Navigating the Emotional Journey of Separation and Divorce: Part 1

In the first part of a four-part series on navigating separation and divorce, host Dr. George Verus, an executive and resilience coach, delves into the emotional and psychological aspects of recognizing when a relationship is truly over. This episode focuses on understanding the distinction between a rough patch and a relational dead end, identifying key internal signals indicating it's time to let go, and addressing common reasons and mental traps that keep people in unhappy marriages. Dr. Verus also introduces the concept of ambiguous loss and offers actionable steps to own your truth and build internal resilience, setting the stage for making healthy decisions moving forward.

00:00 Introduction to the Series

01:10 Recognizing the Turning Point

01:53 Rough Patch vs. Relational Dead End

04:16 Inner Signals It's Time to Let Go

09:43 Why We Stay Too Long

14:12 Mental Traps and Ambiguous Loss

23:12 Owning Your Truth

26:11 Next Steps Before Taking Action

31:58 Closing Reflections and Hope

About the Host – The Unstressed Exec

Meet Dr. George Vergolias — a corporate psychologist turned executive coach with 20+ years at the intersection of leadership, mental resilience, and high performance. George has advised Fortune 500 companies, guided C-suite leaders through crisis, and coached high-achievers to reclaim clarity, calm, and purpose without losing their edge.

On The Unstressed Exec, George brings powerful insights from the boardroom to the mic — helping leaders navigate stress, burnout, conflict, and transformation with practical tools and no-BS wisdom.

If you're ready to lead with strength and sanity, tune in. And when you're ready to go deeper, reach out for one-on-one executive or leadership coaching. This isn’t therapy — it’s your next level. Let’s build the life and leadership you actually want.

🎯 Listen. Grow. Lead — at The Unstressed Exec

📩 Stay Connected:

Website: www.theunstressedexec.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.unstressed.exec

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.unstressed.exec

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/the.unstressed.exec

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@The_Unstressed_Exec

If you like The Unstressed Exec podcast please leave me a review and rate!

For more info on my coaching services, keynote speaking and guest speaker/podcast opportunities, please visit my website at: www.theunstressedexec.com

In this episode of The Unstressed Exec, Dr. George Vergolias delves into the complexities of being the 'strong one' in one's family, career, or social circle. Taped on July 4th, this episode aligns with the theme of independence, focusing on how to cope with the immense pressure of being the stable factor in others' lives. Dr. Vergolias discusses the hidden emotional toll of unrelenting reliability, the trap of appearing invulnerable, and how this impacts one's mental health and identity. He shares personal anecdotes, including his own experience following his father's death, and provides practical advice on how to reframe strength, share responsibilities, and avoid emotional burnout. The episode concludes with actionable tips for practicing vulnerability and building resilience through shared strength. Dr. Vergolias also previews his next four-part series on navigating separation and divorce.

00:00 Introduction and Episode Theme

01:41 The Hidden Emotional Toll of Strength

02:23 Defining the Archetype of the Strong One

03:50 The Trap of Emotional Invisibility

06:31 The Hidden Costs of Always Being Strong

14:38 Reframing Strength and Building Resilience

15:04 Practical Steps to Share Strength

18:02 Conclusion and Next Episode Preview

About the Host – The Unstressed Exec

Meet Dr. George Vergolias — a former corporate psychologist turned executive coach with 20+ years at the intersection of leadership, mental resilience, and high performance. George has advised Fortune 500 companies, guided C-suite leaders through crisis, and coached high-achievers to reclaim clarity, calm, and purpose without losing their edge.

On The Unstressed Exec, George brings powerful insights from the boardroom to the mic — helping leaders navigate stress, burnout, conflict, and transformation with practical tools and no-BS wisdom.

If you're ready to lead with strength and sanity, tune in. And when you're ready to go deeper, reach out for one-on-one executive or leadership coaching. This isn’t therapy — it’s your next level. Let’s build the life and leadership you actually want.

🎯 Listen. Grow. Lead — at The Unstressed Exec

📩 Stay Connected:

Website: www.theunstressedexec.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.unstressed.exec

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.unstressed.exec

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/the.unstressed.exec

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@The_Unstressed_Exec

If you like The Unstressed Exec podcast please leave me a review and rate!

For more info on my coaching services, keynote speaking and guest speaker/podcast opportunities, please visit my website at: www.theunstressedexec.com

In this episode of The Unstressed Exec, Dr. George Vergolias, an executive and resilience coach, delves into the concept of 'psychological armor' – the cognitive, emotional, and psychological defenses that high achievers use to excel but which also keep them closed off from deep connections. He outlines the costs of maintaining this armor and offers five practical steps to soften it, ranging from practicing micro-vulnerability to anchoring emotions in the body. Dr. Vergolias emphasizes that while this armor might have helped high performers succeed, it also isolates them emotionally. He encourages listeners to courageously remove one piece of armor in their interactions and experience the positive impact of genuine emotional availability.

00:00 Introduction to Episode Nine

02:13 Understanding Psychological Armor

04:54 The Illusion of Safety

08:41 Emotional Availability Explained

12:51 High Achievers' Traps

21:26 Five Practices to Soften Armor

31:41 Final Thoughts and Challenge

36:11 Conclusion and Next Episode Preview