The D. Tales with Allison Kahler

Allison Kahler

The D. Tales with Allison Kahler blends real divorce stories with grounded expert insight—helping you find clarity, feel connected, and courageously move forward on your own terms. For many people, divorce doesn’t start—or end—with a single decision. It unfolds through questions, doubts, and moments of reckoning: Should I stay or leave? Am I doing this “right”? What’s normal? What if I regret this? Whether you’re quietly wondering, deep in the thick of it, or trying to make sense of what just happened, The D. Tales creates space for the questions most people carry alone. Each episode features candid, deeply human stories from people who have faced these same decisions, alongside thoughtful conversations with experts who understand the emotional, legal, and financial realities of divorce. You won’t hear a single “right” answer here. Instead, you’ll hear diverse perspectives—so you can better understand your own. Divorce touches more than 40% of marriages, yet so many people experience it in silence, carrying unnecessary shame and isolation. The D. Tales brings these conversations out of the shadows—normalizing the uncertainty, the back-and-forth, the fear of getting it wrong, and the quiet hope that something better might be possible. Hosted by Allison Kahler—who once stood in that uncertain space herself and created the resource she wished existed—this podcast offers credible insight and real human connection. Not to rush you into a choice, and not to keep you stuck—but to help you make the right decisions for your marriage, navigate what comes next with clarity, and step into a future that may look very different than you imagined—and better than you thought possible. The D. Tales with Allison Kahler is produced by AK Venture Studio LLC.

  1. 4d ago

    Ep. 35: "Trust Your Gut" Is Useless If You Can't Hear It (Solo)

    If someone has ever asked what your gut is telling you and you had absolutely no idea how to answer — this one's for you. In this solo episode, I share the coaching tool that helped me understand why that inner voice gets so hard to hear, and the voices that were running the show during my divorce. In this episode: Why the advice to just "trust your gut" can fall flat during divorce — the inner voice is always there, it's just that other voices can be so much louderMeeting the Stickler, the Controller, and the Avoider — three of my saboteurs that showed up recently, and what "productive procrastination" actually looks likeThe Pleaser, the Victim, and the Hyper-vigilant — the cast of characters present during my divorce process, and how I can admit in hindsight that I played the martyr card in couples therapyWhy these voices aren't the enemy — they're protection built from strengths we mis-use or overuse, which is exactly what makes them so hard to put down3 steps I use with coaching clients and on myself — name the voices, actually listen to what they're saying, then invite them to take a back seat"I just thought I was totally f***ed up" — what I know now that I didn't have language for then, and why naming these voices is the step that comes before trusting your gut Episode-Specific Notes: Resources mentioned: Take the Saboteur Assessment from Positive Intelligence: https://positiveintelligence.com/saboteurs/Read “The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership” by Jim Dethmer, Diana Chapman, and Kaley KlempEp. 10: Dear Diary — I Knew. I Just Didn't Trust That I Knew. on Apple | Spotify | YouTubeEp. 23: This Is Your Brain on Divorce — What Psychedelics Actually Do (with Dr. Nick Bruss) on Apple | Spotify | YouTube About "The D. Tales with Allison Kahler": The D. Tales blends real divorce stories with grounded expert insight — helping you find clarity and courage to move forward on your own terms. Follow The D. Tales wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow along on Instagram: @thedtalespodcast Learn more at https://thedtalespodcast.com This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal, medical, mental health, or financial advice.

  2. Sep 22

    Ep. 34: Can Mediation Work If Your Divorce Isn't Amicable?

    Today's conversation with attorney and certified divorce mediator David Fein makes the case that mediation isn't reserved for couples who still get along — it's for anyone who'd rather shape their own agreement than let a judge take the simplest way out. And what you decide in mediation isn't permanent: it's a living document you can renegotiate as your family changes. In this episode: Why you don't have to like your ex — or even agree with them — for mediation to workWhy a mediator isn't a judge — he/she can't rule or force an outcome, and why that changes what's possible in the roomHow aligning on a goal more specific than "I want the kids to be okay" sets a custody mediation up for successWhat happens to the house — why mediation can get creative in a high interest rate environment, and why litigation tends to end in "sell it and split the proceeds"The parenting schedule his own kids asked him to change — and why he now tells clients their divorce agreement is "a living document" About David Fein: David Fein is an attorney, certified divorce mediator, and the founder of Fein Legal Solutions, LLC, where he specializes in child-centric family mediation for clients across Illinois. His path to family law wasn't a traditional one — he spent more than 30 years in corporate leadership, energy policy, and high-stakes regulatory advocacy before moving into mediation, and he brings that same structured approach to negotiation to families trying to avoid the adversarial court system. He holds a Juris Doctorate from DePaul University College of Law, a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and a Certificate in Divorce Mediation from Northwestern University. Having been through his own divorce and built a co-parenting relationship with the mother of his three kids, he helps families restructure their futures with dignity, clarity, and peace of mind. Learn more about Fein Legal Solutions: www.feinlegalsolutions.com Book a call with David: https://calendly.com/fein-legal/schedule-1-1-with-david Call David directly: (312) 446-2882 — he answers his own phone! Follow David on Instagram: @feindavid312 Connect with Fein Legal Solutions on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fein-legal-solutions-llc-dba-the-law-office-of-david-fein/ Episode-Specific Notes: Mediation rules and divorce laws vary by state. This conversation references Illinois, where David practices, along with California as a point of contrast — including how a mediated agreement gets formalized and who is permitted to draft it. If you're considering mediation, confirm the requirements that apply where you live. About "The D. Tales with Allison Kahler": The D. Tales blends real divorce stories with grounded expert insight — helping you find clarity and courage to move forward on your own terms. Follow The D. Tales wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow along on Instagram: @thedtalespodcast Learn more at https://thedtalespodcast.com This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal, medical, mental health, or financial advice.

  3. Sep 15

    Ep. 33: Surviving a High-Conflict Divorce — and Thriving

    This is a story about navigating a high-conflict divorce — and rebuilding your life at the same time. Claire Adamou left her home and moved into her sister's converted garage with her two young children. The night she hit rock bottom became the turning point where she took her power back. Claire shares how she stopped handing that power to her ex, why she started dating before her divorce was final, and what it really looks like to blend two families after divorce. In this episode: How her rock bottom also became the turning point — from crying on the garage floor in front of her children to realizing no one would ever make her feel like that againWhy she started dating before the divorce was final — and what she said to the people, including her own father, who questioned “what kind of a man dates a married woman?”"The car of truth" — the school-run ritual where her kids can say anything, and mum is never allowed to get angryBlending two families, four kids, and four different parenting styles — and why being rock solid as a couple has to come firstWhy you don't have to wait until the divorce is over to start rebuilding — and what she'd tell you to do tomorrow About Claire Adamou: Claire Adamou is a transformational coach, speaker, and leadership facilitator who helps women navigate life's biggest transitions with confidence, resilience, and purpose. When her own marriage ended, her identity shattered — and she had to rebuild all of it from the ground up: her confidence, her sense of self, her vision for the future. She wrote "Life After Divorce: From Surviving to Thriving" as the guide she wishes she'd had in those early days, so no woman has to walk it alone. She lives in the UK with her husband and the blended family they built together — her two children and his two. Learn more at claireadamou.com Follow Claire on Instagram: @claireadamou Find her book: Life After Divorce: From Surviving to Thriving About "The D. Tales with Allison Kahler": The D. Tales blends real divorce stories with grounded expert insight — helping you find clarity and courage to move forward on your own terms. Follow The D. Tales wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow along on Instagram: @thedtalespodcast Learn more at https://thedtalespodcast.com This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal, medical, mental health, or financial advice.

