If you’re a child of divorce or if you’re a parent facing separation and divorce, then you’re intimately familiar with just how broken, expensive, exhausting, and toxic for our children the current culture of divorce in the United States is. Fortunately, alternatives exist, and experts are ready and willing to help you navigate divorce and find your best path forward.

On this episode of Divorce, Healthy!, attorney and author Ashley-Nicole Russell, of ANR Law, welcomes Wendy Hernandez, a family law attorney and host of Command the Courtroom on YouTube. They offer timely insight and guidance on moving forward with your life after divorce.

Wendy explores her transition into family law after beginning her career as a criminal defense attorney. Wendy found that a number of her criminal defense clients were also facing stressful domestic and family law issues. Her daughter was also a motivating factor in choosing to pivot to a career helping children and families. 

Wendy understands how devastating it can be to a child for their parent to lose sight of their interests in the whirlwind of divorce, focusing only on the parent’s conflict with the spouse. Quoting a friend, Wendy says, “[i] t’s not divorce that messes kids up, it’s the conflict between the parents.” (2:35)

Wendy also has practical advice on how to begin the divorce process with the right attitude, “I think that generally speaking people should get really clear on what it is that they want first of all in their life and then funnel it down to what do I want out of this divorce situation? Get clear on what your intentions are.” (13:48)

Highlights from the episode: 

  • The broken system (02:35)
  • What happens to the kids and how it affects their lives (04:00)
  • Definition of “healthy divorce” (08:01)
  • Modeling Healthy conflict (09:45)
  • Opportunities for a new beginning (11:18)
  • Collaborative divorce (11:51)

Watch Wendy Hernandez’ YouTube channel, Command the Courtroom, with live streams every Monday at 6:30 p.m. You can also visit her at CommandTheCourtroom.com.

Did you like this interview with Wendy Hernandez? Check out Conscious Coparenting and the Positive Life After Divorce With Jennifer Butler Coaching.

To inquire about speaking engagements, purchase your copy of Ashley-Nicole’s book “The Cure for Divorce Culture,” or to schedule your private orientation meeting, head to www.anrlaw.com. You can also find us on social media @ANRLaw. Find a better way forward, right here, on Divorce, Healthy!