Building Your Divorce Support Team: Who Belongs in Your Corner?

🎧 Listen if you… Are exhausted from justifying your divorce to everyone around you Have family pressuring you to "keep it amicable" or reconcile Suspect your ex has recruited your friends, in-laws or family Aren't sure your lawyer is actually in your corner This is general information only, not legal advice always consult a lawyer about your circumstances. This episode discusses family violence and coercive control. In danger? Call 000. Support: 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732). You can do everything right in your divorce and still be exhausted because of the people standing around you 00:00 – Divorce Support Team: Why the People Around You Matter 02:30 – Why You Never Plan Your Team (But Should) 03:30 – Lyn's Divorce 40 Years Ago: Judgement in a Country Town 04:30 – Your Ex Is Not on Your Support Team 06:00 – Family Members: Who Helps and Who Hurts 08:00 – "Keep It Amicable" Is Code for "Just Give In" 09:30 – When Family Cares More About How It Looks 10:30 – Family Violence: When Family Pressure Becomes Unsafe 11:00 – It's Not Your Job to Explain Coercive Control to Everyone 12:00 – The One Loyal Family Member Who Saw Behind the Mask 13:00 – What to Say to Pressuring Family Members 14:30 – In-Laws: Pausing Even the Good Relationships 17:00 – Enabler In-Laws and When to Distance Fast 19:00 – Family Violence Orders: When Family Contact Breaks the Rules 20:30 – Friends: Who Rolls Up Their Sleeves vs Who Stays "Neutral" 23:00 – Judgy Friends and the Gossip Collectors 25:00 – Screenshots to Your Ex: The Social Media Trap 26:30 – Don't Forget the Fun Friends: Finding Glimmers of Joy 28:30 – Online Support Groups: The Risks Nobody Talks About 30:00 – Commenting Publicly About Your Case: Court Consequences 32:00 – The Tom Holland Rule for Handling Criticism 32:45 – Choosing a Lawyer: What the Right One Looks Like 36:00 – Lawyer Red Flags: Gatekeeping Your Story (Episode 166) 37:00 – Brave Lawyers vs Lawyers Afraid of Court 38:30 – The Three As: Affability, Availability, Ability 39:30 – Why You Need Your Own Psychologist 41:00 – Emotion-Driven Strategy: The Most Expensive Mistake 42:30 – Kids and School: One Contact Person + the Counsellor 45:30 – Church and Faith Communities: Support or Pressure? 49:00 – Your Kids Can't Be on Your Team 50:00 – Bad Podcasts, Reddit and Wrong Information 53:00 – Rapid Fire: Neutral Besties, Slow Lawyers & Nosy Sisters 56:30 – High-Conflict Ex: What Your Team Needs to Be 58:30 – Avoidant Ex: The Friends Who Do the Hard Yakka 59:30 – Manipulative & Controlling Ex: Vetting for Flying Monkeys 1:00:30 – Amicable Split: Why You Still Need a Team 1:01:45 – "It's My Decision": Mum's Cushion Wisdom 🔗 Resources 10 Essential Boundaries for a Healthier Divorce (Ep 173) When In-Laws Interfere in Your Divorce (Ep 305) Legal Gatekeeping: Is Your Lawyer Telling Your Full Story? (Ep 166) 1800 RESPECT – 1800 737 732 | Lifeline – 13 11 14 | Police – 000 The Divorce Course – www.thedivorcecourse.com.au If this episode helped you work out who belongs in your corner, please follow, rate, review and share The Divorce Course Podcast.