One of the most vivid experiences that I have ever had was giving birth to my first child, who was born eight weeks early and weighed only five pounds. He was so tiny and fragile looking that I cried when I first saw him.

New Interview - Now Available! Breaking Bonds was recently interviewed by Tracy Malone of Narcissist Abuse Support to share critical insights on the topic of financial protection during divorce. Check out the interview on Tracy's 'Narcissist Abuse Support' podcast to learn our key insights, tools, and strategies on how to stay financially safe during your divorce. 

International Women’s Day, observed since the early 1900s, is celebrated around the world on March 8. On this day we honor the cultural, economic, and political achievements of women as well as advocate for equal rights and opportunities for women. It is important for us to remember that each and every one of us has value and makes important contributions, including homemakers. Who are you celebrating?

If you are abused, whether physically or verbally, your body is in distress. Constant exposure to fear and violence is linked to a weakened immune response, premature aging, and learned helplessness, a state of mind in which you think that everything is so bad that there is nothing you can do but give up and remain a victim, feeling trapped and hopeless.

Take the children with you if you decide to leave your home or you could lose custody of them to your husband. The court may consider your leaving them behind to be abandonment, a sign that you are an unfit mother willing to leave them in danger. Or it may assume that you are lying about the domestic abuse. Your children are not safe in your husband’s care, so you shouldn’t ever leave them with him. Period.

If you and your husband have investment accounts, enlist a financial advisor of your own to help you in determining which securities to ask for in the settlement. To make sure that the advice you get is in your best interest, do not use the same person your husband uses.

Get a good night’s sleep before your court appearance, and have a coaching session with your attorney beforehand if you are nervous about how you will come across in court.

What you need to know about the legal process of filing for divorce. Your lawyer will file a petition or application for divorce, on your hehalf, which lists what you are asking for as the petitioner, or plaintiff, and explains the reasons for the divorce. Your spouse will have an opportunity to respond by having his lawyer file an answer or schedule an appearance. The paperwork can be served to you by a process server or by the opposing attorney.

Even if your husband has not been physically violent up to this point, if he has been verbally or emotionally abusive I recommend that you obtain a protective order before you inform him of your plan to divorce him. Here is some insight into how to file and what to expect.

When you first meet with the attorney, bring a brief background of your marriage and family life with you. Include the names, birth dates, and social security numbers of all family members, the date of your marriage, whether any of your children are from a previous marriage, or if any prior marriage ended amicably. Here is a list of things you will need to know when gathering your financial information

Insight into finding the best divorce lawyer for you, and tips on how to prepare for your first meeting. Please consider taking the time to interview more than one lawyer to make sure that you are hiring the right person. You will have to work with that person for a long time, maybe a year or longer. Trust your gut in making your decision. If the lawyer you meet seems to be a poor listener, keep looking.