Divorce & Codependency: How to Stop Abandoning Yourself with Dr. Kristin Davin
06/28/2026 | 38 mins.
When a marriage ends, most people think the hard part is letting go of the other person. But for so many, the real work is learning how to let go of who they became inside that relationship. In this powerful episode, Karen McMahon sits down with Dr. Kristin Davin, licensed psychologist and founder of Reflections From Across the Couch, for one of the most honest and illuminating conversations the Journey Beyond Divorce podcast has ever had about codependency. Not as a label, but as a survival strategy that once kept you safe and is now quietly keeping you stuck. If you were the fixer, the peacekeeper, the emotional glue, the responsible one, or the one who carried the relationship, this conversation was made for you. Karen and Kristin trace codependency back to where it actually begins. Not in your marriage, but in the first chapter of your life. In the family where you learned to read the room, make yourself small, and earn your safety by taking care of everyone else. They explore why those patterns feel impossible to break, why the fear of abandonment drives so much of what we do in relationships, and why the person so afraid of being abandoned is often the very person abandoning themselves most deeply. They also get into the truth about boundaries that nobody says out loud. That setting them is simple in theory and terrifying in practice. That the pushback you get when you finally start enforcing them is not a sign that you are doing it wrong. And that the resentment so many people feel toward their ex is often misplaced anger at themselves for saying yes when every part of them wanted to say no. If you have ever wondered why the same thing keeps happening to you, why you keep attracting the same kind of person, or why letting go feels so much harder than it should, Kristin offers something rare in this space. Not just insight, but a genuinely compassionate and practical path forward. You don't need to become someone new. You just need to come home to who you were before you learned to disappear. Connect with Dr. Kristin: Email: hello@kristindavin.com Special gift for JBD listeners: Use code JOURNEY25 for 25% off Dr. Kristin Davin's interactive workbooks on codependency and boundaries at reflectionsfromacrossthecouch.store Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/drkdavin/?next=%2F https://www.pinterest.com/drkdavin/ Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Book a Free Rapid Relief Call: http://rapidreliefcall.com Free Divorce Support Network Gift: https://divorcesupportnetwork.com/jbdpod
To the Man on the Other Side of Divorce
06/24/2026 | 28 mins.
Most men enter divorce feeling like a bad person. Shamed. Labeled. Often called a narcissist. This episode is for that man. Because the truth is, you are not broken. You are under-resourced. And there is a profound difference. In this solo episode, Karen McMahon speaks directly to the divorcing dad who is white-knuckling it through one of the hardest seasons of his life, carrying shame he didn't earn, fighting for children he loves deeply, and quietly wondering if he's going to make it through this. The answer is yes. And this episode shows you how. Karen addresses the emotional depth of men that nobody is acknowledging, the very real dangers that emerge when divorcing dads don't get support, and the brilliance... yes, brilliance... that becomes possible when they do. What you'll take away: 1. The truth about your emotional life You feel more than anyone has ever given you credit for. You've just never been given the tools, the language, or the permission to work with it. That changes here. 2. The stats that should stop us all cold Divorcing men are among the most at-risk demographics on the planet. The numbers are sobering. The silence around them is unacceptable. Karen names them, because someone has to. 3. Fight for your kids and your right to father them Her version of reality is not the truth. The courts are not automatically stacked against you. And keeping the peace at the expense of your presence is not protecting your children. It is costing them. Trust what you innately know they need from you. 4. Trust your instincts as a dad You parent differently than mom. That is not a weakness. It is exactly what your children need, and only you can give it. Karen shares a powerful story that will change how you see yourself as a father. 5. Roll up your sleeves The hard, vulnerable, and courageous work of healing your wounds and refining your character is not optional if you want to emerge from this as the man and father your children deserve. This episode shows you exactly where to begin. 6. Break the chain The generational patterns that quietly led you here, they stop with you. This painful season is your invitation to become the man who was always in there, waiting to be found. In this episode Karen also covers: Why men feel deeply and why nobody is talking about it The dangerous edge men reach when emotional capacity runs out Why caving and controlling are both driven by fear and what to do instead How to evict your ex from your mental space and reclaim your own thinking Why silence and boundaries do more heavy lifting than any argument ever will The Michelangelo principle and what it means for who you're becoming Why divorce is the most powerful doorway men walk through to do their inner work Resources mentioned in this episode: 📞 Book a free Rapid Relief Call: https://www.jbddivorcesupport.com/rapid-relief-call 🌐 Join Divorce Support Network: https://divorcesupportnetwork.com/ 🎙️ Follow JBD on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/journey_beyond_divorce/ 🌐 Grab free resources on JBD website: https://www.jbddivorcesupport.com/
One Man's Journey to Secure Attachment: Voices of Celebration with Dave
06/17/2026 | 47 mins.
