Your nEXt Chapter with Dr. Nicole | Healing From Divorce and Traumatic Transitions

The Aftermath of Infidelity

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2411613/fan_mail/new] “Sometimes the most healing moments come from simply being seen and met with care in your most vulnerable state.”  In this week’s solo episode, I share a personal story about infidelity, healing, and the compassion that met me during one of the hardest seasons of my life. After discovering my husband’s serial infidelity and filing for divorce, a vulnerable moment in a doctor’s office became a reminder of the power of empathy, care, and being truly seen. This episode reflects on how compassion can shape healing and how painful chapters can still lead to beauty. Song of the week: Put a Little Love in Your Heart by Al Green and Annie Lennox Topics Covered: 00:00:00 – Episode snippet 00:03:12 – Where the story of  infidelity begins 00:05:42 – Sitting with fear, shame, and unspoken truth  00:08:11 – STI testing and reclaiming control 00:10:29 – I am healthy! 00:12:12 – Why empathy in healthcare matters  00:14:23 – Power of being seen and cared for 00:17:21 – Empathy beyond healthcare  00:18:53 – Upcoming live podcast announcement  Key Takeaways: “There was a moment of relief knowing that regardless of the outcome, I had reclaimed control of my body and of my health.” “How you show up in the exam room matters. The extra time that you take matters. The smile that you give matters.” “You deserve care, you deserve compassion, you deserve empathy.” “A little bit of love and a little bit of empathy and a little bit of compassion can go a long way.” *Want to join our membership community, the R&R Collective™? Apply today and get on the waitlist for when the doors re-open.  bit.ly/yncapply [http://bit.ly/yncapply] Mentioned in the episode: Dr. Nicole’s healthcare company, Your GPS Doc, LLC [https://www.yourgpsdoc.com] Episode Sponsors:  * This episode is sponsored by Your Next Chapter LLC. Need a speaker? Book Dr. Nicole, TEDx and keynote speaker, to speak on life transitions, healing, and growth. Email hello@yournextchapter.co [hello@yournextchapter.co] with “Speaker Request” to get started. About Your Host Dr. Nicole is a pediatrician, the owner of a successful healthcare consulting company, a riveting keynote and TEDx speaker, and the mom of two beautiful young adult daughters. From the outside, she appeared to have it all. But in 2023 she faced the most difficult challenge of her life- ending a 28-year marriage and navigating heartbreak, deception, and loss. Dr. Nicole is committed to creating a safe space where other women who have experienced a “divine disruption” can heal, recover, and THRIVE! Connect with Dr. Nicole: Web: https://yournextchapter.co/ [https://yournextchapter.co/] IG: https://www.instagram.com/yournextchapter_co [https://www.instagram.com/yournextchapter_co] FB:https://www.facebook.com/yournextchapter.co [https://www.facebook.com/yournextchapter.co] Join our email community:  https://yournextchapter.myflodesk.com/community [https://yournextchapter.myflodesk.com/community] Your nEXt Chapter podcast explores the challenges and triumphs women face as they reclaim joy, reimagine the future, and redefine their identity after divorce and other unexpected life transitions. Join Dr. Nicole as she shares insights from her journey as a high-achieving professional woman navigating divorce while walking in her Christian faith. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2411613/support]

Dating in Midlife and Post-divorce: Expert Tips Revealed (w/ Bela Gandhi)

