forward in a planned and constructive way. I use my knowledge of personal and spiritual development to empower clients to own the process and make their own decisions; I encourage clients to be and do their very best during a hugely difficult time of change.

Diana's book: How to Divorce a Narcissist - order here

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianacjordan/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DealingwithDivorce/

Twitter / X: https://twitter.com/DwDivorce

Tamsin Caine

Tamsin is a Chartered Financial Planner with over 20 years experience. She works with couples and individuals who are at the end of a relationship and want agree how to divide their assets FAIRLY without a fight.

You can contact Tamsin at [email protected] or arrange a free initial meeting using https://bit.ly/SmDiv15min. She is also part of the team running Facebook group Separation, Divorce and Dissolution UK

Tamsin Caine MSc., FPFS

Chartered Financial Planner

Smart Divorce Ltd

Smart Divorce

P.S. I am the co-author of “My Divorce Handbook – It’s What You Do Next That Counts”, written by divorce specialists and lawyers writing about their area of expertise to help walk you through the divorce process. You can buy it here https://yourdivorcehandbook.co.uk/buy-the-book/

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Divorce doesn’t have to be a maze of conflict, confusion, and spiralling costs. We sit down with award‑winning divorce coach Arabella Paul to map a steadier path: build your three‑part support team, get financially organised early, and protect your energy so you can make clear decisions for yourself and your children. 

Arabella Paul

Arabella is a compassionate, empathetic and positive Relationship Breakdown Specialist with a corporate background in Investment Banking and Executive Search. She guides her clients through relationship challenges. Whether it's relationship revival or divorce survival, with personalised support, she helps couples navigate the complexities, manage difficult emotions, and create clear, actionable plans to move forward with confidence and clarity, always keeping children's wellbeing at the heart of every decision. *Resolution Associate Member*

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arabellapaul/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedivorcesurvivalcoach/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedivorcesurvivalcoach/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thedivorcesurvivalcoach

Tamsin Caine

Tamsin is a Chartered Financial Planner with over 20 years experience. She works with couples and individuals who are at the end of a relationship and want agree how to divide their assets FAIRLY without a fight.

You can contact Tamsin at [email protected] or arrange a free initial meeting using https://bit.ly/SmDiv15min. She is also part of the team running Facebook group Separation, Divorce and Dissolution UK

Tamsin Caine MSc., FPFS

Chartered Financial Planner

Smart Divorce Ltd

Smart Divorce

P.S. I am the co-author of “My Divorce Handbook – It’s What You Do Next That Counts”, written by divorce specialists and lawyers writing about their area of expertise to help walk you through the divorce process. You can buy it here https://yourdivorcehandbook.co.uk/buy-the-book/

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We talk with trauma coach and mountain guide Ilaria Petrucci about healing after narcissistic abuse, the lines between kindness and people‑pleasing, and why walking in nature helps survivors rebuild trust in themselves. Her journey moves from isolation to community, from endurance to self‑respect, and from hope for someone else’s change to responsibility for her own.

Ilaria Petrucci

Ilaria Petrucci is a qualified mountain leader and trained Trauma coach who loves helping women reconnect with themselves through nature and hiking. She founded Healing Through Hiking CIC, a safe and welcoming space where women can connect with themselves, with nature, and with other women who truly understand. She runs a free monthly walk in the Peak District, and is now expanding her offerings to retreats and guided hikes, creating more opportunities for women to recharge, reconnect, and feel empowered in the outdoors. Ilaria also runs Her Wild Adventures and leads general hiking trips for women of all levels, creating adventures that are fun, empowering, and full of connection. Drawing on her own journey of healing, she shares honest, relatable insights to inspire others to rediscover their strength, joy, and sense of freedom, one step at a time.

Website: www.herwildadventures.co.uk

Instagram : www.instagram.com/mylifeasila

Healing Through Hiking Instagram: www.instagram.com/healing.through.hiking

Tamsin Caine

Tamsin is a Chartered Financial Planner with over 20 years experience. She works with couples and individuals who are at the end of a relationship and want agree how to divide their assets FAIRLY without a fight.

