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Published on:

18th Apr 2023

The Mediation Advantage When you Decide to Divorce

I am joined by Meghan Freed, Managing Co-Partner of Freed Marcroft, a law firm in CT. Meghan shares her experience with the different types of legal support available to couples seeking divorce. She discusses the many benefits of mediation and the opportunities that come along with pursuing a partnership through a divorce. Meghan gives some wonderful mindset shifts during this episode, so tune in or share the episode with someone who could benefit from viewing divorce in a more empowering way. 

In this episode:

[1:50] What brought Meghan to family law? [7:05] Meghan describes her law firm and the services she provides in CT? [10:57] What are the benefits of mediation? [14:04] Different definitions of divorce - it’s not always bad. [19:45] What is it like to be in divorce practice with her spouse?

Key Takeaways: 

Benefits of mediation: privacy, flexibility around unpredictable schedules, beneficial for children if both parents can agree, powerful to look back on the divorce in the future and see positives, can be cost-effective, you can be creative in designing things how you want them. Mediation is about acknowledging the situation around us. We control how we handle the circumstance, which is where you take back the power of the situation. Focus on how you can respond but not react to circumstances.

Quotes: 

“A mediation takes both people agreeing to opt into it. Even though we often have clients who are interested in it themselves, if their spouse doesn't come around to it, we just give them the best litigative support we can.” - Meghan Freed 

“The life change can be incredibly transformative. It is an opportunity for both the leaning-in spouse, the person who wants to stay in the relationship, and the leaning-out space. It's not just transformative for the person who wants to leave the marriage; it can be really transformative for the person who doesn’t want it.” - Meghan Freed

Bio:

Meghan is Managing Co-Partner of Freed Marcroft, a Connecticut law firm that devotes its practice exclusively to divorce and family law.

Meghan is experienced with alternative dispute resolution, including arbitration and mediation; she is a graduate of Harvard Law School’s Program on Negotiation and has supplemented her formal legal education with advanced training in mediation. She is a member of the Connecticut Council for Non-Adversarial Divorce.

Meghan is particularly proud of her practice within the LGBT community. Her name appears in the Connecticut Supreme Court’s groundbreaking decision on marriage equality, Kerrigan v. Commissioner of Public Health, for which she co-authored an amicus curiae brief on behalf of the Human Rights Campaign. She has appeared on WNPR’s Colin McEnroe Show speaking about the state of divorce – same sex or otherwise, WNPR’s Where We Live, discussing the impact of the United States Supreme Court’s decisions in the same sex marriage cases, United States v. Windsor and Hollingsworth v. Perry, and on Lite 100.5 FM WRCH discussing the impact of divorce on clients’ emotional health. She is a founding executive board member of the Connecticut Bar Association’s LGBT Section and previously served as its Chair. In 2015 she was named one of the National LGBT Bar Association‘s Best LGBT Lawyers Under 40.

Resources: 

Freed Marcroft Website

Lesa Koski Website  

Lesa’s Online Courses  To receive real-time alerts that your child is safe and to receive $50 off your Soberlink device, visit ⁠https://www.soberlink.com/partners/different⁠ The Onward app was made for divorced parents to help track, share, and split their children's expenses. Download The Onward App today for iOS or Android!

Mentioned in this episode:

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About the Podcast

Doing Divorce Different A Podcast Guide to Doing Divorce Differently
Divorce, co-parenting, menopause, marriage, and starting over after 40—Doing Divorce Different is your guide to a healthy, faith filled life transition.

Hosted by Family Law Attorney and Mediator Lesa Koski, Doing Divorce Different is a candid, empowering podcast designed to take the fear out of divorce and guide you toward peace—whether you’re navigating a split, working to stay married, or rebuilding a better life after a major transition. Each week, Lesa brings heart-centered legal insight, emotional support, and holistic wisdom to help you heal, grow, and thrive.

We cover everything from amicable divorce and co-parenting strategies to parenting plans that actually work and support kids in thriving through change. You’ll learn how to prepare for marriage with prenups, revisit your relationship with post-nuptial agreements, and understand what it really takes to stay married or rekindle love after a rough season. If you're in the midst of a grey divorce, wondering how to not get divorced, or questioning whether love can be found again, this show is for you.

Lesa also explores the emotional and physical changes that often accompany midlife and major life shifts. From navigating the impact of menopause on your health, marriage, and mood, to dealing with the loneliness that can come after divorce or empty nesting, you’ll find honest conversations that don’t shy away from real-life challenges. And for those of you in your 40s, 50s, or beyond, you’ll discover what it means to truly build a better life after 40.

Health and wellness are deeply integrated into this journey. Lesa shares insights on the benefits of rest, joy, nutrition, fasting, protein, and bone health, along with the power of movement, community, and exercise to support mental clarity and physical strength. You’ll learn how to take care of yourself with intention—because healing isn’t just emotional, it’s also biological.

Mindset work and self-coaching are recurring tools offered in episodes to help you reframe your story and shift from fear to freedom. And through it all, the show honors the role of faith, spiritual surrender, and letting God lead you through every season. Whether you're leaning into your relationship with God for the first time or deepening a lifelong practice, you’ll hear how surrender can bring peace even in the hardest moments.

You’ll hear real stories from people who have done divorce differently, saved their marriages, or found new love and purpose on the other side. Lesa also brings in conversations about marriages that have stood the test of time, co-parenting through complex seasons, and the realities of parenting after separation while maintaining stability for your kids.

This is not just a podcast about divorce. Doing Divorce Different is about taking back your life, rewriting your future, and trusting that you’re not starting over, you’re starting better. If you’re craving practical advice, soul-level encouragement, and real conversations about creating a healthy, joyful, purpose-driven life, you’ve found your community.

Subscribe now and join Lesa Koski for weekly episodes that will help you grow stronger in your relationships, your health, and your faith, no matter where you’re starting from.

About the Host:
I’ve spent over 25 years helping families navigate amicable divorce as a lawyer and mediator, always focused on protecting what matters most—your kids and your peace of mind. But my mission has expanded. Today, I support women over 40 not just through endings, but in building stronger relationships—and sometimes even saving their marriages. I’m a breast cancer survivor, a cowgirl at heart, a wellness advocate, and a follower of Jesus. My life and faith fuel my passion for helping women thrive.

About your host

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Lesa Koski