For years, you were the wife, the mother, the planner, the one who kept everything running. Then the marriage ended, and a question showed up that you weren't ready for: who are you without that role?

In this episode, Raquell breaks down how women quietly lose touch with themselves inside a marriage and walks through the real, unglamorous process of reconnecting with the woman who was there all along. Not through dramatic reinvention, but through small, deliberate choices that bring you back to yourself.

In this episode, we cover:

• The quiet signs you've lost touch with yourself
• Why "reconnection" is the right word, not "finding yourself"
• The "before marriage" list — an exercise for identifying who you were before the roles took over, and noticing which threads are still true now
• The practice of asking yourself what you want in small, daily ways
• Why rebuilding female friendship and community isn't a nice-to-have after divorce — it's infrastructure
• Raquell's own experience of reconnecting with friends eight years post-divorce, and what it means to make decisions that are hers alone

This week's assignment: do one thing simply because you want to — not because it's productive, not because it serves anyone else. Notice how it feels. That feeling is the thread to follow.

Ready for more than encouragement?

If you need structure, strategy, and a clear picture of your next moves, my 90-minute Divorce Strategy Call is the place to start. We'll map out exactly where you are, what decisions are in front of you, and what your clearest next step actually is.https://herdivorceacademy.com/program/book-a-coaching-fit-call

Have a question? Ask here! HerdivorceacademyDivorce Hotline

Connect with Raquell on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herdivorceacademy/

Have a Dear Raquell question you want answered on the podcast?

📩 Email your anonymous story to raquell@raquellbartoncoaching.com

Some days during divorce aren't about thriving. They're about surviving — and that's enough.

In this episode, I'm talking directly to the woman who cried in the shower this morning and still made it to work. The one holding her life together with very little sleep and a determination she doesn't fully recognize in herself yet. If that's you right now, this episode is for you.

We're not talking about five-year plans or becoming your best self in the middle of chaos. We're talking about what actually helps when everything feels like too much: why your brain fog and forgetfulness aren't a character flaw, and five practical strategies you can use today to get through the next hour, the next decision, the next hard moment.

In this episode, I cover:

• Why divorce puts your nervous system into sustained threat-detection mode — and why that explains the brain fog, forgetfulness, and exhaustion you might be blaming yourself for
• Why trying to solve your entire future right now is keeping you stuck in overwhelm
• The real definition of strength during divorce (hint: it's not "never let them see you cry")

Ready for more than encouragement?

If you need structure, strategy, and a clear picture of your next moves, my 90-minute Divorce Strategy Call is the place to start. We'll map out exactly where you are, what decisions are in front of you, and what your clearest next step actually is.https://herdivorceacademy.com/program/book-a-coaching-fit-call

Have a question? Ask here! HerdivorceacademyDivorce Hotline

Connect with Raquell on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herdivorceacademy/

Have a Dear Raquell question you want answered on the podcast?

📩 Email your anonymous story to raquell@raquellbartoncoaching.com

Ending a marriage can be the right decision and still break your heart.

This episode is about one of the most misunderstood parts of divorce: the grief that comes even when you're the one who decided to leave. Because choosing divorce doesn't protect you from mourning the life, identity, and future you thought you were building.

Raquel explores the layers of loss that many women aren't prepared for—from grieving the imagined future and the version of yourself that existed within the marriage to navigating the disruption of routines, traditions, and family dreams.

She also breaks down how the five stages of grief can show up during divorce, why healing is never linear, and the powerful truth that relief and grief can coexist.

If you've ever found yourself asking, "If this was the right decision, why does it hurt so much?" this episode is for you.

In This Episode, We Cover:

• Why choosing divorce doesn't eliminate grief
• The hidden losses women experience beyond the end of the relationship
• How divorce can impact your identity, routines, and sense of future
• The five stages of grief and how they appear during divorce
• Why healing isn't a straight line
• The difference between grief and regret
• How to hold both relief and sadness at the same time
• Practical ways to move through grief with self-compassion

You can book a Free 60-minute Divorce Consultation Call: https://herdivorceacademy.com/program/book-a-coaching-fit-call

Have a question? Ask here! HerdivorceacademyDivorce Hotline

Connect with Raquell on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herdivorceacademy/

Have a Dear Raquell question you want answered on the podcast?

📩 Email your anonymous story to raquell@raquellbartoncoaching.com