Meet Jill Kaufman

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jill Kaufman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Jill, really appreciate your meeting with us today to talk about some particularly personal topics. It means a lot because so many in the community are going through circumstances where your insights and experience and lessons might help, so thank you so much in advance for sharing. The first question we have is about divorce and how you overcame divorce and didn’t allow the trauma of divorce to derail your vision for your life and career.

It took a long time and a lot of work to overcome my divorce. Eventually, I created a support system including a therapist, friends, others going through divorce. I recognized how strong I was and how much I had been able to handle in my life. I used my past as proof that I could handle all of the challenges that I faced in my divorce and create a new life for myself. Knowing that I was a role model for my children also helped me realize that I had to be strong. They were my inspiration for moving forward.

But that’s not how it started. When I started out I was a mess. I felt a lot of emotions – I was angry at myself, I was worried about my kids, I was scared about my future, I felt alone and I was totally overwhelmed with the process. I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep. I would wake up at 5am and my mind would race. I was barely functioning. But I realized I wasn’t getting anywhere. I was stuck. It wasn’t good for me or my kids.

When I woke up at 5am one day and couldn’t go back to sleep, I decided to go outside and ride my bike. I listened to Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen and felt a little better. I could finally breathe a little.

Something clicked in me – it was like I finally realized how much I was focusing on the past and how unfair it all was. But that wasn’t helping me, it was hurting me.

I started to think more clearly and when negative thoughts creeped in, I let them go. I visualized those negative thoughts floating away. I became hyper focused on how to get done with my divorce because I needed to and my kids needed me to.

I figured out how to negotiate my divorce against my attorney’s advice. Because I knew myself and my ex better than anyone else. I came up with a solution that worked for both of us. Once we came to agreement, I was able to move out of the house and start building my new life.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

After navigating my own high-conflict divorce, I became deeply committed to helping others avoid the pain and confusion I experienced. I continued my work as a therapist but shifted my focus to support people through the divorce process. Today, I work as a therapist, divorce coach, mediator, and co-parenting expert. I’ve written a book, I’m Getting Divorced, Now What? and created an online course and coaching program, and built a supportive community for parents dealing with divorce. This space allows individuals to connect with others who truly understand what they’re going through, something I wished I had, which is a powerful part of the healing process. I love this work because I get to witness people move from feeling lost and overwhelmed to regaining their confidence, hope, and a clear vision for their next chapter. An exciting project that I recently launched is a directory of divorce professionals who have a similar mission to mine which is to keep divorce client-focused, low-conflict, civilized and amicable and avoid traditional, destructive litigation.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

1. Resilience
Divorce is emotionally exhausting. It can feel like everything is being thrown at you all at once. The highs and lows. It’s an emotional roller coaster. And while it’s not easy, resilience is what helps you ride that roller coaster without being completely derailed.

Everything you’ve overcome in your life has prepared you for this moment. Those past struggles have built a strength in you that you might not even realize yet. There will be hard days and days when it feels impossible but you will get through them. Every single day you survive is a win. Resilience means recovering, recalibrating, and moving forward, even when things feel overwhelming. It also helps you respond with thoughtfulness instead of reacting impulsively, especially when dealing with a difficult ex or high-conflict situations.

2. Clarity on What Truly Matters
In divorce, emotions can cloud your vision. It’s easy to get caught up in the crisis of the day or consumed by arguments that ultimately don’t serve you. That’s why clarity is essential.

Clarity helps you stay focused on what actually matters: your long-term well-being, your children, and your financial future. When you’re clear on your values, your goals, and your boundaries, it’s much harder to get pulled off course by guilt, pressure, or chaos. It allows you to make grounded, strategic decisions instead of emotional, reactive ones.

3. Self-Compassion
You’re going to make mistakes during your divorce. I did. Everyone does. You may feel like you’ve failed, but you haven’t. You’re human so mistakes are part of life. Mistakes can be an opportunity to learn and grow.

Self-compassion means giving yourself grace. It means speaking to yourself the way you would speak to a dear friend. You don’t need to be perfect; you need to be kind to yourself as you move through the messiness. This is what allows you to heal, maintain your dignity, and keep showing up, especially if you’re also parenting through the process. Struggling isn’t failure. It’s part of growth. Treat yourself accordingly.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

I’m looking for passionate people who are in the divorce field – therapists, coaches, divorce attorneys, financial professionals, mediators, forensic accountants, etc. who want to make the divorce experience better for their clients. I’m looking to collaborate in any way – give joint workshops, promote each others services, collaborate with each other and brainstorm on ways to get the word out that divorce can be less stressful and better for families.

Contact Info:

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Resilience
Portraits of Resilience

Sometimes just seeing resilience can change out mindset and unlock our own resilience. That’s our

Productivity
Perspectives on Staying Creative

We’re beyond fortunate to have built a community of some of the most creative artists,

Confidence
Kicking Imposter Syndrome to the Curb

This is the year to kick the pesky imposter syndrome to the curb and move