Divorce can feel like an isolating and lonely experience. Few people who go through it realize that it doesn’t have to be that way and that it can be an empowering process and a way to start a new more intentional life.

Clinical psychologist Dr. Elizabeth Cohen and Attorney Susan Guthrie join the podcast to discuss the upcoming Doing Divorce Differently Summit, a virtual event to help people dealing with divorce view the experience as an opportunity. Like any traumatic experience, the right guidance and healing tools can help you make it possible — even probable — that you can come out the other side a better, stronger, and happier person.

The event will provide attendees with life-changing advice and support for whether they are just starting their divorce journey or have already completed it.

On this episode of Divorce, Healthy!, Dr. Cohen and Susan talk about how they help couples divorcing and how they aspire to end stigmas around divorce.

Having endured the darkness of her own divorce, Dr. Cohen’s upcoming book, “Light on the Other Side of Divorce,” is a healing program for those considering divorce, going through divorce, or even those who are on the other side of divorce legal proceedings.

Susan was also inspired to enter into this line of work after navigating her own divorce experience. With more than 30 years of professional experience and national recognition for her legal and mediation expertise, Susan discusses restructuring the approach to court, as well as the benefits of online mediation (she’s been doing it virtually since before the pandemic).

Tune in to this episode of Divorce! Healthy with Ashley-Nicole Russell, Collaborative Attorney serving Beaufort, Raleigh, and Greenville, NC to hear about the amazing work these women are doing to reshape the process and perception around divorce. 

Register for the Doing Divorce Differently Seminar.                    

💡 Featured Guests 💡

Name: Dr. Elizabeth Cohen 

What she does: Dr. Cohen is a clinical psychologist and author of “Light on the Other Side of Divorce,” whose personal journey through divorce inspired her to refocus her practice and skills to guide others through the life-altering experience of divorce. 

Words of wisdom: “We [must] bust the myth that divorce has to be a failure, or that divorce has to be painful and heartbreaking. It's actually an opportunity and a choice.”   

Connect: Website | LinkedIn

Name: Susan Guthrie 

What she does: Susan is nationally recognized as one of the top family law and mediation attorneys and has been helping people navigate divorce for more than 30 years. Susan also hosts an inspiring podcast, The Divorce and Beyond Podcast with Susan Guthrie, Esq. 

Words of wisdom: “Empowerment starts with you. Understand there's nothing different about your divorce, just as you've made other choices in your life, you have every right to make your decisions and choices in your divorce.” 

Connect: Website | LinkedIn

🗝️ Key Points 🗝️

Top takeaways from this Divorce, Healthy! episode 

★    We’re the only people we can control. Rather than thinking about divorce as a blame-game, or as a problem, refocus on what you want for yourself and out of this divorce process to truly empower yourself.

★    It is possible to do divorce differently. Divorce doesn’t have to be the end of your life and it doesn’t have to be a high-conflict situation. The Doing Divorce Differently Summit (April 21, 2021) will lay out different options for the divorce process — from the legal proceedings to how to cope with divorce after the fact. Register HERE.

★    Treat divorce like other life decisions. Just as you've made other choices in your life, do not abdicate all the big decisions in your divorce to lawyers or anyone else. Make your own choices, including how you choose to move through the legal process of divorce.

⚡ Episode Insights ⚡

[03:47] Empower yourself: When going through a divorce, turn the focus back on. You are the only person you can control and remembering that can empower you, says Dr. Cohen. “Even though we try so desperately to change other people, we really can't change anyone else.”

[4:25] Not the end of your life: Ashley-Nicole explains how the divorce process offers an opportunity for you to build a thoughtful, new foundation for the rest of your life.

[8:43] Doing divorce differently: Dr. Cohen shares a vision for what doing divorce differently can mean. “We can show up fully as ourselves,” she says.

[09:28] Therapeutic approaches: The healing process can be aided through therapeutic, research-based techniques and strategies.

[10:02] Purposeful next steps: Ashley-Nicole reflects on her own divorce journey.

[12:13] Enlightened divorce: Ashley-Nicole brings in Susan Guthrie to discuss what people can expect from the Doing Divorce Differently Summit.

[14:52] The pros of online mediation: Susan discusses why she started doing online mediation before the pandemic hit and how it can help the divorce process.

[18:00] Nothing is preordained: How you go about your divorce, how you treat your partner, how you make decisions, it is entirely up to you, Susan explains. Nothing is decided for you.

[22:07] When children are involved: Susan talks about how children change the dynamic in a divorce and why it’s best to stay out of court (and avoid ongoing arguing).

[27:09] Learn from others: You can always learn from other people’s mistakes. The experts hosting the Divorce Differently Summit have all been through this personally and professionally.

Connect with ANR Law

⭐ To inquire about speaking engagements, purchase your copy of Ashley-Nicole’s book “The Cure for Divorce Culture,” or to schedule your private orientation meeting, head to www.anrlaw.com.

⭐ You can also find us on social media @ANRLaw.

⭐ Divorce Lawyer Ashley-Nicole Russell has law offices serving clients in Greenville, Raleigh, and Beaufort, North Carolina.

⭐ Find a better way forward, right here, on Divorce, Healthy! Subscribe in your preferred podcast app.