October 13th, 2022

Episode 189: Divorcing with Children with Special Needs with Mary Ann Hughes

Mary Ann Hughes is the proud mother of two sons on opposite ends of the autism spectrum. Today she joins me for a conversation about going through a divorce when you have children with special needs.

During her divorce, Mary Ann successfully advocated for her children’s needs. As a result, she started Special Family Transitions to help families navigate the overwhelm and complexities of special needs divorce to get the best possible outcome, with as little time, money, and stress as possible. Today, she joins me for a conversation about navigating divorce in the midst of parenting (and eventually co-parenting) children with disabilities.

Combining her experience and certifications as a Certified Divorce Coach, Certified Divorce Specialist, member of the National Association of Divorce Professionals, MBA, and years of special needs advocacy, Mary Ann is committed to supporting families with children with disabilities as a valued special needs divorce coach and consultant.

Show Highlights

  • Transitions can be hard for neurodivergent children – Mary Ann shares how parents approach the decision-making process of divorce
  • The impact of divorce on children with disabilities
  • How to co-parent with kids with special needs when a parent is not engaged or doesn’t prioritize the children
  • How and why you may want to set up a trust for your children
  • What you need to know about divorce when you have kids on the spectrum

Learn more about Mary Ann Hughes:

As a mom of two boys on the autism spectrum who unexpectedly faced divorce after 21 years of marriage, Mary Ann Hughes had to learn how to navigate the complexities of special needs divorce, to effectively advocate for her children’s needs and get a great result for her family in my divorce. Mary Ann formed Special Family Transitions and became a Special Needs Divorce Coach and Consultant so other moms of children with disabilities wouldn’t have to spend the time, money, and emotional energy she did when faced with divorce.

Mary Ann is on a mission to help mothers gain the confidence, skills and knowledge to successfully overcome the overwhelm and challenges of special needs divorce, to achieve the best possible result for their family.  Mary Ann combines her experiences as a Certified Divorce Coach, Certified Divorce Transition and Recovery Coach, Certified Divorce Specialist, Certified Life Coach, member of National Association of Divorce Professionals and NADP Special Needs Chapter, LoneStar LEND Leadership Education in Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Fellow, MBA with a successful career in Fortune 100 companies (pre-kids), and years of special needs training and advocacy, to help her clients effectively advocate for themselves and their children in special needs divorce.

Resources & Links:
Grit and Grace Group Coaching is Open – Join us!
Mary Ann’s website
Mary Ann on Facebook
Mary Ann on Instagram
Mary Ann on YouTube
Mary Ann on TikTok
Mary Ann on LinkedIn
Mary Ann’s course: Keys to Success in Divorce for Moms of Children with Special Needs – DSG listeners get 25% off with discount code SFT.

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Annette Oltmans founded The M3ND Project coming out of her own experience as a survivor of emotional abuse and double abuse and after years of researching academic materials and personally interviewing hundreds of abuse survivors, therapists, and faith leaders. M3ND does this by providing various educational resources and training courses.

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