Do you want your lawyer to actually call you back, explain the plan, and move your case forward? It’s not magic...it’s how you communicate and collaborate.

In this episode of How Not to Suck at Divorce, Andrea and Morgan break down what puts you on your divorce attorney’s priority list (and what lands you on the “not today” pile). You’ll hear real stories, simple scripts, and clear next steps to get faster responses, clearer strategy, and better service...without spending more than you need to.

Questions answered in this episode:

• How do I get on my divorce attorney’s good side so my case stays a priority?
• What is a realistic email or call response time from a divorce lawyer?
• How should I ask for clearer next steps when I don’t understand legal emails?
• When is it time to get a second opinion or switch divorce attorneys—and how do I do it?
• What behaviors instantly sour attorney-client relationships (and what to do instead)?

Listen in for the exact do’s and don’ts, respectful scripts that work, and a refreshingly honest take on getting the support you deserve during divorce.

Resources & Links Mentioned in This Episode:

• Need a thoughtful way to connect? Shop our curated greeting cards here.
• Our Divorce Crash Course was designed to hold your hand through the process and help you avoid major (and expensive) mistakes. Learn more here.
• Our Family Wizard is a fantastic resource for anyone navigating co-parenting. Check out our partnership here.

Friends, slide into our DMs—we love hearing from you. We’re always here to listen and help in any way we can. You’ve got this, and we’ve got you.

• Instagram: @hownottosuckatdivorce
• Follow Andrea: @theandrearappaport
• Follow Morgan: @divorceattorneychicago

When an affair is part of your divorce story, it can feel like there’s no justice...especially in a no-fault state. In this candid, funny-but-serious conversation, Andrea and Morgan break down what you can control: your money, your mindset, and your parenting decisions. They explain how dissipation (spending marital funds on a third party) might matter, when it’s worth digging into records, what to ask your lawyer, and why protecting your mental health (and your kids) is the real win. You’ll also hear how new partners or messy situations (hello, “au pair drama”) can affect parenting time and how to keep your own behavior from hurting your case.

What You’ll Learn:

• What a no-fault divorce actually means for affairs
• How spending money on someone else can affect your case
• A simple way to ask your lawyer about looking into dissipation without overspending
• Why protecting your mental health matters more than “justice”
• How new partners or messy situations can impact parenting time

Our Divorce Crash Course was designed to hold your hand through the process and help you avoid major and expensive mistakes. Learn more here: https://www.hownottosuckatdivorce.com/divorce-crash-course

Our Family Wizard is another fantasitc resource for those who need help navigating the "fun" world of coparenting. Head to this landing page to see how we work closely with them to support our listeners! http://www.ourfamilywizard.com/notsuck

Friends, slide into our dms, we love love love hearing from you. We are always here to listen and help in any way we can. You've got this and we've got you.

Instagram: @hownotosuckatdivorce

Follow Andrea: @theandrearappaport

Follow Morgan: @divorceattorneychicago

When you’re stuck wondering if you should stay married or finally move forward with a divorce, the decision feels impossible. In this episode of How Not to Suck at Divorce, Andrea and Morgan get real about how to weigh your options—emotionally and practically—so you can stop spinning in circles and start finding clarity.

They share a powerful acronym to help you evaluate your marriage, plus the exact logistical steps you should take if divorce might be on your horizon. From emotional check-ins to financial prep, you’ll walk away knowing what questions to ask and what to do next.

Questions answered in this episode:

• How do you know if it’s really your marriage—or just outside stress—making you unhappy?
• What is the TALK acronym and how can it help you evaluate your relationship?
• Why is therapy (with a professional, not a friend) a critical first step?
• What does “attunement” actually mean in a marriage, and why does it matter?
• How can laughter and levity show you the health of your relationship?
• Why do you need to understand the divorce process before making a decision?
• What financial steps should you take if you’re not sure whether to divorce?
• How does timing (holidays, business cycles, even illness) affect the right moment to file?
• What should you know about custody laws in your state before deciding?
• How do you know if you’re mentally strong enough to start the divorce process?

