There are no do-overs in divorce.

Let’s be sure you get it right the first time.

No one enters marriage expecting to get divorced, yet when it happens, women typically bear the heaviest financial and emotional burdens. But it doesn’t have to be this way. What if there was a resource for women to learn how to manage the financial, legal and emotional experience of divorce? Now there is.

Introducing Divorce Navigator

Divorce Navigator is the first program offering comprehensive support for the legal, financial, and emotional challenges women face during divorce. Whether you’re considering divorce or already planning for it, our program guides you step-by-step, empowering you to stand up for yourself and secure what you deserve.

Our team of professionals has dedicated their careers to helping women navigate the turbulent waters of divorce.

WHO are the people behind Divorce Navigator?

The enlightenHer team comprises attorneys, financial advisors, and therapists who have helped women navigate divorce for decades. While every divorce is unique, we know what it takes to have a “successful divorce” that results in legal, financial, and emotional wellness. 

In other words, we’ve taken our collective knowledge and experience and poured it into this program to help as many women as possible.

Divorce is hard.

But we can help you navigate it.

Knowledge is power. The Divorce Navigator will help you prepare for your divorce.

What You Will Learn

Enter divorce armed with the knowledge, understanding, and confidence to stand your ground and fight for what’s right. One Big Mistake: Focusing too much on the “divorce process” and not enough on the “person” divorcing.

This program teaches both the legal and financial details of divorce and how to carry yourself through it.

Divorce Navigator: The Contemplation Phase (divorce is a possibility, but not imminent)

How to be at your emotional best

  • Stay strong when things are at their worst
  • Learn ways to find space for restoration and healing
  • Identify your “non-negotiables”
  • Find your “people” and construct your divorce team
  • Advocate for yourself and fight for what you deserve
  • Prepare for the psychological tactics your spouse and his attorney may use against you in court
  • Play to your strengths and manage around your weaknesses when in financial and custodial negotiations

The real truth about how divorce works (legally)

  • Difference between dissolution and litigation
  • What is spousal support
  • How to pick and work with the right attorney
  • How to minimize attorney fees
  • When to start preparing for a divorce

What divorce means for you financially

  • The financial impact of divorce
  • How to negotiate a fair settlement
  • How to collect and manage financial documents
  • How to get comfortable dealing with finances on your own

Now that you are equipped with a foundation of knowledge and have prepared yourself emotionally, it’s time for action.

This means having the legal and financial knowledge to negotiate an appropriate settlement and the emotional wherewithal to stand up for yourself and not settle for less. Much easier said than done.

Divorce Navigator: The Action Phase (divorce is imminent or underway)

How to be formidable

  • Identify your strengths, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities and how to guard against them
  • Practice proper self-care through exercises that support your mental, emotional, and physical health
  • Navigate the relationship changes that come with divorce
  • Speak confidently with family, friends, and others about your divorce and keep your cool during awkward interactions
  • Establish and enforce boundaries

“Talking points” to prepare for important questions

  • How to tell your spouse about the divorce
  • How to tell your kids about the divorce
  • Do I have to move
  • How to talk to your parents and in-laws about the divorce

The ins and outs of an effective divorce process

  • Available options and how to select the right one
  • Minimize legal fees
  • How courts see your case
  • Alternative dispute resolution options
  • Litigation divorce process

How the court functions 

  • How the court divides assets and reaches resolutions
  • How personal property is divided
  • Spousal support and how it applies
  • Division of financial assets and liabilities
  • What is fair and equitable divorce math

Program Delivery

The Divorce Navigator is delivered by experienced professionals through:

That’s less than two hours of time with a divorce attorney!

You won’t find a more comprehensive view into the world of divorce for less cost.

Divorce Navigator: The Contemplation Phase

  • Module 1:  MAINTAINING YOUR MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH
    7 Lessons, 45 Minutes of Video, 14 Downloads

  • Module 2:  THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT DIVORCE
    4 Lessons, 35 Minutes of Video, 6 Downloads

  • Module 3: THE FINANCIALS
    8 Lessons, 24 Minutes of Video, 8 Downloads

Divorce Navigator: The Action Phase

  • Module 1: MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH
    4 Lessons, 25 Minutes of Video, 8 Downloads

  • Module 2: LEGAL – THE NITTY GRITTY OF DIVORCE
    4 Lessons, 33 Minutes of Video, 5 Downloads

  • Module 3: FINANCIAL
    7 Lessons, 38 Minutes of Video, 5 Downloads
Meet Your Team of Advocates

Dedicated to helping you navigate the turbulent divorce process

Heather Hetchler

Certified Life Coach and Money Mentor

Ed Vargo, CFP®, CLU®, CDFA®

Founder and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst®

Melana Carbary, CFP®, CLU®, CDFA®

Founder and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst®

Jonetta Kapusta-Dorogi, JD

OSBA Family Relations Law Certified Specialist

Lynne Day, JD

Collaborative Divorce Attorney

Bonnie Miller Ladds, LCSW, LISW

Certified Divorce Coach

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

This is a normal feeling in divorce. Every minute you can devote to this will be helpful. The modules are clearly labeled to help you get quickly to the topics most important to you. It’s self-paced. And you will always have access.

