The Journey Beyond Divorce Podcast is your trusted companion through every stage of divorce—emotional, legal, financial, and parental. With over nine years of impactful episodes, this top-ranked podcast supports men and women navigating the challenges of divorce, especially those facing high-conflict dynamics, co-parenting struggles, emotional overwhelm, or legal uncertainty.
Hosted by Karen McMahon, Certified Divorce Coach® and founder of Journey Beyond Divorce, the show offers strategic guidance, expert interviews, and real-life stories designed to help listeners move from confusion and chaos to clarity and confidence. Each episode is packed with insight and inspiration to help you make informed decisions, protect your children, safeguard your finances, and heal emotionally—so you can create a life you truly love post-divorce.
If you're on the fence about whether to stay or go, have just been told your marriage is ending, or are actively working through the messy middle of litigation, negotiation, or co-parenting, this podcast meets you where you are. You'll learn how to emotionally regulate through triggers, explore your divorce process options (mediation, collaboration, litigation, arbitration), and prepare to work effectively with legal and financial professionals. Topics include how to gather your financials, navigate custody issues, and negotiate complex decisions around property, retirement assets, and business valuations.
For those already in the process, episodes offer real-time guidance on how to cope with personality disorders in your co-parent, how to protect your children from toxic dynamics, and how to negotiate settlements strategically. You'll hear from certified divorce financial analysts, attorneys, parenting coordinators, therapists, and coaches who share proven tools and tips. Professionals in the divorce field—including family law attorneys, therapists, and financial experts—also listen in to better support their clients and stay up-to-date on best practices.
And when the divorce is final? The podcast continues to serve as a roadmap for building your next chapter. Learn how to close out the financial and legal loose ends—such as QDROs, life insurance, beneficiary changes, and estate updates—while beginning to design a life aligned with your values, goals, and inner peace. Episodes cover healing from betrayal trauma, understanding your emotional patterns, rediscovering your identity, and navigating the complexities of post-divorce dating and parenting.
This podcast also answers the most searched divorce-related questions, including:
How do I co-parent with a narcissist?
What are the steps in the divorce process?
Should I litigate or mediate?
What is a QDRO and do I need one?
How do I protect my kids emotionally?
What is the role of a certified divorce financial analyst?
How do I move on after infidelity or betrayal?
Listeners benefit from expert-vetted strategies, free resources, and supportive insights grounded in both experience and compassion. The Journey Beyond Divorce Podcast is more than just content—it's a lifeline. Whether you're seeking calm in the storm, tools to advocate for yourself, or support rebuilding your life, each episode helps you grow stronger, wiser, and more empowered.
Subscribe today and begin your journey beyond divorce with guidance you can trust.
www.jbddivorcesupport.com/podcast
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Karen McMahon and financial strategist Jeff Landers reveal how life and disability insurance can secure alimony and child support payments, a protection often ignored in divorce agreements. They discuss why disability is a greater risk than death for payment disruption and the crucial timing for obtaining policies during negotiations. The episode covers key details like policy ownership, premium payments, and how 26 states revoke beneficiaries post-divorce, offering vital strategies for financial stability after divorce.
Every major life transition comes with a roadmap. Parenting. Career changes. Retirement. But when divorce begins, most people are suddenly making complex financial decisions alone — without a coordinated team, without a clear plan, and without any idea how those decisions will quietly shape their lives for decades to come. That ends today. Karen McMahon sits down with Karen Chellew and Catherine Shanahan, co-founders of My Divorce Solution, to walk you through what they call the Divorce Financia...
Divorce can rattle everything you believe in. Your sense of family, your identity, and even your understanding of God's plan for your life... And for many Christians, the place that should offer the most comfort, the church, can sometimes feel like the last place they're able to be honest about what they're going through. In this episode, Karen sits down with Bree Sullivan-Howell, divorce attorney, passionate children's advocate, and award-winning Christian author of Crush Your Divorce & Kee...
Most men are never taught how to fall apart. They're taught how to push through, provide, and stay in control, but not how to process loss, ask for help, or stay emotionally present when their world is coming undone. When a marriage ends, those unspoken rules about what it means to be a man don't disappear, they just get louder. And for so many men navigating divorce, the result is isolation, overwhelm, and a kind of silent struggling that nobody talks about and nobody sees. In this episode, Kar...
In this episode, Karen explores a powerful and often misunderstood emotion: anger—and how to navigate it during divorce without shutting down or exploding. Anger is a natural and expected part of divorce, yet many people were never taught how to work with it in a healthy way. Instead, they may react impulsively, suppress their feelings to avoid conflict, or carry lingering resentment long after the divorce is final. Karen is joined by Michelle Farris, a psychotherapist, codependency expert, and ...