Our Divorce Crash Course was designed to hold your hand through the process and help you avoid major and expensive mistakes. Learn more here: https://www.hownottosuckatdivorce.com/divorce-crash-course

Our Family Wizard is another fantasitc resource for those who need help navigating the "fun" world of coparenting. Head to this landing page to see how we work closely with them to support our listeners! http://www.ourfamilywizard.com/notsuck

Friends, slide into our dms, we love love love hearing from you. We are always here to listen and help in any way we can. You've got this and we've got you.

Instagram: @hownotosuckatdivorce

Follow Andrea: @theandrearappaport

Follow Morgan: @divorceattorneychicago

Let’s face it—back to school hits different when you’re divorced… and especially when you’re the one stuck writing 40 thank-you notes from a six-year-old who can barely write his name.

In this episode, Andrea and Morgan are tackling two of the most unhinged yet relatable parenting hurdles:

🎁 Kid birthday party etiquette (aka the gift spiral from hell)

📚 Back-to-school survival when you’re divorced or divorcing

From the emotional whiplash of a toddler’s party gift pile to awkwardly dodging your ex at curriculum night, these two don’t hold back. Expect brutal honesty, hysterical hypotheticals (yes, hiring someone to write thank-you notes is discussed), and practical survival tips to help you navigate the school year without screaming “NOT WELL, B*TCH!” at the PTA meeting.

• Why Lego gifts are basically a hate crime
• How to communicate with teachers without throwing your ex under the school bus
• What to do when your kids feel caught between two parents on the first day of school
• Why sitting with your ex at a band concert might not be best (even if Celine Dion is involved)
• The right (and wrong) way to set expectations with schools and teachers
• Tips for socializing as a newly single parent (yes, we see you hiding in your car after drop-off)

Our Divorce Crash Course was designed to hold your hand through the process and help you avoid major and expensive mistakes. Learn more here: https://www.hownottosuckatdivorce.com/divorce-crash-course

Our Family Wizard is another fantasitc resource for those who need help navigating the "fun" world of coparenting. Head to this landing page to see how we work closely with them to support our listeners! http://www.ourfamilywizard.com/notsuck

Friends, slide into our dms, we love love love hearing from you. We are always here to listen and help in any way we can. You've got this and we've got you.

Instagram: @hownotosuckatdivorce

Follow Andrea: @theandrearappaport

Follow Morgan: @divorceattorneychicago

Andrea and Morgan talk with Laura Richards, host of That’s Where I’m At podcast, about navigating divorce when abuse is part of the marriage. Laura shares her story of leaving a relationship that looked perfect from the outside but was filled with covert control, manipulation, and emotional harm behind closed doors. Alongside Laura’s experience, Andrea and Morgan offer practical and legal guidance for protecting yourself during this challenging time.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to identify and safeguard important items, financial records, valuables, and sentimental possessions before they can be taken or hidden.
• The importance of creating a legally sound safety plan for yourself and your children, even if the abuse has never been physical.
• Why you should expect the early stages of divorce to be the most difficult, and how to prepare mentally and emotionally for that period.
• How control can shift during divorce and the subtle ways an ex may try to manipulate or intimidate you.
• Why having your own attorney matters, even if mediation feels amicable.
• The role of supportive communities, therapy, and trusted resources in rebuilding your confidence and moving forward.

Connect with Laura:

Website: https://www.thatswhereimatpodcast.com/

Podcast: https://www.thatswhereimatpodcast.com/episodes/

Instagram: @thatswhereimatpodcast

Our Divorce Crash Course was designed to hold your hand through the process and help you avoid major and expensive mistakes. Learn more here: https://www.hownottosuckatdivorce.com/divorce-crash-course

Our Family Wizard is another fantasitc resource for those who need help navigating the "fun" world of coparenting. Head to this landing page to see how we work closely with them to support our listeners! http://www.ourfamilywizard.com/notsuck

Friends, slide into our dms, we love love love hearing from you. We are always here to listen and help in any way we can. You've got this and we've got you.

