We Chat Divorce Podcast

In this episode of We Chat Divorce, Karen Chellew and Catherine Shanahan sit down with Chicago family law attorney Jessica Marshall for a candid conversation about what really protects you during divorce — and where people often put themselves at risk without realizing it. Jessica shares an attorney’s perspective on why clients sometimes leave good lawyers, how poor communication can derail trust,...

Is inherited money really "yours" in a divorce? Not necessarily — and the details of how that money was handled can make or break your case. In this episode of We Chat Divorce, Karen Chellew and Catherine Shanahan tackle one of the most misunderstood topics in later-in-life divorce: inheritance. Sparked by a recent Business Insider article on how baby boomer divorce is "rerouting inheritance" and...

Is what you’re experiencing actually gaslighting? In this episode of We Chat Divorce, Karen Chellew and Catherine Shanahan sit down with narcissistic abuse expert Tracy Malone — author of Divorcing Your Narcissist — to answer that question with real examples, practical tools, and language you can use right now. Tracy explains what gaslighting actually looks like in practice — not just the definiti...

After 200 episodes and a decade of helping thousands of individuals navigate one of life’s most difficult transitions, Karen Chellew and Catherine Shanahan step back from the typical divorce topic to explore the deeper patterns they have witnessed over the last 10 years. The biggest realization? Divorce was never only about divorce. It has always been about clarity. Too often, the financial discon...

When people think about divorce, they often assume they can just "choose" an uncontested process. But what most people don't realize is that uncontested divorce requires more than goodwill — it requires preparation, financial transparency, and a clear understanding of your legal rights. Without that foundation, the most well-intentioned divorces can quickly become expensive, adversarial, and emoti...

A divorce settlement agreement may be the most important document you'll sign during your divorce—and one of the least understood. In this episode of We Chat Divorce, Karen Chellew and Catherine Shanahan unpack what a Divorce Settlement Agreement (also known as a Marital Settlement Agreement or MSA) actually covers, why so many costly mistakes happen at this stage, and how to protect yourself befo...

If divorce is something you've been thinking about — even quietly, even just as a possibility — this episode is for you. Karen and Catherine sit down with Cindy Stibbard, certified relationship and divorce coach and creator of the Relationship Audit, to explore what it looks like to approach one of life's hardest decisions with intention, preparation, and clarity rather than fear or reaction. Too...

Divorce mediation, settlement conferences, and court-mandated hearings are among the most searched — and most misunderstood — steps in the divorce process. People want to know what to bring, what happens in the room, and what it means if things don’t settle. But there’s a critical piece most people miss: mediation is not the place to discover you don’t have the documents, don’t understand the numb...

What happens when silence becomes survival? In this deeply personal and powerful episode of My Divorce Solution’s We Chat Divorce, co-founders Karen Chellew and Catherine Shanahan sit down with licensed psychotherapist, relationship expert, and author Colette Jane Fehr for a conversation about emotional suppression, financial vulnerability, and the hidden cost of staying quiet in marriage and divo...

Episode Summary Alimony is not a formula. It’s not a calculator output. It’s not what your friend got. In this episode, Karen and Catherine explain what actually goes into evaluating spousal support — and why financial clarity before negotiation is the difference between a settlement that holds up and one that falls apart in six months. The Right First Question Most people ask: “What number should...

This episode of We Chat Divorce dives into a critical but often misunderstood reality of high-conflict divorce: truth alone is not enough—how you organize and present information is what ultimately matters. Karen Chellew and Catherine Shanahan are joined by family court strategist Courtney Gil Martin, who shares her firsthand experience navigating nearly a decade of post-divorce litigation. Togeth...

In this episode of We Chat Divorce, Karen Chellew and Catherine Shanahan unpack one of the most common—and costly—realities in divorce: financial blind spots within a marriage. Inspired in part by the broader conversation sparked by the popular book Strangers: a Memoir of Marriage , this discussion moves beyond the emotional narrative and into the financial truth many individuals face when divorce...

Divorcing a narcissistic or high-conflict partner is one of the most emotionally and strategically complex experiences you can face. In this episode of We Chat Divorce, we’re joined by high-conflict divorce coach, mediator, and author Victoria McCooey, who shares what it really looks like to navigate divorce when manipulation, control, and emotional abuse are part of the dynamic. Victoria brings b...

