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

This episode is for the woman who keeps thinking, “I should have handled this better by now.”

In this solo episode of When the Fairy Tale Ends, I’m talking about one of the most common feelings women experience during divorce: feeling completely unprepared. Not just emotionally, but financially, mentally, and strategically. And the truth is, most women are trying to make life-changing decisions while overwhelmed, grieving, parenting, working, and surviving all at the same time.

I’m breaking down why feeling “lost” during divorce is not a personal failure, how emotional overload impacts decision-making, and why having endless information without a strategy only creates more confusion. We also talk about the difference between emotional support and strategic support — and why clarity matters more than perfection during this process.

If you’ve been second-guessing yourself, spiraling through worst-case scenarios, or feeling ashamed that you don’t have everything figured out, this episode will help you breathe a little deeper and focus on your next right step.

Topics covered in this episode:

• Why divorce creates emotional and mental overload
• The difference between information and clarity
• How survival mode impacts decision-making
• Fear vs. fact during divorce
• What strategic support actually looks like
• How to stop reacting and start making grounded decisions
• Simple ways to create more clarity during the divorce process

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

How do you stop repeating the same relationship patterns after divorce?

In this episode of When the Fairy Tale Ends, Raquell gets honest about the lessons she learned from two marriages, the red flags she ignored, and what finally helped her build healthier relationship habits moving forward. This conversation is all about self-awareness, boundaries, emotional responsibility, and learning how to date differently after heartbreak.

Raquell shares why so many women settle for “potential,” how to stop over-investing too quickly, and the importance of collecting data before making major life decisions in a new relationship. She also opens up about communication, standards, and why peace has become non-negotiable in this season of her life.

If you’ve ever wondered how to trust yourself again after divorce or heartbreak, this episode will leave you thinking differently about what healthy love actually looks like.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The red flags Raquell wishes she hadn’t ignored
• Why self-awareness matters more than blame
• How to define what you truly want in a relationship
• The difference between standards and unrealistic expectations
• Why observing someone over time changes everything
• The importance of boundaries, communication, and emotional responsibility
• How to stop sending your “representative” in relationships

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

Why did I stay so long?

It’s a question so many women ask themselves… and almost always with shame attached to it.

In this episode, we’re having a different kind of conversation—one that challenges the way you’ve been taught to look at your past.

Because staying isn’t as simple as people make it seem.

And the reasons behind it run deeper than most people are willing to admit.

If you’ve ever questioned your decisions, second-guessed yourself, or felt stuck in guilt… this episode will shift the way you see it.

Not by giving you all the answers—

but by helping you start asking better questions.

In this episode:

• Why leaving isn’t always the obvious choice
• The emotions that keep you tied to something longer than you expected
• What most people don’t understand about staying
• The quiet factors that influence your decisions more than you think

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

What if the love stories you grew up on weren’t romantic… they were conditioning?

In this episode, I’m taking you deeper into something most women have never stopped to question—how fairytales didn’t just shape what we expected from love, they shaped how we show up in it. And not in a way that serves us.

Because the truth is, you didn’t just believe the story… you became it.

I’m breaking down the patterns so many of us have lived out without even realizing it. The over-functioning. The fixing. The self-abandoning. The waiting. And how those behaviors quietly lead to burnout, resentment, and relationships where you slowly lose yourself.

This isn’t about blaming you. It’s about helping you see clearly—so you can finally move differently.

Because once you understand the script, you stop repeating it.

In this episode:

• How fairy tales subtly taught women to ignore intuition and endure discomfort
• Why stories like Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, and The Little Mermaid conditioned women to normalize self-sacrifice
• The belief that love requires suffering — and how that shows up in modern relationships
• How women are socialized to wait, hope, and “be chosen” instead of choosing themselves
• Why many women stay in unhealthy marriages longer than they should
• The connection between fairy tale conditioning and divorce shame
• How recognizing these patterns creates clarity instead of self-blame

Key Takeaway:

You didn’t fail in your relationships—you followed a script you were taught. And now that you see it, you get to choose something different.

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

Have a question? Ask here!

https://herdivorceacademy.com/divorce-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

Ever wonder why you ignored those red flags? Blame Cinderella.