  4. Sep 8

    Ep. 32: Reinventing the Life You Were Supposed to Want

    Elise Madrick had the high school sweetheart, the Chicago suburb, the literal white picket fence — and had spent 14 years quietly abandoning herself to keep it. Today's conversation with the reinvention coach traces what it actually takes to leave the life you were supposed to want and to rebuild as someone new. In this episode: How one ordinary moment can make it clear a marriage is over — not because of one big thing, but the cumulation of “small nicks that become a gaping wound”“What part did you play in this?” — the question a coach asked mid-divorce that challenged Elise to put down the victim card and take 100% responsibilityDeciding whether to make amends — Elise’s advice to consider whether it would benefit you, the other person, or the relationship, and whether that relationship is worth itThe collateral damage of ending a marriage — why some friendships can’t come with you, and why learning to say “no” can be both challenging and necessary to move forwardThe “mushy middle” — why the hardest part of reinvention is the liminal space between where the old self is gone and the new one isn’t built yet About Elise Madrick: Elise Madrick is the founder and CEO of Cerené, where she works with people in the disorienting space between one chapter and the next — divorce, career change, retirement — to reinvent who they are and what they believe is possible. She began her career in clinical social work, and her background now spans behavioral science and ontological coaching alongside years leading and lecturing in executive education at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, where she built some of the institution’s highest-rated programs. Her work operates at the level of identity: the stories people carry about who they are, what they deserve, and what they believe is actually available to them. Through 1:1 coaching and immersive Cerené Experiences — with upcoming cohorts in Chicago and Portugal — she guides people ready to step beyond what they already know. Learn more about Cerené: https://www.cerene.life/ Follow Cerené on Instagram: @cerene.life Follow Elise on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisemadrick/ About "The D. Tales with Allison Kahler": The D. Tales blends real divorce stories with grounded expert insight — helping you find clarity and courage to move forward on your own terms. Follow The D. Tales wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow along on Instagram: @thedtalespodcast Learn more at https://thedtalespodcast.com This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal, medical, mental health, or financial advice.

  5. Sep 1

    Ep. 31: What Actually Makes a "Good Divorce"

    Today's conversation with Sarah Armstrong — author of “The Mom's Guide to a Good Divorce” — unpacks what actually makes a divorce a "good" one: not luck, and not a quiet settlement, but something parents can quietly design, one deliberate child-centered choice at a time. In this episode: What a "good divorce" really is — a phrase Sarah's seven-year-old daughter Grace coined — and why it's a posture you choose, not luck you're handedWhy you can only ever control your own reactions, never your co-parent's — and how a "compartmentalization muscle" keeps kids out of the emotional crossfireThe "professional traveler" reframe — how stocking the basics at both homes meant Grace never had to pack a bag between two householdsWhy a "good divorce" isn't about you — and yet how protecting your kids and rebuilding your own life, through the "year of firsts," turn out to be the same workWhere a "good divorce" meets the working-parent "juggling act" — why the newly single working mom's real move isn't doing it all, but preparing early, ditching the guilt, and learning to ask for help About Sarah Armstrong: Sarah Madden Armstrong is the author of “The Mom's Guide to a Good Divorce” — practical, bite-sized guidance on what to think through when children are involved — and, more recently, “The Art of the Juggling Act: A Bite-Sized Guide for Working Parents.” A leading proponent of the "good divorce," she has appeared on nearly 100 podcasts and in more than a dozen media outlets to help shift the perception of divorce — making the case that a good divorce isn't just possible, but something parents can design. By day, Sarah is Vice President of Global Marketing Operations at Google, following a career that included partnership at McKinsey & Co. and two decades in global marketing at The Coca-Cola Company. A Georgetown graduate and former scholarship volleyball player, she's the proud mom of Grace — now a college graduate — and lives in San Francisco. Learn more about Sarah's books: momsguidetogooddivorce.com and thejugglingact.com Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn: sarah-madden-armstrong About "The D. Tales with Allison Kahler": The D. Tales blends real divorce stories with grounded expert insight — helping you find clarity and courage to move forward on your own terms. Follow The D. Tales wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow along on Instagram: @thedtalespodcast Learn more at https://thedtalespodcast.com This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal, medical, mental health, or financial advice.

