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Hey Olivia: A Coworker Just Told Me She's Getting Divorced. What Do I Say?
A reader wants to respond with compassion — and asks how to show up for someone she doesn't know very well.
Divorce 101: S Is for Separation (and September)
Framed around September's return to routine, this piece unpacks "separation" as far more than an informal in-between — a transition that can carry real legal and financial consequences (from property division dates to support calculations) while also marking the emotionally hardest phase of divorce.
Jenny Says So: The Group Chat After the Breakup
A reader still sharing a long-standing friend group chat with her ex asks how to protect her peace without abandoning her community or forcing friends to pick sides. Jenny reassures her that boundaries aren't drama and offers three graceful options — quietly muting, starting a parallel thread, or asking a trusted friend to help set up a clean separation.
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Hey Olivia: I Thought I'd Feel Relieved. Instead I've Been Crying for Days.
A reader wonders why signing the divorce papers broke her open — and asks the question so many of us are afraid to ask out loud.
Divorce 101: A Is for Affidavit (and August)
An affidavit is a written statement made under oath — legal evidence, not an informal explanation — and in divorce it appears everywhere: financial affidavits detailing income and assets, parenting affidavits describing routines, and sworn statements supporting motions on custody, support, or safety.
Jenny Says So: The New Partner at Kid Events
A parent asks how to handle the ex's new partner suddenly appearing at school concerts, soccer games, and kid birthday parties — under the watchful eyes of other parents — without looking bitter or pretending to be a happy blended family. Jenny's rule is "neutral grace": be civil, brief, and kid-centered with a simple script and an exit strategy, then let yourself feel it all afterward.
Hey Olivia: I Thought I'd Feel Relieved. Instead I've Been Crying for Days.
A reader wonders why signing the divorce papers broke her open — and asks the question so many of us are afraid to ask out loud.
Divorce 101: J Is for Judgment (and July)
Your July cheat sheet for understanding what a divorce judgment actually means — minus the legalese, plus the emotional reality nobody warns you about.
Jenny Says So: “But Divorce Is So Hard on the Kids…”
You don't owe strangers your justification. You can be compassionate without accepting shame — and protect your kids without performing your pain for the public.
Hey Olivia: What Actually Happens to Family Heirlooms When You Get Divorced?
A reader wants to know how divorce handles the things that matter most — and discovers this is one of the most emotionally complicated questions nobody prepares you for.
Divorce 101: J Is for Joint Custody (and June)
Joint custody is one of the most common — and most misunderstood — concepts in divorce. It doesn't automatically mean a 50/50 split. It's not a scorecard. And it's not a measure of parental worth. This piece breaks down what joint custody actually means, why the distinction between legal and physical custody matters, and how to think about it as a framework — not a competition.
Jenny Says So: The Post-Divorce Set-Up Parade
What do you do when everyone wants to set you up — but you're still figuring out who you are post-divorce? In this column, Jenny tackles the pressure to date before you're ready, why your timeline isn't anyone else's business, and the exact scripts to shut it down with grace. Kindness doesn't require compliance.
Hey Olivia: I'm Watching Myself Sink Into Debt in Real Time
A reader asks how to survive a high-conflict divorce when her ex has all the resources — and all the leverage.
So You Want to Be a Registry Fairy
A Registry Fairy is exactly what it sounds like: a person who occasionally receives a Fresh Starts registry link and decides, on their own terms, whether to purchase something from it. No formal training. No monthly commitment. No pressure. You sign up, you get added to the list, and when we have a registry to share, we'll send it your way.
The Registry Fairy: A Small Act That Lands Hard
The Registry Fairy started as something we just quietly did. We kept a list of people who wanted to be that stranger, and when registries came in, we supported them. No fanfare, no formal launch. Just people taking care of other people in a real and tangible way.
Fortune Teller
We made you a fortune teller because we can pretend it’s middle school again but leave all the bad parts in the past.
Hey Olivia: Am I Allowed to Ask for Help Starting Over?
When you’re divorcing and staring at your bank app, it can feel like the floor is dropping out from under you. You’re not lazy, you’re not behind—you’re in survival mode, trying to keep everyone fed and the legal plates spinning.
Divorce 101: M Is for Mediation (and May)
May is a month of growth and possibility. It’s when things begin to open, stretch, and soften after a long winter. That makes it a fitting time to talk about one of the most effective—and often misunderstood—paths through divorce: mediation.
Jenny Says So: I’m not okay, but I’m also not up for sharing
Divorce makes you a subject. Suddenly everyone wanted the story — neighbors, relatives, the well-meaning acquaintance sliding into your DMs. And every time someone asks, it's like being pulled back into the worst chapter and forced to summarize it in 30 seconds.
You're not obligated to satisfy curiosity in order to be "nice." Polite doesn't mean porous. You don't owe a recap of your pain to earn your place in the room.