The Divorce and Beyond Podcast with Susan Guthrie, Esq.

Gray divorce is one of the fastest-growing divorce trends, yet it remains one of the least talked-about experiences. It is not just the end of a marriage. It is the unraveling of decades of shared life, identity, routines, and expectations. In this episode, Susan Guthrie is joined by gray divorce coach Maryjane Sweet, whom she first met when they were both featured on the Oprah Podcast in a powerful conversation about gray divorce. Maryjane appeared alongside her adult daughter, and their story stood out for its honesty, depth, and the grace with which Maryjane navigated this life-altering transition. Together, Susan and Maryjane explore what it truly takes to move through gray divorce with intention, emotional awareness, and integrity. They discuss why gray divorce can feel especially destabilizing, particularly when it arrives unexpectedly, and how the losses extend far beyond the marriage itself. The conversation dives into grief, identity shifts, nervous system overwhelm, and the invisible emotional labor women carry as they work to hold themselves and their families together during profound change. This is not a conversation about quick fixes. It is about honoring loss, building emotional safety, and discovering what gray divorce can give back on the other side. What You’ll Learn Why gray divorce is not just a legal ending, but a profound emotional and identity shift after decades of shared life Why rituals around loss, such as leaving a family home or removing wedding rings, help create closure and support healing How daily anchors like sleep, nourishment, movement, and connection are essential tools during divorce Why adult children are deeply impacted by gray divorce and how parents can model integrity, resilience, and self-compassion How focusing on how you want to feel can help guide decisions when the future feels like a black hole Why coaching support can be critical during gray divorce and how it helps women move forward without getting stuck in the past About the Guest  Maryjane is a gray divorce coach and consultant. She combines the lived experience of ending a 26-year marriage with deep professional training to help women navigate the emotional and practical complexities of gray divorce. She holds a master's in Organizational Behavior and is an !CF-certified PCC coach with over 1,500 client hours worldwide. She's trained in mindfulness and meditation through Duke University, is a certified trauma-informed yoga instructor, and has taught university courses on well-being and neuroscience-based stress regulation. With more than twenty years in leadership development and human transformation, she offers women a grounded, evidence-based pathway through midlife divorce - one that honors both the unraveling and the rising. Connect with Maryjane Sweet Website: http://maryjanesweet.com Instagram: @thegreydivorcecoach Blog Article + Free Downloadable Resource 📝 Rituals for Grief in Gray Divorce: Why Closure Matters In this companion article, Susan explores why gray divorce requires more than legal resolution. It requires emotional closure. Drawing from this conversation, she explains how intentional rituals, such as marking the end of a marriage, leaving a longtime home, or acknowledging decades of shared life, can help the nervous system process loss and support healing during profound transition. You’ll also find a simple, downloadable resource designed to help you reflect on what closure might look like for you. Read here: https://divorceandbeyondpod.com/blog *************************************************** Make the Most of Your Listening Experience: If this episode resonates with you, be sure to: Subscribe to Divorce & Beyond so you never miss an episode. Share this episode with friends or loved ones who need hope and healing. Leave a 5-star review to help us reach even more listeners. Follow Us Online: Divorce & Beyond:  https://divorceandbeyondpod.com, IG: @divorceandbeyondpod Meet Our Host Susan E. Guthrie®, Esq. is one of the nation’s leading family law and mediation experts, with more than 35 years of experience helping individuals and families navigate divorce and conflict with clarity and compassion. She is the Immediate Past Chair of the American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolution, a best-selling author, and a sought-after speaker, trainer, and practice-building consultant. Susan recently appeared as the featured expert on The Oprah Podcast, where she shared her insights on gray divorce and the changing landscape of relationships. Her expertise has also been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, The Washington Post, NewsNation, and NBC’s Chicago Today, among many others. As the creator and host of the award-winning Divorce & Beyond® Podcast, ranked in the top 1% of all podcasts worldwide with more than 3.4 million downloads, Susan brings together top experts and powerful personal stories to help listeners move through divorce and beyond with confidence, insight, and hope. Learn more about Susan and her work at susaneguthrie.com. Divorce & Beyond is a Top 1% Overall and Top 100 Self-Help podcast designed to help you with all you need to know to navigate your divorce journey and most importantly, to thrive in your beautiful beyond!   ***************************************************************************** A Smarter, Simpler Way to Navigate Your Divorce Looking for a clearer and more affordable way to move through your divorce? Check out Hello Divorce. Their guided online platform combines easy-to-follow tools with real legal and coaching support to help you complete your divorce with less stress, less confusion, and far lower costs than a traditional courtroom battle. They have created a special page just for Divorce & Beyond listeners. Explore your options at hellodivorce.com/susan. ***************************************************************************** Special Offer from Blue Mercury Treat yourself to luxury skincare, makeup, and fragrance favorites from Blue Mercury, your destination for beauty and self-care. Divorce & Beyond listeners receive 15% off their first order when they use the special link in the show notes. Because you deserve to look and feel your best,  inside and out. You must use this link to receive the 15% off on your first Blue Mercury order: https://divorcebeyond.com/Blue-Mercury ***************************************************************************** Opportunities for Expert Guests and Fellow Podcasters Partner with Divorce & Beyond Whether you're a podcaster looking to expand your reach or an expert ready to share your insights, Divorce & Beyond offers the perfect platform to amplify your voice.  Find out more here: https://divorceandbeyondpod.com/guest-opportunities ***************************************************************************** DISCLAIMER:  THE COMMENTARY AND OPINIONS AVAILABLE ON THIS PODCAST ARE FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING LEGAL ADVICE.  YOU SHOULD CONTACT AN ATTORNEY IN YOUR STATE TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE WITH RESPECT TO ANY PARTICULAR ISSUE OR PROBLEM