Episode 148: Surviving the Holidays with Michelle Dempsey-Multack
The Divorce Survival Guide Podcast
Kate Anthony
4.4 • 573 Ratings
🗓️ 23 December 2021
⏱️ 46 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This week Michelle Dempsey-Multack returns to the show! She joins me to talk about how to survive the holidays pre- or post-divorce. If you've gone through a divorce within the last 12 months or are about to start the divorce process, you are emotionally and financially spent. So, how can you get through the holiday season and feel content with the here and now?
If this is your first Christmas alone or last holiday as a single-family unit, this episode will offer advice about how to create new holiday traditions, how to set boundaries, and how to take care of yourself during this highly emotional and uncertain time in your life.
Michelle is a writer, coach, Certified Divorce Specialist (CDS®) and host of the Moms Moving On Podcast. As a divorced, co-parenting, and remarried mother, nothing makes Michelle happier than being able to guide other women as they move on through the divorce process, and helping them turn their divorce lemons into lemonade - just like she did. A native New Yorker, Michelle now resides in Miami with her husband, Spencer, and each of their daughters, Bella and Jolie.
There is no right or wrong answer for getting through the holidays during or after divorce. Do what feels right. Lean into whatever it is you are feeling; whether it is good or bad. And remember, it's just a season and will be over before you know it.
Show Highlights
- A simple reminder that Christmas and New Year's Day are just days on a calendar. (6:41)
- Identifying your definition of happiness. (8:33)
- How you can take the parts of a holiday that feel special to you and make new traditions. (11:58)
- The importance of creating space to make new traditions and to heal. (14:18)
- Once children have had to separate their parents in their minds, it can sometimes be really confusing to see them together. (16:45)
- It's not always best for kids for parents to do holidays together right after divorce. Michelle shares some of the things that are best, like not being made to bear the weight of your sadness. (17:55)
- Your job at this juncture is to take care of yourself and your children. Period. (20:19)
- Waking up alone on Christmas morning can be painful and hard. Michelle offers some suggestions for getting through those moments. (24:33)
- How to set boundaries about conversations about your divorce during holiday get-to-gethers. (33:45)
- Disparity in incomes: it's perfectly acceptable to teach children the value of money and what gifts you are able to afford. (37:48)
Learn More About Michelle:
Michelle Dempsey-Multack is a writer, coach, Certified Divorce Specialist (CDS®), and host of the Moms Moving On Podcast. As a divorced, co-parenting, and remarried mother, nothing makes Michelle happier than being able to guide other women as they move on through the divorce process, and helping them turn their divorce lemons into lemonade – just like she did. A native New Yorker, Michelle now resides in Miami with her husband, Spencer, and each of their daughters, Bella and Jolie.
Resources & Links:
Information and links can also be found at: https://kateanthony.com/podcast/surviving-the-holidays-with-michelle-dempsey-multack
Private Coaching with Kate Anthony
Michelle's website
Michelle on Instagram
Michelle on Facebook
Mom's Moving On Podcast
TODAY'S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY:
THE DIVORCE SURVIVAL PROGRAM
As one of the pioneers of the divorce coaching industry, I've been helping women (most of whom are moms) navigate the divorce process for the last decade.
AND NOW, FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, ALL OF MY DIVORCE WISDOM IS AVAILABLE IN ONE ONLINE PROGRAM.
This program is 100% for you if…
- You're a mom looking for a clear roadmap to a divorce that won't destroy your kids
- You're looking for answers and a roadmap
- You understand that divorce is a long game
- You're willing to put away your boxing gloves
- You want this to be a respectful and collaborative process in service of your kids
- You understand that divorce is, first and foremost, an emotional process and you're ready to 'go there'
Are you ready to learn from one of the world's top divorce experts and set yourself on the path towards the best possible outcome?
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Divorce Survival Guide podcast, where we have open and honest conversations about co-parenting, separation, divorce, and the hardest question of all, should you stay or should you go. |
| 0:17.7 | I'm Kate Anthony, your divorce survival guide, and I'm here to help you navigate |
| 0:22.8 | some of the roughest waters you've ever swum in and answer some of your toughest questions. |
| 0:28.5 | I've been to hell and back, and now it's my mission in life to help you get to the other side |
| 0:34.2 | of this process with your sanity and your heart intact. |
| 0:42.6 | Hey, everyone, welcome back. Oh my goodness, it's almost Christmas. And today I have a really |
| 0:50.5 | great show for you. I have called in my dear friend Michelle Dempsey-Multec to talk |
| 0:58.3 | about how to have a really great holiday. Even if this is your last, your last hurrah as a family, |
| 1:09.3 | if this is your first time alone, we're talking about how |
| 1:14.2 | to create new traditions, how to set boundaries, how to not get swept up in any of the |
| 1:23.6 | misery that can go along with the holidays and how to really take care of yourself. So I'm really |
| 1:32.3 | excited to bring to you my friend, Michelle Dempsey-Maltak. She is a writer, a coach, certified |
| 1:37.9 | divorce specialist, and you know her as the host of the Moms Moving On podcast. She is as a divorced co-parenting and remarried mother, |
| 1:47.9 | nothing makes Michelle happier than being able to guide other women |
| 1:51.4 | as they move on through the divorce process |
| 1:55.0 | and helping them turn their divorce lemons into lemonade, |
| 1:58.7 | just like she did. |
| 2:00.1 | She is a native New Yorker. What, me too? And she now |
| 2:04.1 | resides in Miami with her husband, Spencer, and each of their daughters, Bella and Jolie. And I, |
| 2:10.9 | you know, you know, you better be following Michelle on Instagram, right? Everyone's following |
| 2:16.8 | Michelle on Instagram and mom's moving on. So without further |
| 2:20.3 | do, here is my conversation with Michelle. And truly, guys, for those of you who celebrate, |
... |
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