You can contact Tamsin at [email protected] or arrange a free initial meeting using https://bit.ly/SmDiv15min. She is also part of the team running Facebook group Separation, Divorce and Dissolution UK

Tamsin Caine MSc., FPFS

Chartered Financial Planner

Smart Divorce Ltd

Smart Divorce

P.S. I am the co-author of “My Divorce Handbook – It’s What You Do Next That Counts”, written by divorce specialists and lawyers writing about their area of expertise to help walk you through the divorce process. You can buy it here https://yourdivorcehandbook.co.uk/buy-the-book/

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"It's unreasonable to expect co-parenting with a narcissist." Our guest Dr. Supriya McKenna reveals why parallel parenting is the only viable option when dealing with a high-conflict ex. Are you trying to co-parent with someone who counter-parents instead?

Dr Supriya McKenna

Supriya is the UK's best known expert in narcissism. She originated from a background as a GP (family physician). She coaches and mentors the victims of narcissistic abuse, including in the high conflict area of divorce. She has trained thousands of family law professionals, including judges, barristers, solicitors, mediators and social workers. She is the author of the no.1 bestselling book, 'Divorcing a Narcissist - the Lure, the Loss and the Law' and 'Narcissism and Family Law - A Practitioner's Guide' (with legal contributions from Karin Walker). She is a regular speaker on the subject of Narcissistic Personality Disorder, has been interviewed on numerous radio shows and regularly comments and writes articles for various media outlets on Narcissism. She also hosts the hugely popular podcast, 'Narcissists in Divorce - the Lure, the Loss and the Law', where she can be heard in lively debate with some of the other of the biggest names in Narcissism. Her online courses are straightforward, engaging and empathic. If you are interested in 1 to 1 coaching with her, you can also visit www.thelifedoctor.org

You can connect with Supriya on Linkedin, Twitter (@MckennaSupriya) and Instagram (doctorsupriya) or by email on [email protected]

Tamsin Caine

Tamsin is a Chartered Financial Planner with over 20 years experience. She works with couples and individuals who are at the end of a relationship and want agree how to divide their assets FAIRLY without a fight.

You can contact Tamsin at [email protected] or arrange a free initial meeting using https://bit.ly/SmDiv15min. She is also part of the team running Facebook group Separation, Divorce and Dissolution UK

Tamsin Caine MSc., FPFS

Chartered Financial Planner

Smart Divorce Ltd

Smart Divorce

 P.S. I am the co-author of “My Divorce Handbook – It’s What You Do Next That Counts”, written by divorce specialists and lawyers writing about their area of expertise to help walk you through the divorce process. You can buy it here https://yourdivorcehandbook.co.uk/buy-the-book/

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Helen Stuart is our guest on this important, though difficult topic. This episode explores prevention strategies and practical support for young people struggling with suicidal thoughts. 

Helen Stuart

Helen has always advocated for good mental health, and vocalised the importance of ease of access to mental health support throughout her career. This has seen her working across community, outreach, counselling and domestic abuse prevention roles. Now Helen brings her wealth of knowledge, managerial experience through TLC: Talk, Listen, Change, and personal connections to mental health to drive Now You’re Talking’s success.

Helen is passionate about leading a socially responsible, business for good, enabling contributions to made back to TLC making the charity’s mission possible.

Samaritans
Mind
Campaign Against Living Miserably

LinkedIn
Facebook
Instagram

Tamsin Caine

Tamsin is a Chartered Financial Planner with over 20 years experience. She works with couples and individuals who are at the end of a relationship and want agree how to divide their assets FAIRLY without a fight.

You can contact Tamsin at [email protected] or arrange a free initial meeting using https://bit.ly/SmDiv15min. She is also part of the team running Facebook group Separation, Divorce and Dissolution UK

Tamsin Caine MSc., FPFS

Chartered Financial Planner

Smart Divorce Ltd

Smart Divorce

 P.S. I am the co-author of “My Divorce Handbook – It’s What You Do Next That Counts”, written by divorce specialists and lawyers writing about their area of expertise to help walk you through the divorce process. You can buy it here https://yourdivorcehandbook.co.uk/buy-the-book/

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The Smart Divorce Podcast has joined forces with Stowe Talks Podcast for this special collaborative episode! We are delighted to be joined by special guest Rhiannon Gogh, who is a SEND specialist financial planner. This is an area I am asked about more and more. It was great to have Matt Taylor, host of Stowe Talks, with us to answer the legal questions when it comes to ensuring that SEND families have the help they need. 