  6. Aug 25

    Ep. 30: Two Days Apart — My 41st Birthday and 8 Years Divorced (Solo)

    In this solo episode, I'm celebrating my 41st birthday — which falls just two days before the 8th anniversary of my divorce. I reflect on a life that looks nothing like I once planned, and why this year I'm trading goal-setting and resolutions for presence, self-appreciation, and simply settling in. In this episode: Why the timing of my birthday and divorce anniversary feels bigger this year — I'm coming up on almost as much time apart from my ex as we spent togetherThe psychology of "temporal landmarks" and the “fresh start effect” — why birthdays, like New Year's and Mondays, pull us into reflection and resetWhy I'm skipping the birthday goal-setting this year — trading the pressure to achieve for presence and settling inThe Hoffman practice that pairs appreciation with gratitude — learning to appreciate myself, not just be grateful for the blessings in my lifeHow my life at 41 looks different from what I expected and nothing like the one we were sold as millennials — and why so many friends my age feel that same disconnectThe wish I'm making at 41 as I blow out my birthday candles — wanting an aligned partner, but choosing to love myself first instead of pinning my happiness on finding one About "The D. Tales with Allison Kahler": The D. Tales blends real divorce stories with grounded expert insight — helping you find clarity and courage to move forward on your own terms. Follow The D. Tales wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow along on Instagram: @thedtalespodcast Learn more at https://thedtalespodcast.com This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal, medical, mental health, or financial advice.

  7. Aug 18

    Ep. 29: Rewilding the Woman a Marriage Tried to Tame

    Today's conversation with Nicole Marrè — women's empowerment coach and founder of Goddess Rewilding™ — traces her path out of a controlling marriage and into the work of helping women awaken to their wisest, wildest, and wholly feminine selves. In this episode: How a controlling marriage kept Nicole in constant fight-or-flight — and the neuroscience that explains why willpower alone couldn't free herThe night she heard a voice say "you deserve more than this" — and the year of EFT tapping and other spiritual practices that allowed her to reclaim her self-worthWhat "rewilding" really means — coming back to the fullest, wildest version of your feminine self after years of being containedWhy the drive women are so often told is "too masculine" is really their feminine warrior-ess energyHow to move rage through the body — drumming, screaming, burning letters — before it calcifies into resentment About Nicole Marrè: Nicole Marrè is a women's empowerment coach, certified somatic neuroscience guide, and founder of Goddess Rewilding™. She trained under one of the country's leading programs in feminine liberation and trauma-informed transformation, and now teaches her own feminine leadership program to women ready to reclaim their bodies, power, and identity after major life transitions — including divorce. A Certified Reiki Master Teacher and creator of SoulSensual Reiki™, she hosts international retreats, speaks, and leads ceremony for women rebuilding their lives on their own terms. Learn more about Nicole's work: https://www.nikimarre.com/ (prior) or https://www.nicolemarre.com/ (new) Follow Nicole on Instagram and TikTok: @nicole_rewild Episode-Specific Notes: The practices Nicole shares reflect her personal experience and coaching approach, not clinical treatment — please consult a licensed professional for mental health care specific to your situation. Content note: This episode includes candid discussion of emotional hardship. If you or someone you know needs support, the National Domestic Violence Hotline offers free, confidential help 24/7 at 1-800-799-7233 (call) or text START to 88788. About "The D. Tales with Allison Kahler": The D. Tales blends real divorce stories with grounded expert insight — helping you find clarity and courage to move forward on your own terms. Follow The D. Tales wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow along on Instagram: @thedtalespodcast Learn more at https://thedtalespodcast.com This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal, medical, mental health, or financial advice.

