Episode 52: How To Move From Being a Step-Parent to a Bonus Parent
Release Date: 01/07/2022
Episode 64: My Kid Labeled My Divorce “A Good Divorce”
The Divorce Doctor
When children are part of the equation of how a divorce is handled, being intentional about doing what is best for them is so important. Divorce is traumatic for everyone involved and it can have a lasting effect on children, especially. That’s a weighty responsibility when it comes to re-learning how to parent in the midst of, and after, a divorce. This week’s guest, Sarah Armstrong, shares her powerful story of navigating divorce with her daughter’s well-being at the forefront. It’s incredibly easy for animosity between divorced parents to create a toxic environment for...
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Episode 63: From the Army to Pastry Chef: My Divorce Transformation
The Divorce Doctor
Sometimes, healing after a divorce can feel impossible. For many women, marriage was presented to us as the fulfillment of all of our hopes, dreams, desires, and personhood. Our guest this week, Martha Bodyfelt, shares that when she got married, she had this picture of herself and her husband as a “power couple” who were going to grow old gracefully together. But, when cracks started to appear and divorce became necessary, she shared that she felt as if her entire identity and sense of self crumbled like a cookie. To move forward, she had to get curious and start asking herself...
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Episode 62: How I Set an Amicable Tone in My Divorce
The Divorce Doctor
“Amicable” is not a word that many divorcees use to describe their divorce processes. However, Jessica Klingbaum has gone through not just one, but two divorces that both ended amicably on good terms. So, how did she do it? That is the question we explore on this week’s podcast. Jessica’s first marriage ended when her husband was caught having an affair, and although that was emotionally devastating for Jessica, it was important to her that they end their divorce on good terms for the sake of their two kids. Through humility and hard work on both sides, along with Jessica’s...
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Episode 61: The Story I Had To Let Go of To Get My Energy Back
The Divorce Doctor
Ellen Bruno has journeyed all across the globe as a documentary filmmaker, bringing awareness to many humanitarian and human rights injustices. But one of the most exhilarating and treacherous journeys she has ever taken was her journey of divorce. Ellen herself had divorced parents and she shares that it was a very difficult and emotionally fraught experience for her growing up. So when she and her husband were heading towards divorce, Ellen was determined that this divorce process and aftermath would be a better experience for her own children. However, things didn't go as she hoped....
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Episode 60: My Husband’s Mistress Saved My Life
The Divorce Doctor
T.H. Irwin is always moving forward. Throughout her lifetime, she’s had to reinvent herself several times both personally and professionally, and through this process, she has learned how to evolve and grow through every challenge. She has a background in marketing, strategy, experiential events, and community development, and is also the co-founder of Ex Experts with her current partner. She’s been single, married, divorced mom, and now in a partnership again, and she shares her story with us this week on the podcast. T.H. has such a moving story. She shares with us this week that...
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Episode 59: How To Shift Your Broken Heart to an Open Heart
The Divorce Doctor
What would the world be like if everyone loved themselves? This is the question that Susyn Reeve first asked herself when she was 14 years old, and it is a question that continues to guide her work and life today. Throughout the years, Susyn has come to understand that a loving relationship with yourself builds the foundation of every other relationship in your life. Her work is rooted in helping others deeply apply this concept to their lives. In 1997, Susyn was internally battling deep self-loathing, the belief that there was something wrong with her and that there was no...
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Episode 58: All My Friends Were Getting Married When I Was Getting Divorced
The Divorce Doctor
What is the hardest part about divorce? For Alexandra Eva-May, it was dealing with feelings of shame and self-worth. After the divorce, it became learning how to live alone and foster a sense of independence. Knowing that her story could benefit others going through a complicated and traumatic divorce, she wrote , available on Amazon. Alexandra didn’t stop there, however. You can find her on her podcast Heal and Thrive After Heartbreak, and you can also find her on . Alexandra believes that despite the trauma divorce can bring, it will eventually become something greater...
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Episode 57: My Health Depended on Whether I Left My Marriage
The Divorce Doctor
after her divorce in 2017, it felt like Stella Papadopoulos’ world had fallen apart. At age 60, after 25 years of marriage, she felt stuck. She knows many, many women find themselves in this exact same situation and started working to help them. Stella used her savvy business skills and can-do attitude to build her business from the ground up and has recently self-published “I’m Getting Divorced Where Do I Start?” on [] . Along with this, she uses all of her experiences to help women facing divorce reclaim their life. She is now launching a program called “Starting Your Second...
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Episode 56: This Is What Your Kids Are Thinking: A Divorced Kid Shares Her Thoughts
The Divorce Doctor
After experiencing the divorce of her parents at the age of 3, Bella decided she wanted to become a voice for the people out there who also have been through a divorce. She has become an advocate for many. Although she believes every story is different, she is using her words on her website to help those who have also experienced a divorce. She believes that she did not have the skills to properly cope with the effects of divorce, so her life now is dedicated to showing others how to cope, speak about their story, and to find comfort that many out there are going through similar situations....
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Episode 55: Domestic Violence: The Lobster Who Doesn’t Realize It Is Boiling
The Divorce Doctor
Everyone resonates with a story like Tiphany Kane’s. Tiphany grew up in a patriarchal family dictated by religion. Though she left the church at 20, the relationship foundations she learned stayed with her. Tiphany went above and beyond to make her marriage work, and abuse wasn’t enough to make her leave. After a life-changing event, Tiphany realized that her marriage was toxic and needed to end. As she faced the financially devastating journey of divorce, Tiphany realized how important it is to also keep her family intact. It hasn’t been easy, but Tiphany has done her best to...
info_outlineIf you’re a step-parent, you know how complicated that relationship can feel. For starters, society tells us stepparents are evil and someone to be despised. Changing our roles as bonus parents begins with the language we use and the consideration we employ as we speak to and about our children. It’s a layered dynamic, but that doesn’t have to mean it’s bad.
This week’s podcast guest, Christina McGhee, reminds us to play the long game, and not to get caught up in the short haul. Merging histories requires mindfulness and withholding our judgements and assumptions. Whether you feel like you’re a pro, or messing up everyday, just remember - where you are right now isn’t where you will always be, and you can always recalibrate.
Christina McGhee is a speaker and divorce parenting expert who believes divorce doesn't have
to equal devastation for families. While splitting up is undeniably hard, with the right kind of information and support, she thinks parents can be children's absolute best resource as life changes.
As a coach with 20+ years of experience, Christina is dedicated to providing parents with the tools and practical support they need to get it right for their kids. She is also the author of the highly acclaimed book, Parenting Apart: How separated and divorced parents can raise happy and secure kids.
As a child of divorce and as a bonus mom (aka step-mom), Christina has had plenty of opportunity to practice what she preaches. Together she and her husband have four “adultish” children (2 bonus, 2 bio). During her tenure as a hands-on parent, she acquired extensive on-the-job training as a chauffeur, negotiator, short-order cook, scheduler extraordinaire and finder of all things lost.
Learn more about Christina by visiting her website at https://www.divorceandchildren.com or following her on social media:
IG : @christina_mcghee
FB: @divorceandchildren
Li: @christinamcghee