The Healthy Divorce Podcast Sharon and Cris Pastore

Divorce affects the design of a family. How do you negotiate now to avoid complications and ease tensions down the road, especially when it comes to a new step or blended family? This episode will help you figure out how to do just that.

Key Points: 
- Take a peak into the future to see what life after divorce looks like for many people
- Better understand the difference between "blended" and "step" family
- Consider how the financial terms you create NOW play out LATER - especially when someone re-marries.
- Tips to create a mindfully-constructed agreement and parenting plan. 

Sponsored by Main Line Family Law Center
For more information, please visit: Main Line Family Law Center at https://myhealthydivorce.com

Episode Host, Adina Laver, Founder, Courage to Be Curious, (formerly Divorce Essentials)
Find Adina Laver at: https://couragetobecurious.com

Guest: Dr. Margorie Engel

About Margorie: Margorie Engel, MA, MBA, PhD, is an author, speaker, and media consultant specializing in families complicated by divorce and remarriage. Dr. Engel’s specific areas of expertise are in family finance, law, and social policy. 

A past president of the Stepfamily Association of America, she is a founding member of the National Stepfamily Resource Center at Auburn University and its Stepfamily Expert Council. Dr. Engel also participates in projects of The Uniform Law Commission that provides states with non-partisan, well conceived, and well drafted legislation that brings clarity and stability to critical areas of state statutory law. She is currently observing the work of the Drafting Committee on Non-Parental Rights to Child Custody and Visitation.

A member of a stepfamily for 30 years, she has five daughters (combination of bios and steps), five sons-in-law, 16 grandchildren, and one great-grandson – giving a large stepfamily age-range from one month to 76 years. 

Their daughters were all teenagers when Stephen and Margorie were married and - everyone has survived!

Being attuned to your child is critical to helping them bounce back from divorce. Learn how to give your child the support and tools they need to thrive during divorce and beyond.

Key Points: 
- Warning signs your child is suffering as a result of divorce and how to get support for them
- Pros and cons of staying vs. divorcing from your child's eyes
- Ways parents can help make this family transition easier

Sponsored by Main Line Family Law Center
For more information, please visit: Main Line Family Law Center at https://myhealthydivorce.com

Episode Host, Adina Laver, Founder, Courage to Be Curious, (formerly Divorce Essentials)
Find Adina Laver at: https://couragetobecurious.com

Guest: Marty Matika, M.S.

About Marty: When he was five years old, Marty went through the traumatic experience of the divorce of his parents. This altered his life FOREVER. As a result of the negative effects of this experience, he went through therapy and many transformational seminars to heal himself and redesign his life. He went back to school to become a Counselor and Divorce Specialist. Marty is now happily married, with an amazing daughter, and living his true purpose in life. Marty specializes in helping people deal more powerfully with the traumatic experience and after effects of a divorce, specifically the children going through it. Marty is doing one on one work, group work, and workshops, like his "Teen Potentials" workshop, in the Philadelphia area.

Find out why "getting your day in court" may not bring justice in the end. This episode will help to clear up misconceptions about divorce court. Learn how divorce mediation can give you more control over the process and pave the way for healing. This episode will explain why divorce court rulings can be unpredictable and what you could expect, why divorce court isn't the place to seek vindication and place blame, and how divorce mediation makes you the final decision-maker, not a judge.

Key Points: 
- Judges are human. They're often overworked and can make arbitrary decisions. Find out why there isn't time to consider all the details that make your case unique and what that could mean for your divorce settlement.
- You might be picturing a criminal court proceeding where you'll be able to "make your case" for why your spouse is at fault. But this isn't reality. Hear how this mindset can backfire, causing unnecessary stress and turmoil for you and your children.
- This alternative to court allows you to base your decisions on what your family truly needs. Discover how you can resolve your issues quickly and create an agreement that feels fair to both of you.

Sponsored by Main Line Family Law Center
For more information, please visit: Main Line Family Law Center at https://myhealthydivorce.com

Episode Host, Pamela Elaine Nichols, Author, Speaker, Producer

Guests: Cris Pastore and Adina Laver 

About Cris: Crispino Pastore, Esq, Main Line Family Law CenterCris Pastore is an expert attorney-mediator and has been a practicing attorney for over 18 years. He became a private divorce mediator in 2007, when he grew increasingly frustrated by destructive nature of the traditional court-contested divorce process. After having mediated hundreds of divorce cases, Cris co-founded Main Line Family Law Center, with the help of his wife, Sharon. Through working with clients and community education, Cris has made it his personal mission to revolutionize this area of practice so that families can emerge healthy and whole once again. Follow Cris on Twitter at @healthy_divorce.