  8. Aug 11

    Ep. 28: Custody Battles: Legal Do's and Don'ts to Protect Your Kids and Your Sanity

    Today's conversation with matrimonial attorney Mia Poppe blends hard-won legal wisdom with her own divorce experience to show that surviving a custody battle is as much about steadying your mind as building your case. In this episode: What "custody at issue" really means — and why mitigating the impact on your kids matters more than "winning"The documentation do's and don'ts — keep any journal at your attorney's direction, keep teachers and pediatricians out of the fight, and beware of what you post on social mediaWhat's actually discoverable — WhatsApp messages, ChatGPT searches, even a private handwritten journal — and why what feels private often isn't"Divorce psychosis" — how the pressure of a custody fight can distort judgment and why you need a "tribe" to walk you back from the ledgeHow her own custody litigation made Mia a fiercely empathetic advocate for her clientsDetachment as daily practice — acknowledging, thanking, and releasing the emotions that don't serve you, so you move through custody without losing yourself About Mia Poppe: Mia Poppe, Esq. is a New York-based matrimonial attorney known for her work on complex custody cases, with offices in Midtown Manhattan and Westchester County. A South Carolina native and the granddaughter of a sharecropper, she brings pragmatism, honesty, and hard-won empathy to a practice shaped in part by her own experience of divorce. Before turning to law, she spent over a decade in leadership roles at Citicorp, GE Capital, and Bank of America — financial acumen she now pairs with legal strategy for her clients. She is also the author of two books, “The Empowered Woman's Guide” and “Un-Breaking Wonder Woman,” and is building MC2 Coaching Community, launching in 2026 to help women achieve whole-life success. Learn more about Mia's practice: https://www.miapoppe.com/ Follow her on Instagram: @miapoppe.esq Connect with Mia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miapoppe/ Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nylawsa Episode-Specific Notes: Listener offer: Mia is gifting a complimentary copy of her book “The Empowered Woman's Guide” to the first 25 listeners who request one by emailing support@nylawsa.com. Mia's comments in this episode reflect her general perspective on custody and family law, not personalized legal advice — laws vary by state, so please consult a qualified attorney about your specific situation. About "The D. Tales with Allison Kahler": The D. Tales blends real divorce stories with grounded expert insight — helping you find clarity and courage to move forward on your own terms. Follow The D. Tales wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow along on Instagram: @thedtalespodcast Learn more at https://thedtalespodcast.com This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal, medical, mental health, or financial advice.

5
out of 5
29 Ratings

About

The D. Tales with Allison Kahler blends real divorce stories with grounded expert insight—helping you find clarity, feel connected, and courageously move forward on your own terms. For many people, divorce doesn’t start—or end—with a single decision. It unfolds through questions, doubts, and moments of reckoning: Should I stay or leave? Am I doing this “right”? What’s normal? What if I regret this? Whether you’re quietly wondering, deep in the thick of it, or trying to make sense of what just happened, The D. Tales creates space for the questions most people carry alone. Each episode features candid, deeply human stories from people who have faced these same decisions, alongside thoughtful conversations with experts who understand the emotional, legal, and financial realities of divorce. You won’t hear a single “right” answer here. Instead, you’ll hear diverse perspectives—so you can better understand your own. Divorce touches more than 40% of marriages, yet so many people experience it in silence, carrying unnecessary shame and isolation. The D. Tales brings these conversations out of the shadows—normalizing the uncertainty, the back-and-forth, the fear of getting it wrong, and the quiet hope that something better might be possible. Hosted by Allison Kahler—who once stood in that uncertain space herself and created the resource she wished existed—this podcast offers credible insight and real human connection. Not to rush you into a choice, and not to keep you stuck—but to help you make the right decisions for your marriage, navigate what comes next with clarity, and step into a future that may look very different than you imagined—and better than you thought possible. The D. Tales with Allison Kahler is produced by AK Venture Studio LLC.

You Might Also Like