Ben and Heather are joined by Klaudia Gebert, psychologist and founder of Self Reflection, to talk about transitioning to a single person after separation. Topics discussed include:

• Grieving the loss of your marriage/relationship
• Overcoming loneliness
• What people with multiple separations may be doing wrong
• Regaining purpose after separation
• Where to look for support with reinventing yourself
• Casual dating after separation
• Finding love again after separation

Ben and Heather speak to the Practice Specialist (Counselling) at Relationships Australia NSW about how to know if your relationship is salvageable. Sandra is a psychologist with a Masters in Couple and Family Therapy and years of experience in relationship counselling. She helps tease out answers to the following questions.

1. If someone has started thinking about separation but hasn't yet spoken to their partner, what's the first thing they should do?
2. What sorts of questions should someone ask themselves if trying to decide whether their relationship is worth saving?
3. How can a psychologist or counsellor help in making the right decision?
4. What are the signs that a relationship is really over?
5. What are the signs it's worth trying again?
6. If the relationship is worth saving, what should I be doing?

Sandra also considers 3 different scenarios and provides her thoughts on whether the relationship can move forward under these circumstances.

The Family Law Amendment Act 2023 was passed through parliament in October 2023 and took effect on 6 May 2024. The Act involves changes to how the Courts will make parenting orders in the "best interest of the child" and challenges the assumption of week-on week-off parenting post-separation.

In this episode, Ben and Heather discuss (and sometimes debate) the need for and impact of the changes.

Ben and Heather have their eighth session answering questions from the Coffs Coast community - and there were some good ones this time. Here are the topics covered:

1. Can I get divorced in Australia if I married in another country?
2. When does a de facto relationship (same-sex or heterosexual) begin from a legal perspective?
3. Does the Family Court ever award costs to one partner if the other is being unreasonable?
4. How will an expected inheritance be treated in the property settlement?
5. Can my ex-partner prevent me from finding a good family lawyer by lawyer-shopping?
6. Can I get financing for a family law court case?
7. What happens when you can't agree on schooling for the kids?
8. How can you prevent your ex from showing up at the family home unannounced?

While the overall divorce rate in Australia is declining, there is an upward trend in divorce in couples over 50. Ben and Heather talk about this phenomenon on this podcast and some of the unique complications that arise when calling quits on a long term relationship.

Topics covered include:

1. Why the divorce rate is rising for older Australians.
2. Dividing assets at the end of a long term relationship, including
3. How the Court deals with health discrepancies.
4. Advice for women to ensure their retirement needs are met.
5. Child support for adult children.
6. The value (or otherwise) of a pre-nuptial agreement when re-partnering.

Ben and Heather welcome special guest forensic psychologist Dr Robert Simon from San Diego California to talk about resist/refuse behaviour in children, including the heated subject of parental alienation. Dr Simon is a specialist in child custody matters in the United States and is renowned for his expertise in parent/child contact problems. He provides an excellent overview of the most common reasons for resist/refuse behaviour, and makes it clear that parental alienation is not the most common cause.

Topics discussed include:

1. The difference between a clinical and forensic psychologist.
2. The three main reasons for parent/child contact problems:
3. The impact of wrongfully identifying the nature of parent/child contact problems.
4. The Australian Family Law Court's approach to parent/child contact problems.

Ben and Heather have put together a "top 10" list of mistakes people make when it comes to child custody disputes. In this episode they explain why each of these is a mistake and what you could consider doing instead.

1. Bad-mouthing the other parent – especially in front of your child.
2. Trying to make your child feel sorry for you.
3. Refusing to communicate with the other parent.
4. Denying the other parent access to their child.
5. Putting your own interests ahead of your child’s.
6. Making big decisions about your child without consulting the other parent – ie/ school, medical treatment, place of residence.
7. Telling your child that they get to choose their living arrangements.
8. Lying to the court about your drug or alcohol use.
9. Coaching your child before family report interviews.
10. Breaching court orders.

In this episode Ben and Heather are joined by barrister Rhys O'Brien, a specialist in complex family law matters, to talk about how the Court deals with Domestic Violence (Family Violence). They cover a wide range of topics, including the following:

• The difference between how a Family Law Court and a Criminal Court view domestic violence.
• Apprended Violence Orders (AVOs)
• Does there need to be an AVO in place before the Family Court considers domestic violence claims?
• What evidence does the Family Court need to satisfy itself that domestic violence is an issue?
• Will the court require Family Dispute Resolution (mediation) in domestic violence cases?
• How do accusations of domestic violence affect Parenting Order decisions?
• Can domestic violence claims impact a Court's decision about a financial settlement?

Also discussed was the Family Law Amendment Bill that has been passed through Parliament and will take effect in May 2024 and includes a "streamlined" parenting framework simplifying the "best interests factors". This legislation may impact how the Court deals with domestic violence issues when deciding children's matters.