Send Us a Message (include your contact info if you'd like a reply) Fair sounds virtuous, but it’s the quiet saboteur of many divorce negotiations. We pull back the curtain on how fairness language derails progress, fuels story stacking, and turns negotiations into a tribunal of the past instead of a plan for the future. When each person holds a private definition of “fair,” the gap widens, defensiveness rises, and workable options get torpedoed—not because they fail the kids or the law, but ...
All content for Divorce Coaches Academy is the property of Tracy Callahan and Debra Doak and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Send Us a Message (include your contact info if you'd like a reply) Fair sounds virtuous, but it’s the quiet saboteur of many divorce negotiations. We pull back the curtain on how fairness language derails progress, fuels story stacking, and turns negotiations into a tribunal of the past instead of a plan for the future. When each person holds a private definition of “fair,” the gap widens, defensiveness rises, and workable options get torpedoed—not because they fail the kids or the law, but ...
Send Us a Message (include your contact info if you'd like a reply) Fair sounds virtuous, but it’s the quiet saboteur of many divorce negotiations. We pull back the curtain on how fairness language derails progress, fuels story stacking, and turns negotiations into a tribunal of the past instead of a plan for the future. When each person holds a private definition of “fair,” the gap widens, defensiveness rises, and workable options get torpedoed—not because they fail the kids or the law, but ...
Send Us a Message (include your contact info if you'd like a reply) Trust accelerates the work. That simple idea sits at the heart of our conversation with betrayal trauma specialist and DCA-certified ADR divorce coach, Christina Riley, as we explore why representation isn’t a tagline—it’s a performance driver in divorce coaching and mediation. Clients don’t arrive as blank slates; they bring history, stress responses, and a relationship to systems that can either inflame or calm conflict. Wh...
Send Us a Message (include your contact info if you'd like a reply) Feeling uneasy about AI crowding into divorce work? We felt it too—so we sat down to map where technology actually helps and where only a trained human can do the job. From polished emails to calmer exchanges, AI can create a crucial pause. But growth doesn’t happen in a prompt; it happens when someone learns why they got triggered, how their conflict dance repeats, and what to do differently when the stakes are high. We unp...
Send Us a Message (include your contact info if you'd like a reply) The phrase “I just want this over with” shows up every December like clockwork. Tracy unpacks why that sentence is both deeply human and a vital signal that capacity is low—and why mistaking urgency for readiness can derail agreements, parenting plans, and trust long after the paperwork is signed. We map how the holidays act as a compression chamber: emotional labor spikes, financial realities surface, and the symbolic reset...
Send Us a Message (include your contact info if you'd like a reply) Wondering if a sustainable divorce coaching practice is really possible—or how to build one without burning out or getting lost in theory? We sit down with DCA-certified coach Lyerly Spongberg to unpack the exact steps she took to turn rigorous ADR training, mentor feedback, and a growth mindset into steady client results and a business with clear momentum. We start with the decision point: moving from life coaching to a dis...
Send Us a Message (include your contact info if you'd like a reply) When the words “narcissist” or “toxic” hit the table, the conversation often derails. We take a different path—away from labels and toward behavior—so clients can make safer, smarter decisions during divorce without stepping into clinical territory. Tracy lays out a clear, ethical approach that validates harm, respects mental health needs, and keeps our work aligned with the dispute resolution standards that serve families be...
Send Us a Message (include your contact info if you'd like a reply) The holidays promise cheer, yet for many families they amplify tension, unmet expectations, and quiet grief. We open the door to a calmer path by guiding clients through a practical, humane pre-decision continuum that reduces conflict before lawyers, filings, or ultimatums take center stage. Since January is known for a surge in divorce inquiries, we make the case that it should be known for something better: thoughtful...
Send Us a Message (include your contact info if you'd like a reply) Divorce can knock the wind out of the protector identity many men carry. We explore what happens when that role shakes, why so many dads go silent, and how outcome-oriented coaching can turn conflict into a proving ground for empathy, clarity, and calm co-parenting. In this DCA Podcast episode, Tracy welcomes JH Harper, a DCA-certified ADR divorce coach and executive communication coach, who works primarily with fathers...
Send Us a Message (include your contact info if you'd like a reply) When love gets loud, decision-making gets messy. We sit down with family law attorney, mediator, and certified ADR divorce coach Lauren Fair to unpack why support from family and friends often feels good in the moment but can quietly anchor clients in rigid positions. From “my cousin got the house” jurisdiction myths to the rallying effect of loyal allies, we trace how emotional justice can overshadow long-term interests and ...