In this episode, certified divorce coach Raquell Barton unpacks the fairytales that shaped how we view love, marriage, and self-worth—and why they set us up for heartbreak. From Cinderella's "stay and endure" message to Beauty and the Beast's dangerous "you can fix him" narrative, these childhood stories taught us how to be chosen, not how to choose wisely.

If you've ever stayed too long, loved too hard, or lost yourself in a relationship, this episode will help you understand why—and what to do differently going forward.

In This Episode:

✨ Why fairytales were warnings disguised as love stories

✨ The 5 biggest lies Disney told us about relationships

✨ How to recognize when you're abandoning yourself for partnership

✨ Why suffering doesn't earn you a happy ending (and what does)

✨ The truth about intuition—and why we're conditioned to ignore it

✨ What real, healthy love actually requires

✨ Raquel's story: knowing her marriage was wrong one week before the wedding

Coming in Part 2:

In the next episode, Raquel connects the dots from fairytales to your real-life relationship patterns—helping you understand the "why" so you can move differently going forward.

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

Have a question? Ask here!

https://herdivorceacademy.com/divorce-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

"I already have a lawyer. Why would I need a divorce coach?" It's the question Raquell hears constantly, and she gets it. Divorce is expensive, and most women don't want to add one more person to the team.

But here's what you need to know: Your lawyer handles the legal divorce. A divorce coach helps you handle the life part. And the life part? That's where 90% of your stress actually lives.

In this episode, Raquell breaks down the top three things a divorce coach helps you with that your lawyer won't, can't, and honestly shouldn't help you with. If you've ever felt like you're drowning in paperwork, reacting instead of planning, or spending way too much money on legal hours—this episode is for you.

In this episode:

• The three life-changing things a divorce coach helps with that lawyers don’t:
• Why lawyers are not equipped (or paid) to provide emotional or logistical support
• How coaching reduces overwhelm, conflict, and legal costs
• How to make decisions from grounded clarity instead of fear
• How to show up prepared and empowered throughout the entire divorce process

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

Have a question? Ask here!

⁠https://herdivorceacademy.com/divorce-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

Divorce can change everything, especially when it comes to money.

In this episode, we sit down with Myrna Laine-Hyppolite, a wealth strategist, financial wellness coach, and Chief Financial Officer with more than 30 years of experience in the finance industry. As the founder of Empower Financial Wellness, Myrna helps high-achieving women turn their income into long-term wealth and financial independence.

For many women navigating divorce, finances suddenly shift from shared responsibility to something they must manage alone. Myrna explains why this transition can feel overwhelming—and how women can begin rebuilding financial clarity and confidence one step at a time.

Drawing from her own experience in finance and her work with women going through major life transitions, Myrna shares her Five Steps to Financial Wellness, a practical framework designed to help women organize their finances, reduce stress, and create a plan for the future.

Whether you are recently divorced, navigating financial independence after a relationship, or simply want to feel more confident managing money, this episode offers clear guidance and empowering insights.

What listeners will learn:

• The 5 core steps to financial wellness and how to apply them during or after divorce
• Why so many women feel overwhelmed by finances — and how to take back control
• How to begin rebuilding financial identity after a breakup or major life change
• The real reasons women fall behind financially during divorce
• Simple systems to organize money, track expenses, and prepare for long-term stability
• Encouragement for women who feel behind, ashamed, or financially lost

Why this episode matters:

It gives women clarity, direction, and confidence in an area where they often feel the most vulnerable.

Conversation about financial

Free Guide on How to Invest in the Stock Market: https://wealth-codes.com

Myrna's Website: https://empowerfinancialwellness.com

Myrna's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empowerfinancialwellness

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

High-Yield Savings Accounts

Myrna recommends moving savings into a high-yield savings account instead of leaving money in a traditional bank savings account. These accounts typically offer higher interest rates, helping your savings grow faster. One example she mentions is Marcus by Goldman Sachs, an online bank that offers competitive savings rates.

Bankrate

A useful tool for comparing interest rates across banks. You can use Bankrate to research and find high-yield savings accounts that offer better returns than traditional banks. Bankrate.com

Rocket Money

A budgeting and expense tracking app that helps you see where your money is going each month. Rocket Money can identify recurring subscriptions, spending patterns, and potential “money leaks” so you can make more informed financial decisions.

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

Have a question? Ask here!

⁠https://herdivorceacademy.com/divorce-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