Episodes
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Reproductive coercion is a form of abuse that often goes unnoticed, yet it can have lifelong emotional, physical, financial, and legal consequences. In this episode of The D Shift, Mardi Winder welcomes advocate Lynn Stroud for an important conversation about how reproductive coercion is used as a tool of power and control within unhealthy relationships.
Together they explore what reproductive coercion is, why it is so difficult to recognize, and how it differs from ordinary disagreements about family planning. The discussion examines behaviors such as birth control sabotage, pregnancy pressure, contraceptive interference, and other controlling actions that remove a person's ability to make informed decisions about their own body.
Mardi and Lynn also discuss why many survivors struggle to be believed, the challenges of addressing these issues within the legal system, and the importance of increasing public awareness. They emphasize that abuse can affect anyone regardless of age, education, financial status, or background, and that supportive, judgment-free conversations can make a tremendous difference for those seeking help.
This episode covers:
• What reproductive coercion is and why it is considered a form of abuse.
• Common warning signs that are often overlooked.
• How coercive control can affect reproductive choices and personal autonomy.
• Why many survivors do not immediately recognize what has happened.
• The importance of believing and supporting someone who discloses abuse.
• Why education, awareness, and healthy relationship conversations need to begin early.
If you or someone you know has experienced coercive or abusive behavior in a relationship, know that support is available and you do not have to face it alone.
About the Guest:
Drawing from her extensive lived experience with reproductive coercion, domestic abuse, and sexual assault, Lynn Stroud delves into cultivating a trauma-informed mindset and increased legal remedies for victims. She stresses the significance of listening without judgment, validating survivors' experiences, and recognizing the resilience that often emerges from adversity. Stroud addresses common misconceptions about trauma and emphasizes the need for ongoing education and awareness. She hopes to serve as a beacon of understanding and compassion, offering a roadmap for survivors, advocates, law enforcement, and beyond to increase their knowledge of reproductive coercion. By sharing her story, she hopes more listeners will recognize the warning signs and dangers of coercion, embrace knowledge, and actively seek out proactive change. Her hope is that one day we can collectively build a world where survivors are not only heard but supported in their paths to healing and empowerment.
To connect:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/knowledge_exch_abuse_survivors
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/lynn-s-16878b6
Speaker: https://app.eventraptor.com/speaker-profiles/lynn-stroud
About the Host
Mardi Winder is a Strategic Divorce Consultant and High-Conflict Divorce Coach who helps high-achieving individuals navigate divorce with clarity, confidence, and control. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in mediation, divorce coaching and conflict resolution, she supports clients in making smart decisions while reducing emotional and financial fallout, particularly in high-conflict, high-asset and complex divorces. Mardi is the founder of Positive Communication Systems, LLC, and the Strategic Divorce Directory, LLC.
For Mardi’s gift: The Resilience Building Blueprint: A 28-Day Journey To A Stronger You https://www.divorcecoach4women.com/rbb
Connect with Mardi on Social Media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Divorcecoach4women
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mardiwinderadams/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divorcecoach4women/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@divorcecoach4women
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.
Leave an Apple Podcast Review
Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
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For many people facing divorce, the idea of handling the process without an attorney can be appealing. It may seem like a way to save money, reduce stress, and maintain greater control. But is a do-it-yourself divorce really the right choice?
In this episode of The D Shift, host Mardi Winder is joined by former family law attorney and family court strategist Tracey Bee to explore the realities of self-represented divorce. Drawing on years of experience inside the family court system, Tracey explains when representing yourself may be a practical option, when additional guidance is essential, and when hiring an attorney is simply the safest path forward.
The conversation also examines common misconceptions about family court, the importance of understanding how judges approach cases, and why making informed decisions can have a lasting impact on both the divorce process and life afterward.
Whether listeners are considering a DIY divorce, preparing for mediation, or simply trying to better understand their legal options, this episode provides valuable insights to help them make more confident decisions.
In this episode, listeners will discover:
• When a self-represented divorce may be an appropriate option
• The warning signs that indicate professional legal support is needed
• Common mistakes people make when navigating family court
• Why understanding the likely legal outcome can improve negotiation and mediation
• How informed decision-making can reduce unnecessary conflict, cost, and stress
This practical conversation reminds listeners that every divorce is different, and choosing the right strategy begins with understanding both the opportunities and the risks before moving forward.
About the Guest:
Tracey Bee is the Founder of The Divorce Solutionist and a former family law attorney turned Pro Se Family Court Strategist. She focuses on helping people successfully navigate the complex Family Court system using strategy and not just the law.
For Tracey’s Wednesday 10-4pm ET calls: 862-800-7850
To connect:
Website: https://thedivorcesolutionist.com/
About the Host
Mardi Winder is a Strategic Divorce Consultant and High-Conflict Divorce Coach who helps high-achieving individuals navigate divorce with clarity, confidence, and control. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in mediation, divorce coaching and conflict resolution, she supports clients in making smart decisions while reducing emotional and financial fallout, particularly in high-conflict, high-asset and complex divorces. Mardi is the founder of Positive Communication Systems, LLC, and the Strategic Divorce Directory, LLC.
For Mardi’s gift: The Resilience Building Blueprint: A 28-Day Journey To A Stronger You https://www.divorcecoach4women.com/rbb
Connect with Mardi on Social Media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Divorcecoach4women
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mardiwinderadams/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divorcecoach4women/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@divorcecoach4women
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.
Leave an Apple Podcast Review
Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
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Missing episodes?
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Divorce can leave people feeling like their future has already been decided, but what if the next chapter begins with a different way of thinking?
In this episode of The D Shift, host Mardi Winder welcomes transformational coach Therese Vita for a conversation about the powerful connection between mindset, limiting beliefs, and creating meaningful change. Together, they explore how subconscious thought patterns influence decisions, emotions, and outcomes, and why developing a clear vision for the future is an essential part of rebuilding after divorce.
Listeners will discover why so many people become trapped by their circumstances, how to recognize the beliefs that may be holding them back, and why lasting transformation requires both intention and action. The conversation also highlights the importance of shifting from simply reacting to life toward intentionally designing a future built on possibility rather than fear.
Whether navigating divorce, recovering from a significant life transition, or looking to create positive change, this episode offers practical insights to help listeners move forward with greater confidence and clarity.
In this episode, listeners will discover:
• How thoughts influence emotions, actions, and long-term results
• Why limiting beliefs often keep people stuck after divorce
• The difference between living by default and living by design
• Why vision without action is simply wishful thinking
• Practical ways to begin creating a more fulfilling future
This inspiring conversation reminds listeners that while they cannot always control life's circumstances, they can choose the mindset and actions that shape what comes next.
About the Guest:
Therese Vita is a transformational Executive, Leadership, and Life Success Coach with over 30 years of experience empowering high achievers to elevate their lives, their businesses and their impact. A former attorney, sales professional and private wealth advisor, she guides her clients to thrive through change, streamline their lives, make better decisions and create more time and balance so they can live with more ease, joy and fulfillment.
For Therese’s Mindset Self-Assessment Workbook: liveandleadboldly.com
To connect:
Website: https://www.theresevitacoaching.com/
About the Host
Mardi Winder is a Strategic Divorce Consultant and High-Conflict Divorce Coach who helps high-achieving individuals navigate divorce with clarity, confidence, and control. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in mediation, divorce coaching and conflict resolution, she supports clients in making smart decisions while reducing emotional and financial fallout, particularly in high-conflict, high-asset and complex divorces. Mardi is the founder of Positive Communication Systems, LLC, and the Strategic Divorce Directory, LLC.
For Mardi’s gift: The Resilience Building Blueprint: A 28-Day Journey To A Stronger You https://www.divorcecoach4women.com/rbb
Connect with Mardi on Social Media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Divorcecoach4women
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mardiwinderadams/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divorcecoach4women/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@divorcecoach4women
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.
Leave an Apple Podcast Review
Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
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Burnout is about far more than working long hours. Emotional stress, unresolved feelings, difficult relationships, and constantly putting everyone else's needs ahead of your own can slowly drain your energy until simply getting through the day feels exhausting.
Today, Mardi Winder welcomes vitality and high-performance expert, Dr. Lan Lu, for an insightful conversation about emotional burnout, energy management, and practical ways to restore your well-being.
Sharing her own experience of working in a demanding corporate career while struggling with chronic health issues, Dr. Lan shares how burnout became a turning point that inspired her to completely rethink health, vitality, and personal resilience. Together, she and Mardi discuss why divorce, career pressures, caregiving responsibilities, and unresolved emotions can all contribute to feeling emotionally depleted.
The conversation explores the importance of processing emotions rather than suppressing them, setting healthy boundaries, recognizing unhealthy relationship dynamics, and making self-care a priority instead of an afterthought. They also discuss how reframing divorce as a new beginning, rather than a personal failure, can help people move forward with greater confidence and purpose.
Whether you are navigating divorce, recovering from burnout, or simply feeling overwhelmed by life's demands, this episode offers practical insights to help you protect your energy, strengthen your resilience, and begin creating a healthier, more balanced life.
In this episode:
• What emotional burnout really looks like
• Why unresolved emotions can drain your energy
• How emotional healing supports physical well-being
• Recognizing unhealthy relationships and "energy vampires"
• Practical ways to restore energy through movement, self care, and intentional choices
• Building healthier habits that promote long-term vitality
• Creating a life with more balance, purpose, and resilience
About the Guest:
Dr. Lan Lu is a vitality and high-performance expert who helps business leaders, elite athletes, high-performing professionals, and health-conscious individuals overcome burnout and energy depletion so they can sustain peak performance and enjoy life. Through consulting, workshops, retreats, and assessments, she uncovers root causes, creates strategic action plans, and delivers embodied solutions that drive 10x faster results than traditional approaches.
For Dr. Lan’s gift of a meditation recording: https://myenergycrisis.com
To connect:
Website: https://www.vitality-alchemy.com/
LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-lan-lu-281356401/
About the Host
Mardi Winder is a Strategic Divorce Consultant and High-Conflict Divorce Coach who helps high-achieving individuals navigate divorce with clarity, confidence, and control. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in mediation, divorce coaching and conflict resolution, she supports clients in making smart decisions while reducing emotional and financial fallout, particularly in high-conflict, high-asset and complex divorces. Mardi is the founder of Positive Communication Systems, LLC, and the Strategic Divorce Directory, LLC.
For Mardi’s gift: The Resilience Building Blueprint: A 28-Day Journey To A Stronger You https://www.divorcecoach4women.com/rbb
Connect with Mardi on Social Media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Divorcecoach4women
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mardiwinderadams/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divorcecoach4women/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@divorcecoach4women
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.
Leave an Apple Podcast Review
Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
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Leaving an abusive relationship is rarely as simple as walking away. Fear, shame, financial concerns, family expectations, and emotional manipulation often make the decision incredibly difficult. In this episode of The D Shift, Mardi Winder is joined by women's empowerment coach and podcast host Angeline Constantinou to discuss the realities of domestic abuse, emotional healing, and rebuilding life after trauma.
Angeline shares how she survived years of abuse, found the courage to leave, and ultimately transformed her pain into a mission to help other women reclaim their confidence and identity. Together, Mardi and Angeline explore the many forms abuse can take, including emotional, financial, psychological, and coercive control, while emphasizing that every person's journey is unique.
The conversation also highlights practical steps that can support healing, including developing a safety plan, seeking trusted support, challenging limiting beliefs, practicing self-care, and recognizing that recovery is a process rather than a single decision. They discuss why leaving an abusive relationship is often the most dangerous time, why financial abuse is so common, and why survivors should avoid sharing details publicly while legal proceedings are still underway.
Whether you are personally facing an abusive relationship, supporting someone who is, or simply want to better understand the challenges survivors experience, this episode offers encouragement, practical insights, and hope that life after abuse is possible.
Mardi and Angeline highlight:
• Understanding the many forms of abuse beyond physical violence
• The emotional impact of shame, guilt, and manipulation
• Financial abuse and unexpected financial challenges after divorce
• The importance of creating a safety and exit plan
• Rebuilding confidence and identity after trauma
• Why sharing your story can become part of the healing process
• Finding support through trusted professionals and community resources
About the Guest:
Angeline Constantinou knows the pain of feeling trapped and unheard. After breaking free from an abusive relationship, she made it her mission to help other women do the same. As a Women’s Empowerment Partner and founder of Let’s Break the Silence, she created a space for survivors to heal, rebuild confidence, and reclaim their future. She’s not just a coach or a speaker; she’s been there. And now, she’s here to remind women that they are stronger than their past, worthy of joy, and capable of creating a future on their own terms.
To connect:
Website: https://letsbreakthesilence.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angeline.constantinou/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/angeline_constantinou/
About the Host
Mardi Winder is a Strategic Divorce Consultant and High-Conflict Divorce Coach who helps high-achieving individuals navigate divorce with clarity, confidence, and control. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in mediation, divorce coaching and conflict resolution, she supports clients in making smart decisions while reducing emotional and financial fallout, particularly in high-conflict, high-asset and complex divorces. Mardi is the founder of Positive Communication Systems, LLC, and the Strategic Divorce Directory, LLC.
For Mardi’s gift: The Resilience Building Blueprint: A 28-Day Journey To A Stronger You https://www.divorcecoach4women.com/rbb
Connect with Mardi on Social Media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Divorcecoach4women
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mardiwinderadams/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divorcecoach4women/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@divorcecoach4women
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.
Leave an Apple Podcast Review
Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
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What if some of the products you use every day are quietly affecting your health, your sleep, your energy, and even your children's well-being?
Today, Mardi Winder talks with environmental health advocate Theresa Thomas to expose the hidden toxins that may be present in our homes and the simple steps families can take to reduce their exposure. Drawing on her own experience overcoming multiple chemical sensitivities, Theresa shares practical strategies that can help create healthier living environments for adults and children alike.
This episode explores how common household products, fragrances, cleaning supplies, laundry products, paints, carpets, and other everyday items can contribute to environmental exposures that many people never think about. Theresa explains why creating a healthier home does not have to happen all at once and how small changes can make a meaningful difference over time.