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2411613/fan_mail/new] In this week’s conversation, Dr. Nicole sits down with dating and relationship expert Bela Gandhi to unpack the realities of dating in midlife and after divorce. From unlearning fairy tale narratives to confronting the beliefs that keep women stuck, this discussion challenges the idea that love is something you wait for instead of something you intentionally choose. Together, they explore how mindset shapes relationship outcomes, why familiar patterns often lead to unhealthy choices, and what it really takes to break cycles and choose differently. This conversation offers clarity on redefining standards, identifying what a good partner truly looks like, and stepping into dating with confidence, self-awareness, and certainty. Song of the week: Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here by Deborah Cox Topics Covered: 00:00:00 – Episode snippet 00:01:50 – Introducing our guest, Bela Gandhi 00:11:04 – Episode Sponsor Break 00:12:32 – Reprogramming your mind  00:16:26 – “Why did I stay?” 00:19:29 – Letting go of the “one soulmate” belief 00:21:46 – You are already complete 00:37:47 – Choosing to rescue yourself 00:45:06 – Familiarity vs. true compatibility 00:48:12 – Yes 00:48:50 – Connect with Bela Gandhi Key Takeaways: “Nobody is coming to rescue you, you are the one who gets to rescue yourself.” “Our brains ignore red flags when we need clarity the most, which is why we can end up choosing the wrong partners.” *Want to join our membership community, the R&R Collective™? Apply today and get on the waitlist for when the doors re-open.  bit.ly/yncapply [http://bit.ly/yncapply] Episode Sponsors:  * This episode is sponsored by Your Next Chapter LLC. Need a speaker? Book Dr. Nicole, TEDx and keynote speaker, to speak on life transitions, healing, and growth. Email hello@yournextchapter.co [hello@yournextchapter.co] with “Speaker Request” to get started. About Our Guest Bela Gandhi is a dating and relationship expert, entrepreneur, and founder of Smart Dating Academy. She is the creator of the GPQ™ (Good Partner Qualities) process, a proven system designed to help individuals build healthier relationships and find lasting love. Known as the “Fairy Godmother of Love,” Bella combines data, mindset, and practical strategy to guide people toward meaningful connection, with zero divorces among her married clients. Connect with Bela: Web: https://smartdatingacademy.com/ [https://smartdatingacademy.com/]  IG: https://www.instagram.com/smartdatingacademy/ [https://www.instagram.com/smartdatingacademy/] About Your Host Dr. Nicole is a pediatrician, the owner of a successful healthcare consulting company, a riveting keynote and TEDx speaker, and the mom of two beautiful young adult daughters. From the outside, she appeared to have it all. But in 2023 she faced the most difficult challenge of her life- ending a 28-year marriage and navigating heartbreak, deception, and loss. Dr. Nicole is committed to creating a safe space where other women who have experienced a “divine disruption” can heal, recover, and THRIVE! Connect with Dr. Nicole: Web: https://yournextchapter.co/ [https://yournextchapter.co/] IG: https://www.instagram.com/yournextchapter_co [https://www.instagram.com/yournextchapter_co] FB:https://www.facebook.com/yournextchapter.co [https://www.facebook.com/yournextchapter.co] Join our email community:  https://yournextchapter.myflodesk.com/community [https://yournextchapter.myflodesk.com/community] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2411613/support]

Co-Parenting with Grace (w/ Dr. Maiysha)

