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

My Coach Dawn
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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. 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🥤

    3 min

  2. 4 days ago

    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🥤

    38 min

  3. 18 June ·  Bonus

    354. Why Do I Feel Responsible for Everyone Else's Happiness After Divorce?

    This week, we're taking you behind the scenes and into the very real family dynamics we're navigating in our own lives right now. Because healing doesn't magically make difficult people easy. It doesn't erase guilt. It doesn't eliminate family pressure. And it certainly doesn't stop other people from expecting you to sacrifice yourself to make them feel better. In this candid conversation, Dawn, Joy, and Tiffini explore what happens when aging parents, family expectations, old wounds, and lifelong patterns of people-pleasing collide with the work of recovery. Together, we unpack: • Why so many women feel responsible for managing everyone else's emotions • The difference between compassion and self-sacrifice • What guilt can teach us—and when it's simply a sign that someone is unhappy with our boundaries • The challenge of loving family members who cannot meet us where we are • Why healing doesn't protect you from dysfunction—but it does help you recognize it • The grief of accepting people as they are instead of waiting for them to change • How to stop abandoning yourself in an effort to keep everyone else comfortable This conversation is a reminder that recovery isn't about becoming unaffected by difficult people or difficult circumstances. It's about seeing clearly. It's about recognizing when old patterns are being activated. And it's about trusting that you can love people without making their happiness your responsibility. If you've ever felt guilty for disappointing someone, struggled to set boundaries with family, or wondered why you still feel responsible for everyone else's feelings after divorce, this episode is for you. Support the show ✨Join the Cocoon Community - your people are waiting! ✨ 🥤Shop Organised - Code: DEARDIVORCEDIARY for 10% off🥤

    2 min

  4. 16 June

    353. Why Do I Need Wine to Turn My Brain Off After Divorce?

    You finally have a quiet night. The kids are gone. The house is calm. Nobody needs anything from you. So why can't you relax? Why does your mind keep racing? Why does the silence feel uncomfortable? And why does that glass of wine suddenly feel like the only way to take the edge off? In this episode, Dawn, Tiffini, and Joy explore the deeper reasons so many women find themselves reaching for wine after divorce—not because they're weak, broken, or lacking willpower, but because they're carrying years of overwhelm, responsibility, grief, loneliness, stress, and nervous system overload. Together, they unpack: • Why divorce often amplifies coping patterns that existed long before the marriage ended • The difference between drinking for enjoyment and drinking for relief • Why so many women struggle to relax, even when they finally have time to themselves • The connection between wine, emotional overwhelm, and the need to "turn your brain off" • How loneliness, stillness, and unprocessed grief can make alcohol feel like a lifeline • What withdrawal really looks like—and why it extends far beyond alcohol • How to start identifying what you're actually trying to escape when you reach for a drink This isn't an episode about judgment. It's an episode about understanding. Because the question isn't simply: "Why am I drinking?" The deeper question is: "What feels so overwhelming that I don't know how to be with it without wine?" If you've ever found yourself saying: "I just need something to help me relax." "I just want to turn my brain off." "Wine is the only thing I look forward to at the end of the day." This conversation is for you. glUmRCG762PNwuXRUmFh Support the show ✨Join the Cocoon Community - your people are waiting! ✨ 🥤Shop Organised - Code: DEARDIVORCEDIARY for 10% off🥤

    45 min

  5. 11 June ·  Bonus

    Ep. 352. Divorce Recovery Isn't Just Healing or Understanding. It's Learning to Surrender.

    You've done the therapy. Listened to the podcasts. Read the books. So why are you still hurting? In this special episode, Dawn shares why understanding alone isn't always enough to create change—and why true healing sometimes asks us to lift our gaze beyond ourselves. As someone with a history of religious trauma, Dawn never expected prayer to become part of this podcast. But after years of healing, she discovered that there are moments when insight, effort, and self-awareness reach their limits. Sometimes healing requires surrender. Not giving up. Not checking out. Trusting that you don't have to carry everything alone. Whether you call it God, Creator, Love, Source, or something else entirely, this episode offers a simple prayer for the woman who is tired, overwhelmed, and ready to receive support. Take a breath. Lift your gaze. And remember: I trust that I am not walking alone. Support the show ✨Join the Cocoon Community - your people are waiting! ✨ 🥤Shop Organised - Code: DEARDIVORCEDIARY for 10% off🥤

