The Release Podcast

Poonam Sharma

A master-class in personal and professional development, The Release is a series of conversations with fascinating people (thought leaders, explorers, authors, healers and world record holders to name a few) hosted by author and speaker Poonam Sharma, who asks the simple, loaded questions, unveiling the perspectives that make these people unique, demonstrating the delicate ways in which they give themselves grace as they grow...and encouraging listeners to share in an emotional release. https://TheReleasePodcast.com

  1. JAN 13

    What The Divorce Mediator Is Really Thinking, With Superstar Mediator Joe Dillon

    What would possess a person to choose to put themselves in the middle of the maelstrom of stress that is modern divorce negotiation, on a daily basis? For Joe Dillon, the founder of Equitable Divorce Mediation, it was personal. A child of divorce at a time when it was far less common than it is today, Joe can recall sitting in the courtroom as a teen, witnessing his parent’s strife at close range, and then withstanding the near total loss of any relationship with one parent after the fact. Years later, amidst a successful business career as a negotiator, it was in fact his mother-in-law who suggested he consider a new path. And it stuck. The firm which he founded and runs to this day with his wife 17 years later, far outperforms the industry standards metrics on settling via mediation before costly litigation. The impact of prolonged litigation is deeply clear to Joe, which is why his goal is always to get it done as soon as possible, and in the best interests of the kids. The problem, unfortunately, is usually just teaching the soon-to-be-ex-spouses how to get out of their own way….   Joe is a former board member of the Chicago chapter of the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR), the Pennsylvania Council of Mediators, the Southern California Mediation Association (SCMA), the Academy of Professional Family Mediators, the NY State Council on Divorce Mediation, and the Washington Mediation Association. And he’s got some hard won advice that anybody even contemplating divorce should consider.

    55 min
  2. How We Can Teach Our Kids To Really Trust Themselves, with Dr. Christine Cocchiola, Coercive Control Expert

    11/04/2025

    How We Can Teach Our Kids To Really Trust Themselves, with Dr. Christine Cocchiola, Coercive Control Expert

    They say that divorce is an earthquake for the people leaving a marriage, but a chronic condition for the children who have to survive it…but in truth that’s only if at least one parent refuses to fix their mindset and prioritize the children. Sadly, for many healthy folks, their coparents can’t keep their side of the street clean. From mockery to outright mental and physical abuse, what they inflicted on you while married will likely be visited upon the children during their time with that parent as well, and that’s a painful surprise for many.   So what can a protective parent do? 

Well, for one, listen to this week’s podccast with Dr. Christine Cocchiola, whose specialty is Coercive Control (also the topic of her viral TED talk) in relationships, post-separation abuse, the weaponization of the family court system by abusive parents, and most importantly…the best strategies for protecting our kids. More people than ever are opting out now of abusive marriages, and awakening to the tactics being used to punish them and their children, often for years after the leave. Dr. Cocchiola knows all too well after 3 decades as a domestic violence counselor and a survivor of a 27 year toxic relationship & marriage as well, that there is hope. If you can get into the right mindset, and get clear on the coercive control as a consistent pattern in the abuser’s playbook…there is always always hope.

    40 min
4.8
out of 5
19 Ratings

About

A master-class in personal and professional development, The Release is a series of conversations with fascinating people (thought leaders, explorers, authors, healers and world record holders to name a few) hosted by author and speaker Poonam Sharma, who asks the simple, loaded questions, unveiling the perspectives that make these people unique, demonstrating the delicate ways in which they give themselves grace as they grow...and encouraging listeners to share in an emotional release. https://TheReleasePodcast.com