For individuals going through divorce or other major life transitions, this conversation offers an opportunity to consider how creating a fresh start can also involve fostering a healthier home environment. Whether you are moving into a new space, helping children adjust to change, or simply looking for ways to improve your family's wellbeing, Theresa provides practical suggestions that are both affordable and achievable.
In This Episode
• How chemical sensitivities can impact everyday life
• Common sources of hidden toxins in the home
• Why fragrances and scented products may affect health
• The importance of creating a low-toxin sleep environment
• Practical alternatives to conventional cleaning products
• What to consider when purchasing furniture, paint, and household items
About the Guest:
Drawing on her own journey of overcoming Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, Theresa empowers mothers to uncover hidden toxins in their homes and yards, replacing harmful products with safe alternatives. She gives them strategies to reduce exposure to synthetic chemicals that weaken children’s immune systems, create behavioral issues, and cause constant health frustrations. The result is a healthy, happy, vibrant family life where kids return to their natural, cheerful, energetic selves.
For Theresa’s gift: kidssleepsmart.com
To connect:
Upcoming Book: From Toxic to Green: The New Parenting Guide for Maximum Family Health
Workshop last Monday of the month: Toxic Free Home Reset for Busy Mamas Toxic Free Home Reset for Busy Mamas
Website: https://fromtoxictogreen.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresa-thomas-from-toxic-to-green/
FB Profile: https://www.facebook.com/theresathomas.ca
FB Group - Going Green Together: www.facebook.com/groups/goinggreentogether/
IG: https://instagram.com/from_toxic_to_green
About the Host
Mardi Winder is a Strategic Divorce Consultant and High-Conflict Divorce Coach who helps high-achieving individuals navigate divorce with clarity, confidence, and control. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in mediation, divorce coaching and conflict resolution, she supports clients in making smart decisions while reducing emotional and financial fallout, particularly in high-conflict, high-asset and complex divorces. Mardi is the founder of Positive Communication Systems, LLC, and the Strategic Divorce Directory, LLC.
For Mardi’s gift: The Resilience Building Blueprint: A 28-Day Journey To A Stronger You https://www.divorcecoach4women.com/rbb
Connect with Mardi on Social Media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Divorcecoach4women
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mardiwinderadams/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divorcecoach4women/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@divorcecoach4women
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.
Leave an Apple Podcast Review
Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
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What happens when ADHD, relationships, and divorce collide?
In this episode of The D Shift, Strategic Divorce Consultant and High-Conflict Divorce Coach Mardi Winder sits down with ADHD coach and executive leadership expert Leanne Gawley to discuss how neurodivergence, particularly ADHD, can affect relationships, communication, organization, and the divorce process. Leanne shares her personal journey of being diagnosed later in life after her son was identified as having ADHD, and how that discovery transformed both her understanding of herself and the work she does today.
They explore why ADHD often presents differently in women than in men, why so many women go undiagnosed for years, and how common challenges such as overwhelm, time blindness, anxiety, emotional sensitivity, and organization can become even more pronounced during periods of major life transition.
Leanne offers practical strategies for managing the demands of divorce, including gathering documentation, working effectively with attorneys and professionals, breaking overwhelming tasks into manageable steps, and creating systems that work with your brain rather than against it.
This conversation is valuable whether you have been diagnosed with ADHD, suspect you may be neurodivergent, or simply find yourself struggling with overwhelm during difficult life transitions. Most importantly, Leanne reminds us that we are not alone, and that understanding how our brains work can be one of the most powerful tools for moving forward with greater confidence and self-compassion.
Mardi and Leanne explore:
• Why ADHD often looks different in women than in men
• The connection between ADHD, anxiety, and overwhelm
• How neurodivergence can impact relationships and communication
• Strategies for managing time blindness and procrastination
• How to work more effectively with attorneys and divorce professionals
• The importance of self-compassion during major life transitions
• Why community and support matter when navigating divorce and ADHD
About the Guest:
Leanne Gawley is the founder of The ADHD Advantage with Leanne Gawley, a Calgary-based coaching practice serving women in leadership and neurodivergent professionals and families. A former C-Suite finance executive and late-diagnosed woman with ADHD, Leanne knows firsthand how an ADHD brain can quietly complicate the things that look simple on paper: staying on top of deadlines, keeping files organized, and communicating clearly when emotions are running high. She brings her lived experience alongside her CPA, MBA, and ICF ACC credentials to help clients build systems that actually work for their brains, not against them.
Leanne is also a Canadian Certified Inclusion Professional with deep roots in neurodiversity advocacy and workplace inclusion. She coaches virtually worldwide and is currently writing her first book, Brilliant and Wired Differently: The ADHD Advantage.
For Leanne’s gift: https://adhd.leannegawley.ca/
To connect:
website: www.leannegawley.ca
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/lgawley/
Instagram: @leanne.gawley
About the Host
Mardi Winder is a Strategic Divorce Consultant and High-Conflict Divorce Coach who helps high-achieving individuals navigate divorce with clarity, confidence, and control. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in mediation, divorce coaching, and conflict resolution, she supports clients in making smart decisions while reducing emotional and financial fallout, particularly in high-conflict, high-asset, and complex divorces. Mardi is the founder of Positive Communication Systems, LLC, and the Strategic Divorce Directory, LLC.
For Mardi’s gift: The Resilience Building Blueprint: A 28-Day Journey To A Stronger You https://www.divorcecoach4women.com/rbb
Connect with Mardi on Social Media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Divorcecoach4women
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mardiwinderadams/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divorcecoach4women/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@divorcecoach4women
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.
Leave an Apple Podcast Review
Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
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Today, Mardi Winder talks with Joanna Shakti, founder of Ecstatic Intimacy, to explore the powerful role masculine and feminine energies can play in our relationships, our self-identity, and our ability to create lasting connections.
Joanna shares her personal journey from a successful corporate career in engineering and business to helping individuals and couples better understand the dynamics that influence attraction, intimacy, communication, and connection. She discusses how many high-achieving professionals spend much of their lives operating in achievement-focused, task-driven modes and how that can impact both emotional and physical intimacy within relationships.
Mardi and Joanna explore the difference between emotional and physical intimacy, why couples often find themselves stuck in the "roommate phase," and how greater self-awareness can help people reconnect with themselves and their partners. Joanna offers a unique perspective on understanding our natural tendencies, recognizing patterns that may be creating disconnection, and learning how to create healthier relationship dynamics.
Whether you are single, dating, married, divorced, or rebuilding your life after a major transition, this conversation offers valuable insights into understanding yourself more deeply and creating stronger, more fulfilling relationships.
