09/25/2026
I love when a conversation I am in leads to new language for something we have all been seeing but haven't quite known how to name.
The idea of the “divorce bystander” came out of a recent professional conversation, and I’m grateful to Divorce Coaches Academy for making the idea more public and exploring the important role these people can play in the divorce process.
I love working with divorce bystanders in my coaching practice, because divorce doesn't happen in a vacuum. Parents, siblings, friends, adult children, and new partners can all influence the experience - sometimes in ways we recognize and sometimes in ways we don't.
I'm excited to see this conversation continue. Thank you, Divorce Coaches Academy® (DCA®) and Tracy Callahan, MA, for the thoughtful exploration and for the mention!
The term “divorce bystander” was coined by Andrea Hipps, Certified Divorce Coach, LBSW , during a recent DCA® case consultation. During a recent case consultation, a divorce coach raised a question that initially sounded procedural: A client wanted a support person to participate in the divorce...