25: Brave Together Podcast - Jessica Patay, Susanna Peace Lovell and Dr. Zoe Shaw - Episode 2525: Brave Together Podcast - Jessica Patay, Susanna Peace Lovell and Dr. Zoe Shaw - Episode 25
UK Health Radio Podcast
Three mothers talk candidly about divorcing while raising a disabled child, sharing legal tips, emotional challenges and ways to cope with resentment and loneliness. Their stories focus on acceptance, changing personal narratives and finding small moments of thriving amid ongoing caregiving demands.
43:03•15 Jul 2026
Brave Mums, Divorce and Disability: Honest Talk on Co‑Parenting and Caregiving
Episode Overview
- Find a solicitor familiar with special needs to address long-term care in divorce agreements.
- Accepting "what is" and letting go of a hoped-for past can ease bitterness and support healing.
- Children need both parents; focusing on their emotional safety matters more than winning conflicts.
- Resentment and shame can damage physical and mental health, so building a support toolbox is vital.
- Shaping your own story about divorce, rather than staying in a martyr role, can help you and your child thrive.
“"Forgiveness is giving up all hope of a better past."”
What are the common struggles and victories in addiction recovery when life also involves disability and divorce? This conversation on UK Health Radio's Brave Together Podcast brings together three "brave mamas" – host Jessica Patay, with co-hosts Susanna Peace Lovell and Dr. Zoe Shaw – answering a raw listener question about divorcing while raising a disabled child.
You’ll hear Susanna describe being officially divorced for around ten years and how she moved from shame and the "damsel in distress" mindset to owning a new narrative: "It didn't work out… we are moving forward." She talks about lonely 3am moments, the reality of being the primary carer, and the strange relief of no longer having to care for a partner who wasn’t fully showing up. Dr.
Zoe shares a more recent experience, separating after a 29-year marriage and becoming what she calls a true single mum. She offers practical legal tips, urging parents to find an attorney who understands special needs, because "there's never a stipulation for long-term care in your general divorce contracts." She also highlights the emotional side – the grief, the identity shift, and the sting of being told "you wanted this" after asking for divorce.
Together they talk about co-parenting, resentment, and the physical toll of bitterness. Dr. Zoe quotes Gerald Jampolsky’s line on forgiveness as "giving up all hope of a better past," while Susanna leans on venting, girlfriends, journals and tennis balls as her toolbox for staying sane. Throughout, Jessica keeps anchoring the chat in validation, asking the questions many parents are too tired or scared to voice.
If you’re juggling sobriety or recovery while parenting a child with unique needs and facing separation or divorce, this episode might make you feel less alone and more understood. Could hearing their stories help you soften your own self-talk and reshape your story?
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