Life, love and the law is the podcast brought to you by Stowe Family Law. After almost 70 episodes of Stowe talks, our podcast helping you through relationship breakdown, Life, love and the law is a new direction.
This podcast series will bring you heartfelt and insightful conversations with experts in and around the family law field, including divorce coaches, domestic abuse consultants, financial advisers, mortgage brokers and much more.
Our host, Liza Gatrell, family lawyer at Stowe Family Law will welcome guests to open up the conversation around all things relationship breakdown. She'll be inviting our guests to share real stories that will help you feel less alone as you navigate some of life's toughest times.
Getting the right advice is essential to minimising the stress and strain of divorce and family breakdown, so we'll still give the same great legal guidance and practical information on family processes that you expect from us.
Life, love and the law, the podcast will help you move through each stage of your journey knowing you've got someone in your corner, whatever your circumstances.
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Starting out on your divorce journey can be really overwhelming. It’s hard to know how or where to begin with the practical and legal aspects, let alone trying to navigate this through the huge range of emotions you’re feeling.
In this episode of Life, love and the law, a divorce day special, host and expert family lawyer Liza Gatrell is once again joined by firm favourites Tom Nash, aka Mr Divorce Coach, and Jodie Phelps, leading financial planner. They provide professional insight into taking the first few steps, answering the FAQs they get from clients on an almost daily basis.
00:25 Introductions from Jodie Phelps, financial adviser and Tom Nash, Mr Divorce Coach
01:18 How do you know when it’s time for a divorce?
03:01 I want to give my marriage another shot - what happens now?
05:00 Financial concerns at the beginning of divorce - am I going to be ok?
06:17 Understanding the basics of the matrimonial pot
09:27 The importance of the family home
15:19 Temporary finances and budgeting - understanding current habits and future prospects
20:19 Legal avenues if your ex won’t provide financial support during proceedings
21:23 Getting your team around you
22:46 What could you be doing if you feel that your relationship is on the rocks?
24:35 Is it always 50/50 in a divorce?
26:52 How can friends and family support you during divorce
29:35 What is a no-split divorce? Does living together apart work?
33:22 Approaching divorce in bitesized chunks and the circle of control
35:48 Expert insight into the very start of divorce process - messaging your ex, processing and ignoring hearsay
41:41 The role of the social media and TV in influencing our thoughts around divorce
44:36 AI and divorce vs speaking to a real person
45:25 The most common mistakes in divorce and how to overcome them
Useful resources for getting started in your divorce journey...
Christmas is one of the most important times of the year for many families. When you're dealing with divorce and separation, though, the pressure can easily mount up and there can be a tidal wave of emotion. Dealing with child arrangements over Christmas, making a new financial situation work around a festive budget and navigating loneliness are just some of the things divorcing or separating people take on.
In this Christmas Special of Life, love and the Law, host and family lawyer Liza Gatrell welcomes back familiar faces from Stowe talks, Jodie Phelps, financial adviser, and Tom Nash, divorce coach to the podcast. Together, they discuss planning Christmas well before December, working through the tough times and the importance of presence over presents.
00:03 Family lawyer Liza Gatrell introduces Stowe Family Law’s new podcast Life, love and the law
00:40 Jodie Phelps and Tom Phelps introduce themselves
01:35 Why is Christmas such an important topic for divorcing couples?
04:43 Blended families at Christmas - experiencing contention and working through it
07:21 Financial challenges coming up to Christmas
08:30 Are gifts truly the most important thing for children?
09:03 Getting the children’s input on what’s important to them at Christmas
10:00 How do child arrangements work after divorce or separation?
11:10 Putting children in the centre not the middle of divorce and separation
13:23 Making new traditions around special occasions and reframing
17:57 Having the conversations about Christmas earlier in the year
19:40 Is it fair that the primary caregiver should have to split Christmas equally?
21:00 Making room for compromise
23.17 Understanding and navigating loneliness at Christmas
Episode 60: Walkaway Wife: women and divorce
Season 7 · Episode 60
Friday, July 25, 2025 • Duration 40:23
Walkaway wife syndrome has become an ever-more prominent phrase in the last few years, used to describe a woman who, after years of emotional neglect in her marriage, chooses to end the relationship. In this episode, Matt and Liza are joined by Liz Harrington, co-founder of Family Flow the Divorce Collective, alongside Susie Giles. Liz is an expert trauma therapist and coach.
This podcast explores what causes walkaway wife syndrome, 'symptoms of a walkaway wife' both in women and men, and why people choose to leave a relationship that's not necessarily problematic to outside eyes.
