Thinking Boldly!

Divorce financial planning requires clarity long before any settlement documents get signed. In this conversation, hosts Heidi Webb and Judge Julie Field sit down with guest Gabrielle Clemens, managing director at RBC Wealth Management and author of Marriage is about Love, Divorce is about Money. They discuss how bringing deep financial education into the legal process protects families from devastating post-divorce surprises. Gabrielle shares why early financial expectations matter, how to step back from fear-based positions, and how the Consilium Process bridges the gap between law and financial strategy. You’ll learn how to build the right advisory team so clients can transition into their next chapters with complete confidence.

How do myths about intimate partner violence influence decisions that can change and even endanger lives? Host Julie Field and co-host Heidi Webb speak with George Washington Law School Professor Joan Meier about her decades of groundbreaking research on domestic violence, child abuse, and the family court system. She explores why misconceptions persist, how allegations of parental alienation arise in response to abuse claims, and what empirical evidence actually reveals. Professor Meier also details her efforts educating judges and attorneys to bridge the gap between assumption and science. Understanding this distinction is essential to protecting children and survivor parents while improving decision-making in family courts. Whether you’re a family law professional or interested in how research shapes justice, this conversation will challenge what you think you know.

Determining what happens to the family home during a split requires strategic Divorce Mortgage Planning. Host Heidi Webb and co-host Judge Julie Field sit down with certified expert Joe Woodman to explore how specialized lending makes a difference. Traditional systems often fail divorcing homeowners because standard guidelines conflict with legal separation agreements. Joe explains why bringing empathy to this complex transaction helps families transition with dignity because it doesn’t have to be a battle. He shares how a collaborative team of attorneys, therapists, and financial advisors protects both emotional and financial assets. Learn how starting this conversation early transforms a stressful process into an empowering roadmap.

People want to get divorced but often do not even know where to start. Indeed, it is a financially, mentally, and emotionally exhausting process, and no one should have to do it all by themselves. Julie and Heidi are joined by Maureen McBrien, a partner at Brick, Jones, McBrien, and Hickey LLP, which is a family law firm in Needham, Massachusetts. She shares her experiences working with thousands of individuals navigating a divorce and how to ensure people take the steps they need for their unique situation. Maureen sheds light on why such a legal proceeding goes beyond financial settlements and how arbitration can drastically expedite the entire process.

What happens when a family is legally recognized in one European country but not in another? Family law attorney Elias Yiannatsis explores the legal challenges facing same-sex parents across the European Union, from cross-border recognition of parenthood to adoption, surrogacy, and international family rights. Founder of Elias Yiannatsis & Associates, Elias specializes in international family law, handling complex cross-border disputes involving child relocation, international child abduction, adoption, and surrogacy. A member of the Athens Bar Association, legal advisor to Proud Parents, and volunteer with NELFA, he has been actively involved in advancing LGBTQ+ family rights in Greece and across Europe.

Learn more and register at consiliuminstitute.com and get 10% off using the code BOLD10.

Change is everywhere in life, in business, and in family adaptations. Join us as we have an in-depth conversation with business transition expert Susan Ganz. Thinking Boldly! hosts Julie and Heidi ask Susan to dig into how people adapt to the pace of change, and what it looks like when individuals and families face those challenges not just in life, but in business, and with new technology. Susan shared with us her Business Transition Readiness Checklist – a strategic guide for navigating exits, separations, and unprecedented change, whether you are navigating a transition in a family or in a family business that entangles you with the past.

Learn more and register at consiliuminstitute.com and get 10% off using the code BOLD10.

Kristen Tarrin is a part-time judge and full-time advocate for children in Colorado. In this episode, she shares her passion for helping families navigate restructuring after separation and discusses the challenges of handling cases involving coercive control and domestic violence.

As a Child and Family Investigator (CFI), Kristen serves as a court-appointed neutral tasked with gathering information from parents, children, teachers, therapists, and other key individuals. In Colorado, CFIs complete 60 hours of initial training, including domestic violence and child abuse education, and continue their training throughout their careers.

Kristen explains that a CFI’s primary role is not to make decisions but to provide the court with a clear, fact-based report and recommendations. She also offers insight from the bench, revealing what she pays closest attention to when reviewing CFI reports: the voices of the children and the perspectives of neutral third parties.

Learn more and register at consiliuminstitute.com and get 10% off using the code BOLD10.

Join Heidi and Julie for a thoughtful conversation with Consilium Institute’s earliest adopters – attorneys Gretchen Nelson, Trish Siefer, and financial advisor Eloise Patterson. These three amazing women founded their firm on the Consilium Process’s visionary, integrated model of helping families restructure, rather than destruct, after a divorce. Listen to Trish, Gretchen, and Eloise talk about what it means to be part of a creative, innovative law firm in a challenging environment.

Learn more and register at consiliuminstitute.com and get 10% off using the code BOLD10.

Is it possible to find peace during conflict? In this exclusive episode, we uncover the powerful link between meditation and mediation to radically transform how you approach tough conversations, especially divorce. We sit down with nationally recognized divorce mediator and bestselling author, Gabrielle Hartley, who shares the principles behind her revolutionary Better Apart method. Discover how grounding yourself with meditation provides the clarity, patience, and respect needed to unlock mutually beneficial solutions in any relationship—from marital separation to everyday conflict resolution. Stop spiraling and start resolving. Tune in to learn the secret to getting Along.

Learn more and register at consiliuminstitute.com and get 10% off using the code BOLD10.

Can a challenging career in family law still pave the way for a truly wonderful life? Retired Judge Julie Field and Heidi Webb, co-founders of the Consilium Institute, welcome family law attorney Stephen Vertucci to discuss a transformative approach to legal practice.

Stephen, an early adopter of the Consilium process, shares how he shifted his perspective from being mired in negativity to finding re-energizing purpose—seeing his work as “a part of the creation of two families, not the breakup of one.” Dive into this candid conversation to hear Stephen’s key advice for professionals on protecting their mental health, the importance of breaking bread to settle cases, and the powerful message behind his favorite movie of all time, It’s a Wonderful Life. Learn how to find a better, less conflicted path for your clients and for yourself.

Learn more and register at consiliuminstitute.com and get 10% off using the code BOLD10.