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2411613/fan_mail/new] In this week’s conversation, Dr. Nicole sits down with physician, coach, and communication expert Dr. Maiysha Clairborne to unpack the emotional and practical realities of co-parenting after divorce and separation. Dr. Maiysha shares her journey of becoming a single mother and how acceptance became a key turning point after separation. Together, they explore moving through disappointment, redefining expectations, and choosing cooperation over conflict for the sake of a child’s well-being. This conversation offers guidance for communicating with intention, releasing control, and showing up with clarity in co-parenting. Song of the week: If I Could by Regina Belle Topics Covered: 00:00:00 – Episode snippet 00:02:27 – Introducing our guest, Dr. Maiysha Clairborne 00:03:39 – Honoring motherhood and co-parenting journey 00:05:55 – Navigating grief after relationship endings  00:09:06 – Episode Sponsor Break  00:17:21 – Setting co-parenting agreements  00:19:51 – Not passing hurt onto children  00:22:05 – Co-parenting without legal conflict  00:26:11 – Healing, therapy, and communication tools  00:27:35 – Protecting children from parental conflict  00:34:20 – Children adapting across two homes  00:40:27 – Importance of community support  00:41:38 – Agreement 00:42:30 – Connect with Dr. Maiysha  Key Takeaways: “I can’t be the best mom that I can be if I’m in a relationship that is causing me pain and suffering.” “Hurt people hurt people, but they don't have to.” *Want to join our membership community, the R&R Collective™? Apply today and get on the waitlist for when the doors re-open.  bit.ly/yncapply [http://bit.ly/yncapply] Episode Sponsors:  * This episode is sponsored by Your Next Chapter LLC. Need a speaker? Book Dr. Nicole, TEDx and keynote speaker, to speak on life transitions, healing, and growth. Email hello@yournextchapter.co [hello@yournextchapter.co] with “Speaker Request” to get started. About Our Guest Dr. Maiysha Clairborne is a Family Medicine Physician, consultant, TEDx speaker, author, and founder of The Mind Re-Mapping Company. She specializes in helping organizations create inclusive, psychologically safe workplaces through trauma-informed training and leadership development.  Connect with Dr. Maiysha: Web: https://mindremappingacademy.com/  [https://mindremappingacademy.com/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/DrMaiysha/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/DrMaiysha/] About Your Host Dr. Nicole is a pediatrician, the owner of a successful healthcare consulting company, a riveting keynote and TEDx speaker, and the mom of two beautiful young adult daughters. From the outside, she appeared to have it all. But in 2023 she faced the most difficult challenge of her life- ending a 28-year marriage and navigating heartbreak, deception, and loss. Dr. Nicole is committed to creating a safe space where other women who have experienced a “divine disruption” can heal, recover, and THRIVE! Connect with Dr. Nicole: Web: https://yournextchapter.co/ [https://yournextchapter.co/] IG: https://www.instagram.com/yournextchapter_co [https://www.instagram.com/yournextchapter_co] FB:https://www.facebook.com/yournextchapter.co [https://www.facebook.com/yournextchapter.co] Join our email community:  https://yournextchapter.myflodesk.com/community [https://yournextchapter.myflodesk.com/community] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2411613/support]

No Fault Divorce (w/ Sudria Twyman)

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2411613/fan_mail/new] “A long marriage is not the same as a healthy marriage.” In this week’s conversation, Dr. Nicole sits down with attorney, policy consultant, and advocate Sudria Twyman to unpack the deeper truth behind no-fault divorce and the freedom it represents. Sudria offers both historical and legal context, revealing how marriage has not always been rooted in love, but in contracts, control, and preservation of status. Song of the week: Blame It on Me by Chrisette Michele Topics Covered: 00:00:00 – Episode snippet 00:02:54 – Introducing our guest, Sudria Twyman 00:05:10 – What is no-fault divorce 00:06:55 – The history of marriage as contract and property 00:15:02 – Why no-fault divorce is being challenged 00:19:05 – Debunking the “easy divorce” narrative 00:21:38 – Rethinking the “ideal” family  00:23:14 – Divorce rates and misunderstood statistics 00:24:56 – Financial realities of divorce 00:28:23 – Married but not truly in relationship 00:35:00 – Caution when using AI in legal matters 00:37:47 – Vigilance 00:38:52 – Connect with Sudria Twyman  Key Takeaways: “Just because people were married doesn’t mean they were in a relationship.” “No fault divorce allows someone to end a contractual legal relationship that no longer serves them.” *Want to join our membership community, the R&R Collective™? Apply today and get on the waitlist for when the doors re-open.  bit.ly/yncapply [http://bit.ly/yncapply] Episode Sponsors:  * This episode is sponsored by Your Next Chapter LLC. Book Dr. Nicole, TEDx and keynote speaker, to speak on life transitions, healing, and growth. Email hello@yournextchapter.co [hello@yournextchapter.co] with “Speaker Request” to get started. * If this podcast has impacted you, you can support its continued creation with a gift from the heart. Visit buymeacoffee.com/doctornicolepod [http://buymeacoffee.com/doctornicolepod]. About Our Guest Sudria Twyman is a policy consultant, reproductive justice advocate, and co-host of the Political Pour Up Podcast. She is a former Reproductive Rights and Health Counsel at the National Women’s Law Center, where she focused on advancing gender justice and shaping policy around reproductive rights, fetal personhood, and the intersection of law, religion, and healthcare. Connect with Sudria Twyman: IG: https://www.instagram.com/politicalpourup [https://www.instagram.com/politicalpourup] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sudriatwyman/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sudriatwyman/] About Your Host Dr. Nicole is a pediatrician, the owner of a successful healthcare consulting company, a riveting keynote and TEDx speaker, and the mom of two beautiful young adult daughters. From the outside, she appeared to have it all. But in 2023 she faced the most difficult challenge of her life- ending a 28-year marriage and navigating heartbreak, deception, and loss. Dr. Nicole is committed to creating a safe space where other women who have experienced a “divine disruption” can heal, recover, and THRIVE! Connect with Dr. Nicole: Web: https://yournextchapter.co/ [https://yournextchapter.co/] IG: https://www.instagram.com/yournextchapter_co [https://www.instagram.com/yournextchapter_co] FB:https://www.facebook.com/yournextchapter.co [https://www.facebook.com/yournextchapter.co] Join our email community:  https://yournextchapter.myflodesk.com/community [https://yournextchapter.myflodesk.com/community] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2411613/support]

