Listen to this episode if…
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You feel like you're just reacting to whatever your ex or their lawyer throws at you
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You're exhausted, foggy, and making life-changing decisions while running on empty
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You can't tell anymore whether your choices come from your intuition or from fear
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You find it hard to speak up for yourself in mediation, in court, or even to your own lawyer
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You've lost a bit of yourself and want practical ways to feel grounded again
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You want to move from just surviving your divorce to actually flourishing through it
This podcast is general information only it is not legal advice. This episode touches on coercive control and post-separation abuse. If you or someone you know is in danger, call 000. For confidential support: 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).
If you're feeling stuck in survival mode reacting to every email, every legal letter, every move your ex makes this episode is the deep breath you've been needing. Laura is joined by Sonia Bestulic, award-winning author, speaker and wisdom teacher, whose book Flourish for Mums found Laura right in the middle of her own divorce. Together they unpack what survival mode actually is, why so many of us get stuck in it, and how to gently move out of it.
00:00 – Are You Stuck in Survival Mode During Your Divorce?
01:00 – Meet Sonia Bestulic: Author, Speaker & Wisdom Teacher
03:50 – "I Just Burnt Out": How Survival Mode Shows Up
05:30 – Why Your Mindset Can Affect Your Case as Much as the Law
07:00 – What Survival Mode Really Is (Fight, Flight, Freeze)
08:00 – The Lion Metaphor: A Fuel System Built for Short Bursts
09:30 – The Warning Signs You've Been in Survival Mode Too Long
10:50 – When Post-Separation Abuse Is Designed to Exhaust You
11:40 – The Three Anchors & Building Your Support Team
12:40 – Anchor One: Nourishing Your Intuition (Your Sacred GPS)
14:50 – Coercive Control & Learning to Trust Yourself Again
15:40 – The Morning Body Scan: 15 Minutes That Reset Your Day
18:30 – How to Tell the Difference Between Fear and Intuition
21:30 – Anchor Two: Energetic Integrity & Energy Hygiene
23:30 – Inner Boundaries: What's Mine to Carry and What's Theirs?
25:30 – Choosing When to Read That Email From Your Ex
26:40 – The Power of Nature to Recalibrate Your Nervous System
28:50 – Gratitude: The Highest-Frequency Circuit Breaker
30:00 – The Gratitude Candle & the Kindness Squirrel
32:50 – Anchor Three: Sacred Self-Advocacy
34:50 – Speaking Your Truth Without the Fight Energy
36:40 – Why Energy Speaks First (Even in the Witness Box)
40:40 – Daily Practices: Dance, Laughter, Music & Breath
43:50 – The Cup of Gratitude Ritual
45:40 – The Roots Metaphor: The Deeper the Roots, the Taller We Grow
48:40 – The One Thing You Can Start Today
49:50 – Where to Find Sonia & Her Books
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1800 RESPECT — 1800 737 732 (24/7 DV support)
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Lifeline — 13 11 14
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Police — 000 (immediate danger)
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The Divorce Course — www.thedivorcecourse.com.au
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The Divorce Course Empowerment Playlist — on Spotify
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Sonia Bestulic — books Flourish for Mums and Raising Empowered Humans: Unlocking Kids' Self-Leadership and Lifelong Flourishing (Amazon, global delivery). https://soniabestulic.com.au/