In this episode:
• The difference between emotional intimacy and physical intimacy
• How masculine and feminine energies can influence relationship dynamics
• Understanding the "roommate" phenomenon in long-term relationships
• The impact of self-awareness on attraction and intimacy
• Why knowing yourself is essential to building healthy relationships
• The role of communication, vulnerability, and authenticity in creating deeper intimacy
About the Guest:
Joanna Shakti, The True Love Mentor and founder of Ecstatic Intimacy®, is smart, soulful, and a little bit spicy. You can’t miss her passion and warm playful style that both entertains and inspires. No other person on the planet possesses the experience, expertise and ability to transform lives in quite the way Joanna does. She, artfully and professionally, mixes masculine-feminine dynamics, leadership, spiritual awakening, engineering, and even Tantra, along with a whole lot of love, to lead singles and couples along the path of sacred love -- self love, romantic love, divine love -- so they may know the deepest of connections, pleasures, intimacies and joys available on this human journey.
For Joanna’s gift: https://zl262.isrefer.com/go/jumpstart/joanna/MW
To connect:
Website: https://ecstaticintimacy.com/
Facebook: facebook.com/EcstaticIntimacy
Instagram: instagram.com/joanna.shakti
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EcstaticIntimacyOfficial
About the Host
Mardi Winder is a Strategic Divorce Consultant and High-Conflict Divorce Coach who helps high-achieving individuals navigate divorce with clarity, confidence, and control. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in mediation, divorce coaching and conflict resolution, she supports clients in making smart decisions while reducing emotional and financial fallout, particularly in high-conflict, high-asset and complex divorces. Mardi is the founder of Positive Communication Systems, LLC, and the Strategic Divorce Directory, LLC.
For Mardi’s gift: The Resilience Building Blueprint: A 28-Day Journey To A Stronger You https://www.divorcecoach4women.com/rbb
Connect with Mardi on Social Media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Divorcecoach4women
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mardiwinderadams/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divorcecoach4women/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@divorcecoach4women
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.
Leave an Apple Podcast Review
Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
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When life feels overwhelming, sometimes the most productive thing you can do is step away from the noise and create space to reconnect with yourself. In this episode, Mardi Winder sits down with Ellen Whiteside, owner of Sacred Grove Retreat Center and host of Mindset and Miracles, to explore the transformative power of retreats and why they can be especially valuable during times of change, loss, divorce, grief, or personal transition.
Ellen shares her journey from massage therapist to retreat center owner and discusses how a series of unexpected life events led her to create a sanctuary dedicated to healing, reflection, and personal growth. Mardi and Ellen talk about the importance of stepping away from daily responsibilities, disconnecting from constant distractions, and giving yourself permission to focus on your own needs for a change.
They also discuss the difference between group retreats and private retreats, the role of intentional practices such as journaling and meditation, and how rituals can help support personal transformation. Ellen explains how creating space for reflection can help people process major life changes and begin to envision what comes next.
The conversation also explores the power of mindset, personal responsibility, intuition, and the importance of choosing thoughts that support growth rather than limitation. Whether you are navigating divorce, grief, burnout, or simply feeling stuck, this episode offers valuable insights into creating the space needed for healing and renewal.
Mardi and Ellen discuss:
• Why retreats have become an increasingly popular tool for healing and self discovery
• The benefits of stepping away from daily responsibilities during major life transitions
• The difference between group retreats and private retreat experiences
• How journaling, reflection, and intentional practices support personal growth
• The connection between mindset and creating positive change in your life
• Why giving yourself permission to receive support is an important part of healing
• The value of creating time and space to reconnect with yourself and your future vision
• How small shifts in perspective can create powerful results
About the Guest:
Ellen Whiteside has been the owner of Sacred Grove Retreat Center, a sanctuary for transformation and soul-led living, for the past 20 years. She spent a year traveling through Europe, often hitchhiking, where she learned manifestation through trust, intuition, and receivership in real time. She is also a DreamBuilder coach through the Brave Thinking Institute and she hosts a radio show called Mindset & Miracles.
About the Host
Mardi Winder is a Strategic Divorce Consultant and High-Conflict Divorce Coach who helps high-achieving individuals navigate divorce with clarity, confidence, and control. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in mediation, divorce coaching and conflict resolution, she supports clients in making smart decisions while reducing emotional and financial fallout, particularly in high-conflict, high-asset and complex divorces. Mardi is the founder of Positive Communication Systems, LLC, and the Strategic Divorce Directory, LLC.
For Mardi’s gift: The Resilience Building Blueprint: A 28-Day Journey To A Stronger You https://www.divorcecoach4women.com/rbb
Connect with Mardi on Social Media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Divorcecoach4women
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mardiwinderadams/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divorcecoach4women/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@divorcecoach4women
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.
Leave an Apple Podcast Review
Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
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In this episode of The D Shift, Mardi Winder welcomes parenting expert, psychoanalyst, and author Erica Komisar to discuss how parents can minimize the emotional toll of divorce on their children. Drawing on more than three decades of clinical experience, Erica shares practical guidance for helping children feel secure, supported, and protected during one of the most significant transitions a family can face.
Together, Mardi and Erica explore the importance of emotional regulation, healthy co-parenting, grief, attachment, and why children should never become the messengers or emotional support system for their parents. They also discuss common mistakes parents make during divorce, how to navigate high-conflict situations, and why putting children's needs ahead of fairness can lead to better long-term outcomes.
Whether you are considering divorce, currently navigating it, or working to build a healthy co-parenting relationship, this conversation offers valuable insight into protecting your children while supporting your own healing.
Our talk focuses on:
• Why divorce is traumatic for children and how parents can reduce the impact
• The importance of emotional regulation during the divorce process
• How unresolved grief and anger can affect parenting decisions
• Why children should never be caught in the middle of parental conflict
• The dangers of oversharing adult problems with children
• How to support your child's grief without burdening them with your own
• Why consistency and stability matter during family transitions
• The challenges of high-conflict co-parenting situations
• What parents should consider before introducing a new romantic partner
• The realities of blended families and step-sibling relationships
• Why divorce should focus on children's needs rather than fairness between parents
About the Guest:
Erica Komisar, LCSW, is a clinical social worker, psychoanalyst, and parenting expert with over 30 years of experience in private practice. She is the author of Being There and Chicken Little: The Sky Isn’t Falling, and her third book on healthy divorce and parenting will be released in 2025.
Erica is a regular contributor to The Wall Street Journal, The Institute for Family Studies, and The Dispatch, and has appeared on CBS, Fox News, and The Diary of a CEO podcast. She is the founder of Attachment Circles, serves on the advisory board of ARC (Alliance for Responsible Citizenship), and has spoken at the United Nations on child development and emotional health. She lives in New York City with her husband and three young adult children.
To connect with Erica:
Website: ericakomisar.com
About the Host
Mardi Winder is a Strategic Divorce Consultant and High-Conflict Divorce Coach who helps high-achieving individuals navigate divorce with clarity, confidence, and control. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in mediation, divorce coaching and conflict resolution, she supports clients in making smart decisions while reducing emotional and financial fallout, particularly in high-conflict, high-asset and complex divorces. Mardi is the founder of Positive Communication Systems, LLC, and the Strategic Divorce Directory, LLC.
For Mardi’s gift: The Resilience Building Blueprint: A 28-Day Journey To A Stronger You https://www.divorcecoach4women.com/rbb
Connect with Mardi on Social Media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Divorcecoach4women
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mardiwinderadams/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divorcecoach4women/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@divorcecoach4women
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.
