The Good Divorce® Show

What does divorce look like through the eyes of a child — and decades later, through the eyes of an adult? This week, Karen welcomes Kate Liles, who grew up navigating life across two households after her parents divorced when she was just a year old. Kate shares her story with honesty and grace, offering a rare, firsthand look at the lasting impact of the decisions parents make during and after d...

Karen revisits a Father's Day conversation with Patrick Duganz, who has spent over a decade as the father engagement specialist at the Gallatin City-County Health Department in Bozeman, Montana. Patrick talks candidly about why dads often arrive at parenthood underprepared, how a lack of targeted support for fathers shows up in everything from home visiting programs to divorce proceedings, and wha...

Divorce coach Kelly Myers knows what it looks like when the system fails families — because she lived it. When Kelly and her husband divorced in 2011–2012, their three boys were six, eight, and ten years old. What followed was two years of litigation and more than $100,000 in legal costs — a path she didn't fully understand she was choosing when she stepped into it. In this candid and deeply perso...

On April 26th, 2024, an email arrived asking Karen if she'd ever thought about writing a book. Exactly two years later to the day, a box of 300 copies landed on her front porch. In the final episode of this behind-the-scenes mini-series, Karen picks up where the manuscript ends and the movement begins. She talks about her first major book launch — a keynote for 250 HR professionals in her hometown...

She had a book deal. Now she had to write the book. In Part 2 of this behind-the-scenes series, Karen walks through what it actually took to get The Good Divorce from outline to print — nine months of writing squeezed around a graduating son, a daughter heading to Europe, divorce clients, speaking gigs, and a single-income household with no one to walk the dog. She bought a van, hired back her gho...

At 18, Karen McNenny wrote in a pageant essay that her greatest ambition was to write a bestselling book. She had no idea what it would be about. She certainly never guessed divorce. In this first of three special episodes, Karen tells the origin story of The Good Divorce — from that Miss Montana essay to a publishing offer from Wiley/Jossey-Bass that arrived faster than anyone in the industry sai...

What happens when parents wait until the kids are grown to divorce — and then discover their adult children are not fine with it? In this rich and eye-opening conversation, Karen sits down with Dr. Carol Hughes, clinical psychologist, two-time Fulbright Scholar, and one of the true pioneers of the collaborative divorce movement, to challenge one of the most pervasive myths in divorce: that adult c...

What does it look like when a divorce attorney goes through his own divorce — and comes out the other side with a blended family, a co-parenting partnership, and a whole new perspective on his practice? That's exactly what Karen McNenny explores in this conversation with Raiford Dalton Palmer, Illinois divorce attorney, bestselling author, and CEO of STG Divorce Law. Raiford's own 2015 divorce aft...

Divorce is a death — of a marriage, an identity, a family, a home — and yet our culture offers almost none of the support it would for any other kind of loss. In this solo episode, Karen gets honest about the grief of divorce: why we wildly underestimate it, why we're often left to navigate it in isolation, and what it actually looks like to move through it with intention. Karen introduces the con...

In this episode, Karen is joined by the "Freedom Team" — Keri Gwynne , CDC Certified Divorce Coach and CEO of Starting Point by Freedom, and Ryan Finley , CPA, CDFA, CVA, and founder of Freedom Financial Services Group. Together, they bring a uniquely holistic perspective to divorce: coaching, financial forensics, and mediation — all under one roof. Both Keri and Ryan are survivors of high conflic...

In this powerful episode of The Good Divorce Show , host Karen McNenny sits down with Dr. Debi Silber — founder of the Post Betrayal Transformation Institute, creator of National Forgiveness Day, and one of the world's leading experts on betrayal recovery — to explore why betrayal is a distinct form of trauma, and what it actually takes to fully heal from it. Drawing on her groundbreaking PhD rese...

One of the most overlooked — and potentially explosive — topics in divorce is also one of the most personal: when is it okay to start dating again? In this episode, Karen McNenny, divorce consultant and co-parent specialist, makes the case that the timing of that question matters less than whether both partners have actually agreed on the answer. Karen walks through real-life examples from her wor...