If your mind won't stop spinning during divorce... replaying conversations, jumping from fear to fear, or waking up at 3AM with urgency... you're not alone. And more importantly… you're not thinking clearly. In this episode, Karen McMahon breaks down what's really happening when you spiral during divorce, and why it can lead to the very decisions you'll later regret. When your nervous system is overwhelmed, your brain shifts into survival mode, making it nearly impossible to respond calmly, comm...
If you've been going back and forth on the "should I stay or should I go" question, you already know how exhausting it is. You try to think your way to an answer. You second-guess yourself. And still — you feel stuck. In this episode, Karen McMahon is going to help you begin to find real clarity — not just talk you through the feelings, but give you a different way of looking at what's actually happening in your marriage and inside yourself. Because spinning in your head isn't working. And you'r...
In this episode of Journey Beyond Divorce, Karen McMahon sits down with Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFA®, CES™, President and CEO of Francis Financial, to unpack one of the most complex and often overlooked aspects of divorce: executive compensation. When income extends beyond a traditional paycheck to include RSUs, stock options, deferred bonuses, and long-term incentive plans, the financial landscape of divorce becomes significantly more complicated—and the stakes much higher. Together, Karen and St...
This episode features reinvention expert Wendy Valentine, who candidly shares her experience of hitting rock bottom at 45, facing divorce, debt, illness, and loss. She explains how she transformed her life by envisioning a new future and taking intentional action, leading to her "FREEDOM" framework. The discussion delves into overcoming limiting beliefs, the power of "acting as if," clearing emotional clutter, and committing to self, empowering listeners to turn crisis into a catalyst for a purposeful and free life.
n this Voices of Celebration episode, I'm sitting down with Lauren, a woman who, for years, lived in that in-between space so many of you know all too well… where nothing is fully resolved, yet everything feels like it's on the line. From the outside, her life looked successful. She was a business owner, had two homes, and was raising three children. But behind closed doors, she was carrying overwhelming debt, navigating constant uncertainty, and lying awake at night asking the same painful ques...
Dr. Sarah Bren, a clinical psychologist and attachment expert, explains how attachment theory guides families through divorce. They explore how to create secure attachments, even amidst conflict, and the importance of parental reflective functioning in breaking generational patterns. The conversation also highlights the value of family therapy for children and parents, emphasizing child-led approaches and the profound benefits of divorce support groups for emotional grounding.
Karen McMahon and family law expert Anthony Diaz demystify spousal support, a frequently misunderstood aspect of divorce. They explore the different types of support, the factors courts consider for awards, and how amounts and durations are determined. The discussion emphasizes a calm, strategic approach to negotiations, highlighting how collaborative methods lead to more positive long-term results for all involved.
In this episode of the Journey Beyond Divorce Podcast, Karen McMahon sits down with relationship expert Alison Armstrong to explore how fundamental differences between men and women often fuel misunderstanding, conflict, and disconnection—both in marriage and during divorce. Alison shares powerful insights into how men and women process the world differently, including the concept of single-focus versus diffuse awareness. She explains how testosterone supports a focused, task-oriented state of m...
In this powerful Voices of Celebration episode, Gail shares an honest and deeply personal journey from chronic self-doubt to grounded self-confidence. For years, self-doubt shaped how she showed up in her marriage, her divorce, and her relationship with herself. Fear of conflict, second-guessing her decisions, and a lack of self-trust left her feeling small and uncertain about her future. What makes Gail's story especially compelling is not just what she healed — but how she did it. She speaks c...
In this episode of the Journey Beyond Divorce Podcast, host Karen McMahon and guest Shana James explore the complex dynamics of masculine and feminine energies during the divorce process. They discuss how imbalances in these energies can sabotage divorce decisions and offer frameworks to help listeners reclaim their power. Shana shares her expertise from 20 years of studying trust, connection, and emotional safety between men and women, diving deep into how these energies manifest in everyday si...
Licensed psychotherapist Chelsey Brooke Cole joins Karen McMahon to demystify narcissistic abuse, distinguishing it from other forms of abuse by examining core personality traits. They discuss six types of narcissists and how their behaviors manifest, especially during divorce. The conversation shifts from identifying abusers to practical healing steps, including body awareness, meeting personal needs, and cultivating authenticity to repel future manipulative dynamics and reclaim self-worth after prolonged psychological control.
Bella Duncan, creator of A Kid With Two Homes, shares her raw experience growing up with divorced parents, offering a rare child's perspective. She discusses navigating loyalty conflicts, adjusting to different household rules, and developing unexpected skills like resilience. This conversation offers valuable insights for parents, co-parents, and professionals on what children truly wish adults understood, and how to better support them through family transitions.
As we close the chapter on 2025, I want to offer you something different than the usual New Year's resolutions. Not another list you'll abandon by February, but a blueprint. One that gently, intentionally reshapes who you're becoming. This year changed me. I was deeply impacted by Hal Elrod's Miracle Morning , Mike Drinkhahn's unwavering optimism, Gay Hendricks' transformational work in The Big Leap , and Ryan Holiday's timeless reminder that obstacles aren't detours. They're the way forward. To...
