In this first episode of Splitting Up Dot Pod we hear Mandy's separation story.

For year Mandy suffered mental torture and financial abuse before the discovery of her husband's gambling debts led her to leave him. She didn't know where to turn, but luckily had her friend Joanne Major - a family lawyer and founder of SplittingUp.com - who was able to help.

Many people facing separation don't know where to turn, so we hear from Joanne about the kind of help that's available and how to cut through the confusion of the internet to get real help from professional people.

In this second episode of Splitting Up Dot Pod, Joanne Major revisits Mandy's separation story to dig a bit deeper into the problems she faced over finances and protecting her daughter.

Mandy was financially abused as her partner controlled the family finances - but when she discovered all his gambling debts, it was the final straw.

First Joanne speaks to specialist independent financial advisor Fiona Sharp of Verve Financial planning who shares her experience of dealing with the financial arrangements around separation.

Then Joanne hears from children's legal specialist Sam Carter at her firm Major Family Law, who talks about how to think about the children when separating.

In the third episode of the series, Joanne Major hears from "Kate" about her experience of moving to Spain with her new partner and the complications of going to court when her ex-husband tried to stop her taking the children.

Joanne talks to children specialist Sam Carter from Major Family Law about how detailed preparation can make all the difference when a case comes on front of a judge.

Finally Joanne chats to Spanish children law specialist Jose Maria del Rio Villo in Marbella who deals with couples separating and then wanting to take the children back to the UK...and has a warning for anyone thinking about doing this: plan well and ask for advice.