Dear Divorce Diary: A Fresh Approach To Healing Grief & Building A Life Of Confidence After Divorce

My Coach Dawn
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated weekly

This isn’t a breakup pep talk. It’s a full-body recalibration for women navigating life after divorce. Dear Divorce Diary is a podcast for women dealing with grief, loneliness, anxiety, anxious or avoidant attachment, and identity loss after divorce — especially when quick fixes, positivity, and spiritual fluff no longer work. I’m Dawn Wiggins, therapist, coach, and homeopath, and this show goes where most divorce advice won’t: into your nervous system, your unspoken grief, your buried rage, and the parts of you that shut down just to survive. Through honest conversation, somatic tools, EMDR- and IFS-informed work, and nervous-system support, each episode helps you feel instead of perform healing — and rebuild safety, confidence, and self-trust from the inside out. You’ll hear raw solo episodes, real voice notes from women in the trenches, and intimate conversations with experts who don’t just talk about healing — they embody it. If you’re tired of being told to “move on” while your body is still bracing, this podcast is your place to land. Your nervous system already knows the truth — it just needs a space that can hold it.

  1. 2 days ago ·  Bonus

    Ep. 362 Why Does Everything Good for Me Feel Like a Chore After Divorce?

    You know the things that would probably help. The walk. The boundary. The therapy session. The earlier bedtime. The journal sitting untouched on your nightstand. So why does it feel so hard to actually do them? If you've ever found yourself reaching for your phone instead of your healing, texting your ex when you knew better, pouring another glass of wine, avoiding the hard conversation, or putting off the very thing that might help you feel better... this episode is for you. In this conversation, Dawn explores the frustrating paradox so many women face after divorce: wanting to heal while simultaneously resisting the very things that support healing. You'll learn why your nervous system often chooses familiar pain over unfamiliar growth, how childhood conditioning can make healthy choices feel surprisingly uncomfortable, and why this struggle has far less to do with willpower than you've been led to believe. Most importantly, you'll walk away with a simple, practical tool to help you start choosing yourself—even when it feels hard. Because healing isn't about being perfect. It's about learning to recognize the moments when you're standing at a crossroads between temporary relief and lasting change. And choosing yourself, one small decision at a time. In This Episode: Why healing often feels harder than staying stuckThe post-divorce paradox nobody talks aboutHow your nervous system confuses familiar pain with safetyThe childhood patterns that may still be driving your choicesWhy self-care can feel uncomfortable at firstA simple exercise to help you stop abandoning yourself in real timeIf you've been wondering why you can't seem to follow through on the things you know would help, this episode might give you the answer you've been looking for. Support the show ✨Join the Cocoon Community - your people are waiting! ✨ 🥤Shop Organised - Code: DEARDIVORCEDIARY for 10% off🥤

  2. 4 days ago

    361. Three Core Ingredients of Letting Go, Moving On & Manifesting a Life You Love After Divorce

    You thought healing would mean feeling better by now. Maybe you've been to therapy. Read the books. Listened to the podcasts. Journaled your heart out. Maybe you've done everything you're "supposed" to do after divorce and you're still wondering: Why do I feel so stuck? In this episode, Dawn shares the three core ingredients she believes every woman needs to truly let go, move on, and begin creating a life she loves after divorce. Because healing isn't just about understanding what happened. It's about having enough support to steady your nervous system, processing the pain that still lives beneath the surface, and building a vision for your future that feels bigger than your past. You'll learn: • Why support is often the most overlooked part of divorce recovery • The difference between processing pain and simply replaying it • Why childhood wounds often keep us stuck long after the marriage ends • How unprocessed grief, resentment, and regret can block forward movement • The role manifestation actually plays in healing after divorce • Why creating a compelling vision for your future matters just as much as grieving your past Dawn also responds to a listener who feels trapped in a cycle of emotional setbacks as new information about her ex continues to surface, making it difficult to move forward. If you've ever found yourself thinking: "I've done so much work. Why doesn't my life feel different?" This episode will help you identify what's missing and where your healing journey may need more support, deeper processing, or a clearer vision of what's next. Because moving on isn't something that magically happens one day. It's something you build—one ingredient at a time. Support the show ✨Join the Cocoon Community - your people are waiting! ✨ 🥤Shop Organised - Code: DEARDIVORCEDIARY for 10% off🥤

