
In brief: The history of the family court - and why it matters
Children were once seen as their father's property. So how did we get from there to a family court system that tries – however imperfectly – to put their welfare first?
If you’ve ever found yourself saying yes when you want to say no or always putting everyone else first, this episode will help you understand why – and what it’s costing you.
If you’ve ever found yourself saying yes when you want to say no or always putting everyone else first, this episode will help you understand why – and what it’s costing you. People-pleasing can feel like kindness, but during separation it often leads to burnout, resentment and decisions that don’t truly work for you.
Kate is joined by author and psychotherapist Emma Reed Turrell, who opens up about her own divorce for the first time and shares practical insights on how people-pleasing shows up in relationships and separation – and how to prevent it from affecting your wellbeing or practical outcomes.
In this episode, you will learn:
This episode is for anyone going through divorce who struggles to prioritise their own needs and feels responsible for keeping everyone else okay.
Meet Emma Reed Turrell
Emma Reed Turrell is an author, psychotherapist and clinical supervisor. After ten years working in business, she returned to her earlier passion for psychology and retrained as a psychotherapist. Emma is qualified in a range of therapeutic approaches, including CBT, EMDR, NLP and Hypnotherapy.
Following the success of her debut book, Please Yourself: How to Stop People-Pleasing and Transform the Way You Live, Emma has written a second book, What Am I Missing? Discover the Four Blind Spots That are Holding You Back and How to Overcome Them. She co-hosted the popular podcast Best Friend Therapy with Elizabeth Day and hosts her own podcast, Dial Emma.
Get in touch with Emma
You can find out more about Emma on her website, learn more about people-pleasing in her book Please Yourself: How to Stop People-Pleasing and Transform the Way You Live or follow her on Instagram. Catch Emma and Kate talk openly and honestly about divorce on an episode on Dial Emma.
More divorce resources
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Kate’s book amicable divorce is out in March and includes practical advice for navigating separation with kindness. Order on Amazon today.
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Children were once seen as their father's property. So how did we get from there to a family court system that tries – however imperfectly – to put their welfare first?

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Family court is the part of divorce most people hope to avoid – and for good reason. But if it becomes part of your journey, knowing what to expect can change everything.