The Unicorn Divorce: How Ending Their Marriage Brought Them Together with the Authors of "Our Happy Divorce", Nikki DeBartolo and Benjamin Heldfond on The Divorce & Beyond Podcast PART ONE #118

On this week's episode, which is Part One of a Special Two-Part Episode, Susan Guthrie, nationally recognized family law attorney and mediator, speaks with Nikki DeBartolo and Benjamin Heldfond, the authors of "Our Happy Divorce: How Ending Our Marriage Brought Us Together" which shares their journey through marriage, divorce and finding a different kind of love. "Our Happy Divorce", I love this book, I truly do, and not just because it has a happy ending.  I love it because it tells a truthful tale of one couples' journey through the pain of divorce, which started out as many do, with anger, hurt and a "shark attorney", but but then reveals how they pulled back and found a different path that allowed for forgiveness, hope and a new kind of love.  Nikki DeBartolo and Benjamin Heldfond share the details of how they created a new life, a new definition of family and came to love each other again, just in a different way.  Make no mistake, this was not an easy path, but they share the actual steps that helped them to get there.  This is so important, that it just had to be a special two-part episode so that we could cover it all.  Find out why I say that this book should be required reading for all couples contemplating divorce and LISTEN TODAY! Highlights from this episode: Find out what role the "shark attorney" played in the Happy Divorce. How did Ben and Nikki clean up their side of the street so that they could move forward? What impact did Ben and Nikki's very different childhoods have on their Happy Divorce? Why does Ben say that "nothing good comes from living in the past? What was the one overriding principal that Nikki and Ben measured every decision by and still do? Ben and Nikki found a way to avoid the worst of divorce and successfully restructure their family.  Listen to this episode to find out how you can do the same! More about Nikki and Ben: From weeknight dinners and homework sessions with their son to Christmas card photos and vacations, Nikki DeBartolo and Benjamin Heldfond have created a tight-knit, enviable family. They work and play well together, from the smallest daily tasks to the biggest life events—and it only took a divorce to get them there. Though their marriage has been over for nearly a decade, they still share a happy life with each other and their son Asher, along with their new amazing spouses and children. Nikki knows how being supported by a strong, loving family can influence the way a person navigates life, love, marriage, and motherhood. Having grown up as a member of the iconic San Francisco 49ers football family, she was thrown into the limelight at a young age. The values her family instilled in her have helped shape who she is today, and she continues to live by them. Ben intimately understands the detriment divorce can cause in the lives of children. The example of his parents’ divorce instilled in him a deep commitment to do better by his own kids. Ben is an investor, board member, philanthropist, golfer, and sports enthusiast. But above all, he is a dedicated father and family man who understands the importance of putting his ego aside and his children first. You can find out more about Our Happy Divorce, Ben and Nikki at www.ourhappydivorce.com Follow Our Happy Divorce on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Buy the Book on Amazon or on the website www.ourhappydivorce.com. Read the Our Happy Divorce Guest Blog on Gabrielle Hartley's Better Apart website. ********************************************************************   SUSAN GUTHRIE, ESQ., the creator and host of The Divorce and Beyond Podcast, is nationally recognized as one of the top family law and divorce mediation attorneys in the country.  She is one of the Co-Chair's of the American Bar Association's DR Section Mediation Committee and is the Founder of Divorce in a Better Way which provides a curated selection of resources and information for those facing divorce and other life changes.  Susan also provides le