  3. 9 Jul ·  Bonus

    Ep. 360 - The Deep Rest Your Divorce Recovery Needs | Retreat Yoga Nidra

    What if the most healing thing you could do today wasn't another journal prompt, podcast episode, or breakthrough conversation? What if it was rest? In this special Dear Divorce Diary VIP episode, we're sharing one of the most requested practices from our Myrtle Beach retreats: a guided Yoga Nidra experience designed to help your nervous system soften, settle, and remember what safety feels like. This isn't yoga. You don't need flexibility. You don't need experience. You don't even need to stay awake. Yoga Nidra is often called "yogic sleep," a deeply restorative practice that guides you into the space between waking and sleeping, where the body can release tension and the mind can finally stop working so hard. Through grounding imagery, nervous system regulation, intention setting, and a gentle body scan, you'll be invited to let go of the roles, responsibilities, worries, and stories you've been carrying—and reconnect with yourself underneath it all. So grab a blanket, get comfortable, and give yourself permission to receive. Because healing isn't always something you do. Sometimes it's something you allow. Take a breath. We'll meet you there. Support the show ✨Join the Cocoon Community - your people are waiting! ✨ 🥤Shop Organised - Code: DEARDIVORCEDIARY for 10% off🥤

  4. 7 Jul

    359. Why Is Letting Go After Divorce So Hard When He Acts Like None of It Happened?

    Have you ever looked at your ex and thought: "How are you okay?" How are you dating? How are you posting vacation photos? How are you laughing with friends? How are you acting like our entire marriage didn't just fall apart? Meanwhile, you're still carrying the grief, the questions, the memories, and the heartbreak. In this live episode recorded at our Myrtle Beach retreat, we're talking about one of the most confusing parts of divorce: watching someone who shared your life seem completely unaffected while you're still trying to put yourself back together. And if you've ever caught yourself wondering whether he healed faster, whether he cared less, or whether you're somehow doing divorce wrong, you're not alone. Together, we explore what happens when your healing gets tangled up with your ex's timeline, why his ability to "move on" can feel so personal, and how quickly we start making his behavior mean something about our worth. This conversation goes beyond divorce grief and into the deeper questions so many women carry: Did I matter? Was any of it real? Why am I still hurting when he seems completely fine? And perhaps most importantly: What if I'm measuring healing by the wrong thing? If you've ever felt crazy because your ex seems fine, this episode is for you. Support the show ✨Join the Cocoon Community - your people are waiting! ✨ 🥤Shop Organised - Code: DEARDIVORCEDIARY for 10% off🥤

  5. 2 Jul ·  Bonus

    358. What If I Don't Fit In After Divorce?

    You almost don't go. The workshop. The support group. The retreat. The community event. The coffee date. The thing you secretly want to say yes to. Because what if it's awkward? What if everyone already knows each other? What if you don't fit in? What if you need alone time? What if people think you're weird, too quiet, too much, too emotional, not emotional enough? After divorce, many women find themselves craving connection while simultaneously feeling terrified of it. In this behind-the-scenes conversation from our Myrtle Beach retreat, Dawn, Joy, and Coach Tiffini pull back the curtain on what happens when women step into spaces where they don't know exactly what to expect—and why that uncertainty can feel so uncomfortable. Together, we explore: • Why humans naturally struggle with uncertainty • The surprising fears women shared before arriving at retreat • Why having needs can feel so vulnerable • The pressure many women feel to be "on" all the time • What happens when you stop trying to perform and allow yourself to be seen • Why connection often feels scariest right before it becomes healing • The unexpected magic of being with women who truly understand • What we've learned from watching women move from apprehension to belonging Whether you've been considering a workshop, joining a community, attending a retreat, or simply putting yourself back out there after divorce, this episode is a reminder: You don't have to show up perfectly. You don't have to know exactly how it's going to go. You don't even have to feel ready. Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is show up anyway. Support the show ✨Join the Cocoon Community - your people are waiting! ✨ 🥤Shop Organised - Code: DEARDIVORCEDIARY for 10% off🥤

  6. 30 Jun

    357. Why Does Scrolling Dating Apps After Divorce Sound Like a Better Idea Than Going to Bed?

    It's late. You're tired. You know you should put your phone down and go to sleep. Instead, you're opening Bumble. Or Hinge. Or Facebook Dating. Just to "see who's out there." Again. If you've ever found yourself scrolling dating apps after divorce when you weren't actually ready to date, this episode is for you. Because most of the time, you're not looking for love. You're looking for relief. In this episode, Dawn, Tiffini, and Joy unpack what is really happening when loneliness, heartbreak, attachment wounds, and the need to feel wanted collide with dating apps. Together, they explore: Why dating apps can feel almost addictive after divorceThe surprising connection between attachment wounds and app scrollingWhy attention and validation rarely make loneliness go awayWhat you're actually seeking when you keep checking for matchesThe difference between genuine connection and a dopamine hitHow fantasy, hope, and loneliness can keep you stuck in unhealthy patternsWhy your ex moving on often triggers the urge to start dating before you're readyWhat grounded dating actually looks like after divorceHow to build real safety and connection without relying on strangers to provide itIf you've ever caught yourself planning a future with someone whose profile you just read five minutes ago... Or re-downloaded a dating app you swore you were done with... Or wondered why being wanted doesn't actually make you feel better... This conversation will help you understand what's really happening underneath the swipe. Because healing after divorce isn't about finding someone new. It's about creating enough safety within yourself that you no longer need a dating app to soothe the ache. Resources Mentioned: • Join our free Cocoon community • The Loneliness Roadmap • Monthly workshops, support, and connection inside Cocoon Listen now and discover why scrolling dating apps isn't really about dating at all. Support the show ✨Join the Cocoon Community - your people are waiting! ✨ 🥤Shop Organised - Code: DEARDIVORCEDIARY for 10% off🥤

  7. 25 Jun ·  Bonus

    Ep. 356 What Do I Do With Everything I Never Got to Say After Divorce?