High-conflict relationships don't just end when the marriage ends. They live on in the body, the nervous system, and the way we attach, parent, and love. In today's Voices of Celebration episode, Karen McMahon sits down with a father who made a profound shift, from living in constant relational tension to building a calm, healthy partnership and a more grounded relationship with his children. This isn't a story about blame or breakthroughs overnight. It's about what happens when a man stops over-functioning, learns to regulate himself, and slowly moves from anxious attachment into secure connection. If you're a father navigating the aftermath of a high-conflict marriage and wondering whether healthy love is actually possible, this conversation offers a steady, honest look at what real change can look like. Together, Karen and her guest explore: How high-conflict marriages impact men long after separation Anxious attachment and the hidden cost of over-functioning and people-pleasing Why keeping the peace often creates more instability, not less The role of self-regulation in breaking old relational patterns How to hold boundaries without withdrawing, rescuing, or escalating What healthy partnership actually feels like after years of conflict How a father's internal shift changes the emotional experience of his children Letting go of fear-based beliefs about love, connection, and responsibility This is a conversation for men who are tired of surviving relationships and are ready to build something calmer, steadier, and more secure, without losing their heart or their role as a father. Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Follow JBD on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/journey_beyond_divorce/ Book a Free Rapid Relief Call: http://rapidreliefcall.com
3 Codependent Habits That Quietly Sabotage Your Life
06/09/2026 | 14 mins.
Are you constantly putting other people's needs before your own? Struggling with people-pleasing, weak boundaries, guilt, or losing yourself in relationships? In this powerful solo episode, Karen McMahon explores the hidden roots of codependency and how self-abandonment quietly shapes your relationships, decisions, and sense of self. Drawing from her expertise in relationship coaching, divorce recovery, emotional healing, and personal growth, Karen unpacks why so many women become trapped in patterns of over-giving, approval-seeking, and fear-based caregiving. She explains how childhood survival strategies often follow us into adulthood — creating unhealthy relationship dynamics that leave us feeling exhausted, resentful, and disconnected from our authentic selves. You will learn how to recognize the signs of codependent behavior, understand the difference between healthy support and people-pleasing, and begin building stronger emotional boundaries. Karen also shares practical tools to help you stop saying yes out of obligation, release guilt, trust yourself, and develop healthier relationships rooted in self-respect and emotional awareness. Whether you are healing after divorce, navigating a high-conflict relationship, recovering from toxic relationship patterns, or simply learning to put yourself first — this episode offers actionable strategies for overcoming codependency, setting boundaries, increasing self-worth, and reclaiming your confidence. In this episode you will discover: What codependency really is — and what it isn't The connection between childhood conditioning and adult relationship patterns Common signs of self-abandonment and people-pleasing How to set healthy boundaries without guilt A simple three-step process for breaking codependent patterns Practical tools for building self-trust and emotional resilience If you have ever wondered why it feels so hard to say no, prioritize yourself, or stop seeking validation from others — this episode is for you. Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Follow JBD on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/journey_beyond_divorce/ Book a Free Rapid Relief Call: http://rapidreliefcall.com
Divorce, Alimony & Child Support: How to Protect Your Payments If Your Ex Dies or Becomes Disabled with Jeffrey Landers, Real Estate/Mortgage and Divorce Expert
06/04/2026 | 30 mins.