Leave an Apple Podcast Review
Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
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Divorce is often viewed as an ending, but what if it could become a life-changing, very positive beginning?
Today on The D Shift, Mardi Winder sits down with divorce coach Christa Skinner to discuss how divorce can become a powerful catalyst for personal growth, self-discovery, and transformation. Sharing her own experience of navigating an unexpected divorce after more than three decades together, Christa talks about how she turned one of life's most difficult transitions into an opportunity to create a more authentic and fulfilling life.
Together, Mardi and Christa explore the emotional challenges many women face during divorce, including the loss of identity, family expectations, self-trust, and the fear of starting over. They also discuss the critical role divorce coaching can play in helping individuals make informed decisions, avoid costly mistakes, and move forward with greater confidence and clarity.
Whether you are contemplating divorce, currently navigating the process, or rebuilding your life afterward, this conversation offers hope, encouragement, and practical insight into creating a meaningful next chapter.
In this episode we discuss:
• What makes divorce coaching different from traditional life coaching
• Why many women struggle with identity loss during and after divorce
• The impact of family expectations, judgment, and societal pressures
• How to rebuild self-trust after a relationship ends
• Why healing and self-discovery are essential parts of the divorce journey
• How to move from surviving to thriving after divorce
About the Guest:
Christa Skinner is a certified health, life, and Canadian-trained breakup and divorce coach who guides women through midlife identity shifts and life transitions with clarity, confidence, and grounded strength. After meeting her former husband at twelve, marrying young, and raising three daughters, Christa faced an unexpected divorce following 22 years of marriage — an experience that left her depleted but ultimately became the catalyst for profound reinvention.
Determined to provide the support she once searched for, she trained through the Health Coach Institute and under Sara Davison, the world’s leading divorce coach. She is a member of the International Divorce Coach Centre of Excellence (IDCCOE) and continues to deepen her expertise in high-conflict dynamics and collaborative resolution. A co-author of the bestselling book Emotional Alchemy and featured in national media, Christa’s forthcoming Fall 2026 book positions midlife not as breakdown, but as re-anchoring, power, and intentional becoming.
To connect with Christa:
Website: https://www.christaskinnercoaching.com/
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/christaskinnerbecoming?igsh=c2FjY3Y0b3JoaWV4&utm_source=qr
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/christa-s-b323b03a5
About the Host
Mardi Winder is a Strategic Divorce Consultant and High-Conflict Divorce Coach who helps high-achieving individuals navigate divorce with clarity, confidence, and control. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in mediation, divorce coaching and conflict resolution, she supports clients in making smart decisions while reducing emotional and financial fallout, particularly in high-conflict, high-asset and complex divorces. Mardi is the founder of Positive Communication Systems, LLC, and the Strategic Divorce Directory, LLC.
For Mardi’s gift: The Resilience Building Blueprint: A 28-Day Journey To A Stronger You https://www.divorcecoach4women.com/rbb
Connect with Mardi on Social Media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Divorcecoach4women
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mardiwinderadams/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divorcecoach4women/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@divorcecoach4women
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.
Leave an Apple Podcast Review
Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
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Many people assume that intimacy is simply about physical connection, but what happens when emotional distance, unresolved issues, and years of disconnection begin to erode a relationship from the inside out?
In this episode of The D Shift, Mardi Winder sits down with sex and intimacy coach Xanet Pailet to discuss one of the most overlooked aspects of relationships. Drawing from her personal experience of spending 26 years in a sexless marriage and her professional work helping couples reconnect, Xanet shares valuable insights about emotional intimacy, communication, self-awareness, and creating healthier relationships after divorce.
Whether you are currently in a relationship, considering divorce, or rebuilding your life afterward, this conversation offers practical wisdom for understanding the role intimacy plays in long-term relationship success.
This episode highlights:
• Why intimacy challenges are more common than most people realize
• The emotional impact of living in a disconnected relationship
• How unresolved issues can affect future relationships
• The connection between communication and intimacy
• Rebuilding trust and connection after divorce
• Common relationship patterns that follow people into new relationships
• Creating healthier and more fulfilling relationships moving forward
About the Guest:
Xanet Pailet is a nationally recognized Sex and Intimacy Coach, bestselling author and the founder of Passionate Intimacy Retreats. After leaving a 26-year sexless marriage Xanet now helps committed couples who feel stuck, disconnected, or in conflict transform their relationships into ones filled with intimacy, safety, passion, and joy.
For Xanet’s book: https://a.co/d/0gYuFzO6
To connect with Xanet:
Website: https://www.passionateintimacyretreats.com/
Instagram: @xanetpop
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xanet-pailet-2b464671/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjgLul94hbzGu3X5-QBxrjg/featured/featured
About the Host
Mardi Winder is a Strategic Divorce Consultant and High-Conflict Divorce Coach who helps high-achieving individuals navigate divorce with clarity, confidence, and control. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in mediation, divorce coaching and conflict resolution, she supports clients in making smart decisions while reducing emotional and financial fallout, particularly in high-conflict, high-asset and complex divorces. Mardi is the founder of Positive Communication Systems, LLC, and the Strategic Divorce Directory, LLC.
For Mardi’s gift: The Resilience Building Blueprint: A 28-Day Journey To A Stronger You https://www.divorcecoach4women.com/rbb
Connect with Mardi on Social Media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Divorcecoach4women
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mardiwinderadams/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divorcecoach4women/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@divorcecoach4women
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.
Leave an Apple Podcast Review
Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
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One of the greatest challenges after divorce is communication, especially when co-parenting with a high-conflict ex. Every text message, email, or notification can trigger anxiety, frustration, and emotional exhaustion.
In this episode of The D Shift, Mardi Winder welcomes Sol Kennedy, founder of BestInterest, an innovative AI-powered co-parenting app designed to reduce conflict and help parents focus on what matters most: their children.
After experiencing his own difficult divorce, Sol set out to create a tool that shields parents from toxic communication while preserving the information they actually need to effectively co-parent. The result is a unique platform that is changing the way divorced parents communicate.
If you struggle with difficult co-parenting conversations, emotional triggers, or constant conflict, this episode offers practical insights and a glimpse into how technology may help reduce stress during one of life's most challenging transitions.
Sol shares:
• Why communication becomes so difficult after divorce
• The emotional toll of high-conflict co-parenting
• How toxic messages impact mental health and decision making
• The story behind the creation of the BestInterest app
• How AI can help filter conflict and reduce emotional triggers
• Protecting your peace while still effectively co-parenting
• Why self-love and healing remain essential after divorce
About the Guest:
Sol Kennedy is a former Google product manager, a devoted dad, and the founder of BestInterest—the AI co-parenting app endorsed by Dr. Ramani. After navigating his own high-conflict divorce, Sol built the tool he wished he’d had: an app that acts as an emotional shield, filtering out toxic messages and leaving only what matters: the kids. WIRED calls BestInterest "life saving" for coparents experiencing conflict. Through his app and his podcast, Coparenting Beyond Conflict, Sol helps parents set boundaries, reduce daily anxiety, and build a future where they can proudly sit at their child's graduation without a lifetime of resentment.