    3 min

  6. 9 June

    351. Why Did I Text Him Back? Divorce, Self-Abandonment & The Pain I Couldn't Sit With

    You told yourself you weren't going to text him. You meant it. Then your phone buzzed... or the loneliness got louder... or the pressure inside became impossible to ignore. And before you knew it, you hit send. In this episode, Dawn, Coach Tiffini, and Joy explore one of the most frustrating post-divorce patterns women experience: reaching for false connection when what they're actually craving is relief. Because the truth is, texting him back usually isn't about him. It's about the discomfort you're trying to escape. Together, they unpack the deeper forces underneath the urge to reach out—including attachment wounds, loneliness, validation-seeking, nervous system dysregulation, productivity addiction, and self-abandonment. They discuss:  Why the urge to text your ex feels so overwhelming  What is actually happening in your nervous system before you hit send  The surprising ways loneliness causes women to betray their own values  Why validation can become addictive after divorce  How old attachment patterns follow us into new relationships  The difference between temporary relief and genuine healing  Why community matters when you're trying to break painful cycles  Practical tools for interrupting the urge to reach out Most importantly, this conversation offers compassion. Because if you've ever found yourself asking, "Why do I keep doing this?" the answer is probably much bigger than a text message. The text is just the fruit. This episode helps you understand the tree. Mentioned In This Episode  Attachment wounds and nervous system healing  Self-abandonment vs. self-trust  IFS (Internal Family Systems)  The role of loneliness in divorce recovery  Why healing requires more than willpower Ready to heal with women who understand? Join us inside Cocoon, our free community for women navigating divorce, rebuilding self-trust, and creating lives that feel grounded, secure, and fully their own. We'd love to meet you there.  Support the show ✨Join the Cocoon Community - your people are waiting! ✨ 🥤Shop Organised - Code: DEARDIVORCEDIARY for 10% off🥤

    44 min

  7. 4 June ·  Bonus

    Ep. 350 - I Know the Divorce Was Necessary... So Why Do I Still Feel Guilty? | Guided Meditation

    Divorce guilt has a way of showing up long after the paperwork is signed. Maybe you feel guilty about ending the marriage. Maybe you feel guilty for staying too long. Maybe you feel guilty for being angry, setting boundaries, disappointing people, or wanting more for your life. And sometimes the hardest part is that guilt can feel like proof that you're still a good person. In this guided healing meditation, Coach Tiffini helps you gently explore the deeper purpose guilt may be serving inside your nervous system. Through compassionate self-inquiry and parts-based reflection, you'll be invited to connect with the part of you carrying guilt and discover what it has been trying to protect all along. This isn't about forcing forgiveness. It's not about pretending everything is okay. And it's definitely not about toxic positivity. It's about creating enough safety to ask a different question: Is this guilt showing me that I've violated my values—or is it simply reacting to discomfort, grief, change, or old programming? If you've been carrying the weight of divorce guilt, self-blame, people-pleasing, or emotional responsibility for everyone around you, this meditation offers a gentle space to set some of that weight down. Put on your headphones. Find somewhere quiet. And give yourself permission to receive the compassion you so freely offer everyone else.  💛 Cocoon VIP is where we have the conversations we can’t always have on the public feed. Join us for:  – weekly Thursday VIP healing episodes  – monthly live workshops with Coach Tiffini  – deeper conversations inside our private community  – the kind of support that helps you stop doing divorce healing alone Join Cocoon VIP A podcast exploring the journey of life after divorce, delving into topics like divorce grief, loneliness, anxiety, manifesting, the impact of different attachment styles and codependency, setting healthy boundaries, energy healing with homeopathy, managing the nervous system during divorce depression, understanding the stages of divorce grief, and using the Law of Attraction and EMDR therapy in the process of building your confidence, forgiveness and letting go. Support the show ✨Join the Cocoon Community - your people are waiting! ✨ 🥤Shop Organised - Code: DEARDIVORCEDIARY for 10% off🥤

    2 min

  8. 2 June

    349. Why You've Done So Much Healing... But Still Feel Stuck in the Same Divorce Patterns

    You've read the books. You've listened to the podcasts. You've been to therapy. You know your attachment style, your triggers, your patterns, and exactly why you do what you do. So why do you still find yourself reacting the same way? Why do you still answer the text? Why do you still overthink the conversation? Why do you still tolerate things you know aren't good for you? In this episode, Dawn, Joy, and Tiffini explore one of the most frustrating parts of divorce recovery: the gap between understanding yourself and actually changing your life. Together, they unpack:  Why insight alone doesn't create lasting change  The difference between consuming healing and practicing healing  How self-awareness can become another form of avoidance  Why knowing your patterns isn't the same as changing them  The role vulnerability, action, and community play in true healing  What keeps women standing on the sidelines of their own lives  Why healing often requires more than information  The hidden difference between feeling better and living differently If you've ever found yourself thinking: "I've done so much work... so why am I still struggling with this?" This episode is for you. Because healing isn't measured by how much you know. It's measured by what you're finally willing to do differently. Resources & Links 💜 Join Cocoon — our free community for women navigating divorce recovery, healing, confidence, and life after divorce. A podcast exploring the journey of life after divorce, delving into topics like divorce grief, loneliness, anxiety, manifesting, the impact of different attachment styles and codependency, setting healthy boundaries, energy healing with homeopathy, managing the nervous system during divorce depression, understanding the stages of divorce grief, and using the Law of Attraction and EMDR therapy in the process of building your confidence, forgiveness and letting go. Support the show ✨Join the Cocoon Community - your people are waiting! ✨ 🥤Shop Organised - Code: DEARDIVORCEDIARY for 10% off🥤

    37 min
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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.

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