Episode Summary The most expensive divorce mistake is usually not legal — it's moving toward an agreement before the financial picture is complete, verified, and understood. In this episode, Karen and Catherine define what divorce financial clarity actually means and what needs to be in place before you sign anything. The Financial Clarity Gap Divorce financial clarity means having reliable answer...

Episode Summary The most expensive divorce mistake is usually not legal — it's moving toward an agreement before the financial picture is complete, verified, and understood. In this episode, Karen and Catherine define what divorce financial clarity actually means and what needs to be in place before you sign anything. The Financial Clarity Gap Divorce financial clarity means having reliable answer...

There’s a quiet kind of divorce that doesn’t start with papers being filed. It starts years earlier—when the relationship has already ended emotionally, but nothing changes on the outside. In this episode of We Chat Divorce, Karen Chellew and Catherine Shanahan are joined by returning guest Karen Covy—divorce coach, attorney, mediator, and author—to unpack what it really means to feel “stuck” in a...

Most people enter divorce focused on legal steps. But divorce is ultimately a financial process—and the biggest mistakes happen before negotiations even begin. In this episode of Divorce Explored, Karen Chellew and Catherine Shanahan break down financial discovery in divorce—what it is, why it matters, and what happens when it’s skipped. If you don’t fully understand your financial picture, you’re...

Children don’t experience divorce through court documents or financial agreements. They experience it through tone, tension, and the daily communication between their parents. And when that communication stays reactive, unclear, or emotionally charged, children carry that instability with them. In this episode of We Chat Divorce, Karen Chellew and Catherine Shanahan sit down with family law attorn...

Real Estate in Divorce: Selling, Buying, and Financial Risks Hosts: Karen Chellew, Legal Liaison & Co-Founder, My Divorce Solution Catherine Shanahan, CDFA & Co-Founder, My Divorce Solution In Part 2 of this conversation on real estate and divorce, Karen and Catherine focus on what happens when real decisions are made—buying property, selling the marital home, or dividing proceeds. While these ste...

When to Sell, When to Wait, and Why “Feeling Protected” Isn’t the Same as Being Protected Hosts: Karen Chellew (Legal Liaison & Co-Founder, My Divorce Solution) + Catherine Shanahan (Divorce Financial Specialist, CDFA & Co-Founder, My Divorce Solution) Real estate is often the biggest (and most emotionally charged) asset in a divorce — and it’s where rushed decisions can create long-term financial...

Divorce is not just emotional. It’s economic. In this powerful episode of the We Chat Divorce, Karen and Catherine sit down with Emily Pollock, partner at Donohoe Talbert LLP and one of Forbes Advisor’s Top 10 Divorce Attorneys in New York City. With over 15 years of experience in high-net-worth matrimonial law, Emily brings a rare combination of legal precision and psychological awareness to the...

Many couples going through divorce say the same thing: “We’re amicable. We just want to get this done.” In this episode of Divorce Explored, a series within the We Chat Divorce podcast, Karen Chellew and Catherine Shanahan unpack what amicable actually means—and why emotional calm is not the same as financial clarity. With California introducing a new joint divorce petition option in 2026, couples...

When people hear “forensic accountant” during divorce, expectations run high. Many assume it means hidden money will automatically be uncovered or that every financial mystery will be solved. The reality is more nuanced—and far more strategic. In this episode, we sit down with Sara Nanchanatt, founder of SN Forensics, to demystify what forensic accounting actually does in divorce, when it’s worth...

In this episode of We Chat Divorce, Karen Chellew, Legal Liaison, and Catherine Shanahan, CDFA®, sit down with Jody Bruns, founder of the Certified Divorce Lending Professional (CDLP®) certification and the creator of the divorce mortgage planning profession. The conversation focuses on one of the most expensive and misunderstood parts of divorce: the marital home and the mortgage attached to it....

AI can explain what a QDRO is — but it cannot protect your financial future. In this episode of We Chat Divorce, Karen Chellew and Catherine Shanahan break down why relying on AI for retirement division in divorce leads to costly, irreversible mistakes. They explain what QDROs actually do, what AI misses, and why verified plan rules, tax impact, and liquidity matter — especially in grey divorce. I...