Lundy Bancroft, an expert on abusive men and the family court system, reveals how abusive partners maintain dominance post-relationship. He explains that abuse is often a product of cultural training rather than personality disorders, highlighting the dangers of mislabeling. Bancroft critiques the family court's failures, which often embolden abusers and harm mothers, and offers strategies for navigating the system while prioritizing children's well-being.
In this episode of the Journey Beyond Divorce Podcast , Karen McMahon sits down with divorce attorney Andrea Vacca, Esq. to explore the unique pressures of the holiday season when you're considering divorce. This is the stage where uncertainty weighs heavily, information is still being gathered, and you may not be ready—or safe—to share your plans with anyone. Family gatherings, traditions, and expectations continue around you, even as you quietly wonder what the new year will bring. Karen and A...
In this episode of the Journey Beyond Divorce Podcast, I'm speaking directly to the men who are walking through the intensity of high conflict divorce — the pressure, the triggers, the confusion, and the deep internal unraveling that often comes with it. Men in high conflict divorce are asked to hold an extraordinary amount: to respond instead of react, to stay grounded when provoked, and to lead even when everything around them feels uncertain. And while I coach men through these challenges eve...
In this episode of the Journey Beyond Divorce Podcast , we dive deep with Cheryl, a mother of two, whose post-divorce journey reflects the emotional complexity so many women face when rebuilding their lives. Cheryl holds nothing back, discussing the early fears she carried—from concerns around safety and childhood wounds resurfacing, to the sheer uncertainty of starting over. Listen as she reveals the pivotal moment she discovered the power of listening to her body, trusting her intuition, and h...
In this episode, I'm inviting you into one of the most tender and complicated questions you may ever face: How Do I Know If It's Time to Divorce? If you've been living in a cycle of uncertainty, replaying conversations, second-guessing yourself, or worrying about the impact on your children, this conversation is designed to bring you clarity, calm, and a grounded sense of direction. I explore the fears and confusion that naturally arise when you're considering divorce, and I help you distinguish...
In this episode of the Journey Beyond Divorce Podcast, we explore one of the most important strategies for navigating divorce: building a collaborative team from the start. I talk with Andrea Vacca, a leading collaborative divorce attorney, about how legal, financial, and emotional professionals working together can reduce stress, protect your long-term goals, and create smoother outcomes. We discuss why early planning, intentional team alignment, and choosing the right divorce process—whether m...
This episode delves into the critical role of forensic accounting in high-conflict divorces, where finances are often concealed or manipulated. Expert Ilan Hirschfeld explains how to identify warning signs, assess the necessity of forensic investigation, and understand different levels of financial analysis. The discussion covers uncovering hidden assets, dealing with complex business valuations, and navigating unique financial challenges like post-complaint earnings and retirement planning, providing practical guidance for informed decision-making.
Why do so many relationships fall apart because one partner can't—or won't—connect emotionally? Why do men and women alike find themselves trapped in cycles of emotional immaturity, disconnection, and pain that lead to divorce? For many women, life with an emotionally unavailable or immature partner feels confusing and isolating. For single moms, the question becomes: How do I raise an emotionally healthy son when his father isn't modeling it? Yet men, too, often suffer in silence—many find them...
Have you ever wondered why, even after divorce, your ex still feels energetically present in your life? Divorce isn't just the end of a relationship... it's a profound emotional, energetic, and spiritual transition. Long after the legal papers are signed and the physical separation is complete, many people remain unconsciously bonded to their former spouse, feeling stuck in emotional patterns, attachment, or resentment that blocks healing, peace, and future love. In this powerful episode of the ...
When your wife says she wants a divorce... and you never saw it coming... it can feel like your world is collapsing. Most men panic in that moment. They chase, plead, argue, or withdraw… all the things that feel natural, but only push her further away. In this episode of the Journey Beyond Divorce Podcast , I sit down with transformational men's coach Tim Wade, who brings over 25 years of experience helping men rebuild their marriages, their confidence, and their lives. Tim shares his own story ...
Karen McMahon and Dr. David Hawkins provide essential strategies for co-parenting with a narcissistic ex. They emphasize the importance of healing personal trauma, setting strong internal boundaries with clear consequences, and developing clarity amidst manipulation. The discussion extends to protecting and supporting children, highlighting the benefits of family counseling and how to identify therapists truly equipped to address emotional abuse dynamics.
Healing from narcissistic abuse during divorce is one of the hardest emotional battles you'll ever face. The confusion, self-doubt, and emotional traps can feel endless—but recovery is possible, and faster than you think. In this episode of the Journey Beyond Divorce podcast, Karen McMahon speaks with Dr. Justine Weber, licensed psychologist and narcissistic abuse recovery coach, about breaking free from the cycle of toxic, manipulative relationships. Together they explore why healing from narci...
