Reinventing Yourself After Divorce | Lisa Niver
Wed Jan 28 2026
What if the red flags in your life were literally invisible? Award-winning author, speaker, and travel host Lisa Niver joins Dara Levan to share her incredible story of reinvention after a traumatic divorce and a late-in-life diagnosis of a lazy eye that reshaped her understanding of her past. Discover how Lisa’s journey through vision therapy, extensive world travel, and writing her memoir "Brave-ish" helped her piece together a pattern of abuse she once mistook for a "parade." In this raw conversation, you'll learn the power of post-traumatic growth, the importance of asking "what now?" instead of "what if?", and practical tips for reclaiming your life and joy. If you've ever felt stuck, unseen, or are seeking inspiration to break free, this episode is for you.
0:00 - Intro
1:01 - Lisa Niver’s Book and Award
3:37 - Jewish Summer Camp Inspiration
5:26 - What is an Ulpan?
7:48 - Adult Lazy Eye Diagnosis
11:53 - The End of a Marriage
15:29 - Connecting Vision and Relationship Patterns
18:54 - The Vulnerability of Writing
22:06 - The Book’s Unexpected Audience
25:14 - Replacing Self-Judgment with Compassion
27:58 - The Forward-Looking Question
31:35 - The Challenge of Outlining
37:40 - A Somatic Writing Ritual
39:19 - What Brings Lisa Joy
42:52 - Outro
RESOURCES:
https://www.lisaniver.com/
https://wesaidgotravel.com/
More
What if the red flags in your life were literally invisible? Award-winning author, speaker, and travel host Lisa Niver joins Dara Levan to share her incredible story of reinvention after a traumatic divorce and a late-in-life diagnosis of a lazy eye that reshaped her understanding of her past. Discover how Lisa’s journey through vision therapy, extensive world travel, and writing her memoir "Brave-ish" helped her piece together a pattern of abuse she once mistook for a "parade." In this raw conversation, you'll learn the power of post-traumatic growth, the importance of asking "what now?" instead of "what if?", and practical tips for reclaiming your life and joy. If you've ever felt stuck, unseen, or are seeking inspiration to break free, this episode is for you. 0:00 - Intro 1:01 - Lisa Niver’s Book and Award 3:37 - Jewish Summer Camp Inspiration 5:26 - What is an Ulpan? 7:48 - Adult Lazy Eye Diagnosis 11:53 - The End of a Marriage 15:29 - Connecting Vision and Relationship Patterns 18:54 - The Vulnerability of Writing 22:06 - The Book’s Unexpected Audience 25:14 - Replacing Self-Judgment with Compassion 27:58 - The Forward-Looking Question 31:35 - The Challenge of Outlining 37:40 - A Somatic Writing Ritual 39:19 - What Brings Lisa Joy 42:52 - Outro RESOURCES: https://www.lisaniver.com/ https://wesaidgotravel.com/