Alimony and child support only work if the checks keep coming. And in high-conflict divorces, or honestly, in any divorce, that is a far more dangerous assumption than most people realize. One accident. One illness. One unexpected death. And the financial foundation you spent months negotiating can disappear overnight. Karen McMahon sits down with financial strategist and CDFA Jeff Landers to pull back the curtain on the one protection most divorce agreements quietly ignore, using life and disability insurance to secure your alimony and child support payments before the ink is even dry on your settlement. What most people don't know is that the chances of your ex becoming disabled are three to four times greater than the chances of them dying. And yet disability insurance almost never appears in a divorce agreement. Jeff explains why that gap exists, what it costs you if you don't close it, and exactly how to bring it up during negotiations, while you still have leverage. Karen and Jeff also tackle the details that can make or break your protection: why you, not your ex, must own the policy, what happens when a paying spouse quietly stops making premium payments, how 26 states automatically revoke beneficiaries upon divorce without you knowing, and how to use insurance as a negotiating tool if you're getting pushback. If you're counting on alimony or child support to keep your home, feed your children, or rebuild your financial life, this episode isn't optional. It's the conversation your attorney probably never had with you. Connect with Jeff: Free Resource: Jeff is gifting JBD listeners a free copy of his new guide, How to Protect and Create Income in Divorce. Email Landers@hellomonthlyincome.com and reference the JBD podcast. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jefflanders/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeff.landers.9210 Website: https://hellomonthlyincome.com/ Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Book a Free Rapid Relief Call: http://rapidreliefcall.com Free Divorce Support Network Gift: https://divorcesupportnetwork.com/jbdpod Curated Podcast Playlists: https://www.jbddivorcesupport.com/
The Journey Beyond Divorce Podcast is your trusted companion through every stage of divorce—emotional, legal, financial, and parental. With over nine years of impactful episodes, this top-ranked podcast supports men and women navigating the challenges of divorce, especially those facing high-conflict dynamics, co-parenting struggles, emotional overwhelm, or legal uncertainty.
Hosted by Karen McMahon, Certified Divorce Coach® and founder of Journey Beyond Divorce, the show offers strategic guidance, expert interviews, and real-life stories designed to help listeners move from confusion and chaos to clarity and confidence. Each episode is packed with insight and inspiration to help you make informed decisions, protect your children, safeguard your finances, and heal emotionally—so you can create a life you truly love post-divorce.
If you're on the fence about whether to stay or go, have just been told your marriage is ending, or are actively working through the messy middle of litigation, negotiation, or co-parenting, this podcast meets you where you are. You'll learn how to emotionally regulate through triggers, explore your divorce process options (mediation, collaboration, litigation, arbitration), and prepare to work effectively with legal and financial professionals. Topics include how to gather your financials, navigate custody issues, and negotiate complex decisions around property, retirement assets, and business valuations.
For those already in the process, episodes offer real-time guidance on how to cope with personality disorders in your co-parent, how to protect your children from toxic dynamics, and how to negotiate settlements strategically. You'll hear from certified divorce financial analysts, attorneys, parenting coordinators, therapists, and coaches who share proven tools and tips. Professionals in the divorce field—including family law attorneys, therapists, and financial experts—also listen in to better support their clients and stay up-to-date on best practices.
And when the divorce is final? The podcast continues to serve as a roadmap for building your next chapter. Learn how to close out the financial and legal loose ends—such as QDROs, life insurance, beneficiary changes, and estate updates—while beginning to design a life aligned with your values, goals, and inner peace. Episodes cover healing from betrayal trauma, understanding your emotional patterns, rediscovering your identity, and navigating the complexities of post-divorce dating and parenting.
This podcast also answers the most searched divorce-related questions, including:
How do I co-parent with a narcissist?
What are the steps in the divorce process?
Should I litigate or mediate?
What is a QDRO and do I need one?
How do I protect my kids emotionally?
What is the role of a certified divorce financial analyst?
How do I move on after infidelity or betrayal?
Listeners benefit from expert-vetted strategies, free resources, and supportive insights grounded in both experience and compassion. The Journey Beyond Divorce Podcast is more than just content—it's a lifeline. Whether you're seeking calm in the storm, tools to advocate for yourself, or support rebuilding your life, each episode helps you grow stronger, wiser, and more empowered.
Subscribe today and begin your journey beyond divorce with guidance you can trust.
www.jbddivorcesupport.com/podcast
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