For Sol’s gift: Use when purchasing BestInterest on any app platform: DSHIFT10 - $10 off BestInterest for Coparents
To connect with Sol:
Website: https://bestinterest.app
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bestinterest.app/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bestinterestapp/
About the Host
Mardi Winder is a Strategic Divorce Consultant and High-Conflict Divorce Coach who helps high-achieving individuals navigate divorce with clarity, confidence, and control. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in mediation, divorce coaching and conflict resolution, she supports clients in making smart decisions while reducing emotional and financial fallout, particularly in high-conflict, high-asset and complex divorces. Mardi is the founder of Positive Communication Systems, LLC, and the Strategic Divorce Directory, LLC.
For Mardi’s gift: The Resilience Building Blueprint: A 28-Day Journey To A Stronger You https://www.divorcecoach4women.com/rbb
Connect with Mardi on Social Media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Divorcecoach4women
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mardiwinderadams/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divorcecoach4women/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@divorcecoach4women
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.
Leave an Apple Podcast Review
Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
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Most relationships do not end because two people suddenly stop loving each other. More often, relationships slowly become disconnected through repeated misunderstandings, emotional triggers, unresolved resentment, and communication patterns that quietly erode trust over time.
In this episode of The D Shift, Mardi Winder welcomes back Nancy Perpall to discuss her new book, The Malnourished Marriage, and the powerful food metaphor she uses to explain what relationships truly need to survive and thrive.
After more than three decades as a divorce attorney, Nancy shares why she shifted her focus from helping people end marriages to helping couples better understand how relationships break down in the first place. Drawing from both science and real-world experience, she explains how the early dopamine-driven stage of relationships often blinds people to issues that later become major points of conflict once everyday life takes over.
The conversation explores the emotional “nutrients” that relationships require, including communication, trust, compromise, intimacy, laughter, and emotional safety. Nancy explains why communication functions like water in a relationship and how words can either flow or crash depending on how people approach difficult conversations.
Together, they also unpack the role childhood core wounds play in adult relationships and why people often unknowingly trigger each other’s deepest insecurities during moments of stress or conflict. Rather than viewing compromise as weakness, Nancy reframes it as compassion and understanding for another person’s perspective.
Nancy highlights how:
• Early relationship chemistry often masks incompatibilities and unresolved issues
• Communication can either create connection or intensify emotional damage, depending on how words are used
• Childhood core wounds frequently influence adult relationship dynamics and conflict patterns
• Compromise is not weakness but compassion for another person’s perspective
• Laughter, playfulness, and emotional intimacy are essential parts of long-term relationship health
About the Guest:
Nancy Perpall began her professional career as a critical care nurse. Dedicated to instituting better patient outcomes she contributed to a textbook, Advanced Concepts In Clinical Nursing (J.B. Lippincott). However, to get the rural hospital she was working at to accept those protocols she was told that since she was not a doctor, who were the only ones who could change protocols, she should go to law school since "people listen to lawyers". As a nurse-attorney, Nancy has appeared on radio shows, podcasts, and TV and has published extensively.
To connect with Nancy:
Website: https://nancyperpall.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyperpall/
About the Host
Mardi Winder is a Strategic Divorce Consultant and High-Conflict Divorce Coach who helps high-achieving individuals navigate divorce with clarity, confidence, and control. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in mediation, divorce coaching and conflict resolution, she supports clients in making smart decisions while reducing emotional and financial fallout, particularly in high-conflict, high-asset and complex divorces. Mardi is the founder of Positive Communication Systems, LLC, and the Strategic Divorce Directory, LLC.
For Mardi’s gift: The Resilience Building Blueprint: A 28-Day Journey To A Stronger You https://www.divorcecoach4women.com/rbb
Connect with Mardi on Social Media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Divorcecoach4women
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mardiwinderadams/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divorcecoach4women/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@divorcecoach4women
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.
Leave an Apple Podcast Review
Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
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Divorce and heartbreak often leave people asking one difficult question: what now? While many rush toward the next relationship hoping to escape loneliness or pain, others begin realizing that healing, self-awareness, and personal growth may be the most important work they can do before starting over again.
In this episode of The D Shift, Mardi Winder speaks with Lionel Moses about relationships, identity, emotional healing, and the concept of “purposeful singleness.”
After experiencing two divorces himself, Lionel shares how he stopped viewing divorce as failure and instead began using those experiences as opportunities for deeper self-reflection and growth. Rather than focusing only on relationship theory or surface-level advice, the conversation explores the practical realities of learning who you are outside of a relationship and why so many people unknowingly repeat unhealthy patterns when they avoid doing that work.
Together, they discuss the difference between simply being single and intentionally using singleness as a season for healing, growth, and honest self-assessment. Lionel explains how many people spend years studying their partners while never truly learning themselves, which often leads to people pleasing, emotional exhaustion, and relationships built around performance rather than authenticity.
Mardi and Lionel share how:
• Purposeful singleness creates space for healing, reflection, and self-discovery after divorce
• Many people enter relationships knowing their partner better than they know themselves
• Healing after divorce requires honesty, intentionality, and emotional self-awareness
• Relationship patterns often repeat when people avoid processing pain from previous relationships
• Gender expectations and societal roles still impact modern relationships in significant ways
About the Guest:
Lionel Moses stands out because he combines his real-world experience with a passion for teaching the 'heart of rediscovery.' He offers pragmatic, relationship-focused strategies and levity techniques to boost morale and self-identity, drawing from his personal 'aha moment' about the power of connection.
For Lionel’s gift: https://www.themarriageseed.com/ Discount Code: DSHIFT15
To connect with Lionel:
Website: https://www.lionelmoses.com/
Website: https://www.themarriageseed.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068053150680
About the Host
Mardi Winder is a Strategic Divorce Consultant and High-Conflict Divorce Coach who helps high-achieving individuals navigate divorce with clarity, confidence, and control. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in mediation, divorce coaching and conflict resolution, she supports clients in making smart decisions while reducing emotional and financial fallout, particularly in high-conflict, high-asset and complex divorces. Mardi is the founder of Positive Communication Systems, LLC, and the Strategic Divorce Directory, LLC.
For Mardi’s gift: The Resilience Building Blueprint: A 28-Day Journey To A Stronger You https://www.divorcecoach4women.com/rbb
Connect with Mardi on Social Media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Divorcecoach4women
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mardiwinderadams/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divorcecoach4women/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@divorcecoach4women
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.
Leave an Apple Podcast Review
Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
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Divorce is not just a legal process. It is an emotional, financial, and strategic transition that can quickly become overwhelming without the right support. In this episode of The D Shift, Mardi Winder speaks with fellow divorce coach Julie Desmond about the practical and emotional benefits of having a divorce coach as part of your support team.
Julie shares how her own difficult divorce experience led her into the field of divorce coaching after realizing how many people navigate the process without guidance, preparation, or emotional support. The conversation highlights the important distinction between legal advice and divorce coaching, especially in helping clients stay organized, emotionally grounded, and prepared for the many decisions that arise throughout the process.
