Michelle Dempsey-Multack - Moms Moving On: Real-Life Advice on Conquering Divorce, Co-Parenting Through Conflict, and Becoming Your Best Self

Moms Moving On

Real-Life Advice on Conquering Divorce, Co-Parenting Through Conflict, and Becoming Your Best Self

Michelle Dempsey-Multack, MS, CDSTM

If youre going through a divorce and have young children, get your hands on this book! I know from personal and professional experience that its essential to have the right guide during the traumatic time of divorce. Michelle Dempsey-Multack provides an honest, funny, and deeply real look at the struggles and triumphs of going through a divorce. She covers all the sticky areas no one else wants to talk about, highlights helpful strategies to manage difficult situations, and tells you who to reach out to when you need help. Moms Moving On is a gift to all moms who are making the brave choice to move past their marriages.

Dr. Elizabeth Cohen, Divorce Doctor and author of Light on the Other Side of Divorce

This book is what every mother whos either contemplating divorce, presently going through divorce, or dealing with life after divorce needs to read in order to feel more empowered and secure as a parent and as a woman, particularly during a time that tends to challenge ones confidence and self-assurance. Michelles authenticity and relatability is trustworthy and will leave mothers feeling like theyre speaking to a best friend who just happens to be an expert in the field. This book can be an incredible resource to help mothers transition from surviving mode to thriving mode!

Evelyn Mendal, LMHC and early childhood expert

Michelle Dempsey-Multack has a gift for taking the deeply emotional and personal experience of divorce, both as a child of a high-conflict divorce and as a mother navigating the choppy waters of the process herself, and making it accessible to those who need support the most. In Moms Moving On, Michelles advice, sharing of relatable experiences, and tell-it-like-it-is words of wisdom provide a wealth of support and understanding at a time when many feel so alone. This is the book that will help you survive, thrive, and move on!

Susan Guthrie, leading family law attorney, mediator, and award-winning host of The Divorce & Beyond Podcast

Nobody supports co-parenting and divorced moms like Michelle Dempsey-Multack. Whether youre currently going through it or youve already been through it and just need a reminder that youre not alone, Michelle will lift you up and empower you to make the best choices for yourself and your children. We can do hard things, especially with someone like Michelle in our corner.

Samantha Angoletta, executive editor at Scary Mommy

SIMON ELEMENT

An Imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

1230 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10020

www.SimonandSchuster.com

Copyright 2022 by Michelle Dempsey, LLC

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, address Simon & Schuster Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.

First Simon Element hardcover edition March 2022

SIMON ELEMENT and colophon are trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Simon & Schuster Special Sales at 1-866-506-1949 or .

The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event. For more information or to book an event, contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau at 1-866-248-3049 or visit our website at www.simonspeakers.com.

Interior design by Davina Mock-Maniscalco

Jacket design by Patrick Sullivan

Cover and author photographs by Jeffery Salter

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Dempsey-Multack, Michelle, author.

Title: Moms moving on : real life advice for conquering divorce, co-parenting through conflict, and becoming your best self / by Michelle Dempsey-Multack MS, CDS.

Description: First Tiller Press hardcover edition. | New York : Tiller Press, 2022. | Includes bibliographical references.

Identifiers: LCCN 2021030955 (print) | LCCN 2021030956 (ebook) | ISBN 9781982184582 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781982184599 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Divorced mothers. | Divorced peopleFamily relationships.

Classification: LCC HQ814 .D39 2022 (print) | LCC HQ814 (ebook) | DDC 306.89/3dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021030955

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021030956

ISBN 978-1-9821-8458-2

ISBN 978-1-9821-8459-9 (ebook)

To Mom, Bella, Nanny, and Spencer.

The one who taught me to fly, the one who inspires me to fly, the one who encourages my flight, and the one who flies with me.

I love you to the moon.

P lease know that the words Ive put on these pages only became clear to me after years of falling on my face and learning things the hard way. I had to go through it all myself before I could share the lessons with you, in the hope that they might help you move on too. Please know that however dark it may seem in the midst of divorce, you are strong, deserving of all good things, and have all the courage and fortitude you need to make it through this part of your life. And if you dont yet know how to harness that courage and fortitude, or you need a little reminder of just how badass you can be, youve come to the right place. This is moving on, Mama, and Im here to help. Im a divorced mom, divorce coach, and Certified Divorce Specialist. I have a background in journalism and education, which fueled my desire to teach other women through my writing and speaking career. I separated from my daughters father when she was just two years old (not something I wished for but definitely something Ive learned and grown from) and have been co-parenting for almost five years now. Im also a child of divorce, who has made it her mission to do this divorce and co-parenting thing as well-informed and as positively as possible. My mission in life is to give women the kind of support, knowledge, and empowerment that they deserve during divorce, and Im grateful to have that opportunity every single day of my life.

One of my favorite tools, which I hope youll also try as you read this book, is journaling. I firmly believe that no one realizes how powerful it can be to write down their thoughts until theyve been through some shit. Not a single client I work with escapes my obsession with journaling. As Ernest Hemingway once said, There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.

Ill be giving journal prompts at the end of every chapter. Dont be intimidatedembrace it! Invest in a journal that feels good to hold, thats nice to look at. Hell, go for the one with the cheesy inspirational You go, girl! quote on the front. Do yourself a favor and give it a try.

A quick disclaimer: Of course, all divorcing couples face the same pain and problems. Some aspects of this book, because its so deeply informed by my own experience, are written from a heterosexual perspective, but I truly believe that the tools and tips therein will be useful to anyone in this situation. But Im always looking to learn more about the full range of divorce experiences, so if youre going through it and you dont see yourself represented in these pages, I want to know! DM me @themichelledempsey.