Instagram: @hownotosuckatdivorce

Follow Andrea: @theandrearappaport

Follow Morgan: @divorceattorneychicago

Abuse doesn’t always leave visible scars. If you’re in a marriage where your every move is controlled; whether it’s how you spend money, where you go, or who you see, you may be experiencing abuse without realizing it.

In this episode, we’re giving you the 3 critical steps to take before you leave an abusive marriage, straight from a divorce lawyer’s perspective. Then, you’ll hear a riveting, eye-opening conversation with Dr. Nadine Macaluso—therapist, trauma-bond expert, and former wife of Jordan Belfort, the infamous “Wolf of Wall Street.”

Dr. Nadine shares:

• How coercive control and trauma bonds keep people trapped
• The truth about love bombing, cognitive dissonance, and the cycle of abuse
• What really happened behind the Hollywood portrayal of her marriage
• How she rebuilt her life, earned her doctorate, and now helps others break free

Whether your situation mirrors hers or not, the insight and strategies in this episode could save you time, money, and possibly your safety.

Our Divorce Crash Course was designed to hold your hand through the process and help you avoid major and expensive mistakes. Learn more here: https://www.hownottosuckatdivorce.com/divorce-crash-course

Our Family Wizard is another fantasitc resource for those who need help navigating the "fun" world of coparenting. Head to this landing page to see how we work closely with them to support our listeners! http://www.ourfamilywizard.com/notsuck

Friends, slide into our dms, we love love love hearing from you. We are always here to listen and help in any way we can. You've got this and we've got you.

Instagram: @hownotosuckatdivorce

Follow Andrea: @theandrearappaport

Follow Morgan: @divorceattorneychicago

Our Divorce Crash Course was designed to hold your hand through the process and help you avoid major and expensive mistakes. Learn more here: https://www.hownottosuckatdivorce.com/divorce-crash-course

Our Family Wizard is another fantasitc resource for those who need help navigating the "fun" world of coparenting. Head to this landing page to see how we work closely with them to support our listeners! http://www.ourfamilywizard.com/notsuck20

Friends, slide into our dms, we love love love hearing from you. We are always here to listen and help in any way we can. You've got this and we've got you.

Instagram: @hownotosuckatdivorce

Follow Andrea: @theandrearappaport

Follow Morgan: @divorceattorneychicago

In today's episode, Andrea sits down (sans Morgan! She's out of the country!) to drop some real talk about the hard truths of divorce that no one wants to hear...but everyone needs to. From AI misinformation to expensive attorney mistakes, high-conflict communication, and the emotional fallout of lost friendships, this episode delivers clarity and comfort for anyone navigating the messy middle of divorce.

As always...Absolutely NO fluff. No filter. Just the truth. And a whole lot of support.

• Why you should NEVER EVER use Chat GPT for divorce advice
• How to stop chasing “fair” and start playing smart
• What to ask your lawyer before litigation (and how to prep your mindset)
• Why calming your nervous system is the most powerful legal tool you have
• How to protect your wallet when communicating with your attorney
• What to do when your friendships shift during your divorce

Mentioned Episodes:

• How to Prepare for a Divorce Battle with Mia Poppe
• AI, ChatGPT, and Divorce: What You Need to Know with Steven Bradley

Our Divorce Crash Course was designed to hold your hand through the process and help you avoid major and expensive mistakes. Learn more here: https://www.hownottosuckatdivorce.com/divorce-crash-course

Our Family Wizard is another fantasitc resource for those who need help navigating the "fun" world of coparenting. Head to this landing page to see how we work closely with them to support our listeners! http://www.ourfamilywizard.com/notsuck20

Friends, slide into our dms, we love love love hearing from you. We are always here to listen and help in any way we can. You've got this and we've got you.

Instagram: @hownotosuckatdivorce

Follow Andrea: @theandrearappaport

Follow Morgan: @divorceattorneychicago