"Communication is key," says Dr. Tracy Masiello, but for high-conflict divorced parents, even simple messages about a tired child can escalate into legal battles. When that happens, parenting coordinators have the skills and court authority to resolve communication breakdowns.

Dr. Masiello, founder of Reaching Resolution, specializes in court-involved therapy, family reunification work, and high-conflict family systems. She and host Sheila Passenant walk through what listeners should know about this unique tool in North Carolina family law.

Sitting at the intersection of psychology and the law, a parenting coordinator is a neutral professional, backed by court statute, who guides parents on custody orders or other issues that arise related to children. As she explains, “the courts essentially give the parenting coordinator the authority, very similar authority that the court has, to make these decisions.”

She clarifies that while many roles in family law involve neutral professionals – from lawyers to therapists to parenting coordinators – there are key differences. Unlike mediators, for example, parenting coordinators make binding decisions when parents reach an impasse. “The simplest way I could say it is that it's like the judge is giving the parenting coordinator kind of the authority to act very similarly as though they're the judge and make those decisions,” she says.

Tune in for this in-depth examination of a parenting coordinator’s role, the appointment process, and real-world examples of the job in practice. Sheila describes a hypothetical scenario where parents argue about a custody exchange: “A parent coordinator may say, ‘Okay, where do you live? How long does it take you? Where do you work? When can you get there? I'm going to pick the exchange place.’”

The conversation explores how parenting coordinators address everything from holiday schedule confusion to helping parents implement court orders effectively, with the ultimate goal of teaching parents skills so they no longer need intervention. “I love it when they don’t need me,” Dr. Masiello says.

For more information on Dr. Masiello’s practice, visit www.reachingresolution.net or connect with her on LinkedIn.

The insights and views presented in “Welcome to Splitsville” are for general information purposes only and should not be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. Nor does tuning in to this podcast constitute an attorney-client relationship of any kind. If you’re ready for compassionate and reliable legal guidance on your journey through divorce, contact the team at www.TouchstoneFamilyLaw.com

Divorce or separation can be challenging, especially when co-parenting with an ex becomes difficult—or even impossible. In this episode of Welcome to Splitsville, licensed professional counselor and parent coach Jenevieve Wardell joins host Leigh Sellers to explain how parent coaching can help a parent navigate high-conflict situations and ensure children thrive.

Leigh and Jenevieve discuss the differences between therapy, co-parenting coaching, and individual parent coaching, sharing real-life examples of how parents can manage communication, set boundaries, and respond thoughtfully to challenges. They explore strategies for communicating with a co-parent (have a script!), advocating for children, and maintaining a child-centered approach even when conflict arises.

Listeners will learn how parent coaching can reduce stress, improve communication, empower parents, and—most importantly—protect children from the emotional impact of parental conflict.

For more information on Jenevieve Wardell and her practice, visit hopefamilycounselingandcoaching.com. You can also connect with Jenevieve on LinkedIn.

The insights and views presented in “Welcome to Splitsville” are for general information purposes only and should not be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. Nor does tuning in to this podcast constitute an attorney-client relationship of any kind. If you’re ready for compassionate and reliable legal guidance on your journey through divorce, contact the team at www.TouchstoneFamilyLaw.com

Divorcing parents are rarely “alienated” from their children, but children of divorcing parents do frequently “resist or refuse” a parent. In the latter scenario, “it’s not that the other parent is intentionally and actively trying to undermine the relationship between a parent and child, but, instead, it's that something has happened to that child,” explains Dr. Tracy Masiello, a psychologist, licensed clinical mental health counselor supervisor, parenting coordinator, divorce coach, and divorce mediator. Visiting with host Sheila Passenant, Tracy breaks down the difference between so-called “resist/refuse” dynamics and parental alienation, describing the factors that can lead children to resist spending time with a parent—from developmental stages to unintentional negative cues and past conflict. She details the specialized approach of reunification therapy and why traditional family therapy techniques often backfire in high-conflict situations.

For more information on Dr. Tracy Masiello’s practice, visit www.reachingresolution.net. You can also connect with her on LinkedIn and learn more about her training programs at Resolution Academy.

The insights and views presented in “Welcome to Splitsville” are for general information purposes only and should not be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. Nor does tuning in to this podcast constitute an attorney-client relationship of any kind. If you’re ready for compassionate and reliable legal guidance on your journey through divorce, contact the team at www.TouchstoneFamilyLaw.com

If you’re going through a divorce, one thing you can count on is a bill from your attorney. Hourly rates differ, but as Touchstone Family Law lawyer Brione Pattison explains, “each attorney is going to provide you with a bill at some point in time.” Brione and colleague Lea Finegan developed a “Top 10” list of best practices to help people save on attorney’s fees. Tune in as they break down critical strategies, from the heart (get a therapist) to the head (be organized!).

The insights and views presented in “Welcome to Splitsville” are for general information purposes only and should not be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. Nor does tuning in to this podcast constitute an attorney-client relationship of any kind. If you’re ready for compassionate and reliable legal guidance on your journey through divorce, contact the team at www.TouchstoneFamilyLaw.com

Sarah and John are fictional characters going through a divorce. As Lea Finegan explains, they could take two avenues: litigation or collaboration. In the litigation scenario, their case could drag on for years, personal details would become public record, legal fees mount, and a judge who doesn't know them would make a one-size-fits-all decision. But through the collaborative family law approach, Sarah and John would craft personalized solutions that preserve relationships, avoid traditional alimony while protecting Sarah's financial future, and maintain privacy.

