Divorce with Sam and Leah

Mandatory phone calls are often framed as “good co-parenting.” But in high-conflict divorce and custody situations, they can do more harm than good.
In this episode of Divorce with Sam & Leah, we break down why mandatory phone calls don’t belong in high-conflict parenting plans—and why so many moms feel more anxious, powerless, and dysregulated because of them.
We cover:
How phone calls turn into investigative tools instead of connection

Why mandatory calls often become a harassment or control mechanism

The emotional impact on children before and after high-conflict calls

Why you’re unlikely to get honest answers—and why that keeps you stuck

The hard but necessary truth about accepting limits after divorce

If you’re co-parenting with a high-conflict ex and trying to reduce chaos, protect your child’s emotional well-being, and reclaim your peace, this conversation is for you.
💙 Want deeper support, tools, and strategy? Inside The Next Chapter, we help divorced moms heal, set boundaries, and navigate high-conflict co-parenting with clarity and confidence—without burning out or constantly second-guessing themselves.
👉 Join The Next Chapter: https://www.samandleah.com/services

Divorce isn’t just emotionally painful — it can be deeply traumatic.
In this episode, we’re talking about the real trauma that comes with divorce and why so many women feel stuck, triggered, exhausted, or like they “should be further along by now.”
If you’ve ever wondered:
Why am I still so reactive?

Why does one text from my ex send me into a spiral?

Why does healing feel so slow and messy?

This conversation is for you.
We break down how divorce impacts your nervous system, why betrayal and high-conflict co-parenting can keep wounds open, and how losing your marriage can create an identity rupture that no one prepares you for. We also talk about the secondary trauma women experience — judgment, shame, and pressure to “move on” before their body feels safe.
This episode isn’t about pushing through or pretending you’re fine. It’s about understanding what’s actually happening in your body and brain — and why healing requires more than willpower.
✨ Inside this episode, we cover:
How divorce dysregulates the nervous system

Why betrayal trauma cuts so deep

The identity loss no one warns you about

Why high-conflict co-parenting can feel re-traumatizing

How shame and isolation slow healing

If this conversation resonates, this is exactly why we created The Next Chapter — our membership for divorced moms who want real tools, support, and relief.
Inside The Next Chapter, you’ll find trauma-informed workshops that help you:
Regulate your nervous system during triggers

Release stored emotional trauma

Understand why you react the way you do

Heal without spiritual bypassing or toxic positivity

Feel grounded and emotionally safe again

You don’t have to white-knuckle your way through healing. You don’t have to do this alone.
👉 Join The Next Chapter today and access our trauma workshops, live support, replays, and a community of women who get it: https://www.samandleah.com/services
💙 Your healing matters. Your nervous system matters. And support changes everything.

Divorce can feel isolating, overwhelming, and emotionally exhausting—especially for moms navigating healing, co-parenting, boundaries, and high-conflict dynamics. In this episode of Divorce with Sam & Leah, we pull back the curtain on The Next Chapter, our private membership created specifically for divorced and divorcing moms who are ready to stop surviving and start rebuilding.
We break down what The Next Chapter actually is, who it’s for, and why traditional support systems often fall short for women going through divorce. From live weekly workshops and expert-led trainings to real-life tools for emotional regulation, boundary setting, and confident co-parenting, this episode gives you a clear picture of how healing can feel supported instead of lonely.
You’ll hear about the specialists and experts we’ve brought inside the membership—including family law attorneys, trauma-informed therapists, financial professionals, nervous system educators, and co-parenting strategists—and how these conversations help moms feel more empowered, informed, and regulated during one of the hardest seasons of their lives.
If you’re a divorced mom feeling stuck in survival mode, constantly second-guessing yourself, or exhausted by high-conflict co-parenting, this episode is for you. You don’t need to do this alone—and you don’t need to figure it out the hard way.
✨ The Next Chapter is where healing becomes actionable, boundaries become confident, and support becomes consistent.
👉 Ready to stop doing divorce alone? Check out The Next Chapter membership and join a community of moms who are healing, rebuilding their confidence, and creating calmer, more grounded lives after divorce: https://www.samandleah.com/services
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If you’re facing a high-conflict divorce or co-parenting situation and wondering how to do things smarter, not harder, this episode is for you.
In this powerful conversation, Sam breaks down the top 5 things she would do differently if she were divorcing a high-conflict person in 2026—with today’s realities in mind: narcissistic behavior, manipulation, custody conflict, legal overwhelm, emotional burnout, and the long game of protecting your peace and your kids.
This isn’t theory. These are real-world, hard-earned strategies for women divorcing a high-conflict or narcissistic ex who want to stop reacting, start planning, and avoid the most common (and costly) mistakes.
If you’re divorcing, recently divorced, or stuck co-parenting with a high-conflict ex, this episode will help you feel more grounded, empowered, and clear on your next steps.
✨ Want ongoing support, tools, and real guidance from women who get it? Check out The Next Chapter membership—a private community for divorced moms navigating high-conflict divorce and co-parenting. Inside, you’ll find weekly workshops, expert guidance, live support, and practical tools to help you heal, rebuild confidence, and move forward without losing yourself.
👉 Learn more and join us inside The Next Chapter https://www.samandleah.com/services

Disney didn’t just entertain us — it conditioned us.
From princess stories to cultural messaging, many women were taught at a young age what to expect, tolerate, and sacrifice in the name of “love.” Self-abandonment was romanticized. Emotional labor was normalized. Endurance was praised. And choosing yourself? Rarely modeled.
In this episode, we unpack how early conditioning—from Disney movies, family dynamics, religion, and society—shapes the partners we choose and the unhealthy beliefs we carry into adult relationships.
We explore:
Why so many women confuse self-sacrifice with love

How trauma, attachment styles, and nervous system dysregulation affect attraction

Why intensity gets mistaken for chemistry

How being “chosen” became a measure of worth

Why staying too long is often praised more than leaving when something is no longer healthy

This conversation is especially for divorced or divorcing women who are realizing: “I didn’t choose wrong because I was broken — I chose based on what I was taught.”

If you’ve ever wondered why you tolerated less than you deserved, why safe love felt boring, or why leaving felt harder than staying — this episode will help you connect the dots and start rewriting your relationship blueprint.
✨ Healing starts with unlearning. And you don’t have to do it alone.
If this episode resonates, check out The Next Chapter membership — a supportive space for divorced moms who are ready to heal, rebuild confidence, set boundaries, and stop repeating the same relationship patterns. 👉 https://www.samandleah.com/services