Divorce Happens

If you've ever stared at a text from your abusive ex — cortisol flooding your body, hands shaking, entire day derailed before it even started — then this episode was made for you. In this powerful conversation on Divorce Happens, host Olivia Howell sits down with Rina Groeneveld , a certified high conflict divorce coach, mother of four, professional translator, and author of the forthcoming book A...

In this cozy, candid book-club episode of Divorce Happens , Olivia sits down with therapist, writer, and nationally recognized divorce expert Oona Metz to talk through the stories inside her new book, Unhitched: The Essential Divorce Guide for Women . Rather than focusing on legal strategy or paperwork, they linger on the moments that feel almost too familiar: the late-night Google searches, the i...

When divorce hits, it’s rarely just paperwork—it’s the moment your whole life starts to tilt. In this episode of Divorce Happens , host Olivia Howell sits down with trauma-informed divorce, co-parenting, and chronic health coach Chavisa Horemans , founder of The Mother Corp – Trauma-Informed Empowerment Coaching. Based in Vancouver and working remotely with women around the world, Chavisa brings l...

Most relationships don’t end in one dramatic explosion; they slowly erode in all the tiny moments we stay quiet. In this episode of Divorce Happens , Olivia sits down with author, psychotherapist, and relationship expert Colette Jane Fehr to talk about the real cost of silence in marriage, divorce, and dating after divorce. Drawing from her new book, The Cost of Quiet: How to Have the Hard Convers...

Divorce can make even the most capable, high-achieving woman feel like she’s suddenly failing at the one thing she was supposed to get “right.” In this episode of Divorce Happens , host Olivia Howell sits down with certified divorce coach Kristina St. Cyr to talk honestly about divorce grief, isolation, and what it really takes to build a support system when your life is coming apart. Together, th...

Divorce can feel like standing in the middle of a house you used to know—same walls, different air—while your brain tries to do math it never studied for: custody, money, paperwork, grief, sleep. In this episode of Divorce Happens , we ask: How do I navigate the divorce process without getting swallowed by it? Enter Shari Joseph and Tamara Frankfort Odinec , co-founders of My Next Chapter , a divo...

In today’s Divorce 101 A to Z episode of Divorce Happens , Olivia Howell explains what a parenting plan is and why it is one of the most important documents in any divorce involving children. Brought to you by the letter P and the number 2 , this episode highlights the two essential components of every parenting plan: parenting time (when the child is with each parent) and parental responsibility...

There’s a particular loneliness that comes with realizing you may have to explain a divorce to your children on your own. In this episode of Divorce Happens , Olivia Howell sits down with therapist and divorce expert Oona Metz to talk about one of the most emotionally charged moments in the divorce process: helping kids understand what’s happening when one parent refuses, avoids, or can’t show up...

A broken heart doesn’t just ache—it disorients. It changes how you sleep, how you think, how you trust yourself, and how you imagine the future. In this episode of Divorce Happens , Olivia Howell sits down with therapist and divorce recovery expert Oona Metz to talk about what heartbreak really looks like during and after divorce—and how healing actually happens. With nearly 30 years as a licensed...

In this Divorce 101 A to Z episode of Divorce Happens , Olivia Howell explains one of the most essential parts of the divorce process: orders . Brought to you by the letter O and the number 4 , this episode breaks down the four major types of orders — temporary orders, financial orders, custody and parenting time orders, and final orders — and explains how they guide, protect, and structure the en...

In this episode of Divorce Happens , host Olivia Howell speaks with therapist and divorce recovery expert Oona Metz about why healing after divorce happens faster—and feels less isolating—when it’s done in community. Drawing on nearly 30 years of clinical experience and 15+ years leading women’s divorce support groups, Oona breaks down what actually happens inside a therapist-led divorce support g...

In this Divorce 101 A to Z episode of Divorce Happens , Olivia Howell explains the importance of notice in the divorce process. Brought to you by the letter N and the number 30 , the episode breaks down what notice is, why legally valid service is required, what methods are accepted in most states, and how notice ensures fairness, predictability, and due process in divorce proceedings. Listeners l...

