0708, 2018

Episode 079: Marriage, Divorce, Narcissism, & Bipolar Disorder Part 1 of 2

By Help Person|August 7, 2018|Show notes, Uncategorized|

Episode 79: Marriage, Divorce, Narcissism, & Bipolar Disorder Part 1 of 2 with special guest Kirsten Watson Meet Kirsten Watson! Kirsten’s a mom, two-time divorcee, and a Long Beach Native. She shares her journey from meeting her first husband at the young age of 15 to her third husband, love, and happiness. It hasn’t been easy, but Kirsten’s grit and perseverance keep her moving forward. We learned so much from talking with her this week and hope that through her story, you know you’re not alone. 04:45 Kirsten met her first husband when she was 15 years old. They were married a couple months before her 17th birthday. Her father gave his consent. Kirsten calls her first husband the Mama’s Boy. He was very spoiled by his family and he was also a narcissist. This all became an issue later. He cut her off from all her friends and she couldn’t even talk to another man. Kirsten didn’t want to have a baby, but he insisted. Once the baby was born, he became verbally abusive and it became violent the day she left. 07:15 Kirsten was born and raised in Long Beach. Her mother wasn’t around and she was raised by her father. By the

1209, 2017

Episode 032: Thoughts from Mom-nonymous

By lifelafterdivorce|September 12, 2017|Thoughts from Mom-nonymous, Uncategorized|

Episode 032: Ripping Off the Rose Colored Glasses with special guest Olivia Neely Olivia Neely is a leader — enjoying a new sense of freedom after ending a heartbreaking engagement. Congrats to you! I listened to your story and learned a bit about you. You have come full circle and out of your shell with help from family. It’s so nice that they love and care about you and your future. It’s also great that you listened. You want the best for yourself in the future and being a bit gutsy is okay. Give yourself time to heal and enjoy the ride to a happy future. The bike ride you did is a fresh beginning. Keep on pedaling. You are a new role model for all women. Each week Mom-nonymous shares her thoughts on the episode. Mom-nonymous is a wife, mom, and listener of Life Lafter Divorce Podcast. She’s been married for over 50 years, has never been divorced, and would like to remain anonymous.

3107, 2017

Episode 026: Triple Threat

By lifelafterdivorce|July 31, 2017|Show notes, Uncategorized|

Episode 026: Triple Threat with special guest Karen Beach As we know, divorce affects everyone. However, it affects some more than others. For instance, I’ve been divorced twice, which is two more times than I would have liked, but it happened. If I had children, they would have been affected twice, too. So what about children of divorce who grow up and have a divorce of their own? That’s a double whammie! Now those divorced children of divorce are back out there dating and run into other divorcees. Bam! That’s a 3-pointer right there. It’s hard enough handling it from one angle, but they’re getting it from all sides. How does someone handle that? Meet Karen Beach, child of divorce, divorcee, and divorced child of divorce dating other divorcees. As we call it in theater, “she’s a triple threat!” Karen’s parents divorced when she was thirteen and her dad’s bipolar disorder was creating issues. Karen was very aware of what was happening and began to take on a lot of the household responsibilities as her parent’s focus began to change. Her father’s bipolar disorder wasn’t out in the open, but as Karen sought guidance from teachers and some independent research, she eventually figured it out.

2802, 2017

Episode 004: Losing My Religion

By lifelafterdivorce|February 28, 2017|Show notes, Uncategorized|

Episode 004: Losing My Religion (and getting a divorce) with special guest Derick Whaley Are we ever prepared to find out someone cheated on us? We explore this and much more with Comedian Derrick Whaley, who shares his thoughts on religion and its impact on his relationships. What do you do when someone cheats on you? I always think, “oh I’d do this” or “I’d do that.” But when it comes down to it, I don’t do any this or that. I just move on. The Boyfriend admits to burning letters that his ex sent him. He hasn’t burned items that didn’t belong to him. As I think back, I have shredded pictures and even burned a few. We both agree that it’s more of a cleansing action, and not so much about getting back at the other person. However, I’ve thought about getting back at someone. I’ve even researched the effects of itching powder on Amazon. I’ll even admit that I did use an ex-boyfriends shirt to clean my toilet before giving it back to him. However, I’ve never acted out and did really mean things, and I’m glad to hear that The Boyfriend hasn’t either. We both usually just want to get away and

1402, 2017

Episode 001: Communication Breakdown

By lifelafterdivorce|February 14, 2017|Show notes, Uncategorized|

Episode 001: Communication Breakdown (and divorce) with special guest Jim Barnes Jim Barnes, stand up comedian, host of Jim Barnes and Friends and The Sunday Night Mic at Flappers Comedy Club in Claremont, CA joins us to share his relationship experiences. Our first episode and we’re going to talk about…communication. We communicate every day to our friends, family, co-workers, strangers, everyone. It’s how we navigate our way in this crazy world. So why is it so difficult when we’re in a relationship? The Boyfriend and Leanne agree that direct communication is crucial for any relationship to survive. Hoping someone reads your mind or picks up your subtle cues just doesn’t work no matter how many times we try. Say what you mean, mean what you say, but don’t say it mean. It seems easy enough, but it’s amazing how many times we don’t do it. What’s holding us back from being open and honest with the one we care about most? Maybe it’s fear. Maybe it’s just not knowing any better. Either way, like any good habit, it takes practice. Then there is the other side of it. Listening, and really hearing someone -not just what we want to hear. What is the tone? What is

1402, 2017

Episode 000: Hello

By lifelafterdivorce|February 14, 2017|Show notes, Uncategorized|

Get to know your hosts Leanne and “The Boyfriend”, introduced by Suzy Hardy co-host of the Food Heals Podcast. Our introduction to the world! Get to know your hosts as they are introduced by Suzy Hardy, co-host of the Food Heals Podcast, fellow actor, and writer. Suzy and Leanne have been friends for at least six years and have seen each other through some good times and bad, including breakups, startups, acting gigs, auditions, and life. Leanne Linsky is a two-time divorcee who decided to take the two things she knows well – comedy and divorce – and marry them into a business . After her second divorce, she remembers lying on her bedroom floor in the fetal position thinking, “I’m not going to let this make me into a bitter old woman with nine cats. I want to make this into the best thing that ever happened.” And so she did. Leanne began saying yes to new opportunities every chance she could. A co-worker suggested she take an improv class and she did. That was it for her. Leanne was hooked. Improv gave her a healthy outlet and, as a result, taught her how to improve her communications skills, gave her a new perspective,