People don’t usually walk into a family lawyer’s office asking how to reflect and evolve—but in our experience, a failure to learn from past relationships is often what brings people back. Again and again.

In this episode, Ben and Heather talk to Dr. Robyn Goodwin, a clinical psychologist from LSC Psychology in Sydney, to explore how to learn from broken relationships so you can move forward with clarity and reassurance.

Topics covered include:

• How strong emotions can get in the way of reflection and growth
• How to "process" those emotions
• How to reflect on what went wrong
• How to avoid blame and self blame
• The impact of repeating the same relationship patterns
• How to recognise when you're travelling down the same old road
• Advice for someone who feels stuck - like they can't get over past relationships
• Learning resources and advice for moving forward

Even for those who are relatively well-off, accessing joint assets during separation can be difficult—so where does the money come from to fund your life, legal expenses and basic needs in the meantime?

Ben and Heather are joined by Amanda Kerdel from JustFund, Australia's leading provider of family law and estate finance, to discuss the options available for funding your divorce or separation.

Topics covered include:

• Costs - what are the common expenses, and what's a ballpark range for typical separation costs?
• Shared assets - can these be used, and what may prevent the use of shared assets
• Borrowing from family/friends/banks - the pros and cons
• Litigation finance:
• Heather and Amanda share stories of how litigation finance is helping people to achieve justice

We’re revisiting one of our most popular early episodes — Getting a Fair Property Settlement.

Everyone going through a separation wants a fair outcome. The challenge is that your idea of “fair” and your ex-partner’s can be very different — and emotions or past hurts often get in the way.

In this episode, family law expert Heather McKinnon shares her top tips for reaching a fair financial settlement without unnecessary conflict or cost. Her practical advice remains just as relevant today as when we first aired this episode.

Key takeaways include:

• Agree early on what property and liabilities you both have.

• Do your due diligence — know your own and your ex-partner’s financial position.

• If you can’t agree on an asset’s value, agree to get a valuer.

• Don’t let emotional attachment block a sensible outcome.

• Get early legal advice to understand your best- and worst-case scenarios.

• Focus on fairness, not punishment.

• Consider a financial planner for fresh ideas and solutions.

• Mediate once both parties understand the full asset picture.

• Keep communication open.

• Wait 3–6 months after separation before finalising finances.