Send Us a Message (include your contact info if you'd like a reply) The hardest part of co-parenting isn’t agreeing when things are calm—it’s knowing exactly what to do when life changes. We unpack how to design a parenting plan that functions like a family operating system: practical, plain-language, and built to reduce conflict before it starts. With DCA ADR Certified Divorce Coach Dori Braddell joining Tracy, we dig into the decisions that matter most—daily schedules, holidays, make-up tim...
Send Us a Message (include your contact info if you'd like a reply) What if the missing piece in most divorce processes isn’t another document or courtroom strategy, but a steadier, more prepared client? Tracy goes deep on the questions coaches ask most—how to define our role, hold firm boundaries, and position divorce coaching as an essential part of modern alternative dispute resolution. We start by drawing a bright line between coaching, therapy, and legal work, then show how that clarity...
Send Us a Message (include your contact info if you'd like a reply) Ten mentoring rounds don’t happen by accident—they happen because mentorship works. We sit down with mentor and certified ADR divorce coach, family mediator, and co‑parenting specialist Carolyn Jacobs to unpack how structured labs turn theory into confident practice, why the “week five slump” is a turning point, and what shifts when coaches stop chasing answers and start asking sincere, judgment‑free questions. If you’ve ever...
Send Us a Message (include your contact info if you'd like a reply) The loudest voice in divorce is often the one inside your head—the story that explains everything your ex does and why you’re “right.” We dig into how confirmation bias narrows your view, fuels conflict, and drains families, and we show a better path: shifting from case-building to problem-solving with tools you can use today. We start by naming how adversarial systems reward selective evidence and turn parents into opposing...
Send Us a Message (include your contact info if you'd like a reply) What happens when a country makes mediation free for every separating family—but removes the preparation that makes it work? We dig into New Zealand’s bold FDR shift with Mediator and Divorce Coach Nikki Bould, unpacking the real-world impact of funding cuts, waitlists, and the shortage of child inclusion specialists. From the outside, “free” looks like progress; inside the system, parents are queued up, dysregulated, and oft...
Send Us a Message (include your contact info if you'd like a reply) Ever wondered what's truly driving the most difficult divorce cases? Fear might be the hidden force behind excessive legal fees, ongoing conflicts, and harmful decisions that impact families for years to come. The fears inventory is a powerful but often overlooked tool in the divorce coach's arsenal. As divorce coaches, when we help clients identify and address their deepest concerns—about conflict, finances, and parenting—w...
Send Us a Message (include your contact info if you'd like a reply) What can a children's fairy tale possibly teach us about divorce? As it turns out, quite a lot. The story of the Three Little Pigs offers a surprisingly perfect framework for understanding how different approaches to divorce preparation yield dramatically different outcomes. Some clients rush through their divorce process, making quick, reactive decisions—building with "straw." They might retain the most aggressive attorney ...
Send Us a Message (include your contact info if you'd like a reply) The weight of an unspoken "I'm sorry" can anchor someone in pain long after a marriage ends. This powerful episode explores why apologies matter so deeply in divorce, and more importantly, how to move forward when they never arrive. Divorce isn't just legal paperwork—it's an emotional rupture filled with pain and broken trust. An apology validates that pain, creating transformative moments where years of resentment can softe...
Send Us a Message (include your contact info if you'd like a reply) When alcohol concerns collide with custody arrangements, families need more than good intentions—they need accountability. Laura Crossett joins the Divorce Coaches Academy podcast to reveal how Soberlink's remote alcohol monitoring system transforms high-conflict co-parenting situations into manageable, child-centered arrangements. Laura brings rare insight as both a recovery professional and former monitored client herself....
Send Us a Message (include your contact info if you'd like a reply) Divorce coaching isn't just for one type of professional anymore. What began as a niche service has evolved into a versatile skill set embraced by lawyers, mediators, paralegals, therapists, financial professionals, mortgage lenders, realtors and entrepreneurs—each using these powerful tools in unique ways. For attorneys, divorce coach certification addresses a critical gap in legal education. While law school prepares them ...
Send Us a Message (include your contact info if you'd like a reply) Feeling unheard or misunderstood by their divorce professionals can add another layer of stress to an already challenging process for our clients. What happens when their attorney seems dismissive or their forensic accountant isn't addressing their concerns? More importantly, how can you help your client effectively advocate for themselves without damaging these critical professional relationships? This episode tackles one o...
Send Us a Message (include your contact info if you'd like a reply) Fair sounds virtuous, but it’s the quiet saboteur of many divorce negotiations. We pull back the curtain on how fairness language derails progress, fuels story stacking, and turns negotiations into a tribunal of the past instead of a plan for the future. When each person holds a private definition of “fair,” the gap widens, defensiveness rises, and workable options get torpedoed—not because they fail the kids or the law, but ...