02:31 Unpacking the phrase ‘walkaway wife’ and a silent divorce
05:24 The impact of gender roles and history
07:30 The importance of emotional intelligence in relationships
09:48 Women initiating divorce proceedings
11:40 Financial concerns for women in divorce
14:35 What to do if you’re having doubts in your relationship
17:56 How to help yourself - ‘what is good enough?’
22:22 Working together
23:40 Social factors influencing relationships and gender roles
26:29 What to do if you’re the one being walked-away-from
29:17 The importance of communication and self-reflection
34.10 The legal implications
37:37 Top tips anyone in a walkaway wife situation
Liz and Susie have very kindly set up a unique code for listeners to give you 20% off any service you purchase through their website. The code Stowe20 will give you 20% off.
Family Flow The Divorce Collective is also offering you a free gift called 10 Steps to Successful Negotiations. This is a really useful support tool to help with the practical and emotional aspects of divorce negotiation.
Episode 59: Avoiding the top divorce mistakes
Season 7 · Episode 59
Friday, July 18, 2025 • Duration 39:05
Most people are new to divorce. It’s not something many of us have done before, and the whole thing can feel utterly overwhelming. The emotional and practical difficulties can lead to jumping in before we’re ready, making mistakes because we’re not thinking straight, and trying to get it all over with as quickly as possible. Whilst nobody wants to drag divorce out, one of the biggest mistakes Chloe Oudiz, a divorce and separation coach, sees, is rushing into decisions without getting the right advice or thinking things through.
Matt and Liza welcome back Chloe for this episode on the top divorce mistakes and how to avoid them. A must-listen for those at the start of the process, or those working out their next steps.
01:45 The dangers of rushing into things
03:35 The first step in divorce
04:40 How do you know you’re ready to get divorced?
05:56 Misconceptions around divorce and finance
09:00 Detaching emotions from practicalities
16:42 Emotional resilience and wellbeing through divorce
19:46 Mistakes made in the legal process
25:45 The importance of being detailed and precise
29:35 Considering prenuptial agreements for second marriages
32.20 Financial disclosure and DIY divorce
34:19 Making a cost-value analysis
37:37 Top tips for avoiding common mistakes in divorce
Divorcing when you have children comes with complications - where will they live, how much time does each parent get, how do you have the least amount of impact on their normal everyday lives. But if you have a special educational needs child, these complexities can seem almost insurmountable.
In this special episode, Stowe talks teamed up with Smart divorce for a collaborative podcast. Matt Taylor and leading financial planner Tamsin Caine welcomed Rhiannon Gogh, an award winning chartered financial adviser and founder of PlanIt Future, a financial service for the parents and carers of SEND children.
The team discussed financially planning in divorce when you have an SEND child, where the main challenges are and where to find help.
You can buy Rhiannon's book 'Planning with Love' on Amazon (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Planning-Love-Parents-Children-Special/dp/1068592575) or Waterstones (https://www.waterstones.com/book/planning-with-love/rhiannon-gogh/9781068592577)
03:02 Special Educational Needs and Disability statistics
04:20 Challenges faced by families with SEND children
07:25 Tackling the long-term financial challenges of SEND children
09:56 What to consider when looking at your financial future
12:50 Extra complexities of divorce with SEND children
14:48 Legal aspects of parenting after divorce and impact on SEND children
17:30 Financial challenges on divorce
20:13 Legal and financial planning around for the family home in divorce
22:58 Available financial support
25:48 The law’s approach to dividing assets on divorce where SEND children are involved
27:45 Planning for short, medium and long term needs after divorce
31:47 What professionals can help and how
Episode 57: Ask a family lawyer - LIVE
Season 7 · Episode 57
Friday, July 4, 2025 • Duration 50:40
Stowe talks goes live! Our first ever live podcast opened up Matt and Liza to audience questions for the first time. Family law covers a huge range of issues surrounding the breakdown, and building up, of families. Everything from divorce and separation, to surrogacy and IVF laws.
In this episode, Matt and Liza answered a variety of questions, everything from how long does divorce take, to what to do with an uncommunicative ex-spouse, to financial arrangements and pensions to child matters to international divorce.
02:00 How long does it take to get divorced?
03:35 What to do about an ex making the process difficult
05:28 Cost of divorce
06:09 Timelines of a financial settlement
08:29 Should I leave the family home?
08:40 Buying a new property mid-financial negotiations
11:04 Can you prejudice your financial position?
12:35 Impact of financial contributions during the marriage
15:19 Family home and divorce
18:59 Living with a difficult ex
20:27 Matrimonial vs non matrimonial assets
24:32 Pensions in divorce
31:42 Maintenance during and after proceedings
36:25 What happens if someone is not compliant with court orders?
