Kimberlee Sweeney: Divorce, co-parenting, and Degrees of Separation

In this powerful conversation, I am joined by Kimberlee Sweeney, certified divorce and co-parenting coach and founder of Degrees of Separation, to unpack how separation and divorce can amplify the motherhood penalty — and what you can do to protect yourself emotionally, legally and financially.Kimberlee shares her expert insight from a decade in the field, explaining how divorce coaching works, what co-parenting support really looks like, and the critical decisions mothers need to make before, during, and after a relationship ends. She also breaks down how the Aotearoa Divorce and Separation Institute (ADSI) is setting ethical standards for divorce coaching in Aotearoa.This is a must-listen episode if you're navigating (or even contemplating) separation and want to protect your career, your confidence, and your financial future.We speak about:·     What a divorce coach actually does, and why it matters·     Why divorce can intensify the motherhood penalty·     How unpaid caregiving impacts post-divorce financial stability·     The importance of being informed about your legal rights·     Why co-parenting dynamics affect long-term outcomes·     How career coaching and emotional regulation go hand in hand·     The questions every couple should ask before having kids·     Kimberlee’s magic wand solution to valuing unpaid labour in the homeResources Discussed·     Degrees of Separation – https://www.degreesofseparation.co.nz/·     Aotearoa Divorce and Separation Institute (ADSI) – https://adsi.org.nz/ Connect with EmmaThis podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.Emma Mclean is a mum of three and founder of Works for Everyone, a professional development business that partners with NZ's leading corporates to help them retain and grow their working parent talent. She does this through innovative leadership programmes, executive coaching and keynote speaking. She founded her business in 2019 following a 20-year career in corporate strategy where she experienced first-hand how hard it was to have a career and a family. As an impatient optimist when it comes to system change, she launched her successful podcast “How to Smash the Motherhood Penalty” in 2023 where she talks to humans who are actively working to change the system that creates financial penalties that only mothers pay. And in 2024 she launched the first NZ Part Time Power List – to shine a light on those senior roles in NZ that are career building, not side stepping."To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – [email protected] www.worksforeveryone.co.nzhttps://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/