Humanising Divorce

The Hidden Crisis in Family Justice

The scale of the issue is staggering.

Data from the Ministry of Justice shows that over 14,000 new private family law applications are filed every three months, drawing more than 20,000 children into an already overloaded system each quarter.

Behind those numbers are families in distress. Parents overwhelmed by legal terminology. Children caught in escalating disputes. And judges sometimes given less than 40 minutes to make decisions that will shape a child’s future.

It’s not malicious. It’s overloaded.

And it’s rarely designed to hold the emotional complexity of family breakdown.

Why Emotional Support Matters

Kristyna describes separation as an “emotional earthquake.” Identity shifts. Stability disappears. Fear and anger rise to the surface.

Without structured emotional support, parents are more likely to:

• Escalate conflict
• Rush into court
• Make decisions from despair
• Or entrench positions that damage long-term co-parenting

The courtroom often becomes the first move, when it should be the last resort.

A More Human Way Forward

This episode offers a radical but practical roadmap:

• Stabilise emotion before making major decisions
• Separate legal advice from emotional processing
• Protect children from adult conflict
• Prioritise communication wherever possible

Divorce does not have to mean destruction. With the right support, it can be navigated consciously, without defaulting to the “murky world” of family court.

🎧If you are facing separation, considering court, or simply want to understand how to protect children during conflict, this conversation is essential listening.