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

My Coach Dawn
  • 4.9 (62)
  • 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. 3h ago

    365. Why You Can't Trust That Everything Will Be Okay After Divorce (Yet)

    A Different D Word apply here ✨ You keep telling yourself that everything is going to be okay... So why doesn't your body believe you? If you've read the books, listened to the podcasts, repeated the affirmations, and you're still waiting to feel calm, you're not failing. Your nervous system simply doesn't heal through information alone. In this episode, we're unpacking why uncertainty feels so terrifying after divorce, how hypervigilance disguises itself as responsibility, and why trying to control your ex, your children, or your future is often a nervous system strategy—not a character flaw. We also explore the difference between anxiety and intuition, why positive thinking can't create genuine self-trust, and what it actually takes to build a deep, embodied belief that you'll be okay no matter what life throws at you. In this episode, we discuss:  Why "everything will be okay someday" keeps you stuck  The nervous system's relationship with uncertainty and fear  Hypervigilance, codependency, and the illusion of control  How to tell the difference between anxiety and intuition  Why healing requires more than therapy, books, and podcasts  What real emotional safety feels like in your body  The missing ingredient that helps self-trust finally stick If you've been quietly thinking, "I know all of this... so why can't I actually live it?"—this episode is for you. 💛 Enrollment for A Different D Word is officially open. If you're ready to stop collecting healing tools and start experiencing lasting transformation through nervous system repair, community, coaching, EMDR, IFS, somatic healing, and individualized support, we'd love to talk with you. You can't think your way into healing 🥵 You have to practice your way there 👭 If you're ready for the next step, learn more about  A Different D Word and apply here ✨ Support the show You can't think your way into healing 🥵 You have to practice your way there 👭If you're ready for the next step, learn more about  A Different D Word and apply here ✨

  2. 5d ago ·  Bonus

    364. One Day, This Could Be You | What Building Secure Attachment Actually Feels Like

    Secure attachment isn't a feeling you suddenly arrive at. It's something you build. It's discovering that you can be overwhelmed, uncertain, emotional, imperfect... and still let yourself lean on other people. In this week's After the Mic, we're reflecting on what happened during our annual A Different D Word retreat—not because we want you to wish you had been there, but because we want you to know what's possible. We talk about what it was like to be held by a room full of women while also holding space for each other. How healing changes when it happens in relationship instead of isolation. And why the deepest transformation often comes from experiencing something your nervous system has never had before. This isn't an episode about having the perfect weekend. It's about what happens when women practice trusting, receiving support, repairing after hard moments, laughing until they cry, and discovering they don't have to carry everything by themselves anymore. If you've ever wondered what practicing secure attachment actually feels like... This conversation is a glimpse. Support the show You can't think your way into healing 🥵 You have to practice your way there 👭If you're ready for the next step, learn more about  A Different D Word and apply here ✨

  3. Jul 21

    363. Dear Divorce Diary... I Said Yes Again - Even Though I Promised Myself I'd Say No

    Have you ever heard yourself say "Sure!"... while every part of you was screaming "Absolutely not." You promised yourself you wouldn't text him. You wouldn't overcommit. You wouldn't rescue everyone. You wouldn't have sex just to keep the peace. You wouldn't keep saying yes when your body was begging you to say no. And then... you did it anyway. If you've ever walked away from a conversation wondering, "Why do I keep doing this?" this episode is for you. Today, we're unpacking why saying yes when you really mean no has so little to do with willpower—and so much to do with old survival strategies, nervous system patterns, and the deep fear that disappointing someone might cost you love, safety, or belonging. Inside this episode, we talk about: Why boundaries feel hardest with the people you rely on mostHow divorce guilt fuels people-pleasing and self-abandonmentThe surprising ways this shows up with your ex, your kids, dating, work, and even yourselfWhy awareness alone isn't enough to change your patternsHow to start rebuilding self-trust—one honest "no" at a timeBecause healing after divorce isn't just learning to say no to other people. It's finally learning to stop saying no to yourself. 💛 Ready to practice with women who truly get it? Join our free community, Cocoon, where you'll find support, workshops, and real conversations that help you turn awareness into lasting change. Support the show You can't think your way into healing 🥵 You have to practice your way there 👭If you're ready for the next step, learn more about  A Different D Word and apply here ✨

  4. Jul 16 ·  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 You can't think your way into healing 🥵 You have to practice your way there 👭If you're ready for the next step, learn more about  A Different D Word and apply here ✨

  5. Jul 14

    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 You can't think your way into healing 🥵 You have to practice your way there 👭If you're ready for the next step, learn more about  A Different D Word and apply here ✨

  6. Jul 9 ·  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 You can't think your way into healing 🥵 You have to practice your way there 👭If you're ready for the next step, learn more about  A Different D Word and apply here ✨

  7. Jul 7

    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 You can't think your way into healing 🥵 You have to practice your way there 👭If you're ready for the next step, learn more about  A Different D Word and apply here ✨

  8. Jul 2 ·  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 You can't think your way into healing 🥵 You have to practice your way there 👭If you're ready for the next step, learn more about  A Different D Word and apply here ✨

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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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