Video screen time for each course is 1.5 hours straight through (3 hours total), although it’s unlikely you’ll watch them this way.

You see, the divorce process doesn’t unfold in a straight line. It ebbs and flows and often moves in fits and starts. This can challenge the best of us to keep up. We’ve designed the program with this reality in mind.

The program is broken down into multiple, short videos, so you can pick and choose which topics are right for you. You never have to rush through things to save you money because you’re never “on the clock.”

Yes, we encourage it! You can email us at mcarbary@enlightenher.com. We strive to respond within one business day.

Absolutely. If you find this program is not what you need, you can request a full money-back refund within 10 days, no questions asked.

Without a doubt. Our program will teach you how to spend less time “on the clock” with your attorney and save you a bunch of money in the process. If you save two hours of time with your attorney, the program more than pays for itself.

Hiring a quality attorney is one of the most important decisions of the entire divorce process. That said, attorneys aren’t experts in every area of divorce, only law. Our team of financial and mental health professionals bring you tools and perspectives your attorney cannot nor should not provide.

Plus, as good as your attorney is, it costs you a bunch of money every time you ask a question. Our program provides legal information you can review again and again without costing you a dime.

If your needs go beyond what the program provides, there is the opportunity to work one-on-one with one of our financial or divorce coaches. Feel free to contact us at mcarbary@enlightenher.com or +1 (216)-404-2420 for more information.

Your privacy is of utmost concern. All dealings are strictly confidential. We don’t share your information with anyone or on any public forum (i.e. social media).

 

Heather Hetchler

Certified Life Coach and Money Mentor

Heather joined the team in 2017 where she presented on helping women navigating divorce. Her focus is caring for a woman’s emotional well-being. Since then, she’s become a money mentor to empower women when it comes to finances and divorce. As a woman who has gone through divorce, single parenting and remarriage, Heather has a heart to empower women and has partnered with enlightenHer to do so. 

Heather earned a BA in Communications from Miami University and a Masters in Applied Communication and Methodology from Cleveland State University and has 22 years of experience in communications, including 15 years of life coaching and helping women reach their goals. You may know her from the work she continues to do at heatherhetchlercoaching.com. She has a passion for educating, encouraging, and empowering women. She resides in Cleveland with her husband, and rescue dog as all six kids have successfully launched!

Credentials:

  • Years of experience: 15
  • Designations: Certified Life Coach
  • Education: MA Cleveland State University, BA Miami University

enlightenHer, LLC
2237 Crocker Road Ste 150
Westlake, Ohio 44145
216-404-2420
hhetchler@enlightenher.com
www.enlightenher.com

“Look for the beauty in everyday. Some days you have to look harder, but if you do – you’ll find it.”

Ed Vargo, CFP®, CLU®, CDFA®

Founder and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst®

Ed Vargo, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, AIF®, CDFA®, founder of Burning River Advisory Group, grew up in inner-city Cleveland. During the Vietnam War, Ed’s father served as a sergeant military policeman in South Korea where he met and married Ed’s mother. Once back in the States, Ed’s mother faced the challenges of a being a first-generation immigrant who couldn’t read or write English or drive a car.

Above all, Ed saw his mother struggle as she was not educated in financial matters. A strong-willed and capable woman, she was nevertheless stuck in an unhealthy relationship, unable to control her own well-being. She was financially dependent and had few options for finding a better life. Eventually, she was able to find the power and resources to end the marriage but her struggles left a lasting imprint on Ed and the values he holds dear as a husband, father, and advisor.

Ed’s father, a steelworker, did what he could as a single dad of four young children. Growing up in Cleveland’s Slavic Village neighborhood — a proud, hard-working community (but one not known for its college acceptance rates) — Ed worked hard in school eventually attending Case Western Reserve University. There he earned a BS degree in Management and met his college sweetheart and future wife, Wendy.

Ed and Wendy are now the proud parents of five — yes, five — charismatic daughters. Ed knows how much financial strength matters to the health, safety, and opportunity of a woman’s life, and he’s determined to raise his girls to be as strong, independent, and powerful as possible. He firmly believes that without financial equality, women will never achieve full equality. He wants this for his girls and for all women.

This deeply personal commitment to women’s empowerment is the powerful undercurrent running through Burning River. Ed also believes deeply that a woman’s hard work — as an individual, a professional, an artist, a mother, or anywhere in between — deserves to be recognized and supported. Providing customized financial solutions with a compassionate and caring hand, he is committed to helping women achieve financial independence.