About Adina: In partnership with Main Line Family Law Center, Adina Laver, Divorce Coach works with clients who are "on the fence," in the process of separating, getting a divorce, or are in any other way undergoing a significant change or transformation in their lives. Adina is also founder of Divorce Essentials, a specialized divorce coaching and support service for those committed to a healthy path for reclaiming their lives. Follow Adina on Twitter at @AdinaLaver.

Feel like you'll never bounce back from your divorce? Listen as Pamela Elaine Nichols, divorced mom, author & speaker, shares how she turned her pain into purpose. Learn how you can apply her life lessons to cope, heal and thrive despite divorce. This episode will discuss how you can overcome the pain of divorce, what skills you need to regain hope and perspective after divorce, and how to create your own divorce resilience plan.

Key Points:
- Resilient people are not naturally immune to stress and depression. They've learned tangible skills that help them successfully manage life's difficulties. Learn how you can too.
- Hear some of Pamela's hard-earned lessons, and how each one taught her an essential skill that you can apply to your own situation. Be inspired and take action!
- Learn how to assess your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to managing negative emotions. Build a practice that increases your self-care, confidence and support system. 

Sponsored by Main Line Family Law Center
For more information, please visit: Main Line Family Law Center at https://myhealthydivorce.com

Episode Host, Adina Laver, Founder, Courage to Be Curious, (formerly Divorce Essentials)
Find Adina Laver at: https://couragetobecurious.com

Guest: Pamela Elaine Nichols 

About Pamela: Pamela Elaine is the mother of four children who, like many mothers, put the wants and needs of others first and ignored her own. As a result, her marriage came to a screeching halt. Determined to bounce back strong from divorce, she created a 4-part “Resilient Beauty” practice for health and happiness, which she now shares with other mothers. In her new book, Muddy High Heels: 14 Lessons Learned from My Breakdown, Breakup & Breakthrough, she writes about how to overcome barriers that hold mothers back from their physical, emotional, spiritual and financial beauty. Pamela is President of her business, Destined for Greatness Enterprises, Inc. She has appeared on several radio and news spots to promote health and well-being for women, including The Dr. Oz Show where she shared her story of building her business as a healthy way to bounce back from divorce.

As a loving parent, you worry about your children's well-being during divorce. Learn how to create a parenting plan that will give them the consistency they need and minimize conflict with your ex-partner. Listen to learn what exactly a parenting plan is, how a plan can help you work with your ex-partner, and when co-parent counseling can help.

Key Points : 
- Learn how to create a legally-binding document that defines what is most important to you as a parent - everything from household rules to medical needs. 
- Hear how the process of developing a parenting plan can put you both on the same page from the start. Find out the best ways to communicate changes and decisions. 
- It takes time to adjust to co-parenting. Learn when professional help may be needed to implement, interpret, and stick to the parenting plan. 

Sponsored by Main Line Family Law Center
For more information, please visit: Main Line Family Law Center at https://myhealthydivorce.com

Episode Host, Adina Laver, Founder, Courage to Be Curious, (formerly Divorce Essentials)
Find Adina Laver at: https://couragetobecurious.com

Guests: Sandi Sherr, M.Ed. and Stephanie Newberg, MED, MSW, LCSW

About Sandi: Sandi Sherr, M.Ed, is a parenting mediator for Main Line Family Law Center. For over 25 years, Sandi has been dedicated to building strong, healthy families. Sandi's M.Ed. in special education and psycholinguistics has taken her to practically every kind of setting devoted to working with children and their families or caregivers. Her range of psycho-educational experience includes adult behavior therapy; adoption counseling; parenting education; foster care; child development; adolescent special needs; early childhood intervention; and parenting her own three children. To the latter end, she is a veteran volunteer and office holder in her community school district. For more information or advice on creating a healthy parenting plan, contact Sandi at ssherr@mlfamilylawcenter.com.

About Stephanie: Stephanie Newberg is a licensed psychotherapist and works with individuals, couples and families. She has been in practice for 15 years specializing in family and couples counseling, co-parenting counseling, implications of divorce on families and grief and loss issues. Stephanie has led numerous workshops and presentations and has published articles on relationship and communication skills, co-parenting counseling, coping with family stressors and children's mental health issues. She lives and practices in Bryn Mawr, PA. To request an appointment, contact Stephanie at stephanie@stephanienewberg.com.