    There are things you never got to say. The words you swallowed to keep the peace. The questions that never got answered. The anger you weren't allowed to express. The grief that still catches in your throat. Maybe it's your ex. Maybe it's a parent. Maybe it's someone you've loved deeply and lost. Maybe it's a version of yourself that disappeared somewhere along the way. In this special Dear Divorce Diary VIP episode, Dawn, Joy, and Coach Tiffini hold space for a different kind of healing. Not a meditation. Not a visualization. Not another lesson to learn. Just a safe place to tell the truth. Because sometimes healing gets stuck when our thoughts, feelings, disappointments, and heartbreak have nowhere to go. We wait for understanding, closure, an apology, or one more conversation. But what if the healing begins when you finally give those words a place to land? Grab your journal, a pen, some crayons, or simply your breath. Let your body guide you as you explore what has been waiting to be expressed. In this episode, you'll: Create space for the thoughts and feelings you've never been able to fully expressExplore grief, anger, disappointment, and unanswered questions in a safe and supported wayLearn why healing can stall when emotions remain unspokenExperience the power of witnessing and validating your own truthBegin releasing the burden of carrying it all aloneYou don't have to be fair. You don't have to be understanding. You don't have to get it right. You only have to be honest. Because sometimes the deepest healing happens when you stop waiting for someone else to hear you—and finally hear yourself. Take a breath. We're right here with you. Support the show ✨Join the Cocoon Community - your people are waiting! ✨ 🥤Shop Organised - Code: DEARDIVORCEDIARY for 10% off🥤

  8. 23 Jun

    355. Why Do I Feel So Out of Control Around Food & Weight Since Divorce?

    Maybe you're eating more. Maybe you're eating less. Maybe you're thinking about food all the time. Maybe you've gained weight, lost weight, or feel like your body doesn't respond the way it used to. And maybe you're wondering why something that once felt manageable suddenly feels so complicated. In this episode of Dear Divorce Diary, Dawn, Tiffini, and Joy explore the often-overlooked connection between divorce, grief, stress, loneliness, and our relationship with food and weight. Because the truth is, food works. Food can create comfort, connection, distraction, relief, control, and even a temporary sense of safety when life feels overwhelming. The problem isn't that it helps. The problem is that the relief is temporary, while the deeper pain remains. Together, we unpack:  Why divorce can dramatically change the way you eat  Emotional eating, stress eating, under-eating, and food restriction  The connection between food, loneliness, grief, and nervous system regulation  Why food can become a source of comfort, control, protection, or relief  The hidden fears that often drive food and weight struggles  How childhood experiences shape our relationship with nourishment  The difference between self-soothing and avoiding ourselves  Simple questions that can help you understand what you're really hungry for If you've ever found yourself standing in the pantry wondering, "Why am I doing this?" or looking in the mirror and feeling disconnected from your body, this conversation is for you. Because this isn't really about willpower. It's about understanding what your nervous system, your body, and your grief may be trying to communicate. One step at a time, with curiosity instead of judgment. 💛 Join us inside Cocoon, our free divorce recovery community, for deeper support, resources, and conversations with women who understand what you're navigating. There is nothing wrong with you. You're healing through one of life's biggest transitions—and you don't have to do it alone. Support the show ✨Join the Cocoon Community - your people are waiting! ✨ 🥤Shop Organised - Code: DEARDIVORCEDIARY for 10% off🥤

See All (294)

Trailer

About

This isn’t a breakup pep talk. It’s a full-body recalibration for women navigating life after divorce. Dear Divorce Diary is a podcast for women dealing with grief, loneliness, anxiety, anxious or avoidant attachment, and identity loss after divorce — especially when quick fixes, positivity, and spiritual fluff no longer work. I’m Dawn Wiggins, therapist, coach, and homeopath, and this show goes where most divorce advice won’t: into your nervous system, your unspoken grief, your buried rage, and the parts of you that shut down just to survive. Through honest conversation, somatic tools, EMDR- and IFS-informed work, and nervous-system support, each episode helps you feel instead of perform healing — and rebuild safety, confidence, and self-trust from the inside out. You’ll hear raw solo episodes, real voice notes from women in the trenches, and intimate conversations with experts who don’t just talk about healing — they embody it. If you’re tired of being told to “move on” while your body is still bracing, this podcast is your place to land. Your nervous system already knows the truth — it just needs a space that can hold it.

Information

You Might Also Like