The Family Matters Show

Ben and Heather welcome Dr Atina Manvelian, a psychologist and clinical scientist. As a postdoctoral researcher at Stony Brook University and Stanford University, she studies how our relationships impact our mental health and conducts research on how we can improve the quality of our relationships. Of particular interest for our listeners is Dr Manvelian's specialty in adjustment following a b...

This month Ben and Heather addressed a wide array of family law questions from the community, touching on a number of common issues faced by people going through divorce and separation. The questions included: Starting out: I'm thinking about separating but haven't yet spoken to my partner about it. Is there anything you recommend I do before I speak to my partner? Property settlement timi...

Gemma Rope, solicitor with Bryant McKinnon is our guest host for this episode.  She and Heather welcome psychologist and mediator Anthony Smith to talk about how to make mediation work.  With over 25 years and 2000 mediations under his belt, Anthony calls on his experience to provide tips and advice that will help to realise positive outcomes in family law mediation. Topics and questions...

In family law matters the sale of the family home is often the most difficult and emotional part of the separation process.  And everything is just that much harder in the current environment, with rising interest rates and inflation making the entire market uncertain. For regional families things are even more opaque, because so much of what we see on social media or television relates to big cit...

With the holiday season approaching, Ben and Heather turn their attention to coping with holidays after separation or divorce.  To help them deal with this highly emotive issue, they welcome back to the program Elisabeth Shaw, CEO of Relationships Australia NSW.  Elisabeth is also a clinical and counselling psychologist with a specialty in couple and family therapy with over 25 years exp...

This month Ben and Heather talk to toxicologist and forensic medicine specialist Professor Edward Ogden about substance abuse and family law.  Professor Ogden has been studying the impact of drugs and alcohol for over 40 years.  He is Deputy Director of the Centre for Human Psychopharmacology at Swinburne University, Addiction Medicine Specialist for Goulburn Valley Health and St Vincent...

Ben talks to Sydney-based barrister Louise Goodchild and solicitor and colleague Gemma Rope about the importance of estate planning during and after divorce or separation.  Wills, powers of attorney and superannuation nominations are just about the last thing anyone wants to consider when facing the trauma of family breakdown.  But as Louise and Gemma make clear, problems can arise if yo...

This month Ben and Heather discuss how to get ready for Court.  Their first piece of advice is to avoid bringing family law disputes to Court if at all possible.  But in the event that you do have to go to Court this podcast will help you prepare, as Ben and Heather consider the following:Why does it take so long to actually get in front of a judge on a family law matters? Where is the Court physi...

This month Ben and Heather talk to forensic accountant Suzanne Delbridge about valuing a business when separating. Suzanne Delbridge is the Director and Founder of Delbridge Forensic Accounting in Newcastle and a very experienced forensic accountant.  For listeners who may not know, a forensic account is specially trained to prepare financial information for a court of law. At the start of the pod...

In this episode family law experts Benjamin Bryant and Heather McKinnon talk to psychologist Michael Hawton about the secrets to successful co-parenting. Michael is a child and family psychologist who has been working with families in Australia and overseas for over 30 years. He is also the founder of Parentshop resource hub for parents, educator and child and family specialists. Michael has also...

This month Heather and Ben spoke to Gabrielle Cantrall, the acting Solicitor in Charge of Family Law with LegalAid NSW, about Independent Children's Lawyers (ICL). These are the specialist lawyers the Court appoints to represent children in complex family law matters. LegalAid NSW is the body responsible for accrediting Independent Children's Lawyers in New South Wales, so Gabrielle is uni...

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On this podcast Ben and Heather talk about the many agencies and resources that provide free or low cost support when going through a relationship breakdown.  It's important to know there is help out there - you are not alone. The areas covered include: Resources to help you make the stay or go decision Resources for people dealing with domestic violence or crisis situations Resources for advice a...

This month Ben and Heather spoke with Elisabeth Shaw, CEO of Relationships Australia NSW about one of the most difficult questions couples have to answer: Should I stay or should I go? Not only is the question fraught, it bears the weight of the many lives that will be impacted by the answer. The following questions are answered: •What are the signs that it is time to go? •How much should consider...

This month Ben and Heather had a look at the new rules governing the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia which merged in September 2021. While the Family Law Act has not changed, the newly merged Court has been given increased resources and has implemented new processes to speed up the Court process which has been mired in logjams for a number of years. Ben and Heather cover off the foll...

Ben and Heather welcome special guest and child psychologist Amy Sketcher to talk about divorce and children on the spectrum. Amy practises with Seasons Allied Health in Coffs Harbour, and has many years' experience in the non-government and education sector. She works with children as well as supporting and up-skilling parents and caregivers. Topics covered include: •The psychological and emotion...

This month Ben and Heather talk about family lawyers: how to choose one that's right for you and how to make sure you get the best out of the lawyer you've chosen. Collectively they deal with a wide range of questions, including: •What is an accredited family lawyer, and do I need one? •Can I use the same lawyer or law firm as my ex-partner? •Do I have to pay for an initial consultation? •Should I...

This month Ben and Heather step you through how to manage your own divorce and identify when you may need to seek additional legal advice. The questions and topics covered included: •What is divorce (legally speaking)? •Who is eligible to divorce in Australia? •Choose a joint or sole application? •When do separation legally start? •Counselling requirements if married less than 2 years. •What does...

In this episode, Ben and Heather turned their attention to money, assets, debts and the importance of financial planning during and after divorce. They were joined by financial planner Brett Martin from Harbour Wealth Management. A certified financial planner for over 12 years, Brett has been helping clients on the Coffs Coast to manage their wealth since he became principal at Bridges Financial S...

This month Ben and Heather addressed a wide array of family law questions from the community, touching on a number of common issues faced by people going through divorce and separation. The questions included: Prenuptials:   My girlfriend is planning to move in with me and I want to protect the assets I have accumulated before I met her.  What can I do? Grandparents rights: My son is only able to...

In this episode Benjamin and Heather switched up the format, with each asking the other increasingly challenging questions about property settlement. It opened up so really honest conversation about the difficulties involved with property settlement specifically and separation more generally. These two family law experts dealt with the following questions: •The biggest mistake people make when neg...

Private investigators can play a pivotal role in serving documents and collecting evidence in complex family law cases. In this episode Benjamin Bryant and Heather McKinnon from Bryant McKinnon Lawyers talk to Steve Wallis, Managing Director of SWA Recovery & Investigation Group about how private investigators work and where they can add value in family law matters. With over 40 years' experience...

Most people who decided to separate have never initiated a relationship breakdown in their lives. The decision is scary and overwhelming. Yet these very early stages can set the course for how the whole process plays out and even affect long term family relationships for years to come. Knowing how important the initial stages are, Ben and Heather have dedicated this episode to provide advice for a...

Retired Federal Circuit Court Judge Judy Small is without question our most unique, and broadly qualified guest we have had on this program. Judy grew up right here in Coffs Harbour and went on to become a globe-trotting folk singer. She also had a lengthy career as a family lawyer, working for a decade with Victoria Legal Aid and then as a Federal Circuit Court Judge. We were regaled with stories...

In this episode Ben and Heather talk with special guest Jean Clayton, CEO of Bridging the Gap Community Services which runs the Men's Resource Centre, about how men experience divorce and separation. The program explores how men may differ from women in their experience of divorce, the trauma of family separation and the impact on self-identity.