You Already Know: The Season Before Divorce

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2411613/fan_mail/new] “Sometimes the loudest truth in your life doesn’t shout. It whispers until you’re finally ready to listen.” In this week’s episode, Dr. Nicole shares a powerful solo reflection on the stages of knowing, the quiet internal journey that happens long before any life-changing decision is made. She opens up about her personal story, revealing how intuition, surrender, and subtle shifts in behavior led her to the truth she could no longer ignore. She walks through the four stages of knowing, The Whisper, The Release, The Drift, and The Silence, showing how clarity unfolds over time and why many stay stuck even when they already know what needs to change. This episode speaks to anyone holding onto something that no longer aligns, struggling between what is and what they know deep down. If there’s a quiet voice you’ve been trying to silence, this is your reminder to trust it. The peace you’re looking for may be on the other side of letting go. Song of the week: How Will I Know by Whitney Houston Topics Covered: 00:00:00 – Episode snippet 00:02:20 – The cost of choosing and why it’s worth it 00:05:27 – Stage 1: Spiritual Knowing (The Whisper) 00:08:09 – Decisions are made long before action 00:10:35 – Episode Sponsor Break 00:13:10 – When you first knew 00:14:10 – Stage 2: Surrender Knowing (The Release) 00:19:58 – Getting honest with yourself 00:24:50 – Stage 3: Behavioral Knowing (The Drift) 00:27:00 – Choosing self 00:33:10 – Choosing truth over pretending 00:39:42 – Stage 4: The Quiet Departure (The Silence) 00:46:40 – From knowing to doing 00:48:00 – False hope keeps you stuck 00:50:52 – Stop rescheduling joy 00:52:30 – Trust yourself Key Takeaways: “Pay attention to what you stop pretending, that is the beginning of your mind catching up.” “The sunk costs are not worth the cost of my joy.” “When we stay in the knowing and we don't move to the doing, we are rescheduling joy.” It’s Dr. Nicole’s birthday month and she’d love it if you bought her a “cup of coffee” to support the podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/drnicolepod [https://buymeacoffee.com/drnicolepod] *Want to join our membership community, the R&R Collective™? Apply today and get on the waitlist for when the doors re-open.  bit.ly/yncapply [http://bit.ly/yncapply] Episode Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Your Next Chapter LLC. Book Dr. Nicole, TEDx and keynote speaker, to speak on life transitions, healing, and growth. Email hello@yournextchapter.co [hello@yournextchapter.co] with “Speaker Request” to get started. About Your Host Dr. Nicole is a pediatrician, the owner of a successful healthcare consulting company, a riveting keynote and TEDx speaker, and the mom of two beautiful young adult daughters. From the outside, she appeared to have it all. But in 2023 she faced the most difficult challenge of her life- ending a 28-year marriage and navigating heartbreak, deception, and loss. Dr. Nicole is committed to creating a safe space where other women who have experienced a “divine disruption” can heal, recover, and THRIVE! Connect with Dr. Nicole: Web: https://yournextchapter.co/ [https://yournextchapter.co/] IG: https://www.instagram.com/yournextchapter_co [https://www.instagram.com/yournextchapter_co] FB:https://www.facebook.com/yournextchapter.co [https://www.facebook.com/yournextchapter.co] Join our email community:  https://yournextchapter.myflodesk.com/community [https://yournextchapter.myflodesk.com/community] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2411613/support]