Together, they discuss how conflict escalation often increases legal costs and emotional exhaustion, while preparation and emotional regulation can create better outcomes for everyone involved. Julie explains how simple shifts, such as pausing before reacting to texts or emails, preparing questions before attorney calls, and understanding what truly requires legal intervention, can save clients both money and unnecessary stress.
Julie discusses how:
• Divorce coaching provides emotional and strategic support that differs from legal advice
• Preparation before mediation, attorney meetings, and court processes can reduce stress and unnecessary costs
• Reacting emotionally during divorce often escalates conflict and increases legal fees
• A divorce coach can help clients reality test situations and focus on the bigger picture
• Shared parenting transitions can create identity challenges and emotional overwhelm for parents
• Many people going through divorce feel isolated, especially when faith or cultural pressures are involved
• Having a neutral support person can help clients feel more grounded and empowered during difficult decisions
• Divorce coaching can help people approach the process more strategically instead of reactively
About the Guest:
I am Julie Desmond, founder of Desmond Divorce Coaching. As a DCA® Certified ADR Divorce Coach I specialize in helping my clients navigate conflict and focus on their future. Helping them gain the knowledge they need to make informed smart decisions throughout the process.
To connect with Julie:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1JqXRkFksN/?mibextid=wwXIfr
About the Host
Mardi Winder is a Strategic Divorce Consultant and High-Conflict Divorce Coach who helps high-achieving individuals navigate divorce with clarity, confidence, and control. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in mediation, divorce coaching and conflict resolution, she supports clients in making smart decisions while reducing emotional and financial fallout, particularly in high-conflict, high-asset and complex divorces. Mardi is the founder of Positive Communication Systems, LLC, and the Strategic Divorce Directory, LLC.
For Mardi’s gift: The Resilience Building Blueprint: A 28-Day Journey To A Stronger You https://www.divorcecoach4women.com/rbb
Connect with Mardi on Social Media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Divorcecoach4women
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mardiwinderadams/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divorcecoach4women/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@divorcecoach4women
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.
Leave an Apple Podcast Review
Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
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Divorce is not the only experience that can completely reshape a woman’s identity. Career shifts, children leaving home, relocation, loss, and major life changes can all create moments where women stop and ask themselves a difficult question: Who am I now?
In this episode of The D Shift, Mardi Winder sits down with Shannon McGorry for a thoughtful conversation about transformation, self-discovery, and what it means to intentionally create a life that reflects who you are in this current chapter.
Through her experience navigating divorce while raising two young daughters, Shannon shares how many women unintentionally lose touch with themselves by constantly adapting to the needs and expectations of others. She discusses how easy it becomes to define identity through roles such as wife, mother, caregiver, or professional, while never truly exploring what matters most to her personally.
The conversation explores why so many women settle for being “fine” even when they know something beneath the surface feels misaligned. Shannon explains how identifying personal values lays the foundation for making better decisions, creating healthier habits, and building a more intentional life.
Shannon breaks down her Activate Your Female Genius framework, which helps women reconnect with their identity, strengthen self-leadership, and uncover the unique strengths and gifts that often get buried during difficult life transitions. Rather than approaching change as something to fear, Shannon encourages women to see these moments as opportunities to redefine themselves with greater clarity and purpose.
Shannon shares how:
• Many women unconsciously shape-shift into roles and expectations that no longer align with who they are
• “Fine” can become a way of settling instead of honestly addressing what feels off
• Personal values can change throughout different stages of life and deserve regular reflection
• Living out of alignment with core values often creates stress, resentment, and emotional exhaustion
• Self-awareness and intentional habits help women create a stronger sense of direction after divorce or transition
About the Guest:
Shannon McGorry is the creator of Activate Your Female Genius®, a transformative framework that blends clarity-building, habit transformation, and actionable strategy to help women stop settling for “fine” and instead create an updated strategy for their current chapter of life.
A PCC-level coach accredited by the ICF, Shannon is the founder and chief strategist of Love, Strength, and Grace, a women’s empowerment coaching firm offering 1:1 coaching, keynote speaking, and professional development workshops. Shannon also co-founded Your Strategy Reset™; a brand of in-person, customized, boutique women's leadership experiences. She combines professional expertise with lived experience to empower women as they navigate meaningful change with an updated strategy.
For Shannon’s gift: https://www.lovestrengthandgrace.com/events
To connect with Shannon:
Website: www.lovestrengthandgrace.com
Website: www.yourstrategyreset.com
Instagram:lovestrengthandgrace
LinkedIn: Your Strategy Reset | LinkedIn
About the Host
Mardi Winder is a Strategic Divorce Consultant and High-Conflict Divorce Coach who helps high-achieving individuals navigate divorce with clarity, confidence, and control. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in mediation, divorce coaching and conflict resolution, she supports clients in making smart decisions while reducing emotional and financial fallout, particularly in high-conflict, high-asset and complex divorces. Mardi is the founder of Positive Communication Systems, LLC, and the Strategic Divorce Directory, LLC.
For Mardi’s gift: The Resilience Building Blueprint: A 28-Day Journey To A Stronger You https://www.divorcecoach4women.com/rbb
Connect with Mardi on Social Media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Divorcecoach4women
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mardiwinderadams/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divorcecoach4women/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@divorcecoach4women
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the Podcast
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Trauma changes far more than a single moment in time. It can alter the way people see themselves, how they experience intimacy, and how safe they feel in relationships long after the abuse has ended. In this deeply important episode of The D Shift, Mardi Winder speaks with psychotherapist Scott Stolarick about the often unspoken connection between trauma, sexual abuse, shame, and relational dynamics.
With more than three decades of clinical experience, Scott shares how trauma frequently creates ripple effects that extend into every area of a person’s life, including self-worth, trust, emotional safety, and future relationships. He explains why survivors are often left feeling responsible for what happened to them and how those beliefs can quietly shape the way they move through the world.
The conversation also explores the unique complexity of sexual abuse within committed relationships and marriages, including coercive control and the emotional barriers that prevent many people from speaking openly about what they have experienced. Scott discusses how trauma can become deeply embedded when it goes untreated and why unresolved experiences often continue resurfacing through anxiety, emotional shutdown, hypervigilance, or chronic shame.
Rather than focusing solely on retelling painful stories, this episode examines the importance of trauma-informed care and approaches such as EMDR therapy that help individuals process traumatic experiences in a healthier and more integrated way. Scott explains how healing is not about erasing the past, but about helping people stop defining themselves by what happened to them.
Throughout the discussion, one message becomes very clear. Trauma may become part of someone’s story, but it does not have to become their identity.
The episode focuses on the issues of:
• Trauma often impacts far more than one specific event and can affect every area of life and relationships
• Survivors of sexual abuse frequently struggle with shame and misplaced feelings of responsibility
• Abuse within committed relationships and marriages is real and often goes unspoken
• Unresolved trauma can surface through anxiety, emotional shutdown, hypervigilance, and difficulty trusting others
• Trauma-informed therapy approaches such as EMDR can help people process painful experiences differently
• Healing does not require forgetting the past, but learning not to be defined by it
About the Guest:
Scott Stolarick is a licensed, trauma-informed psychotherapist who has been practicing in the state of Illinois for 33 years. He is an experienced administrator and clinical supervisor as well as a seasoned clinician. Scott has Management and Leadership Certifications from the University of Notre Dame and Cornell University. Scott is currently the owner of Mosaic Pathway Counseling in Gurnee, Illinois.
