Ep 11. What No One Tells You Before Filing For Divorce (featuring Christopher Anderson)

In this grounded conversation, Hannah sits down with one of her closest advisors and longtime family law attorney, Christopher Anderson, a man who has spent decades inside the systems most people only encounter on the worst days of their lives.

Christopher has prosecuted domestic violence and sex crimes in the Bronx, represented families in high-conflict divorce, built and run law firms across the country, and lived the long-term consequences of a “bad split” as a child of divorce himself. He’s seen what actually protects children, and what quietly destroys them.

Together, Hannah and Christopher talk about why divorce doesn’t have to be chaos, why the system so often rewards conflict, and why leadership — in families, firms, and life — requires more honesty, restraint, and intention than most people are willing to practice.

If you’re in the middle of divorce…
If you’re exhausted by the process…
If you feel like you’re carrying the emotional and strategic weight for everyone else…

This episode will help you slow down, zoom out, and remember that clarity is kindness.

This is not about winning.
It’s about building something that lasts.

00:00 – Not Saving It for Later: Why We’re Done Waiting
02:30 – Who Christopher Anderson Really Is
05:00 – From the Bronx DA’s Office to Family Law
08:30 – Prosecuting Domestic Violence & Crimes Against Children
12:00 – Why Family Law Became Personal
15:30 – Being a Child of Divorce: When “Getting Out” Costs Everything
19:00 – Walking Away From Money to Protect Kids
23:00 – “There Has to Be a Better Way”
27:00 – Why Divorce Turns Chaotic So Fast
31:00 – The Hidden Cost of Conflict on Children
35:00 – Leadership, Power & Responsibility
39:00 – What the Legal System Can’t Fix
43:00 – Why Chaos — Not Divorce — Harms Kids
47:00 – Testing Everything on Yourself
51:00 – Building Firms (and Families) With Intention
55:00 – What Actually Protects People Long-Term
58:00 – Final Truth: Slow Is Strong

Connect With Christopher Anderson

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawfirmbusiness/

Christopher Anderson — Family Law Attorney & Advisor
Based in Colorado
https://www.newleaf.family/

Mentioned In This Episode

The Circle — Weekly live coaching + My Confident Divorce
→ https://myconfidentdivorce.com/circle

OurFamilyWizard — Court-trusted co-parenting communication
→ https://ourfamilywizard.com/HHB

Hembree Bell Law Firm (Texas)
→ https://hembreebell.com

Follow Hannah on Instagram & TikTok
→ @hannahhembreebell

This podcast is for education and inspiration only — not legal, medical, or mental health advice.
If you’re in Texas and need legal guidance, consult a licensed attorney.
If you are in danger, call 911 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-SAFE (7233).

Ep.10 When It’s Not Abuse… But It’s Still Not Right (Featuring Kole Whitty)

What if the most dangerous place to stay is the one that looks “fine”?

In this episode of Not Saving It for Later, Hannah sits down with Kole Whitty for a conversation about divorce, identity, desire, and the moment a woman realizes she can’t keep betraying herself to keep the peace.

This episode is for the woman who isn’t in crisis — but isn’t free either.

00:00 – Welcome to Not Saving It for Later
03:10 – When Nothing Is Technically Wrong… But Everything Feels Off

07:45 – The Pressure to Just Be Grateful

12:30 – Staying Loyal to a Life That’s Shrinking You

17:20 – When Your Body Starts Keeping the Score

22:40 – The Fear of Wanting More

28:05 – Leaving Without a Villain

33:50 – The Myth of “Blowing Up Your Life”

39:15 – Doing the Work Instead of Jumping to the Next Thing

45:10 – Money, Revenge, and the Cost of Being Right

50:30 – Desire vs. Deserve

55:40 – If You’re Standing at the Edge Right Now

59:00 – Final Reflections: Choosing Yourself Gently

The Circle — Weekly live coaching + The My Confident Divorce course
👉 https://myconfidentdivorce.com/circle

OurFamilyWizard — The co-parenting communication tool Hannah personally uses and recommends
👉 https://www.ourfamilywizard.com/HHB

Follow Hannah on Instagram & TikTok
👉 @hannahhembreebell

Texas family law support -
👉 https://hembreebell.com

Not Saving It for Later is the podcast for women navigating divorce and beyond — where we stop whispering about what’s hard and start talking about what’s real.

This podcast is for education and inspiration only — not legal, medical, or mental health advice.
If you are in danger, contact local emergency services or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (7233).

Ep. 9 Do You Want Justice… or Do You Want Peace? (Featuring Sam Colletti)

Hannah sits down with Austin family law attorney and mediator Sam Colletti, a trusted colleague and longtime friend, for a ground-level conversation about what mediation actually is, what it isn’t, and why so many people misunderstand their options during divorce.

This episode pulls back the curtain on the divorce process — especially the emotional traps that keep people stuck chasing “justice,” burning money, and handing control of their future to a system that was never designed to heal them.

If you’ve ever said “I don’t want to go to court — I just want mediation,” this conversation is for you.

Hannah and Sam break down:

• why mediation is not the opposite of court (it’s a waypoint),

• how chasing retribution often costs more than it gives,

• where real control actually lives in divorce,

• and how staying curious instead of judgmental can change the outcome of your case — and your life after it.

This is a practical, honest, and human episode about ending a marriage well, protecting your future self, and choosing peace without pretending the pain doesn’t exist.

00:00 – Welcome to Not Saving It for Later
01:00 – Hannah and Sam’s real-life friendship & why this conversation matters
04:30 – What mediation actually is (and why “mediation vs. court” is the wrong question)
08:00 – Why mediation is a waypoint — not a magic alternative
11:45 – The risks of going to court: bells you can’t un-ring
14:00 – Why attorney choice shapes your entire divorce experience
17:00 – The myth of justice in divorce (and what people are really chasing)
21:00 – “Do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy?”
24:00 – Control: where you have it in mediation — and where you lose it in court
28:00 – Why high-conflict cases feel existential (and why that matters)
32:00 – Curiosity vs. judgment: the question that changes mediation outcomes
36:00 – Why compromise isn’t weakness — it’s strategy
39:00 – When trial is the right answer (and when it isn’t)
44:00 – Pre-lawsuit mediation & Sam’s “Mediation for Empowered Uncoupling” model
50:00 – Letting go of revenge without abandoning your needs
54:00 – “Peace is an inside job” — what Hannah learned the hard way
57:00 – Not saving joy, healing, or life for later

• Mediation is not “avoiding court” — it’s a strategic step within the legal process

• Court offers catharsis, not control — and rarely delivers the justice people expect

• Most people aren’t fighting for money; they’re fighting for recognition and fairness

• You cannot outsource peace to a judge, mediator, or legal system

• Staying curious instead of judgmental keeps you aligned with your long-term future

• The goal isn’t to win divorce — it’s to end it without burning your next chapter

Sam Colletti is a Texas family law attorney and mediator focused on helping families resolve divorce with clarity, dignity, and intention.

Connect With Sam Here: https://nmsb-law.com/

Sam's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sam_d_colletti/?__d=1

Mentioned In This EpisodeThe Circle — Weekly live coaching + The My Confident Divorce course→ myconfidentdivorce.com/circleHembree Bell Law Firm (Texas)→ hembreebell.comFollow Hannah on Instagram & TikTok → @hannahhembreebell

Not Saving It for Later is the podcast for women navigating divorce and beyond — where we stop whispering about what’s hard and start talking about what’s real.

This show is for education and inspiration only — not legal or mental health advice.
If you are in danger, contact local emergency services or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (7233).