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. 18h ago

    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🥤

    43 min

  2. 5d ago ·  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🥤

    3 min

  3. Jun 30

    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🥤

    43 min

  4. Jun 25 ·  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

  5. Jun 23

    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

  6. Jun 18 ·  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

  7. Jun 16

    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

  8. Jun 11 ·  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
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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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