How To Survive & Thrive on Valentine’s Day as a Divorced Woman.

  I have a client who is going through a divorce and is feeling maudlin about Valentine’s Day. ‘Valentine’s Day is hard enough’ she said ‘when you’re couple & married’ (talk about pressure!) — ‘but when you’re going through a divorce it’s going to be hell!’ So I’ve been pondering how to have fun on […]

Co-Parenting Over Christmas – Ideas to Help

I was delighted to have been interviewed about Co-Parenting over Christmas – often a tricky and stressful time for The Divorce Magazine. We focused on helping children of divorced parents’ during their first christmas and their life after divorce co -parenting. Click here to read and watch the video.

Co-parenting Advice During Christmas

  Dear Sue I’m worried about Christmas as I’m recently divorced. My kids are still reeling from the changes. What is your advice? Liz Jackson, New Addington, Surrey Most parents worry about this – so you’re not alone The question most co-parent’s worry about is ‘Will I be able to see my children over the […]

How To Survive Your First Christmas Alone

It can be really stressful facing your first Christmas alone. Perhaps, you are finding that you have had 20 years of family Christmases with tinsel and turkey, kids unwrapping their pressies in pyjamas with the Carols singing out on the stereo, the log fire blazing and a full house brimming with family. Then it all […]

How You (As A Caring Employer) Can Help Employees Through Divorce and Separation

I was delighted to have been invited to the House of Commons recently to the launch of the Parents Promise  a new HR initiative to support parents going through divorce or separation. Businesses including Asda, Tesco, Metro Bank, PwC and Unilever have partnered with the Positive Parenting Alliance (PPA) to promote more family-friendly policies for […]

Building Bridges, Not Walls: The Power of Positive Co-Parenting: Some Practical Tips

Positive co-parenting is essential for the well-being of your children after a separation or divorce. It’s not always easy but it is important so here are some ideas to help. Here are some tips to help you co-parent effectively and create a positive environment for your children: Put Your Child’s Needs First: Remember that your […]

Rise and Thrive: Supporting Single Parents Through Divorce and Beyond.

Going through a breakup or becoming newly single while also becoming a parent can be a challenging experience. Here are four pieces of advice to help you navigate this situation: Prioritise Self-Care: It’s crucial to prioritise self-care during this transition. Take time for yourself to heal and process your emotions. Seek support from friends, family, […]

The 7 Emotional Stages You’ll Go Through During and After Divorce.

  I always remind my clients that going through a Divorce is a process NOT an event and I firmly believe that it is similar to the grieving process described by the eminent American Psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in her 1969 book, On Death and Dying, that was inspired by her work with terminally ill patients. […]

Is it time to change the word ‘Broken’ Family ?

  I was speaking on BBC radio about a new piece of research around mental health and stepfamilies. What struck me as unhelpful & laden with negativity is the word ‘BROKEN’ to describe parents who are divorced, separated or apart. Broken implies a failure, broken implies damaged, no longer able to work, something destroyed & dysfunctional  but […]

Cooking up a happy step family is like a slow burning casserole !

Stepfamilies have a bad image. Think of Snow White’s jealous stepmother or Cinderella’s ugly sisters or at the other end of the spectrum, picture the unrealistically positive stepfamily, such as the Brady Bunch. But real life is more complicated that either of those stepfamily models and stepchildren have to come to terms with lots of […]

Understanding The Stepfamily Cycle.

  The Stepfamily Cycle I have been working with a lovely family who are finding it hard to adjust to the changes that blending two families together brings. I always remind my clients that bringing together 2 separate families is a process and not an event, and it takes time and flexibility on everyone’s behalf […]

THE question to save your relationship.

As it’s Valentine’s Day just around the corner  I thought it would be a good opportunity to pause when you are stressed, frustrated, angry or tired and to just STOP and ask yourself: What would love do now ?

Navigating Through Divorce Positively

 “One day at a time – this is enough.” ~ Ida Scott Taylor 1820-1915, Author   Click here to buy The Divorce Journal for Kids Navigating through Divorce Positively A bad marriage can make parenting and life in general stressful. The loss of the family structure can be very upsetting and distressing for everyone involved […]

Going Through Divorce or Separation? Make the #ParentsPromise

Parents Promise Every year, an estimated 280,000 children, a similar number to the size of the population of Newcastle, experience family separation. It’s one of the greatest, least-recognised health risks to our children. The Positive Parenting Alliance is a group of organisations, and individuals, who believe that all children deserve the most positive experience possible […]