40:00 Can you reopen a financial order?
41:24 The remarriage trap
42:50 Overseas assets
43:18 Step children and divorce
43:50 Claims against property owned by a third party
45:08 Is expected inheritance part of the matrimonial pot?
Episode 56: Single parenting, successfully
Season 7 · Episode 56
Tuesday, June 24, 2025 • Duration 36:25
Parenting is no picnic, and when you’re doing it solo the challenges can be even greater. Whether it’s because of a divorce or separation, co-parenting or parallel parenting, loss of a partner, or you’re doing it by yourself by choice, single parenting can be overwhelming as much as it is joyful.
In this episode, Matt & Liza are joined again by Sue Atkins, certified Parenting Coach, to discuss all things solo parenting, navigating difficult ages, tricky exes and ultimately how to put on your own oxygen mask first.
For any single/solo parents, this episode is a must-listen for tips and tricks, some gentle reminders and of course some of the legal bits around child arrangements.
00:52 Statistics on single parenting in the UK
02:17 Defining single parenting
03:27 Main challenges and positives of single parenting
06:06 Navigating the strains of single and co-parenting
09:18 Support networks
11:16 Addressing role models and influences
15:28 Communicating with children as a single parent
19:11 Time management and support
21:25 The joys of single parenting
24:00 Legal support and frameworks for single parents
26:49 Co-parenting and parallel parenting
28:16 Parenting when you live far away from your ex
More and more unmarried couples and friends are buying houses together, but the move comes with potentially serious financial risks.
In this episode, Matt & Liza explain the importance of how a property is legally owned, the risks unmarried couples face and the legal options available to protect yourself financially if the love bubble bursts.
From Joint Tenants to a Declaration of Trust, this podcast is a must-listen for anyone looking to buy a house with a partner, friend, or family member.
00:38 Statistics on unmarried couples in the UK
01:15 The total myth of the common law marriage
01:20 The rights (or lack of) for unmarried couples
03:55 The importance of how the property is legally owned
06:30 The different problems unmarried couples can face
13:19 The legal options available to protect yourself financially
13:54 The role of A Declaration of Trust
14:38 The role of A Cohabition Agreement
19:08 Matt & Liza’s top tips for unmarried couples buying a house.
Episode 54: How to prepare for a family court hearing
Season 6 · Episode 54
Monday, March 3, 2025 • Duration 27:05
Going to the family court can be overwhelming, and cause high levels of stress, fear and confusion. Learning how to prepare and understand what will happen can help reduce anxiety and build resilience to navigate the day and deal with unexpected issues along the way.
Leading divorce consultant Rhiannon Ford joined hosts Matt & Liza for this episode to share her tips and advice on how to prepare emotionally and practically for a family court hearing.
00:38 Introductions to Rhiannon
01:24 What do people fear about the family court?
02:58 The different types of family court hearings
03:15 How to prepare for the first hearing
09:20 How to prepare for the second hearing
15:43 How to prepare for the final hearing
24:12 Rhiannon’s three top tips to prepare for a family court hearing
If you need support with the issues raised in this podcast, or would like to speak to a family lawyer, contact Stowe at: to get the latest from our lawyers, divorce coaches and relationship experts sent monthly to your inbox. Everything you need, in one
Episode 53: What happens to debt in divorce?
Season 6 · Episode 53
Wednesday, February 19, 2025 • Duration 23:18
Debts can add a layer of extra stress and complication to couples trying to navigate a divorce. What happens if one person builds up debt during the marriage? Who is responsible for the debt? What about loans from the bank of Mum & Dad?
In this episode, Matt & Liza explore the role of debt in divorce, the different types of debt and how they are viewed, who has responsibility for debits, the approach of the family courts and the link between debts and economic abuse.
00:00 Debt is often a part of divorce
01:09 Can you get divorced when you are in debt?
02:39 What are the different types of debt?
02:52 What are hard and soft loans?
06:40 What happens to any individual and shared debt?
08:48 How do you share any debt in a divorce?
11:12 What happens if one person builds up debt during the marriage?
14:47 How does the family court approach debt in divorce?
15:16 What is the gasp factor?
16:17 The changing understanding of domestic and economic abuse
18:58 What are structured debt arrangements, and how do they impact any settlement?
20:39 Matt & Liza’s top tips for dealing with debt in divorce
33:03 Top tips for approaching your first Christmas after separation
Useful resources to further support you through divorce and separation at Christmas
Co-parenting at Christmas: tips for a peaceful holiday season https://www.stowefamilylaw.co.uk/stowe-support/co-parenting-at-christmas-tips-for-a-peaceful-holiday-season/
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