I have a very special two-part series starting with this episode. We're doing a deep dive on how to prepare and how to think about divorce.

And I think as a society, we are woefully under-educated on how divorce actually works.

Here's the thing: as a marriage coach, one of the things that can strengthen your relationship the most is understanding the nuances of ending it. When we understand what it takes to stay AND what it takes to leave, it helps empower us for any choice we make.

In this episode I'm joined by Lauren Fair—a divorce attorney with 16 years of experience AND a master certified divorce coach.

What makes her approach so aligned with my values is that she sees divorce not as a failure but sometimes being one of the most self-honoring choices a woman can make.

Choosing to end a relationship can be a healthy, powerful growth experience, and the collective cultural narrative we have that still shames divorce in a variety of ways is something I hope these 2 episodes contribute to changing.

This conversation is your permission to get educated, get empowered, and make whatever choice serves your highest good.

We also start with a segment on how to support a friend going through a divorce which I think is so important as well so no matter where you are in your relationship journey right now, I think you will find something useful in this 2 part series.

Here is the scoop on what's included -

✨ Episode at a Glance

• How to be a supportive friend when someone you love is going through divorce

• Why understanding divorce options empowers you whether you're staying or leaving

• The three common mistakes women make when hiring an attorney from an emotionally activated place

• Why you want strategic, not "shark," legal representation

• How to manage your attorney (yes, you need to manage them)

• The difference between full scope representation and other options

• Why the moment you deliver the news matters more than you think

• How the divorce conversation begins determines the entire trajectory of the divorce

• Why you should never use the word "divorce" until your bags are packed

• The importance of slowing down when everything feels urgent
  
  

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• The Questions for Couples Journal

• Private Coaching with Maggie

• Free Workshop: The Growth Gap

• Marriage Mindset Makeover

• Episode 38: Soul Centered Communication

• Follow Lauren @sensiblesplitdivorce

• Visit Lauren's website: https://faircadora.com/sensiblesplit/

Listen to her podcast: The Sensible Split

I recently sat down with Emily Reuschel on her Wild and Waking podcast to talk about something I call the growth gap. What happens when one partner outpaces the other in personal development work?

It was such a great conversation that I wanted to share it here with you too, because this is such a common pattern I see with my clients. Here's the thing: you've been reading all the books, listening to podcasts just like this one, doing all the inner work - because of course you have, and maybe your partner chooses to evolve differently than you.

And that gap, that difference in growth pace and in growth focus, can feel incredibly isolating and frustrating. But what if I told you that the growth gap isn't the actual problem? What if the real issue is what you're doing with that gap?

Emily and I dive deep into why personal growth can actually create more tension in your relationship at first, and then what to do about it. The counterintuitive truth about why your partner's lack of interest in therapy or coaching or a workshop might not be the deal breaker that you think it is. How to stop turning your relationship into a project you're trying to fix. The power of leading from your side of the street without carrying the whole emotional load.

This is one of those episodes where you really want to grab your journal and maybe listen to it once and then go back and take notes because we're going to be practical, we're going to be strategic, and of course we're going to be soulful and have fun all at the same time.

✨ Episode at a Glance

• What the growth gap is and why it happens when one partner evolves and the other resists change

• The "Power of One" framework and how one person's transformation can shift the entire relationship

• Why the mindset of "I go first" changes everything

• The difference between your partner being scared vs. thinking growth is dumb (and why it matters)

• How to communicate your insights without triggering defensiveness

• Why asking for consent before sharing what you learned is essential

• The concept of do-overs and how one client's family transformed it into "rewinds"

• How men and women process differently (and why understanding this helps)

• When to adjust your expectations vs. when it's time to call it

• Why quality matters more than length in relationships
  
  

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• The Questions for Couples Journal

• Private Coaching with Maggie

• Free Workshop: The Growth Gap

• Marriage Mindset Makeover

• Emily Reuschel's website

• Listen to Ep 172 on Wild & Waking with Emily Reuschel and Maggie

• Follow Emily in Instagram @emilyreuschel

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Laura Jurgens to talk about something I have very strong feelings about: polarity. If you've been out in the internet wilderness hearing about masculine-feminine energy and how you need to lean into it to create spark in your marriage, and you're getting a weird vibe about it—you're not alone.

A couple years ago, my husband and I took a virtual retreat on this exact topic with a well-renowned teacher. And I had the most visceral experience of probably disgust I've ever had in a teaching setting. The class promoted things like agency and consent in the description, but the structure was the opposite—repressive, oppressive, and the exact opposite of choice.

Ever since then, I've been a hard no on teaching polarity in my programs. But then I found Laura's podcast episode on this topic and it was like finding a Coca-Cola in the desert. She brings the nuance, the research, and the practical wisdom about when polarity can work without causing harm—and when it's just patriarchy disguised as spirituality.

We talk about the mix of deep and fun that I love, and we're going to tell you exactly when this approach can be helpful and when it becomes harmful.

Episode at a Glance

• What polarity actually is (and why it's everywhere right now)

• Why the masculine-feminine framework often reinforces harmful gender stereotypes

• How polarity can damage women's agency and men's emotional vulnerability

• The five criteria for when polarity can work without causing harm

• Why high-achieving women often fantasize about being dominated (and what that actually means)

• The difference between healthy dom/sub dynamics and repackaged patriarchy
  
  

Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

• The Questions for Couples Journal

• Private Coaching with Maggie

• Growth Gap Workshop (FREE)

• The Desire Gap Podcast with Laura Juergens

• Visit Laura's website: https://laurajurgens.com/

• Laura's Instagram: @laura.juergens.coach

• Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski