Stephanie Marie Laswell

Life doesn’t always work out as we plan & sometimes, divorce happens.

My divorce experiences happened 2016 & in 2021. While they were both very different from one another, they both looked like a daily rollercoaster of emotions – great sadness, freedom, anger, confusion, depression, shame, stress, exhaustion, anxiety, embarrassment, overwhelm, fear, relief, desperation, searching for answers & closure on how to move forward … I was completely uncertain of the future & overwhelmed as my life was being turned upside down. I was supposed to be making sound logical decisions that would have life alternating impacts on myself & my kids. I had no one to educate me on my options & guide me through my divorce. I didn’t understand what I was fighting for or the risk involved. I was self-isolating. My tribe was pulling back. I was making unhealthy decisions that later on just caused more trauma to heal from. I wasn’t myself or thinking straight. I learned later why all this was happening … divorce is a traumatic experience. Trauma alters our brains. So it just makes sense that I didn’t feel like myself nor was acting like myself. 

After going through my own healing journey, I learned that there is a profession that helps divorcees with this very thing! Because of my own divorce experience, I decided to specialize in all things divorce. I never want anyone to feel alone in their divorce like I did. You know that saying, become what you needed? That is what I have done. 

As a Divorce Connoisseur, I have taken all of my professional experience & rolled it into providing services for divorcees. Holistically guiding my clients to establish a divorce legacy that showcases respect, grace, love & causes as little damage as possible to all parties involved so there’s less to recover from. This looks like … 

CERTIFIED DIVORCE COACH
I am the project manager, if you will, for the divorcee. A neutral, consistent thinking partner to help them work through all areas that are being affected by their divorce. 

The business of divorce … I work to break down the divorce process throughout to lessen the feelings of uncertainty & overwhelm. I educate & work with my clients to gather discovery so that they have an eyes wide open look at the potential outcomes of their divorce decisions. I am the link to all the professional parties on the divorce team – lawyer/mediator, CDFA/CPA, mortgage lender, real estate professionals, auto/home/health insurance agent, counselors, community resources & connector to other divorce resources that are needed. This saves my clients time & energy vetting professionals. I help them prepare for meetings with these professionals & court; which ends up saving them time & money. The goal is to avoid potential costly problems down the road & keep them coming back to court over & over again. My clients are able to walk into mediation confident, educated & empowered to make the best decisions for themselves & their family.  

Holistic coaching … I take a holistic approach to working through the spiritual, mental, emotional, physical, financial & relational stresses my clients are experiencing.  Together we identify & eliminate behaviors that are not serving them so that they can make sound logical decisions. 

CERTIFIED DIVORCE TRANSITION COACH
Everything is in a transition of shifting. There is the complicated process of changing roles from married to single. The uncoupling of every area of life. A parenting team under one roof to co-parenting or solo-parenting. Back to the dating scene. Divorce has a ripple effect on all relationships in one’s tribe. I work with my clients to make these transitions as smooth as possible. 

CERTIFIED DIVORCE RECOVERY COACH
In the divorce recovery process, we have been given the opportunity to self-reflect. It is a season of becoming our best selves by diving deep. To acknowledge & take responsibility for our role with forgiveness, respect, grace & love. To establish a holistic healthy state of being so the divorce process becomes a launching pad for moving onward with clarity of the desired life. Divorce doesn’t mean life is over. It is simply an ending for something beautiful to begin. I work with my clients to establish their values, goals & ultimately a legacy they can be proud of. 

FINANCIAL DIVORCE SPECIALIST
A big aspect of divorce is splitting marital assets. Which can cause financial devastation, to one or both parties & take years to recover from. I provide foundational money education for my clients so they can have a plan going into & coming out of mediation that reduces years of financial recovery. This can look  like …
– Comparing the married budget to what is to come as the single budget
– A strategic plan for monies awarded in the divorce decree
– Rolling over 401k
– Credit repair
– Savings plan to purchase a new home
– Setting up new Life insurance policies
– Tax free retirement plans
– College savings plans that have flexibility if the kids don’t go to college or receive scholarships
– Safe & foundational investment strategies
– Small business strategy for healthy cash flow 

I have partnered with Five Rings Financial because they value money education & don’t charge unnecessary fees just to line their pocket books.

REAL ESTATE DIVORCE SPECIALIST
Divorce real estate can take longer than the traditional transaction. I am here to serve my divorcing clients for the long haul as they establish a new home for their family. I serve as a licensed Realtor®-RCS-D™. What is a Realtor®-RCS-D™? A Realtor® that has the designation as a Real Estate Collaboration Specialist – Divorce™. This means I go above & beyond my duties as a real estate agent to help divorcing homeowners …
– Protect their credit score.
– Preserve homeownership eligibility.
– Gather & provide information so that an informed decision can be made before mediation is final.
– Prepare the house for sale. Listing it with special care & respectful consideration for the sensitive nature of the family situation.
– Protecting all parties physically & emotionally is my number one priority.
– Prepare & shop for their new home with a purchase or lease.

I have partnered with Salt Real Estate as they support & see the value of having a divorce specialist on their real estate team. 

Other ventures … when I am not working with my clients, I host a podcast, Ashes Into Beauty, produced by Possibilities Inc, Breaking Ice, Building Bridges platform. I volunteer as a Care Team Coordinator at REAL Single Moms, a local non-profit. I host a divorce support group. I also host a mastermind group of divorce professionals so we can serve the divorcing community with excellence. Advocating to bring awareness about the divorced life, collaborating with my community to know how to best support the divorcee, writing & speaking about divorce to bring hope are all passions of mine.

Who is Stephanie Marie? I am a proud mom of five children, one with the gift of autism. I enjoy making memories & establishing traditions with my tribe. I enjoy meaningful conversation while connecting with others over yummy local food & drinks. My family of origin moved to OK in 1982 & we haven’t left since! Exploring our great state & supporting local businesses is one of my favorite pastimes. I thrive on living a holistic &  nutritarian lifestyle. You can find me in the gym pumping iron, punching a boxing bag or dancing the night away on Saturday nights! I am a huge advocate for healing through counseling & personal growth with a life coach or mentor. This life is not meant to be lived figuring it out alone. Please reach out any time if you ever feel alone.

It all comes down to the legacy we are leaving. With divorce, we have the opportunity to rise above the harsh divorce norms & create a divorce legacy we can be proud of. One that is handled to showcase respect, grace, compassion & love for all parties involved. Will it be easy, no. Will it be worth it, yes. Choose to create a divorce that takes less time to recover from, does the least amount of damage & sets you up for a thriving life when the ink has dried on the decree. 

Bravely Onward ~ SML @ TDL