Divorce Coaches Academy
Divorce Coaches Academy podcast hosts Tracy Callahan and Debra Doak are on a mission to revolutionize the way families navigate divorce. We discuss topics to help professional divorce coaches succeed with clients and meet their business goals and we advocate (loudly sometimes) for the critical role certified divorce coaches play in the alternative dispute resolution process. Our goal is to create a community of divorce coaching professionals committed to reducing the financial and emotional impact of divorce on families.
Divorce Coaches Academy
Inside New Zealand’s FDR Shake-Up: Free Mediation, Fewer Supports, and the Case for Coaching
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What happens when a country makes mediation free for every separating family—but removes the preparation that makes it work? We dig into New Zealand’s bold FDR shift with Mediator and Divorce Coach Nikki Bould, unpacking the real-world impact of funding cuts, waitlists, and the shortage of child inclusion specialists. From the outside, “free” looks like progress; inside the system, parents are queued up, dysregulated, and often walking into high-stakes conversations without the skills or context to succeed.
We walk through the practical trade-offs: why even a short prep window can change outcomes, what child-inclusive practice adds to parent decision-making, and how coaching complements therapy by building forward-focused skills when emotions run hot. Nikki shares on-the-ground insights from mediators and family lawyers, highlighting where families stall, why some head straight to court after a failed mediation, and how a coaching-led approach can reduce escalation and make every professional’s job easier. We also explore a Kiwi-specific vision for parenting coordination—interdisciplinary, culturally aligned, and designed to keep agreements durable and kids at the center.
If you care about child well-being, equitable access to justice, and practical tools that actually move families forward, this conversation offers clear next steps. Learn how early coaching can stabilize parents, how to translate a child’s voice into better plans, and what advocates can do to build bridges across law, mediation, and mental health. Subscribe, share with a colleague who supports separating families, and leave a review to help more people find these tools.
To contact Nikki Bould:
dca.nz@divorcecoachesacademy.com or
nikki@thehelpfulhuman.nz
ADSI.org.nz
Learn more about DCA® or any of the classes or events mentioned in this episode at the links below:
Website: www.divorcecoachesacademy.com
Instagram: @divorcecoachesacademy
LinkedIn: divorce-coaches-academy
Email: DCA@divorcecoachesacademy.com