To connect with Scott:
Website: www.mosaicpathwaycounseling.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-stolarick-lcpc-cctp-298734252/
About the Host
Mardi Winder is a Strategic Divorce Consultant and High-Conflict Divorce Coach who helps high-achieving individuals navigate divorce with clarity, confidence, and control. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in mediation, divorce coaching and conflict resolution, she supports clients in making smart decisions while reducing emotional and financial fallout, particularly in high-conflict, high-asset and complex divorces. Mardi is the founder of Positive Communication Systems, LLC, and the Strategic Divorce Directory, LLC.
For Mardi’s gift: The Resilience Building Blueprint: A 28-Day Journey To A Stronger You https://www.divorcecoach4women.com/rbb
Connect with Mardi on Social Media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Divorcecoach4women
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mardiwinderadams/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divorcecoach4women/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@divorcecoach4women
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.
Leave an Apple Podcast Review
Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
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What if the key to healthier relationships is not changing the other person, but learning how to feel secure within yourself?
In this episode of The D Shift, Mardi Winder sits down with Maria Vogel, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, to explore attachment styles, emotional safety, and the role self-security plays in both relationships and divorce.
Maria shares how her work evolved from supporting children and families to helping adults heal unhealthy relational patterns. Drawing from both her professional expertise and her own experience as a child of divorce, Maria explains how attachment styles shape the way people seek emotional safety in relationships.
Mardi and Maria unpack the anxious and avoidant dynamics that often appear in struggling marriages and why so many couples unintentionally trigger each other’s deepest insecurities. The conversation explores the emotional toll of resentment, the challenges of deciding whether to stay or leave, and how self-regulation and boundaries can dramatically change the way people navigate conflict.
Maria introduces the concept of “self security,” which focuses on building self-trust, emotional regulation, and healthy boundaries rather than depending on another person for emotional stability. The discussion also examines why staying together for the children can sometimes create more harm than healing and how divorce can become an opportunity for growth and healthier patterns moving forward.
The episode highlights how:
• Attachment styles are often strategies people develop to create emotional safety
• Many struggling relationships involve anxious and avoidant dynamics that reinforce conflict
• Resentment grows when issues remain unresolved for too long
• Couples often wait far too long before seeking therapy or support
• Self security comes from emotional regulation and healthy boundaries
• Staying together for the children can sometimes create unhealthy emotional environments
• Divorce is not failure and can become an opportunity for healing and growth
• Building a healthier relationship with yourself changes every other relationship in your life
About the Guest:
Maria Vogel is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in couples and individuals who want to heal relational patterns. Through her group practice, Bhumi Therapy Center, Maria teaches clients how to build more intentional lives using mindfulness-based therapy techniques.
For Maria’s book, “Finally Secure”: https://a.co/d/0cIQzfW1
To connect with Maria:
Website: www.bhumitherapycenter.com
IG: @mariavtherapy
About the Host
Mardi Winder is a Strategic Divorce Consultant and High-Conflict Divorce Coach who helps high-achieving individuals navigate divorce with clarity, confidence, and control. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in mediation, divorce coaching and conflict resolution, she supports clients in making smart decisions while reducing emotional and financial fallout, particularly in high-conflict, high-asset and complex divorces. Mardi is the founder of Positive Communication Systems, LLC, and the Strategic Divorce Directory, LLC.
For Mardi’s gift: The Resilience Building Blueprint: A 28-Day Journey To A Stronger You https://www.divorcecoach4women.com/rbb
Connect with Mardi on Social Media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Divorcecoach4women
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mardiwinderadams/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divorcecoach4women/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@divorcecoach4women
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.
Leave an Apple Podcast Review
Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
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What if divorce did not have to destroy everything in its path?
In this episode of The D Shift, Mardi Winder sits down with Karen McNenny to explore a very different perspective. One that challenges the traditional adversarial model and instead focuses on creating a thoughtful, intentional path forward, especially when children are involved.
Karen shares her personal divorce journey and how it led her to build what she now calls the Good Divorce movement. Rather than focusing on conflict, she helps families navigate separation in a way that prioritizes long-term relationships, especially the co-parenting dynamic.
Together, Mardi and Karen unpack what a “good divorce” actually means and why it is far more common than people realize, even if those stories are rarely shared. They discuss the limitations of the traditional legal system, the importance of early decisions, and how starting with communication and parenting plans can significantly change the outcome.
This episode also challenges common assumptions, including the belief that staying together for the children is always the better choice, or that waiting until they are older will make divorce easier. Instead, the focus shifts to what children actually need, which is stability, honesty, and parents who can function in a healthy way, whether together or apart.
Karen also shares insights from her new book, which is designed not just for those going through divorce, but for anyone connected to it. Her work emphasizes that divorce is not the end of a relationship, but a restructuring of it, and one that can be handled with intention rather than defaulting to conflict.
This is a conversation about possibility, responsibility, and redefining what divorce can look like when people choose a different approach.
The episode explores why:
• Most divorces are not high conflict, but those stories are rarely shared
• Divorce does not end a relationship; it restructures it
• Starting with communication and parenting plans creates better long-term outcomes
• The traditional legal system is built for conflict, not cooperation
• Staying together for the children can sometimes cause more harm than good
• Children need stability and honesty more than they need parents in the same home
• A good divorce is not about perfection, it is about intention and design
• Early decisions in the process often determine how the divorce will end
About the Guest:
Renowned for blending warmth, clarity, and practical strategy, Karen helps navigate change with intention. As a sought-after speaker, trusted advisor, and TEDx presenter, she draws on over two decades of leadership coaching and consulting across nonprofit, corporate, and public sectors. Karen is also the founder of the Good Divorce show and Good Divorce Academy, and author of The Good Divorce. Her lived experience—navigating her own divorce while raising children across two homes from kindergarten through college—proves families can restructure without rupturing, making her guidance profoundly relatable and effective.
To connect with Karen:
Website: thegooddivorcecoach.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gooddivorcecoach/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gooddivorcecoach
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gooddivorcecoach
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gooddivorcecoach
YouTube: @gooddivorcecoach
About the Host
Mardi Winder is a Strategic Divorce Consultant and High-Conflict Divorce Coach who helps high-achieving individuals navigate divorce with clarity, confidence, and control. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in mediation, divorce coaching and conflict resolution, she supports clients in making smart decisions while reducing emotional and financial fallout, particularly in high-conflict, high-asset and complex divorces. Mardi is the founder of Positive Communication Systems, LLC, and the Strategic Divorce Directory, LLC.
For Mardi’s gift: The Resilience Building Blueprint: A 28-Day Journey To A Stronger You https://www.divorcecoach4women.com/rbb
Connect with Mardi on Social Media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Divorcecoach4women
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mardiwinderadams/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divorcecoach4women/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@divorcecoach4women
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.
Do you have feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.
Leave an Apple Podcast Review
Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
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