June 10, 2026

Starting Over After Divorce: How Single Parents Can Heal, Rebuild & Reclaim Stability | Pat Hankin

Show Notes

What happens when your marriage falls apart, life does not go as planned, and you suddenly find yourself trying to rebuild everything on your own?

In this powerful episode of Bent Not Broken, Coach Deborah sits down with Pat Hankin, author of The Field Guide for Single Parents, for an honest conversation about the emotional, financial, and practical realities of starting over after divorce.

For many single parents, divorce can leave you feeling lost, overwhelmed, emotionally exhausted, and unsure how to move forward. Between financial stress, parenting responsibilities, emotional healing, and rebuilding your identity, it can feel like survival mode never ends.

Drawing from her own lived experience and insights from a community of more than 470,000 single parents, Pat shares practical, no-nonsense strategies for helping parents heal, recover, and reclaim stability after divorce.

This episode explores:

The emotional reality of rebuilding life after divorce
Why so many single parents feel lost and overwhelmed while starting over
Financial recovery strategies after divorce and family transitions
Time management tips for emotionally exhausted parents
How to rebuild confidence, stability, and emotional resilience
Why asking for help is part of healing — not weakness
The importance of creating support systems after a marriage falls apart
How to move from survival mode into healing, recovery, and purpose

Pat also shares how emotional stress, burnout, and the pressure of doing everything alone can impact both parents and children — and why creating healthy systems and routines can help families regain peace and stability.

If you are navigating divorce, single parenthood, emotional burnout, or the challenge of starting over after life falls apart, this episode offers practical tools, encouragement, and hope for rebuilding your life with greater confidence, healing, and purpose.

Because even after divorce changes everything, you are still capable of rebuilding a life that feels stable, meaningful, and fully your own.

Standout Quotes

“Do less. That’s the number one rule.”
“There’s a value to your time—and your mental health.”
“You’re internalizing other people’s nonsense. Let it go.”
“If you can negotiate with a toddler, you can negotiate with anyone.”

Resources & Links

Book: The Field Guide for Single Parents: Tips to Gain Control of Your Life
Website: pat hankin.com

Final Thoughts

Single parenting isn’t about doing everything perfectly—it’s about doing what works.

Pat Hankin reminds us that resilience, creativity, and resourcefulness are already within you. With the right mindset and practical tools, you can move from overwhelm to empowerment—and build a life that truly works for you and your family.

Enjoyed this episode of Bent Not Broken: Life After Divorce with Deborah Griffiths?

Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so more people searching for life after divorce, divorce recovery, co-parenting, dating after divorce, and healing from gaslighting can discover this empowering podcast. Every review helps others find hope, inspiration, and practical tools for thriving after divorce.

Explore more resources: Visit BrokenToBoldness.com

for coaching, workshops, and guidance on divorce recovery and life transitions.

Follow Deborah Griffiths for daily empowerment and support:

Take the Living Bold Assessment

Remember: divorce may bend you, but it does not break you. You are stronger than you think, and your bold new chapter starts now.

Disclaimer: The commentary and opinions available on this podcast are for informational and entertainment purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal or psychological advice. You should contact an attorney, coach, or therapist in your state to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem.