322- Divorcing with special needs kids, with Mary Ann Hughes

<p>This week on the show, I have Mary Ann Hughes joining me.</p> <p>Mary Ann Hughes is the proud mom of two boys on the autism spectrum who successfully advocated for her sons' needs during her complex divorce, and then became a Special Needs Divorce Coach founding Special Family Transitions to help families navigate the overwhelm and complexities of special needs divorce.</p> <p>Combining her experience and certifications as a Certified Divorce Coach, Certified Divorce Transition and Recovery Coach, Certified Divorce Specialist, Certified Life Coach, member of The National Association of Divorce Professionals, MBA, and years of special needs training and advocacy, Mary Ann is committed to helping guide families with loved ones with disabilities through divorce challenges and transitions.</p> <p>In this episode we talked about: </p> <ul> <li>Mary Ann’s divorce story and how it led her to become a divorce coach for mums with special needs kids.</li> <li>How she started her company <em>Special Family</em> <em>Transitions</em>.</li> <li>Life before her divorce and her first concerns navigating becoming a single mum caring for two kids with special needs.</li> <li>How to advocate for and support kids with special needs during and after divorce.</li> <li>Co-Parenting and communication with her ex-partner.</li> <li>Additional considerations to think about when divorcing as a mum with special needs children (such as prolonged child support, government benefits, planning for life insurance and wills, etc).</li> <li>Daily routines caring for children with special needs.</li> <li>How to survive a special needs divorce, and thrive afterward.</li> <li>The RISE framework she uses in her online course that helps mums who have special needs kids through divorce.</li> <li>And so much more!</li> </ul> <p>I loved having Mary Ann on the show and sharing all she does. I hope you enjoy this and find this episode a useful resource.</p> <h4>Links mentioned in the episode:</h4> <p>Contact Mary Ann by emailing her at <a href= "mailto:mar