Credentials:

  • Years of experience: 24
  • Designations: CFP®, CLU®, CDFA®, AIF®, CRPC®, ChFC®
  • Education: BS Case Western Reserve University

 

enlightenHer, LLC
2237 Crocker Road Ste 150
Westlake, Ohio 44145
216-404-2420
evargo@enlightenher.com
www.enlightenher.com

“Women cannot be fully empowered unless they are financially empowered.”

Melana Carbary, CFP®, CLU®, CDFA®

Founder and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst®

Melana Carbary, CFP®, CLU®, CDFA®, grew up in a small Ohio town, the daughter of a second-generation railroading family. While extremely close with all of her family, Melana shared a special bond and relationship with her mother. Her mom’s strong role within the family led Melana to be the strong, independent woman she is today and helped shape her career and passion for working with women.

Melana strives to live simply, be a prudent steward of her money, and create a life full of meaningful experiences. Her journey is about collecting memories, not “things.”

She is most proud of the role she served in supporting her mom during her battle with cancer. She is also now the proud auntie of two beautiful nieces.

Credentials:

  • Years of experience: 19
  • Designations: CFP®, CLU®, CDFA®
  • Education: BS Heidelberg College, AS Ohio State ATI (valedictorian), Certified Yoga Instructor (CYT200)

 

enlightenHer, LLC
2237 Crocker Road Ste 150
Westlake, Ohio 44145
216-404-2420
mcarbary@enlightenher.com
www.enlightenher.com

 “If you spend your whole life waiting for the storm, you’ll never enjoy the sunshine.”  ~ Morris West

Jonetta Kapusta-Dorogi, JD

Certified Specialist in Family Relations Law

Jonetta Kapusta-Dorogi is a Certified Specialist in Family Relations law and has been a part of enlightenHer as a presenter from the very beginning. Jonetta’s wide range of experiences gives her the perspective and expertise to walk women through complex domestic relations issues. As a mother, she is sensitive to child-related issues at every stage of development.

As a loyal sports fan, her teams are the Cleveland Browns, Chicago Blackhawks,  Amherst Mammoths, and Duke Blue Devils. She enjoys travel, gardening, music, and sports.

Credentials:

  • Years of experience: 31
  • Designations: JD, OSBA
  • Education: BS Case Western Reserve University, JD Cleveland Marshall School of Law

 

Jonetta J. Kapusta-Dorogi, LLC
OSBA Family Relations Law Certified Specialist
635 West Lakeside Ave., Suite 605
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
Tel: (216) 426-2970
jonetta@dorogilaw.com
www.dorogilaw.com

Lynne Day, JD

Collaborative Divorce Attorney

Lynne Day has been a collaborator with enlightenHer for more than five years. Lynne’s law practice focuses on family law matters supporting married and unmarried parents, collaborative divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and child support matters. As a presenter and counselor, she’s adept at taking the complicated legal side of divorce and making it easy to understand. 

Lynne is currently an office holder for the Women in Profession Section of the Ohio State Bar Association (OSBA) and a Committee Member on the Grievance Committee. She is a Past President and member of the Cleveland Academy of Collaborative Professionals and a Past President and current member of the Geauga County Bar Association as well as a member of the Lake County Bar Association and Ohio Women’s Bar Association.

In her free time, Lynne enjoys traveling and creating special memories for her nieces and nephews. 

Credentials:

  • Family Law Attorney since 1993
  • Education: BS Wittenberg University, JD OSU Moritz College of Law


LYNNE DAY LAW LLC
5900 SOM Center Rd., Ste. 12-124
Willoughby, OH 44094
(216) 407-0954
lynnedaylaw@gmail.com
www.lynnedaylaw.com

 

Bonnie Miller Ladds

Bonnie Miller Ladds, LCSW, LISW

Certified Divorce Coach

Bonnie’s passion and commitment to helping others has been steadfast throughout her 30+ year career as a licensed clinical social worker/therapist and a certified divorce coach.

Providing her clients with exceptional insight and practical advice, Bonnie practices with the highest integrity and ethics both individually and as part of a collaborative team.

With an expertise in anxiety, depression, sex addiction, trauma, family systems, and domestic violence, Bonnie’s experience makes her especially skilled at helping people navigate through the difficult and complex emotional terrain of divorce and other life transitions.

Credentials:

Designations: LISW, LCSW, Certified Divorce Coach, Certified Mediator

Education: Masters in Clinical Social Work, Post Master’s Education in Clinical Social Work, Psychoanalytic Training, Trauma Training, Trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

email: Bonnie@Focus-Forward.com
phone: 888-320-2522
www.focus-forwardtherapy.com