Have you been wondering if love is still possible after divorce — and how to avoid repeating the same patterns? In this episode, Karen sits down with Bela Gandhi, renowned dating and relationship expert and founder of the Smart Dating Academy, to talk about how to approach dating after divorce with intention, self-awareness, and real strategy. Bela shares why most people's "people pickers" are bro...

What if you could actually insure your child support and alimony? In this episode, Karen sits down with Ron Platt, co-founder of the National Association for Single and Divorced Families (NASDF), to introduce a first-of-its-kind organization built to support people at every stage of divorce — before, during, and long after the paperwork is signed. Ron shares the origin story of NASDF's groundbreak...

Living across two homes doesn't have to feel like navigating a minefield — but it does take intention, communication, and a willingness to loosen your grip a little. In this episode of The Good Divorce Show , Karen McNenny gets practical about the day-to-day logistics of co-parenting, sharing real strategies that make life smoother for both parents and kids. Karen introduces the "boomerang 🪃 fold...

Strategy, Lending, and Faith with Jody Bruns In this episode, host Karen McNenny sits down with Jody Bruns, founder of the Certified Divorce Lending Professional (CDLP) designation and the Divorce Lending Association. With over 35 years in mortgage and finance — and having navigated her own divorce — Jody shares how she turned personal pain into a profession dedicated to helping divorcing homeowne...

Author and solo‑parenting essayist Melissa Stevenson joins Karen to share the remarkable, nonlinear journey that reshaped her family after divorce. Melissa reflects on the years leading up to her separation, the unexpected reality of becoming a full‑time single parent when her children’s father moved out of state, and the emotional labor of creating stability during a time when nothing felt predic...

Welcome to season 4 of The Good Divorce Show, where Karen McNenny discusses her journey into divorce coaching, the importance of focusing on family during divorce, and the launch of new initiatives, including the Good Divorce Academy and Karen’s upcoming book, The Good Divorce: How to End Your Marriage Without Ending Your Family. She emphasizes the need for a supportive community and education to...

In this conversation, Karen McNenny, a divorce consultant, discusses the importance of maintaining a positive co-parenting relationship post-divorce. She emphasizes the need for parents to create a supportive environment for their children, encouraging them to celebrate their other parent and share experiences. Through practical strategies like creating family photo collages, maintaining communica...

In this episode of The Good Divorce Show, Karen McNenny speaks with Rhonda Noordyk, a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, about the financial aspects of divorce. They discuss the role of CDFAs, the importance of forensic accountants, and how women can navigate their financial stability post-divorce. Rhonda emphasizes the need for financial education, the role of vocational experts, and practical...

In this episode of The Good Divorce Show, Karen McNenny speaks with Andrea Vacca, a collaborative divorce attorney and mediator, about the importance of non-adversarial divorce. They discuss Andrea's journey from traditional litigation to a more compassionate approach to family law, the impact of divorce on families, and the significance of choosing the right process for divorce. Andrea shares ins...

In this episode of The Good Divorce Show, host Karen McNenny speaks with Ed Vargo, a financial expert dedicated to empowering women through the complexities of divorce. They discuss Ed's personal experiences with divorce, the importance of financial literacy, and the emotional challenges faced during the divorce process. Ed shares transformative stories of women who have navigated their divorces a...

In this conversation, Karen McNenny, the Good Divorce Coach, discusses the transformative potential of divorce when approached with the right mindset. She emphasizes that divorce should not be viewed as a weapon but rather as a tool for positive change, particularly in the context of parenting and family dynamics. The discussion covers the adversarial nature of the legal system, the financial impl...

In this episode of The Good Divorce Show℠, Karen McNenny speaks with attorney Matthew J. Long about the transformative journey from litigation to mediation in divorce. They discuss the emotional challenges faced by families during divorce, the importance of a collaborative approach, and how mediation can provide a more supportive environment for parents and children. Matthew shares his experiences...

In this episode of The Good Divorce Show, Karen McNenny speaks with financial expert Melissa Murphy Pavone about the financial aspects of divorce. They discuss the importance of financial literacy, the implications of asset division, and the role of financial professionals in navigating divorce. Melissa shares her personal experiences and insights on how to make informed decisions during this chal...