Rhiannon Gogh FPFS

Rhiannon Gogh is an award-winning Chartered Financial Planner, a Fellow of the Personal Finance Society and a SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disability) Financial Planner. She is the Director of PlanIt Future, the UK’s first special needs only advisory firm and the Carers Academy, an online training and consultancy provider for parent carers. In 2024 she founded SENDA, the UK Alliance of Special Educational Needs and Disability Advisers, an independent working group of legal, financial and charity professionals. She has presented for charities and the national network of parent carer forums for nine years and provided financial adviser training for SOLLA, the CII and the PFS. In 2025, she released her first book, Planning With Love, A Guide to Wills and Trusts for Parents of Children With Special Needs. She lives in Somerset with her husband, and two sons, one of whom has profound autism.

The book  https://bit.ly/PlanningWithLoveBook
http://www.carersacademy.co.uk/
www.planitfuture.co.uk
Instagram
LinkedIn
Eventbrite
 

Matthew Taylor

Matthew is a Partner at Stowe Family Law. He has been the co-host of Stowe talks, the Stowe Family Law podcast since its inception in 2022. Matthew is a financial specialist, focusing on resolving financial difficulties following divorce and separation, including high-net-worth cases. He has extensive expertise in nuptial agreements and cohabitation agreements and often advises clients on TOLATA matters. He is one of Stowe's pension experts, regularly working on cases involving complex pension structures as well as business assets. Matthew is a Legal 500 Leading Partner.

Find out more about the Stowe talks podcast at stowetalks.co.uk
and further support at Stowe Support https://www.stowefamilylaw.co.uk/stowe-support/ 

Tamsin Caine

Tamsin is a Chartered Financial Planner with over 20 years experience. She works with couples and individuals who are at the end of a relationship and want agree how to divide their assets FAIRLY without a fight.

You can contact Tamsin at [email protected] or arrange a free initial meeting using https://bit.ly/SmDiv15min. She is also part of the team running Facebook group Separation, Divorce and Dissolution UK

Tamsin Caine MSc., FPFS

Chartered Financial Planner

Smart Divorce Ltd

Smart Divorce

P.S. I am the co-author of “My Divorce Handbook – It’s What You Do Next That Counts”, written by divorce specialists and lawyers writing about their area of expertise to help walk you through the divorce process. You can buy it here https://yourdivorcehandbook.co.uk/buy-the-book/

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"Just because you're going for therapy doesn't mean there's something wrong with you. It means you're trying to do something good for yourself." Tamsin & and our guest Helen Stuart discuss how therapy can transform co-parenting after divorce.

Helen Stuart

Helen has always advocated for good mental health, and vocalised the importance of ease of access to mental health support throughout her career. This has seen her working across community, outreach, counselling and domestic abuse prevention roles. Now Helen brings her wealth of knowledge, managerial experience through TLC: Talk, Listen, Change, and personal connections to mental health to drive Now You’re Talking’s success.

Helen is passionate about leading a socially responsible, business for good, enabling contributions to made back to TLC making the charity’s mission possible.

LinkedIn
Facebook
Instagram

Tamsin Caine

Tamsin is a Chartered Financial Planner with over 20 years experience. She works with couples and individuals who are at the end of a relationship and want agree how to divide their assets FAIRLY without a fight.

You can contact Tamsin at [email protected] or arrange a free initial meeting using https://bit.ly/SmDiv15min. She is also part of the team running Facebook group Separation, Divorce and Dissolution UK

Tamsin Caine MSc., FPFS

Chartered Financial Planner

Smart Divorce Ltd

Smart Divorce

P.S. I am the co-author of “My Divorce Handbook – It’s What You Do Next That Counts”, written by divorce specialists and lawyers writing about their area of expertise to help walk you through the divorce process. You can buy it here https://yourdivorcehandbook.co.uk/buy-the-book/

Support the show