When I went through my own divorce, I wasn’t looking for legal jargon or financial formulas—I was looking for someone who could sit with me in the emotional wreckage and say, You’re not broken. You’re becoming. In this solo episode of Divorce Happens , Olivia Howell shares why Unhitched: The Essential Divorce Guide for Women is the book she desperately needed during her own divorce—and why she bel...

In this Divorce 101 A to Z episode of Divorce Happens , Olivia Howell breaks down the meaning of mediation — one of the most common and collaborative ways to navigate divorce without litigation. Brought to you by the letter M and the number 3 , the episode explains the three essential qualities that make mediation successful: openness, honesty, and willingness to find common ground. Listeners lear...

Divorce doesn’t usually arrive all at once. It creeps in through sleepless nights, quiet dread, and the feeling that the life you’re living no longer fits the person you’ve become. In this episode of Divorce Happens , Olivia Howell sits down with therapist and Fresh Starts Expert Oona Metz , whose decades of clinical experience—and lived experience—offer rare clarity in the fog of divorce. Oona is...

In this Divorce 101 A to Z episode of Divorce Happens , Olivia Howell explains what a legal separation is, how it works, and why some couples choose it instead of divorce. Brought to you by the letter L and the number 6 , this episode outlines the six most common reasons couples choose legal separation — from health insurance considerations to religious beliefs to emotional readiness and financial...

In today’s Divorce 101 A to Z episode of Divorce Happens , Olivia Howell explains what a kitchen table agreement is and how couples can use this collaborative approach to outline the terms of their divorce without high conflict or litigation. Brought to you by the letter K and the number 2 , this episode highlights why kitchen table agreements work best when two people can communicate respectfully...

In this Divorce 101 A to Z episode of Divorce Happens , Olivia Howell explains the meaning of a divorce judgment — the final court order that legally ends a marriage. Brought to you by the letter J and the number 2 , the episode breaks down the two major components of a judgment: the legal dissolution of the marriage, and the detailed terms outlining custody, support, property division, and more....

In this Divorce 101 A to Z episode of Divorce Happens , Olivia Howell breaks down one of the most common — and most misunderstood — legal terms in divorce: irreconcilable differences . Brought to you by the letter I and the number 1 , this episode explains the meaning of irreconcilable differences in plain language, why it exists, and why most modern divorces use this no-fault ground. Listeners le...

In today’s Divorce 101 A to Z episode of Divorce Happens , Olivia Howell breaks down what a hearing actually is during a divorce. Brought to you by the letter H and the number 10 , this five-minute explanation clarifies why hearings are usually short, simple, and procedural — often lasting 10 minutes or less — and why they matter even when they feel overwhelming. Listeners learn what happens durin...

In today’s Divorce 101 A to Z episode of Divorce Happens , Olivia Howell breaks down a key legal term at the start of every case: grounds for divorce . Brought to you by the letter G and the number 2 , this five-minute guide explains the difference between fault-based and no-fault divorce, how each option works, and why most modern divorces proceed through the no-fault pathway. Listeners will lear...

In this episode of Divorce Happens , we continue the Divorce 101 A to Z series with the letter F , breaking down the meaning of financial disclosure — one of the most essential steps in any divorce. Brought to you by the letter F and the number 30, this short, approachable episode explains what financial disclosure includes, why transparency is legally required, and how accurate information lays t...

In today’s Divorce 101 A to Z episode of Divorce Happens , Olivia Howell explains the meaning of equitable distribution , the system most states use to divide marital property during divorce. Brought to you by the letter E and the number 50 , this short, accessible episode helps listeners understand why equitable does not always mean 50/50 — and why fairness is based on context, not simple math. L...

In today’s Divorce 101 A to Z episode of the Divorce Happens podcast, Olivia Howell breaks down the meaning of a divorce decree , the final court order that officially ends a marriage. Brought to you by the letter D and the number 1 , this short, accessible episode explains what a decree includes, why it matters, and how it functions as the single, legally binding document that shapes life after d...

In this episode of Divorce Happens , we continue the Divorce 101 A to Z series with the letter C , focusing on one of the most important and emotional aspects of divorce: custody . Brought to you by the letter C and the number 2, this short, accessible episode explains the difference between legal custody and physical custody, how parenting schedules work, and why custody is not about ‘winning’ or...