Lea describes how the collaborative option works. The parties sign a participation agreement that commits them to staying out of court, bring in financial neutrals and divorce coaches to address specific concerns, and focus on interests rather than positions. The result? Creative, outside-the-box solutions that courts would never consider, maintained privacy, lower costs, and a foundation for respectful co-parenting. How would Sarah and John’s story end? Here’s how Lea writes the closing chapter: With both of them attending their daughter's wedding—remarried, happy, and both sitting on the front row.

The insights and views presented in “Welcome to Splitsville” are for general information purposes only and should not be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. Nor does tuning in to this podcast constitute an attorney-client relationship of any kind. If you’re ready for compassionate and reliable legal guidance on your journey through divorce, contact the team at www.TouchstoneFamilyLaw.com

Todd Owens often encounters family law clients who insist they simply want what they’re entitled to. His answer? "[In court] You're entitled to only one thing, and that's the opportunity to go in the courtroom, stomp your foot, pound your fist on the table, make your argument, and then cross your fingers and hope to God that the judge sees it exactly the same way you do." His guidance? “I need them to keep an open mind and understand that nothing is etched in stone.”

His unique perspective to family law dispute resolution comes from his experience as a judge in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, and now as a certified mediator and arbitrator.

In this conversation with host Leigh Sellers, Todd draws on that background to explain the critical differences between litigation, arbitration, and mediation. He offers listeners an unvarnished view of the family court experience and cautions litigants not to assume that a judge will believe them “100 percent” – which is why he tells his clients that “what you think is not necessarily what the judge is going to think or what the judge is going to believe.”

Tune in to learn why Todd advocates for mediation and why sending settlement offers back and forth often backfires.

For more information on Todd’s services, visit Dozier Miller Law Group or connect with him on LinkedIn.

The insights and views presented in “Welcome to Splitsville” are for general information purposes only and should not be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. Nor does tuning in to this podcast constitute an attorney-client relationship of any kind. If you’re ready for compassionate and reliable legal guidance on your journey through divorce, contact the team at www.TouchstoneFamilyLaw.com

"There's always a lot of fear around a divorce situation. Everyone's always worried that the outcome's going to be something that is going to negatively impact them," says Kristen Shearin, a certified divorce financial analyst (CDFA).

In this conversation with host Sheila Passenant, Kristen describes how CDFAs can reduce that very fear throughout the divorce process. They do this by providing a range of financial projections and budgeting assistance.

As Kristen explains, divorces are rarely straightforward when it comes to what income actually exists. But a CDFA double-checks the numbers so all parties are comfortable saying at the start: “Okay, this is the income that we have to work with, and this is the actual income that we have to work with.”

Kristen outlines the difference between supporting and dependent spouses and how CDFAs can verify income streams, especially when compensation plans are complex or irregular. And she shares her insights about when to engage a CDFA – whether before consulting an attorney or during the process – and how they can work as neutrals or advocates. While CDFAs prefer working outside of court through mediation and collaborative processes, Kristen says that they can testify at temporary hearings and trials when necessary.

For people who are facing a new life on a single income, CDFAs are a powerful resource. They can suggest financial options, such as keeping the family home or selling it. They can also guide divorcing spouses who haven't been involved in managing family finances so they understand their marital estate and make informed decisions about their financial future.

For more information on Kristen and her CDFA practice, visit Shearin Law or connect with her on LinkedIn.

The insights and views presented in “Welcome to Splitsville” are for general information purposes only and should not be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. Nor does tuning in to this podcast constitute an attorney-client relationship of any kind. If you’re ready for compassionate and reliable legal guidance on your journey through divorce, contact Leigh Sellers and her team at www.TouchstoneFamilyLaw.com

Divorcing couples often find themselves at a loss when trying to determine how to handle what is often their largest asset, the family home. Who stays in the home? What does the person who is leaving the home do for a substitute home? How do you finance these decisions?

On this episode of Welcome to Splitsville, we have invited Senior Mortgage Consultant Rebecca Richardson to help answer some of those questions. With over 19 years of experience, Rebecca acts as a partner for divorcing couples as they navigate their options and develop strategies to move forward successfully with financing or refinancing a home. 3:06

Rebecca examines relevant mortgage information and guidelines divorcing couples should understand. How do shared debts, child support, and alimony factor into financing and refinancing? Because a divorcing person may be facing home-buying alone for the first time it can feel like a daunting task. Rebecca understands that a significant part of her job is to provide her clients with a sense of safety and comfort throughout the process. 4:06

She also reveals the answer to a frequently asked question, what to do if your name is associated with the debts of your partner. What debt are you legally on the hook for? For most debts, the first place to look is the agreements and contracts that formalized the debt relationship. 16:40

For more information on Rebecca Richardson and her practice, visit rebeccarichardsonmortgage.com. You can also connect with Rebecca on LinkedIn and Facebook and @The.Mortgage.Mentor on Instagram and TikTok.

The insights and views presented in “Welcome to Splitsville” are for general information purposes only and should not be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. Nor does tuning in to this podcast constitute an attorney-client relationship of any kind. If you’re ready for compassionate and reliable legal guidance on your journey through divorce, contact Leigh Sellers and her team at www.TouchstoneFamilyLaw.com